bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fruit Consumption Reduces the Risk of Esophageal Cancer in Yanting, People’s Republic of China
Authors: Song Qingkun , Zhao Lin , Li Jun , Ren Jun
Published: September 2014

This study aimed to investigate the contribution of fruit and family history to esophageal cancer, among residents with abnormal esophagus discovered in screening. The study was a frequency-matched case–control design in groups of normal esophagus, abnormal esophagus but not carcinoma, and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Odds ratio (OR) was estimated by unconditional logistic regression. Fruit intake (OR = 0.19, 95% CI = 0.06-0.56) and positive family history of esophageal cancer (OR = 3.87, 95% CI = 1.41-10.63) were associated with esophageal cancer compared to individuals with abnormal conditions of the esophagus. In individuals who consumed fruits at least once per week, the OR for family cancer history is reduced to a nonsignificant level (OR = 1.06, 95% CI = 0.07-15.91). In the individuals with abnormal esophagus at screening, fruit intake was possibly protective against esophageal cancer, even in the ones with positive family history. Local public health strategies should focus on the improvement in fruit intake.
A case study of scaling multiple parameters by the violin
Authors: Edgerton Michael Edward , Hashim Nasir , Auhagen Wolfgang
Published: September 2014

This article will present a single case study of the acoustic attributes of sound production techniques that are involved in the expansion of performance practice with the violin. In this study, four elements were chosen from the multidimensional network involved in playing a normal tone, and then each was intentionally decoupled from ordinario. These elements (bow speed, bow placement, bow angle, and bow portion) were scaled between minimal and maximal values for any single parameter. Then, between minimal and maximal values, a series of scalar degrees were chosen to more or less uniformly link these extremes. This article will present acoustical attributes of these methods and discuss implications for musical usage. This study found that decoupling of any single parameter will result in perceptible differences that range from timbral to dynamical (sound) class change.
Nonlinear wave structural health monitoring method using an active nonlinear piezoceramic sensor for matrix cracking detection in composites
Authors: Chrysochoidis Nikolaos A , Assimakopoulou Theoni T , Saravanos Dimitris A
Published: September 2014

A structural health monitoring methodology, based on nonlinear wave modulation spectroscopy, is presented and aims to detect matrix cracks in composites. Experiments were conducted on cross-ply carbon/epoxy strips containing matrix cracks, induced via three-point bending. Damage in all tested specimens was categorized according to the acoustic emission hits recorded during loading. The nonlinear ultrasonics methodology is applied via an active nonlinear acousto-ultrasonic piezoelectric sensor, enabling low-cost and wide-frequency operational bandwidth. This active sensor configuration involves two piezoceramic wafer actuators, one excited with a low- and the other with a high-frequency signal, and a piezoceramic sensor, all permanently bonded on the tested structure. The sensitivity of the nonlinear active sensor response at specific high carrier frequencies is depicted and damage indices are proposed. The experimental results illustrate the effectiveness of the nonlinear ultrasonic wave mixing method in matrix crack detection, as well as the potential of the new active sensor for permanent structural health monitoring.
A hysteresis nonlinear model of giant magnetostrictive transducer
Authors: Zhu Yuchuan , Li Yuesong
Published: September 2014

In order to describe the hysteresis nonlinear performance of giant magnetostrictive transducer, based on the relationship between complex permeability and magnetization, eddy current effects of Terfenol-D, and kinetic characteristic of giant magnetostrictive transducer, a new hysteresis nonlinear model is developed, which consists of quasi-static model and dynamic model considering eddy current effect of Terfenol-D, dynamic of power amplifier, and magnetic aftereffect in the magnetization process. After that, to identify model parameters and improve the accuracy of the proposed model, an experiment platform is established and a modified hysteresis nonlinear model is put forward. Finally, experiments are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the modified model and the corresponding identification method. The modified model prediction results of giant magnetostrictive transducer agree well with experiment results not only under quasi-static operating conditions but also under dynamic operating conditions. Additionally, the proposed model’s parameters have definite physical meaning, but the parameters to be identified are less and model expression is more simple than that of the other hysteresis nonlinear models such as the Jiles–Atherton model. The present model can be used in the simulation and performance prediction of giant magnetostrictive transducer, which is especially suitable for the real-time control system of giant magnetostrictive transducer.
Reconsidering Culturally Competent Approaches to American Indian Healing and Well-Being
Authors: Goodkind Jessica R. , Gorman Beverly , Hess Julia Meredith , Parker Danielle P. , Hough Richard L.
Published: September 2014

There is an urgent need to eliminate mental health disparities experienced by American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs). Service providers and researchers often address these disparities by focusing on low rates of participation in Western mental health services. In part, this reflects limited understandings of the sociopolitical and historical context of AI/AN mental health problems. Furthermore, this emphasis fails to recognize the importance of emic understandings of locally resonant coping strategies, healing, and treatment. In this article, we describe (a) a study designed to address these gaps, (b) findings related to the importance of land and place, and (c) a community–university collaboration to translate these findings into meaningful change within one Diné community. Connections to the land were an important cultural strength on which to build efforts to promote mental health. Thus, effective treatment might involve more in-depth understanding of cultural processes through which healing occurs and well-being is maintained.
Managing End-of-Life Uncertainty
Authors: Rafferty Katherine A. , Cramer Emily M. , Priddis DeAnne
Published: September 2014

A significant number of Americans die in ways that do not reflect their preferences for end-of-life (EOL) care. For married individuals, the spouse often has the legal authority to make decisions at EOL. Many factors, most notably open preemptive communication about care preferences and dying wishes, determine whether such communication is viable and a partner’s wishes are respected. We used a mixed method approach, involving a content analysis of spouses’ reasons for seeking and avoiding conversations regarding their partners’ EOL care preferences, and examined whether certain demographic factors (eg, income, gender, age) more likely contributed to the initiation of EOL conversations. We situate our findings within the broader cultural discourse about death and dying and highlight the influence of uncertainty in spousal EOL communication.
Leadership and Organizational Tenure Diversity as Determinants of Project Team Effectiveness
Authors: de Poel Frouke M. , Stoker Janka I. , Van der Zee Karen I.
Published: September 2014

The present study reveals how leadership effectiveness in project teams is dependent on the level of organizational tenure diversity. Data from 34 project teams showed that transformational leadership is related to organizational commitment, creative behavior, and job satisfaction, but only in teams with high organizational tenure diversity. By contrast, participative leadership has no impact on team innovativeness, team performance, and team conflict in teams with high organizational tenure diversity, yet is beneficial with respect to the same outcomes in teams that are low in organizational tenure diversity. Theoretical and practical implications for leading project teams and future research in this area are discussed.
Modular and hierarchical brain organization to understand assimilation, accommodation and their relation to autism in reaching tasks: a developmental robotics hypothesis
Authors: Caligiore Daniele , Tommasino Paolo , Sperati Valerio , Baldassarre Gianluca
Published: September 2014

By assimilation children embody sensorimotor experiences into already built mental structures. Conversely, by accommodation these structures are changed according to the child’s new experience. Despite the intuitive power of these concepts to trace the course of sensorimotor development, they have gradually lost ground in psychology. This likely due to the lack of brain-related views capturing the dynamic mechanisms underlying them. Here we propose that brain modular and hierarchical organization is crucial to understanding assimilation/accommodation. We devise an experiment where a bio-inspired modular and hierarchical mixture-of-experts model guides a simulated robot to learn different reaching tasks by trial-and-error. The model gives a novel interpretation of assimilation/accommodation based on the functional organization of the experts allocated through learning. Assimilation occurs when the model adapts a copy of the expert trained for solving a task, to face another task requiring similar sensorimotor mappings. Experts storing similar sensorimotor mappings belong to the same functional module. Accommodation occurs when the model uses non-trained experts to face tasks requiring different sensorimotor mappings (generating a new functional group of experts). The model also provides a new theoretical framework to investigate assimilation/accommodation impairment, and proposes that such impairment might be related to autism spectrum disorder.
Learning by appraising: an emotion-based approach to intrinsic reward design
Authors: Sequeira Pedro , Melo Francisco S , Paiva Ana
Published: September 2014

In this paper, we investigate the use of emotional information in the learning process of autonomous agents. Inspired by four dimensions that are commonly postulated by appraisal theories of emotions, we construct a set of reward features to guide the learning process and behaviour of a reinforcement learning (RL) agent that inhabits an environment of which it has only limited perception. Much like what occurs in biological agents, each reward feature evaluates a particular aspect of the (history of) interaction of the agent history with the environment, thereby, in a sense, replicating some aspects of appraisal processes observed in humans and other animals. Our experiments in several foraging scenarios demonstrate that by optimising the relative contributions of each reward feature, the resulting “emotional” RL agents perform better than standard goal-oriented agents, particularly in consideration of their inherent perceptual limitations. Our results support the claim that biological evolutionary adaptive mechanisms such as emotions can provide crucial clues in creating robust, general-purpose reward mechanisms for autonomous artificial agents, thereby allowing them to overcome some of the challenges imposed by their inherent limitations.
Effect of Graft Shape in Lateral Column Lengthening on Tarsal Bone Position and Subtalar and Talonavicular Contact Pressure in a Cadaveric Flatfoot Model
Authors: Campbell Sean T. , Reese Keri A. , Ross Steven D. , McGarry Michelle H. , Leba Thu-Ba , Lee Thay Q.
Published: September 2014

Background:

Lateral column lengthening (LCL) has been used for correction of flatfoot deformity. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of LCL graft shape on tarsal bone position and talonavicular and subtalar joint pressure.

Methods:

A flatfoot model was created in 6 cadaveric specimens. Corrective LCL was performed using a rectangular graft or a trapezoidal graft with the broad surface oriented dorsally, laterally, or plantarly. Bony surface markers were digitized to calculate angular parameters used in the evaluation of flatfoot deformity. Contact pressure and area in the subtalar and talonavicular joints were also recorded. All measurements were carried out under multiple axial loads in the intact and flatfoot conditions, and following LCL with each graft shape.

Results:

Flatfoot creation resulted in significant changes in arch collapse and forefoot abduction. LCL with a rectangular graft best corrected these parameters, while a laterally oriented trapezoidal graft provided some correction. Talonavicular contact pressure was unchanged after flatfoot creation, and was significantly less than intact after LCL. Subtalar contact pressure decreased in some conditions after flatfoot creation, and decreased further after LCL.

Conclusion:

LCL with a rectangular graft best restored tarsal bone orientation in a cadaveric flatfoot model. The decreases in talonavicular pressure likely represent redistribution of force from the medial to lateral foot.

Clinical Relevance:

When performing LCL for flatfoot deformity, increased bone graft volume medially better restores tarsal bone position. One way of achieving this is through the use of a rectangular graft as opposed to a trapezoidal graft.
Synaptic Plasticity and Memory
Authors: El-Gaby Mohamady , Shipton Olivia A. , Paulsen Ole
Published: September 2014

All synapses are not the same. They differ in their morphology, molecular constituents, and malleability. A striking left–right asymmetry in the distribution of different types of synapse was recently uncovered at the CA3–CA1 projection in the mouse hippocampus, whereby afferents from the CA3 in the left hemisphere innervate small, highly plastic synapses on the apical dendrites of CA1 pyramidal neurons, whereas those originating from the right CA3 target larger, more stable synapses. Activity-dependent modification of these synapses is thought to participate in circuit formation and remodeling during development, and further plastic changes may support memory encoding in adulthood. Therefore, exploiting the CA3–CA1 asymmetry provides a promising opportunity to investigate the roles that different types of synapse play in these fundamental properties of the CNS. Here we describe the discovery of these segregated synaptic populations in the mouse hippocampus, and discuss what we have already learnt about synaptic plasticity from this asymmetric arrangement. We then propose models for how the asymmetry could be generated during development, and how the adult hippocampus might use these distinct populations of synapses differentially during learning and memory. Finally, we outline the potential implications of this left–right asymmetry for human hippocampal function, as well as dysfunction in memory disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Nilotinib Does Not Alter the Secretory Functions of Carotid Artery Endothelial Cells in a Prothrombotic or Antithrombotic Fashion
Authors: Katgı Abdullah , Sevindik Ömür Gökmen , Gökbulut Aysun Adan , Özsan Güner Hayri , Yüksel Faize , Solmaz Şerife Medeni , Alacacıoğlu İnci , Özcan Mehmet Ali , Demirkan Fatih , Baran Yusuf , Pişkin Özden
Published: September 2014

Background:

There have been concerns about the possible prothrombotic effects of nilotinib, especially in patients having cardiovascular risk factors. The potential mechanism behind the increased risk of thromboembolic events is still not clear.

Objectives:

In this study, we aimed to evaluate possible harmful effects of nilotinib on endothelial cells. To this aim, we examined proliferative capacity and secretory functions of healthy human carotid artery endothelial cells (HCtAECs) in response to nilotinib.

Methods:

3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) cell proliferation method was used to determine antiproliferative effects of nilotinib on HCtAECs. The HCtAECs were incubated with 5, 10, and 100 nmol/L doses of nilotinib for 72 hours. Then, in order to assess the endothelial function, levels of nitric oxide (NO), von Willebrand factor (vWF), tissue plasminogen activator, plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), and endothelin 1 (ET-1) were evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay from tissue culture supernatants.

Results:

There were slight but statistically significant decreases in cell proliferation in response to nilotinib. Nilotinib increased the secretion of t-PA, PAI-1, and vWF in a dose-dependent manner when compared with the untreated control group. The ET-1 secretion was lower in 5 nmol/L and higher in 10 and 100 nmol/L nilotinib-treated cells as compared to untreated cells. Regarding NO secretion, lower levels were observed in 5 and 10 nmol/L, and higher levels were detected in 100 nmol/L nilotinib-treated cells as compared to untreated control group cells.

Conclusion:

Considering the results obtained in our study, nilotinib does not affect the functions of endothelial cells either in a prothrombotic or an antithrombotic fashion, despite a dose-dependent decline in cell viability.
The electromechanical response of polymer networks with long-chain molecules
Authors: Cohen Noy , deBotton Gal
Published: September 2014

The coupled electromechanical response of a polymer with long chains is analyzed in terms of the local response and distribution of the dipolar monomers. A comparison between two variational statements for a continuous and a discrete system leads to an estimate for the coupled electromechanical energy-density function of the polymer. Two types of dipolar monomer are considered, and the variations in the macroscopic responses of polymers with random distributions of chains are determined. Lastly, the analytical predications are favorably compared with recent experimental measurements.
Accomplishing Masculinity through Anti-Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Homicide
Authors: Kelley Kristin , Gruenewald Jeff
Published: September 2014

In the current study, we seek to understand the dynamic processes of fatal attacks against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals across different situational circumstances. A review of prior research and story line analyses of 121 anti-LGBT homicides led to the creation of a homicide typology based on offender mode of victim selection. Guided by symbolic interactionism and theories of masculinity and violence, five representative case studies are conducted based on various open-source materials. The purpose of the case studies is to examine the applicability of theories of masculinity and violence for explaining anti-LGBT homicides across different modes of victim selection. We conclude that interactionist and masculinity theories of violence can in part illuminate how and why offenders use violence to demonstrate masculinity in some anti-LGBT homicide scenarios.
Effects of intramuscular sedation with alfaxalone and butorphanol on echocardiographic measurements in healthy cats
Authors: Ribas Thibault , Bublot Isabelle , Junot Stéphane , Beaufrère Hugues , Rannou Benoit , Gagnière Pauline , Cadoré Jean Luc , Pariaut Romain
Published: September 2014

Objectives

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of intramuscular (IM) injections of alfaxalone combined with butorphanol on echocardiographic (ECG) measurements in cats.

Methods

Client-owned adult domestic shorthair cats younger than 5 years of age were recruited. All cats that were considered healthy on the basis of physical examination, blood work, urinalysis, blood pressure measurement and baseline ECG underwent a second ECG under sedation. Cats were sedated with two separate IM injections of butorphanol at 0.2 mg/kg and alfaxalone at 2 mg/kg. ECG variables were analysed using a linear mixed model, and sedation scores were analysed using an ordinal mixed logistic model. The significance level was set at α = 0.05 and adjusted at α = 0.0017 for multiple comparisons of the ECG measurements.

Results

Ten healthy cats were included. Sedation was uneventful, and recovery was smooth and quick for all cats. The mean duration of lateral recumbency was 36.3 ± 4.37 mins. Reduction in heart rate following sedation approached statistical significance ( P = 0.002). The thickness of the interventricular septum, the thickness of the left ventricular free wall, and the left ventricular internal dimensions in diastole and systole were not affected by the sedation. The changes in left atrium/aortic ratio and shortening fraction were statistically significant. Although the peak velocity of early diastolic transmitral flow (E) and late diastolic transmitral flow (A), the peak early diastolic (Ea) mitral valve annulus velocity, and the peak late diastolic (Aa) mitral valve annulus velocity changed after sedation, the ratios E/A, E/Ea and Ea/Aa were not significantly different after sedation.

Conclusions and relevance

IM injections of alfaxalone and butorphanol induced rapid, deep and short-lasting sedation. The mean differences after sedation were not clinically significant for most echocardiographic measurements.
Gait and jump analysis in healthy cats using a pressure mat system
Authors: Stadig Sarah M , Bergh Anna K
Published: September 2014

Physical orthopaedic examination in cats does not always reveal signs of lameness and no objective gait analysis method has yet been standardised for use in cats. The aims of the present study were to define appropriate parameters for pressure mat analyses during walk and jump, and to define reference values for gait parameters of healthy cats. Further, the distribution of the vertical force within the paws and the influence of a non-centred head position were investigated. The hypothesis was that cats have a symmetrical gait, a front/hindlimb asymmetry similar to dogs, and that peak vertical force (PVF) and vertical impulse (VI) have high intraclass correlation coefficients, confirming the reliability of these parameters. Data for walking (n = 46) showed gait symmetry indices of close to 1.0, besides PVF front/hind (1.3 ± 0.2). The PVF front/hind for jumping cats (n = 16) was 1.7 ± 0.6. Results from the distribution of the vertical force within the paw (n = 39) showed that the main weight during a strike is transferred from the caudal towards the craniomedial part of the paw. The findings support the hypothesis that healthy cats have similar gait symmetry to healthy dogs and that PVF and VI are reliable gait parameters. In conclusion, the present study provides a reference interval for healthy cats. Further studies are needed to investigate gait parameters in cats with orthopaedic disease.
Pilot Investigation of the Association Between Serum Stress Neuropeptide Levels and Lymphocyte Expression of Fas and Fas Ligand in Critical Illness
Authors: Papathanassoglou Elizabeth D. E. , Mpouzika Meropi D. A. , Giannakopoulou Margarita , Bozas Evangelos , Middleton Nicos , Boti Sofia , Karabinis Andreas
Published: September 2014

Introduction:

In critical illness, apoptotic loss of immunocytes is associated with immunosuppression.

Aim:

To explore expression of Fas/Fas ligand (FasL) on B and T cells from critically ill patients without sepsis compared to matched controls and associations with disease severity and neuropeptide Y (NPY), cortisol, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and prolactin (PRL) levels.

Methods:

Repeated-measures correlational design with 36 critically ill patients (14-day follow-up) and 36 controls. Disease severity was assessed using the Multiple Organ Dysfunction Score (MODS) and Multi Organ Failure scale. Fas/FasL values were standardized for viable cell counts. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (NPY) and electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (cortisol, ACTH, and PRL) were employed.

Results:

Fas and FasL expression on T-helper ( p < .0001–.03) and T-cytotoxic cells ( p < .0001–.002) and Fas expression on B cells ( p < .0001–.03) were higher in patients. MODS severity was associated with FasL expression on cytotoxic T cells ( r = .752–.902, p = .023–.037). There was an inverse association between Day 1 NPY levels and Fas expression on T-helper cells ( r = −.447, p = .019). On the day of maximum severity, we report for the first time an inverse association between NPY levels and FasL expression on helper ( r = −.733, p = .016) and cytotoxic ( r = −.862, p = .003) T cells. Cortisol levels were positively associated with counts of FasL-positive helper ( r = .828) and cytotoxic ( r = .544, p < .05) T cells.

Conclusion:

Results suggest a potential role for stress neuropeptides in lymphocyte survival and activation in critical illness.
Psychological Strains, Salivary Biomarkers, and Risks for Coronary Heart Disease Among Hurricane Survivors
Authors: An Kyungeh , Salyer Jeanne , Kao Hsueh-Fen Sabrina
Published: September 2014

Objective:

To examine the associations of psychological strains, salivary biomarkers, and coronary heart disease (CHD) risks in hurricane survivors 2 years after Hurricane Ike in the United States.

Background:

Hurricane survivors often suffer from long-lasting posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other forms of psychological strain related to surviving a natural disaster and dealing with its aftermath. Psychological strains may be associated with biomarkers, which, in turn, may be associated with a higher incidence of CHD risks.

Methods:

Structured interviews were conducted with 19 hurricane survivors to assess psychological strains (PTSD, perceived stress, depression, and anxiety) and measure CHD risks. Saliva samples were collected by the passive drool method and analyzed for inflammatory cytokine (interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-6, and IL-10) and chemokine (monocyte chemotactic protein [MCP]-1) biomarkers.

Results:

The salivary level of MCP-1 was significantly associated with PTSD symptoms, depression (both p < .01), and anxiety ( p < .05). There were significant associations between anxiety and hypertension ( p < .01), perceived stress and blood glucose level ( p < .05), and perceived stress and obesity ( p < .05).

Conclusion:

Our findings that long-lasting psychological strains are associated with major CHD risks and salivary MCP-1 levels suggest that the mechanism by which such strains play a role in the development of CHD involves recruitment of monocyte cells in response to chronic endothelial inflammation. Further studies are needed to advance our understanding of the underlying mechanisms by which the PTSD and other psychological strains contribute to the development of CHD.
Ultrasound for the non-invasive measurement of internal combustion engine piston ring oil films
Authors: Mills R , Vail JR , Dwyer-Joyce R
Published: September 2014

Increasingly stringent legislation controlling vehicular emissions is motivating research to maximise engine efficiency. The frictional power loss associated with the ring pack–cylinder interface is one such focus. In addition to this, increased reliance on simulation to predict the lubrication characteristics requires that numerical codes model the physical situation accurately and reliably. Experimental validation provides the crucial role of assessing performance and lubricant film thickness provides a key comparable parameter. This paper outlines oil film thickness results obtained from the compression ring–cylinder interface of a fired, single-cylinder gasoline engine using a method based on ultrasonic reflection. The magnitudes of the film are discussed and compared with work published by other experimental investigators using alternative techniques.
Is there a cognitive signature for MS-related fatigue?
Authors: Hanken Katrin , Eling Paul , Hildebrandt Helmut
Published: September 2014

The compensatory approach of fatigue argues that it is a state caused by task load. The neuropsychiatric approach argues that fatigue is a trait (like depression), unrelated to environmental challenges. We propose that fatigue is an internal state that can be measured behaviorally only by applying specific cognitive tasks. PubMed was searched for articles concerning the relation between fatigue and cognitive performance or brain atrophy or functional MRI, distinguishing between the following cognitive domains: learning/memory, cognitive speed/selective attention, language, visuospatial processing, working memory, alerting/vigilance. Only tasks assessing alerting/vigilance are strongly related to fatigue. Areas with brain atrophy in fatigue patients overlap with brain regions activated in healthy controls performing alerting/vigilance tasks. Fatigue is not a compensatory state, nor a psychogenic trait. It is a feeling with behavioral effects that seems to be caused by brain atrophy or a neurochemical dysfunction of the alerting/vigilance system.
‘A who doing a what?’: Identity, practice and social work education
Authors: Mackay Tanya , Zufferey Carole
Published: September 2014

This article explores the discourses employed by social work educators in their constructions of social work identity, practice and education. The research data for this qualitative study was collected from in-depth interviews with social work educators from two South Australian universities, who were eligible for membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers.

Findings

Using Gee’s discourse analysis framework, the key discourses used by social work educators to construct social work, social workers, clients and social work educational institutions are identified. Social work educators drew on professional, helping/caring, emancipatory and social control discourses to highlight the ‘typical’ story of ‘social work’ and construct social workers and social work educators as ‘a who doing a what’, to distinguish social work from other professions.

Application

Despite being constructed as having the power to act as ‘gate keepers’ to the profession, very little research examines how social work educators reflect on their practice as social workers and social work educators. Further national and international research is required to examine how social work students, service users, employers and other disciplines interpret these social work discourses.
Stochastic simulation and analysis of a classical knock controller
Authors: Spelina Jill M , Peyton Jones James C , Frey Jesse
Published: September 2014

Knock control remains a critical issue in modern engine powertrains, and a renewed emphasis on knock as a stochastic process has proved beneficial in the development of new controller designs. However, the random nature of knock also makes it hard to evaluate the closed-loop performance of a knock controller in a rigorous, repeatable way. This work therefore focuses particularly on the statistical properties of knock intensities and knock events, and a new Markov-based analysis is used to compute the corresponding statistical properties and distribution of the closed-loop response. The method is applied to a conventional knock controller, revealing new aspects of its behavior. In particular, the closed-loop spark advance distribution is found to be periodic initially, only collapsing to an invariant steady-state distribution as a result of limits applied to the spark advance actuation. The stochastic response of the controller to different initial conditions is also investigated, providing a more rigorous insight into its performance. The results of the Markov-based analysis are confirmed using Monte Carlo simulations.
Planning to change the world? Questioning the normative ethics of planning theories
Authors: Winkler Tanja , Duminy James
Published: September 2014

We begin with the assertion that epistemological standpoints shape – and are shaped by – ethical principles and that epistemologies of action are constantly evolving. Yet, while many contemporary planning theories are influenced by post-structural and postcolonial epistemologies that recognise the value of subjective and situated knowledge, work on planning ethics tends to retain a focus on normative ethical theories. This focus precludes further explorations of the nature and meaning of adopted ethical values. By means of a case example, we suggest that some engagement with meta-ethical questions might offer scholars of the global South-East an alternative basis for developing knowledge.
Persons With Communication Disabilities in Natural Disasters, War, and/or Conflict
Authors: Battle Dolores E.
Published: September 2014

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 35 million people around the world have been displaced because of natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, or tsunamis. In addition, there are a number of persons who have been displaced or who have fled their homeland due to civil conflict or war. The WHO estimates that between 3.5 and 5 million of the world’s refugees and displaced persons in emergency shelters or refugee camps have disabilities, one third of them being children. This report will address the needs of people with disabilities who may be affected by natural disasters, conflict, and war. The aim is to ensure that they do not experience injustices during natural catastrophes and conflict and that emergency plans acknowledge and address the communication and other needs of displaced persons with disabilities.
Teaching CSD Graduate Students to Think Critically, Apply Evidence, and Write Professionally
Authors: Grillo Elizabeth U. , Koenig Mareile A. , Gunter Cheryl D. , Kim Sojung
Published: September 2014

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of teaching modules designed to enhance the use of critical thinking (CT), evidence-based practice (EBP), and professional writing (PW) skills by graduate students in communication sciences and disorders. Three single-session teaching modules were developed to highlight key features of CT, EBP, and PW. Participants were presented with one module per week during the first month of their 2-year graduate program. Each participant’s performance was assessed four times by analyzing his or her written responses to clinical scenarios during the first fall semester and the last spring semester of the program. Results demonstrated that the EBP teaching module was effective in improving the participants’ application of EBP principles. The CT and PW teaching modules were not as effective, suggesting that instruction in these areas requires more than a single-session teaching module.
A Pilot Study Comparing Two Nonword Repetition Tasks for Use in a Formal Test Battery
Authors: Tattersall Patricia J. , Nelson Nickola Wolf , Tyler Ann A.
Published: September 2014

Two sets of nonwords (with and without true morphemes) were compared for their ability to differentiate students in Grades 1 through 12 with and without language impairment (36 each; N = 72) on a nonword repetition task. Results indicated that either nonword type could contribute to differential diagnosis.
Design of functional knitted fabrics for medical corsets with high clothing comfort characteristics
Authors: Oglakcioglu Nida
Published: September 2014

This study aims to achieve high comfort characteristics in medical corsets. For this aim, initially the expectations of users were determined by a survey and special yarns have been selected according to the survey responses. Then, different corset fabrics have been designed in a functional structure. Later, the most important body movement (stretchability), sensorial (bending rigidity) and thermophysiological comfort (air permeability, water vapour permeability, and thermal resistance) properties of these fabrics were tested and evaluated statistically. The results revealed that high levels of clothing comfort and performance properties can be established by different yarn types and fabric compositions and this will lead to achieve a successful medical therapy.
Saving the Limb in Diabetic Patients With Ischemic Foot Lesions Complicated by Acute Infection
Authors: Clerici Giacomo , Faglia Ezio
Published: September 2014

Ischemia and infection are the most important factors affecting the prognosis of foot ulcerations in diabetic patients. To improve the outcome of these patients, it is necessary to aggressively treat 2 important pathologies—namely, occlusive arterial disease affecting the tibial and femoral arteries and infection of the ischemic diabetic foot. Each of these 2 conditions may lead to major limb amputation, and the presence of both critical limb ischemia (CLI) and acute deep infection is a major risk factor for lower-extremity amputation. Thus, the management of diabetic foot ulcers requires specific therapeutic approaches that vary significantly depending on whether foot lesions are complicated by infection and/or ischemia. A multidisciplinary team approach is the key to successful treatment of a diabetic foot ulcer: ischemic diabetic foot ulcers complicated by acute deep infection pose serious treatment challenges because high levels of skill, organization, accuracy, and timing of intervention are required to maximize the chances of limb salvage: these complex issues are better managed by a multidisciplinary clinical group.
Developing a Clinically Relevant Model of Cognitive Training After Experimental Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Brayer Samuel W. , Ketcham Scott , Zou Huichao , Hurwitz Max , Henderson Christopher , Fuletra Jay , Kumar Krishma , Skidmore Elizabeth , Thiels Edda , Wagner Amy K.
Published: September 2014

Background. Following traumatic brain injury (TBI), clinical cognitive training paradigms harness implicit and explicit learning and memory systems to improve function; however, these systems are differentially affected by TBI, highlighting the need for an experimental TBI model that can test efficacy of cognitive training approaches. Objectives. To develop a clinically relevant experimental cognitive training model using the Morris water maze (MWM) wherein training on implicitly learned task components was provided to improve behavioral performance post-TBI. Methods. Eighty-one adult male rats were divided by injury status (controlled cortical impact [CCI]/Sham), non-spatial cognitive training (CogTrained/No-CogTrained), and extra-maze cues (Cued/Non-Cued) during MWM testing. Platform latencies, thigmotaxis, and search strategies were assessed during MWM trials. Results. Cognitive training was associated with improved platform latencies, reduced thigmotaxis, and more effective search strategy use for Sham and CCI rats. In the Cued and Non-Cued MWM paradigm, there were no differences between CCI/CogTrained and Sham/No-CogTrained groups. During novel testing conditions, CogTrained groups applied implicitly learned knowledge/skills; however, sham-cued CogTrained/rats better incorporated extramaze cues into their search strategy than the CCI-Cued group. Cognitive training had no effects on contusion size or hippocampal cell survival. Conclusions. The results provide evidence that CCI-CogTrained rats that learned the nonspatial components of the MWM task applied these skills during multiple conditions of the place-learning task, thereby mitigating cognitive deficits typically associated with this injury model. The results show that a systematic application of clinically relevant constructs associated with cognitive training paradigms can be used with experimental TBI to affect place learning.
Electing to Play
Authors: Foxman Maxwell , Forelle Michelle
Published: September 2014

In 2012, MTV explored a new approach to voter engagement through “Fantasy Election.” The game had players draft candidates in the congressional and presidential elections onto personal teams in order to compete for points and prizes, which were distributed based not only on the candidates’ actions but also when players themselves took action to become better informed and involved during the campaign. In the end, Fantasy Election drew over 10,000 active participants. This article scrutinizes the design and effect of the game by using data from MTV’s exit survey of Fantasy Election users to explore whether and how games can be used to encourage voter engagement. By considering the self-reported motivations of players, and a broader discussion of the role of play, competition and reward in fostering political and civic participation, we consider how gamification strategies have ambivalent effects on developing a more informed and cooperative civil society.
Role-Playing the Multiculturalist Umpire
Authors: Patterson Christopher B.
Published: September 2014

This article explores the shared game mechanics seen throughout BioWare games, especially their Mass Effect and Dragon Age series, as systems that invoke multiculturalist values and teach liberal tolerance. In both BioWare series, the player is set on a course to manage ethnic bodies into a racially determined division of labor (as military force), assuming the neutral position of a “multiculturalist umpire.” I investigate Mass Effect’s loyalty mechanic and its genre mixture of the role-playing game with the military shooter to consider how BioWare’s signature emphasis on team cooperation and supporting characters can express meanings that value American multiculturalism as exceptional, thus permitting forms of patriarchal and imperial violence to continue unabated. Finally, I consider how the player’s choice to play as female rather than male can shift the player’s experience from an imperialist attitude toward one of multiracial coalition that focuses on structures of patriarchal power and reproductive control.
Choose Your Own Disruption
Authors: Dicecco Nico , Lane Julia Helen
Published: September 2014

We ask the following: Is there anything that disappears (is ephemeral) in a scholarly text? Is it possible to foreground this ephemerality in order to write as performance rather than writing about or reading as performance? Exploring the performativity of text as well as how such textual performance interacts with clown and adaptation, we hope to enact a variety of disruptions of reader expectation, logic and flow, binaries, the academic article as a genre, and the commonly assumed reader–text relationship. Our incorporation of the gimmick of the Choose-Your-Own Adventure applies the clown’s nonseriousness to the “rules” (of time, of physics, and of academic convention) that differentiate the written text from performance. Our interpretative aim in incorporating these two systems of rules is to consider how space might be opened up for the performativity of text in order to bridge what is, in many respects, an insurmountable gap.
Trends in maternal deaths from epilepsy in the United Kingdom: a 30-year retrospective review
Authors: Kapoor Dipanwita , Wallace Suzanne
Published: September 2014

Objective

Neurological diseases remain the second most common cause of maternal mortality from indirect causes, according to the last United Kingdom confidential enquiry into maternal death. The maternal mortality rate from epilepsy is reported as 0.61 per 100,000 maternities. The aim of this study was to analyse the trends and causes of maternal death from epilepsy in the UK over the last 30 years. Information on sub-standard care associated with fatalities was also consolidated to inform guidance and clinical care by obstetricians and physicians caring for pregnant women with epilepsy.

Study design

A retrospective review of 10 triennial confidential enquiry into maternal death reports (1979–2008) was performed, encompassing 21,514,457 maternities. Late and coincidental deaths were not included in the analyses.

Results

Between 1979 and 2008, there were 92 maternal deaths from epilepsy. The proportion of total maternal deaths from epilepsy over 30 years is 3.7% (95% CI 3.0–4.5), which showed an increasing trend. Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy remains the single greatest cause of maternal death from epilepsy followed by aspiration of gastric contents during seizures and drowning during bathing.

Conclusion

All women with epilepsy should be looked after by specialist combined obstetric and medical or neurological teams in pregnancy to improve maternal and fetal outcomes.
Aerodynamic performance and riding posture in road cycling and triathlon
Authors: Barry Nathan , Burton David , Sheridan John , Thompson Mark , Brown Nicholas AT
Published: September 2014

Cycling performance is strongly dependent on aerodynamic drag, of which the majority is attributable to the rider. Previous studies have shown the importance of optimising athlete posture on the bicycle for individual time-trial events. This article identifies that performance in road cycling and draft-legal triathlon can be improved through aerodynamic optimisation of the athlete’s posture. Nine relevant cycling postures have been studied, and it was found that for road cycling, gripping the hoods with horizontal forearms can reduce the required cyclist power by 13.4%, and for draft-legal triathlon applications, the use of short bar extensions reduced the required power by up to 16.7%. It was also found that lowering the eyes and head increased drag in both drops and triathlon postures. Measurements of the velocity profiles of the wake of a cyclist in four different postures are presented, and it is shown that differences in drag coefficients between postures can be correlated with changes in the wake velocity defect and turbulence intensity distribution.
An Automated Telephone Nutrition Support System for Spanish-Speaking Patients With Diabetes
Authors: Khanna Raman , Stoddard Pamela J. , Gonzales Elizabeth N. , Villagran-Flores Mariana , Thomson Joan , Bayard Paul , Palos Lucio Ana Gabriela , Schillinger Dean , Bertozzi Stefano , Gonzales Ralph
Published: September 2014

Background:

In the United States, Spanish-speaking patients with diabetes often receive inadequate dietary counseling. Providing language and culture-concordant dietary counseling on an ongoing basis is critical to diabetes self-care.

Objective:

To determine if automated telephone nutrition support (ATNS) counseling could help patients improve glycemic control by duplicating a successful pilot in Mexico in a Spanish-speaking population in Oakland, California.

Design:

A prospective randomized open-label trial with blinded endpoint assessment (PROBE) was performed.

Participants:

The participants were seventy-five adult patients with diabetes receiving care at a federally qualified health center in Oakland, California.

Interventions:

ATNS, a computerized system that dialed patients on their phones, prompted them in Spanish to enter (via keypad) portions consumed in the prior 24 hours of various cultural-specific dietary items, and then provided dietary feedback based on proportion of high versus low glycemic index foods consumed. The control group received the same ATNS phone calls 14 weeks after enrollment.

Main Measures:

The primary outcome was hemoglobin A1c % (A1c) 12 weeks following enrollment.

Key Results:

Participants had no significant improvement in A1c (–0.3% in the control arm, –0.1% in the intervention arm, P = .41 for any difference) or any secondary parameters.

Conclusions:

In our study, an ATNS system did not improve diabetes control in a Spanish-speaking population in Oakland.