bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predicting swimming performance using state anxiety
Authors: Mabweazara Smart Z , Leach Lloyd , Andrews Barry S
Published: April 2016

Competitive state anxiety is a common response to stressful competitive sports situations that could affect athletic performance. The effects of state anxiety on swimming performance need further inquiry. The aim of the study was to determine the component of state anxiety that best predicts swimming performance. A quantitative, cross-sectional study design that made use of the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 to measure precompetitive state anxiety was used. A total of 61 male high school swimmers whose age ranged between 14 and 19 years ( M = 16.16, standard deviation = 1.66 years) completed the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 1 hr before competing in a 50-m individual swimming event. Performance was evaluated using finishing position. Due to the relatively short duration of the 50-m event, the available literature would suggest that Somatic Anxiety would have a greater effect on Performance—there is not enough time to allow cognitive anxiety to have a detrimental impact on performance. Thus, it was hypothesized that somatic rather than cognitive anxiety will best predict swimming performance. It emerged that both cognitive ( b = .787; p < .001) and somatic anxieties ( b = .840; p < .001) can independently predict swimming performance. However, when both cognitive and somatic anxieties were regressed onto swimming performance, somatic anxiety partially dominated cognitive anxiety ( b = .626; p < .001) and became the significant predictor of swimming performance. It is recommended that swimmers and swimming coaches make use of specific intervention strategies that eradicate the detrimental effects of somatic anxiety immediately before competition.
Complex Considerations in Couples’ Financial Information Management: Extending the Theory of Motivated Information Management
Authors: Fowler Craig , Gasiorek Jessica , Afifi Walid
Published: April 2016

Using Time 1 to Time 2 data from 387 adults, we examine the effectiveness of the theory of motivated information management (TMIM) in accounting for the various processes by which adults in committed romantic relationships manage financial uncertainty via communication with their partners. Our results indicate that the TMIM operates well in this context. We also contribute to the theoretical development of TMIM’s revised theoretical framework in three ways, namely, by (a) examining the joint operation of positive and negative emotions (anxiety and optimism, respectively) on information management, (b) testing two types of outcome expectancies (knowledge and relationship), and (c) testing the model’s prediction of multiple information management strategies (i.e., direct and indirect information seeking, avoidance, and cognitive reappraisal). Findings indicate that both (a) anxiety and optimism, and (b) knowledge outcome expectancies and relationship outcome expectancies differentially contributed to information management decisions.
Topic Avoidance, Goal Understanding, and Relational Perceptions: Experimental Evidence
Authors: Palomares Nicholas A. , Derman Danielle
Published: April 2016

Much research demonstrates an inverse correlation between topic avoidance (or aspects of avoidance) and relational perceptions, such as satisfaction. These data are almost always correlational, which does not afford causal conclusions despite statistical techniques that simulate causality. We present experimental data (using a scenario method) that examine two constructs involved in topic avoidance—avoided topics and inferred goals that precipitate topic avoidance—and their effects on the relational perceptions of satisfaction, hurt, and distance in the context of friendship. Both topics and inferred goals led to changes in perceptions of the friendship. Specifically, participants who inferred that their friend avoided a topic for self-protection goals reported lower levels of satisfaction and higher levels of hurt and distance than those who inferred relationship-protection goals. This difference was especially true for the relationship-issue topic.
Feasibility of Parent-to-Parent Support in Recently Diagnosed Childhood Diabetes
Authors: Channon Sue , Lowes Lesley , Gregory John W. , Grey Laura , Sullivan-Bolyai Susan
Published: April 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to develop and test the feasibility of a parent-to-parent support intervention for parents whose child has recently been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in the United Kingdom.

Methods

The research team conducted a formative evaluation, working with parents to design an individual-level parent-to-parent support intervention. Issues of recruitment, uptake, attrition, pattern of contact, and intervention acceptability were assessed.

Results

A US program was adapted in collaboration with a parents’ advisory group. Of 19 parents nominated as potential mentors by their pediatric diabetes specialist nurses, 12 (63%) volunteered and 11 continued for the 12-month intervention period. Thirty-three children were diagnosed with diabetes in the study period, with 25 families eligible to participate as recipients of the intervention; 9 parents from 7 of those families participated, representing 28% of those eligible. Feedback from parents and clinic staff identified peer support as a welcome service. Lessons were learned about the nature of the supporting relationship (eg, proximity, connectedness, and managing endings) that will enhance the design of future peer support programs.

Conclusions

Parent-to-parent support in the context of newly diagnosed childhood diabetes in the United Kingdom is feasible to deliver, with good engagement of mentors and clinic staff. The program was acceptable to parents who chose to participate, although uptake by parents whose child had been recently diagnosed was lower than expected. The results merit further investigation, including exploration of parent preference in relation to peer support.
Relationships Between Work Team Climate, Individual Motivation, and Creativity
Authors: Zhu Yu-Qian , Gardner Donald G. , Chen Houn-Gee
Published: April 2016

Creativity of employees is a major focus of research in the organization sciences. In this study we examine the relationships between both micro (intrinsic and extrinsic motivation) and molar (team climate) variables with manager-rated creativity of R&D employees. Specifically, we hypothesize that (a) extrinsic motivation has a direct relationship with creativity, (b) intrinsic motivation is more strongly related to creativity when extrinsic motivation is low compared to when it is high, (c) team collaborative and competitive climates have direct effects on creativity as well as indirect effects through individual motivation, and (d) intrinsic motivation mediates relationships of the climate variables with creativity, which in turn is moderated by extrinsic motivation. Data were collected from R&D engineers and their managers at a large high-tech company headquartered in Taiwan. Results indicate that a collaborative team climate has a direct positive relationship with creativity as well as one that operates through intrinsic motivation, which in turn was moderated by employee’s extrinsic motivation level. A competitive team climate positively related to extrinsic motivation, but extrinsic motivation did not directly relate to creativity. However, extrinsic motivation did have strong relationships with creativity when intrinsic motivation was low. Results suggest that perhaps the different types of motivation relate to different types of creativity (incremental versus radical). Managerial and theoretical implications of results are discussed as are the study’s limitations.
Predicting Retention Duration From Organizational Commitment Profile Transitions
Authors: Xu Xiaohong , Payne Stephanie C.
Published: April 2016

A unique survey archive of U.S. Army officers’ affective commitment and continuance commitment over a 4-year time period presents an opportunity to test multiple research questions about the extent to which organizational commitment profiles change and their relationship with the occurrence and timing of turnover. These results begin to reconcile competing theories about the stability of commitment and complement theories of organizational attachment, withdrawal, and turnover. First, multigroup latent profile analyses revealed the structure of commitment profiles was relatively consistent across five samples from the same organization. Second, latent transition analysis revealed more within-sample and within-person temporal stability of commitment profiles over a 4-year time period than less stability. Third, value-based profiles assessed at one time period were associated with lower turnover rates and higher organizational tenure compared to weak commitment profiles. Likewise, when predicting the timing of turnover with survival analysis, value-based profiles had a lower turnover hazard and higher survival probabilities over time relative to weak commitment profiles. Additionally, employees who transitioned from a value-based profile to a weak commitment profile had a higher turnover hazard and lower survival probabilities compared to employees who moved in the opposite direction. These findings have implications for turnover theories, as well as applied implications for the timing of interventions designed to enhance organizational commitment and reduce turnover.
States and communities competing for global power
Authors: Kastoryano Riva
Published: April 2016

The question of immigration and its corollary community and minority formation has always been analysed in relation to states. However, the increasing importance of solidarity beyond national borders on the grounds of one or several identities – national, religious, ethnic, regional – removes the claim of recognition of a collective identity from a national level to an international level and, in the European Union, to a supranational level. Such an evolution places territory at the core of the analysis of citizenship and nationhood, for communities as well as states. This article will attempt to show that in this new configuration, negotiations between states and immigrants are brought beyond borders in order for states to maintain the ‘power’ of incorporation and citizenship while expanding their influence beyond their territories and to compete with transnational communities in their engagement in the process of globalization.
Disagreement in Parental Reports of Father Involvement
Authors: Charles Pajarita , Spielfogel Jill , Gorman-Smith Deborah , Schoeny Michael , Henry David , Tolan Patrick
Published: April 2016

Despite agreement on the value of father involvement in children’s lives, research has been limited due to the exclusion of fathers in studies, questionable validity of mothers’ reports on father involvement, and simple measures of fathering behavior. Our study extends previous research by comparing reports of father involvement using robust, multidimensional father involvement measures. Data from 113 fathers and 126 mothers reporting on 221 children were used to assess father involvement. Results indicate that fathers reported significantly higher levels of involvement than mothers reported. Findings from hierarchical linear models suggest that race/ethnicity and mothers’ reports of positive relationship quality were associated with smaller discrepancies in reports of father involvement, whereas nonmarried partnerships, older children, father residence, and biological status predicted larger discrepancies. Our study demonstrates the importance of obtaining father involvement reports directly from fathers and why father involvement should be assessed as a multidimensional construct to examine fathering behavior.
Molecular Changes in the Nasal Cavity after N, N-dimethyl-p-toluidine Exposure
Authors: Dunnick June K. , Merrick B. Alex , Brix Amy , Morgan Daniel L. , Gerrish Kevin , Wang Yu , Flake Gordon , Foley Julie , Shockley Keith R.
Published: April 2016

N, N-dimethyl-p-toluidine (DMPT; Cas No. 99-97-8), an accelerant for methyl methacrylate monomers in medical devices, is a nasal cavity carcinogen according to a 2-yr cancer study of male and female F344/N rats, with the nasal tumors arising from the transitional cell epithelium. In this study, we exposed male F344/N rats for 5 days to DMPT (0, 1, 6, 20, 60, or 120 mg/kg [oral gavage]) to explore the early changes in the nasal cavity after short-term exposure. Lesions occurred in the nasal cavity including hyperplasia of transitional cell epithelium (60 and 120 mg/kg). Nasal tissue was rapidly removed and preserved for subsequent laser capture microdissection and isolation of the transitional cell epithelium (0 and 120 mg/kg) for transcriptomic studies. DMPT transitional cell epithelium gene transcript patterns were characteristic of an antioxidative damage response (e.g., Akr7a3, Maff, and Mgst3), cell proliferation, and decrease in signals for apoptosis. The transcripts of amino acid transporters were upregulated (e.g., Slc7a11). The DMPT nasal transcript expression pattern was similar to that found in the rat nasal cavity after formaldehyde exposure, with over 1,000 transcripts in common. Molecular changes in the nasal cavity after DMPT exposure suggest that oxidative damage is a mechanism of the DMPT toxic and/or carcinogenic effects.
The Tensor Tympani, Stapedius, and Tensor Veli Palatini Muscles—An Electromyographic Study
Authors: Kamerer Donald B. , Rood Stewart R.
Published: April 2016

Electromyographic recordings of the activity of the tensor veli palatini, tensor tympani, and stapedius muscles were obtained from several adult human subjects. Muscle responses were recorded under four stimulus conditions, ie, contralateral intense wide‐band noise, air jet to the eye, swallow, and electrical stimulation of the tongue. The results indicated that the two tensor muscles responded to the same stimuli in similar patterns. The latter muscle differed from the response of the stapedius.
Benign Cervical Cystic Teratoma
Authors: Woods Robert D. , Pearson Bruce W. , Weiland Louis H.
Published: April 2016

Teratomas of the neck are rare in adults. Nine adult patients have been previously reported on in the world literature; six had malignant and three had benign lesions. Most of the lesions were seen as a mass in the neck, but teratoma is rarely considered in the differential diagnosis of neck lesions.

A tenth patient, whose case we are presenting, had a supraclavicular sinus mass that was diagnosed at surgical exploration. The tumor was successfully resected and proved to be benign.
The Case for Small Fenestra Stapedectomy
Authors: Smyth Gordon Dill Long
Published: April 2016

Eight hundred stapedectomies were analyzed to evaluate the long‐term results with four prostheses. It was concluded that limitation of fenestra size played a most important part in the outcome of stapedectomy, especially in regard to the preservation of high‐frequency bone conduction response over prolonged periods. Other advantages deriving from small fenestra stapedectomy included significantly fewer fistulae and severe sensorineural losses.
Wegener's Granulomatosis: Presentation as an Otologic Problem
Authors: Karmody Collin S.
Published: April 2016

Presentation of Wegener's granulomatosis as an otologic problem is unusual and leads to incorrect diagnosis and unsuccessful therapy. In seven years, five patients with a diagnosis of otitis media failed to respond to the usual therapeutic regimens. All had surgical manipulations on the middle ear or mastoid, or both. Wegener's granulomatosis was suspected because of persistence of the otologic problem. All patients developed pulmonary lesions and had positive diagnoses by biopsy of either the lung, kidney, or upper respiratory mucosa. With timely treatment, all patients have survived.
In situ hybridization for the study of gene expression in neuro‐otologic research
Authors: Wackym Phillip A. , Popper Paul , Ward Paul H. , Micevych Paul E.
Published: April 2016

In situ hybridization histochemistry technology was developed for future application to neuro‐otologic research. This method allowed the detection of cellular mRNA in tissue sections from the temporal bone or brainstem after cRNA/mRNA hybridization. To produce specific cRNA, single‐stranded 35S‐labeled cRNA (complimentary to target mRNA) is transcribed from commercially available plasmid vectors. These vectors contain promotor sequences for specific synthesis of RNA, and polylinker regions that will accept cloned DNA inserts for virtually any target nucleic acid sequence of interest. The protocol used in this research was optimized for studies that included concomitant immunohistochemical evaluation. The combination of in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry provides the only method to correlate molecular information (gene expression) with biochemical or molecular markers, such as peptides or proteins (mRNA translation products) on individual cells in the temporal bone or brainstem. Using these techniques, we examined the distribution of the neuropeptide calcitonin gene‐related peptide in rat temporal bone and brainstem sections using calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP) antisera and CGRP cRNA probes. We used in situ hybridization histochemistry with a cRNA probe complementary to the 3′‐end noncoding sequence of the αCGRP mRNA and immunohistochemistry with a polyclonal antibody to the (TYR)CGRP23‐37 to study the distribution of CGRP mRNA and CGRP‐like immunoreactivity in the central and peripheral facial nerve. Numerous motoneuron cell bodies in the facial nucleus and accessory seventh nucleus and cell bodies in the gustatory geniculate ganglion were found to contain CGRP mRNA and the CGRP peptide. The application of in situ hybridization to experimental, surgical biopsy and pathologic material provides a means to qualitatively and quantitatively study the expression of specific genes in the facial nerve, auditory, and vestibular systems.
A porcine model of chronic endobronchial obstruction
Authors: Ricciardelli Edward J. , Pavlin Janet , Damiano Gregg , Inglis Andrew F.
Published: April 2016

To elucidate the effects of both prolonged lobar atelectasis and subsequent re‐expansion in a non‐thoracotomized animal, we have developed a chronic, reversible porcine model of endobronchial obstruction. Eight adolescent pigs underwent the bronchoscopic placement of a left lower lobe bronchial plug. The obstruction was left in place for 24 hours. Four pigs then had the balloon bronchoscopically removed, while four controls underwent sham removal of the balloon. All animals showed significant atelectasis of the obstructed lobe compared to non‐obstructed lobes at 24 hours. Pulmonary blood flow decreased significantly 24 hours after obstruction compared to pre‐obstruction values in the collapsed lobe in all animals. Re‐expanslon was followed by arterial hypoxemia, which was accompanied by an increase in relative blood flow to the partially re‐expanded lobe in the experimental group. No significant changes in lung water content occurred in the study group compared to controls.
The in vivo and in vitro effect of phenylephrine (neo synephrine) on nasal ciliary beat frequency and mucociliary transport
Authors: Phillips P. Perry , McCaffrey Thomas V. , Kern Eugene B.
Published: April 2016

Twenty volunteers with normal noses were studied to determine the effect of phenylephrine on nasal ciliary function. In vivo study of this drug was performed in 15 patients and revealed a significant increase in their ciliary beat frequency from a control of 11 Hz to 12.03 Hz (p = 0.001). Mucociliary transit times in these volunteers were also studied, revealing a mean of 9.9 minutes prestimulation and 10.2 minutes poststimulation, which was not statistically significant (p = 0.77). Five additional subjects donated ciliated mucosal samples for in vitro analysis of varying concentrations of this agent that showed a significant ciliostimulatory effect at lower concentrations (0.01%), with a progressive cilioinhibitory effect at higher concentrations (0.25%, 0.5%). The 0.05% concentration showed no significant change in ciliary activity compared to control measurements. These data demonstrate that phenylephrine has a ciliostimulatory effect in vivo, as well as in appropriate concentrations in vitro, and should be safe and relatively nontoxic to the mucociliary apparatus for short‐term use.3
Predictive value of brainstem evoked response in the diagnosis of acoustic neuroma
Authors: Weiss Michael H. , Kisiel Dennis L. , Bhatia Pramod
Published: April 2016

Predictive value positive is the probability that a positive test result represents a true positive finding. Twenty‐six patients with brainstem evoked response findings characteristic of retrocochlear hearing loss were studied. Four acoustic neuromas were diagnosed in this group after radiologic workup. The predictive value in this population was 15%. Statistical considerations are presented.
Blood flow and capillary surface area of rat posterior canal ampulla
Authors: Wanamaker H.H. , Lyon M.J.
Published: April 2016

Vascular disorders have often been proposed to explain disorders of the inner ear, in both the cochlear and vestibular systems. While the cochlea has been extensively studied, little work has been done on vestibular blood flow. Existing studies have reported only total vestibular blood flow, using microspheres. By combining the physiologic technique of microsphere injection with new developments in morphologic stereology studies, data on end‐organ blood flow (excluding nerve; 0.074 ± 0.027 μl/min; 5.99 μl/min/mm3), capillary surface area (10.87 mm2/mm3), mean capillary diameter (9.64 μm), and end‐organ volume (0.013 mm3) was determined for the posterior canal ampulla of young Fischer 344 rats. Results indicate an anatomic basis for increases in blood flow with CO2 breathing, and provide an assessment of appropriate microsphere size for vestibular blood flow studies. By allowing comparison of blood flow and capillary parameters related to surface area and volume, this new method of blood flow study will allow more meaningful data to be collected on the vestibular system.
Normal nasal airway resistance in noses of different sizes and shapes
Authors: Calhoun Karen H. , House William , Hokanson James A. , Quinn Francis B.
Published: April 2016

Measurement of nasal airway resistance is becoming a common clinical technique. Accurate definition of the normal range of airflow is critical for maximal usefulness of this technique. Since typical nasal size and shape vary greatly with ethnic background, different norms for different ethnic groups may be appropriate. Nasal airway flow and resistance and external nasal size and shape were measured in 130 asymptomatic subjects (52 black, 56 white, and 22 Hispanic). Nasal length, width, columellar length, and nasolabial angle were similar for whites and Hispanics, but both groups differed significantly from blacks—even when changes attributable to biologic aging were factored out. In spite of these differences, there was no significant difference in any nasal airflow or resistance parameter among groups, suggesting that currently used airflow and resistance standards are valid for these three different ethnic groups.
Political and Linguistic Identities in an Ethnic Conflict
Authors: Smirnova Anastasia , Iliev Rumen
Published: April 2016

Language is a powerful marker for social discrimination, often associated with stereotypes and prejudices against various social groups. However, less is known about the psychological role of language during ethnolinguistic conflicts. In such conflicts, the political rivalry is closely intertwined with language ideology. We consider two independent paths through which language might trigger social discrimination. The first one is related to linguistic identity, where a person could favor those who speak like her. The second one is related to political identity, where a person could favor those who use the language associated with the person’s political views. In the context of the conflict in Ukraine, we find empirical support only for the political identity explanation and no support for the linguistic identity one.
Hallucinogen use and intimate partner violence: Prospective evidence consistent with protective effects among men with histories of problematic substance use
Authors: Walsh Zach , Hendricks Peter S , Smith Stephanie , Kosson David S , Thiessen Michelle S , Lucas Philippe , Swogger Marc T
Published: April 2016

Evidence suggests that hallucinogens may have therapeutic potential for addressing a variety of problem behaviors related to the externalizing spectrum of psychopathology, such as substance misuse and criminality. Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a prevalent form of criminal violence that is related to externalizing pathology. However, the association between hallucinogen use and IPV has not been comprehensively examined. In this prospective study, we examined the association between IPV and naturalistic hallucinogen use among 302 inmates at a US county jail. Cox regression analyses indicated that hallucinogen use predicted reduced arrest for IPV independently (β =−0.54, SE=0.20, χ2=7.19, exp( B)=0.58, p<0.01) and after accounting for covariates (β=−0.48, SE=0.23, χ2=4.44, exp( B)=0.62, p<0.05). These results add to a growing literature suggesting distinct therapeutic potential for hallucinogens to assist in the attenuation of problematic behavior.
Acquisition and reinstatement of ethanol-induced conditioned place preference in rats: Effects of the cholinesterase inhibitors donepezil and rivastigmine
Authors: Gawel Kinga , Labuz Krzysztof , Gibula-Bruzda Ewa , Jenda Malgorzata , Marszalek-Grabska Marta , Silberring Jerzy , Kotlinska Jolanta H
Published: April 2016

The present study examined the influence of the cholinesterase inhibitors donepezil (a selective inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase) and rivastigmine (also an inhibitor of butyrylcholinesterase) on the acquisition and reinstatement of ethanol-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) in rats. Before the CPP procedure, animals received a single injection of ethanol (0.5 g/kg, 10% w/v, intraperitoneally [i.p.]) for 15 days. The ethanol-induced CPP (biased method) was developed by four injections of ethanol (0.5 g/kg, 10% w/v, i.p.) every second day. Control rats received saline instead of ethanol. Donepezil (0.5, 1 or 3 mg/kg, i.p.) or rivastigmine (0.03, 0.5 or 1 mg/kg, i.p.) were administered before ethanol during conditioning or before the reinstatement of ethanol-induced CPP. The cholinesterase inhibitors were equally effective in increasing (dose dependently) the acquisition of ethanol-induced CPP. Furthermore, priming injections of both inhibitors reinstated (cross-reinstatement) the ethanol-induced CPP with similar efficacy. These effects of both cholinesterase inhibitors were reversed by mecamylamine (3 mg/kg, i.p.), a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist, but not by scopolamine (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.), a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist. Thus, our results show that the cholinergic system is involved in the reinforcing properties of ethanol, and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors play an important role in the relapse to ethanol-seeking behaviour.
Factors associated with changes in hospitalisation in patients prescribed clozapine
Authors: Gee Siobhan H , Shergill Sukhwinder S , Taylor David M
Published: April 2016

Objective:

The objective of this study was to examine whether delays in clozapine treatment affect outcomes once clozapine is started and identify factors that affect these outcomes.

Method:

Patients starting clozapine in a four year period at South London and the Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust were included. Clinical details were gathered from clinical notes. Primary outcome was net change in inpatient admissions comparing the periods before and after clozapine was started.

Results:

There was no significant association between the length of clozapine delay (mean clozapine delay = 3.93 years) and number or length of inpatient admissions once clozapine had been started (mean net change in days of admission = 16.74 days), F value = 0.901, p = 0.345. Clozapine reduced the total number of bed days per year, but only if treatment was continued – stopping resulted in inpatient admissions returning to pre-clozapine levels. Younger patients had a greater reduction in bed days when taking clozapine ( p = 0.027).

Conclusion:

Clozapine reduces the number of inpatient days, regardless of the chronicity of the illness at the time clozapine was started. Continued compliance with clozapine is necessary to maintain this benefit. Reduction in bed days is greater in younger patients, suggesting early initiation of clozapine may be beneficial.
Non-parametric American option valuation using Cressie–Read divergences
Authors: Alcock Jamie , Smith Godfrey
Published: April 2016

In this paper we build on the possibility that the use of the Cressie–Read family with the non-parametic method for valuing European option might be extended to non-parametric valuation of American options. We derive a suite of non-parametric methods to price and hedge American-style options, utilising the Cressie-Read family of divergences. We test the efficacy of these methods using a large sample of traded American-style options struck on the S&P100 index. We find that in general, our suite of non-parametric valuation schemes generate more accurate price estimates than traditional parametric schemes, especially for longer-dated options.
Experimental and analytical investigations into the effects of inorganic filler on the polypropylene nanocomposite microhardness
Authors: Payandehpeyman J , Majzoobi GH , Bagheri R
Published: April 2016

In the present study, polypropylene/nanoclay (PP/NC) and polypropylene/nano-calcium carbonate (PP/CC) nanocomposites with different weight percentages of filler were prepared using a twin-screw extruder. The effects of nanoparticles content on the nanocomposite were studied using the hardness measured under the applied loads in the range of 10–100 gf. It was observed that the microhardness increases with an increase in the nanofiller weight percentage. The hardness reaches its maximum for 1 wt% and 3 wt% for PP/NC and PP/CC, respectively. The results of the present study are evaluated by analytical methods proposed by Marsh and Tabor. For this purpose, mechanical properties of PP nanocomposites were obtained by uniaxial tensile and compression tests. The results were incorporated in Tabor and Marsh formula. According to the analytical methods, the results obtained from compression test were more accurate than those obtained from tensile test. In addition, variation of H/ Y ratio ( H and Y are microhardness and yield stress, respectively) versus the filler content under different applied loads was obtained. Finally, the Marsh model is modified in this work. The modified model proves more accurate in prediction of microhardness and H/ Y ratio of PP nanocomposite at different applied loadings. The new proposed model correlates the yield stress, elastic modulus, and the applied load to microhardness.
Evaluation issues in the Swedish Two-County Trial of breast cancer screening: An historical review
Authors: Tabar Laszlo , Chen Tony Hsiu-Hsi , Hsu Chen-Yang , Wu Wendy Yi-Ying , Yen Amy Ming-Fang , Chen Sam Li-Sheng , Chiu Sherry Yueh-Hsia , Fann Jean Ching-Yuan , Beckmann Kerri , Smith Robert A , Duffy Stephen W
Published: April 2016

Objectives

To summarize debate and research in the Swedish Two-County Trial of mammographic screening on key issues of trial design, endpoint evaluation, and overdiagnosis, and from these to infer promising directions for the future.

Methods

A cluster-randomized controlled trial of the offer of breast cancer screening in Sweden, with a single screen of the control group at the end of the screening phase forms the setting for a historical review of investigations and debate on issues of design, analysis, and interpretation of results of the trial.

Results

There has been considerable commentary on the closure screen of the control group, ascertainment of cause of death, and cluster randomization. The issues raised were researched in detail and the main questions answered in publications between 1989 and 2003. Overdiagnosis issues still remain, but methods of estimation taking full account of lead time and of non-screening influences on incidence (taking place mainly before 2005) suggest that it is a minor phenomenon.

Conclusion

Despite resolution of issues relating to this trial in peer-reviewed publications dating from years, or even decades ago, issues that already have been addressed continue to be raised. We suggest that it would be more profitable to concentrate efforts on current research issues in breast cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
Concept analysis of moral courage in nursing: A hybrid model
Authors: Sadooghiasl Afsaneh , Parvizy Soroor , Ebadi Abbas
Published: April 2016

Background:

Moral courage is one of the most fundamental virtues in the nursing profession, however, little attention has been paid to it. As a result, no exact and clear definition of moral courage has ever been accessible.

Objective:

This study is carried out for the purposes of defining and clarifying its concept in the nursing profession.

Methods:

This study used a hybrid model of concept analysis comprising three phases, namely, a theoretical phase, field work phase, and a final analysis phase. To find relevant literature, electronic search of valid databases was utilized using keywords related to the concept of courage. Field work data were collected over an 11 months’ time period from 2013 to 2014. In the field work phase, in-depth interviews were performed with 10 nurses. The conventional content analysis was used in two theoretical and field work phases using Graneheim and Lundman stages, and the results were combined in the final analysis phase.

Ethical consideration:

Permission for this study was obtained from the ethics committee of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Oral and written informed consent was received from the participants.

Results:

From the sum of 750 gained titles in theoretical phase, 26 texts were analyzed. The analysis resulted in 494 codes in text analysis and 226 codes in interview analysis. The literature review in the theoretical phase revealed two features of inherent–transcendental characteristics, two of which possessed a difficult nature. Working in the field phase added moral self-actualization characteristic, rationalism, spiritual beliefs, and scientific–professional qualifications to the feature of the concept.

Conclusion:

Moral courage is a pure and prominent characteristic of human beings. The antecedents of moral courage include model orientation, model acceptance, rationalism, individual excellence, acquiring academic and professional qualification, spiritual beliefs, organizational support, organizational repression, and internal and external personal barriers. Professional excellence resulting from moral courage can be crystallized in the form of provision of professional care, creating peace of mind, and the nurse’s decision making and proper functioning.
Theory of Optimum Currency Areas
Authors: Kunroo Mohd Hussain
Published: April 2016

This article aims at providing an eclectic analysis of the theory of optimum currency areas (OCAs). Although the basic tenets of the theory were anticipated during the late 1940s and the 1950s, the theory was developed and maturated in three highly influential papers of Mundell (1961), McKinnon (1963) and Kenen (1969). However, because of internal conflicts and contradictions, the theory gathered gloom for the next two decades before it could make a solid comeback in the early 1990s. Much of the reason of this revival was the efforts towards the reconciliation of these internal conflicts. During this period, the theory moved beyond the usual cost–benefit analysis and reflected a shift from the criteria that emphasise on the state of the economy towards the criteria that focus on desired policy trade-offs. Recent advancements in the area using dynamic general equilibrium analysis shows that the revival of interest in the theory of OCA reflects developments in a literature that has little to do with the subject of OCAs itself. The merit of the OCA theory is that it helps to bring together several strands of the literature on monetary integration.
Comparison of well-being of older adult choir singers and the general population in Finland: A case-control study
Authors: Johnson Julene K. , Louhivuori Jukka , Siljander Eero
Published: April 2016

Previous research suggests that singing in a choir as an older adult is associated with better quality of life (QOL). However, the degree to which sociodemographic variables and level of engagement in hobbies contribute to this relationship is largely unknown. The aim of the study was to compare quality of life (QOL) of older adult choir singers with a matched sample of older adults from the general population in Finland, taking into consideration sociodemographic variables, satisfaction with health, and level of engagement in hobbies. Case-control methods were used to match a sample of 109 older adult singers with a sample of 307 older adults from the general population. Tobit regression analysis with sociodemographic covariates was used to explore observed group differences in QOL as measured by two WHOQOL-Bref domains (psychological and physical). Probit regression analysis was used to examine the effect of sociodemographic variables and engagement in hobbies and on overall QOL and satisfaction with health. As expected, sociodemographic variables were strongly associated with physical and psychological QOL. After controlling for sociodemographic variables, the older choir singers reported significantly higher ratings on physical QOL, but not psychological QOL, compared to matched controls. Additional adjustment for satisfaction with health attenuated the results. When considering the level of engagement in hobbies, older adult choir singers reported significantly higher overall QOL and satisfaction with health when compared to controls who were either actively engaged in hobbies or not active in hobbies. These results suggest that singing in a choir as an older adult may promote well-being, even after accounting for sociodemographic variables and level of engagement in hobbies.
The Standard of Proof of Intellectual Disability in Georgia
Authors: Ricciardelli Lauren A. , Ayres Kevin M.
Published: April 2016

Despite being the first state to abolish the capital punishment of defendants with intellectual disability (ID), Georgia is currently the only state to uphold what is considered to be the most stringent standard of proof of ID in the United States: beyond a reasonable doubt. Other states have implemented less stringent standards of proof (i.e., a preponderance of the evidence and clear and convincing evidence). Although the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the execution of persons with ID unconstitutional in the 2002 Atkins decision, states are at this juncture considered to have a great deal of discretion in defining what constitutes ID. In addition to raising concerns about the Eighth Amendment’s protection against cruel and unusual punishment, variation between state-determined definitions of ID raises important questions of equal protection of the law. On January 27, 2015, Mr. Warren Lee Hill was executed by method of lethal injection in the state of Georgia after the U.S. Supreme Court denied Mr. Hill’s claim to have met the state’s legal definition of ID beyond a reasonable doubt. This article provides a historical and legislative background for the case of Warren Lee Hill, while examining the definitions of ID (including adaptive functioning) in the legal and clinical arenas. Last, this article will take a critical stance with regard to the current diagnostic criteria being used in the state of Georgia.
Implementation of Customized Employment Provisions of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Within Vocational Rehabilitation Systems
Authors: Smith Tammy Jorgensen , Dillahunt-Aspillaga Christina J. , Kenney Raymond M.
Published: April 2016

Effectively integrating provisions of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) into public Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) systems will require extensive effort at both the organizational and system levels. This article presents information on WIOA provisions, enacted in July of 2014, that affect public VR systems plus rationale, strategies, and tools for implementing these provisions in a manner that promotes quality and sustainability. Both “ideal” implementation methods and “pragmatic” methods are presented based on the experience of one state’s efforts to incorporate customized employment strategies into its VR system to benefit customers who have not been successful at achieving a competitive, integrated employment outcome through traditional VR strategies.
Endometriosis of Extra-Abdominal Soft Tissues
Authors: Wang Jayson , Strauss Dirk C. , Messiou Christina , Thway Khin
Published: April 2016

While endometriosis, defined as the presence of endometrial tissue in extrauterine sites, is most frequently encountered within the peritoneal cavity, a small but significant proportion of cases occur at extra-abdominal soft tissue sites, particularly in relation to previous abdominal surgery. We reviewed the cases of endometriosis of soft tissue sites seen at a tertiary soft tissue center. All cases of extra-abdominal soft tissue endometriosis diagnosed at this institution over a 13-year period were reviewed, and clinical and pathologic findings were recorded. Forty-five patients had diagnoses of soft tissue endometriosis and there were 34 diagnostic biopsies and 26 surgical excision specimens. All but 1 case were abdominal wall lesions, with 1 located in the upper arm. A total of 33 patients presented with lesions in scars of previous operations (31 in Pfannenstiel incisions for Caesarean sections, presenting with a median interval of 6 years (range 1-16 years) following surgery). The lesions ranged in size from 1 to 8 cm (median 3.5 cm). One case showed decidualized stroma with trophoblast cells, while 2 had secondary adenocarcinoma arising from endometriosis. Eighteen cases were tested for β-catenin expression immunohistochemically, of which 5 showed at least focal nuclear positivity in the surrounding fibrous tissue (although not within glands or stroma). Soft tissue endometriosis is seen most commonly in surgical scars, particularly following Caesarean sections. Spontaneous endometriosis also most commonly occurs in the abdominal wall, although can occur exceptionally at unusual sites, such as extremities. Secondary changes, including carcinomas, can arise from endometriosis. The differential diagnosis of these lesions includes fibromatosis, which may be erroneously diagnosed on small, nonrepresentative core biopsy specimens.
Mesonephric (Wolffian) Pseudoendometrioid Carcinoma of the Broad Ligament, Arising From a Papillary Cystadenoma
Authors: Moerman Philippe , Amant Frederic , Vergote Ignace
Published: April 2016

This article describes the case of a 70-year-old woman with an adnexal cystadenocarcinoma located in the right broad ligament and displaying a striking resemblance to a well-differentiated endometrioid adenocarcinoma. The uniqueness of this pseudoendometrioid carcinoma lies in the fact that its mesonephric nature is revealed by the origin from a papillary cystadenoma of the broad ligament, where remnants of the mesonephric duct are seated, and the immunohistochemical profile, particularly a uniform negativity for estrogen and progesterone receptors, apical-luminal positivity for CD10, and strong nuclear positivity for GATA3.
Thromboprophylaxis and Outcomes for Total Joint Arthroplasty in Congenital Bleeding Disorders
Authors: Holderness Britt M. , Goto Yuika , McKernan Laurel , Bernini Philip , Ornstein Deborah L.
Published: April 2016

Total joint arthroplasty (TJA) improves the quality of life for patients with end-stage osteoarthritis but is associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), thus pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis is recommended for most patients. Patients with congenital bleeding disorders may develop severe arthropathies due to repeated hemarthroses and derive similar benefit from TJA as the general population. No guidelines for pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis in this population exist, however, as the risks and benefits are not well defined. We undertook the current study to assess the safety and efficacy of pharmacologic VTE prophylaxis in patients with congenital bleeding disorders undergoing TJA. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with bleeding disorders who underwent TJA at our academic institution between 1987 and 2012. We identified 28 patients who underwent 38 TJA procedures. Low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) was administered in 29 procedures (76%) and was discontinued early in 3 procedures (2 patients) due to nonjoint bleeding. No symptomatic VTE was identified, and no joint or deep wound infections were seen. Twenty-two patients accounting for 31 procedures were contacted to discuss their experience with TJA. All reported decreased pain, and 97% reported improved function after the surgery. Impressively, 97% stated that they would choose to have the surgery again. These results confirm the benefit of TJA in patients with congenital bleeding disorders and end-stage arthropathies and suggest that LMWH thromboprophylaxis is safe. No patient in our cohort developed symptomatic VTE, whether or not thromboprophylaxis was administered, thus necessity of thromboprophylaxis remains an unanswered question.
Nonclinical Safety and Toxicokinetics of MnTnBuOE-2-PyP5+ (BMX-001)
Authors: Gad Shayne Cox , Sullivan Dexter W. , Spasojevic Ivan , Mujer Cesar V. , Spainhour Charles B. , Crapo James D.
Published: April 2016

BMX-001, a manganese porphyrin that has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antitumor properties, is being developed as a potential therapeutic for high-grade glioma (HGG) and head and neck (H&N) cancer. An IND has been opened for BMX-001 in the treatment of HGG (NCT02655601) and another is in preparation for H&N. The safety of BMX-001 has been evaluated in a battery of nonclinical Good Laboratory Practice (GLP)-compliant studies. Systemic toxicity has been evaluated using the intended cGMP product administered subcutaneously for periods of up to 5 weeks in both the mouse and the monkey and included toxicokinetic evaluations to characterize systemic exposure and tissue distribution and clearance of BMX-001. In additional GLP studies, BMX-001 was not irritating to the skin or eye and caused no changes in cardiac rate or rhythm or blood pressure. Mixed results for genotoxicity were seen with the weight of evidence indicating that BMX-001 poses no genotoxic risk in humans. In systemic mouse and monkey studies, loading/maintenance dose no observed adverse effect levels were 12/2 mg/kg/dose and 6/2 mg/kg/dose, respectively, with maintenance doses administered every 3 days after the initial loading dose. Systemic data were used to determine a Food and Drug Administration-approved safe starting dose for the initial clinical study in patients with HGG. BMX-001 was detected in analyzed tissues, including the brain, persisting well past the short plasma clearance period. The highest levels of BMX-001 were seen in the liver and kidneys, with amounts in these tissues returning to close to undetectable levels after a 2-week cessation of dosing.