bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
L'utilisation ou non des aides techniques: comparaison d'un modèle américain aux besoins de la réalité québécoise
Authors: Vincent Claude , Morin Ginette
Published: March 2013

Afin de mieux saisir ce qui caractérise le succès ou l'échec d'une recommandation d'aide technique, un groupe d'ergothérapeutes du Québec s'est intéressé à un outil clinique américain intitulé «Assistive technology device predisposition assessment» basé sur le modèle «Matching Person and Technology» conçu par Scherer en 1994. Son modèle met en évidence plus d'une quarantaine de facteurs pouvant influencer l'utilisation (ou la non utilisation) des aides techniques. Afin de vérifier l'adéquation de cet outil au Québec, il a été analysé par une dizaine d'ergothérapeutes francophones. Ils ont eu à reconstituer par écrit, chacun deux interventions cliniques, la première conduisant à une utilisation satisfaisante d'une aide technique ayant fait l'objet d'une recommandation et la deuxième, ayant abouti à une non utilisation. Les ergothérapeutes concluent que l'outil américain permet de bien cibler les facteurs d'influence entourant l'attribution des aides techniques, moyennant l'ajout de sept autres éléments spécifiques. Cet article présente, sous forme de cas d'illustration, quatre interventions cliniques qui mettent en évidence l'importance de tenir compte d'autres éléments que ceux proposés par l'outil. Enfin, à partir des résultats de l'étude, deux propositions sont formulées en regard de la pratique clinique et de la recherche future au niveau de l'utilisation des aides techniques.
A Critical Analysis of the Model of Human Occupation
Authors: Haglund Lena , Kjellberg Anette
Published: March 2013

The aim of this paper is to begin a dialogue regarding the use of the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) (Kielhofner, 1995). Three questions formed the basis for discussion: 1. Is the MOHO consistent with the values and beliefs of occupational therapy?; 2. Does the MOHO support the intervention process in occupational therapy? and; 3. Is the MOHO consistent and applicable to the current regulations and societal values in Sweden?

The authors propose that the MOHO must be further developed in order to support assessment and intervention in occupational therapy. Specifically, they find the MOHO lacking with regard the influence of the environment on human behaviour, appreciation of the dialectic process between the human and the environment, and of the importance of the subsystem volition in the intervention process.
Application of the Person-Environment-Occupation Model: A practical Tool
Authors: Strong Susan , Rigby Patty , Stewart Debra , Law Mary , Letts Lori , Cooper Barbara
Published: March 2013

Occupational therapy focuses on complex dynamic relationships between people, occupations and environments. Therapists must clearly communicate their practices and how their practice influences outcomes. This paper explores applications of the Person-Environment-Occupation Model (Law et al., 1996) in occupational therapy practice, and delineates how this particular model helps therapists to conceptualize, plan, communicate and evaluate occupational performance interventions. Three case studies illustrate how the model can be used by occupational therapists to systematically approach analysis of occupational performance issues while considering the complexities of human functioning and experience. The ways in which the model facilitates communication within and outside occupational therapy are explained. The Person-Environment-Occupation Model is offered as a tool for therapists to use in client(s)-therapist alliances to enable clients to successfully engage in meaningful occupations in chosen environments.
Opportunity, Not Prescription: An Exploratory Study of the Experience of Occupational Engagement
Authors: Rebeiro Karen L. , Cook Joanne V.
Published: March 2013

Occupational therapy practice is based upon the belief that the use of occupation-as-means can promote the health and sense of well-being of individuals with disability. Despite a firm commitment to the construct of occupation by the profession, little empirical evidence has been generated which supports the basic tenets of practice. In the psychosocial literature, no studies could be located which directly investigated the use of occupation-as-means to mental health. An exploratory study was conducted with eight participants of an occupation-based, women's mental health group. In-depth interviews and participant observation were utilized to explore the meaning of occupational engagement for these women. The experience of occupational engagement is presented in the form of a conceptual model named occupational spin-off. Occupational spin-off represents conceptually the experience of occupational engagement for the participants in the research study and describes a process of occupation-as-means to mental health. The processes of affirmation, confirmation, actualization, and anticipation collectively contribute to and maintain occupational spin-off. The process of occupational spin-off contributes to an understanding of why these participants have remained out of hospital, and why they are feeling better. Implications of this process model for clinical practice and future research are suggested
Knowledge about Pain among Newly Graduated Occupational Therapists: Relevance for Curriculum Development
Authors: Strong Jenny , Tooth Leigh , Unruh Anita
Published: March 2013

In recent years there has been a growing awareness amongst health professionals of the need to prepare undergraduate students more adequately for practice with clients who have pain. Occupational therapists have a central role in enabling such clients to have productive lives despite pain. In this study, an examination was made of the adequacy of preparation for pain practice in graduates from one Australian occupational therapy curriculum. Recent occupational therapy graduates from the University of Queensland, Australia, who responded to a postal survey, obtained an overall 53% correct response rate to a 69-item pain knowledge and attitudes questionnaire. Results indicated the need for further education in this area, especially in the areas of pharmacological management, and pain assessment and measurement. These results were comparable to those obtained from final year occupational therapy students at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia prior to undertaking an elective course about pain. Follow-up interviews with a number of new graduates supported the inclusion of an elective pain course in the undergraduate occupational therapy curriculum at the University of Queensland in Australia.
Practices of Recycling Assistive Technology in Quebec
Authors: Vincent Claude
Published: March 2013

The aim of this study was to document professional factors to be considered in implementing a provincial policy of recycling assistive technology in Quebec. A qualitative study was conducted with 22 experts from various sectors: health professionals (including occupational therapists), industry and community. They were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. Data collection also involved observing recycling practices and analyzing working documents. Implementation strategies were considered from the perspectives of health professionals, the commercial sector, users of assistive technology and government administrators. Factors that contribute to tension between occupational therapists and other players are discussed. It is recommended that occupational therapists take a united position on this issue such that their voices may have more weight in intersectoral collaborations.
Physical Housing Environment: Development of a Self-Assessment Instrument
Authors: Fänge Agneta , Iwarsson Susannne
Published: March 2013

The aims of this study were to construct and develop a self-administered assessment instrument, useful for studying clients' own perception of accessibility and usability in their housing environment, and to test the instrument for reliability. It was developed for use in combination with an objective, norm-based assessment of the physical housing environment, the Enabler instrument. The instrument developed in this study contains 31 questions about different aspects of the physical housing environment. Answers are given on a 7-point rating scale. Content validity was established by the use of an expert panel and pilot testing, followed by a test-retest study. Internal consistency of the instrument was good (Cronbach's alpha 0.96), and very good to moderate agreement between the two ratings was found on all items (mean weighted kappa, Kw 0.71) indicating good reliability. However, the removal of three items from the standardized part of the instrument is suggested. The instrument has a client-centred approach and is a valid and reliable tool, useful for occupational therapy practice and research.
Comparison of the effects of cooperative learning and traditional learning methods on the improvement of drug-dose calculation skills of nursing students undergoing internships
Authors: Basak Tulay , Yildiz Dilek
Published: March 2013

Objective:

The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of cooperative learning and traditional learning methods on the development of drug-calculation skills.

Design:

Final-year nursing students ( n = 85) undergoing internships during the 2010–2011 academic year at a nursing school constituted the study group of this quasi-experimental study.

Setting:

Students were divided into two groups: an experimental group and a control group. A cooperative learning method was introduced to the experimental group ( n = 32) and a traditional learning method was applied to the control group ( n = 40). Pre-test and post-test scores of drug-dose calculation skills were compared.

Method:

Data were obtained using data collection forms which were developed by the researchers. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences for Windows version 15.0. T-test and Wilcoxon’s signed rank test with Bonferroni correction were used for comparison of drug-dose calculation skill scores between groups and within groups before and after training.

Results:

No statistically significant difference was found between drug-dose calculation pre-test scores of both groups ( p = 0.144). After training, while the post-test mean score of the control group was 92.00 ± 7.90, this score was 87.03 ± 9.98 in the experimental group and the difference was statistically significant ( p < 0.05).

Conclusion:

After training, drug-dose calculation skills of students were increased in both groups. But the traditional learning method was found to be more effective than the cooperative learning method in the development of drug-dose calculation skills.
Response–Effect Compatibility Defines the Natural Scrolling Direction
Authors: Chen Jing , Proctor Robert W.
Published: March 2013

Objective:

We evaluated alternative scrolling methods on non–touch screen computer operating systems by comparing human performance in different scrolling conditions.

Background:

The scrolling directions on current operating systems are discrepant. Few researchers have investigated how scrolling method influences users’ performance. The response–effect (R-E) compatibility principle can be used as a theoretical guide.

Method:

Experiments 1 and 2 involved two successive tasks (scrolling and target content judgment) to simulate how people scroll to acquire and use off-screen information. Performance in R-E compatible and incompatible conditions was compared. Experiment 3 involved a location judgment task to test the influence of target location. Experiments 4 and 5 included a scrolling effect following the location judgment task to test the sufficient role of the scrolling effect.

Results:

Overall, responses were facilitated when the response direction was compatible with the forthcoming display-content movement direction (an R-E compatibility effect), when the scrolling effect was task relevant or task irrelevant. A spatial stimulus–response (S-R) compatibility effect attributable to target location was also found. When the scrolling effect was present, there were both R-E and S-R components; the R-E effect was the larger of the two.

Conclusion:

Scrolling in the direction of content movement yielded the best performance, and the scrolling effect was the main source of the R-E compatibility effect.

Application:

These findings suggest that (a) the R-E compatibility principle may be used as a general design guideline for scrolling and (b) a consistent scrolling method should be available on various operating systems.
The politics of hijab in Monica Ali’s Brick Lane
Authors: Pereira-Ares Noemí
Published: March 2013

In Brick Lane, Monica Ali problematizes the practice of hijab both implicitly and explicitly. To this end, the British Bangladeshi writer does not simply open the discussion within the fictional world of the novel. She also creates a series of characters whose dressed bodies silently project a broad spectrum of attitudes towards hijab, attitudes that range from the rejection to the ardent celebration of such a practice. Relying on socio-cultural studies on the subject, the present contribution intends to examine the politics of hijab as represented in Brick Lane, demonstrating how the novel fictionalizes many of the competing discourses which have surrounded the question of hijab in recent decades.
Type I Interferon Receptor Deficiency Prevents Murine Sjögren’s Syndrome
Authors: Szczerba B.M , Rybakowska P.D , Dey P. , Payerhin K.M. , Peck A.B. , Bagavant H. , Deshmukh U.S.
Published: March 2013

In Sjögren’s Syndrome (SS), inherent glandular defects, autoimmunity, and mononuclear cell infiltration within the salivary glands cause reduced salivation leading to xerostomia. Excessive production of type I interferons (IFN), triggered by environmental and genetic factors, is considered pathogenic in this disorder. However, whether type I IFN production is causative or an outcome of the disease process is not known. To address this question, we introduced a deficiency of interferon alpha receptor 1 ( Ifnar1) into B6. Aec1Aec2 mice, which are known to have the genetic loci necessary for developing a SS-like disorder. This new mouse strain, B6. Aec1Aec2Ifnar1-/-, lacking type I IFN-mediated signaling, was characterized for pilocarpine-induced salivation, the presence of serum autoantibodies, sialoadenitis, and dacryoadenitis. Compared with the B6. Aec1Aec2Ifnar1+/+ (wild-type) mice, the B6. Aec1Aec2Ifnar1-/- (knockout) mice had significantly lower mononuclear cell infiltration in the salivary and lacrimal glands. The knockout mice were completely protected from salivary gland dysfunction. Surprisingly, they had a robust autoantibody response comparable with that of the wild-type mice. These findings demonstrate that, in the absence of type I IFN-mediated signaling, systemic autoantibody responses can be dissociated from glandular pathology. Our study suggests that, in genetically susceptible individuals, the type I IFN pathway can instigate certain features of SS.
Independent Indigenous Protestant Mega Churches in El Salvador
Authors: Danielson Robert A.
Published: March 2013

The smallest and most densely populated country in Central America is home to several indigenous mega churches. It is hoped that by comparing two of these, their successes, and the growth of these churches in the Global South, we can better understand this trend. The Tabernaculo Bíblico Bautista “Amigos de Israel” is a movement with ties to the mission history of El Salvador, but a worship style influenced by Pentecostalism. Misión Cristiana Elim is a Pentecostal church which has used the concepts of the cell church movement to become one of the largest churches in the world.
The Mission and Dialogue of Encounter
Authors: Maskulak Marian
Published: March 2013

In the past two centuries, the Algerian church has witnessed a number of Christians who have demonstrated that gospel living requires promoting peace and respect for all people. The stories of the Trappists of Staouéli, Charles de Foucauld, Leon Duval, Christian de Chergé, and the Trappists of Tibhirine indicate in various ways that mission and dialogue entail loving encounter of one’s neighbor in concrete ways in the daily interactions of life. Their legacy finds expression in some contemporary views on missiology.
Mission amid Empire: Relating Trinity, Mission, and Political Formation
Authors: Fitch David E. , Holsclaw Geoffrey
Published: March 2013

This article explores the relationship between different construals of the Trinity and missio Dei and their resultant understandings of political formation necessary for the church in mission. We evaluate the Spirit-centered view of mission which frontloads the Trinity into the Spirit’s work in the world as well as the Jesus-centered view of mission which backloads the work of the Trinity onto the historical work of Jesus. In each view we expose an inherent problem in forming the communal presence necessary for gospel witness coupled with resistance to empire. Instead, we propose the Incarnation-centered view of mission as a trinitarianism sufficient for mission amid empire.
How the Transformation of Military Power Leads to Increasing Asymmetries in Warfare? From the Battle of Omdurman to the Iraq Insurgency
Authors: Sieg Hans Martin
Published: March 2013

As captured by neorealist theory, military power became increasingly relative through into the twentieth century, leading to a concentration of power within and between states—and enabling the buildup of huge colonial empires hardly a century ago. Yet since 1945, due to the overproportional effectivity gained by weaker and in particular nonstate actors it has become less relative, leading to a dispersion of power—resulting in an often violent decolonization, the problems US and North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces have faced in Iraq and Afghanistan in dealing with comparatively small insurgencies and a growing number of failing states. Military power has a selective function: the more relative it is, the more it restricts patterns of conflict as well as the number and nature of actors relevant to international and domestic security. Today, it is because military power is becoming less relative that security policy has to adapt to increasingly asymmetric challenges.
Society of Toxicologic Pathology Position Paper on Best Practices on Recovery Studies
Authors: Perry Rick , Farris Georgia , Bienvenu Jean-Guy , Dean Charles , Foley George , Mahrt Chuck , Short Brian
Published: March 2013

This article reviews the regulatory guidelines that provide for the inclusion of recovery groups in toxicology studies, presents the challenges in the design and interpretation of nonclinical recovery studies, and summarizes the best practices for the role of an anatomic pathologist regarding toxicology studies with recovery groups. Evaluating the potential recovery of histopathologic findings induced by a biopharmaceutical requires the active participation of one or more anatomic pathologists. Their expertise is critical in risk assessment regarding the potential for recovery as well as providing scientific guidance in the design and evaluation of studies with recovery groups.
Sex-related Differences in Mast Cell Activity and Doxorubicin Toxicity
Authors: Zhang Jun , Knapton Alan , Lipshultz Steven E. , Cochran Thomas R. , Hiraragi Hajime , Herman Eugene H.
Published: March 2013

Clinically, girls appear to be more sensitive than boys to the cardiotoxic effects of doxorubicin, whereas the opposite may be true for adults. To identify and characterize potential sex-related differences, adult male and female spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR; some ovariectomized [OVX]) received 1 mg/kg of doxorubicin or saline iv weekly for 9, 10, or 12 weeks. Weight gain was slower in treated males. Serum concentrations of cholesterol and triglycerides increased and those of albumin decreased in both sexes, but changes were more pronounced in treated males. Treated males had significantly more severe cardiomyopathy scores and higher serum levels of cTnT than females. The increased cardiotoxicity was accompanied by higher numbers of cardiac mast cells (MCs) and percentage of cardiac MCs undergoing degranulation. Doxorubicin-treated OVX animals had significantly increased numbers of cardiac MCs, more severe myocardial lesions, and elevated serum concentrations of cTnT compared to doxorubicin-treated normal female SHR. The severity of cardiac lesions in the OVX female was similar to that observed in doxorubicin-treated males. This study demonstrated the presence of sex-related differences in the cardiotoxic effects elicited by doxorubicin and identified variations in the level of cardiac MC activity as a factor which could possibly contribute to the male-female dissimilarity.
Racial Politics in an Online Community
Authors: Atkinson Joshua D. , Rosati Clayton , Berg Suzanne , Meier Matthew , White Brion
Published: March 2013

The following essay explores the racial politics within an online community focused on the city of Detroit. Past research has demonstrated that the intertextual strategies utilized by the DetroitYES! community have built an alternative cityscape that changes the way people interact with the physical environment. In our research we engaged in a qualitative content analysis of different threads on the discussion forum, and we interviewed members of the community to illustrate racial politics in this virtual site. Our research illustrated administrative strategies utilized within the community that closed down discourse about race. On the surface, these appeared to be authoritarian strategies that maintained White privilege. However, further research and analysis demonstrated how these strategies gave rise to the possibilities for narrative appropriation and building bridges by minority communities.
Pornography Addiction and the Medicalization of Free Speech
Authors: Clarkson Jay , Kopaczewski Shana
Published: March 2013

Congressional testimony on the “science of pornography addiction” reflects the growing trend to place pornography use within biomedical discourses of addiction in order to draw on the cultural power of existing addiction narratives. The emerging narrative frames pornography use as a biological danger to those who use it in order to maintain traditional moralist fears about the effects of pornography while circumventing more complicated analyses of the role of culture, the importance of free speech, or the limitations of media effects research.
The effect of using ‘full’ language when working with a child with autism: Adopting the ‘least dangerous assumption’
Authors: Emerson Anne , Dearden Jackie
Published: March 2013

A 10-year-old boy with autism was part of an evaluation of an innovative intervention focused on improving communication skills. His school was using the minimal speech approach (Potter and Whittaker, 2001) with all children in accordance with government guidance. The pupil’s receptive language had not been formally assessed due to his lack of cooperation in tests and his perceived low ability. Informal assessment indicated that the pupil had restricted receptive language and school targets included understanding of basic verbs. Researchers adopted the use of ‘full’ language and stimuli including written words to engage the child and to investigate motivation and competence. Post intervention the boy demonstrated better understanding of complex language and literacy skills than previously expected. Blanket adoption of the minimal speech approach and the low expectations of staff may lead to children’s abilities being underestimated.
Media logic in election campaign coverage
Authors: Takens Janet , van Atteveldt Wouter , van Hoof Anita , Kleinnijenhuis Jan
Published: March 2013

The media logic thesis holds that the content of political news is the product of news values and format requirements that media make use of to attract news consumers. This study tests whether three content characteristics – personalized, contest and negative coverage – manifest a single media logic by analysing whether they co-vary over time. It also tests the implicit assumption underlying the media logic thesis that media adhere to a single media logic as one institution. A semantic network analysis measured the degree to which television and newspaper coverage of five Dutch national election campaigns (1998–2010) contained the three content characteristics. The study shows that personalized, contest and negative coverage form three indicators of a single logic that is shared by different media. Since the turn of the century, Dutch political news has simultaneously become decreasingly personalized, less focused on the contest and less negative.
Prospective Open-Label, Single-Arm, Multicenter, Safety, Tolerability, and Pharmacokinetic Studies of Intravenous Levetiracetam in Children With Epilepsy
Authors: Weinstock Arie , Ruiz Matilde , Gerard Danielle , Toublanc Nathalie , Stockis Armel , Farooq Osman , Dilley Deanne , Karmon Yuval , Elgie Mary Jo , Schiemann-Delgado Jimmy
Published: March 2013

Levetiracetam given via intravenous administration has been shown to be an effective alternative in adults with epilepsy when oral administration is not feasible. This study was a prospective single-arm, multicenter study to assess tolerability, safety, and pharmacokinetics of intravenous levetiracetam in children with epilepsy. Children with epilepsy ages 1 month to 16 years requiring intravenous levetiracetam were enrolled. Assessments included vital signs, electrocardiogram, hematology, chemistry, plasma concentrations of antiepileptic medications, weight, physical/neurological examinations, and pharmacokinetics. A total of 52 patients were enrolled. Mild to moderate treatment-emergent adverse events occurred in 63%, the most frequent being pyrexia and dry mouth. Most other treatment-emergent adverse events were considered unrelated to intravenous levetiracetam administration. Therefore, intravenous levetiracetam in the acute setting was overall well tolerated in children 1 month to 16 years.
Human economy and social policy
Authors: Bonefeld Werner
Published: March 2013

The article expounds the ordo-liberal tradition that emerged as a distinct neo-liberal conceptualization of free economy as a political practice. According to this tradition there are things more important than GDP in as much as free economy depends on the formation of the moral and the social preconditions of market freedom. The social facilitation and moral embedding of free economy are fundamental to the ordo-liberal conception of a human economy, which entails a social policy of Vitalpolitik – a politics of life. Particularly at a time of manifest economic crisis and austerity, the social and moral veracity of economic liberty depends thus on the exercise of strong state authority.
Decision support system for breast cancer detection using mammograms
Authors: Ganesan Karthikeyan , Acharya Rajendra U , Chua Chua K , Min Lim C , Mathew Betty , Thomas Abraham K
Published: March 2013

Mammograms are by far one of the most preferred methods of screening for breast cancer. Early detection of breast cancer can improve survival rates to a greater extent. Although the analysis and diagnosis of breast cancer are done by experienced radiologists, there is always the possibility of human error. Interobserver and intraobserver errors occur frequently in the analysis of medical images, given the high variability between every patient. Also, the sensitivity of mammographic screening varies with image quality and expertise of the radiologist. So, there is no golden standard for the screening process. To offset this variability and to standardize the diagnostic procedures, efforts are being made to develop automated techniques for diagnosis and grading of breast cancer images. This article presents a classification pipeline to improve the accuracy of differentiation between normal, benign, and malignant mammograms. Several features based on higher-order spectra, local binary pattern, Laws’ texture energy, and discrete wavelet transform were extracted from mammograms. Feature selection techniques based on sequential forward, backward, plus-l-takeaway-r, individual, and branch-and-bound selections using the Mahalanobis distance criterion were used to rank the features and find classification accuracies for combination of several features based on the ranking. Six classifiers were used, namely, decision tree classifier, fisher classifier, linear discriminant classifier, nearest mean classifier, Parzen classifier, and support vector machine classifier. We evaluated our proposed methodology with 300 mammograms obtained from the Digital Database for Screening Mammography and 300 mammograms from the Singapore Anti-Tuberculosis Association CommHealth database. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy values were used to compare the performances of the classifiers. Our results show that the decision tree classifier demonstrated an excellent performance compared to other classifiers with classification accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 91% for the Digital Database for Screening Mammography database and 96.8% for the Singapore Anti-Tuberculosis Association CommHealth database.
Who Rises to the Top? Early Indicators
Authors: Kell Harrison J. , Lubinski David , Benbow Camilla P.
Published: March 2013

Youth identified before age 13 ( N = 320) as having profound mathematical or verbal reasoning abilities (top 1 in 10,000) were tracked for nearly three decades. Their awards and creative accomplishments by age 38, in combination with specific details about their occupational responsibilities, illuminate the magnitude of their contribution and professional stature. Many have been entrusted with obligations and resources for making critical decisions about individual and organizational well-being. Their leadership positions in business, health care, law, the professoriate, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) suggest that many are outstanding creators of modern culture, constituting a precious human-capital resource. Identifying truly profound human potential, and forecasting differential development within such populations, requires assessing multiple cognitive abilities and using atypical measurement procedures. This study illustrates how ultimate criteria may be aggregated and longitudinally sequenced to validate such measures.
Multimodal wave propagation in smart composite structures with shunted piezoelectric patches
Authors: Huang Tianli , Ichchou Mohamed N , Bareille Olivier , Collet Manuel , Ouisse Morvan
Published: March 2013

Wave propagation in composite structures with shunted piezoelectric patches is investigated in this study. The wave finite element approach is first developed as a prediction tool for wave propagation characteristics such as dispersion curves in composite structures, and subsequently extended to consider shunted piezoelectric elements through the diffusion matrix model. A three-layered composite beam equipped with a pair of resistor–inductor shunted piezoelectric patches is modeled and analyzed carefully with these numerical techniques. Reflection and transmission coefficients of propagating waves in this smart composite structure are calculated, and the performance of shunted piezoelectric patches on the control of wave propagation is investigated numerically with the diffusion matrix model. Another finite element formulation, named modified wave finite element method, which is dedicated to the analysis of wave propagation in multilayered composite structures, is proposed and developed for considering piezoelectric elements in the structures. It is a dynamic substructuring technique that allows the dynamics of a typical layer cross section to be projected on a reduced local wave mode basis with appropriate dimensions. Results issued from this method are compared to those issued from the classical wave finite element and diffusion matrix model formulations to demonstrate the pertinence of the modelings.
Hospice Patient Evacuation
Authors: McGrady Elizabeth , Blanke Sandra J. , Swanson Cathy
Published: March 2013

This study was conducted to provide lessons learned from the experience of a small, rural hospice care organization to an actual crisis that required evacuation of the facility. A process improvement framework using the emergency response certification guidelines was used to first provide details of the incident, second analyze the effectiveness of disaster planning and response in response to an actual crisis, and third discuss the postevent review, lessons learned, and process improvement. This case study revealed 5 emerging themes—disaster can happen at the most inopportune times, facilities should focus on the most likely hazards, written agreements are needed even in small tight-knit communities, redundancy of resources is needed, and disaster planning and response is a process that should be continually improved.
Methods for Improving the Quality of Palliative Care Delivery
Authors: Lau Brandyn D. , Aslakson Rebecca A. , Wilson Renee F. , Fawole Oluwakemi A. , Apostol Colleen C. , Martinez Kathryn A. , Vollenweider Daniela , Bass Eric B. , Dy Sydney E. Morss
Published: March 2013

Background:

The effectiveness for improving the outcomes across palliative care domains remains unclear. We conducted a systematic review of different types of quality improvement interventions relevant to palliative care.

Methods:

We searched PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Cochrane for relevant articles published between 2000 and 2011.

Results:

A total of 10 randomized controlled trials and 7 nonrandomized controlled trials were included. Of the 5 studies using relay of clinical information, 1 reported significant improvement in patient quality of life. Of the 5 studies targeting education and self-management, 4 found significant improvements in quality of life or patient symptoms.

Conclusion:

A minority of quality improvement interventions have succeeded in improving the quality of palliative care delivery. More studies are needed on specific quality improvement types, including organizational change and multiple types of interventions.
Neuromodulation and Palliative Medicine
Authors: Smith Howard S. , Pilitsis Julie G.
Published: March 2013

The palliative care population is generally vulnerable to experiencing medication-induced adverse effects and drug–drug interactions. Neuromodulation may offer particular advantages over systemic medications in this population. Spinal cord stimulation and peripheral nerve stimulation have long been utilized in efforts to provide analgesia for various painful conditions. More recently, deep brain stimulation/motor cortex stimulation has anecdotally been utilized for certain intractable pain states. Although brain electrical stimulation has not been adequately trialed or in some cases even tried at all for management of a variety of symptoms, it is conceivable that in the future it may be a potential therapeutic option in efforts to palliate various severe refractory symptoms (eg, intractable pain, nausea, dyspnea, delirium).
Central Calcaneal Osteotomy for Correction of Flexible Pes Planovalgus Deformity
Authors: Klaue Kaj , Kaliyaperumal Kannan , Swanson Scott A. , Low Wilson Cong Jin
Published: March 2013

Background:

Lateral column lengthening procedures have been extensively reported either as primary procedures or adjuncts to combined soft tissue procedures and osteotomies for the correction of the pes planovalgus deformity. There is also considerable debate as to the ideal procedure that is not followed by recurrence and obviates the need for revision surgeries and minimizes complications. We describe a technique and present the clinical results of lateral column lengthening that provides a powerful correction to restore normal foot alignment.

Methods:

We retrospectively reviewed 26 feet in 21 patients with a mean age of 35.4 years (range, 12-75) over an average follow-up period of 71 months (range, 12-147) who underwent reconstructive surgery for flexible pes planovalgus foot. The reconstructive procedures included a central calcaneal osteotomy in all patients, a medial column stabilization procedure, flexor digitorium transfer (FDL), and a gastrocnemius or Achilles tendon lengthening. Clinical evaluation was carried out with the AOFAS ankle-hindfoot scores. Standard weight-bearing anterior posterior (AP) and lateral radiographs before surgery and at follow-up were analyzed for radiographic parameters of correction.

Results:

The median AOFAS score increased from 50 to 90. Two patients reported dissatisfaction with the result. There were no nonunions nor complications related to hardware. Radiographic improvement of the talonavicular coverage angle was a 74% change from baseline value. All radiographic parameters improved ( P < .001) except the lateral talocalcaneal angle ( P = .48). No secondary subsidence of the arch was observed within the follow-up time.

Conclusion:

Correction of flexible pes planovalgus deformity with a central calcaneal osteotomy was an effective, reproducible method to restore normal foot alignment and good function.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, retrospective case series.
IT Capability for Health Care Delivery
Authors: Dey Asoke , Sinha Kingshuk K. , Thirumalai Sriram
Published: March 2013

In recent years, there has been a proliferation of health information technologies (HITs) that promise to improve the delivery of care. Health care service providers are faced with an increasing push to develop electronic medical record (EMR) capability, which is the ability to leverage health IT to enable and link the clinical processes for an effective and efficient delivery of care. However, there is little guidance in the literature on the performance implications of EMR capability and whether providers should commit to higher stages of EMR capability. Based on data from 1,011 acute care providers in the United States, the findings of this study suggest that the operational performance of providers, measured as case mix index-adjusted discharges per licensed bed, is positively related to the stage of EMR capability. However, the findings also point to a cautionary insight—committing to higher stages of EMR capability may not be uniformly beneficial to all providers. The findings suggest that the choice of the stage of EMR capability is self-selected. Interestingly, if health care service providers were to be assigned to a higher stage of EMR capability (i.e., incommensurate with their idiosyncratic technological, organizational, and environmental characteristics), the potential operational performance benefit of that stage of EMR capability may remain unrealized.
A case study of US deaf teens’ text messaging: Their innovations and adoption of textisms
Authors: Okuyama Yoshiko
Published: March 2013

The purpose of this article is to explore textism in English as adopted by American deaf adolescents, examining its features and social function within the under-represented population of deaf teens in growing research on texting. This case study collected a corpus of 370 text messages exchanged via cell phone between a high-school pair at a US residential school. Also included were survey responses from 35 high-school students and interviews with the texting pair and several teachers, all of which enhanced the understanding of how deaf adolescents at this school used texting for communication. The corpus was analyzed, along with the surveyed general characteristics of texting. The pair’s messages indicated that the deaf adolescents adopted various characteristics of textism used by the English-speaking hearing adolescents studied by other researchers. However, the corpus also showed incidents of characteristics unique to the deaf teens’ texting, such as structural transfer from sign language.
Re-imagining crisis reporting: Professional ideology of journalists and citizen eyewitness images
Authors: Andén-Papadopoulos Kari , Pantti Mervi
Published: March 2013

This study, based on interviews with journalists representing major news organizations in Finland and Sweden, explores how the professional ideology of journalists is shaped by the international trend of citizen witnessing. Citizen-created photographs and videos that have become a routine feature of mainstream news coverage are approached as a potential force of change that transforms professional imaginaries of journalism vis-a-vis crisis events. From journalists’ lines of thought three interpretative repertoires were identified: resistance, resignation and renewal. Our results hint at a rethinking of the professional norms and roles of journalists.
‘You learn from going through the process’: The perceptions of South African school leaders about action research
Authors: Wood Lesley , Govender Bernadette
Published: March 2013

In South Africa, the under-resourced and socially challenging contexts in which the majority of schools function, calls for leadership that has the vision to look beyond seemingly insurmountable problems. South African school leaders must develop the capacity to envisage and create schools that function well, in spite of the daunting environmental challenges. To facilitate the development of leaders capable of doing this, we engaged ten schools, and 24 school leaders, in an action research project. In this article we provide qualitative evidence that engagement with a systematic process of critical reflection and action facilitated epistemological and ontological shifts within the participating school leaders, contributing to changed perceptions and leadership practices. Critical reflection on the values underpinning this transformation also provided them with standards against which they can gauge the quality of their future leadership practices, thereby promoting sustainable development and improvement within their school communities.
Cross-domain information sharing for next generation interagency experimentation: possibilities and challenges
Authors: Flournoy R Douglas , Schlipper Linda M
Published: March 2013

Successful development of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) requires the coordinated efforts of government agencies and organizations that must work together to respond to aviation-related crises. Interagency experimentation is a powerful technique for achieving this coordination while refining NextGen concepts. To maximize the benefits of this experimentation, the participants must “play” from their preferred research laboratories and at the appropriate classification level. Cross-domain solutions, used for many years in the military and intelligence communities, offer possibilities for connecting the unclassified and classified laboratories in aviation experiments. A MITRE Innovation Program initiative entitled the NextGen Interagency Experimentation Hub is exploring the application of these cross-domain technologies. The project team is working with candidate cross-domain solutions in a multi-lab test environment while gathering lessons learned about deployed solutions. However, cross-domain solutions are costly due to the use of rigorous practices for developing secure software. Further, each cross-domain solution must pass through an approval process that often takes over a year and incurs additional costs. This paper is a compilation of selected results from the MITRE initiative that (1) presents the possibilities cross-domain solutions offer, (2) promotes understanding of the challenges involved in leveraging these solutions, and (3) provides recommendations and guidance for using them effectively in aviation-related interagency experiments.
Clinical implications and prognostic role of minimal residual disease detection in follicular lymphoma
Authors: Lobetti-Bodoni Chiara , Mantoan Barbara , Monitillo Luigia , Genuardi Elisa , Drandi Daniela , Barbero Daniela , Bernocco Elisa , Boccadoro Mario , Ladetto Marco
Published: March 2013

The identification of patients at high risk of relapse is a critical goal of modern translational research in oncohematology. Minimal residual disease (MRD) detection by polymerase chain reaction-based methods is routinely employed in the management of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Current knowledge indicates that it is also a useful prognostic tool in several mature lymphoproliferative disorders and particularly in follicular lymphoma (FL). Based on this evidence clinical trials employing MRD-based risk stratification are currently ongoing in FL. In this review the ‘state of the art’ of MRD evaluation in FL is discussed. A short description of technical issues and recent methodological advances is provided. Then, the bulk of the review focuses on critical take-home messages for clinicians working in the field. Finally, we discuss future perspectives of MRD detection and more generally outcome prediction in FL.
Development of the Cyberbullying Experiences Survey
Authors: Doane Ashley N. , Kelley Michelle L. , Chiang Evelyn S. , Padilla Miguel A.
Published: March 2013

The majority of cyberbullying studies have examined middle and high school students. The purpose of the present study was to develop a multifactor cyberbullying victimization and perpetration survey for use with an emerging adult population. The initial 88-item preliminary survey (44 victimization and 44 perpetration items) was administered to 538 college students (421 females). Exploratory factor analyses revealed four-factor (i.e., malice, public humiliation, unwanted contact, and deception) victimization and perpetration scales. A confirmatory factor analysis was then performed on the Cyberbullying Experiences Survey (CES) factor structure with a separate sample of 638 college students (446 females). Results indicated a final 21-item victimization scale and 20-item perpetration scale consisting of the same four factors. The CES has adequate internal consistency and convergent validity with other measures of cyberbullying and Internet harassment and may provide a promising multifactor method of measuring cyberbullying victimization and perpetration.
Female College Students’ Media Use and Academic Outcomes
Authors: Walsh Jennifer L. , Fielder Robyn L. , Carey Kate B. , Carey Michael P.
Published: March 2013

This longitudinal study describes women’s media use during their first year of college and examines associations between media use and academic outcomes. Female students ( N = 483, Mage = 18.1 years) reported on their use of 11 media forms and their grade point average (GPA), academic behaviors, academic confidence, and problems affecting schoolwork. Allowing for multitasking, women reported nearly 12 hr of media use per day; use of texting, music, the Internet, and social networking was heaviest. In general, media use was negatively associated with academic outcomes after controlling for prior academics and demographics. Exceptions were newspaper reading and music listening, which were positively associated with academic outcomes. There were significant indirect effects of magazine reading and social networking on GPA via academic behaviors, confidence, and problems. Results show that female college students are heavy users of new media, and that some forms of media use may adversely impact academic performance.
Emerging in a Digital World
Authors: Coyne Sarah M. , Padilla-Walker Laura M. , Howard Emily
Published: March 2013

This article reviews the recent literature on uses, effects, and gratifications of media during emerging adulthood. We examine traditional media forms, including television, films, video games, music, and books, and also newer media, such as cell phones, social networking sites, and other Internet use. We find that emerging adults spend more time using the media than they spend doing any other activity, with the most time being spent on the Internet and listening to music. We also find that exposure to certain types of media content can influence both positive and negative outcomes in emerging adulthood, including, aggressive and prosocial behavior, body image, sexual behavior, friendship quality, and academic achievement. We also show that emerging adults use the media to gratify certain needs; key among these are for autonomy, identity, and intimacy needs. Finally, we discuss areas for future research involving media and emerging adulthood.