bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Plantar and Pedal Puncture Wounds in Children
Authors: Volk Angela , Zebda Mohamed , Abdelgawad Amr A.
Published: January 2016

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to describe our experience in treatment of pediatric patient presenting with pedal puncture wound to our level I trauma center and describe our results for the need for hospitalization and/or surgery for these patients.

Methods

Children and adolescents 18 years and younger presenting with pedal puncture wounds from September 2009 to December of 2013 were retrospectively studied. Exclusion criteria included adult patients, wounds related to animal bites, lacerations associated with a motor vehicle collision or all-terrain vehicle accidents, gunshot wounds, degloving injuries, or injuries resulting in complex lacerations to the foot.

Results

A total of 147 children presented to emergency department (ED) with a pedal puncture wound. Average age was 9.8 years. Prophylactic antibiotic therapy was administered in 107 cases (72.8%). Fifteen patients (10%) were treated with intravenous or intramuscular antibiotics in the ED or after hospital admission, 81 patients (55%) were treated with oral medications (prescribed for them to be taken after discharge), and 35 patients (24%) received topical antibiotic treatment. Of the 147 patients included in the study, 9 patients (6%) required the need for hospitalization. Two patients were admitted for parenteral antibiotic treatment only, and 7 patients required formal surgical debridement in the operating room in addition to parenteral antibiotic therapy.

Conclusions

The majority of pediatric patients with pedal puncture wounds were treated in the ED with only a small percentage of patients requiring admission for either parenteral antibiotic treatment or formal surgical debridement.
Procalcitonin as a Marker of Bacteremia in Patients With Fever and Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Authors: Vyles David , Gnagi Forrest , Bulloch Blake , Muenzer Jared , Hu Chengcheng
Published: January 2016

Background

Children undergoing treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) often present to the emergency department (ED) with a fever. They are at high risk of bacteremia secondary to being immunocompromised. Recent reports indicate that procalcitonin (PCT) is a useful marker of bacteremia in children.

Objective

Our objective was to evaluate the clinical utility of PCT as a rapid marker of bacteremia in children with ALL presenting to the ED with a fever. In addition, we compared the results of PCT with white blood cell (WBC) count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP).

Methods

Retrospective chart reviews were conducted of 492 patients with a total of 735 visits presenting to the ED from January 2009 to June 2012 with fever and a history of ALL where a PCT and a blood culture (BC) were obtained,. Positive BCs determined to be contaminants were excluded. The predictive powers of PCT, WBC, ESR, and CRP for bacteremia were evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve with 95% confidence intervals (CI). In addition, each of the 4 markers were also examined in a logistic regression model as a potential predictor of the BC result.

Results

A total of 735 PCT values were correlated with BC results. There were 76 (10.3%) true-positive BCs. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.729 (95% CI, 0.661–0.792) for PCT, 0.685 (95% CI, 0.531–0.823) for ESR, 0.622 (95% CI, 0.460–0.796) for CRP, and 0.567 (95% CI, 0.483–0.649) for WBC. When logistic regression was used, the transformation log PCT was significantly associated with BC result whereas each of the other 3 markers, after appropriate transformation to remove heavy skewness, was not significant (all P > 0.1). A doubling of PCT was associated with an odds ratio of 1.32 for positive BCs (95% CI, 1.15–1.53).

Conclusions

Procalcitonin value was significantly associated with positive BC (P < 0.0001). The diagnostic performance of PCT was better than the other markers of inflammation. Its use in the ED in a select population of patients may be of significant value in identifying bacteremia. This has the potential to lead to a decrease in unwarranted use of antibiotics, hospital length of stay, and health care expenditures.
Aortic Root Size by Echocardiogram Compared With Computed Tomography in Adolescents With Pectus Excavatum
Authors: Arevalo Alejandro , Haddad Lauren , Johnson Jason , Jones Tamekia L. , Joshi Vijaya
Published: January 2016

Purpose:

Aortic root dilation is a risk factor for aneurysm and dissection. Echocardiography (echo) is the most frequently used initial screening method for the aortic root, but computed tomography (CT) is a preferred modality because of the ability to reformat the images and obtain measurements without the technical limits of echo image acquisition. There are limited data comparing the 2 modalities in measuring the aortic root.

Materials and Methods:

This was a retrospective cohort study comparing echo with CT in measuring the aortic root and was conducted at a children’s hospital. Forty adolescents (range, 10 to 18 y) with pectus excavatum were evaluated.

Results:

In the majority of patients (68%), echo underestimated the aortic root size compared with the CT measurement by at least 1 SD. The average difference between the 2 modalities was 2.5 mm. There was a trend for a greater difference between modalities as the aortic root increased. The severity of the deformity by Haller index did not correlate with greater underestimation of the aortic root size. The shape of the aortic root, ranging from circular to ovoid, also did not contribute to the underestimation of aortic root size by echo.

Conclusions:

Echo can be used as a screening method for the aortic root, but it can underestimate the aortic root size when compared with CT measurements in pediatric patients with pectus excavatum. This difference was more profound as the diameter of the aortic root increased. Patients with dilated aortic roots on echocardiogram may benefit from biorthogonal measurements offered by other imaging modalities such as CT or magnetic resonance imaging.
Poly[μ2-aqua-aqua[μ3-N-butyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)dithiocarbamato-κ3O,O′:S]sodium]
Authors: Bhat Muzzaffar A. , Jain Shalini , Srivastava Sanjay K. , Butcher Ray J. , Wikaira Jan
Published: January 2016

In the title compound, [Na(C7H14NOS2)(H2O)2]n, the NaIcation is coordinated by five O atoms [Na—O = 2.3142 (11)–2.4677 (10) Å] from three aqua and twoN-butyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)dithiocarbamate (L) ligands and one S atom [Na—S = 3.0074 (6) Å] from a thirdLligand in a highly distorted octahedral geometry. Two aqua ligands related by an inversion center bridge two NaIcations, and eachLligand coordinates three NaIcations, leading to a layered arrangement aligned parallel to thebcplane. Intermolecular O—H...S hydrogen bonds are observed in the inner part of each polymeric layer; these are packed along theaaxis and held together by weak van der Waals forces.
Combining cross-crystal averaging and MRSAD to phase a 4354-amino-acid structure
Authors: Busby Jason Nicholas , Lott J. Shaun , Panjikar Santosh
Published: January 2016

The B and C proteins from the ABC toxin complex ofYersinia entomophagaform a large heterodimer that cleaves and encapsulates the C-terminal toxin domain of the C protein. Determining the structure of the complex formed by B and the N-terminal region of C was challenging owing to its large size, the non-isomorphism of different crystals and their sensitivity to radiation damage. A native data set was collected to 2.5 Å resolution and a non-isomorphous Ta6Br12-derivative data set was collected that showed strong anomalous signal at low resolution. The tantalum-cluster sites could be found, but the anomalous signal did not extend to a high enough resolution to allow model building. Selenomethionine (SeMet)-derivatized protein crystals were produced, but the high number (60) of SeMet sites and the sensitivity of the crystals to radiation damage made phasing using the SAD or MAD methods difficult. Multiple SeMet data sets were combined to provide 30-fold multiplicity, and the low-resolution phase information from the Ta6Br12data set was transferred to this combined data set by cross-crystal averaging. This allowed the Se atoms to be located in an anomalous difference Fourier map; they were then used inAuto-Rickshawfor multiple rounds of autobuilding and MRSAD.
Atomic resolution structure of a chimeric DNA–RNA Z-type duplex in complex with Ba2+ions: a case of complicated multi-domain twinning
Authors: Gilski Miroslaw , Drozdzal Pawel , Kierzek Ryszard , Jaskolski Mariusz
Published: January 2016

The self-complementary dCrGdCrGdCrG hexanucleotide, in which not only the pyrimidine/purine bases but also the ribo/deoxy sugars alternate along the sequence, was crystallized in the presence of barium cations in the form of a left-handed Z-type duplex. The asymmetric unit of theP21crystal with a pseudohexagonal lattice contains four chimeric duplexes and 16 partial Ba2+sites. The chimeric (DNA–RNA)2duplexes have novel patterns of hydration and exhibit a high degree of discrete conformational disorder of their sugar-phosphate backbones, which can at least partly be correlated with the fractional occupancies of the barium ions. The crystals of the DNA–RNA chimeric duplex in complex with Ba2+ions and also with Sr2+ions exhibit complicated twinning, which in combination with structural pseudosymmetry made structure determination difficult. The structure could be successfully solved by molecular replacement in space groupsP1 andP21but not in orthorhombic or higher symmetry and, after scrupulous twinning and packing analysis, was refined in space groupP21to anRandRfreeof 11.36 and 16.91%, respectively, using data extending to 1.09 Å resolution. With the crystal structure having monoclinic symmetry, the sixfold crystal twinning is a combination of threefold and twofold rotations. The paper describes the practical aspects of dealing with cases of complicated twinning and pseudosymmetry, and compares the available software tools for the refinement and analysis of such cases.
Morpholine-4-carboxamidinium sulfate
Authors: Tiritiris Ioannis , Kantlehner Willi
Published: January 2016

The asymmetric unit of the title salt, 2C5H12N3O+·SO42−, comprises two cations and one sulfate ion. In both cations, the C, N and O atoms of the morpholine rings are disordered over two sets of sites, with refined occupancies of 0.849 (3):0.151 (3) for cation I and 0.684 (4):0.316 (4) for cation II. The C—N bond lengths in both central C3N units of the carboxamidinium ions range between 1.253 (12) and 1.362 (5) Å, indicating a degree of double-bond character. The central C atoms are bonded to the three N atoms in a nearly ideal trigonal–planar geometry and the positive charges are delocalized in both CN3planes. The crystal structure is stabilized by a three-dimensional network of N—H...O hydrogen bonds between the cations and the sulfate ion. Scheme tiny font, charges and delocalized bonds almost invisible
Comparative analysis of treatment conditions upon psychiatric severity levels at two years among justice involved persons
Authors: Majer John M , Chapman Hannah M , Jason Leonard A
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to compare the effects of two types of community-based, residential treatment programs among justice involved persons with dual diagnoses.

Design/methodology/approach

– A randomized clinical trial examined treatment conditions among justice involved persons with substance use disorders who reported high baseline levels of psychiatric severity indicative of diagnosable psychiatric comorbidity. Participants (n=39) were randomly assigned to one of three treatment conditions upon discharge from inpatient treatment for substance use disorders: a professionally staffed, integrated residential treatment setting (therapeutic community), a self-run residential setting (Oxford House), or a treatment-specific aftercare referral (usual care). Levels of psychiatric severity, a global estimate of current psychopathological problem severity, were measured at two years as the outcome.

Findings

– Participants randomly assigned to residential conditions reported significant reductions in psychiatric severity whereas those assigned to the usual care condition reported significant increases. There were no significant differences in psychiatric severity levels between residential conditions.

Research limitations/implications

– Findings suggest that cost-effective, self-run residential settings such as Oxford Houses provide benefits comparable to professionally run residential integrated treatments for justice involved persons who have dual diagnoses.

Social implications

– Results support the utilization of low-cost, community-based treatments for a highly marginalized population.

Originality/value

– Little is known about residential treatments that reduce psychiatric severity for this population. Results extend the body of knowledge regarding the effects of community-based, residential integrated treatment and the Oxford House model.
Drug therapy in ADHD in people with intellectual disabilities
Authors: Courtenay Kenneth , Elstner Samuel
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– Attention disorders in people with intellectual disabilities (ID) is common. Current drug treatments are based on the literature in people without ID. The purpose of this paper is to present a review of the drug treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in people with ID in the German and English languages literature with the aim of exploring the current evidence base.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper provides a general review of the evidence base on drug treatment of ADHD in people with ID from the German and English language literature.

Findings

– Studies and practice guidance on ADHD in both languages are similar with more information published in English. Much of the evidence on drug therapy to treat ADHD in people with ID is based on studies in children. The literature on ADHD in children without ID is helpful but not specific to all people with ID who have ADHD. The response rates to medication to treat ADHD in people with ID are lower than in people without ID. The occurrence of side effects from medication is more common in people with ID. Co-morbid disorders are often present in people with ADHD that could affect study findings.

Practical implications

– Medication used to treat ADHD is effective when treating ADHD in people with ID. Prescribers should be aware of guidelines on medication and their potential drug interactions and side effects. Newer drugs could offer more effective treatments because of fewer adverse effects than current medications.

Originality/value

– The general review offers an insight in to the literature in German and English on ADHD in ID comparing what is published in both languages.
Adaptive behaviour, comorbid psychiatric symptoms, and attachment disorders
Authors: Giltaij Hans P. , Sterkenburg Paula S. , Schuengel Carlo
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to describe the mental and intellectual developmental status of children with combined intellectual disabilities, reactive attachment disorder (RAD), and/or disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED), and to describe the presence of comorbid diagnoses.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study included 55 children that were referred for psychiatric consultation due to low intellectual functioning (borderline or mild; IQ 50-84). Attachment diagnoses were based on the Clinical Observation of Attachment (COA) procedure. Development was measured with the Dutch version of the Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales. Psychopathology was measured with the DISC-IV and AUTI-R. Emotional and behavioural problems were measured with the Dutch version of the Developmental Behaviour Checklist.

Findings

– Children with and without attachment diagnoses had similar IQs. However, children with disturbed attachment, RAD, and/or DSED had lower levels of adaptive behaviour than those without attachment diagnoses. No comorbidity was associated with autism or ADHD. However, 80 per cent of children with RAD and/or DSED were also diagnosed with ADHD. Parents of children with DSED often reported disruptive anti-social behaviour.

Practical implications

– Children with RAD and/or DSED may have unused developmental potential. Disturbed attachment should be considered in some cases of ADHD.

Originality/value

– Findings suggested that diagnostic expertise provided added value for distinguishing disordered attachment in young clients with intellectual disability.
How acceptance and commitment therapy changed the perspective on support provision for staff working with intellectual disability
Authors: Leoni Mauro , Corti Serafino , Cavagnola Roberto , Healy Olive , Noone Stephen J.
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to present a review on evidence-based intervention concerning the reduction of stress/burnout and the improvement of wellbeing for professionals working with people with intellectual disabilities (IDs).

Design/methodology/approach

– Theoretical models and literature related to stress reduction are reviewed from a classical cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) approach up to the novel contribution of the third generation of cognitive-behavioural therapies, with a specific focus on contextual behavioural sciences and acceptance and commitment Therapy (ACT).

Findings

– Despite the improvement of CBT-based interventions in reducing risk factors for stress and burnout, the limitations of a problem-solving approach when applied to challenging environments like those of direct support to persons with ID, are still large. Interventions based on the core processes and the related techniques of ACT appear to be promising in promoting the well being of paid carers reducing the risk of burnout, and increasing psychological flexibility. Such factors can increase the ability to clarify personal and professional values, as well as the opportunities to act consistently with such values and achieve greater social reinforcement in the work environment.

Research limitations/implications

– The limitations of the existing research are presented and discussed. There are several aspects that future research should address in order to promote staff training protocols that could be extensively applied with preventive aims. Organisations could take the available procedures and methodologies and implement these evidence-based practices within existing training.

Originality/value

– The research on the application of ACT and third generation of behavioural approaches to the wellbeing and behaviour of staff supporting persons with IDs remains limited. The present paper is the first narrative review on this topic.
The influence of cooperative education and reflection upon previous work experiences on university graduates’ vocational self-concept
Authors: Drewery David , Nevison Colleen , Pretti T Judene
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to assess the relative effects of participation in cooperative education (co-op) and engagement in reflection upon previous work experiences on undergraduate students’ vocational self-concept (VSC) at graduation.

Design/methodology/approach

– A cross-sectional survey of graduating students (n=1,483) from a Canadian university was used. Regression models and a mediation analysis were used to test the influence of co-op on VSC through the mechanism of reflection.

Findings

– Results suggest that both co-op and reflection on previous work experiences have direct effects on VSC, and that reflection partially mediates the relationship between degree type and VSC.

Research limitations/implications

– This supports the role of work-integrated learning and self-reflection as critical determinants of students’ work-related learning outcomes, and co-op as a potential container in which reflection may occur.

Practical implications

– Students should be given opportunity to reflect on their work-related experiences in order to strengthen their VSC. Institutions may integrate practices related to reflection in order for their students to reap the benefits of deeper learning.

Originality/value

– This study represents an inaugural view of the potential links between self-reflection and the development of students’ VSC across both co-op and non-co-op degree types.
Starting points for a new researcher in behavioral finance
Authors: Huang Jim Yuh , Shieh Joseph C.P. , Kao Yu-Cheng
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to systematically consolidate and analyze papers in behavioral finance in the past 20 years, and to provide an overall introduction to scholars and professionals in the industry who may be interested in behavioral finance in the future.

Design/methodology/approach

– The research is based on searching keywords in databases of ISI Web of Science (WOS). Survey data covers the period from 1995 to 2013, with 124 journals and 347 articles. The authors are committed to finding the number of publications and times cited in the field of behavioral finance to measure the contribution of active researchers.

Findings

– More research papers in behavioral finance are emerging, making it a significant area of study. Most of the papers can be classified as empirical or theory. The number of papers in the review class should be increased to assist scholars and professionals in understanding behavioral finance and its application. A number of personal and institutional main contributors have been making a considerable impact on the field of behavioral finance. With the vigorous development of financial markets all around the world, more and more scholars are becoming involved in behavioral finance research.

Research limitations/implications

– Articles published earlier than 1995 or not included in the WOS database cannot be included in the research; however, this does not diminish the contribution of older scholars in any way. Moreover, the research does not include non-SCI/SSCI articles.

Originality/value

– Unlike a traditional literature review, which classifies and elaborates different research paths (Subrahmanyam, 2007), the research adopts the ISI WOS database as a tool for analysis. This new literature review methodology enables us to systematically consolidate and analyze papers in behavioral finance.
Translational shaking tests achieved on a 6-DOF hydraulic parallel manipulator
Authors: Yao Jianjun , Zhang Le , Chen Shuo , Wan Zhenshuai , Wang Tao , Niu Qingtao
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The paper aims to achieve translational shaking tests on a 6-DOF hydraulic parallel manipulator. Shaking tests are commonly performed on shaking tables, which are generally used for small motion ranges and are usually financially costly. The research is required to generate shaking motions in three translational directions for a specimen for shaking tests, but it also needs to produce 6-degree of freedom (DOF) motions with large motion ranges.

Design/methodology/approach

– A hydraulic 6-DOF (degree of freedom) parallel manipulator is applied to achieve this goal. The link-space control is adopted for the manipulator, and PID controller and feed-forward controller are used for each loop of the system. A hybrid reference signal generator is proposed by using a shaking controller, which is developed to convert the shaking motion into position signal. The converted result is directly added to the pose signal. The whole real-time control system is realized by using MATLAB xPC Target.

Findings

– The developed method is verified on the hydraulic 6-DOF parallel manipulator with specimen. Experiments show very promising results that the proposed technology is really applicable to perform translational shaking tests on the hydraulic parallel manipulator.

Originality/value

– A simple yet efficient solution is proposed that allows shaking tests in three translational directions performed on the hydraulic 6-DOF parallel manipulator with wide motion ranges. The paper presents a state-of-the-art related to the applications of parallel robots in several fields of technology.
The effects of announcement of green policies on equity portfolios
Authors: Ramiah Vikash , Morris Thomas , Moosa Imad , Gangemi Michael , Puican Louise
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– This paper aims to investigate the impact of 75 announcements of environmental policies on British equities over the period 2003 to 2012. In particular, the research has the following specific objectives: finding out whether there is wealth creation/destruction for investors as a result of the announcements of green policies and identifying changes in risk structure following the introduction of green policies.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using event study methodology and non-parametric tests, the authors attempt to find out whether announcements of environmental/sustainability policies are value constructive or destructive for equity investors. The CAPM is fitted with interaction variables to measure the change in systematic risk following announcements.

Findings

– The results show that the UK market is particularly sensitive to domestic, international and nuclear announcements. Cumulative abnormal returns in the range of 30-40 per cent were recorded in certain sectors. Consistent with the emerging literature, the authors observe that environmental policies induce changes in the systematic risk of businesses, both in the short run and the long run.

Originality/value

– To the best of authors’ knowledge, the literature does not provide any answer as to how the risk and return of British equity portfolios change following the announcement of green policies in the aftermath of the Kyoto Protocol on climate change. Furthermore, the literature does not differentiate among various categories of announcements (domestic, international and nuclear). Therefore, this paper bridges the gap in the literature on these two grounds.
Thriving in a downturn: aligning corporate strategy and the economic context to ensure stable growth
Authors: Thomas Mark , Alluru Jayanth-Reddy
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.

Design/methodology/approach

– This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

Findings

– Despite the initial economic handicaps faced by Disney, FedEx and HP, they have remained resilient over several decades. Today, the three companies have combined revenues of $200 billion and an aggregate workforce of some 780,000 employees. A downturn might make growth more difficult in the initial stages. However, it may also ensure that the company focuses on what it is critical to its survival thus laying the foundations for long-lasting success.

Practical implications

– The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations.

Originality/value

– The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.
Surface defect detection for high-speed rails using an inverse P-M diffusion model
Authors: He Zhendong , Wang Yaonan , Yin Feng , Liu Jie
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– When using a machine vision inspection system for rail surface defect detection, many complex factors such as illumination changes, reflection inequality, shadows, stains and rust might inevitably deform the scanned rail surface image. This paper aims to reduce the influence of these factors, a pipeline of image processing algorithms for robust defect detection is developed.

Design/methodology/approach

– First, a new inverse Perona-Malik (P-M) diffusion model is presented for image enhancement, which takes the reciprocal of gradient as feature to adjust the diffusion coefficients, and a distinct nearest-neighbor difference scheme is introduced to select proper defect boundaries during discretized implementation. As a result, the defect regions are sufficiently smoothened, whereas the faultless background remains unchanged. Then, by subtracting the diffused image from the original image, the defect features will be highlighted in the difference image. Subsequently, an adaptive threshold binarization, followed by an attribute opening like filter, can easily eliminate the noisy interferences and find out the desired defects.

Findings

– Using data from our developed inspection apparatus, the experiments show that the proposed method can attain a detection and measurement precisions as high as 93.6 and 85.9 per cent, respectively, while the recovery accuracy remains 93 per cent. Additionally, the proposed method is computationally efficient and can perform robustly even under complex environments.

Originality/value

– A pipeline of algorithms for rail surface detection is proposed. Particularly, an inverse P-M diffusion model with a distinct discretization scheme is introduced to enhance the defect boundaries and suppress noises. The performance of the proposed method has been verified with real images from our own developed system.
A kind of infrared expand depth of field vision sensor in low-visibility road condition for safety-driving
Authors: Wang Hui-Feng , Wang Gui-ping , Wang Xiao-Yan , Ruan Chi , Chen Shi-qin
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– This study aims to consider active vision in low-visibility environments to reveal the factors of optical properties which affect visibility and to explore a method of obtaining different depths of fields by multimode imaging.Bad weather affects the driver’s visual range tremendously and thus has a serious impact on transport safety.

Design/methodology/approach

– A new mechanism and a core algorithm for obtaining an excellent large field-depth image which can be used to aid safe driving is designed and implemented. In this mechanism, atmospheric extinction principle and field expansion system are researched as the basis, followed by image registration and fusion algorithm for the Infrared Extended Depth of Field (IR-EDOF) sensor.

Findings

– The experimental results show that the idea we propose can work well to expand the field depth in a low-visibility road environment as a new aided safety-driving sensor.

Originality/value

– The paper presents a new kind of active optical extension, as well as enhanced driving aids, which is an effective solution to the problem of weakening of visual ability. It is a practical engineering sensor scheme for safety driving in low-visibility road environments.
A King of Jerusalem in England: The Visit of John of Brienne in 1223
Authors: Perry Guy
Published: January 2016

In the autumn of 1223, John of Brienne paid a brief visit to England. This is unique, since it represents the one and only visit to England by a king of Jerusalem who was not entirely titular (that is, during the actual lifetime of the kingdom in the mainland Levant, from 1100 to 1291). This article will take John's visit as the centrepiece for a broader discussion of the impact that the king had on England, and vice versa, surveying the period from the late 1210s to the early 1230s. The article concludes that whilst the visit was something of an anomaly, it cannot be written off as a mere curiosity. It takes its place as one of a myriad of ways in which England was stitched into the very fabric of Latin Christendom in the first half of the thirteenth century, during the ‘golden age’ of crusading.
Preparing for a Future War: Pre‐War Planning in the British Post Office, 1918–1939
Authors: Crowley Mark J.
Published: January 2016

The First World War had brought Britain's largest employer, the Post Office, into the forefront of the war effort. Not only was it a major force in the nation's communications during the war, but it was also the single largest employer of women. When the government began planning for a future war effort, the centrality of the Post Office to these plans was a subject of heated and controversial debates. The mobilization of sufficient ‘manpower’ and the protection of its staff were its chief concerns. This article will examine the nature of the Post Office plan for a future war, and explain how and why this created both tension between the government, and a greater recognition for the need for collaboration between all government departments in the national interest.
Embodying analysis: the body and the therapeutic process
Authors: Martini Salvatore
Published: January 2016

This paper considers the transfer of somatic effects from patient to analyst, which gives rise to embodied countertransference, functioning as an organ of primitive communication. By means of processes of projective identification, the analyst experiences somatic disturbances within himself or herself that are connected to the split‐off complexes of the analysand. The analysty’s own attempt at mind‐body integration ushers the patient towards a progressive understanding and acceptance of his or her inner suffering.

Such experiences of psychic contagion between patient and analyst are related to Jung’s ‘psychology of the transference’ and the idea of the ‘subtle body’ as an unconscious shared area. The re‐attribution of meaning to pre‐verbal psychic experiences within the ‘embodied reverie’ of the analyst enables the analytic dyad to reach the archetypal energies and structuring power of the collective unconscious. A detailed case example is presented of how the emergence of the vitalizing connection between the psyche and the soma, severed through traumatic early relations with parents or carers, allows the instinctual impulse of the Self to manifest, thereby reactivating the process of individuation.
Working with chronic and relentless self‐hatred, self‐harm and existential shame: a clinical study and reflections
Authors: Austin Sue
Published: January 2016

This paper is the first of a two‐part series which explores some of the theoretical and experiential reference points that have emerged in my work with people whose relationship to their body and/or sense of self is dominated by self‐hatred and (what Hultberg describes as) existential shame. The first paper focuses on self‐hatred and the second paper focuses on shame. This first paper is structured around vignettes taken from a 14‐year analysis with a woman who was bulimic, self‐harmed and repeatedly described herself as ‘feeling like a piece of shit’. It draws together elements of Jung's concepts of the complex and symbol, and Laplanche's enigmatic signifier to focus on experiences of ‘inner otherness’ around which we are unconsciously organized. It also brings Jung's understanding that emotion is the chief source of consciousness into conversation with Laplanche's approach to the transference which is that by being aware that they do not ‘know’, the analyst provides a ‘hollow’ in which the patient's analytic process can evolve. These combinations of ideas are linked speculatively to emerging understandings of the neuroscience of perception and throughout the paper clinical material is used to illustrate these discussions.
Synchronistic mind‐matter correlations in therapeutic practice: a commentary on Connolly (2015)
Authors: Atmanspacher Harald , Fach Wolfgang
Published: January 2016

This commentary adds some ideas and refinements to the inspiring discussion in a recent paper by Connolly () that makes use of a dual‐aspect framework developed by us earlier. One key point is that exceptional experiences (of which synchronicities are a special case) cannot in general be identified with experiences of non‐categorial or acategorial mental states. In fact, most exceptional experiences reported in the literature are experiences of categorial states. Conversely, there are non‐categorial and acategorial states whose experience is not exceptional. Moreover, the psychodynamics of a synchronistic experience contain a subtle mesh of interacting processes pertaining to categorial, non‐categorial and acategorial domains. We outline how this mesh may be addressed in particular cases of synchronicity described by Connolly.
Dynamic and Static Asking Prices in the Sydney Housing Market
Authors: Khezr Peyman , Menezes Flavio M.
Published: January 2016

This paper investigates the impact of two commonly used asking price strategies on house sales prices. In particular, we compare a dynamic asking price, where the seller adjusts her asking price over time as she fails to sell her property, with a static asking price, where the seller sets an asking price and sticks to it until the property is sold. While we show this comparison to be ambiguous from a theoretical perspective, our empirical study, using a comprehensive dataset of the properties sold in the greater Sydney region in 2011, indicates that properties with a dynamic asking price sold, on average, for approximately 1.9 per cent less than properties with a static asking price. In addition, we show that, controlling for the asking price strategy, the duration of sale has a significant impact on sales prices.
Medicare Payment and Hospital Provision of Outpatient Care to the Uninsured
Authors: He Daifeng , Mellor Jennifer M.
Published: January 2016

Objective

To describe the amount of hospital outpatient care provided to the uninsured and its association with Medicare payment rate cuts following the implementation of Medicare's Outpatient Prospective Payment System.

Data Sources/Study Setting

We use hospital outpatient discharge records from Florida from 1997 through 2008.

Study Design

We estimate multivariate regression models of hospital outpatient care provided to the uninsured in separate samples of nonprofit and for‐profit hospitals.

Principal Findings

Hospital outpatient departments provide significant amounts of care to the uninsured. As Medicare payment rates fall, total charges and the share of charges for outpatient visits by the uninsured decrease at nonprofit hospitals. At for‐profit hospitals, the share of outpatient care provided to uninsured patients increases, but there is no significant change in the number of uninsured discharges.

Conclusions

Nonprofit and for‐profit hospitals respond differently to reductions in Medicare payments; thus, studies of the impact of legislated Medicare payment cuts on care of the uninsured should account for differences in hospital ownership in communities. Given that outpatient care to the uninsured includes preventive and diagnostic care procedures, reductions in this care following payment cuts may adversely affect long‐run health and health care costs in communities dominated by nonprofit hospitals.
Land, Structure and Depreciation
Authors: Francke Marc K. , van de Minne Alex M.
Published: January 2016

We introduce a hedonic price model that enables us to disentangle the value of a property into the value of land and the value of structure. For given reconstruction costs, we are able to estimate the impact of physical deterioration, functional obsolescence and vintage effects on the structure and the impact of time on sale (and external obsolescence) on the land value simultaneously. Our findings show that maintenance has a substantial impact on the rate of physical deterioration. After 50 years of not or barely maintaining a home, a typical structure has lost around 43% of its value. In contrast, maintaining a home very well results in virtually no physical deterioration in the long run.
Assemblage of aquaticHeteroptera (Gerromorpha andNepomorpha) in relation to microhabitats in thePhongRiver,NortheastThailand
Authors: Suksai Benjamart , Sangpradub Narumon , Zettel Herbert
Published: January 2016

In this study, we explored the composition and assemblage structure of aquaticHeteroptera from 15 sampling sites along thePhongRiver,Thailand, during the rainy (July 2011), cool (December 2011) and hot (March–April 2012) seasons. A total of 8399 individuals, belonging to 54 species and 12 families of aquaticHeteroptera were recorded. TheKruskal–Wallis test indicated significant difference in total number of species and total number of individuals of aquaticHeteroptera among microhabitat types (P< 0.05). Stepwise multiple regression and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) ordination show that characteristics of microhabitats including percentage of gravel, percentage of aquatic macrophytes covering the water surface and percentage of shading from riparian vegetation determine aquaticHeteroptera assemblage structures. From this study, microhabitats have more effect on aquaticHeteroptera than water pollution.
Insect feed for animals under the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) regulations
Authors: Jo Yong Hun , Lee Ji Woong
Published: January 2016

Insect‐based feed is arising as an alternative protein source for animal feed. Insect‐based feed is more sustainable and has a higher nutritive value. However, it is not publicly well‐accepted because of consumer repulsion and concerns of food safety. In order to properly address concerns of food safety and risks involved in insect‐based feed production, the Korean Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) needs to implement new regulations that govern insect‐based feed as there are currently none. Although modern technology allows for mass rearing insects, current production methods are high in costs. The production cost is one of the principal components in animal feed production. Therefore, innovations to mechanize and automate the production process and efforts to further reduce costs are necessary. Along with high costs, the current legislation is also a major obstacle to employing insect‐based feed. Korea and many other countries inhibit the use of animal‐based protein in animal feed which makes insect‐based feed illegal. In order to move forward with insect‐based feed, there must first be reforms in current regulations to permit the use of insects in animal feed. Despite the current barriers, insect‐based feed may become more prevalent in the near future. Therefore, there also must be international laws enacted that can ensure food safety in the international trade of insect‐fed animals.
Epidemiology of microvascular complications of diabetes in South Asians and comparison with other ethnicities
Authors: Gupta Ritesh , Misra Anoop
Published: January 2016

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is widely prevalent in South Asians, and has a significant effect on health, as well as the economies of South Asian countries, particularly when the disease is associated with complications. There are certain characteristics associated with the South Asian phenotype that make South Asians especially prone to diabetes, as well as its complications. Microvascular complications cause considerable morbidity and mortality. There are significant differences in the epidemiology of microvascular complications between South Asians and people of other races. There is evidence of higher prevalence of nephropathy and retinopathy in South Asians compared with Caucasians; however, recent studies indicate that this trend seems to be leveling off. Importantly, diabetic neuropathy occurs less frequently in South Asians compared with Caucasians. These observations have important implications in managing South Asian patients with diabetes and microvascular complications.
Vaccination with an Epitope Peptide of IZUMO1 to Induce Contraception in Female Mice
Authors: Xue Feng , Wang Li , Liu Yue , Tang Haiping , Xu Wanxiang , Xu Chen
Published: January 2016

Problem

The development of a new and suitable contraceptive methods, as well as in‐depth and systematic research into underlying contraceptive mechanisms, is crucial. IZUMO1 plays an important role in the fusion of the sperm and ovum during fertilization. Izumo−/− mice are infertile. Therefore, IZUMO1 may be a potential target for the development of a contraceptive vaccine.

Method of study

Linear B‐cell epitopes (BCE) were identified in IZUMO using biosynthetic peptides and used to immunize female mice.

Results

Five IZUMO BCE were identified: DLVLDCL177‐183, YSFYRV196‐201 (named BCE‐2), YLT217‐219, SMVGPED221‐227, and DAGNY228‐232. Active immunization with the BCE‐2 vaccine sharply decreased the fertility rate in female mice in a safe and reversible manner. In vitro fertilization showed that the BCE‐2 vaccine interferes with and blocks the fusion of the sperm and the ovum.

Conclusions

B‐cell epitopes‐2 may be a new candidate for the development of contraceptive vaccine due to its effectiveness, safety, and reversibility.
Increasing the impact of teleophthalmology in Australia: Analysis of structural and economic drivers in a state service
Authors: Razavi Hessom , Copeland Stephen Paul , Turner Angus Warwick
Published: January 2016

Problem

Despite its potential to improve service provision for country patients, teleophthalmology is currently underused in Australia. There is an associated lack of cost‐effectiveness data for teleophthamology.

Design

Retrospective and prospective hospital‐based clinical audits of 5456 patients; descriptive survey of available telehealth equipment in 129 regional facilities; cost calculations for teleophthalmology, patient transfers and outreach services.

Setting

Primary (optometry, general practice [GP], Aboriginal Medical Service [AMS]) and secondary (hospital) sites in regional Western Australia; a tertiary hospital in Perth.

Key Measures for Improvement

Proportion of patients suitable for teleophthalmology; proportion of regional practices with telehealth technology; capital expenditure to equip regional practices for teleophthalmology; total savings from increased utilisation of teleophthalmology.

Strategies for Change

Advocacy for funding, regulatory, training and infrastructure recommendations, in order to support efficient models of teleophthalmology.

Effects of Change

A total of 15% and 24% of urgent patient transfers and outreach consultations, respectively, were found to be suitable for teleophthalmology, equating to a potential total cost saving of $1.1 million/year. Capital expenditure required for basic telehealth equipment was negligible for optometrists, compared to $20 500 per GP/AMS practice. Successful advocacy led to funding, training and policy changes to support optometry‐led teleophthalmology for country patients in Australia.

Lessons Learnt

Public–private partnerships can result in significant cost‐savings for the Australian health system. Targeted, evidence‐based advocacy can inform government health reforms.
A systematic review of capnography for sedation
Authors: Conway A. , Douglas C. , Sutherland J. R.
Published: January 2016

We included six trials with 2524 participants. Capnography reduced hypoxaemic episodes, relative risk (95% CI) 0.71 (0.56–0.91), p = 0.02, but the quality of evidence was poor due to high risks of performance bias and detection bias and substantial statistical heterogeneity. The reduction in hypoxaemic episodes was statistically homogeneous in the subgroup of three trials of 1823 adults sedated for colonoscopy, relative risk (95% CI) 0.59 (0.48–0.73), p < 0.001, although the risks of performance and detection biases were high. There was no evidence that capnography affected other outcomes, including assisted ventilation, relative risk (95% CI) 0.58 (0.26–1.27), p = 0.17.