bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Learning outcomes for communication skills across the health professions: a systematic literature review and qualitative synthesis
Authors: Denniston Charlotte , Molloy Elizabeth , Nestel Debra , Woodward-Kron Robyn , Keating Jennifer L
Published: April 2017

Objective

The aim of this study was to identify and analyse communication skills learning outcomes via a systematic review and present results in a synthesised list. Summarised results inform educators and researchers in communication skills teaching and learning across health professions.

Design

Systematic review and qualitative synthesis.

Methods

A systematic search of five databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, ERIC, CINAHL plus and Scopus), from first records until August 2016, identified published learning outcomes for communication skills in health professions education. Extracted data were analysed through an iterative process of qualitative synthesis. This process was guided by principles of person centredness and an a priori decision guide.

Results

168 papers met the eligibility criteria; 1669 individual learning outcomes were extracted and refined using qualitative synthesis. A final refined set of 205 learning outcomes were constructed and are presented in 4 domains that include: (1) knowledge (eg, describe the importance of communication in healthcare), (2) content skills (eg, explore a healthcare seeker's motivation for seeking healthcare),( 3) process skills (eg, respond promptly to a communication partner's questions) and (4) perceptual skills (eg, reflect on own ways of expressing emotion).

Conclusions

This study provides a list of 205 communication skills learning outcomes that provide a foundation for further research and educational design in communication educationacrossthe health professions. Areas for future investigation include greater patient involvement in communication skills education design and further identification of learning outcomes that target knowledge and perceptual skills. This work may also prompt educators to be cognisant of the quality and scope of the learning outcomes they design and their application as goals for learning.
On shame and voice-hearing
Authors: Woods Angela
Published: April 2017

Hearing voices in the absence of another speaker—what psychiatry terms an auditory verbal hallucination—is often associated with a wide range of negative emotions. Mainstream clinical research addressing the emotional dimensions of voice-hearing has tended to treat these as self-evident, undifferentiated and so effectively interchangeable. But what happens when a richer, more nuanced understanding of specific emotions is brought to bear on the analysis of distressing voices? This article draws findings from the ‘What is it like to hear voices’ study conducted as part of the interdisciplinary Hearing the Voice project into conversation with philosopher Dan Zahavi'sSelf and Other: Exploring Subjectivity, Empathy and Shameto consider how a focus on shame can open up new questions about the experience of hearing voices. A higher-order emotion of social cognition, shame directs our attention to aspects of voice-hearing which are understudied and elusive, particularly as they concern the status of voices as other and the constitution and conceptualisation of the self.
Dynamics of ovarian maturation throughout the reproductive cycle of the Neotropical cichlid fishCichlasomadimerus(Teleostei, Cichliformes)
Authors: Varela M.L. , Ferreira M.F. , Da Cuña R.H. , Lo Nostro F.L. , Genovese G. , Meijide F.J.
Published: April 2017

In this study, we analyzed gene expression profiles, plasma steroids concentrations, and gonadal morphology throughout the reproductive cycle of female Cichlasoma dimerus (Heckel, 1840), a monogamous cichlid fish exhibiting social hierarchies. Fish were analyzed at six phases encompassing their annual cycle, namely resting (during the nonreproductive period), prespawning, 30 h post spawning, 4 days post spawning, 10 days post spawning, and subordinate (during the reproductive period). The histological and histomorphometric analysis showed that C. dimerus exhibits asynchronous ovarian development. Similar to resting females, subordinate females showed low gonadosomatic index, reduced expression levels of vitellogenin (vtgAb), zona pellucida (zpB), gonadal aromatase (cyp19a1A), and low concentrations of plasma sex steroids, thus indicating that social intimidation by dominant conspecifics elicited reproductive arrest. In reproductively active females, a direct positive correlation between plasma estradiol, vtgAb expression, percentage of late vitellogenic oocytes, and gonadosomatic index was observed. These parameters were maximal at the prespawning phase, decreased at 30 h post spawning and 4 days post spawning, and then reached a peak at 10 days post spawning. Our results indicate that female C. dimerus become spawning capable after 10 days post spawning, coincidently with the shortest time interval between successive spawns recorded in captivity.
Fredkin and Toffoli Gates Implemented in Oregonator Model of Belousov–Zhabotinsky Medium
Authors: Adamatzky Andrew
Published: April 2017

A thin-layer Belousov–Zhabotinsky (BZ) medium is a powerful computing device capable for implementing logical circuits, memory, image processors, robot controllers, and neuromorphic architectures. We design the reversible logical gates — Fredkin gate and Toffoli gate — in a BZ medium network of excitable channels with subexcitable junctions. Local control of the BZ medium excitability is an important feature of the gates’ design. An excitable thin-layer BZ medium responds to a localized perturbation with omnidirectional target or spiral excitation waves. A subexcitable BZ medium responds to an asymmetric perturbation by producing traveling localized excitation wave-fragments similar to dissipative solitons. We employ interactions between excitation wave-fragments to perform the computation. We interpret the wave-fragments as values of Boolean variables. The presence of a wave-fragment at a given site of a circuit represents the logical truth, absence of the wave-fragment — logically false. Fredkin gate consists of ten excitable channels intersecting at 11 junctions, eight of which are subexcitable. Toffoli gate consists of six excitable channels intersecting at six junctions, four of which are subexcitable. The designs of the gates are verified using numerical integration of two-variable Oregonator equations.
Rio
Authors: Sani Ardalan Amiri , Boos Kevin , Yun Min Hong , Zhong Lin
Published: April 2017

A user nowadays owns a variety of mobile systems, including smartphones, tablets, smartglasses and smartwatches, each equipped with a plethora of I/O devices, such as cameras, speakers, microphones, sensors and cellular modems. There are many interesting use cases for allowing an application running on one mobile system to access I/O devices on another system, for three fundamental reasons. (i) Mobile systems can be in different physical locations or orientations. For example, one can control a smartphone's high-resolution camera from a tablet to more easily capture a self-portrait. (ii) Mobile systems can serve different users; for example, one can play music for another user if one's smartphone can access the other system's speaker. (iii) Certain mobile systems have unique I/O devices due to their distinct form factors and targeted use cases. For example, a user can make a phone call from her tablet using the modem and SIM card in her smartphone.
Exploring a Third Confirmed Case of Hemoperitoneum following Open Inguinal Hernia Repair Caused by Sampson Artery Hemorrhage
Authors: Hebert Jordan , Jagtiani Manoj , Hsu Alexander , Schmelzer David , Wolodiger Fred
Published: April 2017

Hemoperitoneum is a rare complication of open inguinal hernia repair. This is the third reported case of this complication attributed to the same bleeding source: Sampson’s artery. Sampson’s artery courses along the round ligament of the uterus in the inguinal canal of females, originating from the arcade formed between the uterine and ovarian arteries. Usually obliterated in postembryonic development, this artery can persist in some adult female patients. Disruption of Sampson’s artery can lead to hemoperitoneum following ligation of the uterine round ligament during open inguinal hernia repair in females. This case report describes a third confirmed case of hemoperitoneum complicating an open inguinal hernia repair. We review all three reported cases to date and discuss the recurring signs, symptoms, epidemiologic factors, and diagnostic findings associated. Our review suggests that females of childbearing age, particularly those in the peripartum period, are most at risk of developing this rare complication.
Scientific Evidence for Different Options for GDM Screening and Management: Controversies and Review of the Literature
Authors: Caissutti Claudia , Berghella Vincenzo
Published: April 2017

Background.Gestational diabetes (GDM) affects up to 7% of pregnant women and is associated with several maternal and perinatal morbidities. International organizations suggest several different recommendations regarding how to screen and to manage GDM.Objective.We aimed to analyze the most important and employed guidelines about screening and management of GDM and we investigated existing related literature.Results.We found several different criteria for screening for GDM, for monitoring GDM, and for starting pharmacological therapy. When using IADPSG criteria, GDM rate increased, perinatal outcomes improved, and screening became cost-effective. Compared to no treatment, treatment of women meeting criteria for GDM by IADPSG criteria but not by other less strict criteria has limited evidence for an effect on adverse pregnancy outcomes.
New Conditions for the Exponential Stability of Nonlinear Differential Equations
Authors: Medina Rigoberto
Published: April 2017

We develop a method for proving local exponential stability of nonlinear nonautonomous differential equations as well as pseudo-linear differential systems. The logarithmic norm technique combined with the “freezing” method is used to study stability of differential systems with slowly varying coefficients and nonlinear perturbations. Testable conditions for local exponential stability of pseudo-linear differential systems are given. Besides, we establish the robustness of the exponential stability in finite-dimensional spaces, in the sense that the exponential stability for a given linear equation persists under sufficiently small perturbations. We illustrate the application of this test to linear approximations of the differential systems under consideration.
Finite Element Analysis of Thermal Effects in Diode End-Pumped Solid-State Lasers
Authors: Sayem El-Daher Moustafa
Published: April 2017

Thermal effects are the main obstacle to getting high power and good beam quality in diode end-pumped solid-state lasers. In this work, a theoretical investigation of thermal effects in single and dual end-pumped solid-state lasers is carried out using finite element analysis (FEA) for a selected number of widely used laser producing materials, namely, Nd:YAG, Yb:YAG, and Nd:KGW. Crystals with different dimensions are also investigated both in single and in dual end-pumped configuration. Finally, the effect of using composite crystals on thermal lensing is investigated. An experiment to measure the thermal focal length for two different crystals was carried out and a comparison with FEA computed focal length of the thermal lens is made. In all cases studied in this work, results show clear effects of thermal lensing with some differences depending on crystal type, pump power, and size.
Interleukin-1β Plays a Pivotal Role via the PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling Pathway in the Chronicity of Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
Authors: Xiao Zhaohua , Peng Jing , Gan Na , Arafat Ahmed , Yin Fei
Published: April 2017

Objective: Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) is the most common type of refractory epilepsy. It is often associated with hippocampal sclerosis, which is histopathologically characterized by selective neuron loss, mossy fiber sprouting, and synapse reconstruction, and is the primary cause of refractory epilepsy. Its mechanism has not been fully elucidated. Substantial evidence now supports that inflammatory pathways are activated in epilepsy foci. We have confirmed that the interleukin-1β (IL-1β) level is involved in the epileptogenesis of MTLE, and we further investigated how it works in its chronicity in this study. Methods: The MTLE model was induced by pilocarpine, and Western blot and co-immunoprecipitation were used to detect proteins related to the PI3K/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway in the hippocampi of MTLE rats and MTLE children. Meanwhile, primary hippocampal neurons were cultured and transfected by lentivirus, and the same methods were used to test the related protein expression; fluorescent dye FM4-64 was used to measure synaptic vesicle endocytosis (SVE) of neurons. Results: We revealed that mTOR is continuously activated in the rat MTLE model and children with MTLE, and it correlated with the IL-1β level. We further proved that IL-1β activates neurons via the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, accompanied by the upregulation of MAP2 and the enhancement of SVE in hippocampal neurons. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that IL-1β can activate mTOR, followed by activated neurons, which is critical in the pathogenesis of MTLE chronicity. These findings contribute to the understanding of the pathogenesis of MTLE, and targeting inflammation modulators in MTLE may provide new pathways for therapy of refractory epilepsy.
Admission Glucose and Effect of Intra-Arterial Treatment in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Osei Elizabeth , den Hertog Heleen M. , Berkhemer Olvert A. , Fransen Puck S.S. , Roos Yvo B.W.E.M. , Beumer Debbie , van Oostenbrugge Robert J. , Schonewille Wouter J. , Boiten Jelis , Zandbergen Adrienne A.M. , Koudstaal Peter J. , Dippel Diederik W.J.
Published: April 2017

Background and Purpose—

Hyperglycemia on admission is common after ischemic stroke. It is associated with unfavorable outcome after treatment with intravenous thrombolysis and after intra-arterial treatment. Whether hyperglycemia influences the effect of reperfusion treatment is unknown. We assessed whether increased admission serum glucose modifies the effect of intra-arterial treatment in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Methods—

We used data from the MR CLEAN (Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial of Endovascular Treatment for Acute Ischemic Stroke in the Netherlands). Hyperglycemia was defined as admission serum glucose >7.8 mmol/L. The primary outcome measure was the adjusted common odds ratio for a shift in the direction of a better outcome on the modified Rankin Scale at 90 days, estimated with ordinal logistic regression. Secondary outcome variable was symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage. We assessed treatment effect modification of hyperglycemia and admission serum glucose levels with multiplicative interaction factors and adjusted for prognostic variables.

Results—

Four hundred eighty-seven patients were included. Mean admission serum glucose was 7.2 mmol/L (SD, 2.2). Fifty-seven of 226 patients (25%) randomized to intra-arterial treatment were hyperglycemic compared with 61 of 261 patients (23%) in the control group. The interaction of either hyperglycemia or admission serum glucose levels and treatment effect on modified Rankin Scale scores was not significant (
P
=0.67 and
P
=0.87, respectively). The same applied for occurrence of symptomatic hemorrhage (
P
=0.39 for hyperglycemia,
P
=0.39 for admission serum glucose).

Conclusions—

We found no evidence for effect modification of intra-arterial treatment by admission serum glucose in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
www.isrctn.com
. Unique identifier: ISRCTN10888758.
Nationwide Estimates of 30-Day Readmission in Patients With Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Vahidy Farhaan S. , Donnelly John P. , McCullough Louise D. , Tyson Jon E. , Miller Charles C. , Boehme Amelia K. , Savitz Sean I. , Albright Karen C.
Published: April 2017

Background and Purpose—

Readmission within 30 days of hospital discharge for ischemic stroke is an important quality of care metric. We aimed to provide nationwide estimates of 30-day readmission in the United States, describe important reasons for readmission, and sought to explore factors associated with 30-day readmission, particularly the association with recanalization therapy.

Methods—

We conducted a weighted analysis of the 2013 Nationwide Readmission Database to represent all US hospitalizations. Adult patients with acute ischemic stroke including those who received intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator and intra-arterial therapy were identified using
International Classification of Diseases
-Ninth Revision codes. Readmissions were defined as any readmission during the 30-day post-index hospitalization discharge period for the eligible patient population. Proportions and 95% confidence intervals for overall 30-day readmissions and for unplanned and potentially preventable readmissions are reported. Survey design logistic regression models were fit for determining crude and adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence interval for association between recanalization therapy and 30-day readmission.

Results—

Of the 319 317 patients with acute ischemic stroke, 12.1% (95% confidence interval, 11.9–12.3) were readmitted. Of these, 89.6% were unplanned and 12.9% were potentially preventable. More than 20% of all readmissions were attributable to acute cerebrovascular disease. Readmitted patients were older and had a higher comorbidity burden. After controlling for age, sex, insurance status, and comorbidities, patients who underwent recanalization therapy had significantly lower odds of 30-day readmission (odds ratio, 0.82; 95% confidence interval, 0.77–0.89).

Conclusions—

Up to 12% of patients with ischemic stroke get readmitted within 30 days post-discharge period, and recanalization therapy is associated with 11% to 23% lower odds of 30-day readmission.
Review of the Odontesthes perugiae species group from Río de La Plata drainage, with the description of a new species (Atherinomorpha: Atherinopsidae)
Authors: WINGERT JULIANA M. , FERRER JULIANO , MALABARBA LUIZ R.
Published: April 2017

Specimens presently identified as belonging to Odontesthes perugiae species group from rio Paraná, rio Uruguay and rio Negro in Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay are revised. Two species are recognized: Odontesthes perugiae, type species of the genus with Odontesthes orientalis as a junior synonym, and a new species described herein. Odontesthes perugiae is redescribed and its distribution restricted to the lower rio Paraná, lower rio Uruguay and rio Negro basins. The new species is endemic from the upper rio Uruguay above Salto do Yucumã (Brazil) or Saltos del Moconá (Argentina) falls. Both species share with the remaining taxa included in the O. perugiae species-group (O. bicudo, O. ledae, O. mirinensis, and O. piquava) the possession of teeth of the outer row on dentary and premaxilla shorter than those in the inner row, being distinguished from them by the number of gill rakers, body measurements and some osteological characters.
New Lepidocyrtus Bourlet, 1839 from riverine woodland in Hungary (Collembola, Entomobryidae)
Authors: WINKLER DANIEL
Published: April 2017

Systematic soil fauna survey of riverine and swamp woodland habitats in West Hungary provided the opportunity to describe the new species L. isabelleae sp. nov. belonging to the the Lepidocyrtus pallidus-serbicus group. The new species is characterized by the dorsal macrochaetae formula R0R1sR1R2STSo/00/0101+2, the absence of scales on the antennae and legs beyond coxae and an additional dorsolateral macrochaeta (a7) on Abd. III. On this occasion, the L. pallidus-serbicus group has been revised and reinterpreted, and a differentiation key for the derived L. serbicus group has been developed.
Wind-Induced Mixing in the North Pacific
Authors: Inoue Ryuichiro , Watanabe Michio , Osafune Satoshi
Published: April 2017

Temporal variability of the winter input of wind energy flux (wind power) and its relationship to internal wave fields were examined in the North Pacific. The dominant long-term variability of the wind power input, estimated from a mixed layer slab model, was inferred from an empirical orthogonal function analysis, and it was found that variability partly corresponded to the strength and movement of the Aleutian low. Responses of the internal wave field to the input of wind power were examined for two winters with a meridional float array along 170°W at a sampling interval of 2 dbar. Time series of the vertical diffusivities inferred from density profiles were enhanced during autumn and winter. After comparing diffusivities inferred from densities sampled at 2- and 20-dbar intervals, Argo floats with a vertical resolution of 20 dbar were used to detect spatial and temporal variability of storm-related mixing between 700 and 1000 dbar in the North Pacific over a period of 10 years. Horizontal maps of inferred seasonal diffusivities suggested that the diffusivities were enhanced in autumn and winter. However, it is unlikely that there is a simple linear relationship between the input of wind power and the inferred mixing.
Stimulating TSH receptor autoantibodies immunoassay: analytical evaluation and clinical performance in Graves’ disease
Authors: Autilio C , Morelli R , Locantore P , Pontecorvi A , Zuppi C , Carrozza C
Published: April 2017

Background

Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) receptor (TSHR) autoantibodies (TRAbs) are a heterogeneous group of antibodies (Abs) with different functionalities. Among all TRAbs, only the stimulating ones (S-TRAbs) are considered as the pathogenetic marker of Graves’ disease (GD). To date, the methods available for TRAbs testing are based on immunoassays (IMAs) which detect total serum TRAbs or bioassays which are not suitable in clinical practice, even though they discern Abs functionality. The aim of our work was to evaluate the analytical and clinical performance of a very recent IMA (Immulite TSI method), supposed to test only the serum concentration of S-TRAbs, in comparison with a current method for total TRAbs (Roche/Elecsys IMA).

Methods

We evaluated serum samples of 145 subjects: 46 with untreated (GD), 36 with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis, 3 with atrophic thyroiditis, 10 with multinodular non-toxic goiter and 50 healthy subjects.

Results

The method showed an optimal analytical sensitivity and high precision levels (LoB: 0.04 UI/L, LoD:0.07 UI/L, LoQ:0.14 UI/L, intra-assay CV: 4.2–5.9%, inter-assay: 4.5–7.2%). By receiver operating characteristics curve analysis, we obtained a value of 0.57 (sensitivity: 98.0%, specificity: 99.9%) as the best cut-off to distinguish GD, apart from four cases. Passing Bablok regression and Bland Altman analysis pointed out a good correlation and agreement with Roche method (R2 = 0.98, slope = 1.03, bias = −2.70).

Conclusions

The new method presents very promising analytical characteristics and could be adopted in clinical practice for GD diagnosis. Moreover, the test allows to accurately detect very low values of analyte with a further clinical utility in detecting earlier possible relapses.
Envisioning a New Foundation for Gifted Education: Evolving Complexity Theory (ECT) of Talent Development
Authors: Dai David Yun
Published: April 2017

This article presents a new theory of talent development, evolving complexity theory (ECT), in the context of the changing theoretical directions as well as the landscape of gifted education. I argue that gifted education needs a new foundation that provides a broad psychosocial basis than what the notion of giftedness can afford. A focus on talent development rather than giftedness should be based on a theory of talent development that is truly developmental, treating the developing person as an open, dynamic, and adaptive system, changing oneself adaptively while interacting with environmental opportunities and challenges. To introduce ECT, I first delineate the meaning and significance of four dimensions or “parameters” of talent development undergirding this new theory: domain, person, development, and culture. I then describe how ECT explicates the developmental processes and transitions as the result of human adaptations to environmental opportunities and challenges. More specifically, ECT uses the constructs of characteristic and maximal adaptation to elucidate how domain, person, development, and culture jointly shape a particular line of talent development, and how cognitive, affective, and social processes interact to push and sustain a critical transition from characteristic adaptation to maximal adaptation, eventually leading to high-caliber performance and creative productivity. I finally discuss the theoretical contributions and practical utilities of ECT for future research and practice.
Engaging Gatekeepers, Optimizing Decision Making, and Mitigating Bias: Design Specifications for Systemic Diversity Interventions
Authors: Vinkenburg Claartje J.
Published: April 2017

In this contribution to the Journal of Applied Behavioral Science Special Issue on Understanding Diversity Dynamics in Systems: Social Equality as an Organization Change Issue, I develop and describe design specifications for systemic diversity interventions in upward mobility career systems, aimed at optimizing decision making through mitigating bias by engaging gatekeepers. These interventions address the paradox of meritocracy that underlies the surprising lack of diversity at the top of the career pyramid in these systems. I ground the design specifications in the limited empirical evidence on “what works” in systemic interventions. Specifically, I describe examples from interventions in academic settings, including a bias literacy program, participatory modeling, and participant observation. The design specifications, paired with inspirational examples of successful interventions, should assist diversity officers and consultants in designing and implementing interventions to promote the advancement to and representation of nondominant group members at the top of the organizational hierarchy.
The Internationalisation Process in Family Firms: Choice of Market Entry Strategies
Authors: Claver Enrique , Rienda Laura , Quer Diego
Published: April 2017

One of the most important issues in the study of the internationalisation process is the choice of market entry strategy, which can be linked to the degree of international commitment. We have chosen to address this aspect in this paper by undertaking case studies of family firms, located in the province of Alicante (Spain), that belong to the most internationalised sectors in the region. The results obtained show that this group of firms follow the propositions laid down by the Uppsala model and that the age, size and generation of the family firm significantly influence the establishment of international, strategic alliances.
The transformative power of social media: Considerations for practice and emerging leaders
Authors: Booth Richard G. , Strudwick Gillian , Fraser Robert
Published: April 2017

Social media has transformed how people communicate both in non-healthcare and healthcare-specific settings. Due to social media’s growing importance in society, it is likely that this form of communication will reshape various elements of how healthcare is conceptualized, managed, and delivered. To explore this emerging issue, this article describes the current use of social media in healthcare and examines the future digital transformation of healthcare. Finally, recommendations toward leveraging social media, and how emerging leaders can act as digital stewards to inform future healthcare environments, are also provided.
The Effects of Chains on the Measurement of Competition in the Nursing Home Industry
Authors: Hirth Richard A. , Zheng Qing , Grabowski David C. , Stevenson David G. , Intrator Orna , Banaszak-Holl Jane
Published: April 2017

Consistently accounting for more than 50% of the nursing homes in the United States, corporate chains have played an important role in the industry for several decades. However, few studies have explicitly considered the role of chains in measuring competition in nursing home markets. In this study, we use a newly developed database tracking common ownership over a period of nearly two decades to compare chain-adjusted and unadjusted measures of competition at the county and 25 km fixed-radius levels and explore how the differences would affect the assessment of local market structure. On average, the chain-adjusted Herfindahl–Hirschman Indexes (HHIs) are about 0.02 higher than the unadjusted HHIs. Each year, about 20% to 22% of the counties would appear more concentrated when recalculating HHIs accounting for common ownership. Evidence suggests that nursing home chains tend to focus more on expanding access to new markets within a state than to increasing market power within a smaller local market.
Improving the Use of Evidence-Based Instructional Practices for Paraprofessionals
Authors: Ledford Jennifer R. , Zimmerman Kathleen N. , Harbin Emilee R. , Ward Sarah E.
Published: April 2017

Coaching has been shown to improve the use of evidence-based instructional practices (EBIPs), but relatively few studies have been conducted to assess the effectiveness of coaching for adults belonging to minority groups and paraprofessionals in public elementary school settings. In this study, a multiple probe design across participants was used to assess the effectiveness of coaching and the provision of feedback on the use of prompting procedures and associated practices for three adults supporting three young students with autism in a self-contained elementary school setting. Results showed improved use of target practices and increased student engagement. More research is needed regarding the training and coaching of teaching teams and the use of evidence-based coaching and feedback practices to assist paraprofessionals in implementing EBIPs with small groups of students and in a variety of educational settings.
‘I don’t think this woman had anyone in her life’: Loneliness and singlehood in Six Feet Under
Authors: Yodovich Neta , Lahad Kinneret
Published: April 2017

This article offers a critical analysis of representations of loneliness and singlehood, embodied in the narrative of the ‘old maid’s’ lonely death. The study contributes to a complex understanding of single women and the resignification of emotions conventionally ascribed to this category. By bridging the gap between two rarely linked bodies of knowledge – singlehood and the sociology of emotions – the authors do not ask what loneliness is, but, following Sara Ahmed’s work, rather what loneliness does. To this end, this article employs a content analysis of versatile media texts, focusing on the acclaimed television series Six Feet Under, a polysemic text which juxtaposes both conservative and subversive meanings. The study contributes both to the vibrant discussion of social emotions as well as to the existing critical scholarship about singlehood, and seeks to challenge the limited set of representations attached to single women, and hegemonic ideals of family and solitary life.
Development of an Intervention to Increase Sexual Health Service Uptake by Young People
Authors: Newby Katie V. , Brown Katherine E. , Bayley Julie , Kehal Isher , Caley Mike , Danahay Amy , Hunt Jonny , Critchley George
Published: April 2017

This study aimed to develop and implement an intervention, delivered via a website and Web app, to increase the uptake of sexual health services by young people. The intervention was co-designed with a group of 10 young people. Intervention mapping was used to guide development. To identify barriers and facilitators of access to sexual health services, three focus groups with 24 young people aged 13 to 19 years, and interviews with 12 professionals recruited from across a range of health and social services, were conducted. Data were analyzed using content analysis. Evidence was supplemented through a literature review. Barriers and facilitators were categorized as theoretical determinants and then suitable behavior change techniques (BCTs) for targeting them were selected. Targeted determinants were attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and knowledge. Selected BCTs included “information about others’ approval,” “framing/reframing,” and “credible source.” The website/app enable users to search for services, access key information about them, watch videos about what to expect, and have key concerns removed/addressed. This is the first known digital evidence-based intervention to target this behavior described in the literature. A clear and full description of intervention development and content, including of theorized causal pathways, is provided to aid interpretation of future outcome evaluations.
Managing acromio-clavicular joint pain: a scoping review
Authors: Chaudhury Salma , Bavan Luckshman , Rupani Neal , Mouyis Kyriacos , Kulkarni Ro , Rangan Amar , Rees Jonathan
Published: April 2017

Background

Shoulder pain secondary to acromioclavicular joint pain is a common presentation in primary and secondary care but is often poorly managed as a result of uncertainty about optimal treatment strategies. Osteoarthritis is the commonest cause. Although acromioclavicular pain can be treated non-operatively and operatively, there appears to be no consensus on the best practice pathway of care for these patients, with variations in treatment being common place. The present study comprises a scoping review of the current published evidence for the management of isolated acromioclavicular pain (excluding acromioclavicular joint dislocation).

Methods

A comprehensive search strategy was utilized in multiple medical databases to identify level 1 and 2 randomised controlled trials, nonrandomised controlled trials and systematic reviews for appraisal.

Results

Four systematic reviews and two randomised controlled trials were identified. No direct studies have compared the benefits or risks of conservative versus surgical management in a controlled environment.

Conclusions

High-level studies on treatment modalities for acromioclavicular joint pain are limited. As such, there remains little evidence to support one intervention or treatment over another, making it difficult to develop any evidenced-based patient pathways of care for this condition. Level of evidence: 2A
Open Repair of Acute Achilles Tendon Ruptures: Is the Incidence of Clinically Significant Wound Complications Overestimated?
Authors: Bishop Meghan E. , Comer Carly D. , Kane Justin M. , Maltenfort Mitchell G. , Raikin Steven M.
Published: April 2017

Background:

Conflicting evidence exists regarding the optimal management of acute Achilles tendon ruptures. Operative repair is thought to afford patients a lower risk of rerupture, albeit at a higher overall risk of wound complications.

Methods:

A retrospective chart review of 369 consecutive patients undergoing open repair of acute Achilles tendon ruptures performed by a single foot and ankle fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon was undertaken. Healing was classified as no complications, complications without prolonging treatment, complications requiring prolonged local treatment, and complications requiring operative intervention. A statistical analysis comparing the rates of complications in this cohort to that reported in the literature was conducted.

Results:

There were a total of 33 (8.94%) wound complications. Compared to the rates reported in the literature, no significant difference was detected ( P = .3943; CI 6.24-12.33). However, when the complications not requiring additional treatment or prolonged care were excluded, only 9 wound complications (2.44%) were identified—a significantly lower complication rate than that reported in the literature ( P < .0001; CI 1.12-4.58). There were only 2 (0.54%) major complications requiring operative intervention, also a significantly lower rate than in the literature ( P < .0001; CI 0.067-1.94).

Conclusion:

In the past, wound-healing complications have been cited as a concern when treating patients operatively. We found that when solely looking at healing complications prolonging the patients’ overall recovery, a significantly lower rate of complications existed compared to that reported in the literature.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV.
Severe Corneal Complications Associated With Corneal Lubricant Used During Surgery
Authors: Lee Andrew C. , Opremcak E. Mitchel , Hunt Christiane , Astruc Juan A. , Toussaint Brian , Miller David G. , Busquets Miguel A. , Ferrone Philip J.
Published: April 2017

Purpose:

To present a series of cases of corneal chemical burns associated with the use of likely improperly buffered corneal lubricant gel, Goniovisc, during uncomplicated, posterior segment surgery.

Methods:

Cases of postoperative corneal complications following surgeries in which Goniovisc was used were collected from 6 retina practices across the United States between January and August 2016. The preoperative diagnosis, type of procedure, postoperative day 1 corneal findings, treatment method, and time to resolution of the corneal irregularity were recorded. pH testing of Goniovisc lots from this time period was performed using Hydrion litmus paper.

Results:

A total of 157 eyes of 156 patients were found to have corneal complications following relatively simple posterior segment surgeries in which Goniovisc was used. Findings included one or more of the following: corneal epithelial defect (84% of cases), Descemet folds (34%), stromal edema (14%), and superficial punctate keratitis (3%). Time to resolution ranged from 2 to 90 days (mean, 12 days; median, 7 days). Treatment methods included artificial tears (37%), bandage contact lens (28%), antibiotic drops (17%), antibiotic ointment (16%), and patching (9%). Two cases were treated with amniotic membrane grafts. One case required a penetrating keratoplasty due to an old laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) flap with a nonhealing epithelial defect that scarred significantly. Litmus testing of Goniovisc lots from this time period revealed a pH of 4 to 5.

Conclusion:

Chemical burns secondary to improperly buffered corneal lubricant solution should be considered in the differential when corneal injury is encountered following posterior segment surgery.
Surgical site infections following oral cavity cancer resection and reconstruction is a risk factor for plate exposure
Authors: Yao Christopher M. , Ziai Hedyeh , Tsang Gordon , Copeland Andrea , Brown Dale , Irish Jonathan C. , Gilbert Ralph W. , Goldstein David P. , Gullane Patrick J. , de Almeida John R.
Published: April 2017

Background

Plate-related complications following head and neck cancer ablation and reconstruction remains a challenging problem often requiring further management and reconstructive surgeries. We aim to identify an association between surgical site infections (SSI) and plate exposure.

Methods

A retrospective study between 1997 and 2014 was performed to study the association between postoperative SSI and plate exposures. Eligible patients included those with a history of oral squamous cell carcinoma who underwent surgical resection, neck dissection, and free tissue reconstruction. Demographic and treatment related information was collected. SSI were classified based on CDC definition and previously published literature. Univariable analysis on demographic factors, smoking history, diabetes, radiation, surgical and hardware related factors; while multivariable analysis on SSI, plate height, segmental mandibulectomy defects and radiation were conducted such as using cox proportional hazard models.

Results

Three hundred sixty-five patients were identified and included in our study. The mean age of the study group was 59.2 (+/−13.8), with a predominance of male patients (61.9%). 10.7% of our patient cohort had diabetes, and another 63.8% had post-operative radiation therapy. Patients with SSI were more likely to have plate exposure (25 vs. 6.4%, p <0.001). Post-operative SSI, mandibulectomy defects, and plate profile/thickness were associated with plate exposure on univariable analysis (OR = 5.72, p < 0.001; OR = 2.56, p = 0.014; OR = 1.44, p = 0.003 respectively) and multivariable analysis (OR = 5.13, p < 0.001; OR = 1.36, p = 0.017; OR = 2.58, p = 0.02 respectively).

Conclusion

Surgical site infections are associated with higher rates of plate exposure. Plate exposure may require multiple procedures to manage and occasionally free flap reconstruction.
Interdependence between the stock market and the bond market in one country: evidence from the subprime crisis and the European debt crisis
Authors: Cheng Ke , Yang Xiaoguang
Published: April 2017

Background

Once a global financial crisis breaks out, the interdependence between different financial markets suddenly increases and leads to a significant contagion.

Methods

With 39 countries used as samples, this paper analyzes the interdependence between the stock market and the government bond market during the crisis periods.

Results

It proves that the investor focuses more on the safety of their portfolio so there is neither a flight from quality nor a positive spillover during a crisis period. When one market is safer than the other market in the same country, a flight to quality occurs between the two markets; however, when the two markets in one country are both risky, negative spillover appears between these two markets.

Conclusions

This means a flight to quality from the stock market to the short-term government bond will occur more frequently than will occur from the stock market to the long-term government bond markets. In addition, a flight to quality always emerges in developed markets, while negative spillovers take place in emerging markets and in the PIIGS countries (Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece, and Spain, referred to hereon as “PIIGS”) in the European Debt Crisis.
Glitch
Authors: Cubitt Sean
Published: April 2017

Glitches, formally artifacts of errors in electronic transmission like CD stutters or dead pixels, interrupt communication and distract audiences without wrecking the systems they occur in. Permanent irritants, they operate as irruptions of difference into the indifferent flux of commodity exchange. They reveal the exclusions, notably of noise, that enable rational communication, and the underpinning dependence of ostensibly unique items in semantic chains on their mutual indifference. Glitches are symbols whose nonhuman labor reveals the limits of humanism.
Topological and thermodynamic factors that influence the evolution of small networks of catalytic RNA species
Authors: Yeates Jessica A.M. , Nghe Philippe , Lehman Niles
Published: April 2017

An RNA-directed recombination reaction can result in a network of interacting RNA species. It is now becoming increasingly apparent that such networks could have been an important feature of the RNA world during the nascent evolution of life on the Earth. However, the means by which such small RNA networks assimilate other available genotypes in the environment to grow and evolve into the more complex networks that are thought to have existed in the prebiotic milieu are not known. Here, we used the ability of fragments of the Azoarcus group I intron ribozyme to covalently self-assemble via genotype-selfish and genotype-cooperative interactions into full-length ribozymes to investigate the dynamics of small (three- and four-membered) networks. We focused on the influence of a three-membered core network on the incorporation of additional nodes, and on the degree and direction of connectivity as single new nodes are added to this core. We confirmed experimentally the predictions that additional links to a core should enhance overall network growth rates, but that the directionality of the link (a “giver” or a “receiver”) impacts the growth of the core itself. Additionally, we used a simple mathematical model based on the first-order effects of lower-level interactions to predict the growth of more complex networks, and find that such a model can, to a first approximation, predict the ordinal rankings of nodes once a steady-state distribution has been reached.
Early response of soils to violent disturbances
Authors: Kharab Abdelwahab , Benbourenane Jamal
Published: April 2017

A one-dimensional model dealing with underground explosions as experienced in areas such as mining or excavations is presented. When an explosion in a typical soil medium occurs, soil material is displaced and shock waves propagate in the soil medium. Soil is considered as a floating, ideally locking material. In this paper, the speed of propagation for the shock waves is analyzed, and results are given. The Mie-Gruneisen equation of state is used to find the pressure as a function of the density. Results with the present model yield an efficient and comprehensive means to analyze speed of waves in a sandy medium.
Does documenting the regulation process on a blog enhance pre-service teachers’ self- and co-regulation in a collaborative project?
Authors: Cho Moon-Heum , Lim Seongmi , Lee Kyeonghwa
Published: April 2017

Students often complain about unsatisfactory experiences resulting from disproportionate contributions to collaborative projects. To improve the experience, we applied regulation theory to design a process to document regulation on a blog and examined whether such documentation enhanced students’ self-regulation and co-regulation skills while working on a collaborative project. The results indicate that students improved both their self- and co-regulation skills significantly and they were highly satisfied with their experiences in the collaborative task. In addition, the content analysis performed on the documented regulation reveals that students engaged in diverse types of regulation processes through social interaction with group members. A discussion of teaching and learning strategies when using a blog in a collaborative task is included in this paper.
Light and smell stimulus protocol reduced negative frontal EEG asymmetry and improved mood
Authors: Warden-Smith Jeremy , Paul Laboni , Olukogbon Kasope , Bointon Emma S , Cole Richard H , John Sarah R , Dong Shan , Jacob Tim J C
Published: April 2017

Light and smell have both been shown to induce beneficial changes to human psychophysiology. Bright light therapy has been shown to have a positive impact on anxiety and depression and smell has also been shown to have positive effects on mood, stress, anxiety and depression. We developed a method for the delivery of integrated light and smell stimulation to try to optimise positive psychophysiological benefit. We tested its effectiveness on a physiological measure, EEG frontal alpha asymmetry (FA) and a psychological paradigm, the POMS test, both of which have been used as a measure of emotional state and mood. Light, pleasant smell, combined light+smell and a no stimulus control were delivered for 90s while the frontal alpha asymmetry (FA) was monitored. Smell and light+smell caused significant reductions in negative FA during stimulation. Exposure to a longer 15 min nonadaptive light+smell stimulus protocol reduced negative FA and decreased negative affect (POMS). The effects were greater in the negative FA group. Both the physiological (EEG) and psychometric (POMS) data indicate that integrated light and smell stimulation can reduce negative affect and reduce a marker for anxiety/ depression. This light+smell sensory stimulation protocol could offer a safe treatment for depression/anxiety.