bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrospun zinc oxide/poly(vinyl alcohol) nanofibrous membranes: in vitro and wear trial evaluation of antimicrobial activity
Authors: Lee Kyung , Lee Seungsin
Published: April 2015

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the antimicrobial properties of ZnO/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofibrous membranes by in vitro trials and to investigate the effectiveness and sustainability in the reduction of bacteria by conducting wear trials in real-use situations. Layered fabric systems with a very thin layer of a ZnO/PVA nanofibrous membrane layered onto polypropylene nonwoven substrates were developed and applied to shoe insoles. Eight healthy males participated in seven different wear trials in which they played a basketball game for 2 hours wearing the prototype. In the in vitro testing, ZnO/PVA nanofibrous membranes obtained from an 11 wt% PVA solution containing 3 wt% ZnO nanoparticles with a web area density of 3.0 g/m2 exhibited a 99.9% reduction of Staphylococcus aureus. In the wear trials, the shoe insoles with ZnO/PVA nanofibrous membranes obtained from the same concentration solution at a web area density of 6.0 g/m2 showed 80.9%, 84.8%, and 82.8% reductions of Staphylococcus aureus after 8, 15, and 22 days of use, respectively. In addition, another set of shoe insoles was kept at a constant temperature and humidity level after the third wear trial and resulted in 66.0% and 86.6% reductions of Staphylococcus aureus after 15 and 22 days, respectively. Although the wear trial results showed lower antimicrobial properties compared to the in vitro trials, our findings indicate that the shoe insoles showed a consistent and reasonable level of antimicrobial activity over a period of time. This suggests that ZnO/PVA nanofibrous membranes with an antimicrobial function, which are ultrathin, flexible, and highly porous, have potential for use in sports/outdoor textiles.
Compressive mechanics of warp-knitted spacer fabrics. Part I: a constitutive model
Authors: Liu Yanping , Hu Hong
Published: April 2015

This paper presents a theoretical study of the compressive mechanics of warp-knitted spacer fabrics. The first part, as presented in the current paper, focuses on the establishment of a constitutive model that can give accurate compressive stress–strain relationships of warp-knitted spacer fabrics. Based on the analysis of three existing models for polymeric or metallic foams, a constitutive model consisting of seven parameters was firstly proposed for spacer fabrics. The effect of each parameter on the regressive stress–strain curves was then parametrically studied. Experimental validation was finally conducted by using 12 warp-knitted spacer fabrics produced with different spacer monofilament diameters and inclination angles, fabric thicknesses, and outer layer structures to identify the physical sense of the parameters. The analysis has showed that an excellent agreement exists between the regressive and experimental results, and all seven parameters have a quantitative effect on a particular phase of the resultant compressive stress–strain curves of warp-knitted spacer fabrics. The change of each parameter makes a clear physical sense on the stress–strain curve. Therefore, the proposed constitutive model can be used as a useful tool to engineer the cushioning properties of warp-knitted spacer fabrics. The adoption of the constitutive model to develop a dynamic model for predicting the impact compressive responses of warp-knitted spacer fabrics under various loading conditions will be presented in Part II.
Price-Transparency and Cost Accounting
Authors: Hilsenrath Peter , Eakin Cynthia , Fischer Katrina
Published: April 2015

Health care reform is directed toward improving access and quality while containing costs. An essential part of this is improvement of pricing models to more accurately reflect the costs of providing care. Transparent prices that reflect costs are necessary to signal information to consumers and producers. This information is central in a consumer-driven marketplace. The rapid increase in high deductible insurance and other forms of cost sharing incentivizes the search for price information. The organizational ability to measure costs across a cycle of care is an integral component of creating value, and will play a greater role as reimbursements transition to episode-based care, value-based purchasing, and accountable care organization models. This article discusses use of activity-based costing (ABC) to better measure the cost of health care. It describes examples of ABC in health care organizations and discusses impediments to adoption in the United States including cultural and institutional barriers.
Self-selection versus Socialization Revisited
Authors: Nteta Tatishe M. , Tarsi Melinda R.
Published: April 2015

Scholarship on racial attitudes has found that white veterans of World War II and the Korean War had more positive views of blacks than white civilians. However, more recent studies have argued that white veterans who have served in an all-volunteer force (AVF) now express more virulent views of blacks. Using data from the 2010–2012 Cooperative Congressional Election Study, we explore whether military service continues to predict positive racial attitudes. We find that white veterans express more negative views of blacks relative to white civilians and that white veterans in the AVF generation exhibit the most negative views of blacks. Taken together, we believe that our results suggest a reassessment of the role of contemporary military experiences in liberalizing white racial attitudes and offer support for the self-selection perspective.
Pandemonium Britain
Authors: O’Brien Castro Monia
Published: April 2015

This article explores what many now perceive as a recurrent problem in Britain: urban riots. It was under Thatcher and her neoliberal policies that this phenomenon increased in scale: the inner cities of London and Birmingham (at the time undergoing urban renewal), for example, regularly experienced riots bringing into conflict various communities or youths and policemen, just as in the inner cities of other areas, despite the adoption of specific measures. The issue at the time was, Should the events be read in terms of violent lawless unemployed black youths enjoying wreaking havoc on cities or instead be read in terms of a section of British society claiming recognition as fully fledged citizens of a multiethnic and multicultural country? I provide an overview of the most emblematic riots and the copycat uproars that followed. The riots led to the publication of reports commissioned by the Conservative government. This article investigates the underlying causes of the 1980s riots, and seeks to ask if the social and economic policies put in place by the Conservatives as a remedy to the riots were in keeping with the conclusions of the enquiry reports; or if such policies instead constituted part of a democratic solution to endemic violence or rather an additional source of revolt.
Strategies of Protest from Wroclaw
Authors: Szymanski-Düll Berenika
Published: April 2015

In the 1980s the people of Poland demanded freedom and political change in their country by staging their discontent with the communist system. Alongside strikes and demonstrations of the now famous trade union Solidarność, there were other forms of urban protest, such as the happenings of the Orange Alternative from Wroclaw. Although according to the recent academic work on pro-democracy movements in Poland, these protest strategies do not play a key role, their contribution to Poland’s transformation to democracy should not be overlooked. By focusing on selected happenings staged in the urban setting at the end of the 1980s, I will analyze the creative ways in which the Orange Alternative used the inner city of Wroclaw to produce new forms of protest. In doing so, I will examine the ways these forms of protests differed from those of other groups, especially Solidarność. Further, I explore the significance and influence they had in the process of Poland’s transition from communism to democracy.
Consistency of Cluster Analysis for Cognitive Diagnosis
Authors: Chiu Chia-Yi , Köhn Hans-Friedrich
Published: April 2015

The Asymptotic Classification Theory of Cognitive Diagnosis (ACTCD) developed by Chiu, Douglas, and Li proved that for educational test data conforming to the Deterministic Input Noisy Output “AND” gate (DINA) model, the probability that hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis (HACA) assigns examinees to their true proficiency classes approaches 1 as the number of test items increases. This article proves that the ACTCD also covers test data conforming to the Deterministic Input Noisy Output “OR” gate (DINO) model. It also demonstrates that an extension to the statistical framework of the ACTCD, originally developed for test data conforming to the Reduced Reparameterized Unified Model or the General Diagnostic Model (a) is valid also for both the DINA model and the DINO model and (b) substantially increases the accuracy of HACA in classifying examinees when the test data conform to either of these two models.
Is More Feedback Seeking Always Better? Leader-Member Exchange Moderates the Relationship Between Feedback-Seeking Behavior and Performance
Authors: Lam Long Wai , Peng Kelly Z. , Wong Chi-Sum , Lau Dora C.
Published: April 2015

Feedback is information made available to employees in their work environment, whereas feedback-seeking behaviors (FSBs) help employees to evaluate proactively whether their work has met performance standards and their behavior is considered appropriate. Prior studies have provided a perspective on how the feedback-seeking contexts affect the emergence and development of FSBs. In this study, we extend that perspective by investigating when FSBs affect job performance so that we can understand whether more feedback seeking is always better. Adopting the relational view of leadership, we hypothesize that the FSB-performance relationship should be stronger for employees with low leader-member exchange (LMX) and in groups with low aggregate LMX and low LMX differentiation. Using a multilevel research design and a sample of 379 teachers in 25 groups, we find support for most of our hypotheses. We discuss the implications of the study for the FSB and the proactive behavior literature and suggest avenues for future research.
Illusions of immediacy: rediscovering Hall’s early work on media
Authors: Couldry Nick
Published: April 2015

In this short article, I analyse Hall’s neglected early work on media and its account of how ideology is reproduced through the everyday workings of media institutions. I trace the importance of that work through later work on the mythical aspects of media institutions (Couldry) and more recent work on the culture of connectivity (Van Dijck) and its appropriation of the social in the form of social media platforms.
Social Network, Activity Participation, and Cognition
Authors: Litwin Howard , Stoeckel Kimberly J.
Published: April 2015

This study examined how two domains of engagement—social network and activity participation—associate with objective and subjective cognitive function in later life. Specific consideration was given as to how these two spheres intersect in regard to recall and memory. The analytic sample included Europeans aged 60 and older drawn from the fourth wave of the Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe in which a new name-generated social network inventory was implemented. Multivariate analyses revealed that activity participation yielded stronger positive associations with word recall and self-rated memory than social network alone. However, the interactions indicate that this association lessened in strength for both the objective and subjective cognitive outcome measures as social network resources increased. The findings suggest that the social component of activity participation may be partially contributing to the positive role that such engagement has on cognitive well-being in later life.
Convoys of social support in Mexico
Authors: Fuller-Iglesias Heather R. , Antonucci Toni
Published: April 2015

The Convoy Model suggests that at different stages of the lifespan the makeup of the social support network varies in step with developmental and contextual needs. Cultural norms may shape the makeup of social convoys as well as denote socio-demographic differences in social support. This study examines the social convoys of adults in Mexico. Specifically, it examines whether social network structure varies by age, gender, and education level, thus addressing the paucity of research on interpersonal relations in Mexico. A sample of 1,202 adults (18–99 years of age) was drawn from the Study of Social Relations and Well-being in Mexico. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated older adults had larger, more geographically proximate networks with a greater proportion of kin but less frequent contact. Women had larger, less geographically proximate networks with less frequent contact. Less educated individuals had smaller, more geographically proximate networks with more frequent contact and a greater proportion of kin. Age moderated gender and education effects indicated that younger women have more diverse networks and less educated older adults have weaker social ties. This study highlights socio-demographic variation in social convoys within the Mexican context, and suggests implications for fostering intergenerational relationships, policy, and interventions. Future research on Mexican convoys should further explore sources of support, and specifically address implications for well-being.
What makes for prize-winning television?
Authors: Connolly Sara , Hanretty Chris , Hargreaves Heap Shaun , Street John
Published: April 2015

We investigate the determinants of success in four international television awards festivals between 1994 and 2012. We find that countries with larger markets and greater expenditure on public broadcasting tend to win more awards, but that the degree of concentration in the market for television and rates of penetration of pay-per-view television are unrelated to success. These findings are consistent with general industrial organisation literature on quality and market size, and with media policy literature on public service broadcasting acting as a force for quality. However, we also find that ‘home countries’ enjoy a strong advantage in these festivals, which is not consistent with festival success acting as a pure proxy for television quality.
Measures of Early Adolescent Development and School Contexts
Authors: Hamre Bridget K. , Cappella Elise
Published: April 2015

This special issue highlights recent research on measures of early adolescents’ development and the school contexts in which they spend their time. We are particularly interested in measures with direct application—providing actionable data to teachers, principals, parents, school counselors, or the students themselves, in ways that promote social-emotional and academic learning. In this introduction, we highlight the ways in which articles in this special issue offer rigorous, relevant, and feasible approaches to this measurement work and discuss future directions for research and practice in this area.
The Wisdom of Crowds of Doctors
Authors: Kattan Michael W. , O’Rourke Colin , Yu Changhong , Chagin Kevin
Published: April 2015

Background. Evidence suggests that the average prediction across groups is more accurate than for individuals. Our goals were therefore to investigate accuracy of the average predictions for groups of clinicians and to compare this accuracy with a published statistical prediction model. Methods. Twenty-four expert clinicians attending an advisory board meeting were asked to make predictions for 25 patients from a research registry regarding the probability of having a positive bone scan 1 year from today if left untreated. Comparisons were made between the accuracy of average responses and that of an appropriate previously published statistical prediction model. Results. This study suggests that the mean of the clinicians’ predictions can quickly approach the accuracy of the best clinician using as few as 5 clinicians. When all 24 clinicians’ predictions were averaged, the concordance index reached 0.750, still far below that of the published statistical model with 0.812. Conclusions. Averaging clinician predictions may have merit over individual clinician predictions but still not reasonably replace a carefully built statistical model. However, averaging clinician predictions could prove helpful in situations where statistical models do not yet exist or where existing models are inadequate.
Posterior Instability of the Shoulder
Authors: DeLong Jeffrey M. , Jiang Kevin , Bradley James P.
Published: April 2015

Background:

To date, there are no reports in the literature of a systematic review and meta-analysis for posterior instability of the shoulder.

Purpose:

The primary objective was to systematically capture, critically evaluate, and perform a meta-analysis of all available literature on arthroscopic clinical outcomes to provide insight and clinical recommendations for unilateral posterior shoulder instability. The secondary objective was to use the same means to assess clinical outcome literature for open treatment, of which a subset of highly reported outcome measures were used to determine superiority of arthroscopic versus open procedures for unilateral posterior shoulder.

Study Design:

Systematic review, meta-analysis.

Methods:

A systematic search to obtain every available, published, level of evidence study reporting patient data for unidirectional posterior shoulder instability was performed by use of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PubMed/Medline database, manual searches of high impact factor journals and conference proceedings, and secondary references appraised for studies meeting inclusion criteria.

Results:

The systematic search captured a total of 1035 publications. After initial exclusion criteria were applied, 607 abstracts were assessed for eligibility. Full-text articles were obtained for 324 articles, and a total of 53 unique publications (27 arthroscopic studies, 26 open studies) reporting clinical outcomes for unidirectional posterior shoulder instability met inclusion criteria and were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis.

Conclusion:

Well-defined and uniform shoulder outcome measures to assess posterior shoulder instability are lacking throughout the literature. However, arthroscopic procedures are shown to be an effective and reliable treatment for unidirectional posterior glenohumeral instability with respect to outcome scores, patient satisfaction, and return to play. Despite similar results of outcome measures to the overall athletic population, throwing athletes are less likely to return to their preinjury levels of sport compared with contact athletes or the overall athletic population. Evidence also indicates that arthroscopic stabilization procedures using suture anchors result in fewer recurrences and revisions than anchorless repairs in young adults engaging in highly demanding physical activity. Furthermore, the literature suggests that patients treated arthroscopically have superior outcomes compared with patients who undergo open procedures with respect to stability, recurrence of instability, patient satisfaction, return to sport, and return to previous level of play.
Wetting behavior of soy-based resin and unsaturated polyester on surface-modified sisal fiber mat
Authors: Rajkumar S , Tjong J , Nayak SK , Sain M
Published: April 2015

This paper presents the complex phenomena occurring during the wetting of natural fibers with epoxidized soybean oil/polyester in terms of contact angle and surface energy. The fibers are treated with various reagents to improve the wetting behavior. The observations demonstrate that NaOH treatment removes hemicelluloses and other impurities to a greater extent as observed through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Besides, it is further noted that there is a considerable amount of increase in surface area of the exposed cellulose that aids in enhancement of wettability characteristics. Conversely, there is a formation of virtual layer on the fiber when treated with silane and isocyanate. An evaluation indicates coherence for silane and isocyanate-treated fiber when expressed in terms of contact angle and surface energy. Moreover, isocyanate-treated fiber exhibits good wetting in epoxidized soybean oil resin which may be attributed to change in polarity. Thermogravimetric analysis studies reveal that there is an appreciable enhancement in thermal stability for all the treatments.
Tension–tension fatigue behaviour of woven flax/epoxy composites
Authors: Asgarinia Soroush , Viriyasuthee Chanvit , Phillips Steven , Dubé Martine , Baets Joris , Van Vuure Aart , Verpoest Ignaas , Lessard Larry
Published: April 2015

Understanding the fatigue performance of biocomposites is critical in order to increase their acceptance, but current literature in this area is mostly limited to nonwoven reinforcements. This paper considers the tension–tension fatigue of three different woven flax/epoxy composites, for which two of them are prepreg-based and the other is manufactured using the Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Moulding (VARTM) process. Good fatigue performance of flax fibres comparable to those exhibited by glass fibres has shown the potential of this material to be implemented in load-bearing applications. The results suggest that minimizing the crimp in the yarns is a major concern to increase the resistance to fatigue damage in this class of materials. In addition to the three mentioned composites, two hybrids of flax/glass/epoxy were manufactured using the same VARTM process to check if the fatigue stability of flax fibre is extendable to its hybrids. The results show that an increase in the strength is possible, while maintaining similar fatigue behaviour as the plain flax/epoxy composites.
The effect of unsaturated fatty acid and triglyceride oil addition on the mechanical and antibacterial properties of acrylic bone cements
Authors: Persson Cecilia , Robert Elise , Carlsson Elin , Robo Céline , López Alejandro , Godoy-Gallardo Maria , Ginebra Maria-Pau , Engqvist Håkan
Published: April 2015

Acrylic bone cements have an elastic modulus several times higher than the surrounding trabecular bone. This has been hypothesized to contribute to certain clinical complications. There are indications that the addition of specific fatty acids and triglyceride oils may reduce the elastic modulus of these types of cements. Some of these additives also appear to have inherent antibiotic properties, although this has never been evaluated in bone cements. In this study, several types of fatty acids and triglyceride oils were evaluated for use in acrylic bone cements. Their mechanical properties were evaluated under uniaxial compression testing and selected cements were then further characterized in terms of microstructure, handling and antibacterial properties using scanning electron microscopy, polymerization temperature measurements, agar diffusion tests and bactericidal activity assays of cement extracts. It was found that any of the evaluated fatty acids or triglyceride oils could be used to tailor the stiffness of acrylic bone cements, although at varying concentrations, which also depended on the type of commercial base cement used. In particular, the addition of very small amounts of linoleic acid (<2.0 wt%) resulted in Young’s moduli and compressive strengths in the range of human trabecular bone, while maintaining a similar setting time. Further, the addition of 12.6 wt% ricinoleic acid to Osteopal V cement was found to have a significant antibacterial effect, inhibiting growth of Staphylococcus aureus in an agar diffusion test as well as demonstrating 100% bactericidal activity against the same strain.
Effect of temperature on bending properties and failure mechanism of three-dimensional multiaxial warp-knitted carbon/epoxy composites
Authors: Li Dian-sen , Zhao Chuang-qi , Jiang Nan , Jiang Lei
Published: April 2015

The three-point bending experiments on three-dimensional multiaxial warp-knitted carbon/epoxy composites with two fiber architectures are performed at room and elevated temperatures. Macro-fracture morphology and scanning electron microscopic micrographs are examined to understand the deformation and failure mechanism. The results show that the load–deflection curves are significantly different for different temperatures and the bending properties decrease significantly with increasing the temperature. Meanwhile, bending properties can be affected greatly by the fiber architecture and these increase significantly with the decrease of the fiber orientation angle at different temperatures. The results also show that the damage and failure patterns of composites vary with the test temperature. At room temperature, the composite exhibits brittle feature, and it damages with the breakage and tearing of fibers. At elevated temperature, the composite becomes more softened and exhibits plasticity. The damage of matrix plastic and cracking, interface debonding, and fiber layer delaminating become prominent. Moreover, the failure mechanism at room and elevated temperatures can be significantly affected by the fiber architecture.
Laser micro-milling under a thin and flowing water layer: A new concept of liquid-assisted laser machining process
Authors: Wuttisarn Taweeporn , Tangwarodomnukun Viboon , Dumkum Chaiya
Published: April 2015

This study proposes a new laser micro-milling technique for minimizing the thermal damage and gaining a higher material removal rate than using the laser alone. A low-pressure waterjet was used to impinge on the workpiece surface in order to form a thin water film, where the laser ablation was made underneath the water layer created. According to the findings, the presented technique can introduce a great reduction in heat-affected zone and significantly increase the cavity depth compared to the other laser milling processes. Experimental analyses and potential use of this new machining technique were also given and discussed.
A theoretical and experimental investigation on large amplitude free vibration behavior of a pretensioned beam with clamped–clamped ends using modified homotopy perturbation method
Authors: Rezaee Mousa , Minaei Masoud
Published: April 2015

In this study, large amplitude free vibration behavior of a pretensioned Euler–Bernoulli beam is investigated both theoretically and experimentally. The Hamilton's principle is used to derive the beam governing equation of motion. By implementing the Galerkin's method and assuming the clamped–clamped boundary condition, the partial differential equation is converted to an ordinary nonlinear differential equation. Because of the large coefficient of the nonlinear term, the new homotopy perturbation method proposed by He, is modified to solve the governing nonlinear equation. Comparing the first- and the second-order approximate solutions of the modified homotopy perturbation method (MHPM) and those available in the literature demonstrates that the second-order MHPM leads to a more accurate solution which is valid for a wide range of the vibration amplitudes. The results have been validated by the experimental tests and the MHPM method. Also, the results show that an increase in the vibration amplitude and/or the pretension load increases the fundamental resonance frequency ratio. Besides, it would decrease with increasing the beam slenderness ratio.
An advanced algorithm for recognizing wind shear using airborne Doppler weather radar
Authors: Wang Lei , Wei Ming , Yang Tao
Published: April 2015

Wind shear must be rapidly recognized during flight because it represents a safety threat. The conventional recognition algorithms rely mainly on the processing of radar signals. Consequently, their results are not two-dimensional and are difficult to visualize, preventing pilots from rapidly and accurately recognizing and predicting the position of shear lines. This study proposes an algorithm for recognizing regions of horizontal wind shear at different altitudes from airborne weather radar. A simulation analysis is used to analyze the radial velocity and spectral width data gathered by ground-based Doppler radar. The algorithm employs the Perona-Malik partial differential equation model to pre-treat Doppler radar base data to reduce noise, maintain fidelity, and remove isolated points. A region-growing algorithm, using radar spectral width and average radial velocity data, is used to rapidly identify regions of horizontal wind shear at different altitudes. By analyzing precipitation events in Fuyang, Chengdu, and Nanjing in China, this study verifies the feasibility of the proposed algorithm. As the simulation results show, the proposed algorithm has better accuracy, better speed, and better shear line continuity than conventional recognition approaches. The improved recognition speed could help pilots recognize and predict wind shear to guarantee flight safety.
A Scoping Review of Treatments for Older Adults with Substance Use Problems
Authors: Mowbray Orion , Quinn Adam
Published: April 2015

Objectives:

To identify effective treatment services for older, substance-using adults, an examination of the evidence associated with interventions for this group is presented.

Methods:

Using explicit, validated criteria to identify effective interventions, 22 publications were included in a review and were subject to a critical appraisal of study methodology.

Results:

The review identified four types of substance use treatment service settings for older adults, with mixed efficacy. These settings included (1) primary care settings or health clinics, (2) combined individual and group-based settings, (3) individual-based treatment settings, and (4) multiple treatment/multisite settings.

Conclusion:

Analyses of these publications revealed primary care settings or health clinic settings offered the most evidence of effective interventions, with noticeable gaps in research on interventions within other settings. Implications for social work practice and research are discussed.
Physician Perspectives on Colorectal Cancer Surveillance Care in a Changing Environment
Authors: Zapka Jane , Sterba Katherine R. , LaPelle Nancy , Armeson Kent , Burshell Dana R. , Ford Marvella E.
Published: April 2015

The purpose of this formative qualitatively driven mixed-methods study was to refine a measurement tool for use in interventions to improve colorectal cancer (CRC) surveillance care. We employed key informant interviews to explore the attitudes, practices, and preferences of four physician specialties. A national survey, literature review, and expert consultation also informed survey development. Cognitive pretesting obtained participant feedback to improve the survey’s face and content validity and reliability. Results showed that additional domains were needed to reflect contemporary interdisciplinary trends in survivorship care, evolving practice changes and current health policy. Observed dissonance in specialists’ perspectives poses challenges for the development of interventions and psychometrically sound measurement. Implications for future research include need for a flexible care model with enhanced communication and role definitions among clinical specialists, improvements in surveillance at multilevels (patients, providers, and systems), and measurement tools that focus on multispecialty involvement and the changing practice and policy environment.
Patient Safety and End-of-Life Care
Authors: Dy Sydney Morss
Published: April 2015

The current state of the science in the fields of patient safety and palliative and end-of-life care have many issues in common. This article synthesizes recent systematic reviews and additional research on improving patient safety and end-of-life care and compares each field’s perspective on common issues, both in traditional patient safety frameworks and in other areas, and how current approaches in each field can inform the other. The article then applies these overlapping concepts to a key example area: improving documentation of patient preferences for life-sustaining treatment. The synthesis demonstrates how end-of-life issues should be incorporated into patient safety initiatives. In addition, evaluating overlap and comparable issues between patient safety and end-of-life care and comparing different perspectives and improvement strategies can benefit both fields.
Prestige Added to Holland’s Vocational Interest Scales for the Prediction of Medical Students’ Aspired Work Environments
Authors: Guntern Sabine , Korpershoek Hanke , Werf Greetje van der
Published: April 2015

The current study examines the relative impact of vocational interests and prestige on medical students’ aspired work environments. The following areas were included: family doctor, specialist in a private practice, specialist in a hospital, scientific researcher, and dentist. We also added the category “undecided students.” The sample consisted of 788 medical students in their preclinical years. Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that the impact of vocational interests and prestige varied as a function of the medical students’ aspired work environments. Students with investigative interests particularly aspired to become scientific researchers (compared to the reference category of family doctor), whereas students interested in prestigious careers aspired to become specialists in a private practice (but not specialists in a hospital). Students with realistic interests particularly aspired to become dentists or specialists in a hospital. This article is concluded by a discussion of the impact of the person–environment fit on students’ career decisions.
Antiphospholipid Antibodies and Procoagulant Profile in Tunisians With Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
Authors: Kraiem Imen , Hadhri Samira , Ben Rejeb Mohamed , Ifa Lamia , Jmaa Ali , Ajmi Salem , Skouri Hadef
Published: April 2015

The hypercoagulable state accompanying inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) is still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to assess antiphospholipid antibodies (APAs) and a large panel of inherited and acquired thrombotic markers simultaneously in a sample of Tunisian patients with IBD. In total, 89 consecutive patients with IBD (mean age 38 ± 15 years; 48 with Crohn disease and 41 with ulcerative colitis) and 129 controls were prospectively evaluated for immunoglobulin (Ig) G, IgM, and IgA antibodies against cardiolipin (aCL), β2glycoprotein I (aβ2GPI), and prothrombin (aPT); IgG and IgM antibodies against phosphatidic acid (aPA), phosphatidylinositol (aPI), and annexin V (aAnnV); lupus anticoagulant (LA); coagulation factors; natural inhibitors; and thrombotic genetic polymorphisms. Levels of fibrinogen, factors II, V, and VIII and von Willebrand factor, antithrombin, and protein C were significantly higher in patients with IBD than in controls ( P < .05 for all comparisons). At least 1 APA subset was detected in 54 patients. The frequencies of antibodies against anionic phospholipids—aCL, aPI, and aPA—in patients with IBD were 15.9%, 21.3%, and 14.6%, respectively. The frequencies of antiphospholipid cofactor antibodies were 39.8% for aβ2GPI and 15.7% for both aAnnV and aPT. Isolated aβ2GPI IgA was detected in 22 patients, and 12 (13.5%) patients had LA. The IgA aβ2GPI antibodies were frequently detected in Tunisian patients with IBD. These results are of potential diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic interest.
Implementation of Patient-Centered Medical Homes in Adult Primary Care Practices
Authors: Alexander Jeffrey A. , Markovitz Amanda R. , Paustian Michael L , Wise Christopher G. , El Reda Darline K. , Green Lee A. , Fetters Michael D.
Published: April 2015

There has been relatively little empirical evidence about the effects of patient-centered medical home (PCMH) implementation on patient-related outcomes and costs. Using a longitudinal design and a large study group of 2,218 Michigan adult primary care practices, our study examined the following research questions: Is the level of, and change in, implementation of PCMH associated with medical surgical cost, preventive services utilization, and quality of care in the following year? Results indicated that both level and amount of change in practice implementation of PCMH are independently and positively associated with measures of quality of care and use of preventive services, after controlling for a variety of practice, patient cohort, and practice environmental characteristics. Results also indicate that lower overall medical and surgical costs are associated with higher levels of PCMH implementation, although change in PCMH implementation did not achieve statistical significance.
The Relationship Between Motor Skills, Social Problems, and ADHD Symptomatology: Does It Vary According to Parent and Teacher Report?
Authors: Goulardins Juliana B. , Rigoli Daniela , Loh Pek Ru , Kane Robert , Licari Melissa , Hands Beth , Oliveira Jorge A. , Piek Jan
Published: April 2015

Objective: This study investigated the relationship between motor performance; attentional, hyperactive, and impulsive symptoms; and social problems. Correlations between parents’ versus teachers’ ratings of social problems and ADHD symptomatology were also examined. Method: A total of 129 children aged 9 to 12 years were included. ADHD symptoms and social problems were identified based on Conners’ Rating Scales–Revised: L, and the McCarron Assessment of Neuromuscular Development was used to assess motor skills. Results: After controlling for ADHD symptomatology, motor skills remained a significant predictor of social problems in the teacher model but not in the parent model. After controlling for motor skills, inattentive (not hyperactive-impulsive) symptoms were a significant predictor of social problems in the parent model, whereas hyperactive-impulsive (not inattentive) symptoms were a significant predictor of social problems in the teacher model. Conclusion: The findings suggested that intervention strategies should consider the interaction between symptoms and environmental contexts.
What Is a Clinically Relevant Improvement in Quality of Life in Adults With ADHD?
Authors: Tanaka Yoko , Brod Meryl , Lane Jeannine R. , Upadhyaya Himanshu
Published: April 2015

Objective: To estimate a minimal clinically important difference (MCID) on the adult ADHD Quality of Life (AAQoL) scale. Method: The MCID was determined from data from short-term ( N = 537) and long-term ( N = 440), placebo-controlled atomoxetine trials in adults with ADHD. For the anchor-based approach, change in clinician-rated Clinical Global Impressions–ADHD–Severity (CGI-ADHD-S) scores was used to derive MCID. For the distribution-based approach, baseline-to-endpoint mean ( SD) changes in AAQoL scores corresponding to 0.5 SD were computed. Results: The MCID was similar (approximately 8-point difference) between the short-term and the long-term treatment groups when either the anchor-based or distribution-based approach was used. Conclusion: These results suggest that approximately 8 points in the change from baseline on the AAQoL is a MCID.
Transit Paradise Lost
Authors: Wellman Gerard C.
Published: April 2015

Among the ways the pursuit of social justice by transit administrators can be thwarted are a lack of support by local elected and unelected leaders; funding mechanisms and budget reductions, which prevent the transit agency from fully achieving its objectives; and zoning and development decisions, which take urban development continually farther from the dense, transit-friendly urban core and frustrate the ability of transit providers to reach spread-out destinations. Although such intentional or negligent obstructions can have a chilling effect on transit service provision and pursuit of social justice concerns, other actions, such as an outright refusal to allow a transit agency to operate, perpetuate the injustices of a stratified society, evidence a disregard of transportation equity by local leaders, and constitute the social oppression some transportation scholars decry. By interviewing 30 transit administrations across the United States, this article will consider how transit agency administrators report their pursuit of social justice agendas is hindered by local political or societal obstacles.
IgA Cutaneous Purpura Post–Renal Transplantation in a Patient With Long-Standing IgA Nephropathy
Authors: Sotoodian Bahman , Robert Janet , Mahmood Muhammad N. , Yacyshyn Elaine
Published: April 2015

Background:

IgA vasculitis is a small-vessel vasculitis caused by deposition of IgA antibodies in tissues. IgA nephropathy and IgAV have long been considered related conditions.

Objective:

To assess the prevalence and implications of new-onset Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) after renal transplant in patients with underlying IgA nephropathy.

Methods:

The PubMed database was searched for keywords such as IgAV, IgA vasculitis, Henoch-Schönlein purpura, HSP, IgA nephropathy, and renal transplant.

Results:

Two cases of new-onset IgA vasculitis post–renal transplant after stopping the prednisone or receiving seasonal influenza vaccine have been reported. We report the case of new-onset IgA cutaneous vasculitis in a renal transplant patient with IgA nephropathy after reduction in his prednisone dosage.

Conclusion:

The new development of cutaneous IgA vasculitis is unusual in renal transplant patients with IgA nephropathy. Despite these patients’ being immunosuppressed, the presence of IgA vasculitis could signal the recurrence of IgA nephropathy.
A macro-level perspective on prison inmate deviance
Authors: Wooldredge John , Steiner Benjamin
Published: April 2015

A macro-level perspective for understanding differences in levels of inmate assaults and nonviolent offenses across US prisons is presented which emphasizes the greater relevance of population composition as opposed to environmental and managerial controls over inmates. We argue that population effects are more relevant due to a heavy reliance on custodial risk assessments which place high concentrations of the most dangerous offenders within particular facilities or units within facilities, rendering these environments less effective for controlling inmate misconduct regardless of tighter security and greater use of administrative controls relative to lower security environments. A partial test of our model was conducted with a national US sample of 247 state prisons for men and women. Results indicate that while both facility and population factors are relevant predictors of offense levels, population effects are stronger and more prevalent. The implications of specific findings are discussed.
Studies the behaviors of polyaniline on the properties of PS/PMMA blends
Authors: Rozik Nehad N , Khalaf Aman I , Ward Azza A
Published: April 2015

The effect of dispersion of polyaniline on the mechanical, morphology, electrical, and thermal properties of the PS/PMMA blends prepared by solution casting fabrication process was investigated. PS/PMMA (50/50) wt% blend with 3% pluronic and 1% polyaniline gave the best tensile strength in comparison with other blends. So, different concentrations from polyaniline (1, 3, 5, 10, 15, and 20 wt%) were evaluated to obtain the suitable effective concentrations that can be used. The morphology suggests that 3% pluronic and 1% polyaniline can act as mechanical compatibilizer between PS and PMMA as well as a thermodynamic compatibilizer. The thermal stability of the PS/PMMA (50/50 wt%) blend with different concentrations of polyaniline in the presence of 3% pluronic was studied using thermogravimetric analysis, which showed an increase in thermal stability due to the presence of polyaniline. The dielectric investigations reflected an increase in both the permittivity and dielectric loss with increasing the content of polyaniline (PANI), due to interfacial polarization and conductivity effects. In addition the increase in the conductivity of the composites is related to the increase of the conductive paths among the filler. The pathway of conductive filler was easy to form lower percolation threshold of the composite due to better dispersion of PANI. However, composites with low percolation threshold will be favorites for the practical applications with regard to the less deteriorated mechanical properties and processability.
Effect of drill point geometry on quality characteristics and multiple performance optimization in drilling of nonlaminated composites
Authors: Ramesh B , Elayaperumal A , Satishkumar S , Kumar Anish , Jayakumar T
Published: April 2015

Extensive work has been carried out in the drillability study of thin laminated composites, which are utilized in the light engineering work. Heavy engineering works like construction of bridges, prefabricated platforms, and ballistic applications utilizes thick nonlaminated composites because of its enhanced mechanical properties. Since there is no sufficient literature on the drillability study of thick nonlaminated composites, an experimental investigation has been carried out to study the effect of process parameters on quality characteristics for standard and special geometry design of a drill body. The drilling experiments using carbide drills were conducted using response surface methodology. Special geometry (ratio) drill performs better than the standard geometry (twist) drill. The optimal process parameter levels for twist drill were determined as feed of 0.052 mm/rev and spindle speed of 1059 r/min and that for ratio drill as feed of 0.05 mm/rev and spindle speed of 750 r/min.
Rawls and political realism: Realistic utopianism or judgement in bad faith?
Authors: Thomas Alan
Published: April 2015

Political realism criticises the putative abstraction, foundationalism and neglect of the agonistic dimension of political practice in the work of John Rawls. This paper argues that had Rawls not fully specified the implementation of his theory of justice in one particular form of political economy then he would be vulnerable to a realist critique. But he did present such an implementation: a property-owning democracy. An appreciation of Rawls s specificationist method undercuts the realist critique of his conception of justice as fairness.
Provoking aspiration: Risk-management through the cultivation of future selves in college recruitment
Authors: Posecznick Alex
Published: April 2015

Drawing upon data from an ethnography of college admissions, I describe how the admissions’ personnel and faculty mobilize persuasive scripts that invite prospective students to reimagine themselves as subjects with a fluid set of aspirations within the context of risky futures. The focus here is not on the representations of the college itself, rather on how potential students’ aspirational subjectivities can be folded into enduring institutional scripts. Reciprocally, the institution is potentially folded into the students’ narrative of self. In persuasive scripts of commensuration, disparate futures and knowledge are made similar: students who imagine themselves embedded in the social world of nursing are acquired by social work programs; potential social workers are acquired by the school for business and so on. I argue here that the fluidity of such imagined futures is directly implicated in neoliberal discourses that require the subject to assertively colonize the future, despite the actual probabilities of such aspirations coming to fruition. This entire process is set against the backdrop of an unstable, higher education marketplace, where college admissions officers and recruiters are required to cushion the institution from the vicissitudes of market conditions.