bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinicians’ perceptions of opioid error–contributing factors in inpatient palliative care services: A qualitative study
Authors: Heneka Nicole , Bhattarai Priyanka , Shaw Tim , Rowett Debra , Lapkin Samuel , Phillips Jane L
Published: March 2019

Background:

Opioid errors are a leading cause of patient harm and adversely impact palliative care inpatients’ pain and symptom management. Yet, the factors contributing to opioid errors in palliative care are poorly understood. Identifying and better understanding the individual and system factors contributing to these errors is required to inform targeted strategies.

Objectives:

To explore palliative care clinicians’ perceptions of the factors contributing to opioid errors in Australian inpatient palliative care services.

Design:

A qualitative study using focus groups or semi-structured interviews.

Settings:

Three specialist palliative care inpatient services in New South Wales, Australia.

Participants:

Inpatient palliative care clinicians who are involved with, and/or have oversight of, the services’ opioid delivery or quality and safety processes.

Methods:

Deductive thematic content analysis of the qualitative data. The Yorkshire Contributory Factors Framework was applied to identify error-contributing factors.

Findings:

A total of 58 clinicians participated in eight focus groups and 20 semi-structured interviews. Nine key error contributory factor domains were identified, including: active failures; task characteristics of opioid preparation; clinician inexperience; sub-optimal skill mix; gaps in support from central functions; the drug preparation environment; and sub-optimal clinical communication.

Conclusion:

This study identified multiple system-level factors contributing to opioid errors in inpatient palliative care services. Any quality and safety initiatives targeting safe opioid delivery in specialist palliative care services needs to consider the full range of contributing factors, from individual to systems/latent factors, which promote error-causing conditions.
Na+/K+-ATPase α isoform deficiency results in distinct spreading depolarization phenotypes
Authors: Reiffurth Clemens , Alam Mesbah , Zahedi-Khorasani Mahdi , Major Sebastian , Dreier Jens P
Published: March 2019

Compromised Na+/K+-ATPase function is associated with the occurrence of spreading depolarization (SD). Mutations in ATP1A2, the gene encoding the α2 isoform of the Na+/K+-ATPase, were identified in patients with familial hemiplegic migraine type 2 (FHM2), a Mendelian model disease for SD. This suggests a distinct role for the α2 isoform in modulating SD susceptibility and raises questions about underlying mechanisms including the roles of other Na+/K+-ATPase α isoforms. Here, we investigated the effects of genetic ablation and pharmacological inhibition of α1, α2, and α3 on SD using heterozygous knock-out mice. We found that only α2 heterozygous mice displayed higher SD susceptibility when challenged with prolonged extracellular high potassium concentration ([K+]o), a pronounced post SD oligemia and higher SD speed in-vivo. By contrast, under physiological [K+]o, α2 heterozygous mice showed similar SD susceptibility compared to wild-type littermates. Deficiency of α3 resulted in increased resistance against electrically induced SD in-vivo, whereas α1 deficiency did not affect SD. The results support important roles of the α2 isoform in SD. Moreover, they suggest that specific experimental conditions can be necessary to reveal an inherent SD phenotype by driving a (meta-) stable system into decompensation, reminiscent of the episodic nature of SDs in various diseases.
Evaluation of Intervention Impact on Health Inequality for Resource Allocation
Authors: Griffin Susan , Love-Koh James , Pennington Becky , Owen Lesley
Published: March 2019

Introduction. We describe a simplified distributional cost-effectiveness analysis based on aggregate data to estimate the health inequality impact of public health interventions. Methods. We extracted data on costs, health outcomes expressed as quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and target populations for interventions within National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) public health guidance published up to October 2016. Evidence on variation by age, gender, and index of multiple deprivation informed socioeconomic distributions of incremental QALYs, health opportunity costs, and the baseline distribution of health. Total population QALYs, summary measures of inequality, and a health equity impact plane show results by intervention and by guideline. A value for inequality aversion from a general population survey in England let us combine impacts on health inequality and total health into a single measure of intervention value. Results. Our estimates suggest that of 134 interventions considered by NICE, 70 (52%) reduce inequality and increase health, 21 (16%) involve a tradeoff between improving health and improving health inequality, and 43 (32%) reduce health and increase health inequality. Fully implemented, the potential impact of all recommendations was 23,336,181 additional QALYs for the population of England and Wales and a reduction of the gap in quality-adjusted life expectancy between the healthiest and least healthy from 13.78 to 13.34 QALYs. The combined value of the additional health and reduction in inequality was 28,723,776 QALYs. Discussion. Our analysis takes account of the fact that existing public health spending likely benefits the most disadvantaged. This simple method applied separately to economic evaluation produces evidence of intervention impacts on the distribution of health that is vital in determining value for money when health inequality reduction is a policy goal.
Paris polyphylla 26 triggers G2/M phase arrest and induces apoptosis in HepG2 cells via inhibition of the Akt signaling pathway
Authors: Li Qiang , He Zifan , Liu Jiming , Wu Jianlong , Tan Guixiang , Jiang Jianwei , Su Zexuan , Cao Mingrong
Published: March 2019

Objectives

Paris polyphylla 26 (PP-26) is a monomer purified from Paris polyphylla, which has traditionally been used as an antimicrobial, hemostatic, and anticancer agent in China. The anti-proliferation effect and underlying molecular mechanism of PP-26 were investigated in vitro.

Methods

The effects of PP-26 on various tumor cells were detected by MTT assay. PP-26-affected cell cycle and cell cycle-related proteins in HepG2 cells were detected by flow cytometry and western blotting, respectively. Apoptosis in response to PP-26 was assessed by Hoechst 33258 staining and flow cytometry. PP-26-affected apoptosis-related proteins and Akt signaling were detected by western blotting. The inhibitory effect of PP-26 on HepG2 cells, when combined with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), was also assessed.

Results

PP-26 inhibited proliferation of HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent manner by triggering G2/M-phase arrest. Moreover, PP-26 induced apoptosis of HepG2 cells. Expression levels of apoptosis proteins caspase 9, caspase 3, PARP, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, and Mcl-1 were downregulated, while the expression level of apoptosis protein Bax was upregulated. Expression levels of p-Akt, p-GSK-3β, and p-Foxo3 were downregulated. Combination with PP-26 enhanced 5-FU inhibition of HepG2 cell proliferation.

Conclusions

PP-26 triggers G2/M-phase arrest and induces apoptosis in HepG2 cells via inhibition of the Akt signaling pathway.
Prostatic-type polyp located in the bladder of an adolescent: A case report and overview
Authors: Zhu Hejia , Lin Yiwei , Wang Bo , Shen Baihua , Xie Liping
Published: March 2019

Prostatic-type polyps are uncommon lesions in the urinary tract. They are sometimes found in the lower urinary tract, particularly on the posterior urethra, but are rarely found in the bladder. We report a case of 15-year-old boy who presented with dysuria. Routine ultrasonography showed a mass in the bladder arising near the internal orifice of urethra. Further inspection with cystoscopy followed by transurethral resection and pathology confirmed the lesion to be a prostatic-type polyp. An overview of other similar case studies showed that the pathogenesis of this condition is controversial, haematuria and dysuria are common clinical symptoms and endoscopic transurethral resection is the best treatment option. Since the polyp is benign, recurrence and progression of this disorder is unlikely to occur.
The Use of Laboratory-Measured and Strain-Gauge Backcalculated Asphalt Stiffness for Rutting Performance Prediction
Authors: Coleri Erdem , Harvey John T.
Published: March 2019

Laboratory tests are conducted with asphalt concrete materials to determine the expected in-situ performance. In addition, laboratory test results are commonly used in mechanistic-empirical design methods for material characterization to improve the predictive accuracy of the models. However, the effectiveness of laboratory tests in characterizing the long-term performance of asphalt concrete materials needs to be validated to be able to use the results for pavement design and long-term performance prediction. Inaccurate performance characterization and prediction can directly affect the decision-making process for pavement maintenance, rehabilitation, and reconstruction and result in unexpected early failures in the field. The major objective of this study is to determine the impact of using laboratory-measured asphalt stiffness on the prediction accuracy of mechanistic-empirical models. In addition, the effect of using linear-elastic modeling assumptions (layered elastic theory) and neglecting the nonlinearity of pavement response at high load levels (and/or at high strain levels for weaker structures) on the predicted rutting performance was determined. In this study, the effectiveness of the use of laboratory asphalt stiffness tests for in-situ asphalt stiffness characterization was determined by comparing the rutting performance predicted using laboratory-measured stiffness to rutting predicted using strain-gauge backcalculated stiffness. It was determined that laboratory tests are able to characterize the in-situ stiffness characteristics of the asphalt mix used in this study and the stiffness characterization process suggested in this study can provide reliable rutting performance predictions. Results of this study are only applicable to tested rubberized asphalt concrete mixtures.
Structural Analysis for APT Sections Based on Deflection Parameters
Authors: Camacho-Garita Edgar , Puello-Bolaño Robinson , Laurent-Matamoros Piero , Aguiar-Moya José P. , Loria-Salazar Luis
Published: March 2019

This paper reviews the use of pavement structural condition indicators determined through deflection measurements as a means to monitor structural capacity. The deflection measurements were performed with a road surface deflectometer and a falling weight deflectometer on the various test tracks of an accelerated pavement test (APT) facility. The indicators estimation was based on the deflection data collected from different structures, and it was observed that it is feasible to improve the backcalculation analysis and help overcome some of the limitations associated with such a procedure. For this research, Radius of Curvature, AREA, Normalized AREA, BLI (Upper layers), MLI (Middle layers), and LLI (Lower layers) were the analyzed parameters. Each parameter is related to the structural condition of particular pavement layers. Therefore, the parameters allow general characterization of the pavement layers, and make it possible to detect deteriorated layers. The pavement structures were trafficked by means of an APT at the PaveLab facility at the University of Costa Rica. The deflection parameters were calculated through the APT data, showing the possible use of these indicators at the pavement management system level in Costa Rica, helping the categorization of the pavement structures in service, mainly because the parameters require few input data, and are useful where the available structural condition information is limited. The data presented in this paper show the variation of the different condition indicators throughout the service life of the analyzed pavement structures. The data are also used to compare different structures, their characteristics, and the change in their stiffness associated with damage.
Introduction de la méthodologie d’analyse du storytelling en marketing : principes, apports et mise en œuvre
Authors: Chautard Tiphaine , Collin-Lachaud Isabelle
Published: March 2019

Résumé

Cet article a pour objectif de présenter la méthodologie d’analyse du storytelling et de témoigner de sa pertinence pour les recherches en marketing dans une perspective organisationnelle. Si le marketing mobilise différentes approches théoriques du storytelling, sa variante méthodologique reste quant à elle l’usage quasi exclusif des disciplines des sciences de gestion dites organisationnelles, et notamment de la théorie des organisations, dont elle est issue. La variété des objets d’étude et la nature des données disponibles en font pourtant une méthodologie féconde pour l’analyse des données qualitatives en marketing. Elle constitue une voie d’accès aux réalités profondes par l’exploration du symbolisme véhiculé au travers des récits. Son opérationnalisation étape par étape ainsi que ses apports sont illustrés au travers d’une investigation des discours qui prolifèrent dans les organisations. Des recommandations, outils pratiques et un agenda de recherche sont formulés en vue de sa mise en œuvre pour la recherche en marketing dans sa dimension organisationnelle.
Zeolite-fibrin clot composite as a haemostatic agent for haemophilia A
Authors: Shang Xiaoqiang , Li Yun Long , Chen Hao , Yu Lisha , Wang Zhugang , Xiao Liping , Fan Jie
Published: March 2019

Zeolite is a multifunctional material, which recently exhibited promising prospects in emerging biological and medical applications. This study reported a new bio-inorganic hybrid of zeolite-fibrin clot composite serving as haemostatic agent in haemophilia A. The zeolite-fibrin clot composite promoted haemocompatibility and helped to achieve short clotting time both in vitro (22 ± 3 s vs. >600 s) and in vivo (4.5 min vs. >60 min) compared to control in coagulation factor VIII deficiency bleeding model. Therefore, in situations of surgical operation or accidental injury, this effective and ready-to-use haemostatic agent may provide rapid haemostasis for haemophilia A patients.
Determinants of Intimate Partner Violence Among Young Men Who Have Sex With Men: The P18 Cohort Study
Authors: Stults Christopher B. , Javdani Shabnam , Kapadia Farzana , Halkitis Perry N.
Published: March 2019

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is an understudied health problem among young gay, bisexual, and other non-identified young men who have sex with men (YMSM). According to cross-sectional studies, IPV is associated with psychosocial and mental health problems, such as stigma and depression, among YMSM. IPV is also associated with health-risk behaviors, such as substance use, among this population. Yet, to date, no studies have used longitudinal data to examine determinants of IPV among YMSM. This gap in the extant literature is problematic, as it limits our understanding of how to intervene to interrupt cycles of violence. The aim of the present study was to examine longitudinal determinants of IPV among a sample of (N = 526) YMSM living in the New York City area. Longitudinal analyses using Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) were used to examine individual, relationship, mental health, psychosocial, and substance use factors in relation to IPV victimization and perpetration. Most notably, early experiences of IPV were a robust predictor of later experiences of IPV victimization and perpetration. Relationship status, depression, public gay-related stigma, and illicit substance use were associated with IPV victimization over time. Similarly, relationship status, depression, public gay-related stigma, marijuana, and other illicit substance were associated with IPV perpetration. These findings suggest that prevention programs and awareness campaigns should aim to reach YMSM before their first experiences of relationship violence, as these early experiences of violence are strongly linked to later experiences of violence. Also, IPV interventions should be tailored to the needs of YMSM and should target depressive symptoms, gay-related stigma, and substance use behaviors. Additionally, substance use interventions may be improved by addressing IPV. Finally, policymakers should support policies that improve the social climate for LGBTQ people, thereby reducing gay-related stigma, and potentially stemming violence against and among YMSM.
Social Integration, Self-Rated Health . . . and Genes?
Authors: Das Aniruddha
Published: March 2019

Objective: This study examined genetic roots of later life social integration, and their confounding of this social factor’s health linkages. Method: Data were from the 2010 wave of the Health and Retirement Study. Two dimensions of integration were examined: with one’s “stakeholder” network of family and friends and with the community. Genetic measures included polygenic scores for extraversion and educational attainment. Results: Ties to one’s stakeholder network had no genetic associations. The extraversion polygenic score was linked to community integration among Blacks as well as Whites. Among the latter, the same was true of one’s genetic propensity for educational attainment. Although this score also influenced self-rated health, neither confounded associations of social integration with this indicator. Discussion: Later life social integration seems influenced by genetically rooted propensities for both sociability and human capital accumulation. Health linkages of integration, however, may not reflect mutual dependencies on the same genetic substrates.
Risk Factors for Developing Comorbid Sleeping Problems: Results of a Survey of 1,925 Women Over 50 With a Chronic Health Condition
Authors: Meredith Sophie , Frawley Jane , Sibbritt David , Adams Jon
Published: March 2019

Objective: To test the association between sleeping problems and multiple epidemiological factors among women over 50 with a chronic condition. Method: The Medical Outcomes Study Sleep Scale (MOS-SS) was employed to measure sleep problems among 1,925 participants with chronic conditions who also responded to questions about health service use, self-care and demographics. Results: About 43% of women reported sleeping problems. Women were more likely to have a sleeping problem if they reported some difficulties with available income, odds ratio (OR) = 1.61; 95% confidence interval (CI): [1.27, 2.04]; p < .005, or were struggling with available income (OR = 2.84; 95% CI: [2.04, 3.96]; p < .005). Women were less likely to have sleeping problems if they were highly physically active (OR = .63; 95% CI: [0.51, 0.79]; p < .005). Discussion: Medical professionals should be aware of the significant risk of sleeping problems among mid-age and older women with chronic health conditions, particularly those who have financial concerns, are sedentary, or are not highly physically active.
Oasis landscape of the ancient Loulan on the west bank of Lake Lop Nur, Northwest China, inferred from vegetation utilization for architecture
Authors: Li Kangkang , Qin Xiaoguang , Zhang Lei , Wang Shuzhi , Xu Bing , Mu Guijin , Wu Yong , Tian Xiaohong , Wei Dong , Gu Zhaoyan , Wang Chunxue , Zhang Jianping , Xu Deke , Tang Zihua , Lin Yongchong , Li Wen , Liu Jiaqi , Jiao Yinxin
Published: March 2019

The ancient Loulan, situated on the west bank of Lake Lop Nur, Xinjiang, Northwest China, was an important town on the Silk Road connecting China to Europe. However, this once-prosperous kingdom has been a depopulated zone filled with wind-eroded mounds since approximately AD 500–600. A comprehensive understanding of the environmental setting of the flourishing Loulan civilization is a prerequisite for assessing environment–human interaction there. Here, we present our survey, chronology, and archaeobotany (the identification of plant remains) of vegetation use for architecture from eight ancient ruins of the Loulan kingdom to clarify the ecological landscape on the west bank of Lake Lop Nur and to assess paleoenvironmental conditions when the Loulan kingdom flourished. Our results suggest that Populus euphratica, tamarisk ( Tamarix Linn), and reed ( Phragmites Trin.) were most widely used as building materials in this period. Wood utilization for buildings depended entirely on indigenous vegetation rather than that of the mountains in the Loulan kingdom, even though the Loulan was a predominant transportation hub on the prosperous Silk Road. Our reconstruction indicates that the west bank of Lake Lop Nur was sufficiently wetter than present conditions to support riparian forest growth composed mainly of P. euphratica, tamarisk shrubs, and reed meadows, until approximately AD 500. These wetter conditions and flourishing civilization accompanied an increase in precipitation in arid central Asia. Conversely, combined evidence of both archeological and paleoclimatic records from the water sources of Lake Lop Nur and ancient oases suggest that abrupt decreased mountain precipitation could be considered a significant environmental factor in the decline of Loulan kingdom.
Historical trends in spring ice breakup for the Aura River in Southwest Finland, AD 1749–2018
Authors: Norrgård Stefan , Helama Samuli
Published: March 2019

Ice breakup (IBU) observations have been recorded for Aura River in Turku, southwest Finland, since the mid-18th century. The latest long-term investigation covered the period 1749–1906, but the series contains several biases. In this article, we present a fully revised and extended IBU series (1749–2018) of Aura River for climate research purposes. Instead of typical univariate IBU data (a single time series with one data point per year), this series includes three different types of IBU data. These are the initial observations of the ice starting to break up (IBU1), the river recorded as free from ice within city limits (IBU2) and, finally, the arrival of the ice from behind the Halinen dam, the so-called Halinen ice (IBU3). The IBU1 series shows negative, statistically significant long-term trends since 1749. While the other two phenological events also exhibit negative long-term trends, indicative of earlier and warmer springs towards the present day, their trends are not significant over multi-centurial scales. The IBU2 series is the only series covering the entire period, and it shows a significant negative trend towards earlier breakups (16 days) between 1919 and 2018. Consequently, breakups in March, which were extremely rare before the 1900s, have become common, while breakups in May (previously once per decade) have not occurred since 1881. These results are indicative of sub-seasonal trends in the breakups. Our results also confirm defects in the previous time series, which shows a bias of up to 16 days.
Synthesis and characterization of hydrophobic, ultra-fine fibres based on an organic–inorganic nanocomposite containing a polyimide functionality
Authors: Schramm Christian , Rinderer Beate , Tessadri Richard
Published: March 2019

Ultra-thin polyimide fibres were fabricated by means of the electrospinning method by using precursor solutions consisting of the organotrialkoxysilanes (3-triethoxysilylpropyl)succinic anhydride (TESP-SA), (3-amino)propyltriethoxysilane (APTES), tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and methyltriethoxysilane (MTEOS). TESP-SA and APTES were reacted to the corresponding poly(amic)acid (PAA) in an aqueous medium which was electrospun at 15 kV and at a tip to collector distance of 15 cm. TEOS and MTEOS were also incorporated into the precursor solution to modify the surface properties of the ultra-fine fibre mat. The fibre diameter distributions of the as-prepared PAA fibres were measured. The PAA fibres were thermally treated at 220°C resulting in the formation of an organic–inorganic hybrid polyimide fibre mat with ladder-like structure, as could be shown by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction. The ultra-fine fibre assemblies were also characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and water contact angle measurements.
The “I – Thou” Relationship, Place-Based Education, and Aldo Leopold
Authors: Knapp Clifford E.
Published: March 2019

This article describes a new educational field labeled “place-based education ” and relates it to experiential learning. This term has appeared in the educational literature over the last 10 years and illustrates a concern for providing participants with quality experiences in local settings. After defining and describing the term, one aspect of Aldo Leopold's life is examined through selected quotations. His pedagogy of place and how he related to the outdoors is explained. Leopold was a philosopher, writer, ecologist, and educator who died in 1948. This article explores some ways that he established an I – Thou relationship with nature at his Wisconsin shack. The story of his meanderings on the land is graphically told in the collection of essays titled, A Sand County Almanac and Sketches Here and There (Leopold, 1949). To find out how Leopold related to the land, 10 of his discovery techniques were identified from the text. If experiential educators want to deepen their interaction with the natural and cultural environment, Aldo Leopold's field techniques and the writings of other naturalists may offer some clues for establishing a richer I – Thou relationship with places.
The Developmental Trajectories of Calling: Predictors and Outcomes
Authors: Vianello Michelangelo , Galliani Elisa Maria , Rosa Anna Dalla , Anselmi Pasquale
Published: March 2019

There are many open questions concerning the development of calling, and longitudinal empirical evidence is limited. We know that a calling is associated with many beneficial outcomes, but we do not know how it changes through time and what predicts these changes. Previous studies have shown that calling is relatively stable at the sample level. We show that, at the individual level, calling shows huge variations through time. We identified nine developmental trajectories that are typical across facets of calling, and we found evidence that the development of a calling is fostered by the extent to which individuals have lived it out. We also observed that the more a calling has grown over a 2-year period, the more it is lived out during the third year. These results provide support for a developmental model of calling according to which having a calling and living it out reciprocally influence each other. The practical and theoretical implications of these results are discussed.
Racial Discrimination as a Risk Factor for African American Men’s Physical Partner Violence: A Longitudinal Test of Mediators and Moderators
Authors: Sutton Tara E. , Gordon Simons Leslie , Martin Brittany T. , Klopack Eric T. , Gibbons Frederick X. , Beach Steve R. H. , Simons Ronald L.
Published: March 2019

Although researchers have explored negative individual consequences of racial discrimination, very little work has examined the connection between discrimination and intimate partner violence (IPV) among African American men. Existing work tends to be cross-sectional and does not specify mediators or moderators that might explain this link. Thus, in the current study, we use longitudinal, prospective data from 200 young men to examine potential mediators and moderators of this association. Results demonstrated that anger and hostile attribution bias mediate the association between racial discrimination and IPV perpetration. Both corporal punishment and authoritative parenting acted as moderators, but the patterns of influence differed.
The Relationship Between School Dropout and Pregnancy Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in South Africa: A HPTN 068 Analysis
Authors: Stoner Marie C. D. , Rucinski Katherine B. , Edwards Jessie K. , Selin Amanda , Hughes James P. , Wang Jing , Agyei Yaw , Gomez-Olive F. Xavier , MacPhail Catherine , Kahn Kathleen , Pettifor Audrey
Published: March 2019

Background. Prevention of both school dropout and teen pregnancy represent clear public health priorities for South Africa, yet their complex and potentially cyclical relationship has not been fully explored. Objective. To further understand how this relationship operates, we analyzed data from a randomized trial of young women aged 13 to 20 years enrolled in school in rural South Africa to estimate the association between pregnancy and subsequent dropout and between dropout and subsequent pregnancy. Method. We examined inverse probability (IP) of exposure-weighted survival curves for school dropout by pregnancy and for pregnancy by school dropout. We used weighted curves to calculate 1-, 2-, and 3-year risk differences and risk ratios. Additionally, we used an IP-weighted marginal structural cox model to estimate a hazard ratio (HR) for each relationship. Results. Dropout from school was associated with subsequent pregnancy (HR 3.58; 95% confidence interval [CI] [2.04, 6.28]) and pregnancy was associated with subsequent school dropout (HR 2.36; 95% CI [1.29, 4.31]). Young women who attended school but attended fewer days had a higher hazard of pregnancy than those who attended more school (HR 3.64; 95% CI [2.27, 5.84]). Conclusion. Pregnancy is both a cause and a consequence of school dropout. Consideration of school attendance and academic performance could ultimately enhance pregnancy prevention efforts in this population. Programs should be tailored differently for (1) girls who have dropped out of school, (2) those who are in school and at risk for pregnancy, and (3) those who are in school and become pregnant.
Ideology and (de)legitimation: The Belgian public debate on corporate restructuring during the Great Recession
Authors: Luyckx Joost , Janssens Maddy
Published: March 2019

While scholars have examined how micro-textual argumentative strategies are used to (de)legitimize contested corporate practices, less attention has been given to the role of ideologies or broader belief systems, underlying discursive (de)legitimation. Analyzing newspaper articles published after the announcement of two highly debated corporate restructurings in Belgium during the Great Recession, we identify the ideologies underlying (de)legitimizing statements and examine the discursive strategies through which social actors reproduce elements of these ideologies in legitimacy struggles. We show how the ideologies of ‘neoliberal capitalism’ and ‘humanistic capitalism’ shape framings of the restructurings, identity constructions of actors involved and propositions for government measures to prevent future restructurings from happening. Apart from predictable patterns of reproduction, we discern four creative reproduction strategies: ‘refutation of elements of ideological representations’, ‘appropriation of key vocabularies’, ‘hybridization of ideological representations’, and ‘ideological pioneering’. Our study contributes by (1) providing novel insights into how ideologies function as discursive resources for (de)legitimation of contested corporate undertakings, (2) reconsidering the political nature of (de)legitimizing statements, and (3) reflecting on the (im)possibility of resistance against globalization-driven restructurings in multinational corporations and the neoliberal ideological project in general.
Animal-assisted activity improves social behaviors in psychiatrically hospitalized youth with autism
Authors: Germone Monique M , Gabriels Robin L , Guérin Noémie A , Pan Zhaoxing , Banks Tiffany , O’Haire Marguerite E
Published: March 2019

There is preliminary research suggesting that animal-assisted activities can improve social interactions of children with autism spectrum disorder. This pilot study sought to investigate the benefits of animal-assisted activities with dogs and psychiatrically hospitalized youth with autism spectrum disorder. Participants were recruited from a specialized inpatient psychiatric hospital unit for youth with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities. Utilizing a crossover design, participants served as their own control by engaging in two 10-min conditions: an experimental dog and handler interaction (animal-assisted activities) and a novel toy and handler control (control). Of the 142 youth aged 6-–8 years screened for participation, 47 completed both conditions. Participants’ behavioral data were captured via video and coded using the Observation of Human-Animal Interaction for Research, a tool specifically developed to capture human behavioral interactions in the presence of animals. Overall, social-communication behaviors significantly improved in the animal-assisted activities experimental condition compared to the control condition ( p = 0.0001). Specifically, participants in the animal-assisted activities experimental condition displayed more positive emotional facial expressions ( p ⩽ 0.0001), talking ( p = 0.0408), use of gestures ( p = 0.032), and looking at both adults and peers ( p ⩽ 0.0001). In addition, a higher frequency of constant motion ( p = 0.003) was observed in the animal-assisted activities experimental condition. Results suggest that animal-assisted activities with a dog may promote social-communication behaviors in psychiatrically hospitalized youth with autism spectrum disorder. Given the fact that social and communication behaviors can facilitate treatment engagement for this population, we recommend future studies examine how such improvements can positively affect the psychiatric treatment of this population.
Negatively phrased items of the Autism Spectrum Quotient function differently for groups with and without autism
Authors: Agelink van Rentergem Joost A , Lever Anne Geeke , Geurts Hilde M
Published: March 2019

The Autism Spectrum Quotient is a widely used instrument for the detection of autistic traits. However, the validity of comparisons of Autism Spectrum Quotient scores between groups may be threatened by differential item functioning. Differential item functioning entails a bias in items, where participants with equal values of the latent trait give different answers because of their group membership. In this article, items of the Autism Spectrum Quotient were studied for differential item functioning between different groups within a single sample ( N = 408). Three analyses were conducted. First, using a Rasch mixture model, two latent groups were detected that show differential item functioning. Second, using a Rasch regression tree model, four groups were found that show differential item functioning: men without autism, women without autism, people 50 years and younger with autism, and people older than 50 years with autism. Third, using traditional methods, differential item functioning was detected between groups with and without autism. Therefore, group comparisons with the Autism Spectrum Quotient are at risk of being affected by bias. Eight items emerged that consistently show differences in response tendencies between groups across analyses, and these items were generally negatively phrased. Two often-used short forms of the Autism Spectrum Quotient, the AQ-28 and AQ-10, may be more suitable for group comparisons.
‘People should be allowed to do what they like’: Autistic adults’ views and experiences of stimming
Authors: Kapp Steven K , Steward Robyn , Crane Laura , Elliott Daisy , Elphick Chris , Pellicano Elizabeth , Russell Ginny
Published: March 2019

‘Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements’ are characterised as core features in the diagnosis of autism, yet many autistic adults (and the neurodiversity movement) have reclaimed them as ‘stimming’. Supported by a growing body of scientific research, autistic adults argue that these behaviours may serve as useful coping mechanisms, yet little research has examined stimming from the perspective of autistic adults. Through interviews and focus groups, we asked 32 autistic adults to share their perceptions and experiences of stimming, including the reasons they stim, any value doing so may hold for them and their perceptions of others’ reactions to stimming. Using thematic analysis, we identified two themes: stimming as (1) a self-regulatory mechanism and (2) lacking in social acceptance, but can become accepted through understanding. Autistic adults highlighted the importance of stimming as an adaptive mechanism that helps them to soothe or communicate intense emotions or thoughts and thus objected to treatment that aims to eliminate the behaviour.
‘I definitely feel more in control of my life’: The perspectives of young autistic people and their parents on emerging adulthood
Authors: Cribb Serena , Kenny Lorcan , Pellicano Elizabeth
Published: March 2019

Long-term outcomes studies often paint a discouraging picture of the lives lived by autistic adults. Yet, their outcomes are often measured against normative markers of traditional adult roles, which may not apply to autistic people making the transition to adulthood. Here, we investigated the transition experiences of a group of young autistic people who were followed from childhood. Twenty-six young people and their parents ( n = 28) participated in semistructured interviews on the process of transition and their aspirations for the future. Parents often voiced serious concerns about the ongoing support their children would require and the severe lack of services designed to support them as adults. Yet, overall, young people reported feeling more in control of their own lives, including developing a sense of identity and personal autonomy, both of which may be rooted in young autistic people’s executive skills and their ability to develop and maintain trusting relationships with others – two potential candidate areas for targeted support. These results call into question whether the traditional standards to which we often hold young autistic people are developmentally appropriate and suggest that the pressures of striving towards more normative ways of engaging in the world may be detrimental to their well-being.
Police organizational failure and decoupling: Identifying precursors to failure through the rampart commission
Authors: Johnson Amanda
Published: March 2019

In criminal justice organizations, organizational failure can have catastrophic, often tragic, repercussions. Through the theoretical framework of coupling, this work studies a past organizational failure, the Rampart incident in Los Angeles, and determine what organizational characteristics led to the failure. Using case study analysis, this article investigates circumstances leading to organizational dysfunction, the categories of failure are coded and analyzed to determine precursors to organizational failure. Ultimately, this article shows that police organizational failure is not simply the case of misconduct or deviance, but rather a natural occurrence that can be precipitated by organizational precursors. From these precursors, it should be possible to develop a template which could identify organizations at risk for failure.
Manipulation of ellipsoidal nanoparticles considering roughness based on atomic force microscopy
Authors: Panahi P , Korayem MH , Khaksar H
Published: March 2019

The contribution in this paper is to investigate the manipulation of ellipsoidal nanoparticles by atomic force microscopy, taking into consideration of roughness. For the first phase of manipulation, roughness was investigated just for the substrate, but for the second phase, it begins by particle movement substrate and particle roughness is considered. The particle is of gold material; moreover, tip and substrate are made of silicon. Having examined the effective parameters of the contact mechanics, including the indentation depth and contact area for the Hertz, Jamari and Jeng–Wang models, two Jamari and Jeng–Wang contact models were used to consider the particle–probe contact and the particle–substrate contact respectively. By these two models, the first phase of manipulation process is simulated. At the end of this step, the force and the time, by which the particle starts moving, are detected. The next phase of manipulation begins with particle movement initiation and ends when it reaches the target point, which is called the second phase of manipulation. In order to simulate the second phase of manipulation, the Wilson model is used. Also, due to the fact that no surface is completely smooth and it has roughness that affects the amount of friction force and consequently manipulation relations, in order to bring the results closer to reality, in this article the Rumpf and Rabinovich models are used. In the first phase of manipulation for modelling the substrate roughness, Rumpf and Rabinovich models are used. Moreover, Rumpf model is used for modelling the particle and substrate roughness in the second phase of manipulation. Finally, to validate the results of the manipulation simulation process, they are compared with the results of the existing researches. In the first phase of the manipulation, based on the simulation results, the critical time and force error for the sliding mode were 0.94 and 1.1%, respectively. Meanwhile, the critical time and force error for rotation mode are 1.3 and 1.7%, respectively. For manipulation, taking roughness into account, the critical time and force error for sliding and rotation modes in the first phase of manipulation are about 6%. The error for the second phase, using Wilson model, considering roughness for the particle and the substrate when the particle slides on the substrate is 3.2% as well. As a result, there is a good match between the simulation and the experimental results for both manipulation phases.
Microstructure modeling of high-temperature microcrack initiation and evolution in a welded 9Cr martensitic steel
Authors: Li M , O'Donoghue PE , Leen SB
Published: March 2019

Welded joints in tempered 9Cr–1Mo operating at elevated temperatures are well known to be prone to premature failure due to cracking in the heat-affected zone. This paper describes a crystal plasticity model to predict the microcrack initiation and evolution in the inter-critical heat-affected zone of 9Cr–1Mo welded steel at elevated temperature. A crystal plasticity finite element model indicates that the micro-cracks of 9Cr–1Mo steel mostly nucleate at prior austenite grain boundaries and boundary clustered regions. Inter-granular and trans-granular microcracking are shown to be the key predicted microdamage mechanisms from the current crystal plasticity model. A small amount of ferrite in the inter-critical heat-affected zone is shown to not only influence the microcrack initiation and evolution, but also significantly accentuate material degradation for a given applied load leading to premature failure at high temperature.
Book review: Harper, S. 2016: How Population Change Will Transform Our World
Authors: Arteaga Jazmin Macias
Published: March 2019

Harper, S. 2016: How Population Change Will Transform Our World. Oxford: Oxford University Press. xxii + 234 pp. £14.99 (Hardback), £10.04 (eBook). ISBN: 978-0-19-878409-8 (Hardback), 978 0 19 108669 4 (eBook).
Mind the gap: A novel technique for space closure – a case report
Authors: Shah Rupal , Sharif Mohammad O , Gill Daljit S
Published: March 2019

Patients presenting with severe hypodontia can be challenging to manage. They often present with significant spaces within the dental arches and the lack of permanent teeth can make anchorage control difficult. This case report demonstrates a novel technique for diastema closure in a 14-year-old with severe hypodontia. The technique allows maintenance of root parallelism during space closure in cases with reduced anchorage support. The treatment plan was agreed on a multidisciplinary hypodontia clinic and involved an upper sectional fixed orthodontic appliance to close a 7-mm midline diastema aiding subsequent partial denture provision. Treatment commenced by bonding upper primary canines and central incisors. However, attempting space closure on a 0.019 × 0.025-inch stainless-steel working archwire resulted in tipping of the incisor crowns. Two brackets were therefore placed on the labial surface of each central incisor (one incisal and one gingival). Subsequently two stainless steel working archwires and elastomeric chain were used for diastema closure. This four-bracket system provided superior control allowing space closure by bodily tooth movement. Excellent root parallelism was achieved with this innovative technique.
Orthodontic burden of care for patients with a cleft lip and/or palate
Authors: Hameed Othman , Amin Nima , Haria Priya , Patel Brijesh , Hay Norman
Published: March 2019

Background:

Patients with a cleft lip and/or palate may require multiple episodes of orthodontic treatment, e.g. before alveolar bone grafting, upper arch alignment, orthodontic camouflage and in combination with orthognathic surgery. There is little published regarding the overall orthodontic burden of care for these patients.

Aim:

To assess the orthodontic burden of care for patients with a cleft lip and/or palate.

Method:

Data were collected retrospectively from all consecutive cleft patients who had completed orthodontic treatment between January 2014 and December 2015 at Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, United Kingdom.

Results:

Forty-two patients were included in the study: Twenty-three patients with a cleft lip and palate; nine with an isolated cleft palate; eight with cleft lip and alveolus; and two with cleft lip. The mean age of orthodontic treatment commencement was 13.4 years (range = 8.9–18.2 years) with a mean duration of 3.4 years (range = 1.3–8.3 years). An average of 44 appointments were required with an orthodontist (range = 18–98 appointments).

Conclusion:

The orthodontic burden of care for patients with cleft lip and/or palate must not be underestimated. The duration of treatment varies depending on the type of cleft diagnosis and whether orthognathic surgery will be required. From this study, a patient with cleft lip and/or palate required an average of 44 orthodontic appointments and a mean duration of treatment of 3.4 years in order to complete their treatment. This is a considerable burden to patients and their guardians, which they must be informed of before commencement of orthodontic treatment.
The quality of Internet information on lingual orthodontics in the English language, with DISCERN and JAMA
Authors: Olkun Hatice Kübra , Demirkaya Arzu Arı , Aras Banu
Published: March 2019

Objectives:

This study investigated the quality of Internet information in the English language about lingual orthodontics.

Design:

A cross-sectional study

Materials and Methods:

An Internet search using the keywords ‘lingual orthodontics’, ‘lingual braces’, ‘lingual treatment’ and ‘lingual brackets’ was conducted on the four most popular search engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing and AOL) on 4 February 2017. The first 10 websites for each keyword and search engine were screened. After excluding duplicates and irrelevant websites, the remaining were assessed using the DISCERN tool and JAMA benchmarks.

Results:

Of the original 160 websites found, 132 were excluded (102 duplicates, 30 unrelated). The authors of the remaining 28 websites were orthodontists (39.2%), professional organisations (21%), unspecified (17.8%), dentists (7.1%), dental hygienists (7.1%) and patients (7.1%). The mean overall DISCERN score for the 28 websites was poor (36.3). Only 1/28 websites met all four principles of JAMA, four websites met three criteria, 10 websites met two criteria and 13 websites met one criterion.

Conclusion:

Online information on lingual orthodontics was of poor quality; moreover, unbiased and balanced information was rare. Orthodontists should be aware that the average quality of information on the Internet about lingual orthodontics might be inadequate and should direct patients to higher-quality websites.