bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparisons of Auricular Cartilage Tissues from Different Species
Authors: Chiu Loraine L.Y. , Giardini-Rosa Renata , Weber Joanna F. , Cushing Sharon L. , Waldman Stephen D.
Published: October 2017

Objectives:

Tissue engineering of auricular cartilage has great potential in providing readily available materials for reconstructive surgeries. As the field of tissue engineering moves forward to developing human tissues, there needs to be an interspecies comparison of the native auricular cartilage in order to determine a suitable animal model to assess the performance of engineered auricular cartilage in vivo.

Methods:

Here, we performed interspecies comparisons of auricular cartilage by comparing tissue microstructure, protein localization, biochemical composition, and mechanical properties of auricular cartilage tissues from rat, rabbit, pig, cow, and human.

Results:

Human, pig, and cow auricular cartilage have smaller lacunae compared to rat and rabbit cartilage ( P < .05). Despite differences in tissue microstructure, human auricular cartilage has similar biochemical composition to both rat and rabbit. Auricular cartilage from pig and cow, alternatively, display significantly higher glycosaminoglycan and collagen contents compared to human, rat, and rabbit ( P < .05). The mechanical properties of human auricular cartilage were comparable to that of all 4 animal species.

Conclusions:

This is the first study that compares the microstructural, biochemical, and mechanical properties of auricular cartilage from different species. This study showed that different experimental animal models of human auricular cartilage may be suitable in different cases.
Treatment Outcomes of In-Office KTP Ablation of Vocal Fold Granulomas
Authors: Dominguez Laura M. , Brown Raymond J. , Simpson C. Blake
Published: October 2017

Objective:

To determine the effectiveness of in-office potassium-titanyl-phosphate (KTP) treatment of vocal fold granulomas and identify any predictors of complete lesion resolution.

Methods:

A retrospective review of patients who underwent in-office KTP ablation of vocal fold granulomas between 2007 and 2016 was performed. Medical records were reviewed for use of acid suppression medication, prior surgical treatment, voice therapy, laser settings, number of treatments, follow-up time, and Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10) scores.

Results:

Twenty-six patients underwent a total of 43 laser treatments. Eighty percent of patients were previously on acid suppression medication, and 42.3% had failed previous endoscopic treatments. Patients underwent a mean number of 1.65 ± 1.16 in-office treatments with decrease in size in 96.2% of cases. The VHI-10 was not significantly affected. Complete resolution occurred in 73.1% of cases with follow-up time ranging from 1 to 86 months (median = 9.5 months). No recurrences occurred in patients with complete resolution. Other than undergoing a single KTP treatment, no variable was found to be predictive of complete lesion resolution. Granuloma etiology was not predictive of lesion resolution but did correlate with symptom improvement.

Conclusion:

In-office pulsed KTP laser is an effective treatment option for vocal fold granulomas as the lesion resolves in the majority of cases.
Effects of Illuminance and Correlated Color Temperature on Daytime Cognitive Performance, Subjective Mood, and Alertness in Healthy Adults
Authors: Zhu Yingying , Yang Minqi , Yao Ying , Xiong Xiao , Li Xiaoran , Zhou Guofu , Ma Ning
Published: October 2017

This study investigated the impact of indoor illuminance and correlated color temperature (CCT) on healthy adults’ cognitive performance, subjective mood, and alertness during daytime office hours and differences in time-of-day effects. A 2(illuminance) × 2(CCT) × 2(morning vs. afternoon) mixed design ( N = 60) was employed. Participants felt less sleepy in the bright light exposure. The low “cool” lighting induced the least positive mood. The effects of illuminance and CCT on subjective feelings were not time-of-day dependent. The results demonstrated the slowest responses in inhibition, working memory, and recognition of facial expression tasks in the low “warm” lighting. The effect on long-term memory was most pronounced under the high “cool” light exposure, but only in the afternoon for recognition of neutral words. The findings suggest that future research on good indoor lighting should consider illuminance levels and CCT as well as other variables to optimize lighting effects during regular daytime hours.
Clinico-aetiologic profile of Onychomycoses in a tertiary care centre in northeast India
Authors: Banik Amit , Durairaj Elantamilan , Lyngdoh WV , Khyriem Annie B , Sabhapandit Debahuti
Published: October 2017

Onychomycosis refers to fungal nail infection. Despite a clearly diseased appearance, it is often deemed a merely cosmetic problem of relatively minor importance. However, it may result in much psychological or occupational turmoil, diminished self-esteem and resulting reluctance for public interaction. A wide number of factors determine the treatment outcome and its prevalence varies greatly. Our study was conducted between January 2011 and December 2014 in northeast India. Of 243 patients presenting with nail abnormalities, 158 (65%) were positively diagnosed by either direct microscopy or culture or both. A distal lateral subungual infection was the most predominant clinical pattern observed, and the most frequent aetiological agents were dermatophytes, of which Trichophyton rubrum was predominant.
Euclidean Mate Value and Power of Choice on the Mating Market
Authors: Conroy-Beam Daniel
Published: October 2017

Three studies tested the hypothesis that human mate choice psychology uses a Euclidean algorithm to integrate mate preferences into estimates of mate value. In Study 1, a series of agent-based models identify a pattern of results relatively unique to mating markets where individuals high in Euclidean mate value experience greater power of choice: strong preference fulfillment overall and correlations between mate value and (a) preference fulfillment, (b) ideal standards, and (c) partner mate value. Studies 2 and 3 demonstrated that this pattern of results that emerges in human romantic relationships, is specific to mate value as a long-term partner, and is not accounted for by participant biases. These results suggest that human mate choice psychology uses a Euclidean algorithm to integrate mate preferences in mate choice, providing insight into the computational design of human mating psychology and validating this algorithm as a useful tool for future research.
Yik Yak: An Exploratory Study of College Student Uses and Gratifications
Authors: Vaterlaus J. Mitchell
Published: October 2017

Publically launched in 2013 and discontinued in 2017, Yik Yak was an anonymous and geographically restricted social media application. A uses and gratifications theoretical framework and a mixed-methods research design were selected for this exploratory study regarding differences between Yik Yak users and nonusers. College students ( n = 264) from a western university completed online surveys regarding Yik Yak in November of 2015. Results indicated that Yik Yak users were significantly younger than nonusers, and no significant differences were identified between Yik Yak users’ and nonusers’ reported time spent with other social media platforms (i.e., Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat). Qualitative results indicated that college students who used Yik Yak did so for informational, entertainment, agency-enhancement, and community-building purposes. Nonusers chose not to use Yik Yak because the application did not meet their needs, they were unaware of Yik Yak, and because of unfavorable content.
Factor Validation of a Fidelity of Implementation Measure for Social Behavior Systems
Authors: Massar Michelle M. , McIntosh Kent , Mercer Sterett H.
Published: October 2017

Assessing fidelity of implementation of school-based interventions is a critical factor in successful implementation and sustainability. The Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI) was developed as a comprehensive measure of all three tiers of School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) and is intended to measure the extent to which the core features of SWPBIS are implemented with fidelity. The purpose of this study was to assess the extent to which the TFI can be used as one measure of all three tiers, three separate measures of individual tiers, or as a more granular level of fidelity that measures implementation on 10 subscales across the tiers. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to validate the factor structure of the TFI. Results indicate that the TFI is a valid measure of fidelity of implementation of SWPBIS and can be used to measure implementation by subscales, tiers, and as a comprehensive assessment of all three tiers.
Rape Crisis Counseling: Trauma Contagion and Supervision
Authors: Rizkalla Niveen , Zeevi-Barkay Maya , Segal Steven P.
Published: October 2017

This study of rape crisis counselors considers whether increased exposure to victims’ trauma is associated with increased supervision—believed necessary to combat trauma contagion—and whether such supervision will reduce the negative impact of such exposure. One hundred six women counselors in seven of nine rape crisis centers in Israel completed anonymous questionnaires documenting their work and trauma exposure. Trauma exposure was defined by counselors’ number of victim-contact hours per week and their assessment of the trauma severity they experienced. Supervision was measured by the number of hours received. Counselors trauma outcome indicators included sexual intimacy, secondary traumatization (evidenced in posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD]-type symptomology), and vicarious traumatization (expressed as a disturbance in cognitive schemes that undermine the self and others). Hypotheses were evaluated in fully recursive path analyses via ordinary least squares (OLS) regression. Participants’ mean age was 43.4 years; 58% were married, 26% single, 13% divorced, and 3% widowed; 81% had a college degree or more; 18.9% reported being exposed to victims-trauma at a minimal level, 54.7% moderate and 26.4% extreme; and 43.4% were abused at some time in their lives. Job exposure to victims’ trauma was significantly associated with increases in supervision time (β = .33, p = .002). Supervision time fully mediated the relationship between duration of exposure to victims’ trauma and counselors’ secondary traumatization reports such that increased supervision was associated with degrading sexual intimacy (β = .22; p = .032) and increased Secondary Trauma Scale scores (β = .44; p = .004) after taking into account counselors’ education level, history of abuse, anger management in intimate relationship, and posttraumatic growth scores. The study results raise concern about counselors’ mental health in that the supervision effect exacerbated the trauma contagion impacts. The study suggests a need for documenting the nature of the supervision and considering different types of supervision methods.
Stability of the Severity of Intimate Partner Violence
Authors: Taylor Ashley R. , Cantos Arthur , O’Leary Daniel , Kessler Kenneth
Published: October 2017

Prior research with a sample of male probationers indicates severity levels of one arresting intimate partner violence (IPV) offense are predictive of future frequency of such offenses and treatment completion. This study is an extended analysis looking at severity ratings across two IPV offenses to measure violence stability. The stability of IPV severity levels was analyzed in a sample of offenders in Lake County, Illinois. Offender subtypes of generally violent (GV) men and family only (FO) violent men were incorporated into stability analyses using generalized linear mixed modeling (GLMM) to determine whether certain types of offenders vary in violence levels over time. The purpose was to determine the predictive utility of using a single offense to determine the domestic violence trajectory for male probationers. Reoffense records of 80 men were collected from a larger sample of 352 males, ages 17 to 72 placed on probation in Lake County, Illinois, between 2006 and 2008. Severity of offenses was coded dichotomously based on a behaviorally derived measure. Results demonstrate 64% of reoffenders remained stable in IPV severity. Overall, severity levels decreased across time. This is the first study to use a probationary sample of men to analyze violence stability trends over time. This study confirms the utility of measuring a single offense to predict future violence trajectories for IPV offenders.
Psychological Predictors of Aggressive Behavior Among Men and Women
Authors: Stefanile Cristina , Matera Camilla , Nerini Amanda , Puddu Luisa , Raffagnino Rosalba
Published: October 2017

This study examined the relationships among attitude toward violence, self-esteem, emotion dysregulation, anger, and aggression in community men and women and male inmates. Overall, 166 community men, 197 community women, and 100 male inmates completed a battery of questionnaires containing self-reported measures. Self-esteem and attitude toward violence were significant predictors of aggressive behavior, with emotion dysregulation mediating the relationship between self-esteem and the criterion variable. Anger mediated the relationship between emotion dysregulation and aggressive behavior only among community people. Among men, inmates reported a more favorable attitude toward violence, lower self-esteem, higher emotion dysregulation, more aggressive behaviors, and a lower tendency to get angry. Women showed a less favorable attitude toward violence, lower self-esteem, higher emotion dysregulation, and a higher tendency for anger than men, while no differences emerged for aggressive behavior. These findings suggest that self-related constructs and emotion regulation strategies represent key processes associated with aggressive behavior among all participants, while the role of anger is more prominent in community people. To reduce aggressive tendencies, treatment and prevention interventions might increase self-esteem, emotion regulation skills, and one’s ability to direct anger toward other goals. Moreover, programs aimed at changing attitudes toward violence could be useful.
Deconstructing Attitudes About Intimate Partner Violence and Bystander Intervention: The Roles of Perpetrator Gender and Severity of Aggression
Authors: Ermer Ashley E. , Roach Andrea L. , Coleman Marilyn , Ganong Lawrence
Published: October 2017

In this mixed methods study, we explored how gender of an aggressor and the levels of aggression (i.e., yelling, throwing a drink, slapping, and punching) influenced attitudes about (a) public displays of intimate partner violence (IPV) and (b) bystander intervention. A feminist-informed, social constructionist perspective guided the study. Participants ( N = 562) responded online to randomly assigned factorial vignettes. Participants ranged in age between 18 and 70 years. The majority were female, self-identified as heterosexual, and identified as White. Logistic regressions revealed that participants significantly viewed aggression as unacceptable, especially in cases of more severe and male-perpetrated aggressions. Multinomial logistic regressions revealed that participants significantly thought bystanders or friends of the couple should intervene, especially in cases of male-perpetrated and/or more severe aggression. Analyses of qualitative responses indicated that participants viewed aggression as never okay, as poor communication, as justified if provoked, and discussed the gendered double standard of aggression (i.e., men should not be aggressive because they could cause more harm than females and female-perpetrated aggression is minor, in comparison). Regarding attitudes about bystander intervention, analyses of qualitative responses indicated that aggression severity, issues surrounding relationship privacy, factors relevant to the situation (e.g., if the event occurred once or repeatedly), perceptions that help was needed (e.g., if the victim was hurt), and the bystander’s relationship with the victim (i.e., friend or not) were important to consider when thinking about the decision to intervene in public acts of violence. These findings have implications for bystander intervention programs and for how individuals view public acts of IPV.
Predicting Receipt of Social Security Administration Disability Benefits Using Biomarkers and Other Physiological Measures: Evidence From the Health and Retirement Study
Authors: Blue Laura , Gill Lakhpreet , Faul Jessica , Bradway Kevin , Stapleton David
Published: October 2017

Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess how well physiological measures, including biomarkers and genetic indicators, predict receipt of Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits among U.S. adults aged 51 to 65 years. Method: We used data from the 2006 to 2012 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), linked to SSA administrative data. Using logistic regression, we predicted benefit receipt (either Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income) using 19 distinct physiological markers, adjusting for age, sex, race, and select medication use. We then calculated the propensity (i.e., predicted probability) that each HRS respondent received benefits and assessed how well propensity score–based classifications could identify beneficiaries and nonbeneficiaries. Results: Thirteen percent of respondents received benefits. Using the propensity score cut point that maximized the sum of sensitivity and specificity, the model correctly predicted 75.9% of beneficiaries and 73.5% of nonbeneficiaries. Discussion: Physiological measures have moderate power to predict SSA disability benefit receipt.
Finite deformations of thin plates made of dielectric elastomers: Modeling, numerics, and stability
Authors: Staudigl Elisabeth , Krommer Michael , Vetyukov Yury
Published: October 2017

In this article, we present a nonlinear theory for thin plates, which are made of incompressible electroded dielectric elastomer layers. The layers are assumed to exhibit a neo-Hookean elastic behavior, and the effect of the electrostatic forces is taken into account by means of the electrostatic stress tensor. A plane state of stress is imposed on the total stress tensor, based on which two-dimensional constitutive relations for the plate are derived. A geometrically nonlinear formulation for the plate as a material surface is devloped, and solutions are computed using nonlinear finite elements. The numerical results are compared to available results from the literature verifying our approach, and an additional nonsymmetric example problem is studied with respect to stability.
Carer Experience Supporting Someone With Dementia and Cancer: A Narrative Approach
Authors: Witham Gary , Haigh Carol , Mitchell Duncan , Beddow Anna
Published: October 2017

In this article, we examine the challenges of informal carers supporting someone with dementia and cancer within the United Kingdom. Interviews were conducted with seven informal carers using a narrative approach to examine the construction of their experiences. Our findings demonstrate how informal carers navigate a path through complex cancer treatments and support their relative. A cancer diagnosis often requires multiple treatment visits to an oncology center, and this can be challenging for carers. They find that they need to coordinate and manage both health professionals and their relative in terms of getting access to appropriate services and support. This process can be particularly challenging in the presence of a cognitive impairment that often demands effective communication with different agencies. Carers frequently experienced multiple challenges including dealing with the stigma that is characteristic of the dementia experience and the added complexity of negotiating this within a cancer care context.
The Perceived Effectiveness of Nonverbal, Co-Verbal, and Verbal String Ensemble Instruction: Student, Teacher, and Observer Views
Authors: MacLeod Rebecca B.
Published: October 2017

The purpose of this study was to determine how students, teachers, and outside observers perceive teaching effectiveness within a university-level string ensemble rehearsal setting. Students, teachers, and observers reflected on six rehearsal segments that used primarily nonverbal, co-verbal, or verbal instruction as outlined by Bob Culver in the Master Teacher Profile. Overall, participants viewed the verbal teaching episodes as being most effective, and expressed a preference for several elements associated with the verbal instructional mode. Five common elements of effective rehearsals identified by participants were Specific Instructions and Feedback, Delivery Skills and Eye Contact, Audible and Focused Co-Verbal Instruction Prompts, Conducting Effectiveness, and Ensemble Progress. Effectiveness perceptions were colored by participants’ sense of each teacher’s comfort with the different instructional modes as well as the elements of rehearsal teaching they personally valued.
Assessment of Adherence to Baseline Quality Measures for Cirrhosis and the Impact of Performance Feedback in a Regional VA Medical Center
Authors: Cahill Jennifer A. , Rizvi Syed , Saeian Kia
Published: October 2017

Baseline adherence to cirrhotic quality improvement measures was assessed and a system to improve adherence with provider performance feedback was developed, with impact of feedback measured over time. A 6-year retrospective database was created of cirrhotic patients seen between 2006 and 2012, and reviewed for hepatitis A and B serologies, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) screening, variceal screening, and vaccinations. Cumulative performance feedback was distributed to providers. In all, 265 charts were reviewed retrospectively. Charts were reviewed prospectively at 30 days, 60 days, 6 months, and 12 months. Variceal screening, alpha-fetoprotein, HCC imaging, Pneumovax, lifetime influenza vaccination, hepatitis B vaccination, and hepatitis A serology compliance improved from baseline until 6 months. Hepatitis A vaccination declined at 60 days, but improved from baseline at 6 months. Hepatitis B serology improved from baseline over 12 months. Results were compared graphically. Periodic “cumulative provider performance feedback” is a simple and effective method to improve and maintain adherence to quality measures for cirrhosis.
A Pilot Investigation of a Novel Intervention to Improve Behavioral Well-Being for Children in Foster Care
Authors: Wood Joanne N. , Dougherty Susan L. , Long Jin , Messer Erica P. , Rubin David
Published: October 2017

Many studies have established a link between foster care placement instability and child behavioral problems. Evidence-based interventions for behavioral problems, however, are often unavailable to children in foster care given challenges of recruiting behavioral health providers, sustaining funding, and engaging families in intensive interventions. This pilot study, therefore, sought preliminary data on the effectiveness of a novel brief intervention, Child–Adult Relationship Enhancement (CARE), to decrease behavioral problems in children entering foster care. CARE, a trauma-informed 6-hr training, was implemented at two foster care agencies. Nineteen children, aged 3 to 8 years, newly entering foster care whose caregivers were exposed to CARE were compared with 28 historical comparison children from the same foster care agencies. Child behavioral problems were assessed at baseline and follow-up using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Adjusted CBCL change scores revealed greater improvements in externalizing and internalizing behaviors from baseline to follow-up among children in the CARE group compared with the historical comparison group (all ps ≤ .05). The effect was concentrated in younger children. Thus, CARE showed promise in improving parent-reported child behavior problems. The effectiveness of CARE needs to be further evaluated as it is replicated within child welfare systems.
Efficacy of a Teacher Training a Paraprofessional to Promote Communication for a Student With Autism and Complex Communication Needs
Authors: Wermer Lauryn , Brock Matthew E. , Seaman Rachel L.
Published: October 2017

Students with complex communication needs require well-designed supports to communicate effectively in school settings. Although paraprofessionals are often charged with supporting these students, they are rarely trained in how to promote communication, and there is limited research on how they might be trained. In this study, we used a multiple baseline across behaviors design to test the efficacy of a teacher-implemented training package to train a paraprofessional to provide opportunities for an elementary student with autism to respond, set up opportunities for her to initiate, and implement a systematic prompting hierarchy. We demonstrated a functional relation between the teacher-implemented training and paraprofessional acquisition of the strategies, and paraprofessional implementation coincided with increased student communication. This study replicates previous findings that paraprofessionals can be trained to implement evidence-based practices to promote use of alternative/augmentative communication, and extends this literature by demonstrating that a classroom teacher can deliver paraprofessional training effectively.
I drum, I sing, I dance: An ethnographic study of a West African drum and dance ensemble
Authors: Silverman Marissa
Published: October 2017

The purpose of this ethnographic study was to investigate the Montclair State University’s West African drum and dance ensemble. Analyses of the data revealed three themes related to individual participants and the “lived reality” of the group as a whole, and to the social-cultural teaching–learning processes involved: spirituality, community-as-oneness, and communal joy. My motivation for undertaking this inquiry arose from the fact that, beginning in the 1960s, music education scholars in the United States have been concerned about the widespread marginalization of non-Western musics in American music teacher education programs. This situation is still a major concern because American undergraduate and graduate music teacher preparation remains overwhelmingly dominated by Western classical styles. This situation runs contrary to the massive social, cultural, situational, and musical diversity of American students’ lives. As one small effort to advance musical diversity in my own university music school context, I developed the proposal for and initiated the Montclair State University’s West African drum and dance ensemble.
Telepharmacy for remote hospital inpatients in north-west Queensland
Authors: McFarland Reanna
Published: October 2017

Clinical pharmacy service delivery is currently a significant challenge in remote areas. Mount Isa Base Hospital provides clinical pharmacy support to ten remote sites across an area of over 300,000 square kilometres. These sites do not have on-site pharmacists available and, due to the vast distances and unpredictable travel conditions, the outreach pharmacist from Mount Isa Base Hospital only visits sporadically. Provision of direct patient care and advice on medication safety with this model was restricted and insufficient. Telepharmacy provides an opportunity for these services to be vastly expanded. In an attempt to increase pharmacist accessibility for remote hospital sites, the Mount Isa Base Hospital pharmacy department developed an inpatient telepharmacy service. Telehealth equipment is being used to communicate directly with patients and hospital staff, review inpatient medication charts, generate patient medication lists, identify and resolve clinical interventions and provide medication-related advice and counselling. As a result of this implementation, all patients and health professionals in remote north-west Queensland hospitals now have access to a pharmacist. The number of inpatient medication reviews, clinical interventions and patient–pharmacist/clinician–pharmacist interactions occurring at each remote hospital site has increased. Since service initiation, 106 medication-related reviews have been completed via telepharmacy, including 48 patient interactions, and 111 medication-related interventions have been made. This paper outlines the process for the development of an inpatient telepharmacy service for remote hospitals and discusses the benefits and limitations associated with implementation.
Home-based telehealth service for swallowing and nutrition management following head and neck cancer treatment
Authors: Collins Annette , Burns Clare L , Ward Elizabeth C , Comans Tracy , Blake Claire , Kenny Lizbeth , Greenup Phil , Best Daniel
Published: October 2017

Introduction

Following (chemo)radiotherapy (C/RT) for head and neck cancer (HNC), patients return to hospital for regular outpatient reviews with speech pathology (SP) and nutrition and dietetics (ND) for acute symptom monitoring, nutritional management, and swallowing and communication rehabilitation. The aim of the current study was to determine the feasibility of a home-based telehealth model for delivering SP and ND reviews, to provide patients with more convenient access to these appointments.

Methods

Service outcomes, costs, and consumer satisfaction were examined across 30 matched participants: 15 supported via the standard model of care (SMOC), and 15 via the home-based telehealth model of care (TMOC).

Results

All patients were successfully managed via telehealth. The TMOC was more efficient, with a reduced number ( p < 0.003) and duration ( p < 0.01) of appointments required until discharge. Significant patient cost savings ( p = 0.002) were reported for the TMOC due to decreased travel requirements. While staff costs were reduced, additional telehealth equipment levies resulted in a lower but non-significant overall cost difference to the health service when using the TMOC. High satisfaction was reported by all participants attending the TMOC.

Discussion

The findings support the feasibility of a home-based telehealth model for conducting SP and ND reviews post C/RT for HNC.
Compensation and consistency effects in proenvironmental behaviour: The moderating role of majority and minority support for proenvironmental values
Authors: Lalot Fanny , Falomir-Pichastor Juan Manuel , Quiamzade Alain
Published: October 2017

Western citizens perceive human behaviour as a significant cause of climate change and increasingly adopt proenvironmental behaviours. However, such positively connoted behaviours can either increase (consistency) or decrease (compensation) the probability that one acts in a similar way in the future. Drawing from social influence and social identity literatures, we propose that numerical support for proenvironmental values (majority vs. minority) moderates the effect of past behaviour on intention to adopt proenvironmental behaviour. Across three studies ( N = 500), past behaviour, either measured (Study 1) or manipulated (Studies 2 and 3) interacted with numerical support, manipulated (Studies 1 and 2) or measured (Study 3), to predict proenvironmental intention and behaviour. Results showed that majority support results in balancing dynamics, whereas minority support results in a consistency effect. These findings highlight the importance of the normative context for proenvironmental behaviour adoption and offer leads for developing behaviour change strategies.
Criterion validity of the Physical Activity Scale (PAS2) in Danish adults
Authors: Pedersen E.S.L. , Mortensen L.H. , Brage S. , Bjerregaard A.L. , Aadahl M.
Published: October 2017

Background: The Physical Activity Scale (PAS2) was developed to measure physical activity (PA) during work, transportation and leisure time, in the Danish adult population. The objective of this study was to assess the criterion validity of PAS2 against a combined accelerometer and heart rate monitor in Danish adults and to investigate if the criterion validity differed by socio-demographic factors and body mass index. Method: A total of 330 Danish adults (mean age = 46.7 years, 38.5% men) participating in the Health2008 study completed the PAS2 questionnaire and wore a combined accelerometer and heart rate sensor for seven days. Average daily estimates from PAS2 were categorised into time spent in sedentary behaviour, light PA, moderate PA and vigorous PA and were compared to the objective measures. Results: PAS2 accounted for 19.5 hours/day on average. Time spent in sedentary behaviour, light and moderate-intensity PA was weakly correlated with objective data (polychoric correlation coefficients (PCC): 0.18–0.20), whereas vigorous intensity PA was moderately correlated (PCC: 0.54, p = 0.04). Mean bias was −2.3 hours/day (95% limits of agreement (LoA): −9.04 to 4.34) for sedentary behaviour, 1.68 hours/day (LoA: 8.02 to −4.62) for light activity, 0.55 hours/day (LoA: 3.37 to −2.26) for moderate activity and 0.12 hours/day (LoA: 0.57 to 0.33) for vigorous activity. Criterion validity was lower in women, in participants who were above 40 years, overweight, had short education and were unemployed. Conclusions: PAS2 overestimated time spent on light, moderate and vigorous intensity PA and underestimated time spent on sedentary behaviour. Validity differed by key socio-demographic characteristics.
Vertical video: rupturing the aesthetic paradigm
Authors: Ryan Kathleen M
Published: October 2017

Popular culture has critiqued ‘vertical video syndrome’, or video shot on smartphones in the portrait rather than landscape orientation, as something aesthetically unpleasing which should be avoided. But the design of smartphones seems to encourage shooting vertical video. This article examines the aesthetic desirability of vertical videos through applied media aesthetics. It traces the history of horizontal film and television orientations, as well as the image-centric orientation model found in still photography. It argues that vertical video, rather than a syndrome to be avoided, instead takes advantage of the technological innovations and embodied pleasures offered by the smartphone to rupture the visual paradigms and create a new visual aesthetic for phone-based moving images.
Integrity monitoring of adhesively bonded joints via an electromechanical impedance-based approach
Authors: Zhuang Yitao , Kopsaftopoulos Fotis , Dugnani Roberto , Chang Fu-Kuo
Published: October 2017

Monitoring the bondline integrity of adhesively bonded joints is one of the most critical concerns in the design of aircraft structures to date. Due to the lack of confidence on the integrity of the bondline both during fabrication and service, the industry standards and regulations require assembling the primary airframe structure using the inefficient “black-aluminum” approach, that is, drill holes and use fasteners. Furthermore, state-of-the-art non-destructive evaluation and structural health monitoring approaches are not yet able to provide mature solutions on the issue of bondline integrity monitoring. Therefore, the objective of this work is the introduction and feasibility investigation of a novel bondline integrity monitoring method that is based on the use of piezoelectric sensors embedded inside adhesively bonded joints in order to provide an early detection of bondline degradation. The proposed approach incorporates (1) micro-sensors embedded inside the adhesive layer leaving a minimal footprint on the material, (2) numerical and analytical modeling of the electromechanical impedance of the adhesive bondline, and (3) electromechanical impedance–based diagnostic algorithms for monitoring and assessing the bondline integrity. The experimental validation and assessment of the proposed approach is achieved via the design and fabrication of prototype adhesively bonded lap joints with embedded piezoelectric sensors and a series of mechanical tests under various static and dynamic (fatigue) loading conditions. The obtained results demonstrate the potential of the proposed approach in providing increased confidence on the use of adhesively bonded joints for aerospace structures.
Impact of an educational programme in Portuguese people with diabetes
Authors: Sousa Maria Rui , Pereira Filipe , Martins Teresa , Rua Isabel , Ribeiro Ilda , Cerdeira Catarina , Lopes Laurinda , Sèvegrand Clara , Santos Carla
Published: October 2017

This study, conducted in the north of Portugal, is the result of a group of nurses’ intent to develop a closer and meaningful person-centered care for patients with diabetes, empowering them with skills to better manage their therapeutic regimen. Through a participatory action research process, the group of nurses involved in this study, reflected on the current healthcare enabling them an in-depth analysis of the best scientific evidence, aiming to design context tailored solutions, which would contribute to patients’ empowerment. Through a longitudinal study developed over several stages, the nurses outlined the educational programme Living in harmony with diabetes, which was applied to 85 patients with diabetes mellitus type 2. The programme had a positive impact on the psychosocial variables, in self-care behaviour and in the metabolic control, helping patients to better cope with their disease and have greater control over their health condition. Throughout the process of participatory action research, the nurses were able to increase their self-efficacy and empowerment on person-centered care implementation.
Taking the road less taken: reorienting the state for periurban water security
Authors: Narain Vishal , Ranjan Pranay , Vij Sumit , Dewan Aman
Published: October 2017

This paper describes the intervention strategy to improve water security in Sultanpur, a village in periurban Gurgaon, India. Most approaches to improving natural resource management in periurban contexts focus on mobilising the community; little attention is paid to reorienting the state or strengthening the user-bureaucracy interface. This paper describes the action research process that was followed to reorient civic agencies engaged in the provisioning of water and to break from a situation of distrust and prisoners' dilemma between water users and service providers. The paper argues that the creation and provision of a platform for direct engagement between water users and service providers can be a key tool for improving periurban water security. These platforms can provide support in building community resilience to face challenges such as climate variability and urbanisation, both of which threaten periurban water security. The action research emphasises on building the community's capacity to ask for improved water supply and to negotiate with state service providers, rather than augmenting water supply physically.
Life-sustaining treatments in end-stage chronic respiratory failure: A single-centre study
Authors: Monteiro Jose Filipe da Purificacao
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The acute-on-chronic exacerbations of end-stage respiratory diseases often result in prolonged hospital stays, relating these events to ethical conflicts in the fields of medical futility and distributive justice. This study aimed to understand patients’ preferences for life-sustaining treatments when clinically stable and during regular follow-up visits, and to determine the factors that can influence these preferences.

Procedure

This was a prospective, observational, exploratory study using convenience sampling. Over a three-year period, the study enrolled 106 adult outpatients with end-stage pulmonary disease on long-term oxygen treatment with/without noninvasive mechanical ventilation with dyspnoea scores of 6 or more in the modified Borg dyspnoea scale and one of the following: Gold (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease classification) stage IV, diffusing capacity (DLCO) <40%, heart failure (New York Heart Association functional classification (NYHA)) stage III/IV, or systolic pulmonary artery pressure ≥40 mm Hg.

Results

Factors that were influential in preferences were age, gender, household status, NYHA class, and previous exposure to mechanical ventilation.

Conclusions

There was no consensus on life-sustaining treatment preferences. Demographic factors, such as age group, gender, household status, severity of disease, and previous treatment with mechanical ventilation, seemed to affect patients’ preferences.
Is ʻsurrogacyʼ an infertility treatment?
Authors: Stefansdottir Astridur
Published: October 2017

In this article, it is argued that it is problematic to construe the debate around the process labelled ‘surrogacy’ as a form for infertility treatment. Firstly, this way of defining what happens opens up a new form of medical desire where a growing number of people wish to have children through ‘surrogacy’. This medicalizes childlessness and creates pressure within health services to respond to the desires of an ever-growing group of patients. Secondly, this labels the woman who carries the child as a ‘surrogate’ and defines her as a core element in a ‘treatment method’. This way of phrasing and defining what happens puts the woman carrying the child in an unacceptable moral position within the health system. Thirdly, by viewing the woman carrying the child as a ‘substitute’ for a mother or as a ‘temporary custodian’ ignores the unique relationship between the foetus and the pregnant woman. To keep the ethical issues in focus in the ‘surrogacy’ process, it is necessary for health professionals to always accept the woman who goes through gestation and birth as the mother of the child. This unconditional acceptance shifts the core of the process away from the idea of ‘treatment’ and towards ‘adoption’ as the defining element in the process. Consequently, it will be easier to accept ‘surrogacy’ as a complicated and wide-ranging process as well as to secure the basic human rights of the pregnant woman and the welfare of the child being born.
Association between 1-h post-load plasma glucose levels and arterial stiffness in normotensive subjects with normal glucose tolerance
Authors: Nakagomi Atsushi , Sunami Yuko , Okada Sho , Ohno Yuji , Shoji Toshihiro , Fujisawa Takehiko , Kobayashi Yoshio
Published: October 2017

Objective:

To investigate the relationship between 1-h post-load plasma glucose, measured during an oral glucose tolerance test, and arterial stiffness, determined by brachial–ankle pulse-wave velocity, in normotensive subjects with normal glucose tolerance.

Methods:

Study subjects were non-industrial workers aged 25–55 years ( n = 8381) who underwent a regular health check-up every 5 years. We included only normotensive subjects with normal glucose tolerance based on the American Diabetes Association criteria. Subjects taking medication and having an abnormal ankle–brachial index (⩽1.0 or ⩾1.3) were excluded. The final sample comprised 4970 participants (mean age: 38.8 ± 9.4 years; women: n = 2048).

Results:

1-h post-load plasma glucose correlated with brachial–ankle pulse-wave velocity in men ( β = 0.04, p = 0.01), but not women ( β = –0.03, p = 0.13) in multivariate linear regression analysis. We found a significant interaction between 1-h post-load plasma glucose and age in men ( p = 0.04); therefore, a subgroup analysis was performed in each 5-year age group. The correlation between 1-h post-load plasma glucose and brachial–ankle pulse-wave velocity was significant in the 55-year-old age group ( β = 0.12, p = 0.01) and neared significant in 45-year-old ( β = 0.08, p = 0.07) and 50-year-old ( β = 0.09, p = 0.07) age groups.

Conclusion:

Elevated 1-h post-load plasma glucose levels were associated with arterial stiffness in normotensive, middle-aged men with normal glucose tolerance.
Regarding ‘Diabetes mellitus increases the risk of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms’
Authors: Raffort Juliette , Lareyre Fabien
Published: October 2017

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a life-threatening disease, associated with high rates of mortality in case of aortic rupture. While the disease is often associated with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risk factors, the majority of epidemiological studies published so far have highlighted a negative association between diabetes and AAA. However, a recent publication from epidemiological data of the National Health Fund in Poland reported a higher incidence of AAA and rupture in diabetic patients compared to non-diabetics. Here, we discuss issues and methodological considerations hoping to shed light on these unexpected results.
Proximal Phalanx Fracture Management
Authors: Lögters Tim T. , Lee Hannah H. , Gehrmann Sebastian , Windolf Joachim , Kaufmann Robert A.
Published: October 2017

Background: The goal of proximal phalangeal fracture management is to allow for fracture healing to occur in acceptable alignment while maintaining gliding motion of the extensor and flexor tendons. Methods: We reviewed the most current literature on various treatment methods of proximal phalanx fractures, focusing on the indications and outcomes of nonoperative as well as operative interventions. Results: Stable fractures can be successfully treated nonoperatively, whereas unstable injuries benefit from surgery. Regardless of the surgical intervention employed, the overriding goal is to restore anatomy and impart enough stability to allow for early motion. The surgical dissection contributes to soft tissue scarring and should be minimized. Conclusions: Clinical success is achieved when acceptable fracture alignment and stability occur in the setting of unobstructed tendon gliding and early active range of motion.
Management Modalities and Outcomes Following Acute Scaphoid Fractures in Children: A Quantitative Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Shaterian Ashkaun , Santos Pauline Joy F. , Lee Christine J. , Evans Gregory R. D. , Leis Amber
Published: October 2017

Background: Early evaluation and appropriate management of pediatric scaphoid fractures are necessary to avoid complications. To date, current management of pediatric fractures varies among providers. The objective of this study was to compare clinical outcomes following different treatment modalities. Methods: A PubMed literature search identified studies involving acute scaphoid fractures in children. Studies were evaluated for treatment provided and their respective effects on union rate, wrist range of motion, and wrist pain. Data were pooled across studies, and quantitative statistical analysis was conducted to compare outcomes. Results: Seventeen studies representing 812 acute pediatric scaphoid fractures were included in the current analysis. We found 93.5% of scaphoid fractures were treated with cast immobilization vs 6.5% treated surgically as 13 of 17 authors treated all fractures with immobilization vs 4 of 17 studies who offered surgical intervention. We found pediatric scaphoid fractures had excellent bone union rates (96.2%) with no difference between the cast immobilization and surgery groups ( P value NS). Long- and short-arm thumb spica immobilization protocols were commonly employed; however, we found no difference in the rates of union ( P value NS). At follow-up, 99.0% of patients treated nonoperatively had normal wrist range of motion and 96.8% were pain free. Conclusions: Pediatric scaphoid fractures have excellent outcomes. Nonoperative treatment results in a high rate of union with few posttreatment wrist symptoms. Nonsurgical treatment represents an adequate treatment modality in a majority of acute pediatric scaphoid fractures, wherein the role for surgery needs to be better defined.