bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Extracranial–Intracranial Bypass for Patients With Hemorrhagic Moyamoya Disease
Authors: Miyamoto Susumu , Yoshimoto Takashi , Hashimoto Nobuo , Okada Yasushi , Tsuji Ichiro , Tominaga Teiji , Nakagawara Jyoji , Takahashi Jun C. , Yamada Keisuke , Tomata Yasutake , Fukui Tsuguya , Fukuuchi Yasuo , Ohmoto Takashi , Kuwabara Yasuo , Nagata Izumi , Ono Junichi , Machida Toshio , Sakakibara Ryuji , Yamane Kanji , Okita Shinji , Iwama Toru , Kaku Yasuhiko , Saito Nobuhito , Fukuyama Hidenao , Houkin Kiyohiro , Kuroda Satoshi , Yabe Ichiro , Moriwaka Fumio , Ogawa Akira , Ogasawara Kuniaki , Yoshida Kenji , Fujii Kiyotaka , Yamada Masaru , Sato Kimitoshi , Akutsu Tsugio , Yamagata Sen , Takeuchi Shigekazu , Hayashi Kentaro , Horie Nobutaka , Yamada Kazuo , Osato Toshiaki , Watanabe Toshiichi , Honjo Kaori , Sako Kazuya , Nakase Hiroyuki , Kawaguchi Shoichiro , Nisimura Fumihiko , Yamao Junichi , Naritomi Hiroaki , Inoue Tooru , Abe Hiroshi , Suzuki Akifumi , Ishikawa Tatsuya , Akiyama Yoshinori , Suenaga Toshihiko , Fujimura Miki , Nagahiro Shinji , Uno Masaaki , Nishi Kyoko , Satomi Junichiro , Okada Yoshikazu , Kawashima Akiji , Yamaguchi Kohji , Tsutsumi Yukiko
Published: March 2014

Background and Purpose—

About one half of those who develop adult-onset moyamoya disease experience intracranial hemorrhage. Despite the extremely high frequency of rebleeding attacks and poor prognosis, measures to prevent rebleeding have not been established. The purpose of this study is to determine whether extracranial–intracranial bypass can reduce incidence of rebleeding and improve patient prognosis.

Methods—

This study was a multicentered, prospective, randomized, controlled trial conducted by 22 institutes in Japan. Adult patients with moyamoya disease who had experienced intracranial hemorrhage within the preceding year were given either conservative care or bilateral extracranial–intracranial direct bypass and were observed for 5 years. Primary and secondary end points were defined as all adverse events and rebleeding attacks, respectively.

Results—

Eighty patients were enrolled (surgical, 42; nonsurgical, 38). Adverse events causing significant morbidity were observed in 6 patients in the surgical group (14.3%) and 13 patients in the nonsurgical group (34.2%). Kaplan–Meier survival analysis revealed significant differences between the 2 groups (3.2%/y versus 8.2%/y;
P
=0.048). The hazard ratio of the surgical group calculated by Cox regression analysis was 0.391 (95% confidence interval, 0.148–1.029). Rebleeding attacks were observed in 5 patients in the surgical group (11.9%) and 12 in the nonsurgical group (31.6%), significantly different in the Kaplan–Meier survival analysis (2.7%/y versus 7.6%/y;
P
=0.042). The hazard ratio of the surgical group was 0.355 (95% confidence interval, 0.125–1.009).

Conclusions—

Although statistically marginal, Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed the significant difference between surgical and nonsurgical group, suggesting the preventive effect of direct bypass against rebleeding.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/index.htm
. Unique identifier: C000000166.
Smartphone-Assisted Prehospital Medical Information System for Analyzing Data on Prehospital Stroke Care
Authors: Nakae Takuro , Kataoka Hiroharu , Kuwata Shigeki , Iihara Koji
Published: March 2014

Background and Purpose
—

Optimizing prehospital stroke care is important because effective treatments for acute stroke require a narrow therapeutic time window. We developed a smartphone-assisted prehospital medical information system (SPMIS) to facilitate research on prehospital stroke care.

Methods
—

Prehospital medical information was input into the SPMIS application installed on smartphones by emergency medical staff, sent to a server through the Internet, and connected with in-hospital information. Using SPMIS, we analyzed data on 914 patients transferred to our institution by ambulance between April 2012 and March 2013.

Results
—

The data analyzed were the sensitivity and specificity of the prehospital diagnosis and prehospital stroke scale and the relationship between prehospital vital signs and forms of stroke. These analyses could be performed semiautomatically in a few hours.

Conclusions
—

SPMIS enabled us to analyze the prehospital information of patients with stroke in a short time with little effort. More large-scale studies on prehospital stroke care will become feasible using SPMIS, which may lead to advances in stroke treatment.
Neurophysiological Signals of Ignoring and Attending Are Separable and Related to Performance during Sustained Intersensory Attention
Authors: Lenartowicz Agatha , Simpson Gregory V. , Haber Catherine M. , Cohen Mark S.
Published: March 2014

The ability to attend to an input selectively while ignoring distracting sensations is thought to depend on the coordination of two processes: enhancement of target signals and attenuation of distractor signals. This implies that attending and ignoring may be dissociable neural processes and that they make separable contributions to behavioral outcomes of attention. In this study, we tested these hypotheses in the context of sustained attention by measuring neurophysiological responses to attended and ignored stimuli in a noncued, continuous, audiovisual selective attention task. We compared these against responses during a passive control to quantify effects of attending and ignoring separately. In both sensory modalities, responses to ignored stimuli were attenuated relative to a passive control, whereas responses to attended stimuli were enhanced. The scalp topographies and brain activations of these modulatory effects were consistent with the sensory regions that process each modality. They also included parietal and prefrontal activations that suggest these effects arise from interactions between top–down and sensory cortices. Most importantly, we found that both attending and ignoring processes contributed to task accuracy and that these effects were not correlated—suggesting unique neural trajectories. This conclusion was supported by the novel observation that attending and ignoring differed in timing and in active cortical regions. The data provide direct evidence for the separable contributions of attending and ignoring to behavioral outcomes of attention control during sustained intersensory attention.
ERPs Recorded during Early Second Language Exposure Predict Syntactic Learning
Authors: Batterink Laura , Neville Helen J.
Published: March 2014

Millions of adults worldwide are faced with the task of learning a second language (L2). Understanding the neural mechanisms that support this learning process is an important area of scientific inquiry. However, most previous studies on the neural mechanisms underlying L2 acquisition have focused on characterizing the results of learning, relying upon end-state outcome measures in which learning is assessed after it has occurred, rather than on the learning process itself. In this study, we adopted a novel and more direct approach to investigate neural mechanisms engaged during L2 learning, in which we recorded ERPs from beginning adult learners as they were exposed to an unfamiliar L2 for the first time. Learners' proficiency in the L2 was then assessed behaviorally using a grammaticality judgment task, and ERP data acquired during initial L2 exposure were sorted as a function of performance on this task. High-proficiency learners showed a larger N100 effect to open-class content words compared with closed-class function words, whereas low-proficiency learners did not show a significant N100 difference between open- and closed-class words. In contrast, amplitude of the N400 word category effect correlated with learners' L2 comprehension, rather than predicting syntactic learning. Taken together, these results indicate that learners who spontaneously direct greater attention to open- rather than closed-class words when processing L2 input show better syntactic learning, suggesting a link between selective attention to open-class content words and acquisition of basic morphosyntactic rules. These findings highlight the importance of selective attention mechanisms for L2 acquisition.
Experience-dependent Hemispheric Specialization of Letters and Numbers Is Revealed in Early Visual Processing
Authors: Park Joonkoo , Chiang Crystal , Brannon Elizabeth M. , Woldorff Marty G.
Published: March 2014

Recent fMRI research has demonstrated that letters and numbers are preferentially processed in distinct regions and hemispheres in the visual cortex. In particular, the left visual cortex preferentially processes letters compared with numbers, whereas the right visual cortex preferentially processes numbers compared with letters. Because letters and numbers are cultural inventions and are otherwise physically arbitrary, such a double dissociation is strong evidence for experiential effects on neural architecture. Here, we use the high temporal resolution of ERPs to investigate the temporal dynamics of the neural dissociation between letters and numbers. We show that the divergence between ERP traces to letters and numbers emerges very early in processing. Letters evoked greater N1 waves (latencies 140–170 msec) than did numbers over left occipital channels, whereas numbers evoked greater N1s than letters over the right, suggesting letters and numbers are preferentially processed in opposite hemispheres early in visual encoding. Moreover, strings of letters, but not single letters, elicited greater P2 ERP waves (starting around 250 msec) than numbers did over the left hemisphere, suggesting that the visual cortex is tuned to selectively process combinations of letters, but not numbers, further along in the visual processing stream. Additionally, the processing of both of these culturally defined stimulus types differentiated from similar but unfamiliar visual stimulus forms (false fonts) even earlier in the processing stream (the P1 at 100 msec). These findings imply major cortical specialization processes within the visual system driven by experience with reading and mathematics.
The advertisement call of Haddadus aramunha (Cassimiro, Verdade & Rodrigues, 2008) (Anura, Craugastoridae)
Authors: COSTA TAÍS BORGES , LARANJEIRAS DANIEL ORSI , RÖHR DAVID LUCAS , MAGALHÃES FELIPE DE MEDEIROS , JUNCÁ FLORA ACUÑA , GARDA ADRIAN ANTONIO
Published: March 2014

The genus Haddadus currently consists of three species, after the recent transfer of Strabomantis aramunha to this genus (Amaro et al. 2013). In the original description the authors suggested H. aramunha may not vocalize (Cassimiro et al. 2008), a claim that was later refuted on the basis of field observations (Napoli et al. 2010). Herein we provide the first description of the advertisement call of H. aramunha along with some notes on its natural history.
New species of Hebefustis Siebenaller & Hessler 1977 (Isopoda, Asellota, Nannoniscidae) from the Clarion Clipperton Fracture Zone (equatorial NE Pacific)
Authors: KAISER STEFANIE
Published: March 2014

Macrofaunal collections obtained during the French-German BIONOD expedition to the Clarion Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCFZ), equatorial NE Pacific, in spring 2012 yielded two new nannoniscid species, Hebefustis juansenii sp. n. and H. vecino sp. n., which are described in the current paper. The number and position of posterolateral spines of the pleotelson distinguishes the two new species from all other species in the genus. Both species are similar to each other differ, though, in the length of maxilliped epipodite, the presence of a robust spine on pereonite 2 (in H. juansenii sp. n.) as well as the shape of pereonite 4 anterior margin. They also resemble H. primitivus Menzies, 1962 but can be differentiated from the latter by the shape of lateral margins of pereonites 1–4 and the setation and shape of male pleopod 1. A distribution map and a taxonomic key to all known species in the genus are provided, as well as a checklist of known nannoniscid species from the Pacific is presented.
Contributions to the Opiinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) of Eastern Iran with updated checklist of Iranian species
Authors: KHAJEH NAHID , RAKHSHANI EHSHAN , PERIS-FELIPO FRANCISCO JAVIER , ŽIKIĆ VLADIMIR
Published: March 2014

The present work collects the checklist of species of Opiinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from Iran and presents new information about the specimens captured in the Sistan and Baluchestan province during 2009–2011. A total of 68 species belonging to eight genera have been listed, of which nine species including Opius (Hypocynodus) arundinis Fischer, 1964a; Opius (Hypocynodus) bouceki (Fischer, 1958b); Opius (Opius) caricivorae Fischer, 1964b; Opius (Opius) exilis Haliday, 1837; Opius (Opiothorax) opacus Fischer, 1968; Opius (Allophlebus) tabificus Papp, 1979; Phaedrotoma biroica (Fischer et Beyarslan 2005a); Phaedrotoma mirabunda (Papp, 1982) and Xynobius rudis (Wesmaelm, 1835) are new records from Iran.
A new species of the pontoniine shrimp genus Eupontonia (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea: Palaemonidae) from the Ryukyu Islands, Japan
Authors: KOMAI TOMOYUKI , MINEMIZU RYO
Published: March 2014

A third species of the pontoniine shrimp genus Eupontonia Bruce, 1971, E. gracilipes n. sp., is described and illustrated on the basis of a single female specimen collected from shallow water of Ishigaki Island, southern Ryukyu Islands, Japan. The new species is readily distinguished from the two congeneric species, E. noctalbata Bruce, 1971 and E. oahu Bruce, 2010, by a number of morphological characters, including the presence of a distinct postrostral median ridge and of the postrostral median tooth on the carapace. It is considered to be a free-living species. The generic diagnosis of Eupontonia is slightly emended to accommodate the present new species. A key in aid of identification of species of Eupontonia is provided.
A new species of Neobelocera Ding & Yang (Hemiptera: Delphacidae: Delphacinae: Tropidocephalini) from China, with a key to species of the genus
Authors: HU CHUN-LIN , DING JIN-HUA
Published: March 2014

Neobelocera medogensis sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Delphacidae: Delphacinae: Tropidocephalini) is described and illustrated from Mȇdog, Tibet, China. The new species can be easily separated from other known species in the genus Neobelocera by the color of tegmina and the form of the male genitalia. A key for separation of all known species of Neobelocera is also provided.
Three-Dimensional Structure and Evolution of the MJO and Its Relation to the Mean Flow
Authors: Adames Ángel F. , Wallace John M.
Published: March 2014

The two leading principal components of the daily 850- minus 150-hPa global velocity potential in the Interim European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Re-Analysis (ERA-Interim) (1979–2011) data are used as time-varying Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) indices. Regression maps and meridional cross sections based on these indices are used to document the structure and evolution of the zonal wind (u) and geopotential height (Z) anomalies in the MJO cycle. The data are daily, and they are not separated by season. At upper-tropospheric levels the MJO signature is dominated by eastward-propagating planetary wave packets consisting of equatorial Kelvin waves flanked by Rossby waves centered along 28°N/S, for which the westerly jet streams serve as waveguides. At lower-tropospheric levels the pattern more closely resembles the response to a pulsating heat source over the Maritime Continent, where the Andes block the eastward-propagating Kelvin wave pulse. The contrasting upper- and lower-tropospheric patterns are made up of the same building blocks: a deep, baroclinic modal structure with a node at the 400-hPa level, which dominates the tropical signature, and a barotropic residual field consisting mainly of extratropical wave trains oriented along great circles. The extratropical wave trains emanate from the flanking Rossby waves in the baroclinic modal structure. The strongest of them, which resembles the Pacific–North America (PNA) pattern, extracts kinetic energy from the climatological-mean flow in the jet exit region. At other longitudes the jet stream seems to act as a barrier to the poleward propagation of MJO-related wave activity.
A Numerical Study on the Combined Effect of Midlatitude and Low-Latitude Systems on the Abrupt Track Deflection of Typhoon Megi (2010)
Authors: Shi Wenli , Fei Jianfang , Huang Xiaogang , Cheng Xiaoping , Ding Juli , He Yiqiang
Published: March 2014

In 2010, Supertyphoon Megi experienced an abrupt track deflection in the South China Sea (SCS) after traversing Luzon Island. To reveal the physical processes responsible for the timing and location of the sudden track deflection, the potential vorticity (PV) diagnosis and numerical simulations with initial strength perturbations are applied to investigate the individual and combined effects of environmental systems on Megi’s motion based on the steering flow theory. Results indicate that Megi’s northward track deflection was mainly determined by the effect of the midlatitude circulation, or rather, the break of the high pressure belt joined by the continental high (CH) and the Pacific subtropical high (SH). The retraction of CH played a particularly critical role in the break of the high pressure belt, making it the most important feature of the midlatitude circulation to determine Megi’s deflection. In addition, a small low-latitude anticyclone (SA) southeast of Megi was crucial in affecting the timing and location of the deflection, although the steering effect provided by SA itself was relatively weak. The development of SA was associated with both the tropical cyclone energy dispersion and the activity of an easterly wave. This study suggests that the abrupt track deflection of Megi was attributed to the combined effect of the midlatitude and low-latitude systems, in addition to the combined effects of the large-scale and small-scale systems.
A Fish Way Out of Water
Authors: Gantwerker Eric A. , Hamilton Steven S. , Casper Keith A.
Published: March 2014

Background:

Since the time of Chevalier Jackson, innumerable unique foreign bodies have been documented and removed. Advances in endoscopic airway management have revolutionized the types of foreign bodies that we are able to remove without open surgery. The literature on fish aspiration has mostly encompassed fish bones and parts, not whole live fish.

Objective:

This study aimed to describe the airway management of a high-risk airway foreign body including the mobilization and coordination of multiple specialty teams and anesthetic management.

Case Report:

We report a case of a 40-year-old man who aspirated a live bluegill fish while attempting to use it as bait. The spike-like nature of the bluegill dorsal fin in conjunction with mediastinal air prompted a higher level of concern for potential airway compromise and complication with extraction. We detail the preparation and management of this patient from notification to transportation and ultimately operative intervention. Focus is placed on coordination between anesthesia, otolaryngology, and cardiothoracic surgery, and the key management decisions.

Conclusion:

High-risk airway foreign bodies are always a challenge. When dealing with a live, lodged whole fish, one must have creative management ideas. Close coordination and excellent communication must occur between teams involved to optimize and maintain control of the situation for the best patient outcome.
The Effects of Endoscopic Sinus Surgery on the Postoperative Outcomes of Open Rhinoplasty
Authors: Kim Ji Heui , Cho Gye Song , Cheang Pei-Pei , Jang Yong Ju
Published: March 2014

Objective:

Several studies have advocated concurrent endoscopic sinus surgery and rhinoplasty. However, concerns about increased surgical risk, complications, and unsuccessful cosmetic outcomes following the concurrent procedures have been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the overall safety of concurrent endoscopic sinus surgery and rhinoplasty and to specifically examine the effect of endoscopic sinus surgery on cosmetic outcomes.

Methods:

We retrospectively reviewed 57 patients who underwent concurrent open rhinoplasty and endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). We then selected a control group of patients, who underwent rhinoplasty only and were matched with a study group for age, sex, external nose deformity, and implant graft material. The postoperative outcomes of the 2 groups were compared.

Results:

Fifty-seven patients underwent concurrent open rhinoplasty and ESS. Postoperative assessment showed that a successful outcome was achieved in 82.5% of the patients who underwent concurrent procedures and in 87.7% of the patients who underwent rhinoplasty only ( P = .56). The rate of revision due to a dissatisfied outcome was 5 patients (8.7%) in the concurrent surgery group and 3 patients (5.3%) in the rhinoplasty-only group ( P = .36). Minor complications occurred in 6 patients (10.5%) from the group who underwent the concurrent procedures and 5 patients (8.8%) from the rhinoplasty-only group ( P = .76).

Conclusion:

Combined rhinoplasty and endoscopic sinus surgery achieves a similar aesthetic outcome to rhinoplasty only, with no significant increase in rates of revision or complication.
Sex-Specific Characteristics of Anthropometry in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Authors: Lim Young-Hyo , Choi Jihye , Kim Kyung Rae , Shin Jinho , Hwang Kyung Gyun , Ryu Seungho , Cho Seok Hyun
Published: March 2014

Objective:

This study aimed to investigate the sex-specific effects of anthropometric profiles on the occurrence and severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Methods:

We evaluated 151 patients with suspected OSA undergoing polysomnography and anthropometric measurements such as body mass index (BMI), neck and waist circumference (NC and WC), and waist–hip ratio (WHR).

Results:

In men, NC ( P = .006), WC ( P = .035), and WHR ( P = .003) were significantly increased in OSA and all were significantly correlated with apnea hypopnea index (AHI). However, in female OSA patients, BMI ( P = .05), WC ( P = .008), and WHR ( P = .001) were elevated, but only WHR was significantly correlated with AHI. Correlation analyses showed significant correlations between NC and other anthropometric indexes in men but not in women. The receiver operating characteristic curves revealed that NC and WHR in men, and WHR in women, were significant in both model 1 (AHI ≥ 5) and model 2 (AHI ≥ 15).

Conclusion:

Waist–hip ratio is the most reliable correlate of OSA in both sexes. Neck circumference is an independent risk factor for male, but not for female, OSA patients. These different aspects of obesity may contribute to the pathogenesis of OSA and provide helpful guidance in the screening of OSA.
Cure-dependent thermo-chemical modelling and analysis of the manufacturing process of an aircraft composite frame
Authors: Brauner Christian , Soprano Pedro , Herrmann Axel S , Meiners Dieter
Published: March 2014

This study contributes to the understanding of the mechanism behind thermo chemical aspects related to the resin transfer moulding manufacturing process of a composite part. The aim is to comprehend the phenomena, to identify related parameters and to get knowledge-based methods for the process development. Therefore, the first part of this study is an experimental study about the behaviour of material properties during the manufacturing process of the single component and the composite. It concludes with constitutive equations for single-process parameters and their associated homogenisation approach for the composite properties. During the manufacturing process, material values of the matrix are changing and influenced by a high number of effects. In the second part, a simulation strategy is been derived. This developed material model integrates a dependency of the time–temperature–polymerisation and fibre volume content. The model is validated in a test case of a manufacturing process of an aircraft component, a fuselage frame.
A quantitative analysis on the surface roughness and the level of hydrophobicity for superhydrophobic ZnO nanorods grown textiles
Authors: Park Yaewon , Park Chung Hee , Kim Jooyoun
Published: March 2014

This study has identified the quantitative relationship between the level of hydrophobicity and the surface roughness, represented f1, of superhydrophobic nylon fabrics treated with ZnO nanorods and n-dodecyltrimethoxysilane. With this objective, ZnO nanorods were uniformly grown to give varied particle dimensions on nylon fabrics by a hydrothermal process at a range of solution concentrations. ZnO nanorods, having a unique rod-like hexagonal section structure, were assessed in terms of their dimensions and density to estimate the solid area fraction, f1 , in the Cassie–Baxter model. While the static contact angle did not discriminate between the hydrophobicity of superhydrophobic surfaces, the sliding angle and shedding angle were able to achieve this. The estimated value of f1 was quantitatively associated with hydrophobicity. The assumption that there was no penetration of into the gaps between nanorods (zero h′) appeared to be valid for superhydrophobic surfaces, and this was confirmed by the strong correlation between the increased sliding and shedding angles and the increase in f1.
Ultraviolet shielding properties of cotton fabric supported by cerium-calcium hydroxyapatite solid solution particles
Authors: Yasukawa Akemi , Ruike Sairi , Gotoh Keiko , Kandori Kazuhiko
Published: March 2014

Cotton fabric was supported by three types of cerium-calcium hydroxyapatite (CeCaHap) solid solution particles and the properties were compared. The three types of CeCaHap were prepared using different wet methods. The crystallinity and morphology of the particles were altered depending on the preparation conditions. Because all the CeCaHap particles exhibited a strong ultraviolet (UV) absorption under 400 nm on the ultraviolet-visible spectra, they were supported on cotton fabric by immersing the fabric into the dispersion containing the particles. The treated fabric showed UV shielding properties and fine particles especially showed stronger UV screening properties than large and long particles. With increasing the concentration of the particles in the dispersion, the amount of particles that was supported on the fabric increased and UV screening properties of the fabric were enhanced. The UV shielding ability of the fabric was sufficiently maintained after washing using water or a sodium dodecyl sulfate solution.
Indications for Caesarean sections in a rural hospital in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea
Authors: Mark Terence B , Radcliffe Jim , Laman Moses
Published: March 2014

We retrospectively documented indications for Caesarean sections in a rural district level hospital in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. Over a 53-month study period, 745 Caesarean sections were performed. Prolonged labour, previous history of Caesarean section, cephalopelvic disproportion, malpresentation and fetal distress accounted for over 88% of Caesarean sections performed. In older mothers (aged >30 years), antepartum haemorrhage (Fisher exact test, P = 0.05) and multiple indications ( P = 0.001) were leading reasons for Caesarean sections while cephalopelvic disproportion ( P = 0.005) was the leading indication in younger mothers. Further prospective studies incorporating perinatal and maternal mortality rates are required to optimise the value of Caesarean sections at district level hospitals in Papua New Guinea.
Lessons learnt from a community-based participatory research project in a South African rural context
Authors: Lazarus Sandy , Naidoo Anthony V , May Basil , Williams Lorenza , Demas Grant , Filander Fiona J
Published: March 2014

The Railton Community Assessment Project constituted a community-based, participatory form of research that sought to identify community needs and assets for the purposes of prioritising actions to support community development planning and funding allocation in a local community in a South African rural context. The research design, which included 11 research phases, each including a number of research activities, was collaboratively developed and implemented collectively. The design included the establishment of a collaborative planning and accountability forum; interviews with key informants; a stratified household survey; community asset-mapping workshops with youth, adults, elders, and services providers; and community feedback processes. The findings of the research highlighted a number of community assets and needs which were directly linked to the identification of priority actions and recommendations by the community. The major strength of this study was its successful application of a Community-Based Participatory Research approach, which constitutes a particular focus for this article. Furthermore, this case study provides a useful example of how psychologists can contribute their knowledge and skills to promote general community well-being.
To Be a Courtier in the Islamic Republic of Iran
Authors: Payrow Shabani Omid
Published: March 2014

The Islamic Republic of Iran is no doubt an autocratic regime, where the supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamanie, has taken it upon himself to micromanage the suppression of the opposition for many years. In this respect and in the eyes of most Iranians, the resignation and submission of the Iranian reformists, including the former president Mohammad Khatami, is puzzling if not downright treacherous. By appropriating the insight of an Italian Renaissance writer, Baldassare Castiglione, in his book, Il Libro del Cortegiano or The Book of the Courtier, I hope to offer an alternative interpretation of the confounding position of the Iranian reformists. Contrary to its prevalent reading in its scholarship, which takes Il Libro del Cortegiano as an apolitical book, its more recent scholarship has discovered a political program, according to which in the absence of freedom aims to ameliorate the conduct of the tyrant through the actions of the courtier, who provides an example of honourable conduct and public service. I propose to adopt the ideal of cortegiano as a heuristic device that, when applied to the Iranian situation, can explain Mr. Khatami and his fellow reformists’ acquiescence that as a stratagem of resistance that, in the absence of a better alternative, works as the politics of the second best to make their “master” a better leader by offering an example of a more virtuous leader.
Developing Culturally Targeted Diabetes Educational Materials for Older Russian-Speaking Immigrants
Authors: Van Son Catherine R.
Published: March 2014

Purpose

Older adults who immigrate late in life face many challenges adapting to a new country. Immigrants bring their cultural beliefs and behaviors with them, which can influence their ability to make dietary changes required when they have type 2 diabetes. Culturally targeted patient education materials are needed to improve immigrants’ health literacy and abilities to self-manage diabetes. Currently, there is a scarcity of diabetes patient education materials to meet the educational needs of the Russian-speaking immigrant group. The purpose of this article is to describe a project in which culturally targeted diabetes education materials for older Russian-speaking immigrants were designed and developed.

Conclusions

Culturally targeted patient education materials are essential if they are to be accepted and used by clients from different ethnic minority populations. The creation of culturally relevant materials requires a team effort and community stakeholder input. The availability of materials on the internet facilitates access and use by health care providers. Culturally targeted education materials are an important component in addressing health literacy in ethnic minority populations. Next steps require that these materials be evaluated to test their impact on diabetes self-management behaviors and clinical outcomes such as adherence, amount of physical activity, and blood glucose levels.
Exploring the Nature of Power Distance
Authors: Daniels Michael A. , Greguras Gary J.
Published: March 2014

Power distance is a value that differentiates individuals, groups, organizations, and nations based on the degree to which inequalities are accepted either as unavoidable or as functional. Understanding power distance is especially important in organizational research because power is fundamental to all relationships, is inherent in hierarchical organizations, and affects many organizational processes and outcomes. We begin by reviewing existing value taxonomies and definitional elements of power distance. Next, we review theories and research linking power distance to micro and macro work-related outcomes. We conclude by identifying areas where additional organizational research on power distance is needed and, in doing so, provide an agenda for future research in this area. Our review highlights power distance as an important explanatory variable and boundary condition for many relations that organizational (not just cross-cultural) scientists examine.
Core stability exercise is as effective as task-oriented motor training in improving motor proficiency in children with developmental coordination disorder: a randomized controlled pilot study
Authors: Au Mei K , Chan Wai M , Lee Lin , Chen Tracy MK , Chau Rosanna MW , Pang Marco YC
Published: March 2014

Objective:

To compare the effectiveness of a core stability program with a task-oriented motor training program in improving motor proficiency in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD).

Design:

Randomized controlled pilot trial.

Setting:

Outpatient unit in a hospital.

Participants:

Twenty-two children diagnosed with DCD aged 6-9 years were randomly allocated to the core stability program or the task-oriented motor program.

Intervention:

Both groups underwent their respective face-to-face training session once per week for eight consecutive weeks. They were also instructed to carry out home exercises on a daily basis during the intervention period.

Main measures:

Short Form of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (Second Edition) and Sensory Organization Test at pre- and post-intervention.

Results:

Intention-to-treat analysis revealed no significant between-group difference in the change of motor proficiency standard score ( P=0.717), and composite equilibrium score derived from the Sensory Organization Test ( P=0.100). Further analysis showed significant improvement in motor proficiency in both the core stability (mean change (SD)=6.3(5.4); p=0.008) and task-oriented training groups (mean change(SD)=5.1(4.0); P=0.007). The composite equilibrium score was significantly increased in the task-oriented training group (mean change (SD)=6.0(5.5); P=0.009), but not in the core stability group (mean change(SD) =0.0(9.6); P=0.812). In the task-oriented training group, compliance with the home program was positively correlated with change in motor proficiency (ρ=0.680, P=0.030) and composite equilibrium score (ρ=0.638, P=0.047).

Conclusion:

The core stability exercise program is as effective as task-oriented training in improving motor proficiency among children with DCD.
Clinical feasibility of the Nintendo Wii™ for balance training post-stroke: a phase II randomized controlled trial in an inpatient setting
Authors: Bower Kelly J , Clark Ross A , McGinley Jennifer L , Martin Clarissa L , Miller Kimberly J
Published: March 2014

Objective:

To investigate the feasibility and potential efficacy of the Nintendo Wii™ for balance rehabilitation after stroke.

Design:

Phase II, single-blind, randomized controlled trial.

Setting:

Inpatient rehabilitation facility.

Subjects:

Thirty adults (mean age 63.6 (14.7) years) undergoing inpatient rehabilitation who were less than three months post-stroke and able to stand unsupported.

Interventions:

Participants were allocated to a Balance Group, using the ‘Wii Fit Plus’ in standing, or Upper Limb Group, using the ‘Wii Sports/Sports Resort’ in sitting. Both groups undertook three 45 minute sessions per week over two to four weeks in addition to standard care.

Main measures:

The primary focus was feasibility, addressed by recruitment, retention, adherence, acceptability and safety. Efficacy was evaluated by balance, mobility and upper limb outcomes.

Results:

Twenty-one percent of individuals screened were recruited and 86% ( n = 30) of eligible people agreed to participate. Study retention and session adherence was 90% and > 99%, respectively, at two weeks; dropping to 70% and 87% at four weeks due to early discharge. All participants reported enjoying the sessions and most felt they were beneficial. No major adverse events occurred. Wii use by the Balance Group was associated with trends for improved balance, with significantly greater improvement in outcomes including the Step Test and Wii Balance Board-derived centre of pressure scores. The Upper Limb Group had larger, non-significant changes in arm function.

Conclusions:

A Wii-based approach appears feasible and promising for post-stroke balance rehabilitation. A larger randomized controlled trial is recommended to further investigate efficacy.
Body awareness therapy in persons with stroke: a pilot randomized controlled trial
Authors: Lindvall Mialinn A , Forsberg Anette
Published: March 2014

Objective:

To investigate the effects of body awareness therapy on balance, mobility, balance confidence, and subjective health status in persons with stroke.

Design:

A pilot randomized controlled study with follow-up at one and 4–6 weeks after the intervention period.

Setting:

Four primary healthcare centres in Örebro County Council.

Subjects:

Persons more than six months post stroke, with walking ability of 100 metres.

Intervention:

The experimental intervention was body awareness therapy in groups once a week for eight weeks. The controls were instructed to continue their usual daily activities.

Main measures:

Berg Balance Scale, Timed Up and Go Test, Timed Up and Go Test with a cognitive component, 6-minute walk test, and Timed-Stands Test. Self-rated balance confidence was assessed using the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale, and subjective health status using the Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire.

Results:

A total of 46 participants were included (mean age 64 years); 24 in the experimental intervention group and 22 in the control group. No significant differences in changed scores over time were found between the groups. Within the experimental intervention group, significant improvements over time was found for the tests Berg Balance Scale, Timed Up and Go cognitive, and 6-minute walk test. Within the control group, significant improvements over time were found for the Timed Up and Go Cognitive, and the Timed-Stands Test.

Conclusion:

In comparison to no intervention, no effects were seen on balance, mobility, balance confidence, and subjective health status after eight weeks of body awareness therapy.
Altered white matter microstructural connectivity in cluster headaches: A longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging study
Authors: Chou Kun-Hsien , Yang Fu-Chi , Fuh Jong-Ling , Huang Chu-Chung , Lirng Jiing-Feng , Lin Yung-Yang , Lee Pei-Lin , Kao Hung-Wen , Lin Ching-Po , Wang Shuu-Jiun
Published: March 2014

Background

Functional and structural disruptions to the pain matrix, which may involve changes in white matter (WM) pathways connecting the pain-processing system and hypothalamus, have been implicated in the pathophysiology of cluster headache (CH). However, previous studies have obtained inconclusive results regarding WM changes in CH, and WM variations between “in-bout” and “out-of-bout” periods of CH remain to be determined.

Methods

Multiple diffusivity indices obtained by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and post-hoc probabilistic tractography were used to elucidate CH pathophysiology.

Results

Compared to healthy participants, in-bout CH patients showed regionally higher absolute (radial and mean) diffusivities in the left medial frontal gyrus and frontal sub-gyrus and lower absolute (axial, radial and mean) diffusivities in the right parahippocampal gyrus of the limbic lobe. These changes during the in-bout period generally persisted in the out-of-bout period, except for the left cerebellar tonsil. Post-hoc probabilistic tractography showed highly consistent anatomical connections between these altered areas and the hypothalamus across participants.

Conclusions

Distinct WM changes were observed in episodic CH. Connections between the pain-modulation areas and hypothalamus may be involved in CH pathophysiology.
Large-scale experimental study on the spread and burning behavior of continuous liquid fuel spill fires on water
Authors: Li Yuntao , Huang Hong , Zhang Jianzhong , Wang Zheng , Jiang Chunming
Published: March 2014

Large-scale experiments of n-heptane and gasoline continuous spill fires were conducted in an open area to study the spread and burning behavior of continuous liquid fuel spill fires on water. The fuel was ignited immediately after being released from an oil tank. Flame features and radiation flux were investigated with different discharge rates. It was observed that the spill fire undergoes three phases including fire growth and fuel spread, steady burning, and the transition to extinction. Data indicate that the discharge rate largely governs the spill fire characteristics. The maximum value of pool fire size, flame height, fuel spread rate, time average burning rate, and thermal flux all increase with the discharge rate. The facilities and data presented in this work may provide a basis for the future modeling study and the prediction of the possible secondary disaster induced by liquid fuel spill fires.
Delivering Mental Health Services to OEF/OIF Veterans
Authors: Signoracci Gina M. , Bahraini Nazanin H. , Matarazzo Bridget B. , Olson-Madden Jennifer H. , Brenner Lisa A.
Published: March 2014

Purpose: Veterans Health Administration (VHA) mental health (MH) professionals are providing care to increasing numbers of veterans who served in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). This study aimed to describe MH clinicians’ views of OEF/OIF veteran needs and how providers meet those needs within a large system of care. Design: Qualitative research methodology, specifically qualitative description, was used to explore VHA MH clinicians’ experiences providing MH services to OEF/OIF veterans. Methods: Thirteen VA MH providers participated in semistructured interviews, which included questions regarding the following areas: psychiatric needs of OEF/OIF veterans; collaboration and referral; needs and resources; and the personal/professional impact of providing services to this cohort. Findings: Themes emerged which highlighted complex challenges faced by OEF/OIF veterans, barriers associated with matching the unique needs of these veterans with existing treatments, and the challenges and rewards associated with providing care to members of this population. Conclusions: Capturing provider perspectives within MH services suggest potential areas for innovation aimed at providing patient-centered care to this cohort of veterans. Results may also inform future work aimed at meeting the needs of both OEF/OIF veterans and MH providers.
The Effect of Burns & Wounds (B&W)/Burdock Leaf Therapy on Burn-Injured Amish Patients
Authors:   Amish Burn Study Group, Kolacz Nicole M. , Jaroch Mark T. , Bear Monica L. , Hess Rosanna F.
Published: March 2014

Purpose: The purposes of this pilot study were to measure pain associated with dressing changes, assess the presence of infection, and document healing times of burn-injured Amish in central Ohio using an herbal therapy consisting of Burns and Wounds™ ointment (B&W) and burdock ( Arctium ssp.) leaves. B&W contains honey, lanolin, olive oil, wheat germ oil, marshmallow root, Aloe vera gel, wormwood, comfrey root, white oak bark, lobelia inflata, vegetable glycerin, bees wax, and myrrh. Design: A prospective, case series design guided the study within a community-based participatory research framework. Methods: Amish burn dressers provided burn care. Registered nurses monitored each case and documented findings. Pain scores were noted and burns were inspected for infection during dressing changes; healing times were measured from day of burn to complete closure of the skin. All cases were photographed. Results: Between October 2011 and May 2013, five Amish were enrolled. All had first- and second-degree burns. B&W/burdock leaf dressing changes caused minimal or no pain; none of the burns became infected, and healing times averaged less than 14 days. Conclusion and Implications: The use of this herbal remedy appears to be an acceptable alternative to conventional burn care for these types of burns. The trauma of dressing changes was virtually nonexistent. Nurses working in communities with Amish residents should be aware of this herbal-based method of burn care and monitor its use when feasible.
Study Design and Implementation of the PINE Study
Authors: Dong XinQi , Wong Esther , Simon Melissa A.
Published: March 2014

Objective: Multiple barriers in research participation have excluded the Chinese older adults from benefitting the recent advancement of aging sciences. The paucity of systematic understanding of Chinese aging population necessitated the Population-Based Study of ChINese Elderly in Chicago (PINE). Method: Guided by community-based participatory research approach, the PINE study is a population-based epidemiological study of Chinese older adults aged 60 and above in the Greater Chicago area. Results: We described study design and implantation of the PINE study, highlighting strategies in adapting a population-based study design to the Chinese community. These measures included community-engaged recruitment, innovative data collection methods, and culturally and linguistically sensitive study infrastructure. Discussion: The intricate cultural and linguistic diversity among U.S. Chinese older adults, coupled with their demographic characteristics and residential pattern, present challenges and opportunities in implementing a population-based study of older adults. Implications for the research and practice in relation to future minority aging and social sciences studies are discussed.
Nonlocal surface piezoelasticity theory for dynamic stability of double-walled boron nitride nanotube conveying viscose fluid based on different theories
Authors: Arani A Ghorbanpour , Kolahchi R , Hashemian M
Published: March 2014

Based on nonlocal piezoelasticity theory, dynamic stability of double-walled boron nitride nanotubes (DWBNNTs) conveying viscose fluid is studied by incorporating Euler–Bernoulli beam theory, Timoshenko beam theory, and cylindrical shell theory. The surface stress effects are considered based on Gurtin–Murdoch continuum theory. The DWBNNT is embedded in visco-Pasternak medium and the nonlinear van der Waals forces between the inner and outer surface of the DWBNNT is taken into account. Using von Kármán geometric nonlinearity, the governing equations are derived based on Hamilton’s principle. In order to obtain the dynamic instability region of DWBNNT, incremental harmonic balance method is applied. The detailed parametric study is conducted, focusing on the combined effects of the nonlocality, surface stress, fluid velocity, and surrounding medium on the dynamic instability region of DWBNNT. Furthermore, dynamic instability region of Euler–Bernoulli beam theory, Timoshenko beam theory, and cylindrical shell theory are compared to each other. Numerical results indicate that neglecting the surface stress effects, the difference between dynamic instability region of three theories becomes remarkable.