bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Techniques Used by Bearded Capuchin Monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) to Access Water in a Semi-Arid Environment of North-Eastern Brazil
Authors: Folia Primatologica Editors , Folia Primatologica Editors , Schiel Nicola , Biondi Luiz Matos , Caselli Christini B.
Published: August 2017

The exploratory behaviour and the ability of capuchin monkeys to use tools allows them to thrive at times and places of limited food and water abundance, such as in semi-arid environments. Here, we report the behaviours employed by individuals belonging to a wild group of bearded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) to access natural water sources in a dry forest of north-eastern Brazil. An adult female employed a twig as a tool and her tail to gain access to accumulated rainwater in a tree hole, and other individuals used their hands and mouth to manipulate orchids' pseudobulbs and the liquid endosperm of palm nuts. The behaviour of wild Sapajus to access water from non-food sources may enable them to circumvent the risk of dehydration in environments with reduced availability of fleshy fruits and with ephemeral and rare water sources. Our findings contribute to the still scarce but accumulating reports on primate drinking behaviour and to the knowledge of tool use in wild populations of capuchin monkeys, enriching our understanding of primate strategies to gain access to a vital resource under challenging conditions.
Intrathecal Baclofen Pump Implantation for Type 2 Gaucher Disease
Authors: Hori Yusuke S. , Fukuhara Toru , Aoi Mizuho , Ochi Motoharu , Furujo Mahoko
Published: August 2017

Gaucher disease (GD) is the most common type of lysosomal storage disease, with type 2 being the most severe subtype. Type 2 GD patients suffer significant progressive neurological impairment, including spasticity, opisthotonus, seizure, and apnea. The recently developed enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) has shown therapeutic benefit for GD. However, as the enzymes do not cross the blood-brain barrier, ERT does not ameliorate neurological impairment in GD. Intrathecal baclofen therapy (IBT) is indicated for spastic neurological diseases, such as cerebral palsy, and studies have shown its therapeutic benefit in improving several manifestations of GD, such as scoliosis caused by muscle spasticity and respiratory function. To date, the potential benefits of IBT for treating lysosomal storage diseases such as GD have not been examined. Here we provide the first report of a patient with type 2 GD treated with IBT, and demonstrate its therapeutic benefit in ameliorating the neurological aspects of this disease.
Further Clinical Evidence for the Effect of IGF-1 on Hair Growth and Alopecia
Authors: Trüeb Ralph M.
Published: August 2017

Observations on the Laron syndrome originally offered the opportunity to explore the effect of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) deficiency on human hair growth and differentiation. According to its expression in the dermal hair papilla, IGF-1 is likely involved in reciprocal signaling. It has been shown to affect follicular proliferation, tissue remodeling, and the hair growth cycle, as well as follicular differentiation, identifying IGF-1 signaling as an important mitogenic and morphogenetic regulator in hair follicle biology. Of all the cytokines or growth factors that have been postulated to play a role in hair follicles, ultimately IGF-1 is known to be regulated by androgens. Accordingly, dermal papillary cells from balding scalp follicles were found to secrete significantly less IGF-1 than their counterparts from nonbalding scalp follicles. Herein, hypotrichosis in primary growth hormone deficiency, and a lack of response of female and male androgenetic-type alopecia to treatment with topical minoxidil and oral finasteride in patients who had undergone surgical resection of the pituitary gland, provide further evidence for an effect of IGF-1 on hair growth and alopecia.
Ascending Cholangitis due to Heavy Lifting
Authors: Bakkum M.J. , Loffeld R.J.L.F.
Published: August 2017

Gallstone disease is the most common risk factor for cholangitis. In an anatomically normal bile duct system, cholangitis does not occur without the presence of stones. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography with papillotomy and stone extraction is a well-established curative therapy for gallstones in the common bile duct. More important, papillotomy prevents recurrent episodes. The present case report describes a 73-year-old male with recurring cholangitis in a clear bile duct system after previous papillotomy. An etiology of duodenal reflux into the common bile duct due to heavy lifting is proposed.
Vom kognitiven Training zur Kognitiven Remediationstherapie: Nutzen und Grenzen
Authors: Müller Daniel R. , Roder Volker
Published: August 2017

Untersuchungen zu kognitiven Funktionsdefiziten zeigen, dass diese bei schizophren Erkrankten weit verbreitet und häufig stark ausgeprägt sind. Sie erscheinen vor allem deshalb bedeutsam, da ihnen für den Verlauf und die soziale (Re-)Integration eine zentrale Rolle zukommen dürfte. Verschiedene für die Behandlung dieser Patientengruppe relevante neuro- und sozialkognitive Funktionsbereiche wurden einheitlich definiert. Für die Verbesserung verschiedener kognitiver Funktionsdefizite liegen heute zahlreiche kognitive Remediationstherapie(KRT)-Ansätze vor, die sich hinsichtlich ihres Interventionsziels wie folgt kategorisieren lassen: Einige dieser KRT-Ansätze sind PC-gestützte Trainings zur Verbesserung von Neurokognitionen, die einem Restitutionsansatz folgend Effekte durch wiederholtes Üben der Patienten anstreben. KRT zur Verbesserung von sozialen Kognitionen verfolgen dagegen eher einen Kompensationsansatz und versuchen, mit den Patienten individualisierte Bewältigungsstrategien zu entwickeln. Diese sollen dann im Alltag zur Kompensation kognitiver Defizite anwendet werden. Weiter liegt auch eine Reihe von integrierten Therapieansätzen vor, die meist auf Gruppen ausgerichtet sind und sowohl auf Restitution als auch auf Kompensation basieren. Integrierte Ansätze kombinieren Neurokognitionen mit andern Funktionen oder der Symptomatik als Interventionsziel. Zahlreiche Studien von hoher wissenschaftlicher Qualität, die in verschiedenen Meta-Analysen quantifiziert wurden, liefern empirische Evidenz für die Verbesserung verschiedener kognitiver Funktionen durch KRT bei schizophren Erkrankten. Generalisierungseffekte auf andere Funktionsbereiche und das Aufrechterhalten der Effekte nach Ende der Therapie konnten in stärkerem Maße für integrierte Ansätze nachgewiesen werden. Die vorliegende Datenlage zu KRT steht jedoch im Widerspruch zu den für den deutschen Sprachraum zentralen S3-Praxisleitlinien der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Psychosomatik und Nervenheilkunde, die KRT «nicht für die breite klinische Praxis» empfehlen. Die vorliegende Übersichtsarbeit zu KRT soll auch diesem Umstand Rechnung tragen.
Alpha-Lipoic Acid Suppresses Extracellular Histone-Induced Release of the Infammatory Mediator Tumor Necrosis Factor-α by Macrophages
Authors: Chang Ping , Liu Juan , Yu Ying , Cui Shao-Ye , Guo Zhen-Hui , Chen Gui-Ming , Huang Qiong , Liu Zhan-Guo
Published: August 2017

Background/Aims: This study investigated signaling pathways via which extracellular histones induce the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) release from the macrophage cell line RAW 264.7 and the anti-inflammatory efficacy of the antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid (ALA). Methods: ELISA and western blotting analyses were conducted to detect the release of TNF-α from histone-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages and the associated phospho-activation of MAPKs (ERK and p38) and NF-κB p65. The effects of ALA on the release of TNF-α and phospho-activation of the MAPKs and NF-κB p65 were studied. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Extracellular histones dose-dependently induced TNF-α release from RAW 264.7 cells and increased the phosphorylation of p38, ERK, and NF-κB p65. TNF-α release was markedly suppressed by p38, ERK, and NF-kB inhibitors. ALA reduced histone-induced TNF-α release, ERK/p38 MAPK activation, and NF-kB activation without affecting macrophage viability. Conclusion: Histones induce TNF-α release from macrophages by activating the MAPK and NF-kB signaling pathways, while ALA suppresses this response by inhibiting ERK, p38 and NF-kB. These findings identify potentially critical inflammatory signaling pathways in sepsis and molecular targets for sepsis treatment.
Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor 1 and 2 Are Associated With Risk of Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Authors: Svensson Edith H. , Söderholm Martin , Abul-Kasim Kasim , Engström Gunnar
Published: August 2017

Background and Purpose—

Raised plasma concentrations of tumor necrosis factor receptors (TNFR) have been linked to arterial stiffness, cerebral microbleeds, and vascular events. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of circulating levels of TNFR1 and TNFR2 with risk for future intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).

Methods—

The population-based MDCS cohort (Malmö Diet and Cancer Study; n=28 449) was conducted in 1991 to 1996. A nested case–control study was performed in the MDCS, including 220 cases who experienced ICH during the follow-up period (mean age at inclusion 62 years, 48% men) and 244 matched controls. Of the 220 ICH cases, 68 died within 28 days. Conditional logistic regression was used to study the association between plasma levels of TNFR1 and TNFR2 and incident ICH, adjusting for known ICH risk factors.

Results—

Concentrations of both TNFR1 and TNFR2 were significantly higher in subjects who developed ICH during the follow-up. The associations remained after adjustment for ICH risk factors (TNFR1: odds ratio [OR], 2.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26–4.11;
P
=0.006; TNFR2: OR, 1.77; CI, 1.16–2.70;
P
=0.008). ORs were somewhat higher for nonlobar ICH (3.04; CI, 1.29–7.14 and 2.39; CI, 1.32–4.32, respectively) than for lobar ICH (2.03; CI, 0.93–4.41 and 1.35; CI, 0.78–2.37, respectively). TNFR1 and TNFR2 were also associated with increased risk of fatal ICH (TNFR1: OR, 4.42; CI, 1.67–11.6; TNFR2: OR, 2.90; CI, 1.50–5.58) and with poor functional outcome according to the modified Rankin Scale.

Conclusions—

High plasma levels of TNFR1 and TNFR2 were associated with incident ICH, most clearly with ICH of nonlobar location. The results suggest that tumor necrosis factor–mediated inflammation could be associated with vascular changes preceding ICH.
Failure or Flexibility? Apprenticeship Training in Premodern Europe
Authors: Schalk Ruben , Wallis Patrick , Crowston Clare , Lemercier Claire
Published: August 2017

Pre-industrial apprenticeship is often considered more stable than its nineteenth- and twentieth-century counterparts, apparently because of the more durable relationships between masters and apprentices. Nevertheless, recent studies have suggested that many of those who started apprenticeships did not finish them. New evidence about more than 7,000 contracts across several cities in three countries finds that, for a number of reasons, a substantial minority of youths entering apprenticeship contracts failed to complete them. By allowing premature exits, cities and guilds sustained labor markets by lowering the risks of entering long training contracts. Training flexibility was a pragmatic response to labor-market tensions.
Realizing Consilience in Studies of Pre-Instrumental Climate and Pre-Laboratory Disease
Authors: Newfield Timothy P. , Labuhn Inga
Published: August 2017

A special issue of the journal Quaternary Science Reviews—entitled “Mediterranean Holocene Climate, Environment and Human Societies”—demonstrates why and how historians interested in premodern environmental history should work collaboratively across disciplinary boundaries to draw conclusions. A series of mini–case studies and a survey of recent scholarship, as prompted by this collection, explores the advantages and challenges of attempting to realize such consilience. Although the special issue focuses on Mediterranean Europe during the late antique–medieval periods, all historians interested in the complex relationship between climate and societal change will find that it yields deeper reflections and issues.
Quentin Quesnell’s Secret Mark Secret
Authors: Hüller Stephan , Gullotta Daniel N.
Published: August 2017

Unbeknownst to most, in June of 1983, Quentin Quesnell made a visit to Jerusalem in order to personally inspect the Mar Saba document known as the Letter to Theodore. This is significant because it adds Quesnell to a small group of people who have testified to have seen the Letter to Theodore in person, and an even smaller group who have commented on its appearance and contents first-hand. Following Quesnell’s death in 2012 many of his personal belongings were acquired by Smith College (Northampton) and recently released to the public for viewing. Among Quesnell’s belongings was a journal full of notes, along with photos and letters to his wife Jean Higgins, all relating to Morton Smith’s discovery of the Letter to Theodore at Mar Saba and to Quesnell’s 1983 visit to Jerusalem. On the basis of these documents the following article offers a summary of Quesnell’s part in the debate over Smith’s discovery and a report of his inspection of the manuscript.
Arator Act. 1, 913 and Prud. Ditt. xlvii
Authors: Lubian Francesco
Published: August 2017

The purpose of this note is to enlighten an unnoticed reprise of Prudentius’ Dittochaeon in Arator’s Historia apostolica, which could enrich the dossier of Arator’s literary models and represent a peculiar case of interplay between biblical hypotext and poetic intertext in the poem.
Neologism and Dual Gender Status
Authors: OKOLOCHA H. OBY , YUKA LENDZEMO CONSTANTINE
Published: August 2017

Wazobia, the name of the female king in Tess Onwueme’s play The Reign of Wazobia, is a neologism derived from Yorùbá, Igbó, and Hausa respectively, the three dominant languages in Nigeria. Motivated by the relevance of Onwueme’s lexical selection and the socio-political contexts in which the play is set, the essay relies on pragmatic contexts of language usage to analyse the coinage of the name to ascertain whether it dramatizes a political attempt to advocate unity between the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria. The essay also interrogates Wazobia’s dual gender status, and the feminist implications of the fact that she does not rule as a woman but as either a man or an androgynous figure. Wazobia’s dual gender and the illegal extension of her three-year regency raise a number of questions, some of which appear to contradict Onwueme’s well-articulated feminist stance. The essay shows that the neologism of Wazobia is largely restricted to a feminist stance, canvassing intra-gender unity among all Nigerian women as a prerequisite for attaining power and emergence into politics and spaces of leadership. Wazobia’s gender duality is interpreted as Onwueme’s rejection of gender-associated restrictions. This dual status also embodies socio-political implications for unity in the male/female divide, and the Igbóo/Hausa/Yorùbá division. The work interprets the favourable treatment of Wazobia’s tyranny as Onwueme’s feminist bias and political aspirations for women.
The Transition from a Mythopoeic to a Populist Aesthetic in Selected Political Plays of Wole Soyinka
Authors: MOSOBALAJE ADEBAYO
Published: August 2017

The study examines the movement of Wole Soyinka from mythopoeic dramatic strategies to a realistic populist aesthetic in selected political plays. It also examines the cause(s) of the movement, analyses the formal pattern engendered by it, and discusses the portrayal of the military in governance in the political plays, with a view to establishing the impact of the metamorphosis on the revolutionary tenor of the plays. Three of Soyinka’s political plays are selected for analysis. The first, A Dance of the Forests, represents Soyinka’s experimentation with the mythic imagination among the pre-Civil War works from the 1960s to the early 1970s; the second, Madmen and Specialists, a Civil-War play, constitutes the watershed and middle ground in the dramaturgic metamorphosis of the playwright; and the third, Opera Wọ́nyọ̀sí, a post-Civil-War political satire, begins the history-informed plays of the mid-1970s and onwards. Using a close-reading technique, the essay argues that the personal involvement of Soyinka in the Nigerian Civil War of 1967–70, coupled with the effects of the war, his consequent incarceration, and the demands made on him by Marxist critics to employ a populist aesthetic, led the playwright to the realization that the political comprador did not heed the warnings in the mythinfused political plays of the early phase of his career, most probably because of the relative inaccessibility of their hieratic idiom. There arose a strong need to communicate in simple, accessible language addressing contemporary history. This dramaturgic movement has a positive impact on the revolutionary tenor of the plays.
Incorporating the Audience into Performance
Authors: FOLAJIMI PELUMI
Published: August 2017

The audience is an essential component of theatre performance. While actors perform on stage, the audience often contribute to the actions and activities of the performance by clapping, singing, and dancing (rhythmically shaking the body) or wooing the performers, as the case may be, or in other ways. Beyond these levels of participation, the audience can be fully incorporated into theatre performances. They can be made to perform, almost like the actors and actresses, in the play. Therefore, using Femi Osofisan’s Once Upon Four Robbers, the study investigates how the audience can be incorporated into and be made active in theatre performance. Apart from using the script of the play, the study engages the performance of the play, which was directed by Toyin Ogundeji and staged at the Pit Theatre of Obafemi Awolowo University in 2007. The essay argues that the incorporation of the audience into the play and their participation in the actions of the theatre piece enabled them to critically decide how the play should end; whether the robbers should be openly vindicated or publicly executed, after they (the audience) had seen the socio-political and economic jeopardy of Nigeria which actually led the robbers to the acts of crime and robbery. The essay concludes that the incorporation of the audience into the play helped to facilitate a convivial interaction between spectators and actors.
Rorty’s Promise in Metaethics
Authors: Donelson Raff
Published: August 2017

Little attention is given to Richard Rorty’s metaethical views. No doubt this stems from the fact that most commentators are more interested in his metaphilosophical views; most see his metaethical views, offered in scattered passages, as just the downstream runoff from higher-level reflection. This article considers Rorty’s metaethics on their own merits, quite apart from whether his global picture works. I ultimately argue that Rorty’s metaethical outlook is attractive but beset by internal difficulties. Specifically, I contend that Rorty does not and cannot remain faithful to the methodological approach to metaethics for which he advocates. At the paper’s close, I gesture at a nearby methodological approach that best approximates Rorty’s metaethical methodology.
Rorty the Outrageous
Authors: Rey Santiago
Published: August 2017

It has become all too common in discussing Rorty’s work, to distinguish the reasonable and constructive Rorty from the outrageous, destructive and irresponsible enfant terrible of twentieth century American philosophy. According to this familiar reading, one can unproblematically distinguish those rhetoric flourishes that have enraged so many of his philosophical colleagues from the substantive, and one might even say constructive, insights that are hidden in his work. However, as I will argue in this paper, this distillation process is not only hermeneutically suspicious, but actually hinders our ability to make sense of what Rorty was trying to say. Rorty’s call was to “break the crust of convention”; not for destruction’s sake but to (1) warn us against the dangers of all forms of fundamentalism and dogmatism and more importantly, (2) open up the possibilities (social, political, cultural, etc.) of a post-foundationalist, post-representationalist culture where solidarity and imagination at the service of human dignity replace the old obsession with objectivity and the quest for certainty.
What Would it Mean to Call Rorty a Deliberative Democrat?
Authors: Dieleman Susan
Published: August 2017

My goal in this paper is to determine whether there exists good reason to apply to Rorty the label “deliberative democrat.” There are elements of Rorty’s work that count both for and against applying this label, which I investigate here. I conclude that, if we can conceive of a deliberative democracy that is not informed by a social epistemology that relies on Reason; if we can conceive of a deliberative democracy that has a wider view of reason and of reasons than is traditionally understood, then we can think of Rorty as a deliberativist; perhaps as a virtue deliberativist with an expansive idea of what counts a reason and what counts as a virtue.
Weakened Machine Politics and the Consolidation of a Populist Regime?
Authors: Ogushi Atsushi
Published: August 2017

This paper analyzes changing political processes in contemporary Russia that encompass both machine politics and populism. By considering some of the relational trade-offs between machine politics and populism, this paper argues that the former, which has been a prominent feature since the 1990s, is now weakening, as is demonstrated by the recent regional policy recently adopted by the Kremlin. On the other hand, some populist elements became obvious after the Ukrainian crisis. The 2016 Duma election can be viewed in this political context. The Kremlin’s attempts to make a ‘clean’ image, and to distinguish Putin from a United Russia party reflect these underlying changes in Russia’s political processes.
Meteorological Forcing Datasets for Blowing Snow Modeling on the Tibetan Plateau: Evaluation and Intercomparison
Authors: Xie Zhipeng , Hu Zeyong , Gu Lianglei , Sun Genhou , Du Yizhen , Yan Xiaoqiang
Published: August 2017

In this paper, the reliability of the wind speed, temperature, humidity, pressure, and precipitation values of three surface meteorological forcing products [China Meteorological Administration Land Data Assimilation System, version 2 (CLDAS-2); China Meteorological Forcing Dataset (CMFD); and Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, version 2 (MERRA-2)] in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) region was investigated from 2008 to 2014. Compared with the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) observations, CLDAS-2 exhibited the highest correlation coefficient for wind speed, CMFD displayed the best coefficients for temperature and specific humidity, and MERRA-2 best reflected pressure variations. Based on the biases, CLDAS-2 exhibited the best overall performance for temperature, specific humidity, and pressure, while CMFD displayed the best performance for wind speed. The high overall accuracy and false alarm ratio of precipitation based on MERRA-2 both stem from its continuous overestimation of the precipitation frequency. Both CLDAS-2 and CMFD overestimated the nonprecipitation frequency in comparisons with CMA observations, and a significant positive bias exists in MERRA-2 based on the analysis of daily precipitation. The results obtained from the comparisons with field observations over the TP and CMA observations are similar, except for the temperature and humidity biases of CLDAS-2. The meteorological effects on the coupled land–blowing snow modeling discussed in this paper suggest that the occurrence of blowing snow and snowdrift sublimation are projected to be reduced by CLDAS-2 due to the underestimation of wind speed, continual lack of snowfall events, and the positive biases in low temperatures and humidity, while simulations of blowing processes by MERRA-2 are likely to be much more severe than they actually are. These results may contribute to identifying deficiencies associated with the development of land surface models coupled with a blowing snow model.
The Role of Health in Urban Climate Adaptation: An Analysis of Six U.S. Cities
Authors: Shimamoto Mark M. , McCormick Sabrina
Published: August 2017

Climate change threatens the health of urban residents in many ways. This qualitative study aims to understand how six U.S. cities are considering health adaptation when responding to climate change; 65 semistructured interviews were conducted with salient stakeholders across six U.S. cities (Boston, Massachusetts; Los Angeles, California; Portland, Oregon; Raleigh, North Carolina; Tampa, Florida; and Tucson, Arizona), and transcripts were analyzed to identify common themes. Each city’s (or county’s) most recent climate action plan was also analyzed. This study found that interviewees’ ability to understand the connection between climate and health was a major determinant for health adaptation implementation. In addition, institutional fragmentation in governance made it difficult to incorporate health concerns into broader climate planning. However, cross-sectoral collaborations and considerations of health cobenefits were shown to help overcome these barriers. These findings offer valuable insight regarding how policy makers and practitioners can safeguard public health from the effects of climate change.
Effectiveness of a treatment guideline for schizophrenia in adolescents: Lessons from a middle-income country
Authors: Ulloa Rosa-Elena , Arce Sofía , Victoria Gamaliel , Sarmiento Emmanuel , Jiménez Israel , Arroyo Eduardo , Díaz Calvo Ana-Teresa , Del Valle Miriam , Santos Gabriela , Rosetti Marcos , Apiquian Rogelio
Published: August 2017

Introduction:

Treatment guidelines for schizophrenia represent a standard way to manage patients, especially in countries with limited staff resources. However, they have not been compared on their efficacy with treatment as usual, despite adult studies suggesting they can be more effective.

Methods:

Inpatient and outpatient adolescents with schizophrenia were randomly allocated to be either treated according to a guideline-based treatment ( n = 43) or treatment as usual ( n = 44). The effects on symptoms, psychosocial functioning and cognition were compared in a 6-month follow-up.

Results:

There were no differences between groups in the pharmacological treatment, reduction in symptom severity or cognition. The guideline-based treatment group showed a better functioning at months 3 and 6.

Conclusion:

The guideline-based treatment had a greater effect than the treatment as usual in the psychosocial functioning of adolescent patients ( www.clinicaltrials.gov ; II3/02/0811).
Education and contact strategies to reduce stigmatising attitudes towards anorexia nervosa among university students
Authors: Sebastian Joel , Richards Deborah , Bilgin Ayse
Published: August 2017

Objective:

As a strategy for the identification and treatment of individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN), we sought to reduce stigmatising attitudes concerning AN among members of their potential social network.

Design:

Three forms of stigma were focused upon: traditional, positive volitional and negative volitional. Stigmatising attitudes were captured at baseline, and after the first and second interventions.

Setting:

Male and female undergraduates at a university in Australia.

Method:

In all, 122 undergraduate students were randomly allocated into two groups where via videos one group received information about AN from a medical professional (education) followed by a person who has recovered from AN presenting her experiences (contact). The second group received a contact then education intervention.

Results:

Repeated measures ANOVA showed that participants’ volitional stigma was lesser than at baseline following the presentation of the first intervention for both education and contact. However, levels of traditional stigma did not significantly differ. Contact was more effective in reducing positive volitional stigma than education for men, but both were equally effective for women.

Conclusion:

Study findings provides support for the value of using video-based interventions to change attitudes to stigmatised conditions and demonstrated that education and contact intervention strategies were effective in reducing stigmatising attitudes towards AN in university students.
Effects of Higher and Lower Level Writing-to-Learn Assignments on Higher and Lower Level Examination Questions
Authors: Nevid Jeffrey S. , Ambrose Michael A. , Pyun Yea Seul
Published: August 2017

Our study examined whether brief writing-to-learn assignments linked to lower and higher levels in Bloom’s taxonomy affected performance differentially on examination performance in assessing these skill levels. Using a quasi-random design, 91 undergraduate students in an introductory psychology class completed eight lower level and eight higher level writing assignments. We based both higher and lower level writing assignments on the same concepts drawn from chapters of the accompanying textbook but which differed in level of cognitive complexity. The results favored a top-down approach by showing that higher level writing assignments produced significantly better performance on both lower and higher level exam questions derived from concepts students had written about.
Magnetic Resonance and Ultrastructural Characterization of PEGylation-associated Vacuolation in Nonclinical Models
Authors: Forest Thomas , Xu Qiuwei , Kuruvilla Sabu , Vu Heather , Vlasakova Katerina , Glaab Warren E. , Hines Cathy , Xun Song
Published: August 2017

Conjugation with polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a strategy for improving the pharmaceutical properties of therapeutic proteins. In nonclinical studies of PEGylated compounds, microscopic tissue vacuolation is often observed, characterized ultrastructurally in this report by lysosomal distension. Although PEGylation-associated vacuolation appears to be of limited toxicologic concern when alternative therapies are limited, the risk-benefit considerations may be impacted by uncertainty about reversibility, lack of methods for monitoring PEG accumulation in vivo without biopsy, and the variability in tissues affected depending on species studied. We demonstrate the use of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to measure PEG concentrations at multiple time points in vivo in the kidney with comparison to PEG concentrations ex vivo in body fluids and tissue extracts using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Furthermore, we demonstrate the use of these techniques to study distribution and elimination of PEG in a dog model of PEGylation-associated vacuolation. This report suggests that MRS could be further investigated as a feasible imaging-based method for monitoring PEG accumulation in a clinical setting in conjunction with NMR quantitation of PEG in plasma and urine.
Ultrastructural Alterations in Thyrocytes of Zebrafish (Danio rerio) after Exposure to Propylthiouracil and Perchlorate
Authors: Schmidt Florian , Wolf Raoul , Baumann Lisa , Braunbeck Thomas
Published: August 2017

Histopathology is a widely used approach to evaluate effects of endocrine-active chemicals in the thyroid. However, effects at an ultrastructural level have hardly been examined in fish thyroids. In the present study, zebrafish was exposed to sublethal concentrations of propylthiouracil (PTU; 0–50 mg/L) and perchlorate (PER; 0–5,000 µg/L) for 5 weeks in a modified early life–stage test. None of the treatments caused significant mortality (no observed effect concentrations for survival ≥50 mg/L [PTU] and ≥5,000 µg/L [PER]). PTU induced dose-dependent alterations in the rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER) in all exposure groups, whereas only the 2 highest PER exposure groups (500 and 5,000 µg/L) resulted in alterations of the rER. Both substances caused an increase in the numbers of lysosomes and mitochondria, with mitochondria displaying distorted cristae. Increased mitochondrial diameters were only observed in the PTU treatment. PER-exposed samples displayed an increase in apical microvilli. The highest PTU concentration (50 mg/L) showed first signs of cellular degeneration. Ultrastructural changes in zebrafish thyrocytes thus appear specific for different chemicals, most likely depending on their specific modes of action. Additional knowledge of subcellular changes in thyrocytes can help to better understand and interpret existing histological data in the future.
Review of rehabilitation and habilitation strategies for children and young people with homonymous visual field loss caused by cerebral vision impairment
Authors: Waddington Jonathan , Hodgson Timothy
Published: August 2017

Partial and homonymous visual field loss (HVFL) is a common consequence of post-chiasmatic injury to the primary visual pathway or injury to the primary visual cortex. Different approaches to rehabilitation have been reported for older adults with HVFL and there is evidence to support the use of compensatory training over other proposed therapies. We reviewed the literature to investigate the current state of the art of rehabilitation and habilitation strategies for children and young people with HVFL, and whether there is enough evidence to support the use of these strategies in the paediatric population. We have provided an overview of the existing literature on children and young people with HVFL, a brief overview of rehabilitation strategies for adults with HVFL, and evidence on whether these different interventions have been applied with children and young people effectively. We found that there have been very few studies to investigate these strategies with children and young people, and the quality of evidence is currently low. New research is required to evaluate which strategies are effective for children and young people with HVFL and whether new strategies need to be developed.
Agile and cost-effective ultrasonic module for people with visual impairment using a headphone jack: Implications for enhancing mobility aids
Authors: Keerthi Vasan GC , Suresh B , Venkatesan M
Published: August 2017

Over 80% of the world’s people with visual impairment are living in countries which are financially dire. And over 50% of them are above the age of 50 years. The need for a system or of technology that would enable this sector of people to perceive the world in much the same way as the rest of us is imminent. The article presents a novel way to eliminate the use of data acquisition system (DAQ) systems/micro-controllers by incorporating a headphone jack. With the aid of a headphone jack, a cost-effective wearable ultrasonic module that would enable people with visual impairment to virtually see is implemented. Unlike conventional walking canes or its derivatives that do not offer effective feedback, the ingenuity in the proposed module is that it offers audible feedback to the user. The ultrasonic sensor is coupled with the headphone jack and the output of the sensor is relayed to the earphones with the help of a free mobile app (Mic To Speaker). This substantially reduces the cost of the module (since no DAQs/micro-controllers are used) and the processing needed as well.
‘Was it worth it?’ Intrathecal analgesia for cancer pain: A qualitative study exploring the views of family carers
Authors: Patel Nishi , Huddart Melanie , Makins Helen , Mitchell Theresa , Gibbins Jane L , Graterol Juan , Stevens Deborah , Perkins Paul
Published: August 2017

Background:

Intrathecal drug delivery is known to reduce pain in patients where conventional systemic analgesia has been ineffective or intolerable. However, there is little information regarding the effects of intrathecal drug delivery on quality of life and function in those with advanced, incurable cancer.

Aim:

Retrospective exploration of the views of bereaved carers regarding the physical and psychosocial effects of external tunnelled intrathecal drug delivery in patients with advanced incurable cancer.

Design:

Thematic analysis of qualitative interviews with carers of deceased individuals who received percutaneous external tunnelled intrathecal drug delivery as part of their pain management, within two UK centres.

Setting:

A total of 11 carers were recruited from two UK Palliative Care centres. Family carers of adult patients who had received external tunnelled intrathecal drug delivery analgesia for cancer pain and had died between 6 and 48 months prior to contact were included. Carer relatives who were considered likely to be too vulnerable or who had lodged a complaint about treatment within the recruiting department or who had been treated directly by the interviewer were excluded.

Results:

In total, 11 interviews took place. The emerging themes were (1) making the decision to have the intrathecal – relatives described desperate situations with severe pain and/or sedation, meaning that the individual would try anything; (2) timing and knowing they were having the best – an increased access to pain and palliative care services, meant carers felt everything possible was being done, making the situation more bearable; (3) was it worth it? – the success of the external tunnelled intrathecal drug delivery was judged on its ability to enable the individual to be themselves through their final illness. Side effects were often considered acceptable, if the external tunnelled intrathecal drug delivery enabled improvements in quality of life.

Conclusion:

Carers perceived external tunnelled intrathecal drug delivery as most valuable when it improved quality of life towards the end of life, by reducing pain and side effects of conventional systemic analgesia to enable individuals ‘to be themselves’. Under these circumstances, the carers judged significant side effects to be acceptable.
Diet-induced vitamin D deficiency has no effect on acute post-stroke outcomes in young male mice
Authors: Evans Megan A , Kim Hyun Ah , De Silva T Michael , Arumugam Thiruma V , Clarkson Andrew N , Drummond Grant R , Zosky Graeme R , Broughton Brad RS , Sobey Christopher G
Published: August 2017

Recent observational studies have reported that patients with low circulating levels of vitamin D experience larger infarct volumes and worse functional outcomes after ischemic stroke compared to those with sufficient levels. However, it is unknown whether a causal relationship exists between low vitamin D levels and poor stroke outcome. This study aimed to assess the effect of vitamin D deficiency on acute outcomes post-stroke. Male C57Bl6 mice (six week old) were assigned to either a control or vitamin D deficient diet for four weeks prior to stroke. Stroke was induced by 1 h middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) with reperfusion. At 24 h, we assessed functional outcomes, infarct volume, quantified immune cells in the brain by immunofluorescence and examined susceptibility to lung infection. ELISAs showed that the plasma level of hydroxyvitamin D3 was 85% lower in mice fed the vitamin D-deficient diet compared with the control group. Despite this, vitamin D deficiency had no impact on functional outcomes or infarct volume after stroke. Further, there were no differences in the numbers of infiltrating immune cells or bacterial load within the lungs. These data suggest that diet-induced vitamin D deficiency has no effect on acute post-stroke outcomes.
Antipsychotic Use With and Without Comorbid Psychiatric Diagnosis Among Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Authors: Lunsky Yona , Khuu Wayne , Tadrous Mina , Vigod Simone , Cobigo Virginie , Gomes Tara
Published: August 2017

Objective:

Antipsychotic use is controversial in the management of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) because of inconclusive evidence for efficacy in the absence of a comorbid psychiatric condition, and substantial concerns about adverse effects. We aimed to characterize antipsychotic use among Ontario adults with IDD and compare profiles of those with and without a documented psychiatric diagnosis.

Method:

This population-based study included 51,881 adults with IDD under 65 y as of April 2010 receiving provincial drug benefits in Ontario who were followed until March 2016 to identify those dispensed at least one antipsychotic medication. Profiles of those with and without a psychiatric diagnosis were compared.

Results:

Overall, 39.2% of adults ( n = 20,316) were dispensed an antipsychotic medication, which increased to 56.4% in a subcohort residing in group homes. Almost one-third (28.91%) of people prescribed an antipsychotic medication did not have a documented psychiatric diagnosis. Those without a psychiatric diagnosis differed considerably from those with a diagnosis. In particular, those without a psychiatric diagnosis were older, less likely to have used antidepressants or benzodiazepines in the year before, and less likely to have used ambulatory and acute care.

Conclusions:

Antipsychotic use in IDD is common, and occurs frequently without a psychiatric diagnosis. Attention toward how antipsychotics are prescribed and monitored for people with IDD in Canada is warranted to ensure appropriate prescribing.
Student Perspectives on the Flipped-Classroom Approach and Collaborative Problem-Solving Process
Authors: Karabulut-Ilgu Aliye , Yao Suhan , Savolainen Peter , Jahren Charles
Published: August 2017

The flipped-classroom approach has gained increasing popularity and interest in engineering education. The purpose of this study was to investigate (a) student perspectives on the flipped-classroom approach in a transportation-engineering course and (b) how students used the in-class time dedicated to collaborative problem solving. To this end, the study adopted a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative data included an end-of-semester survey and student course grades. Qualitative data included information from focus-group interviews with students and video recordings that demonstrated selected groups’ problem-solving processes. The results indicated that students found their flipped-classroom experience to be generally positive. Students were shown to engage in five types of behaviors during collaborative problem solving: problem analysis or understanding, individually working on problems, comparing individual work, interacting with peers, and interacting with the instructor.
Paranasal Sinus Disease in Children With Headache
Authors: Vieira Neto Ronan J. , Teixeira Karine C. S. , Guerreiro Marilisa M. , Montenegro Maria Augusta
Published: August 2017

Background:

Sinus headache is one of the most frequent misdiagnosis given to children with headache. The objective of this study is to evaluate the frequency of sinus disease in children with headache that do not fulfill the criteria for headache attributed to disorder of the nose or paranasal sinuses.

Methods:

This is a prospective study conducted at the authors’ pediatric neurology clinic. Data from children with headache was evaluated and compared with a disease control group composed of children without history of headache. All patients underwent neuroimaging assessment. Patients with diagnosis of acute infectious sinus disease were excluded from the analysis. The type of headache was classified according to the International Headache Society. Statistical analysis was performed using the Fisher exact test, with a level of significance of .05.

Results:

A total of 62 patients with headache were evaluated; 24 boys, 38 girls, ages ranging from 3 to 18 years (mean = 9.7 years). Of the patients, 29 had migraine without aura, 4 had frequent episodic tension type headache, 3 had both migraine without aura and frequent episodic tension type headache, 3 had migraine with brainstem aura, 2 had episodic tension type headache, 1 had migraine with aura. In 20 patients the type of headache could not be established. The disease control group had 41 patients; 25 boys, 16 girls, ages ranging from 3 to 17 years (mean = 7.3 years). Sinus abnormalities detected by neuroimaging were present in 12 patients in the headache group and in 11 patients in the disease control group ( P = .469).

Conclusion:

The authors conclude that sinus abnormalities are a common finding in neuroimaging tests of children with or without headache. Sinus disease disclosed by neuroimaging evaluation should not preclude the diagnosis of migraine or other types of primary headache.
Intuition in Clinical Decision Making: Differences Among Practicing Nurses
Authors: Miller Elizabeth M. , Hill Pamela D.
Published: August 2017

Purpose: To examine the relationships and differences in the use of intuition among three categories of practicing nurses from various clinical units at a medical center in the Midwest. Design: Descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional, prospective design. Method: Three categories of nurses were based on the clinical unit: medical/surgical nurses ( n = 42), step-down/progressive care nurses ( n = 32), and critical care nurses ( n = 24). Participants were e-mailed the Rew Intuitive Judgment Scale (RIJS) via their employee e-mail to measure intuition in clinical practice. Participants were also asked to rate themselves according to Benner’s (novice to expert) proficiency levels. Findings: Nurses practicing at higher self-reported proficiency levels, as defined by Benner, scored higher on the RIJS. More years of clinical experience were associated with higher self-reported levels of nursing proficiency and higher scores on the RIJS. There were no differences in intuition scores among the three categories of nurses. Conclusion: Nurses have many options, such as the nursing process, evidence-based clinical decision-making pathways, protocols, and intuition to aid them in the clinical decision-making process. Nurse educators and development professionals have a responsibility to recognize and embrace the multiple thought processes used by the nurse to better the nursing profession and positively affect patient outcomes.
Modelling digital library success using the DeLone and McLean information system success model
Authors: Alzahrani Ahmed Ibrahim , Mahmud Imran , Ramayah T. , Alfarraj Osama , Alalwan Nasser
Published: August 2017

This is an exploratory study to model the determinants of actual use of a digital library system. To do so, a research model was developed using Delone and McLean’s information system success model and explained as an empirical study. Data were collected from 978 respondents using a structured questionnaire from four different universities of Malaysia. The findings showed that the quality factors of digital library systems have a strong influence on satisfaction, behavioral intention, and variance in actual use. Information quality is the strongest predictor to measure user satisfaction, and satisfaction has a strong effect on students’ behavioral intention to use the system. In addition, user satisfaction and behavioral intention to use the system also have a strong positive relationship with the actual use of a digital library system. In brief, behavioral intentions are greatly influenced by system quality, information quality and service quality.