bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrical Substrate Elimination in 135 Consecutive Patients With Brugada Syndrome
Authors: Pappone Carlo , Brugada Josep , Vicedomini Gabriele , Ciconte Giuseppe , Manguso Francesco , Saviano Massimo , Vitale Raffaele , Cuko Amarild , Giannelli Luigi , Calovic Zarko , Conti Manuel , Pozzi Paolo , Natalizia Andrea , Crisà Simonetta , Borrelli Valeria , Brugada Ramon , Sarquella-Brugada Georgia , Guazzi Marco , Frigiola Alessandro , Menicanti Lorenzo , Santinelli Vincenzo
Published: May 2017

Background—

There is emerging evidence that localization and elimination of abnormal electric activity in the epicardial right ventricular outflow tract may be beneficial in patients with Brugada syndrome.

Methods and Results—

A total of 135 symptomatic Brugada syndrome patients having implantable cardiac defibrillator were enrolled: 63 (group 1) having documented ventricular tachycardia (VT)/ventricular fibrillation (VF) and Brugada syndrome–related symptoms, and 72 (group 2) having inducible VT/VF without ECG documentation at the time of symptoms. About 27 patients of group 1 experienced multiple implantable cardiac defibrillator shocks for recurrent VT/VF episodes. Three-dimensional maps before and after ajmaline determined the arrhythmogenic electrophysiological substrate (AES) as characterized by prolonged fragmented ventricular potentials. Primary end point was identification and elimination of AES leading to ECG pattern normalization and VT/VF noninducibility. Extensive areas of AES were found in the right ventricle epicardium, which were wider in group 1 (
P
=0.007). AES increased after ajmaline in both groups (
P
<0.001) and was larger in men (
P
=0.008). The increase of type-1 ST-segment elevation correlated with AES expansion (
r
=0.682,
P
<0.001). Radiofrequency ablation eliminated AES leading to ECG normalization and VT/VF noninducibility in all patients. During a median follow-up of 10 months, the ECG remained normal even after ajmaline in all except 2 patients who underwent a repeated effective procedure for recurrent VF.

Conclusions—

In Brugada syndrome, AES is commonly located in the right ventricle epicardium and ajmaline exposes its extent and distribution, which is correlated with the degree of coved ST-elevation. AES elimination by radiofrequency ablation results in ECG normalization and VT/VF noninducibility. Substrate-based ablation is effective in potentially eliminating the arrhythmic consequences of this genetic disease.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
https://clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT02641431.
Antidepressants, Depression, and Venous Thromboembolism Risk: Large Prospective Study of UK Women
Authors: Parkin Lianne , Balkwill Angela , Sweetland Siân , Reeves Gillian K. , Green Jane , Beral Valerie , Abbiss Hayley , Abbott Simon , Alison Rupert , Armstrong Miranda , Baker Krys , Barnes Isobel , Black Judith , Blanks Roger , Bradbury Kathryn , Brown Anna , Cairns Benjamin , Canoy Dexter , Chadwick Andrew , Ewart Dave , Ewart Sarah , Fletcher Lee , Floud Sarah , Gathani Toral , Gerrard Laura , Goodill Adrian , Guiver Lynden , Heath Alicia , Hogg Darren , Hozak Michal , Lingard Isobel , Kan Sau Wan , Langston Nicky , Moser Kath , Pirie Kirstin , Price Alison , Reeves Gillian , Shaw Keith , Sherman Emma , Simpson Rachel , Strange Helena , Tipper Sarah , Travis Ruth , Trickett Lyndsey , Webster Anthony , Wotton Clare , Wright Lucy , Yang Owen , Young Heather , Carpenter Lucy , Dezateux Carol , Patnick Julietta , Peto Richard , Sudlow Cathie
Published: May 2017

Background

Some investigators have reported an excess risk of venous thromboembolism (
VTE
) associated with depression and with use of antidepressant drugs. We explored these associations in a large prospective study of
UK
women.

Methods and Results

The Million Women Study recruited 1.3 million women through the National Health Service Breast Screening Programme in England and Scotland. Three years after recruitment, women were sent a second questionnaire that enquired about depression and regular use of medications in the previous 4 weeks. The present analysis included those who responded and did not have prior
VTE
, cancer, or recent surgery. Follow‐up for
VTE
was through linkage to routinely collected National Health Service statistics. Cox regression analyses yielded adjusted hazard ratios and 95%
CI
s. A total of 734 092 women (mean age 59.9 years) were included in the analysis; 6.9% reported use of antidepressants, 2.7% reported use of other psychotropic drugs, and 1.8% reported being treated for depression or anxiety but not use of psychotropic drugs. During follow‐up for an average of 7.3 years
,
3922 women were hospitalized for and/or died from
VTE
. Women who reported antidepressant use had a significantly higher risk of
VTE
than women who reported neither depression nor use of psychotropic drugs (hazard ratio, 1.39; 95%
CI
, 1.23–1.56).
VTE
risk was not significantly increased in women who reported being treated for depression or anxiety but no use of antidepressants or other psychotropic drugs (hazard ratio, 1.19; 95% CI, 0.95–1.49).

Conclusions

Use of antidepressants is common in
UK
women and is associated with an increased risk of
VTE
.
Impact of the Metabolic Syndrome on Mortality is Modified by Objective Short Sleep Duration
Authors: Fernandez‐Mendoza Julio , He Fan , LaGrotte Caitlin , Vgontzas Alexandros N. , Liao Duanping , Bixler Edward O.
Published: May 2017

Background

To examine whether objective sleep duration is an effect modifier of the impact of metabolic syndrome (MetS) on all‐cause and cardiovascular disease/cerebrovascular mortality.

Methods and Results

We addressed this question in the Penn State Adult Cohort, a random, general population sample of 1344 men and women (48.8±14.2 years) who were studied in the sleep laboratory and followed up for 16.6±4.2 years. MetS was defined by the presence of 3 or more of obesity (≥30 kg/m
2
), elevated total cholesterol (≥200 mg/dL), triglycerides (≥150 mg/dL), fasting glucose (≥100 mg/dL), and blood pressure (≥130/85 mm Hg). Polysomnographic sleep duration was classified into clinically meaningful categories. Among the 1344 participants, 22.0% of them died during the follow‐up. We tested the interaction between MetS and polysomnographic sleep duration on mortality using Cox proportional hazard models controlling for multiple potential confounders (
P
<0.05). The hazard ratios (95%
CI
) of all‐cause and cardiovascular disease/cerebrovascular mortality associated with MetS were 1.29 (0.89–1.87) and 1.49 (0.75–2.97) for individuals who slept ≥6 hours and 1.99 (1.53–2.59) and 2.10 (1.39–3.16) for individuals who slept <6 hours. Interestingly, this effect modification was primarily driven by the elevated blood pressure and glucose dysregulation components of MetS.

Conclusions

The risk of mortality associated with MetS is increased in those with short sleep duration. Short sleep in individuals with MetS may be linked to greater central autonomic and metabolic dysfunction. Future clinical trials should examine whether lengthening sleep improves the prognosis of individuals with MetS.
Impact of Antihypertensive Treatment on Maternal and Perinatal Outcomes in Pregnancy Complicated by Chronic Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Webster Louise M. , Conti‐Ramsden Frances , Seed Paul T. , Webb Andrew J. , Nelson‐Piercy Catherine , Chappell Lucy C.
Published: May 2017

Background

Chronic hypertension complicates around 3% of all pregnancies. There is evidence that treating severe hypertension reduces maternal morbidity. This study aimed to systematically review randomized controlled trials of antihypertensive agents treating chronic hypertension in pregnancy to determine the effect of this intervention.

Methods and Results

Medline (via
OVID
), Embase (via
OVID
) and the Cochrane Trials Register were searched from their earliest entries until November 30, 2016. All randomized controlled trials evaluating antihypertensive treatments for chronic hypertension in pregnancy were included. Data were extracted and analyzed in Stata (version 14.1). Fifteen randomized controlled trials (1166 women) were identified for meta‐analysis. A clinically important reduction in the incidence of severe hypertension was seen with antihypertensive treatment versus no antihypertensive treatment/placebo (5 studies, 446 women; risk ratio 0.33, 95%
CI
0.19‐0.56; I
2
0.0%). There was no difference in the incidence of superimposed pre‐eclampsia (7 studies, 727 women; risk ratio 0.74, 95%
CI
0.49‐1.11; I
2
28.1%), stillbirth/neonatal death (4 studies, 667 women; risk ratio 0.37, 95%
CI
0.11‐1.26; I
2
0.0%), birth weight (7 studies, 802 women; weighted mean difference −60 g, 95%
CI
−200 to 80 g; I
2
0.0%), or small for gestational age (4 studies, 369 women; risk ratio 1.01, 95%
CI
0.53‐1.94; I
2
0.0%) with antihypertensive treatment versus no treatment/placebo.

Conclusions

Antihypertensive treatment reduces the risk of severe hypertension in pregnant women with chronic hypertension. A considerable paucity of data exists to guide choice of antihypertensive agent. Adequately powered head‐to‐head randomized controlled trials of commonly used antihypertensive agents are required to inform prescribing.
A Note on the Chronology of the Book of Joel
Authors: Rubin Israel Netanel
Published: May 2017

This short note points to a Talmudic source that supports modern research that locates the prophet Joel in the Second Temple period, contrary to the common orthodox tradition that Joel prophesied in the First Temple period.
Supplement to the knowledge of the genus Scaphidium Olivier of East China (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scaphidiinae)
Authors: TU YUE-YE , TANG LIANG
Published: May 2017

A new species, Scaphidium ahrensi sp. n., is described from Fujian Province and its diagnostic characters are illustrated. Scaphidium vicinum Pic, 1915 is discovered from mainland China for the first time. A modified key is given to accommodating these two species.
A taxonomic review of the Korean species of the subgenus Datomicra Mulsant & Rey of the genus Atheta Thomson, with description of a new species (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae)
Authors: LEE SEUNG-GYU , AHN KEE-JEONG
Published: May 2017

A taxonomic review of the subgenus Datomicra Mulsant & Rey of the genus Atheta Thomson in Korea is presented. A new synonym is proposed: Datomicra Mulsant & Rey, 1874 = Datostiba Sawada, 1976, syn. nov. The subgenus is represented in Korea by eight species including a new species, Atheta (Datomicra) semidentiventris Lee & Ahn, sp. nov. Two species [A. (D.) dadopora Thomson and A. (D.) dentiventris Bernhauer] are new to the Korean Peninsula and one [A. (D.) celata (Erichson)] to South Korea. A key, descriptions, habitus photographs and illustrations of the diagnostic characters of the new species and two newly recorded species are provided.
A new color pattern of the Bungarus candidus complex (Squamata: Elapidae) from Vietnam based on morphological and molecular data
Authors: NGUYEN SANG NGOC , NGUYEN VU DANG HOANG , NGUYEN THANG QUOC , LE NGAN THANH THI , NGUYEN LUAN THANH , VO BA DINH , VINDUM JENS V. , MURPHY ROBERT W. , CHE JING , ZHANG YA-PING
Published: May 2017

Kraits with black and white bands from Nui Chua National Park, central Vietnam are morphologically similar to the Burmese Krait, Bungarus magnimaculatus, however, analysis of molecular data finds them to be nested within the B. candidus complex.
Evolution of the Distribution of Upper-Tropospheric Humidity over the Indian Ocean: Connection with Large-Scale Advection and Local Cloudiness
Authors: Garot Thomas , Brogniez Hélène , Fallourd Renaud , Viltard Nicolas
Published: May 2017

The spatial and temporal distribution of upper-tropospheric humidity (UTH) observed by the Sounder for Atmospheric Profiling of Humidity in the Intertropics by Radiometry (SAPHIR)/Megha-Tropiques radiometer is analyzed over two subregions of the Indian Ocean during October–December over 2011–14. The properties of the distribution of UTH were studied with regard to the phase of the Madden–Julian oscillation (active or suppressed) and large-scale advection versus local production of moisture. To address these topics, first, a Lagrangian back-trajectory transport model was used to assess the role of the large-scale transport of air masses in the intraseasonal variability of UTH. Second, the temporal evolution of the distribution of UTH is analyzed using the computation of the higher moments of its probability distribution function (PDF) defined for each time step over the domain. The results highlight significant differences in the PDF of UTH depending on the phase of the MJO. The modeled trajectories ending in the considered domain originate from an area that strongly varies depending on the phases of the MJO: during the active phases, the air masses are spatially constrained within the tropical Indian Ocean domain, whereas a distinct upper-tropospheric (200–150 hPa) westerly flow guides the intraseasonal variability of UTH during the suppressed phases. Statistical relationships between the cloud fractions and the UTH PDF moments of are found to be very similar regardless of the convective activity. However, the occurrence of thin cirrus clouds is associated with a drying of the upper troposphere (enhanced during suppressed phases), whereas the occurrence of thick cirrus anvil clouds appears to be significantly related to a moistening of the upper troposphere.
On the Equilibration of Numerical Simulation of Internal Tide: A Case Study around the Hawaiian Ridge
Authors: Jin Guang-Zhen , Cao An-Zhou , Lv Xian-Qing
Published: May 2017

To investigate the equilibration of numerical simulation (ENS) of internal tide, a three-dimensional isopycnic coordinate internal tide model is applied to simulate the M2 internal tide on idealized topography and around the Hawaiian Ridge. An idealized experiment is carried out on a Gaussian topography, and the temporal variations of the baroclinic velocity and the baroclinic energy flux are analyzed, then ENS is studied, and two criteria are presented. Moreover, the impacts of four parameters [horizontal and vertical eddy viscosity coefficients, bottom friction coefficient, and damping coefficient (to parameterize the nonhydrostatic processes in the model)] on ENS during numerical simulations, the baroclinic velocity, the baroclinic tidal energy, and the baroclinic energy flux are investigated. It appears that ENS for the M2 internal tide is more sensitive to the horizontal eddy viscosity coefficient and the damping coefficient. To further examine the criteria of ENS, a numerical experiment is carried out to simulate the M2 internal tidal constituent near the Hawaiian Ridge. The simulated surface tide shows good agreement with results from the Oregon State University tidal model and TOPEX/Poseidon (T/P) observations. The simulation results indicate that a 50 M2 tidal period (25.88 days) run is capable of ensuring ENS for the M2 internal tide in this case. In short, this paper presents a method and two criteria for examining ENS for internal tides for modelers.
Pulse Wave Velocity: Retrospective Analysis in a Balkan Normotensive and Hypertensive Population: A Study of 9923 Patients
Authors: Lovic Dragan , Kallistratos Manolis S. , Poulimenos Leonidas , Skyrlas Aggelos , Stojanov V. , Jakovljevic B. , Zdravkovic M. , Koracevic G. , Chamodraka Eftychia , Kouremenos Nikos , Pittaras Andreas , Kokkinos Peter , Tsinivizov Pavlos , Manolis Athanasios
Published: May 2017

We compared pulse wave velocity (PWV) between hypertensive patients and control patients to identify demographics and patient characteristics related to PWV. We retrospectively analyzed 9923 participants (3105 controls and 6818 hypertensive patients) from 5 outpatient hypertensive clinics (in Serbia and Greece). Pulse wave velocity had different distribution between controls and hypertensive patients ( P < .001). The magnitude of PWV increase was related to blood pressure (BP) category (from optimal to stage III hypertension; P < .001). Even in hypertensive patients with systolic BP (SBP) <140 and/or diastolic BP (DBP) <90 mm Hg, PWV was greater than in control patients ( P < .001). Pulse wave velocity was associated with almost all baseline characteristics of hypertensive patients (body mass index [BMI], gender, age, SBP, DBP, smoking status, and heart rate; P < .001). This association remained after adjustment of PWV confounders. There were 2231 (32.7%) hypertensive patients who had reached SBP <140 mm Hg and DBP <90 mm Hg. Pulse wave velocity was increased in hypertensive patients, and the degree of PWV increase was associated with baseline BP as well as with anthropometric parameters (eg, BMI, gender, age, heart rate, and smoking status).
Racial differences in willingness to participate in HIV prevention clinical trials among university students in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Authors: Pillay Diantha , Wassenaar Douglas R
Published: May 2017

Students, especially women, are in the highest HIV incidence group in Sub-Saharan Africa. Willingness to participate is a crucial element in recruitment of participants for clinical trials, including HIV prevention trials. There is increasing incidence of HIV among university students, highlighting the importance of evaluating their willingness to participate in prevention trials. Assessment of willingness to participate assists in determining community preparedness for trials. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate willingness to participate and explore racial differences and factors associated with willingness to participate in HIV prevention research. The Clinical Research Involvement Scale and demographic questionnaire were administered online to university students aged 18–45 years at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. The instruments evaluated associations between willingness to participate and age, gender, relationship status, parity, religion, education, student and employment status, and access to private health care. This study enrolled 636 participants, of which 509 records were analysable. Most students were willing to participate in HIV prevention research irrespective of race. However, Black students expressed greater intention to participate compared to White and Indian students. Racial differences in factors that affect intentions to participate were differences in risk perception and seeking access to better quality health care. The Clinical Research Involvement Scale is a reliable instrument in this population. Validity improved with removal of factors, motivation to comply, and outcome evaluations. These findings may not be generalizable to other student populations in Southern Africa.
Is bisphenol A exposure associated with the development of glucose intolerance and increased insulin resistance in Thais?
Authors: Chailurkit La-or , Tengpraettanakorn Pechngam , Chanprasertyotin Suwannee , Ongphiphadhanakul Boonsong
Published: May 2017

Bisphenol A (BPA), the monomeric component of polycarbonate plastics, reportedly possesses endocrine-disrupting effects. Exposure to low levels of BPA during more vulnerable periods leads to abnormalities related to sexual development in experimental animals. Moreover, recently a few epidemiological studies in Caucasians have demonstrated the association of BPA exposure with type 2 diabetes. Therefore, in the present study we examined the association of BPA exposure and abnormal glucose tolerance in Thais. This is a cross-sectional study of 240 participants aged at least 50 years, randomly selected by computer-generated random numbers within each glucose tolerance status from an oral glucose tolerance study of 661 participants. There were 80 participants in each group of type 2 diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and normal glucose tolerance (NGT). Serum BPA was measured by competitive ELISA. The detection rate of BPA was significantly higher in participants with IGT compared to those with NGT ( p < 0.05), while no difference was found between participants with type 2 diabetes and NGT. When participants with type 2 diabetes were stratified into those with fasting plasma glucose (FPG) under the diabetic threshold (<126 mg/dL) and those over (≥126 mg/dL), it was found that those with FPG under the diabetic threshold had measurable rates of BPA comparable to those with IGT, and rates significantly higher than the NGT group ( p < 0.05), while those with FPG over the diabetic threshold did not have higher rates of measurable BPA compared with the NGT group. In conclusion, BPA exposure is not uncommon in Thais. There is an association between BPA exposure and IGT, but not type 2 diabetes.
Real-time MRI-guided percutaneous sclerotherapy treatment of venous low-flow malformations in the head and neck
Authors: Partovi Sasan , Lu Ziang , Vidal Lorenna , Nakamoto Dean A , Buethe Ji , Coffey Michael , Patel Indravadan J
Published: May 2017

Purpose

This manuscript describes the technique of real-time MRI-guided sclerotherapy for low-flow venous malformations in the head and neck based on our institutional experience.

Materials and methods

Ethanolamine oleate is used as the sclerosant and is mixed with gadolinium for visualization during the procedure. The five procedural steps include: (I) an initial tri-plane T2-weighted sequence to visualize the lesion; (II) a T1 FSE or trueFISP sequence to assess needle placement and advancement within the lesion; (III) a tri-plane T1 FLASH sequence to monitor sclerosant injection; (IV) a T1 FSE or VIBE sequence to assess sclerosant coverage of the malformation before needle removal; (V) a post-procedural tri-plane T1 fat-saturated sequence to confirm sclerosant coverage of the lesion. Periprocedural medications typically include steroids, antibiotic prophylaxis, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication. Patients are typically admitted for overnight observation.

Conclusion

Real-time MRI-guided sclerotherapy for low-flow venous malformations in the head and neck is effective and safe.
Seeing is believing – healthcare professionals’ perceptions of a complex intervention to improve care towards the end of life: A qualitative interview study
Authors: Bristowe Katherine , Carey Irene , Hopper Adrian , Shouls Susanna , Prentice Wendy , Higginson Irene J , Koffman Jonathan
Published: May 2017

Background:

Methods to improve care, trust and communication are important in acute hospitals. Complex interventions aimed at improving care of patients approaching the end of life are increasingly common. While evaluating outcomes of complex interventions is essential, exploring healthcare professionals’ perceptions is also required to understand how they are interpreted; this can inform training, education and implementation strategies to ensure fidelity and consistency in use.

Aim:

To explore healthcare professionals’ perceptions of using a complex intervention (AMBER care bundle) to improve care for people approaching the end of life and their understandings of its purpose within clinical practice.

Design:

Qualitative study of healthcare professionals. Analysis informed by Medical Research Council guidance for process evaluations.

Setting/participants:

A total of 20 healthcare professionals (12 nursing and 8 medical) interviewed from three London tertiary National Health Service hospitals. Healthcare professionals recruited from palliative care, oncology, stroke, health and ageing, medicine, neurology and renal/endocrine services.

Results:

Three views emerged regarding the purpose of a complex intervention towards the end of life: labelling/categorising patients, tool to change care delivery and serving symbolic purpose indirectly affecting behaviours of individuals and teams. All impact upon potential utility of the intervention. Participants described the importance of training and education alongside implementation of the intervention. However, adequate exposure to the intervention was essential to witness its potential added value or embed it into practice.

Conclusion:

Understanding differing interpretations of complex interventions is essential. Consideration of ward composition, casemix and potential exposure to the intervention is critical for their successful implementation.
Youth Involved in Prostitution (YIP)
Authors: McMahon-Howard Jennifer
Published: May 2017

Since the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (TVPA) legally defined anyone under the age of 18 who is induced to engage in a commercial sex act as a sex trafficking victim, there has been a shift in the conceptualization of youth involved in prostitution (YIP). While YIP were historically viewed and treated as juvenile delinquents, this shift has called for the processing and treatment of YIP as victims in need of services. Despite these changes, the results of the present study suggest that there have been little changes in the interactions that YIP have with police and social service agencies. Also, similar to the participants who were involved in prostitution as minors before the adoption of the TVPA, those who were involved in prostitution as minors after the TVPA strongly reject the victim label.
Putting the Methodological Cart Before the Theoretical Horse? Examining the Application of SEM to Connect Theory and Method in Public Administration Research
Authors: Davis Randall S. , Stazyk Edmund C.
Published: May 2017

The application of psychometric statistical techniques, such as confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling, has grown significantly in public administration research over the past three decades. Given the growth in the application of these techniques, we take stock of the ability of these statistical approaches to advance public administration theory by examining their use in two areas of research: public service motivation and red tape. We further argue that theoretical and methodological diversity in public administration is desirable, so long as scholars recognize that the application of new and multiple methods in a single study do not inherently lead to better tests of theory. Instead, scholarship should focus on emphasizing that each theoretical and methodological approach adds significant, yet partial, contribution to public administration scholarship.
Injectable chelate-setting hydroxyapatite cement prepared by using chitosan solution: Fabrication, material properties, biocompatibility, and osteoconductivity
Authors: Konishi Toshiisa , Honda Michiyo , Nagaya Masaki , Nagashima Hiroshi , Thian Eng San , Aizawa Mamoru
Published: May 2017

An injectable chelate-setting hydroxyapatite cement (IP6-HAp), formed by chelate-bonding capability of inositol phosphate (IP6), was developed. The effects of ball-milling duration of starting HAp powder and IP6 concentration on the material properties such as injectability and mechanical strength of the cement were examined. The cement powder was prepared by ball-milling the as-synthesized HAp powder for 5 min using ZrO2 beads with a diameter of 10 mm, followed by another 60 min with ZrO2 beads with a diameter of 2 mm, and thereafter surface-modified with 5000 ppm of IP6 solution. Injectable cement was then fabricated with this HAp powder and 2.5 mass% chitosan as a mixing solution, with a setting time of 36.3 ± 4.7 min and a compressive strength of 19.0 ± 2.1 MPa. The IP6-HAp cements prepared with chitosan showed favorable biocompatibility in vitro using an osteoblast cell model, and osteoconductivity in vivo using a pig tibia model.
The Implications of Contextual Realities on Career Development: The Specific Case of University Research Managers and Administrators in Small Island States
Authors: Bonnici Christian , Cassar Vincent
Published: May 2017

Career development for university research managers and administrators (RMAs) is inherently challenging in small island states. In this article, we argue that by acquiring career adaptability resources, university RMAs can address their career development needs even in contexts with a restricted labor market. We do this by first identifying the factors that shape the career development prospects of university RMAs. Subsequently, we present evidence of how university RMAs in small island states may pursue their career development goals by redefining their roles according to the contextual realities. Career adaptability theory helps us to explore how this redefinition occurs, particularly since adaptability arises from a combination of personality traits (self-regulation) and careful interventions that can build adaptability resources. We use the knowledge from career adaptability theory to identify a number of implications for RMAs, universities, counselors, and professional associations to address career development issues within restricted small island contexts.
Culturally Responsive Writing Instruction for Secondary Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
Authors: Lewis Chiu Calli , Carrero Kelly M. , Lusk Mandy E.
Published: May 2017

Research suggests that teachers often do not adequately prepare students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) to utilize organizational structures and basic writing skills that are necessary to produce cohesive essays. Among the challenges of effectively teaching writing to secondary students with EBD is how to deliver culturally responsive instruction to students who come from a variety of different backgrounds. This article presents specific strategies for infusing culturally responsive practices into scaffolded instruction for teaching written expression to youth with EBD.
Taking Responsibility: Preparing Young Offenders to Handle Disclosure on the Job
Authors: Pham Yen K. , Unruh Deanne K. , Waintrup Miriam , Sinclair James , Johnson Michael D. , Alverson Charlotte Y.
Published: May 2017

In facilitating prosocial identity formation and preventing recidivism among adjudicated youth upon reentry to school and community, one key issue to address is the confidentiality of juvenile records. Educators can support young offenders by teaching youth to problem-solve the disclosure of past juvenile involvements. This article discusses two lessons that aim to help adjudicated youth take responsibility for past mistakes, use discretion when discussing their history, and communicate future goals to potential employers.
Is Zika Virus an Emerging TORCH Agent? An Invited Commentary
Authors: Mehrjardi Mohammad Zare
Published: May 2017

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne arbovirus from the family Flaviviridae, which had caused some epidemics since its discovery in 1947 without any significant impacts on public health. In 2015, however, a 20-fold increase in congenital microcephaly cases in northeastern Brazil was attributed to prenatally acquired ZIKV infection. Traditionally, TORCH agents have 4 common characteristics including causing a mild illness in infected mother, vertical transmission to fetus, developing several anomalies in the affected fetus, and in some instances, maternal therapy may not ameliorate fetal prognosis. Prenatal ZIKV infection has shown the aforementioned characteristics during the recent epidemics in South America and the Caribbean region; therefore, it should be considered as an emerging TORCH agent that may seriously threaten public health. Fetal ultrasound can be used as a safe, inexpensive, and easy-to-access imaging modality for detecting suspicious cases of congenital Zika syndrome in utero and suggesting confirmatory diagnostic examinations to these patients.
Personal trajectories, collective memories: Remembering and the life-course
Authors: de Saint-Laurent Constance
Published: May 2017

How do we understand the broad history to which we belong? What meaning do we give to it and what role does it have in our lives? This paper proposes to approach collective memory from the perspective of the subject, adopting a developmental perspective to explore how people build specific relations and representations of the historical past. Building on the literature on collective remembering and on life-course studies, it conceptualises memory an as oriented, culturally mediated and dialogical action with a developmental history, embodied in ‘trajectories of remembering’. This conception is applied to the life trajectory of Alain, a 44-year-old Belgian journalist, with a particular interest in the social and intersubjective dimensions of collective remembering. From this analysis, it will be concluded that people's relation to history is the product of the different positions they assume through time. The study of these successive experiences and their integration can thus shed new lights on how we relate to history and give it meaning.
Collective memory between stability and change
Authors: Glăveanu Vlad Petre
Published: May 2017

This commentary examines the relationship between stability and change within collective memory, a topic inspired by Nicholson’s paper on the Israeli–Palestinian protracted conflict and Awad’s paper on the use of symbols during the Egyptian revolution. Starting from a basic working definition of this concept as designating our relation, as individuals and communities, to the collective past, the commentary proposes a multi-layer model of collective memory including macro or societal (collective representations, ideologies), meso or group (social representations, narratives), and micro or individual/inter-personal processes (remembering, meaning-making). Instead of a more classic unidirectional model that portrays change as always beginning from the micro level and stability as attached mostly to the macro level of analysis, a bidirectional model is advanced in which stability and change take place at once and often as a consequence of the same processes, independent of their level. In the end, an argument is put forward regarding the theoretical and practical importance of considering not only ‘what’ but also ‘who’ performs collective memory.
Individual expression, cultural specificity and production bias in Ju|’hoan jewelry-making
Authors: de Voogt Alex , Ng Siu Ying
Published: May 2017

Few ethnographers have documented the personal experiences of Khoisan communities and even more obscure are perceptions about San individualism and self-expression. Yet anthropologist Richard Lee, in his book The Dobe !Kung (1984), suggested that !Kung (also known as Zu|’hoasi, Ju|’hoansi or Ju|’hoan) women use different colored beads to create intricately patterned headbands whose designs are named and should be regarded as an original art form. To date, Lee’s claim about Khoisan art in their material culture has not been explicitly corroborated or confirmed. This article questions the significance of named patterns, but substantiates the presence of artistic expression through an experiment with beads involving the Ju|’hoan. Ju|’hoan jewelry reveals aesthetic principles that do not seem culturally specific when it comes to the production of jewelry, but rather more so in the context of wearing it. The concept of production bias further separates culture-specific and material-guided elements of the jewelry production. The results confirm that Ju|’hoan beadworking tradition as an art form is reflected in the personal preferences entering the patterns as well as the color schemes and size of the final product. The cultural specificity of San self-made jewelry is mainly expressed in the way it is worn and not through the designs that are created.
Community Practitioners in Criminal Courts: Risk Logics and Multiply-Disadvantaged Individuals
Authors: Quirouette Marianne
Published: May 2017

The role community practitioners play in lower criminal courts has traditionally been overlooked in the socio-legal literature. In this article, I analyse how they use discretion and contribute to courts’ knowledge about and understanding of the problems clients (the accused) face. I focus on how they manoeuvre the courts, offering supports, service or housing; ‘vouching’ for or documenting progress, good character, compliance and potential; or educating judicial actors about social context, or therapeutic perspectives around mental health, substance use or trauma. I advance understandings of how non-justice actors interpret and use risk logics, while contributing medical, cultural and sociological knowledge that can improve practices in lower criminal courts, particularly by destabilizing assumptions about criminogenic risk management, poverty and choice.
Waiting to play: The labour of background games
Authors: Keogh Brendan , Richardson Ingrid
Published: May 2017

Mobile smartphone devices have seen the rise and proliferation of a variety of new modes of digital play. In particular, the short and sporadic modes of engagement that define mobile screen practices have seen the smartphone become home to a range of ‘casual’ game genres that promote quick and flexible engagements, in stark contrast to the enduring and committed engagements demanded by home consoles and desktop computer games. People frequently play mobile games while doing other things – waiting at the bus stop, lying in bed and watching television. This has seen the increasing popularity of a new genre of videogame play almost exclusive to mobile platforms: the background game. As we define them, background games require the player to set up a series of tasks which are then completed over a duration of actual hours while the player goes about their day. In this way, such games can be considered ‘ambient’, as they become seamlessly embedded into players’ everyday lives. Drawing from interviews conducted with mobile game players in Brisbane and Perth, this article works to articulate how background games are engaged with within existing practices of mobile and social play to interrogate and complicate existing understandings of ‘play’ and ‘labour’ around digital games.
The Influence of Heating on Toe pressure in Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease
Authors: Settembre N. , Kagayama T. , Kauhanen P. , Vikatmaa P. , Inoue Y. , Venermo M.
Published: May 2017

Background and Aim:

The toe skin temperature in vascular patients can be low, making reliable toe pressure measurements difficult to obtain. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of heating on the toe pressure measurements.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 86 legs were examined. Brachial pressure and toe pressure were measured at rest in a supine position using a laser Doppler device that also measured skin temperature. After heating the toes for 5 min with a heating pad, we re-measured the toe pressure. Furthermore, after heating the skin to 40° with the probe, toe pressures were measured a third time.

Results:

The mean toe skin temperature at the baseline measurement was 24.0 °C (standard deviation: 2.8). After heating the toes for 5 min with a warm heating pad, the skin temperature rose to a mean 27.8 °C (standard deviation: 2.8; p = 0.000). The mean toe pressure rose from 58.5 (standard deviation: 32) to 62 (standard deviation: 32) mmHg (p = 0.029). Furthermore, after the skin was heated up to 40 °C with the probe, the mean toe pressure in the third measurement was 71 (standard deviation: 34) mmHg (p = 0.000). The response to the heating varied greatly between the patients after the first heating—from −34 mmHg (toe pressure decreased from 74 to 40 mmHg) to +91 mmHg. When the toes were heated to 40 °C, the change in to toe pressure from the baseline varied between −28 and +103 mmHg.

Conclusion:

Our data indicate that there is a different response to the heating in different clinical situations and in patients with a different comorbidity.
Invisible in plain sight: A reflection on the potential and perils of an action research study of “positive deviants”
Authors: Martínez Elisa
Published: May 2017

“ Unearthing local forms of child protection: Positive deviance and abduction in Ethiopia” offers a candid reflection on the learning journey begun with women from Ethiopia’s SNNP region, to understand and prevent the forcible abduction and marriage of young girls in their community. Deploying positive deviance within an action research approach, the paper challenges development discourses and practices where “technical experts” define, diagnose and (mis)direct the lives of people living in the global South. Remaining as a challenge to practitioners and young girls is that deviation can easily be shut down once rendered legible to dominant interests, and that solutions that work locally may sidestep and legitimize a problem’s systemic causes.
Response to: Moving beyond voice in children and young people’s participation
Authors: Rodericks Andrea
Published: May 2017

This short essay is a response to the article, “Moving beyond voice in children and young people’s participation” for the Action Research Journal’s Special Issue on Development, Aid and Social Transformation. The referenced article presents research from revisits, 10 years after research ended, to participatory action research processes in Nepal and the UK in which children and young people’s voices were surfaced. The revisits sought to understand how children and youth input was valued and acted upon. In this essay, the author responds to findings from the revisits and their relevance for development practitioners who aim to contribute to transformational change. Drawing on an example from India, the essay highlights the value of inter-generational dialogue, and children and young people owned knowledge surfaced through participatory action research to support processes of transformational and emancipatory social change. It draws attention to challenges faced in the use of this knowledge by decision makers.
“Snare-Ride”: A Bailout Technique to Catheterize Target Vessels With Unfriendly Anatomy in Branched Endovascular Aortic Repair
Authors: Ferreira Marcelo , Katsargyris Athanasios , Rodrigues Eduardo , Ferreira Diego , Cunha Rodrigo , Bicalho Guilherme , Oderich Gustavo , Verhoeven Eric L. G.
Published: May 2017

Purpose: To describe a novel endovascular bailout technique for successful completion of target vessel stenting during branched stent-graft repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAA) after encountering difficulties with standard catheterization techniques. Technique: Technical difficulties when using fenestrated and branched grafts should be expected, especially in difficult anatomy or when an off-the-shelf device (eg, standard 4-branch device) is used that does not perfectly “match” the anatomy. The “snare-ride technique” facilitates antegrade transaxillary side branch catheterization and stent placement during TAAA branched grafting using a snare via a transfemoral approach. The branch of the graft is catheterized from an axillary access. The respective target vessel is then catheterized via a femoral access. An Indy snare is advanced over the transfemoral wire and positioned near the entrance of the target vessel. The transaxillary wire inside the branch of the graft is then advanced, snared, and pushed inside the target vessel with the snare. The procedure is thereafter continued with antegrade bridging of the target vessel in routine fashion. Conclusion: The snare-ride technique can be a useful maneuver to catheterize target vessels with difficult anatomy in TAAA branched stent-graft repair. Early experience shows safety and feasibility.
Analysis of defects in carcass of rubber–textile conveyor belts using metrotomography
Authors: Fedorko Gabriel , Molnár Vieroslav , Dovica Miroslav , Tóth Teodor , Fabianová Jana , Strohmandl Jan , Neradilová Hana , Hegedüš Matúš , Beluško Matúš
Published: May 2017

Rubber–textile construction of conveyor belts is widely used in various continuous transport systems. Due to the fact that complex carcass is vulcanised, its observation and analysis are very difficult to perform. The methods used so far have been based on its violent extracting, often accompanied with the formation and existence of defects. Such an analysis does not allow distinguishing between defects caused by operation of the belt or defects caused by the process of extracting itself. This paper aims to verify a new approach to examining the inner carcass of rubber–textile conveyor belts with a focus on the possibility to obtain information about its condition. This has not been possible with the methods used so far. The main focus is on the measurement of distance between the individual fibres in the warp and weft of the carcass, and simple size analysis of the identified defects. Presented results prove that the method of industrial tomography clearly identifies the defects in the conveyor belt carcass. The method enables the identification of single fibres, punctures and separation of individual layers.
“We’re Serious About Our Education”: A Collective Testimonio From College-Going Latinas to College Personnel
Authors: Kiyama Judy Marquez
Published: May 2017

Upon transition to higher education, Latinas face obstacles including cultural stereotypes, limited financial resources, racist campus climates, family responsibilities, being first generation college students, and cultural incongruities. Despite obstacles, Latinas exhibit college aspirations and goals. This article centers Latinas’ messages directed at college personnel in the form of a collective testimonio. Their messages are important for higher education professionals to consider when working with Latinas. Implications for practice, teaching, and future research are shared.
Quitting the Boss? The Role of Manager Influence Tactics and Employee Emotional Engagement in Voluntary Turnover
Authors: Reina Christopher S. , Rogers Kristie M. , Peterson Suzanne J. , Byron Kris , Hom Peter W.
Published: May 2017

Employees commonly cite their managers’ behavior as the primary reason for quitting their jobs. We sought to extend turnover research by investigating whether two commonly used influence tactics by managers affect their employees’ voluntary turnover and whether employees’ emotional engagement and job satisfaction mediate this relationship. We tested our hypotheses using survey data collected at two time points from a sample of financial services directors and objective lagged turnover data. Using multilevel path modeling, we found that managers’ use of pressure and inspirational appeals had opposite effects on employee voluntary turnover and that employees’ emotional engagement was a significant and unique mediating mechanism even when job satisfaction, the traditional attitudinal predictor of turnover, was also included in the path model. Our findings contribute to turnover research by demonstrating a relationship between specific managerial behaviors and employee turnover and shed light on a key mediating mechanism that explains these effects.
Work as Done? Understanding the Practice of Sociotechnical Work in the Maritime Domain
Authors: de Vries Linda
Published: May 2017

Pilots and vessel traffic services (VTS) operators work to improve the safety of navigation of seagoing vessels. As in many other safety-critical domains, work is increasingly characterized by the integration and dissemination of information between humans and technology, across disciplines, and over multiple geographical locations. Empirical studies of navigational assistance were analyzed with the Functional Resonance Analysis Method (FRAM) to understand what pilots and VTS operators do and how it contributes toward maritime safety. Successful assistance was found to be dependent on (1) the use of local knowledge, preparation, and foresight to integrate information from a range of sources and (2) communication and trust between the pilot, VTS operator, and the master and crew of the vessel to provide timely assistance to vessels. FRAM was found to be a valuable tool for describing sociotechnical work but was enriched by borrowing from ethnographically inspired work studies traditions, with their strong grounding in empirical studies and themes of “making work visible,” symmetry between human and nonhuman, and work as activity. This approach indicates that bringing ideas from different traditions together to understand a real work practice may bring us closer to describing “work as done” and its contribution to safe everyday operations.