bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Systematic Review of the Safety and Effect of Neurofeedback on Fatigue and Cognition
Authors: Luctkar-Flude Marian , Groll Dianne
Published: February 2015

Background. Many cancer survivors continue to experience ongoing symptoms, such as fatigue and cognitive impairment, which are poorly managed and have few effective, evidence-based treatment options. Neurofeedback is a noninvasive, drug-free form of brain training that may alleviate long-term symptoms reported by cancer patients. Objective. The purpose of this systematic review of the literature was to describe the effectiveness and safety of neurofeedback for managing fatigue and cognitive impairment. Methods. A systematic review of the literature was conducted using Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology. A comprehensive search of 5 databases was conducted: Medline, CINAHL, AMED, PsycInfo, and Embase. Randomized and nonrandomized controlled trials, controlled before and after studies, cohort, case control studies, and descriptive studies were included in this review. Results. Twenty-seven relevant studies were included in the critical appraisals. The quality of most studies was poor to moderate based on the JBI critical appraisal checklists. Seventeen studies were deemed of sufficient quality to be included in the review: 10 experimental studies and 7 descriptive studies. Of these, only 2 were rated as high-quality studies and the remaining were rated as moderate quality. All 17 included studies reported positive results for at least one fatigue or cognitive outcome in a variety of populations, including 1 study with breast cancer survivors. Neurofeedback interventions were well tolerated with only 3 studies reporting any side effects. Conclusions. Despite issues with methodological quality, the overall positive findings and few reported side effects suggest neurofeedback could be helpful in alleviating fatigue and cognitive impairment. Currently, there is insufficient evidence that neurofeedback is an effective therapy for management of these symptoms in cancer survivors, however, these promising results support the need for further research with this patient population. More information about which neurofeedback technologies, approaches, and protocols could be successfully used with cancer survivors and with minimal side effects is needed. This research will have significance to nurses and physicians in oncology and primary care settings who provide follow-up care and counseling to cancer survivors experiencing debilitating symptoms in order to provide information and education related to evidence-based therapy options.
Versatile communication strategies among tandem WW domain repeats
Authors: Dodson Emma Joy , Fishbain-Yoskovitz Vered , Rotem-Bamberger Shahar , Schueler-Furman Ora
Published: February 2015

Interactions mediated by short linear motifs in proteins play major roles in regulation of cellular homeostasis since their transient nature allows for easy modulation. We are still far from a full understanding and appreciation of the complex regulation patterns that can be, and are, achieved by this type of interaction. The fact that many linear-motif-binding domains occur in tandem repeats in proteins indicates that their mutual communication is used extensively to obtain complex integration of information toward regulatory decisions. This review is an attempt to overview, and classify, different ways by which two and more tandem repeats cooperate in binding to their targets, in the well-characterized family of WW domains and their corresponding polyproline ligands.
Losartan reduces oxidative damage to renal DNA and conserves plasma antioxidant capacity in diabetic rats
Authors: Lodovici Maura , Bigagli Elisabetta , Tarantini Francesca , Di Serio Claudia , Raimondi Laura
Published: February 2015

Increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels produced by hyperglycemia and angiotensin-II (AT-II) are considered among the pathogenic factors in the malignant transformation of diabetic renal cells. We aimed to investigate the potential role of AT-II in the increased cancer risk seen in diabetes; measuring oxidative damage to renal DNA and protective antioxidant defenses, including adiponectin (Adp) and plasma antioxidant capacity by the Ferric Reducing Ability of Plasma (FRAP) method. In the kidney of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced (55 mg/kg) diabetic rats either treated or not treated for 3 weeks with losartan, an AT-II type 1 receptor antagonist (20 mg/kg/day); we measured 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodGuo) levels, as an index of oxidative DNA damage, circulating Adp and FRAP. Diabetic rats showed significantly higher 8-oxodGuo levels in renal DNA (8.48 ± 0.98 × 10−6 dG, mean ± SEM n = 11) than normoglycemic ones (1.18 ± 0.04 × 10−6 dG, mean ± SEM, n=7) and lower plasma Adp and FRAP levels in comparison to normoglycemics. The treatment of diabetic rats with losartan significantly ( P < 0.01) reduced 8-oxodGuo levels (5.4 ± 0.58 × 10−6 dG, mean ± SEM n=9) in renal DNA and conserved FRAP values. Moreover, an inverse correlation was found between 8-oxodGuo in kidney DNA and circulating Adp levels in normoglycemic and diabetic rats. Losartan treatment preserves FRAP levels, reduces DNA oxidative injury and thus the carcinogenesis risk. Furthermore, our results indicate that Adp plasma levels are a further marker of oxidative injury to the kidney and confirm that it is an important part of the plasma antioxidant defense.
Curcumin sensitizes human lung cancer cells to apoptosis and metastasis synergistically combined with carboplatin
Authors: Kang Ji Ho , Kang Hye Seon , Kim In Kyoung , Lee Hwa Young , Ha Jick Hwan , Yeo Chang Dong , Kang Hyun Hui , Moon Hwa Sik , Lee Sang Haak
Published: February 2015

Although carboplatin is one of the standard chemotherapeutic agents for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), it has limited therapeutic efficacy due to activation of a survival signaling pathway and the induction of multidrug resistance. Curcumin, a natural compound isolated from the plant Curcuma longa, is known to sensitize tumors to different chemotherapeutic agents. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether curcumin can chemosensitize lung cancer cells to carboplatin and to analyze the signaling pathway underlying this synergism. We investigated the synergistic effect of both agents on cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, migration, and expression of related signaling proteins using the human NSCLC cell line, A549. A549 cell was treated with different concentrations of curcumin and carboplatin alone and in combination. Combined treatment with curcumin and carboplatin inhibited tumor cell growth, migration, and invasion compared with either drug alone. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 were more efficiently downregulated by co-treatment than by each treatment alone. mRNA and protein expression of caspase-3 and caspase-9 and proapoptotic genes was increased in cells treated with a combination of curcumin and carboplatin, whereas expression of the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 gene was suppressed. Co-treatment of both agents substantially suppressed NF-κB activation and increased expression of p53. Phosphorylation of Akt, a protein upstream of NF-κB, was reduced, resulting in inhibition of the degradation of inhibitor of κB(IκBα), whereas the activity of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) was enhanced. Our study demonstrated that the synergistic antitumor activity of curcumin combined with carboplatin is mediated by multiple mechanisms involving suppression of NF-κB via inhibition of the Akt/IKKα pathway and enhanced ERK1/2 activity. Based on this mechanism, curcumin has potential as a chemosensitizer for carboplatin in the treatment of patients with NSCLC.
Motor activity as an unbiased variable to assess anaphylaxis in allergic rats
Authors: Abril-Gil Mar , Garcia-Just Alba , Cambras Trinitat , Pérez-Cano Francisco J , Castellote Cristina , Franch Àngels , Castell Margarida
Published: February 2015

The release of mediators by mast cells triggers allergic symptoms involving various physiological systems and, in the most severe cases, the development of anaphylactic shock compromising mainly the nervous and cardiovascular systems. We aimed to establish variables to objectively study the anaphylactic response (AR) after an oral challenge in an allergy model. Brown Norway rats were immunized by intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin with alum and toxin from Bordetella pertussis. Specific immunoglobulin (Ig) E antibodies were developed in immunized animals. Forty days after immunization, the rats were orally challenged with the allergen, and motor activity, body temperature and serum mast cell protease concentration were determined. The anaphylaxis induced a reduction in body temperature and a decrease in the number of animal movements, which was inversely correlated with serum mast cell protease release. In summary, motor activity is a reliable tool for assessing AR and also an unbiased method for screening new anti-allergic drugs.
Epigallocatechin-3-gallate protects against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity by inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis
Authors: Chen Binbin , Liu Guangyi , Zou Peimei , Li Xing , Hao Qiufa , Jiang Bei , Yang Xiangdong , Hu Zhao
Published: February 2015

Cisplatin (CP)-induced nephrotoxicity hampers its application in clinic. Green tea, particularly its predominant polyphenolic constituent epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), possesses anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-apoptotic properties. The present study was designed to investigate the protective effects of EGCG against CP-induced nephrotoxicity in mice. Male C57/BL6 mice in different groups received single injection of CP (20 mg/kg) and EGCG (100 mg/kg) in various sets and kidney tissues and blood were collected after killing. Then, samples were used for biochemical and immunohistochemical assay. Our results showed EGCG decreased biochemical factors and immunohistochemical damage induced by CP. Besides, expression of phosphorylated-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK), glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), caspase-12, and apoptosis of kidney were decreased by EGCG via inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced apoptosis.
Parent Perceptions of Time Spent Meaningfully by Young Adults With Pervasive Support Needs
Authors: Rossetti Zachary , Lehr Donna , Lederer Leslie , Pelerin Dana , Huang Shuoxi
Published: February 2015

This article describes a qualitative study that examined how 23 young adults with pervasive support needs and limited functional communication spent their time and how their parents ( n = 23) and direct support professionals (DSPs; n = 2) defined meaningfulness in relation to the young adults’ experiences. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with the parents and DSPs. Findings indicated that most of the young adults spent time in their communities, though typically without friends and not engaged in integrated employment. The participants defined meaningfulness according to three dimensions: community participation, individual indicators, and the nature of activities in the young adults’ schedules. They also described both episodic and ongoing challenges that hindered their ability to focus on time spent meaningfully. Finally, their definitions, which reflected basic care needs and community participation goals, raised questions related to the awareness, availability, and utilization of services and supports in the adult developmental disabilities system.
Assessing Proprioception
Authors: Hillier Susan , Immink Maarten , Thewlis Dominic
Published: February 2015

Proprioception is a vital aspect of motor control and when degraded or lost can have a profound impact on function in diverse clinical populations. This systematic review aimed to identify clinically related tools to measure proprioceptive acuity, to classify the construct(s) underpinning the tools, and to report on the clinimetric properties of the tools. We searched key databases with the pertinent search terms, and from an initial list of 935 articles, we identified 57 of relevance. These articles described 32 different tools or methods to quantify proprioception. There was wide variation in methods, the joints able to be tested, and the populations sampled. The predominant construct was active or passive joint position detection, followed by passive motion detection and motion direction discrimination. The clinimetric properties were mostly poorly evaluated or reported. The Rivermead Assessment of Somatosensory Perception was generally considered to be a valid and reliable tool but with low precision; other tools with higher precision are potentially not clinically feasible. Clinicians and clinical researchers can use the summary tables to make more informed decisions about which tool to use to match their predominant requirements. Further discussion and research is needed to produce measures of proprioception that have improved validity and utility.
Adipose Tissue–Derived Regenerative Cell–Enhanced Lipofilling for Treatment of Cryptoglandular Fistulae-in-Ano
Authors: Borowski David W. , Gill Talvinder S. , Agarwal Anil K. , Tabaqchali Mohamed A. , Garg Dharmendra K. , Bhaskar Pud
Published: February 2015

Background. The treatment of complex fistulae-in-ano is challenging and often includes a number of operations due to high rates of recurrence. Recently, techniques using in vitro expanded adipose tissue–derived stem cells have been described. We describe a novel treatment for cryptoglandular fistulae used in 7 patients, using a combination of surgical closure of the internal opening and real-time autologous adipose tissue–derived regenerative cells (ADRC)–enhanced lipofilling, without need for in vitro expansion. Methods. Following exclusion of active perianal sepsis, patients underwent a standard tumescent liposuction procedure, harvesting ~300 to 400 mL of raw lipoaspirate. The lipoaspirate was prepared in real time, using the Celution 800/CRS system to obtain the stromal vascular fraction containing ADRCs. After excision of the fistula tract and closure of the internal orifice, fresh ADRC-enhanced lipoaspirate was injected into and around the fistula tract. Results. At 6-months’ follow-up, 5 of 7 (71.4%) patients showed clinical signs of fistula closure; one of these patients had a recurrence at 10 months due to sepsis. The remaining 4 patients (57.1%) all had complete fistula closure at a median of 46 months’ follow-up. There were no adverse events associated with the technique, and no new incontinence. Conclusion. Treatment of cryptoglandular fistulae-in-ano with ADRC-enhanced lipofilling appears feasible and safe, and may add to the range of procedures that can be used to treat this difficult problem.
A Randomized Controlled Study to Evaluate the Impact of Instrument and Laparoscope Length on Performance and Learning Curve in Single-Incision Laparoscopic Surgery
Authors: Balaji Sathyan , Singh Pritam , Sodergren Mikael H. , Corker Harry P. , Kwasnicki Richard M. , Darzi Ara , Paraskeva Paraskevas
Published: February 2015

Introduction. The proximity of instrumentation in single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) creates ergonomic challenges. An innovative method to reduce external collisions between instruments and handles is to use instruments of different lengths. This study evaluated the impact of instrument and laparoscope length on simulated SILS performance. Methods. Performance was assessed using peg transfer (PEG) and pattern cutting (CUT) tasks from the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) curriculum. Following baseline testing, surgeons were randomized into 3 trial arms: Control—standard length instruments and standard length laparoscope; group 1—one long instrument, one standard length instrument and standard length laparoscope; and group 2—standard length instruments and long laparoscope. Two phases were undertaken using a validated SILS-modified FLS box trainer: phase 1—25 repetitions of PEG and phase 2—5 repetitions of CUT. FLS scoring parameters measured performance and the Imperial College Surgical Assessment Device (ICSAD) captured motion analysis of hands. Results. Twenty-three surgeons were recruited—control (n = 7), group 1 (n = 9), and group 2 (n = 7). No significant differences were observed in operative experience or baseline skills performance. Phase 1: Peak FLS score was significantly higher in group 1 compared with control ( P = .009). Comparison of learning curves revealed learning plateau was significantly higher in group 1 compared with control ( P = .010). Phase 2: Group 1 revealed a trend toward higher peak FLS scores over the control ( P = .067). No significant differences in motion analysis of hands were demonstrated using ICSAD. Conclusions. This study demonstrates that using instruments of different lengths can improve simulated SILS performance.
SA Anno 1995
Authors: van Winsen Roel , Dekker Sidney W. A.
Published: February 2015

In providing reflections on 25 years of situation awareness (SA) research, particularly the ever-popular 1995 model of SA, our response is twofold. First, we ask whether the model’s grasp has exceeded its epistemological reach. By overlooking important insights from the second cognitive revolution as well as from other late-20th-century developments in (social) science, it might well do that. In fact, SA, in its 1995 model, is strongly committed to a 17th-century ontology that separates mind from matter and sees awareness as a correspondence or mirror of the world outside. This view seems to strongly reverberate today in a somewhat dogmatic stance of the 1995 model about the role that the world and cognitive artifacts play in constituting cognitive processes. Second, we suggest that after 25 years of SA, we might need to reflect on what SA as a scientific human factors object has brought us or the operators we once set out to support. This is not a trivial or academic question. We know of one operator who is in jail today because the prosecution was able to successfully argue for the dereliction of his duty to maintain SA. Without the human factors community supplying this object, he might still be in jail, but surely not under this charge.
Situation Awareness
Authors: Wickens Christopher D.
Published: February 2015

This article provides a strong endorsement for the utility of the situation awareness (SA) construct in applications and agreement with the identification of fallacies on the construct cited by Endsley. I then highlight three aspects of the construct for discussion: the distinction between SA and decision/choice/action, the distinction between long-term and working memory (related to bandwidth of change), and the importance and challenges of Level 3 SA.
Origins of Situation Awareness
Authors: Hoffman Robert
Published: February 2015

Core elements of Endsley’s models of situation awareness can be found in the history of the psychology of attention. History affords cautionary tales about the fuzzy nature of all attention constructs, the trap of reification, and the benefits of mindfulness in the modeling of cognitive phenomena.
Situation Awareness Misconceptions and Misunderstandings
Authors: Endsley Mica R.
Published: February 2015

Situation awareness (SA) has become a widely used construct within the human factors community, the focus of considerable research over the past 25 years. This research has been used to drive the development of advanced information displays, the design of automated systems, information fusion algorithms, and new training approaches for improving SA in individuals and teams. In recent years, a number of papers criticized the Endsley model of SA on various grounds. I review those criticisms here and show them to be based on misunderstandings of the model. I also review several new models of SA, including situated SA, distributed SA, and sensemaking, in light of this discussion and show how they compare to existing models of SA in individuals and teams.
Final Reflections
Authors: Endsley Mica R.
Published: February 2015

A response is provided to the many authors who commented on my initial paper for this special issue on situation awareness (SA) addressing remaining questions and observations on the Endsley 1995 model of SA. A discussion on historical perspectives on cognitive engineering and SA is included, along with future research needs for the construct. New models on sensemaking, distributed SA, and situated SA are also discussed, with remaining comments on their differences with the Endsley 1995 model of SA. Finally, a short discussion of SA measurement approaches is provided, addressing key issues raised in the commentaries.
Ludefaction
Authors: Kirkpatrick Graeme
Published: February 2015

This article presents the idea of ludefaction as the negative underside of ludification. The project of transforming human practices into games to “enhance” their performance is related to new management and technology design practices that have been dominant since the 1980s. Studies suggest that this is an ambivalent process through which work comes to seem more attractive even as it makes more intense and invasive demands on its human subject. Beyond this, however, ludefaction grasps the way in which gamification intensifies exploitation in the, probably unprecedented, development of allowing power to tap into the radical imaginary, that is, the facility we have for creating an alternative, better world. A comparison of games with relational art is presented to clarify the stakes and suggest negative principles for progressive game design.
Measuring Voluntariness of Consent to Research
Authors: Mamotte Nicole , Wassenaar Douglas
Published: February 2015

The conceptual complexity of the term voluntariness has resulted in relatively few empirical studies of the voluntariness component of consent to research. As the call for a formal assessment of voluntariness to be incorporated into the consent process intensifies, more researchers are responding to the challenge of developing a valid and reliable measure of voluntariness. The purpose of this article was to summarize and describe the empirical literature on voluntariness of consent. As part of a broader study on the voluntariness of consent to research, existing empirical studies of voluntariness of consent to research were reviewed to establish how voluntariness of consent to research has been assessed to date. Fifteen studies using different voluntariness assessment instruments were identified and included in the review. The review found that little attempt has been made to systematically collect data on the reliability and validity of voluntariness assessment instruments. No two instruments reviewed were found to be based on a shared conceptualization of voluntary consent to research.
The Views of Quality Improvement Professionals and Comparative Effectiveness Researchers on Ethics, IRBs, and Oversight
Authors: Whicher Danielle , Kass Nancy , Saghai Yashar , Faden Ruth , Tunis Sean , Pronovost Peter
Published: February 2015

Recently, there have been increasing numbers of activities labeled as either quality improvement (QI) or comparative effectiveness research (CER), both of which are designed to learn what works and what does not in routine clinical care settings. These activities can create confusion for researchers, Institutional Review Board members, and other stakeholders as they try to determine which activities or components of activities constitute clinical practices and which constitute clinical research requiring ethical oversight and informed consent. We conducted a series of semi-structured focus groups with QI and CER professionals to understand their experiences and views of the ethical and regulatory challenges that exist as well as the formal or informal practices and criteria they and their institutions use to address these issues. We found that most participants have experienced challenges related to the ethical oversight of QI and CER activities, and many believe that current regulatory criteria for distinguishing clinical practice from clinical research requiring ethical oversight are confusing. Instead, many participants described other criteria that they believe are more ethically appropriate. Many also described developing formal or informal practices at their institutions to navigate which activities require ethical oversight. However, these local solutions do not completely resolve the issues caused by the blurring of clinical practice and clinical research, raising the question of whether more foundational regulatory changes are needed.
The Development of a Preference-Setting Model for the Return of Individual Genomic Research Results
Authors: Bacon Phoebe L. , Harris Erin D. , Ziniel Sonja I. , Savage Sarah K. , Weitzman Elissa R. , Green Robert C. , Huntington Noelle L. , Holm Ingrid A.
Published: February 2015

Understanding participants’ preferences for the return of individual research results (IRR) in genomic research may allow for the implementation of more beneficial result disclosure methods. We tested four preference-setting models through cognitive interviews of parents to explore how parents conceptualize the process of setting preferences and which disease characteristics they believe to be most important when deciding what results to receive on their child. Severity and preventability of a condition were highly influential in decision making and certain groups of research results were anticipated by participants to have negative psychological effects. These findings informed the development of an educational tool and preference-setting model that can be scaled for use in the return of IRR from large biobank studies.
“Because everything changes that day; you don't do the routine”: Alterations and activities chronically ill women undertake on days with health care provider appointments
Authors: Crooks Valorie A
Published: February 2015

Objectives

Research points to the importance of interactions with health care providers for chronically ill patients. Meanwhile, we know little about how visits to providers' offices are accommodated in these patients' lives. This analysis identifies the full scope of routine alterations and preparatory activities that require chronically will women's time and energy specifically on appointment days.

Methods

55 semi-structured interviews were conducted with women with fibromyalgia syndrome living in Ontario, Canada. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using the constant-comparative technique.

Results

Two trajectories are identified: (1) alterations to daily routines on appointment days; and (2) activities to prepare for the provider–patient interaction. Factors such as wanting to minimize symptom exacerbation, desires to come across as informed patients, limited time afforded to interactions, and access to transportation explain why these particular routine alterations and preparatory activities were undertaken.

Discussion

Findings demonstrate that the health care provider–patient interaction does not start or end in the space of the provider's office but is, rather, an event that is part of a larger process primarily focused on its successful negotiation. This suggests that the boundaries of the appointment need to be reconsidered, which holds implications for appointment-focused interventions aimed at chronically ill patients.
JS Mill on Nineteenth Century Marriage and the Common Law
Authors: Barker Chris
Published: February 2015

This article seeks to clarify the meaning of marriage for Millian liberals by examining marriage in the context of the nineteenth century common law. JS Mill argues that the family can become a school for free institutions. He identifies a ‘‘morality of justice’’ that must replace chivalry or submission as the normal mode of gendered relations. By using pamphlets, speeches, and legal commentaries, it is possible to explain the meaning of Mill’s ‘‘morality of justice,’’ and also to distinguish his liberal conception of marriage from its common law foundations and from sacramental approaches that define marital dissolubility and flexibility differently.
Lightweight steel-framed thermal bridges mitigation strategies: A parametric study
Authors: Martins Cláudio , Santos Paulo , da Silva Luís Simões
Published: February 2015

In building applications (e.g. industrial, offices and residential), the use of lightweight steel-framed structural elements is increasing given its advantages, such as exceptional strength-to-weight relation, great potential for recycling and reuse, humidity shape stability, easy prefabrication and rapid on-site erection. However, the high thermal conductivity of steel presents a drawback, which may lead to thermal bridges if not well designed and executed. Furthermore, given the high number of steel profiles and its reduced thickness, it is not an easy task to accurately predict its thermal performance in laboratory and even less in situ. In a previous article, the authors studied the importance of flaking heat loss in lightweight steel-framed walls. This article discusses several thermal bridges mitigation strategies to improve a lightweight steel-framed wall model, which increase its thermal performance and reduce the energy consumption. The implementation of those mitigation strategies leads to a reduction of 8.3% in the U-value, comparatively to the reference case. An optimization of the wall module insulation layers is also performed (e.g. making use of new insulation materials: aerogel and vacuum insulation panels), which combined with the mitigation approaches allows a decrease of 68% in the U-value, also relatively to the reference case. Some design rules for lightweight steel-framed elements are also presented.
The relationship of safe and participatory school environments and supportive attitudes toward violence: Evidence from the Colombian Saber test of Citizenship Competencies
Authors: Diazgranados Silvia , Noonan James
Published: February 2015

In Colombia, reducing levels of interpersonal and community violence is a key component of the country’s approach to citizenship education. In this study, we use data collected during the 2005 Saber test of Citizenship Competencies to examine the relationship of school environments and individual students’ supportive attitudes toward violence among 97,971 students in 1649 schools. Using multi-level Tobit analysis with school random intercepts and regional fixed effects, we find that children taught in safe and participatory climates endorse attitudes less supportive of violence, with the effect of participatory climates almost double that of safe climates. Constructing a typology of four classroom environments, by crossing the two dimensions of safety and participation, we conclude that school environments that are safe and participatory lead to the least supportive attitudes toward violence, more than 1 standard deviation lower than unsafe and non-participatory school environments. Implications, limitations, and areas for future research are discussed.
Teachers’ views on students’ experiences of community involvement and citizenship education
Authors: Hampden-Thompson Gillian , Jeffes Jennifer , Lord Pippa , Bramley George , Davies Ian , Tsouroufli Maria , Sundaram Vanita
Published: February 2015

Based upon the findings of a national survey of school coordinators and leaders on citizenship and community cohesion, this research indicates that teachers perceive their students to feel a sense of belonging to multiple communities, each with their own required actions for effective participation. There appears to be wide variation in the characteristics of students’ engagement in community activities depending on their individual needs and circumstances. While there is convincing evidence of schools successfully implementing strategies to equip students with a conceptual understanding of their roles as citizens, the research also identifies a need to develop students’ practical skills and self-efficacy to interact with their immediate and wider communities. In order to support students to participate most effectively in their communities, there is a need for schools to provide tailored support to those groups of students who may otherwise be least likely to participate in community activities.
Application of receiver operating characteristic curve for pipeline reliability analysis
Authors: Tee Kong Fah , Khan Lutfor Rahman , Coolen-Maturi Tahani
Published: February 2015

Structural reliability analysis of buried pipeline systems is one of the fundamental issues for water and wastewater asset managers. Measuring the accuracy of a reliability analysis or a failure prediction technique is an effective approach to enhancing its applicability and provides guidance on selection of reliability or failure prediction methods. The determination of threshold value for a particular pipe failure criterion provides useful information on reliability analysis. However, this threshold value is not always known. In this article, receiver operating characteristic curve has been applied where empirical and nonparametric predictive inference techniques are used to evaluate the accuracy of pipeline reliability analysis and to predict the failure threshold value. Multi-failure conditions, namely, corrosion-induced deflection, buckling, wall thrust and bending stress have been assessed in this article. It is hoped that choosing the optimal operating point on the receiver operating characteristic curve, which involves both maintenance and financial issues, can be ideally implemented by combining the receiver operating characteristic analysis with a formal risk–cost management of underground pipelines.
Elevated matrix metalloproteinase-8 in saliva and serum in polycystic ovary syndrome and association with gingival inflammation
Authors: Akcalı Aliye , Bostanci Nagihan , Özçaka Özgun , Öztürk-Ceyhan Banu , Gümüş Pınar , Tervahartiala Taina , Husu Heidi , Buduneli Nurcan , Sorsa Timo , Belibasakis Georgios N
Published: February 2015

This study aimed to investigate the levels of matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8) and tissue inhibitors of MMP-1 (TIMP-1) in saliva and serum samples of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS; n = 80) and matched systemically healthy controls ( n = 45), with varying degrees of gingival inflammation. Salivary levels of MMP-8 and the MMP-8/TIMP-1 ratio were significantly elevated in women with PCOS, who also exhibited more gingivitis than systemically healthy women. No major changes were observed in salivary TIMP-1 levels with regard to PCOS. Serum levels of MMP-8 and the MMP-8/TIMP-1 ratio were significantly higher in women with PCOS, irrespective of the presence of gingivitis, while there were no differences in TIMP-1 levels. A positive correlation was indicated between probing depth, bleeding on probing, plaque index and salivary or serum MMP-8 levels or MMP-8/TIMP-1 ratio in the case of PCOS, while a negative such correlation was revealed for TIMP-1 in systemically healthy women. Increased levels of MMP-8 in saliva and serum seem to be more pronounced in women with PCOS, and potentiated in the presence of gingival inflammation. Alterations in MMP/TIMP system triggered by local and systemic inflammation may be implicated in the pathogenesis of PCOS, or the deterioration of its clinical presentation.
Epilepsy: The annual review
Authors: Whitehead Jessica
Published: February 2015

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological condition that can have a significant impact on a patient’s life. It can also be life-threatening, from trauma caused by seizures, as well as those patients who die from sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, and in status epilepticus. Once stable, patients can generally be cared for in primary care. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the management of epilepsy and potential difficulties that may arise. This article discusses the different types of seizure, the diagnosis and management of epilepsy, and special considerations, such as prescribing in pregnancy and driving restrictions. In primary care, GPs are expected to undertake at least an annual review and this article highlights the points that need to be covered.
Missing White Woman Syndrome
Authors: Conlin Lindsey , Davie William R.
Published: February 2015

In this experiment, the study of missing white woman syndrome is extended to video coverage to determine whether visual framing and race have an effect on the emotions of viewers. Missing white woman syndrome relates to the idea that stories about attractive, young, white females who go missing are more prevalent in the news to the exclusion of similar stories about other demographics. This study examined the relationship between race and framing effects through a factorial design experiment and posttest questionnaire. Experimental conditions compared television news stories about women of different demographics who are portrayed differently in both visual and nonvisual frames. Results showed that visual framing did affect the emotions of viewers, but the race of the missing person did not.
Comparing Flagship News Programs
Authors: Billings Andrew C. , Young Brittany D.
Published: February 2015

A total of 118 hr of sports news broadcast programming was subject to gender clock-time analysis, half from Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN’s) SportsCenter and half from 2013 startup network Fox Sports 1’s Fox Sports Live. Results showed that both programs featured women’s sports less than 1% of the time, with only modest gains found in an Olympic month (February 2014) of presumed heavy women’s sports exposure compared to a fall (October/November 2013) coding period. Moreover, both programs featured the same top five sports in nearly identical proportionality and story lengths of women’s spots were consistently 70% of a men’s spot regardless of program. Results indicate that Fox Sports Live is replicating SportsCenter’s programming choices far more than challenging them from a gender perspective.
Centralized and Decentralized Nurse Station Design: An Examination of Caregiver Communication, Work Activities, and Technology
Authors: Gurascio-Howard Linda , Malloch Kathy
Published: February 2015

The healthcare construction boom requires evidence for effective design of nurse stations, including evidence supporting workflow processes, computerization, integration of technology, communication of caregivers, and optimal patient outcomes. This article describes the examination of a traditional centralized nursing station using a total patient care delivery model and minimal computerization and a highly computerized, decentralized nursing station using a team nursing model. Results specific to communication activities, time with patients, number of patient visits per registered nurse, and patient satisfaction with response time are reported.
Healthcare Architects' Professional Autonomy: Interview Case Studies
Authors: Kim Duk-Su , Shepley Mardelle McCuskey
Published: February 2015

The purpose of this project was to understand the nature of an architect's professional power. The central questions were: (1) What is the impact of specialized knowledge on the professional autonomy of architects in general? and (2) What are the relationships between task complexity, specialized knowledge, and the professional autonomy of healthcare architects in particular? To answer these questions, this research utilized interviews and focus groups. Focus groups provided in-depth knowledge on a sub-question: How do real-world situations restrict or reinforce the professional autonomy of healthcare architects? The interviews on this sub-question were project-specific to help gain an understanding of the impact that healthcare design complexity and research utilization have on practice and professional autonomy. Two main relationships were discovered from the interviews and focus groups. One was the relationship between the context of healthcare design complexity and the culture of healthcare design practice. The other was the relationship between changing professional attitudes and the consequences of changes in the profession.
Evidence-Based Design for Healthcare in Post-Katrina New Orleans: Current Dilemmas
Authors: Verderber Stephen
Published: February 2015

New Orleans continues to struggle to rebuild from the devastation inflicted by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. More than 1,800 perished in its aftermath. Katrina stands as the costliest catastrophe in U.S. history, and the city's healthcare infrastructure is similarly striving to resuscitate itself. The incorporation of evidence-based design and research (EBD&R) in the reconstitution of the city's healthcare infrastructure offers a promising direction to improve healthcare outcomes. Recent efforts to incorporate EBD&R in New Orleans' recovery are summarized. EBD&R interventions are needed that take certain key dilemmas into consideration—embracing the adaptive reuse possibilities of historic healthcare facilities, private-public sector collaborations in acute care and in neighborhood-based outpatient care environments, and interventions to serve the city's growing population of medically underserved residents.
Implementing Healthcare Excellence: The Vital Role of the CEO in Evidence-Based Design
Authors: Zimring Craig , Augenbroe Godfried L. , Malone Eileen B. , Sadler Blair L.
Published: February 2015

Purpose:

This paper explores the role of the chief executive officer (CEO) in evidence-based design (EBD), discussing the internal and external challenges that a CEO faces, such as demands for increased quality, safety, patient-and-family-centeredness, increased revenue, and reduced cost.

Background:

Based on a series of interviews and case studies and the experience of the authors as researchers, consultants, and CEOs, this paper provides a model for EBD and recommends actions that a CEO can undertake to create an effective project over the life cycle of a building.

Topical headings:

Evidence-Based Design: A Performance-Based Approach to Achieving Key Goals; Key Approaches to Executing Evidence-Based Design; Overcoming Barriers to Innovation: The CEO's Vital Role in Implementing Evidence-Based Design

Conclusions:

The CEO bears special responsibility for successful facility project implementation. Only the CEO possesses the responsibility and authority to articulate the strategy, vision, goals, and resource constraints that frame every project. With the support of their boards, CEOs set the stage for the transformation of an organization's culture and fuel clinical and business process reengineering by encouraging and, if necessary, forcing collaboration between the strong disciplinary and departmental divisions found in healthcare systems.
The Business Case for Building Better Hospitals through Evidence-Based Design
Authors: Sadler Blair L. , DuBose Jennifer , Zimring Craig
Published: February 2015

Purpose:

After establishing the connection between building well-designed evidence-based facilities and improved safety and quality for patients, families, and staff, this article presents the compelling business case for doing so. It demonstrates why ongoing operating savings and initial capital costs must be analyzed and describes specific steps to ensure that design innovations are implemented effectively.

Background:

Hospital leaders and boards are now beginning to face a new reality: They can no longer tolerate preventable hospital-acquired conditions such as infections, falls, and injuries to staff or unnecessary intra-hospital patient transfers that can increase errors. Nor can they subject patients and families to noisy, confusing environments that increase anxiety and stress. They must effectively deploy all reasonable quality improvement techniques available. To be optimally effective, a variety of tactics must be combined and implemented in an integrated way. Hospital leadership must understand the clear connection between building well-designed healing environments and improved healthcare safety and quality for patients, families, and staff, as well as the compelling business case for doing so. Emerging pay-for-performance (P4P) methodologies that reward hospitals for quality and refuse to pay hospitals for the harm they cause (e.g., infections and falls) further strengthen this business case.

Recommendations:

When planning to build a new hospital or to renovate an existing facility, healthcare leaders should address a key question: Will the proposed project incorporate all relevant and proven evidence-based design innovations to optimize patient safety, quality, and satisfaction as well as workforce safety, satisfaction, productivity, and energy efficiency? When conducting a business case analysis for a new project, hospital leaders should consider ongoing operating savings and the market share impact of evidence-based design interventions as well as initial capital costs. They should consider taking the 10 steps recommended to ensure an optimal, cost-effective hospital environment. A return-on-investment (ROI) framework is put forward for the use of individual organizations.
A Review of the Research Literature on Evidence-Based Healthcare Design
Authors: Ulrich Roger S. , Zimring Craig , Zhu Xuemei , DuBose Jennifer , Seo Hyun-Bo , Choi Young-Seon , Quan Xiaobo , Joseph Anjali
Published: February 2015

Objective:

This report surveys and evaluates the scientific research on evidence-based healthcare design and extracts its implications for designing better and safer hospitals.

Background:

It builds on a literature review conducted by researchers in 2004.

Methods:

Research teams conducted a new and more exhaustive search for rigorous empirical studies that link the design of hospital physical environments with healthcare outcomes. The review followed a two-step process, including an extensive search for existing literature and a screening of each identified study for the relevance and quality of evidence.

Results:

This review found a growing body of rigorous studies to guide healthcare design, especially with respect to reducing the frequency of hospital-acquired infections. Results are organized according to three general types of outcomes: patient safety, other patient outcomes, and staff outcomes. The findings further support the importance of improving outcomes for a range of design characteristics or interventions, including single-bed rooms rather than multibed rooms, effective ventilation systems, a good acoustic environment, nature distractions and daylight, appropriate lighting, better ergonomic design, acuity-adaptable rooms, and improved floor layouts and work settings. Directions for future research are also identified.

Conclusions:

The state of knowledge of evidence-based healthcare design has grown rapidly in recent years. The evidence indicates that well-designed physical settings play an important role in making hospitals safer and more healing for patients, and better places for staff to work.
The Systems Research Organizing Model: A Conceptual Perspective for Facilities Design
Authors: Brewer Barbara B. , Verran Joyce A. , Stichler Jaynelle F.
Published: February 2015

Purpose:

The purpose of this article is to (1) demonstrate the utility of the Systems Research Organizing Model (SROM) for evidence-based design; (2) explicate the SROM; and (3) demonstrate how the SROM can advance the science of healthcare design.

Background:

Grounded in systems science and adapted from the Quality Health Outcomes Model, the SROM was originally designed to assist in the organization of nursing systems research. It is useful for research in other fields as well because it serves as a potential framework for new investigations, allows delineation of key factors in previous research studies, and allows for the synthesis of a body of research knowledge. By means of the latter function, it helps identify knowledge that is ready to be translated to the practice environment.

Model Design:

The SROM is a fully justified model with four core constructs: client, context, action focus, and outcomes. Feedback loops in the model reflect the interrelatedness of the core constructs and recognize the complex nature of the healthcare environment.

Conclusions:

The SROM may be useful for organizing research studies of interest to healthcare design scientists and practitioners. This framework has promise for organizing studies, identifying gaps in current research studies, and synthesizing multiple studies for application to practice.