bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Downward occupational mobility of baccalaureate‐prepared, internationally educated nurses to licensed practical nurses
Authors: Salami B. , Meherali S. , Covell C. L.
Published: August 2017

Aim

This study explored the experience of baccalaureate‐prepared, internationally educated nurses who work as licensed practical nurses in Canada.

Background/Introduction

Internationally educated nurses experience several barriers to workforce integration on arrival in destination countries. Given these barriers, evidence suggests that internationally educated nurses sometimes experience downward occupational mobility and deskilling in destination countries. Some baccalaureate‐prepared, internationally educated nurses work as licensed practical nurses in destination countries, but there is minimal research on this population.

Methods

We used an exploratory transnational feminist qualitative research design. Following ethics approval, a total of 14 baccalaureate‐prepared, internationally educated nurses who currently or recently worked as practical nurses in Canada were interviewed for the study. Data were thematically analysed with the aide of NVivo 11 data software.

Results

Our results revealed four key themes related to the experiences of this group of nurses: they migrate to Canada with hope for a better personal and professional life; they experience barriers to workforce integration as registered nurses and discover an easier path in the licensed practical nurse registration process; they experience deskilling and ambivalent skill recognition; and they feel dissatisfied as a licensed practical nurse in Canada.

Discussion/Conclusion

There is a need for policy to support the upward mobility of baccalaureate‐prepared, internationally educated nurses who work as practical nurses.

Implications for Nursing Policy

Implications for policymakers include the need to address the barriers to becoming registered nurses, including application processing times and lack of adequate access to educational programmes.
Responsiveness to Different National Interests: Voting Behaviour on Genetically Modified Organisms in the Council of the European Union
Authors: Mühlböck Monika , Tosun Jale
Published: August 2017

Does voting behaviour in the Council of Ministers reflect different national interests? In this article, we explore this question by studying requests for authorization of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The fact that GMOs constitute a highly contentious issue in the European Union enables us to look underneath the ‘culture of consensus’ which usually characterizes voting behaviour in the Council. We argue that the focus on one issue area can help us to discover more specific voting patterns than those that have previously been found in EU legislative studies. Indeed, based on a dataset comprising all authorization requests voted on in the Council between 2004 and 2014, we find that ministers' voting behaviour is significantly influenced by important national factors such as public opinion, party politics, and structural as well as sectoral interests.
Interpreting the genomic landscape of speciation: a road map for finding barriers to gene flow
Authors: Ravinet M. , Faria R. , Butlin R. K. , Galindo J. , Bierne N. , Rafajlović M. , Noor M. A. F. , Mehlig B. , Westram A. M.
Published: August 2017

Speciation, the evolution of reproductive isolation among populations, is continuous, complex, and involves multiple, interacting barriers. Until it is complete, the effects of this process vary along the genome and can lead to a heterogeneous genomic landscape with peaks and troughs of differentiation and divergence. When gene flow occurs during speciation, barriers restricting gene flow locally in the genome lead to patterns of heterogeneity. However, genomic heterogeneity can also be produced or modified by variation in factors such as background selection and selective sweeps, recombination and mutation rate variation, and heterogeneous gene density. Extracting the effects of gene flow, divergent selection and reproductive isolation from such modifying factors presents a major challenge to speciation genomics. We argue one of the principal aims of the field is to identify the barrier loci involved in limiting gene flow. We first summarize the expected signatures of selection at barrier loci, at the genomic regions linked to them and across the entire genome. We then discuss the modifying factors that complicate the interpretation of the observed genomic landscape. Finally, we end with a road map for future speciation research: a proposal for how to account for these modifying factors and to progress towards understanding the nature of barrier loci. Despite the difficulties of interpreting empirical data, we argue that the availability of promising technical and analytical methods will shed further light on the important roles that gene flow and divergent selection have in shaping the genomic landscape of speciation.
Viability and expression of sexual ornaments in the barn swallowHirundo rustica: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Romano A. , Saino N. , Møller A. P.
Published: August 2017

Sexual selection results in the evolution of exaggerated secondary sexual characters that can entail a viability cost. However, in species where sexual ornaments honestly reflect individual quality, the viability cost of secondary sexual characters may be overwhelmed by variation in individual quality, leading to expect that individuals with the largest secondary sexual characters show higher, rather than lower viability. Here, we used meta‐analyses to test whether such expected positive relationship between sexual ornamentation and viability exists in the barn swallowHirundo rustica, which is one of the most studied model species of sexual selection under field conditions. We found a mean positive effect size of viability in relation to the expression of secondary sexual characters of 0.181 (CI: 0.084–0.278), indicating that in this species the more ornamented individuals are more viable, and therefore of high quality. Analyses of moderator variables showed similar effects in males and females, theH. r. rusticasubspecies rather than others and tail length rather than other secondary sexual characters. Future research emphasis on other subspecies than the European one and secondary sexual characters than tail length may help identify the sources of heterogeneity in effect sizes.
The malleable brain – An educational review from students to students
Authors: Schulz Jörg B. , Hausmann Laura
Published: August 2017

The Review “The malleable brain: plasticity of neural circuits and behavior – A review from students to students” has been written by a group of students following the International Society for Neurochemistry and Journal of Neurochemistry Flagship School. Comprehensively written by students for students, it provides both an excellent educational opportunity and a state‐of‐the‐art insight into the field of neuronal plasticity specifically targeted to young researchers, and thus fulfills an important aspect of the ISN's educational mission.

Read the highlighted article ‘The malleable brain: plasticity of neural circuits and behavior – a review from students to students’ on page 790.
Histomorphometric and osteocytic characteristics of cortical bone in male subtrochanteric femoral shaft
Authors: Tong Xiaoyu , Malo Markus K. H. , Burton Inari S. , Jurvelin Jukka S. , Isaksson Hanna , Kröger Heikki
Published: August 2017

The histomorphometric properties of the subtrochanteric femoral region have rarely been investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate the age‐associated variations and regional differences of histomorphometric and osteocytic properties in the cortical bone of the subtrochanteric femoral shaft, and the association between osteocytic and histological cortical bone parameters. Undecalcified histological sections of the subtrochanteric femoral shaft were obtained from cadavers (n = 20, aged 18–82 years, males). They were cut and stained using modified Masson‐Goldner stain. Histomorphometric parameters of cortical bone were analysed with ×50 and ×100 magnification after identifying cortical bone boundaries using our previously validated method. Within cortical bone areas, only complete osteons with typical concentric lamellae and cement line were selected and measured. Osteocytic parameters of cortical bone were analyzed under phase contrast microscopy and epifluorescence within microscopic fields (0.55 mm2 for each). The cortical widths of the medial and lateral quadrants were significantly higher than other quadrants (P < 0.01). Osteonal area per cortical bone area was lower and cortical porosities were higher in the posterior quadrant than in the other quadrants (P < 0.05). Osteocyte lacunar number per cortical bone area was found higher in the young subjects (≤ 50 years) than in the older ones (> 50 years) both before and after adjustments for body height and weight (P < 0.05). Moreover, significant but low correlations were found between the cortical bone and osteocytic parameters (0.20 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.35, P < 0.05). It can be concluded that in healthy males, the cortical histomorphometric parameters differ between the anatomical regions of the subtrochanteric femoral shaft, and are correlated with the osteocytic parameters from the same site. These findings may be of use when discussing mechanisms that predispose patients to decreasing bone strength.
Structural and functional anatomy of the palmaris brevis: grasping for answers
Authors: Moore Colin W. , Rice Charles L.
Published: August 2017

The palmaris brevis (PB) is a small cutaneous hand muscle that has been described as the most mysterious muscle from a functional and developmental perspective [Kaplan () Kaplan's Functional and Surgical Anatomy of the Hand]. Functionally, the PB is considered to deepen the hollow of the palm and to protect the neurovasculature of the ulnar canal. Although the function of the PB has been inferred from cadaveric observations, the electromyographic (EMG) activity of this muscle has not been explored systematically during specific movements of the hand. The purpose of this study was to record PB intramuscular EMG activity during dynamic grasping tasks, and to quantify the change in PB muscle length (ML) and thickness (MT) incurred during maximal contraction using ultrasound imaging. Intramuscular EMG was recorded from the PB in the dominant hands of 12 healthy participants (11 males, one female; age: 27 ± 4 years) during maximal abduction, flexion and opposition of the 5th digit, and two grasping tasks. Abduction of the 5th digit yielded the greatest EMG activity in most individuals (seven out of 11), and produced significantly less PB EMG activity when compared with grasping a cylindrical‐shaped object (P = 0.003) but not a spherical‐shaped object (P = 0.130). During maximal abduction of the 5th digit, PB ML decreased in both the left (28 ± 11%; P = 0.002) and right (32 ± 5%; P = 0.002) hands. Similarly, a concomitant increase in PB MT was observed in the left (68 ± 30%; P = 0.002) and right (85 ± 44%; P = 0.002) hands during the same contraction. These EMG results indicate that the PB is voluntarily activated during prehensile and non‐prehensile movements of the hand with significant changes in muscle architecture. The study supports the preservation of the PB in surgical procedures based on its proposed protective role as a muscular barrier to the neurovasculature within the ulnar canal.
Effect analysis of intradermal hyaluronic acid injection to treat enlarged facial pores
Authors: Qian Wei , Zhang Yan‐Kun , Hou Ying , Lyu Wei , Cao Qian , Li Yan‐Qi , Fan Ju‐Feng
Published: August 2017

Objective

To investigate the clinical application and efficacy of intradermal injection of low molecular weight hyaluronic acid (LMW‐HA) for treating enlarged facial pores.

Methods

From January 2015 to May 2016, 42 subjects who sought aesthetic treatment underwent intradermal injection of LMW‐HA to improve enlarged facial pores. For each treatment, 2.5 mL (25 mg) of LMW‐HA was injected into the skin of the full face. The treatment was repeated 2‐5 times with an interval of 1 to 1.5 months between consecutive treatments. The postoperative follow‐up period was 1 to 6 months. Statistical analysis was used to compare the degree of enlargement of facial pores before and after injection. The clinical efficacy and adverse effects were recorded.

Results

The enlarged facial pores before and after treatment were categorized and subjected to the Wilcoxon matched‐pairs signed‐rank test. The difference was statistically significant (P<.01). The improvement rate was 40.03±18.41%. No infection, nodules, or pigmentation was reported at the injection sites in the subjects who sought aesthetic treatment. The overall satisfaction rate was 92.8%.

Conclusion

Intradermal injection of LMW‐HA can significantly improve skin texture, reduce pore size, and enhance skin radiance. The injection technique was simple, safe, and effective and could easily be extended to clinical practice.
Profile of children with developmental disabilities attending a complex pain clinic of a children's hospital in Australia
Authors: Garg Pankaj , Haynes Natasha , De Lima Jonathan , Collins John J
Published: August 2017

Aim

To document the profile and management of children with developmental disabilities (DD) attending an outpatient complex pain clinic at a Children's Hospital in Sydney, Australia.

Methods

Children with DD from 2011 to 2014 were identified from a clinic database, and pain relevant data was collected.

Results

A total of 107 (19.6%) of 544 children were identified with DD, and accounted for one‐third of clinic attendances. The median age was 14 years (interquartile range: 11–16) and females were slightly over‐represented (62, 57.9%). About one‐third of children had cerebral palsy (CP) from a variety of prenatal, natal and post‐neonatal causes. The lower limb was the most common site for pain in children with CP, while back pain was more frequent in children with other disabilities. Comorbid emotional disorders were significantly associated with the non‐CP disabilities. Children who required more than four clinic attendances were more likely to have comorbid anxiety/depression and to be reviewed by multiple specialists.

Conclusions

Long‐term persistent pain in children with DD forms a significant cohort of children requiring tertiary level paediatric pain services. Multisystem comorbidities and emotional disorders predict greater service utilisation. Further research into the effectiveness of multidisciplinary pain teams and interventions in this cohort of children is required.
A different perspective on sofosbuvir‐ledipasvir treatment of patients with HCV genotype 1b cirrhosis: The ital‐c network study
Authors: Barone M. , Iannone A. , Shahini E. , Ippolito A. M. , Brancaccio G. , Morisco F. , Milella M. , Messina V. , Smedile A. , Conti F. , Gatti P. , Santantonio T. , Tundo P. , Lauletta G. , Napoli N. , Masetti C. , Termite A. P. , Francavilla R. , Di Leo A. , Pesce F. , Andriulli A.
Published: August 2017

The effectiveness of a 12‐week course of sofosbuvir‐ledipasvir in treatment‐experienced HCV genotype 1b‐infected patients with cirrhosis is still under debate. Our primary endpoint was to compare the sustained virological response at post‐treatment week 12 (SVR12) of sofosbuvir‐ledipasvir in combination with ribavirin for 12 weeks, and sofosbuvir‐ledipasvir alone for 24 weeks. This was a prospective observational study that enrolled 424 (195 naive, 229 experienced; 164 treated for 12 weeks with Ribavirin and 260 with sofosbuvir‐ledipasvir alone for 24 weeks) consecutive HCV genotype 1b‐infected patients with cirrhosis. The SVR12 rates were 93.9% and 99.2% in patients treated for 12 and 24 weeks, respectively (P = .002). The baseline characteristics of patients treated for 12 weeks were significantly different from those treated for 24 weeks as regards their younger age (P = .002), prevalence of Child‐Pugh class A (P = .002), lower MELD scores (P = .001) and smaller number of nonresponders (P = .04). The shorter treatment was significantly associated with a lower SVR12 in univariate and multivariate analyses (P = .007 and P = .008, respectively). The SVR rate was unaffected by age, gender, BMI, Child‐Pugh class, MELD score or previous antiviral treatment. Patients receiving ribavirin experienced more episodes of ascites and headache but less recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and were prescribed more diuretics and cardiopulmonary drugs. No patient discontinued treatment. The therapeutic regimen of sofosbuvir‐ledipasvir plus ribavirin administered for 12 weeks was less effective than sofosbuvir‐ledipasvir alone given for 24 weeks. At odds with European guidelines, the recommended 12‐week treatment with sofosbuvir‐ledipasvir alone might be suboptimal for this setting of patients.
Long‐term balancing selection on chromosomal variants associated with crypsis in a stick insect
Authors: Lindtke Dorothea , Lucek Kay , Soria‐Carrasco Víctor , Villoutreix Romain , Farkas Timothy E. , Riesch Rüdiger , Dennis Stuart R. , Gompert Zach , Nosil Patrik
Published: August 2017

How polymorphisms are maintained within populations over long periods of time remains debated, because genetic drift and various forms of selection are expected to reduce variation. Here, we study the genetic architecture and maintenance of phenotypic morphs that confer crypsis in Timema cristinae stick insects, combining phenotypic information and genotyping‐by‐sequencing data from 1,360 samples across 21 populations. We find two highly divergent chromosomal variants that span megabases of sequence and are associated with colour polymorphism. We show that these variants exhibit strongly reduced effective recombination, are geographically widespread and probably diverged millions of generations ago. We detect heterokaryotype excess and signs of balancing selection acting on these variants through the species’ history. A third chromosomal variant in the same genomic region likely evolved more recently from one of the two colour variants and is associated with dorsal pattern polymorphism. Our results suggest that large‐scale genetic variation associated with crypsis has been maintained for long periods of time by potentially complex processes of balancing selection.
ALBA4 modulates its stage‐specific interactions and specific mRNA fates during Plasmodium yoelii growth and transmission
Authors: Muñoz Elyse E. , Hart Kevin J. , Walker Michael P. , Kennedy Mark F. , Shipley Mackenzie M. , Lindner Scott E.
Published: August 2017

Transmission of the malaria parasite occurs in an unpredictable moment, when a mosquito takes a blood meal. Plasmodium has therefore evolved strategies to prepare for transmission, including translationally repressing and protecting mRNAs needed to establish the infection. However, mechanisms underlying these critical controls are not well understood, including whether Plasmodium changes its translationally repressive complexes and mRNA targets in different stages. Efforts to understand this have been stymied by severe technical limitations due to substantial mosquito contamination of samples. Here using P. yoelii, for the first time we provide a proteomic comparison of a protein complex across asexual blood, sexual and sporozoite stages, along with a transcriptomic comparison of the mRNAs that are affected in these stages. We find that the Apicomplexan‐specific ALBA4 RNA‐binding protein acts to regulate development of the parasite's transmission stages, and that ALBA4 associates with both stage‐specific and stage‐independent partners to produce opposing mRNA fates. These efforts expand our understanding and ability to interrogate both sexual and sporozoite transmission stages and the molecular preparations they evolved to perpetuate their infectious cycle.
Prognostic value of pathologic grade for patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Xu QS , Wang C , Li B , Li JZ , Mao MH , Qin LZ , Li H , Huang X , Han Z , Feng Z
Published: August 2017

Objective

The purposes of this study were to explore both the prognostic value of pathologic grade and the relationships between differentiation and clinicopathological characteristics in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study included the records of 2036 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma who were surgically treated from June 1999 to December 2011. Chi‐square test, Kaplan–Meier analysis, and Cox proportional hazards regression model were performed for statistical analysis.

Results

Many clinicopathological characteristics were associated with pathologic grade. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that well‐differentiated tumors had a better prognosis than the other two grades. Cox regression model showed that differentiation was an independent risk factor for prognosis in patients with early stage, but not with advanced stage. The predictive abilities of pathologic grade, T stage, N status, and lymph node ratio were similar, but the presence of extracapsular spread and perineural invasion were stronger prognostic factors than pathologic differentiation.

Conclusions

Pathologic grade was found to be an independent risk factor for early‐stage oral squamous cell carcinoma, but not for advanced stage. Many important clinicopathological characteristics were associated with histological classification; however, its prognostic value was limited.
Identification and molecular mapping of indica high‐tillering dwarf mutant htd4, a mild phenotype allelic mutant of D14 in rice (Oryza sativa L.)
Authors: Wang Y.‐P. , Tang S.‐Q. , Chen H.‐Z. , Wu Z.‐F. , Zhang H. , Duan E.‐C. , Shi Q.‐H. , Wu Z.‐M.
Published: August 2017

Metabolism of strigolactones (SLs) can improve the efficiency of nutrient use by regulating the development of roots and shoots in crops, making them an important research focus for molecular breeding. However, as a very important plant hormone, the molecular mechanism of SL signal transduction still remains largely unknown.

In this study, we isolated an indica high‐tillering dwarf mutant 4 (htd4), a spontaneous mutant of rice, from the restorer line Gui99.

Mapping and sequencing analysis showed that htd4 was a novel allelic mutant of D14, in which a single base substitution forms a premature termination codon. Quantitative RT‐PCR analyses revealed that expression levels of the genes D10, D17, D27, D3 and D14 increased significantly, while expression of D53 decreased in htd4, compared with the wild type. A subcellular localisation assay showed that the mutant of D14 in htd4 did not disturb the normal localisation of D14 proteins. However, a BiFC assay suggested that the mutant‐type D14 could not interact with D3. Additionally, compared with other D14 allelic mutants, htd4 was the first mutant of D14 discovered in indica, and the differences in many yield traits such as plant height, seed‐setting rate and grain sizes between htd4 and the wild type were less than those between other D14 allelic mutants and the wild type.

Therefore, htd4 is considered a mild phenotype allelic mutant of D14. We conclude that the absence of functional D14 caused the high‐tillering dwarf phenotype of htd4. Our results may provide vital information for research on D14 function and the application of htd4 in molecular breeding.
Relative association of Rubisco with manganese and magnesium as a regulatory mechanism in plants
Authors: Bloom Arnold J. , Kameritsch Petra
Published: August 2017

Rubisco, the enzyme that constitutes as much as half of the protein in a leaf, initiates either the photorespiratory pathway that supplies reductant for the assimilation of nitrate into amino acids or the C3 carbon fixation pathway that generates carbohydrates. The relative rates of these two pathways depend both on the relative extent to which O2 and CO2 occupies the active site of Rubisco and on whether manganese or magnesium is bound to the enzyme. This study quantified the activities of manganese and magnesium in isolated tobacco chloroplasts and the thermodynamics of binding of these metals to Rubisco purified from tobacco or a bacterium. In tobacco chloroplasts, manganese was less active than magnesium, but Rubisco purified from tobacco had a higher affinity for manganese. The activity of each metal in the chloroplast was similar in magnitude to the affinity of tobacco Rubisco for each. This indicates that, in tobacco chloroplasts, Rubisco associates almost equally with both metals and rapidly exchanges one metal for the other. Binding of magnesium was similar in Rubisco from tobacco and a bacterium, whereas binding of manganese differed greatly between the Rubisco from these species. Moreover, the ratio of leaf manganese to magnesium in C3 plants increased as atmospheric CO2 increased. These results suggest that Rubisco has evolved to improve the energy transfers between photorespiration and nitrate assimilation and that plants regulate manganese and magnesium activities in the chloroplast to mitigate detrimental changes in their nitrogen/carbon balance as atmospheric CO2 varies.
Polycentric Systems of Governance: A Theoretical Model for the Commons
Authors: Carlisle Keith , Gruby Rebecca L.
Published: August 2017

Polycentricity is a fundamental concept in commons scholarship that connotes a complex form of governance with multiple centers of semiautonomous decision making. If the decision‐making centers take each other into account in competitive and cooperative relationships and have recourse to conflict resolution mechanisms, they may be regarded as a polycentric governance system. In the context of natural resource governance, commons scholars have ascribed a number of advantages to polycentric governance systems, most notably enhanced adaptive capacity, provision of good institutional fit for natural resource systems, and mitigation of risk on account of redundant governance actors and institutions. Despite the popularity of the concept, systematic development of polycentricity, including its posited advantages, is lacking in the commons literature. To build greater clarity and specificity around the concept, we develop a theoretical model of a polycentric governance system with a focus on the features necessary or conducive for achieving the functioning predicted by commons scholars. The model is comprised of attributes, which constitute the definitional elements, and enabling conditions, which specify additional institutional features for achieving functionality in the commons. The model we propose takes the concept a step further toward specificity without sacrificing the generality necessary for contextual application and further development.
Simulation and assessment tools in EBUS TBNA training: What are we waiting for?
Authors: Fielding David
Published: August 2017

See related Article
A new generation of Primary Care Service Areas or general practice catchment areas
Authors: Mazumdar Soumya , Pinzari Ludovico , Bagheri Nasser , Konings Paul , Girosi Federico , McRae Ian
Published: August 2017

Primary Care is fundamental to a well‐functioning health system. Various geographical small areas including specialized geographies such as Primary Care Service Areas (PCSAs) are used to measure primary care relevant outcomes and services, or to target interventions. PCSAs are small areas, the majority of patients resident in which obtain their primary care services from within the geography. The extent of this self‐sufficiency of use is measured by the Localization Index (LI). PCSAs have been built in the US, Australia and Switzerland using an allocation algorithm, which, while simple and easy to implement, may require the use of various ad‐hoc parameters. In this article we propose an optimization based approach to creating PCSAs, ‐ an approach which has previously been used to generate labour flow regions in Ireland. The approach is data driven, thus requiring a minimal number of ad‐hoc parameters. We compared the resulting PCSAs (or `rPCSAs') with PCSAs generated using the traditional allocation algorithm. We found that rPCSAs were generally larger, offered greater LIs and reflected patient travel patterns better than traditional PCSAs. Accounting for the larger size of rPCSAs showed that rPCSAs offered better LIs than similar sized traditional PCSAs.
Motivational factors for blood donation in first‐time donors and repeat donors: a cross‐sectional study in West Pomerania
Authors: Suemnig A. , Konerding U. , Hron G. , Lubenow N. , Alpen U. , Hoffmann W. , Kohlmann T. , Greinacher A.
Published: August 2017

Objectives

This study aimed to analyse motivational factors for blood donation in different donor groups.

Background

As the demographic change will result in a decrease of the population in age groups of blood donors, the risk of blood product shortage increases.

Methods

During a 12‐month period, every sixth blood donor presenting at the blood donation centre of the University Hospital was asked to complete a self‐administered questionnaire assessing motivational factors for blood donation. Despite the formalised enrolment protocol, frequent donors were over‐represented in the study cohort, which was adjusted by weighting donors with different numbers of donations per year in such a way that the distribution of numbers of donations per year was the same in the sample as in the donor population.

Results

Of 2443 participants, 14·3% were first‐time and 85·3% repeat donors. To “help other people” (>90%) and receiving “medical assessment of my blood values” (63–69%) were the strongest motivational factors in all donor groups. Receiving remuneration (49·2% vs 38·1%) was more important for repeat donors than for first‐time donors, whereas it was the opposite for “being taken by a friend to the donor clinic” (47·0% vs 15·5%). A potentially important observation is that 33·9% of frequent donors reported feeling physically better after blood donation compared to infrequent donors (29·5%).

Conclusion

Identification of motivational factors can lead to the design of targeted motivation campaigns for blood donation. The underlying cause of the perceived well‐being after blood donation requires further studies.
Learning an Eddy Viscosity Model Using Shrinkage and Bayesian Calibration: A Jet-in-Crossflow Case Study
Authors: Ray Jaideep , Lefantzi Sophia , Arunajatesan Srinivasan , Dechant Lawrence
Published: August 2017

We demonstrate a statistical procedure for learning a high-order eddy viscosity model (EVM) from experimental data and using it to improve the predictive skill of a Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) simulator. The method is tested in a three-dimensional (3D), transonic jet-in-crossflow (JIC) configuration. The process starts with a cubic eddy viscosity model (CEVM) developed for incompressible flows. It is fitted to limited experimental JIC data using shrinkage regression. The shrinkage process removes all the terms from the model, except an intercept, a linear term, and a quadratic one involving the square of the vorticity. The shrunk eddy viscosity model is implemented in an RANS simulator and calibrated, using vorticity measurements, to infer three parameters. The calibration is Bayesian and is solved using a Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method. A 3D probability density distribution for the inferred parameters is constructed, thus quantifying the uncertainty in the estimate. The phenomenal cost of using a 3D flow simulator inside an MCMC loop is mitigated by using surrogate models (“curve-fits”). A support vector machine classifier (SVMC) is used to impose our prior belief regarding parameter values, specifically to exclude nonphysical parameter combinations. The calibrated model is compared, in terms of its predictive skill, to simulations using uncalibrated linear and CEVMs. We find that the calibrated model, with one quadratic term, is more accurate than the uncalibrated simulator. The model is also checked at a flow condition at which the model was not calibrated.
Influence
of Scan Resolution, Thresholding, and Reconstruction Algorithm on Computed Tomography-Based
Kinematic Measurements
Authors: Tan Christopher
John , Parr William C.
H. , Walsh William
R. , Makara Mariano , Johnson Kenneth
A.
Published: August 2017

Radiographic data, including computed tomography (CT) and planar X-ray, is increasingly used for human and animal kinematic studies. There is a tendency toward using as high-resolution imaging as possible. Higher resolution imaging is one factor (in conjunction with the reconstruction algorithm), which may increase the precision of reconstructed three-dimensional (3D) surface models in representing true bone shape. However, to date no study has tested the effects of scan resolution, threshold, and 3D model reconstruction algorithm on the accuracy of bone kinematic results. The present study uses a novel method to do this where canine tarsal bones were positioned on a radiolucent Lego™ board and scanned before and after undergoing known translations and/or rotations. The digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM) images were acquired using two different CT scanning resolutions and processed using three different segmentation threshold levels and three different reconstruction algorithms. Using one bone as the reference bone, an iterative closest point (ICP) algorithm was used to register bones to a global co-ordinate system and allow measurement of other bone kinematics in terms of translations and rotations in and around the x-, y-, and z-axes. The measured kinematics were compared to the “known” kinematics, which were obtained from the Lego™ board's manufacturing standards and tolerances, to give accuracy error metrics for all bones. The results showed error in accuracy of measured kinematics was at subvoxel levels (less than 0.5 mm). Despite altering the volume and surface area of the 3D bone models, variation in resolution, segmentation threshold and reconstruction algorithm had no significant influence upon the accuracy of the calculated tarsal bone kinematics.
Reporting the Fatigue Life of 316L Stainless Steel Locking Compression Plate Implants: The Role of the Femoral and Tibial Biomechanics During the Gait
Authors: Shaat Mohamed
Published: August 2017

In this study, the fatigue characteristics of femoral and tibial locking compression plate (LCP) implants are determined accounting for the knee biomechanics during the gait. A biomechanical model for the kinematics and kinetics of the knee joint during the complete gait cycle is proposed. The rotations of the femur, tibia, and patella about the knee joint during the gait are determined. Moreover, the patellar-tendon force (PT), quadriceps-tendon force (QT), the tibiofemoral joint force (TFJ), and the patellofemoral joint force (PFJ) through the standard gait cycle are obtained as functions of the body weight (BW). On the basis of the derived biomechanics of the knee joint, the fatigue factors of safety along with the fatigue life of 316L stainless steel femoral and tibial LCP implants are reported as functions of the BW and bone fracture location, for the first time. The reported results reveal that 316L stainless steel LCP implants for femoral surgeries are preferred for conditions in which the bone fracture is close to the knee joint and the BW is less than 80 kg. For tibial surgeries, 316L stainless steel LCP implants can be used for conditions in which the bone fracture is close to the knee joint and the BW is less than 100 kg. This study presents a critical guide for the determination of the fatigue characteristics of LCP implants. The obtained results reveal that the fatigue analyses should be performed on the basis of the body biomechanics to guarantee accurate designs of LCP implants for femoral and tibial orthopedic surgeries.
Design and Development of a Compact High-Torque Robotic Actuator for Space Mechanisms
Authors: Brassitos Elias , Jalili Nader
Published: August 2017

Space robots require compact joint drive systems (JDSs), typically comprising of actuator, transmission, joint elements that can deliver high torques through stiff mechanical ports. Today's conventional space drive systems are made from off-the-shelf actuators and multistage transmissions that generally involve three to six stages. This current practice has certain benefits such as short development time due to the availability of mechanical components. However, it lacks a system-level integration that accounts for the actuator structure, size and output force, transmission structure, gear-ratio, and strength, and often leads to long and bulky assemblies with large number of parts. This paper presents a new robotic hardware that integrates the robot's JDS into one compact device that is optimized for its size and maximum torque density. This is done by designing the robotic joint using a special transmission which, when numerically optimized, can produce unlimited gear-ratios using only two stages. The design is computerized to obtain all the solutions that satisfy its kinematic relationships within a given actuator diameter. Compared to existing robotic actuators, the proposed design could lead to shorter assemblies with significantly lower number of parts for the same output torque. The theoretical results demonstrates the potential of an example device, for which a proof-of-concept plastic mockup was fabricated, that could deliver more than 200 N·m of torque in a package as small as a human elbow joint. The proposed technology could have strong technological implications in other industries such as powered prosthetics and rehabilitation equipment.
Identification and Comparison for Continuous Motion Characteristics of Three Two-Degree-of-Freedom Pointing Mechanisms
Authors: Yu Jingjun , Jin Zhao , Kong Xianwen
Published: August 2017

Two-degree-of-freedom (2DOF) pointing mechanisms, including the gimbal structure, the 1-RR&2-RRR spherical parallel mechanism (SPM), and the Omni-Wrist III, are increasingly applied in tracking devices, mechanical transmission, and artificial joint. Though they share the same number of degree-of-freedom at any given configuration, they will exhibit and transfer different motion characteristics, such as rotation and rolling, when moving continuously. Thanks to the concept of operation mode, these three mechanisms' distinct continuous motion characteristics can be identified and further compared through Euler parameter quaternions, Euler angles, algebraic geometry, and axodes so that the appropriate mechanism for tracking or transmission can be selected. At first, elementary operation modes are numerated based on the number of zero components in a quaternion. In order to acquire all possible operation modes, a set of constraint equations relating to each mechanism are formulated, and an algebraic geometry method is adopted to solve the constraint equations that are much too complicated. For rotation, namely, 1DOF (one-degree-of-freedom) operation mode, its continuous rotation axes are investigated. As to rolling, namely, 2DOF operation mode, allowing for the fact that the difference in 2DOF operation mode of the three mechanisms is not intuitive, axode characteristics of the three mechanisms are investigated and compared. It is found that from the above process of identification and comparison on rotation and rolling, the three mechanisms' distinctive motion characteristics can be effectively obtained.
Space-time domain solutions of the wave equation by a non-singular boundary integral method and Fourier transform
Authors: Klaseboer Evert , Sepehrirahnama Shahrokh , Chan Derek Y. C.
Published: August 2017

The general space-time evolution of the scattering of an incident acoustic plane wave pulse by an arbitrary configuration of targets is treated by employing a recently developed non-singular boundary integral method to solve the Helmholtz equation in the frequency domain from which the space-time solution of the wave equation is obtained using the fast Fourier transform. The non-singular boundary integral solution can enforce the radiation boundary condition at infinity exactly and can account for multiple scattering effects at all spacings between scatterers without adverse effects on the numerical precision. More generally, the absence of singular kernels in the non-singular integral equation confers high numerical stability and precision for smaller numbers of degrees of freedom. The use of fast Fourier transform to obtain the time dependence is not constrained to discrete time steps and is particularly efficient for studying the response to different incident pulses by the same configuration of scatterers. The precision that can be attained using a smaller number of Fourier components is also quantified.
Validity of Four-Compartment Model Body Fat In Physically Active Men And Women When Using DXA For Body Volume
Authors: Nickerson Brett S. , Esco Michael R. , Bishop Phillip A. , Kliszczewicz Brian M. , Park Kyung-Shin , Williford Henry N.
Published: August 2017

The purpose of this study was twofold: 1) compare body volume (BV) estimated from dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to BV from a criterion underwater weighing (UWW) with simultaneous residual lung volume (RLV), and 2) compare four-compartment (4C) model body fat percentage (BF%) values when deriving BV via DXA (4CDXA) and UWW (4CUWW) in physically active men and women. One hundred twenty-two adults (62 men and 60 women) who self-reported physical activity levels of at least 1,000 MET·min·wk-1 volunteered to participate (age = 22 ± 5 years). DXA BV was determined with the recent equation from Smith-Ryan et al. while criterion BV was determined from UWW with simultaneous RLV. The mean BV values for DXA were not significant compared with UWW in women (p = .80; constant error [CE] = 0.0L), but were significantly higher in the entire sample and men (both p < .05; CE = 0.3 and 0.7L, respectively). The mean BF% values for 4CDXA were not significant for women (p = .56; CE = –0.3%), but were significantly higher in the entire sample and men (both p < .05; CE = 0.9 and 2.0%, respectively). The standard error of estimate (SEE) ranged from 0.6–1.2L and 3.9–4.2% for BV and BF%, respectively, while the 95% limits of agreement (LOA) ranged from ±1.8–2.5L for BV and ±7.9–8.2% for BF%. 4CDXA can be used for determining group mean BF% in physically active men and women. However, due to the SEEs and 95% LOAs, the current study recommends using UWW with simultaneous RLV for BV in a criterion 4C model when high individual accuracy is desired.
Validation of an Inertial Sensor System for Physical Therapists to Quantify Movement Coordination During Functional Tasks
Authors: Tulipani Lindsey , Boocock Mark G. , Lomond Karen V. , El-Gohary Mahmoud , Reid Duncan A. , Henry Sharon M.
Published: August 2017

Physical therapists evaluate patients’ movement patterns during functional tasks; yet, their ability to interpret these observations consistently and accurately is unclear. Physical therapists would benefit from a clinic-friendly method for accurately quantifying movement patterns during functional tasks. Inertial sensors, which are inexpensive, portable sensors capable of monitoring multiple body segments simultaneously, are a relatively new rehabilitation technology. We sought to validate an inertial sensor system by comparing lower limb and lumbar spine kinematic data collected simultaneously with a commercial inertial sensor system and a motion camera system while 10 subjects performed functional tasks. Mean and peak segment angular displacement data were calculated and compared between systems. Mean angular displacement root mean square error between the systems across all tasks and segments was <5°. Mean differences in peak displacements were generally acceptable (<5°) for the femur, tibia, and pelvis segments for all tasks; however, the inertial system overestimated lumbar flexion compared to the motion camera system. These data suggest that the inertial system is capable of measuring angular displacements within 5° of a system widely accepted for its accuracy. Standardization of sensor placement, better attachment methods, and improvement of inertial sensor algorithms will further increase the accuracy of the system.
Step-Down Test Assessment of Postural Stability in Patients With Chronic Ankle Instability
Authors: Bolt Doris , Giger René , Wirth Stefan , Swanenburg Jaap
Published: August 2017

Context: The underlying mechanism in 27% of ankle sprains is a fall while navigating stairs. Therefore, the step-down test (SDT) may be useful to investigate dynamic postural stability deficits in individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI). Objective: To investigate the test–retest reliability and validity of the forward and lateral SDT protocol between individuals with CAI and uninjured controls. Design: Test–retest study. Setting: University hospital. Participants: A total of 46  individuals, 23 with CAI and 23 uninjured controls. Main Outcome Measures: Time to stabilization of the forward and lateral SDT. Results: The absolute reliability (SEM = 0.04–0.12 s; SDD = 0.11–0.33 s) of the SDT protocol was acceptable, whereas the relative reliability (ICC3, k = 0.12–0.63) and discriminant validity (P = .42–.99; AUC = 0.50–0.57) were not. Conclusions: The SDT appears to not be challenging enough to detect dynamic postural stability differences between individuals with and without CAI. However, the SDT may be capable of measuring change over time based on its good absolute reliability.
Effect of Physical Therapy Visits on Clinical Outcomes Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction With and Without Concurrent Meniscal Repair
Authors: Christensen Jesse C. , Miller Caitlin J. , Burns Ryan D. , West Hugh S.
Published: August 2017

Background:Health care payment reform has increased employers and health insurance companies’ incentive to take measures to control the rising costs of medical care in the United States. To date, limited research has investigated the influence outpatient physical therapy (PT) visits have on clinical outcomes following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) with and without a concurrent meniscal repair.Objective:To examine the relationship between the number of PT visits and patient-reported outcome scores following ACLR outpatient rehabilitation.Study Design:Retrospective cohort.Level of Evidence:2b.Methods:Patients following ACLR with (n = 62) and without (n = 328) meniscal repair were identified through an electronic medical record database.Results:Patients with more PT visits had higher knee outcome survey—activities of daily living (KOS-ADL) change scores (P = .01) following ACLR without meniscal repair. Younger patients yielded significantly higher KOS-ADL change scores (P = .05) in the same cohort. Patients in the semisupervised PT visit strata recorded an 11.1 higher KOS-ADL change score compared with patients within the unsupervised PT visit stratum (P = .02). Younger patients also yielded significantly larger reductions in numeric pain (P = .01) following ACLR without meniscal repair. No significant differences were found between PT visits and either patient-reported outcome following ACLR with meniscal repair.Conclusions:Our findings suggest that younger patients and those in a semisupervised PT visit model have superior patient-reported outcomes following ACLR without meniscal repair. Preliminary findings indicate no relationship with PT visits and patient-reported outcomes in patients after ACLR with meniscal repair surgery.Clinical Relevance:These findings promote an alternative model to outpatient PT following ACLR without meniscal repair that may be more clinically effective and value based. There appears to be a need for patients to undergo a balanced regimen of supervised PT and effective interventions that can be conducted independently.