bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study Designs and Systematic Reviews of Interventions: Building Evidence Across Study Designs
Authors: Sargeant J. M. , Kelton D. F. , O'Connor A. M.
Published: June 2014

This article is the second article in a series of six focusing on systematic reviews in animal agriculture and veterinary medicine. This article addresses the strengths and limitations of study designs commonly used in animal agriculture and veterinary research to assess interventions (preventive or therapeutic treatments) and discusses the appropriateness of their use in systematic reviews of interventions. Different study designs provide different evidentiary value for addressing questions about the efficacy of interventions. Experimental study designs range from in vivo proof of concept experiments to randomized controlled trials (RCTs) under real‐world conditions. The key characteristic of experimental design in intervention studies is that the investigator controls the allocation of individuals or groups to different intervention strategies. The RCT is considered the gold standard for evaluating the efficacy of interventions and, if there are well‐executed RCTs available for inclusion in a systematic review, that review may be restricted to only this design. In some instances, RCTs may not be feasible or ethical to perform, and there are fewer RCTs published in the veterinary literature compared to the human healthcare literature. Therefore, observational study designs, where the investigator does not control intervention allocation, may provide the only available evidence of intervention efficacy. While observational studies tend to be relevant to real‐world use of an intervention, they are more prone to bias. Human healthcare researchers use a pyramid of evidence diagram to describe the evidentiary value of different study designs for assessing interventions. Modifications for veterinary medicine are presented in this article.
Influence of Temperature and Deformation on Phase Transformation and Vickers Hardness in Tailored Tempering Process: Numerical and Experimental Verifications
Authors: Tang B. T. , Wang Q. L. , Bruschi S. , Ghiotti A. , Bariani P. F.
Published: June 2014

Hot stamping of quenchenable ultra high strength steels currently represents a promising forming technology for the manufacturing of safety and crash relevant parts. For some applications, such as B-pillars which may undergo impact loading, it may be desirable to create regions of the part with softer and more ductile microstructure. In the article, a laboratory-scale hot stamped U-channel was produced with segmented die, which was heated by cartridge heaters and cooled by chilled water recirculation independently. It can be concluded that in order to satisfy tailored mechanical properties by introducing regions, which have an increased elongation for improved energy absorption, the minimum die temperature should be no less than 450 °C. Optical micrographs were used to verify the microstructure of the as-quenched phases with respect to the heated die temperatures. For the cooled die region, the microstructure was predominantly martensite for all the die temperatures interested. With the increase of heated die temperature, there was a decrease of Vickers hardness in the heated region due to the increasing volume fractions of bainite. The finite element (FE) model was developed to capture the overall hardness trends that were observed in the experiments. The trends between the simulations and experiments were very similar, with acceptable differences in the magnitude of Vickers hardness. The transition widths were measured and simulated and there was a quite good agreement between experiment and simulation with almost the same value of 10 mm by taking heat conduction into account.
Material properties of the shear-thickened state in concentrated near hard-sphere colloidal dispersions
Authors: Cwalina Colin D. , Wagner Norman J.
Published: June 2014

Reversible shear thickening is common in concentrated dispersions of Brownian hard-spheres at high-shear rates. We confirm the existence of a well-defined colloidal shear-thickened state through experimental measurements of the shear stress and the first and second normal stress differences in the shear-thickened state as a function of the particle volume fraction for a model dispersion of near hard-spheres. The shear stress and normal stress differences are observed to grow linearly with the shear rate in the shear-thickened state and both normal stress differences are observed to be negative. Our experimental results show the shear-thickened state of colloidal dispersions can be described by three material properties—the shear viscosity and first and second normal stress difference coefficients—that are a function of the volume fraction. All three material properties are found to diverge with a power law scaling as (1−ϕϕmax)−2 close to maximum packing, ϕmax, which is found to be 0.54 ± 0.01. We find ηr,sts > ϒ2,sts > ϒ1,sts. These results are consistent with theoretical predictions for shear thickening by hydrocluster formation and quantitatively comparable to Stokesian Dynamics simulations. We further postulate and show that these material properties are consistent with those measured for non-Brownian suspensions.
The Activity Profile of Elite Male Amateur Boxing
Authors: Davis Philip , Benson Peter R. , Pitty James D. , Connorton Andrew J. , Waldock Robert
Published: June 2014

An activity profile of competitive 3 × 3-min elite-level amateur boxing was created from video footage of 29 Olympic final and semifinal bouts in 39 male boxers (mean ± SD) age 25.1 ± 3.6 y, height 178.3 ± 10.4 cm, and body mass 69.7 ± 16.5 kg. Boxing at this level requires the ability to maintain an activity rate of ~1.4 actions/s, consisting of ~20 punches, ~2.5 defensive movements, and ~47 vertical hip movements, all per minute, over 3 subsequent rounds lasting ~200 s each. Winners had higher total punches landed (P = .041) and a lower ratio of punches thrown to landed (P = .027) than losers in round 3. The hook rearhand landed was also higher for winners than losers in round 2 (P = .038) and round 3 (P = .016), and defensive movements were used less by winners (P = .036). However, the results suggest that technical discrimination between winners and losers is difficult; bout outcome may be more dependent on which punch is “lucky” enough to be scored by the judges or who appears to be dominant on the day. This study gives both boxers and coaches a good idea of where subelite boxers need to aim if they want to become among the best amateur boxers in the world.
Longitudinal Assessment of the Effect of Age and Experience on Performance in 161-km Ultramarathons
Authors: Hoffman Martin D. , Parise Carol A.
Published: June 2014

Purpose:

This work longitudinally assesses the influence of aging and experience on time to complete 161-km ultramarathons.

Methods:

From 29,331 finishes by 4066 runners who had completed 3 or more 161-km ultramarathons in North America from 1974 through 2010, independent cohorts of men (n = 3,092), women (n = 717), and top-performing men (n = 257) based on age-group finish place were identified. Linear mixed-effects regression was used to assess the effects of aging and previous 161-km finish number on finish time adjusted for the random effects of runner, event, and year.

Results:

Men and women up to 38 y of age slowed by 0.05–0.06 h/y with advancing age. Men slowed 0.17 h/y from 38 through 50 y and 0.23 h/y after 50 y. Women slowed 0.20–0.23 h/y with advancing age from 38 y. Top-performing men under 38 y did not slow with increasing age but slowed by 0.26 and 0.39 h/y from 38 through 50 y and after 50 y, respectively. Finish number was inversely associated with finish time for all 3 cohorts. A 10th or higher finish was 1.3, 1.7, and almost 3 h faster than a first finish for men, women, and top-performing men, respectively.

Conclusions:

High-level performances in 161-km ultramarathoners can be sustained late into the 4th decade of life, but subsequent aging is associated with declines in performance. Nevertheless, the adverse effects of aging on performance can be offset by greater experience in these events.
Effects of a 10-Week In-Season Eccentric-Overload Training Program on Muscle-Injury Prevention and Performance in Junior Elite Soccer Players
Authors: de Hoyo Moisés , Pozzo Marco , Sañudo Borja , Carrasco Luis , Gonzalo-Skok Oliver , Domínguez-Cobo Sergio , Morán-Camacho Eduardo
Published: June 2014

Purpose:

To analyze the effect of an eccentric-overload training program (ie, half-squat and leg-curl exercises using flywheel ergometers) with individualized load on muscle-injury incidence and severity and performance in junior elite soccer players.

Methods:

Thirty-six young players (U-17 to U-19) were recruited and assigned to an experimental (EXP) or control group (CON). The training program consisted of 1 or 2 sessions/wk (3–6 sets with 6 repetitions) during 10 wk. The outcome measured included muscle injury (incidence per 1000 h of exposure and injury severity) and performance tests (countermovement jump [CMJ], 10-m and 20-m sprint test).

Results:

Between-groups results showed a likely (ES: 0.94) lower number of days of absence per injury and a possible decrement of incidence per 1000 h of match play in EXP than in CON. Regarding muscle performance, a substantial better improvement (likely to very likely) was found in 20-m sprint time (ES: 0.37), 10-m flying-sprint time (ES: 0.77), and CMJ (ES: 0.79) for EXP than for CON. Within-group analysis showed an unclear effect in each variable in CON. Conversely, substantial improvements were obtained in CMJ (ES: 0.58), 20-m sprint time (ES: 0.32), 10-m flying-sprint time (ES: 0.95), and injury severity (ES: 0.59) in EXP. Furthermore, a possible decrement in total injury incidence was also reported in EXP.

Conclusions:

The eccentric-based program led to a reduction in muscle-injury incidence and severity and showed improvements in common soccer tasks such as jumping ability and linear-sprinting speed.
Effect of Knee and Trunk Angle on Kinetic Variables During the Isometric Midthigh Pull: Test–Retest Reliability
Authors: Comfort Paul , Jones Paul. A. , McMahon John J. , Newton Robert
Published: June 2014

The isometric midthigh pull (IMTP) has been used to monitor changes in force, maximum rate of force development (mRFD), and impulse, with performance in this task being associated with performance in athletic tasks. Numerous postures have been adopted in the literature, which may affect the kinetic variables during the task; therefore, the aim of this investigation was to determine whether different knee-joint angles (120°, 130°, 140°, and 150°) and hip-joint angles (125° and 145°), including the subjects preferred posture, affect force, mRFD, and impulse during the IMTP. Intraclass correlation coefficients demonstrated high within-session reliability (r ≥ .870, P < .001) for all kinetic variables determined in all postures, excluding impulse measures during the 130° knee-flexion, 125° hip-flexion posture, which showed a low to moderate reliability (r = .666–.739, P < .001), while between-sessions testing demonstrated high reliability (r > .819, P < .001) for all kinetic variables. There were no significant differences in peak force (P > .05, Cohen d = 0.037, power = .408), mRFD (P > .05, Cohen d = 0.037, power = .409), or impulse at 100 ms (P > .05, Cohen d = 0.056, power = .609), 200 ms (P > .05, Cohen d = 0.057, power = .624), or 300 ms (P > .05, Cohen d = 0.061, power = .656) across postures. Smallest detectable differences demonstrated that changes in performance of >1.3% in peak isometric force, >10.3% in mRFD, >5.3% in impulse at 100 ms, >4.4% in impulse at 200 ms, and >7.1% in impulse at 300 ms should be considered meaningful, irrespective of posture.
Forearm Position’s Alteration of Radial-Head Impingement on Wrist-Extensor Tendons
Authors: Ranger Tom A. , Braybon Wendy M. , Purdam Craig R. , Cook Jill L.
Published: June 2014

Context:

Lateral epicondylalgia, pain at the lateral elbow, is commonly associated with extensor carpi radialis brevis tendinopathy. The radial head, which abuts the extensor tendons and is elliptical in shape, may affect the extensor tendons during pronation of the forearm. Cadaverous studies have shown that the radial head may act as a cam in pronation, to offer a mechanical advantage to the common extensor tendon and to mitigate load on the origin of the extensor carpi radialis brevis tendon.

Objective:

To determine the effect of radial-head position on the wrist-extensor tendons in vivo.

Design:

Repeated-measures design.

Setting:

Laboratory.

Participants:

22 participants (12 male, 2 left-handed).

Main Outcome Measures:

Distance (mm) from subcutaneous fascia to radial head measured by ultrasound.

Results:

The radial head in supination was significantly deeper than either pronation or midprone, indicating a smaller cam effect in supination.

Conclusion:

The authors recommend that the effect of radial-head position and its relationship to the area of tendon pathology be considered clinically in the rehabilitation of patients suffering from lateral epicondylalgia.
The Effect of a 3-Month Prevention Program on the Jump-Landing Technique in Basketball: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Aerts Inne , Cumps Elke , Verhagen Evert , Wuyts Bram , Van De Gucht Sam , Meeusen Romain
Published: June 2014

Context:

In jump-landing sports, the injury mechanism that most frequently results in an injury is the jump-landing movement. Influencing the movement patterns and biomechanical predisposing factors are supposed to decrease injury occurrence.

Objectives:

To evaluate the influence of a 3-mo coach-supervised jump-landing prevention program on jump-landing technique using the jump-landing scoring (JLS) system.

Design:

Randomized controlled trial.

Setting:

On-field.

Participants:

116 athletes age 15–41 y, with 63 athletes in the control group and 53 athletes in the intervention group. Intervention: The intervention program in this randomized control trial was administered at the start of the basketball season 2010–11. The jump-landing training program, supervised by the athletic trainers, was performed for a period of 3 mo.

Main Outcome Measures:

The jump-landing technique was determined by registering the jump-landing technique of all athletes with the JLS system, pre- and postintervention.

Results:

After the prevention program, the athletes of the male and female intervention groups landed with a significantly less erect position than those in the control groups (P < .05). This was presented by a significant improvement in maximal hip flexion, maximal knee flexion, hip active range of motion, and knee active range of motion. Another important finding was that postintervention, knee valgus during landing diminished significantly (P < .05) in the female intervention group compared with their control group. Furthermore, the male intervention group significantly improved (P < .05) the scores of the JLS system from pre- to postintervention.

Conclusion:

Malalignments such as valgus position and insufficient knee flexion and hip flexion, previously identified as possible risk factors for lower-extremity injuries, improved significantly after the completion of the prevention program. The JLS system can help in identifying these malalignments.

Level of Evidence:

Therapy, prevention, level 1b.
Single-electron transmetalation in organoboron cross-coupling by photoredox/nickel dual catalysis
Authors: Tellis John C. , Primer David N. , Molander Gary A.
Published: June 2014

A bright outlook for carbon coupling

In contemporary organic chemistry, it is straightforward to forge bonds between unsaturated carbons (i.e., carbons already engaged in double bonds) using cross-coupling catalysis. The protocol runs into some trouble, however, if one or both starting carbon centers are saturated (purely single-bonded). Tellis
et al.
and Zuo
et al.
independently found that combining a second, light-activated catalyst with a nickel cross-coupling catalyst could achieve selective coupling of saturated and unsaturated reagents (see the Perspective by Lloyd-Jones and Ball). Their methods rely on single-electron transfer from the light-activated catalyst to the saturated carbon, thereby enhancing its reactivity more effectively than the twoelectron mechanisms prevailing in traditional protocols.

Science
, this issue p.
433
, p.
437
; see also p.
381
Invisibility cloaking in a diffusive light scattering medium
Authors: Schittny Robert , Kadic Muamer , Bückmann Tiemo , Wegener Martin
Published: June 2014

To cast no shadow in a murky medium

Cloaks can hide objects from view, but what about their shadows? Schittny
et al.
devised a cloak to remove even the shadow of an object embedded in a murky medium in front of a computer screen (see the Perspective by Smith). They engineered a core-shell structure within which an object could be hidden and tailored the optical properties of the cloak to match that of the medium. Light was routed around the cloak, leaving no trace of the hidden object.

Science
, this issue p.
427
; see also p.
384
Merging photoredox with nickel catalysis: Coupling of α-carboxyl sp
3
-carbons with aryl halides
Authors: Zuo Zhiwei , Ahneman Derek T. , Chu Lingling , Terrett Jack A. , Doyle Abigail G. , MacMillan David W. C.
Published: June 2014

A bright outlook for carbon coupling

In contemporary organic chemistry, it is straightforward to forge bonds between unsaturated carbons (i.e., carbons already engaged in double bonds) using cross-coupling catalysis. The protocol runs into some trouble, however, if one or both starting carbon centers are saturated (purely single-bonded). Tellis
et al.
and Zuo
et al.
independently found that combining a second, light-activated catalyst with a nickel cross-coupling catalyst could achieve selective coupling of saturated and unsaturated reagents (see the Perspective by Lloyd-Jones and Ball). Their methods rely on single-electron transfer from the light-activated catalyst to the saturated carbon, thereby enhancing its reactivity more effectively than the twoelectron mechanisms prevailing in traditional protocols.

Science
, this issue p.
433
, p.
437
; see also p.
381
Genome Sequences of Two Temperate Phages, ΦCB2047-A and ΦCB2047-C, Infecting
Sulfitobacter
sp. Strain 2047
Authors: Ankrah Nana Y. D. , Budinoff Charles R. , Wilson William H. , Wilhelm Steven W. , Buchan Alison
Published: June 2014

We announce the complete genome sequences of two temperate
Podoviridae
,
Sulfitobacter
phages ΦCB2047-A and ΦCB2047-C, which infect
Sulfitobacter
sp. strain 2047, a member of the
Roseobacter
clade. This is the first report of temperate podophage infecting members of the
Sulfitobacter
genus of the
Roseobacter
clade.
Draft Genome Sequence of Defluviimonas indica Strain 20V17
T
, Isolated from a Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vent Environment in the Southwest Indian Ocean
Authors: Jiang Lijing , Long Minnan , Shao Zongze
Published: June 2014

Here, we present the draft genome sequence of
Defluviimonas indica
20V17
T
, which was isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent chimney sample in the southwest Indian Ocean. The draft genome sequence contains 4,268,338 bp, with a G+C content of 66.33%.
Complete Genome Sequence of a Newcastle Disease Virus Isolated from Wild Peacock (
Pavo cristatus
) in India
Authors: Khulape Sagar A. , Gaikwad Satish S. , Chellappa Madhan Mohan , Mishra Bishnu Prasad , Dey Sohini
Published: June 2014

We report here the complete genome sequence of a Newcastle disease virus (NDV) isolated from a wild peacock. Phylogenetic analysis showed that it belongs to genotype II, class II of NDV strains. This study helps to understand the ecology of NDV strains circulating in a wild avian host of this geographical region during the outbreak of 2012 in northwest India.
Draft Genome Sequence of
Pseudomonas
sp. Strain Ant30-3, a Psychrotolerant Bacterium with Biodegradative Attribute Isolated from Antarctica
Authors: Koo Hyunmin , Basu Malay K. , Crowley Michael , Aislabie Jackie , Bej Asim K.
Published: June 2014

Pseudomonas
sp. strain Ant30-3, isolated from fuel-contaminated Antarctic soil, exhibited distinctive psychrotolerant attributes and the potential for degrading aromatic hydrocarbon compounds at cold temperatures. We report here the 6.14-Mb draft genome of Ant30-3, which will provide insights into the genomic basis for the psychrotolerant and biodegradative properties of this bacterium.
Draft Genome Sequence of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Clinical Isolate C2, Belonging to the Latin American–Mediterranean Family
Authors: Liao Yu-Chieh , Chen Yih-Yuan , Lin Hsin-Hung , Chang Jia-Ru , Su Ih-Jen , Huang Tsi-Shu , Dou Horng-Yunn
Published: June 2014

Tuberculosis remains a major infectious disease in Taiwan. Here we present the draft genome sequence of the
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
C2 strain, belonging to the Latin American–Mediterranean lineage. The draft genome sequence comprises 4,453,307 bp with a G+C content of 65.6%, revealing 4,390 coding genes and 45 tRNA genes.
Complete Genome Sequence of the Highly Transformable Pseudomonas stutzeri Strain 28a24
Authors: Smith Brian A. , Dougherty Kevin M. , Baltrus David A.
Published: June 2014

Here, we report the complete genome sequence for an isolate of
Pseudomonas stutzeri
that is highly competent for natural transformation. This sequence enables insights into the genetic basis of natural transformation rate variations and provides an additional data point for genomic comparisons across a ubiquitous and highly diverse bacterial species.
Draft Genome Sequence of
Aspergillus oryzae
100-8, an Increased Acid Protease Production Strain
Authors: Zhao Guozhong , Yao Yunping , Hou Lihua , Wang Chunling , Cao Xiaohong
Published: June 2014

Aspergillus oryzae
is a common fungus for traditional fermentation in Asia, such as spirit, soybean paste, and soy sauce fermentation. We report the 36.7-Mbp draft genome sequence of
A. oryzae
100-8 and compared it to the published genome sequence of
A. oryzae
3.042.
Draft Genome Sequence of
Geobacillus thermopakistaniensis
Strain MAS1
Authors: Siddiqui Masood Ahmed , Rashid Naeem , Ayyampalayam Saravanaraj , Whitman William B.
Published: June 2014

Geobacillus thermopakistaniensis
strain MAS1 was isolated from a hot spring located in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. The draft genome sequence was 3.5 Mb and identified a number of genes of potential industrial importance, including genes encoding glycoside hydrolases, pullulanase, amylopullulanase, glycosidase, and alcohol dehydrogenases.
Complete Genome Sequences of Salmonella enterica Serovar Heidelberg Strains Associated with a Multistate Food-Borne Illness Investigation
Authors: Evans Peter S. , Luo Yan , Muruvanda Tim , Ayers Sherry , Hiatt Brian , Hoffman Maria , Zhao Shaohua , Allard Marc W. , Brown Eric W.
Published: June 2014

Next-generation sequencing is being evaluated for use with food-borne illness investigations, especially when the outbreak strains produce patterns that cannot be discriminated from non-outbreak strains using conventional procedures. Here we report complete genome assemblies of two
Salmonella enterica
serovar Heidelberg strains with a common pulsed-field gel electrophoresis pattern isolated during an outbreak investigation.
Atypical neuroimaging in Wilson’s disease
Authors: Patell Rushad , Dosi Rupal , Joshi Harshal K , Storz Dennis
Published: June 2014

Wilson's disease is a rare metabolic disease involving copper metabolism. Neuroimaging plays an important part in evaluation of patients with a neuropsychiatric presentation. We present a case of a 14-year-old girl with atypical confluent white matter disease and cystic degeneration on MRI, with a rapidly progressive course, who succumbed to complications despite treatment with trientine. Wilson's disease should be considered as a differential for leucoencephalopathy in young patients with progressive neurological disease for its early recognition and optimum outcome.
Squamous cell carcinoma of external auditory canal lacking epidermal growth factor receptor protein overexpression, in an elderly Omani with oculocutaneous albinism treated with palliative radiotherapy
Authors: Furrukh Muhammad , Mufti Taha , Hamid Rana Shoaib , Qureshi Asim
Published: June 2014

We report a case of squamous cell carcinoma of external auditory canal in an Omani man with oculocutaneous albinism. The disease mimicked inflammatory process revealing positive cultures for various microorganisms during the course of his illness. He was eventually biopsied to rule out atypical infective process or presence of malignancy. He was staged as T4N0M0 and treated with radical doses of palliative radiation therapy which was very well tolerated and resulted in a complete resolution of disease clinically and a major soft tissue response on radiological imaging. Another unique finding was the absence of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) protein overexpression in the tumour specimen. More than 90% of mucosal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) involving the head and neck region overexpress the EGFR protein in normal skin patients. SCC is the predominant cutaneous malignancy in albinos, and the presence of EGFR protein overexpression in cutaneous SCC is believed to be 56–58% in normal skin patients. The scientific literature is scarce on reporting incidence of EGFR overexpression in either cutaneous or mucosal SCC in albinos, and it remains to be defined whether being albino is the cause for its absence.
A case of unilateral phthiriasis palpebrarum infestation involving the left eye
Authors: Ashraf Mohammad , Waris Abdul , Kumar Ashwini , Akhtar Nahid
Published: June 2014

Phthiriasis palpebrarum is a rare cause of eyelid infestation. We report a case of unilateral phthiriasis palpebrarum. A 28-year-old man presented with moderate itching associated with lacrimation and irritation in the left eye. The initial evaluation of the patient revealed multiple white dots on the left upper eyelashes. Slit-lamp examination revealed multiple nits attached to the base and shaft of the cilia. There was no hyperaemia or discharge present in the conjunctiva and the cornea was clear and shiny. The right eye was perfectly normal. The patient was treated with moxifloxacin eye ointment and was completely cured in 1 week.
Hot tonsillectomy for paediatric obstructive sleep apnoea
Authors: Coyle Paula , Marzouk Sherief Deya , Gerolympou Margarita , Marais Joe
Published: June 2014

Obstructive sleep apnoea is a common presentation in paediatric ear, nose and tongue (ENT) outpatients. The use of sleep studies is controversial however once a diagnosis has been made, frequently treatment is surgery. Should these patients be operated on as urgent cases? A 5-year-old boy was admitted under the paediatric team with difficultly breathing and desaturations to 77%. The patient had previously been seen by ENT as an outpatient with an 8-month history of obstructive sleep apnoea and was listed for an adenotonsillectomy with the standard waiting time. During this admission he had an emergency adenotonsillectomy. The patient improved immediately with no large desaturations in recovery and normal observations throughout his stay. It is never ideal to do a paediatric emergency operation and we have reviewed the evidence base to answer the question: Should these patients be treated urgently when seen in outpatients?
Implant rehabilitation in bruxism patient
Authors: Goiato Marcelo Coelho , Sonego Mariana Vilela , dos Santos Daniela Micheline , da Silva Emily Vivianne Freitas
Published: June 2014

A white female patient presented to the university clinic to obtain implant retained prostheses. She had an edentulous maxillary jaw and presented three teeth with poor prognosis (33, 34 and 43). The alveolar bone and the surrounding tissues were healthy. The patient did not report any relevant medical history contraindicating routine dental treatment or implant surgery, but self-reported a dental history of asymptomatic nocturnal bruxism. The treatment plan was set and two Branemark protocols supported by six implants in each arch were installed after a 6-month healing period. A soft occlusal splint was made due to the patient's history of bruxism, and the lack of its use by the patient resulted in an acrylic fracture. The prosthesis was repaired and the importance of using the occlusal splint was restated. In the 4-year follow-up no fractures were reported.
Management of a mixed overdose of calcium channel blockers, β-blockers and statins
Authors: Thakrar Reena , Shulman Rob , Bellingan Geoff , Singer Mervyn
Published: June 2014

We describe a case of extreme mixed overdose of calcium channel blockers, β-blockers and statins. The patient was successfully treated with aggressive resuscitation including cardiac pacing and multiorgan support, glucagon and high-dose insulin for toxicity related to calcium channel blockade and β-blockade, and ubiquinone for treating severe presumed statin-induced rhabdomyolysis and muscle weakness.
Unexpectedly long hospital stays as an indicator of risk of unsafe care: an exploratory study
Authors: Borghans Ine , Hekkert Karin D , den Ouden Lya , Cihangir Sezgin , Vesseur Jan , Kool Rudolf B , Westert Gert P
Published: June 2014

Objectives

We developed an outcome indicator based on the finding that complications often prolong the patient's hospital stay. A higher percentage of patients with an unexpectedly long length of stay (UL-LOS) compared to the national average may indicate shortcomings in patient safety. We explored the utility of the UL-LOS indicator.

Setting

We used data of 61 Dutch hospitals. In total these hospitals had 1 400 000 clinical discharges in 2011.

Participants

The indicator is based on the percentage of patients with a prolonged length of stay of more than 50% of the expected length of stay and calculated among survivors.

Interventions

No interventions were made.

Outcome measures

The outcome measures were the variability of the indicator across hospitals, the stability over time, the correlation between the UL-LOS and standardised mortality and the influence on the indicator of hospitals that did have problems discharging their patients to other health services such as nursing homes.

Results

In order to compare hospitals properly the expected length of stay was computed based on comparison with benchmark populations. The standardisation was based on patients’ age, primary diagnosis and main procedure. The UL-LOS indicator showed considerable variability between the Dutch hospitals: from 8.6% to 20.1% in 2011. The outcomes had relatively small CIs since they were based on large numbers of patients. The stability of the indicator over time was quite high. The indicator had a significant positive correlation with the standardised mortality (r=0.44 (p<0.001)), and no significant correlation with the percentage of patients that was discharged to other facilities than other hospitals and home (r=−0.15 (p>0.05)).

Conclusions

The UL-LOS indicator is a useful addition to other patient safety indicators by revealing variation between hospitals and areas of possible patient safety improvement.
Coproduction in commissioning decisions: is there an association with decision satisfaction for commissioners working in the NHS? A cross-sectional survey 2010/2011
Authors: Taylor-Phillips Sian , Clarke Aileen , Grove Amy , Swan Jacky , Parsons Helen , Gkeredakis Emmanouil , Mills Penny , Powell John , Nicolini Davide , Roginski Claudia , Scarbrough Harry
Published: June 2014

Objectives

To undertake an assessment of the association between coproduction and satisfaction with decisions made for local healthcare communities.

Design

A coproduction scale was developed and tested to measure individual National Health Service (NHS) commissioners’ satisfaction with commissioning decisions.

Setting

11 English Primary Care Trusts in 2010–2011.

Participants

Staff employed at NHS band 7 or above involved in commissioning decisions in the NHS. 345/440 (78%) of participants completed part of all of the survey.

Main outcome measure

Reliability and validity of a coproduction scale were assessed using a correlation-based principal component analysis model with direct oblimin rotation. Multilevel modelling was used to predict decision satisfaction.

Results

The analysis revealed that coproduction consisted of three principal components: productive discussion, information and dealing with uncertainty. Higher decision satisfaction was associated with smaller decisions, more productive discussion, decisions where information was readily available to use and those where decision-making tools were more often used.

Conclusions

The research indicated that coproduction may be an important factor for satisfaction with decision-making in the commissioning of healthcare services.
Work stress, work motivation and their effects on job satisfaction in community health workers: a cross-sectional survey in China
Authors: Li Li , Hu Hongyan , Zhou Hao , He Changzhi , Fan Lihua , Liu Xinyan , Zhang Zhong , Li Heng , Sun Tao
Published: June 2014

Objective

It is well documented that both work stress and work motivation are key determinants of job satisfaction. The aim of this study was to examine levels of work stress and motivation and their contribution to job satisfaction among community health workers in Heilongjiang Province, China.

Design

Cross-sectional survey.

Setting

Heilongjiang Province, China.

Participants

The participants were 930 community health workers from six cities in Heilongjiang Province.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Multistage sampling procedures were used to measure socioeconomic and demographic status, work stress, work motivation and job satisfaction. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess key determinants of job satisfaction.

Results

There were significant differences in some subscales of work stress and work motivation by some of the socioeconomic characteristics. Levels of overall stress perception and scores on all five work stress subscales were higher in dissatisfied workers relative to satisfied workers. However, levels of overall motivation perception and scores on the career development, responsibility and recognition motivation subscales were higher in satisfied respondents relative to dissatisfied respondents. The main determinants of job satisfaction were occupation; age; title; income; the career development, and wages and benefits subscales of work stress; and the recognition, responsibility and financial subscales of work motivation.

Conclusions

The findings indicated considerable room for improvement in job satisfaction among community health workers in Heilongjiang Province in China. Healthcare managers and policymakers should take both work stress and motivation into consideration, as two subscales of work stress and one subscale of work motivation negatively influenced job satisfaction and two subscales of work motivation positively influenced job satisfaction.
Physical activity, diet and BMI in children aged 6–8 years: a cross-sectional analysis
Authors: Basterfield Laura , Jones Angela R , Parkinson Kathryn N , Reilly Jessica , Pearce Mark S , Reilly John J , Adamson Ashley J ,   The Gateshead Millennium Study Core Team
Published: June 2014

Objective

To assess relationships between current physical activity (PA), dietary intake and body mass index (BMI) in English children.

Design and setting

Longitudinal birth cohort study in northeast England, cross-sectional analysis.

Participants

425 children (41% of the original cohort) aged 6–8 years (49% boys).

Main outcome measures

PA over 7 days was measured objectively by an accelerometer; three categories of PA were created: ‘active’ ≥60 min/day moderate-to-vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA); ‘moderately active’ 30–59 min/day MVPA; ‘inactive’ <30 min/day MVPA. Dietary intake over 4 days was measured using a prospective dietary assessment tool which incorporated elements of the food diary and food frequency methods. Three diet categories were created: ‘healthy’, ‘unhealthy’ and ‘mixed’, according to the number of portions of different foods consumed. Adherence to the ‘5-a-day’ recommendations for portions of fruit and vegetables was also assessed. Children were classified as ‘healthy weight’ or ‘overweight or obese’ (OW/OB) according to International Obesity Taskforce cutpoints for BMI. Associations between weight status and PA/diet categories were analysed using logistic regression.

Results

Few children met the UK-recommended guidelines for either MVPA or fruit and vegetable intake, with just 7% meeting the recommended amount of MVPA of 60 min/day, and 3% meeting the 5-a-day fruit and vegetable recommendation. Higher PA was associated with a lower OR for OW/OB in boys only (0.20, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.88). There was no association detected between dietary intake and OW/OB in either sex.

Conclusions

Increasing MVPA may help to reduce OW/OB in boys; however, more research is required to examine this relationship in girls. Children are not meeting the UK guidelines for diet and PA, and more needs to be done to improve this situation.
Patients’ experiences of acupuncture and counselling for depression and comorbid pain: a qualitative study nested within a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Hopton Ann , Eldred Janet , MacPherson Hugh
Published: June 2014

Introduction

Depression and pain frequently occur together and impact on outcomes of existing treatment for depression. Additional treatment options are required. This study aimed to explore patients’ experiences of depression, the processes of change within acupuncture and counselling, and the elements that contributed to longer-term change.

Methods

In a substudy nested within a randomised controlled trial of acupuncture or counselling compared with usual care alone for depression, semistructured interviews of 52 purposively sampled participants were conducted and analysed using thematic analysis.

Results

Differences were reported by participants regarding their experience of depression with comorbid pain compared with depression alone. Along with physical symptoms often related to fatigue and sleep, participants with depression and comorbid pain generally had fewer internal and external resources available to manage their depression effectively. Those who had physical symptoms and were receiving acupuncture commonly reported that these were addressed as part of the treatment. For those receiving counselling, there was less emphasis on physical symptoms and more on help with gaining an understanding of themselves and their situation. Over the course of treatment, most participants in both groups reported receiving support to cope with depression and pain independently of treatment, with a focus on relevant lifestyle and behaviour changes. The establishment of a therapeutic relationship and their active engagement as participants were identified as important components of treatment.

Conclusions

Participants with and without comorbid pain received acupuncture or counselling for depression, and reported specific identifiable treatment effects. The therapeutic relationship and participants’ active engagement in recovery may play distinct roles in driving long-term change. Patients who present with depression and physical symptoms of care may wish to consider a short course of acupuncture to relieve symptoms prior to a referral for counselling if needed.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN63787732.
Treatment of peroneal paralysis with transposition of vastus lateralis muscle in calves
Authors: Kilic E. , Yayla S. , Aksoy O. , Ozaydin I. , Ermutlu C. Ş.
Published: June 2014

This study aimed to clinically evaluate the results achieved by using tendon transposition to treat postinjection peroneal paralysis in calves. The study material consisted of 23 calves in all of which the clinical history indicated the problem had occurred within 1–3 days of intramuscular injection. Each patient was administered medical treatment for three weeks. After that, a decision was made to perform tendon transposition in all the subjects because their prognosis was estimated to be poor. The owners of five of the calves did not agree to the operation, and so, medical treatment was continued. Following intrathecal anaesthesia, the vastus lateralis muscle was dissected at the insertion, and the musculus (m) extensor (ext) digitalis (dig) longus and m fibularis tertius were dissected at the origin in 18 calves. The tendon ends were joined by using the locking loop suture technique in the 18 calves. Follow‐up after two to three months revealed hind limb use in all surgically treated calves, while the medically treated calves had to be slaughtered because of lameness and decubitus. The results of the present study suggest that the peroneal paralysis of calves can be successfully treated by a tendon transposition technique.
Field investigation of the axial resistance of helical piles in dense sand
Authors: Gavin Kenneth , Doherty Paul , Tolooiyan Ali
Published: June 2014

This paper presents the results of compression and tension load tests performed on a single helical pile installed in dense sand. The pile was instrumented using strain gauges that allowed the shaft and base load resistance to be separated and the distribution of shaft resistance along the pile during the test to be determined. The pile was loaded first in compression, with a maintained load test, followed by a constant rate of penetration load test being performed to assess the effects of creep on the pile’s response to compression loading. The pile was then loaded in tension using a maintained load test procedure. Finite element analyses were performed using Abaqus and these helped to provide additional insights to explain the response of the instrumented pile during loading. The test showed that during compression loading, substantial bearing pressures developed beneath the pile helix, which provided the majority of axial load resistance. During tension loading, uplift pressure mobilized on the helix again provided the majority of axial resistance. The strain gauges suggested that the pile load response to compression loading was ductile. During tension loading, the pile response was brittle. Whilst load tests performed on only one instrumented pile test are presented, the use of instrumentation and finite element analyses allowed important insights into the load–displacement response of helical piles.
A case study of flow characteristics of permeable pavements by time and space model
Authors: Lin Wuguang , Ryu SungWoo , Cho Yoon-Ho
Published: June 2014

Permeable pavement is widely used to improve the water circulation system in urban areas. The advantages of using permeable pavement are the storage of rainwater, reduction of runoff, out-flow delay, and reduction of peak discharge. The outflow characteristics of different types of permeable pavements are explained by runoff coefficients, which define the relationship between runoff and infiltration rate. This study presents a model of cumulative outflow with respect to time explaining the discharge characteristics of permeable pavement. The model can be used to explain storage capacity, delay time, peak discharge rate, and outflow of pavement structure by accumulating total discharge at the surface and subsurface relative to time. For further verification of the model, a rainfall simulation experiment was performed in the field. Based on the data analysis through the developed model, the advantages of different permeable pavements can be characterized.
Intrathecal baclofen, a GABAB receptor agonist, inhibits the expression of p-CREB and NR2B in the spinal dorsal horn in rats with diabetic neuropathic pain
Authors: Liu Peng , Guo Wen-Ya , Zhao Xiao-Nan , Bai Hui-Ping , Wang Qian , Wang Xiu-Li , Zhang Ying-Ze
Published: June 2014

This study aimed to investigate the effect of baclofen, a γ-aminobutyric acid B (GABAB) receptor agonist, on the expression of p-CREB and NR2B in the spinal dorsal horn of rats with diabetic neuropathic pain (DNP). The DNP rats, which were successfully induced with streptozocin, were distributed among 3 groups that were treated with saline (D1 group), baclofen (D2 group), or CGP55845 + baclofen (D3 group) continuously for 4 days. The rats induced with saline and subsequently treated with saline were used as controls (C group). The times for the paw withdrawal threshold and thermal withdrawal latency of the D1 group were lower than those for the C group, and were significantly increased after baclofen treatment, but not when GABA receptor was pre-blocked with CGP55845 (D3 group). Increased protein expression levels of NR2B and p-CREB and mRNA levels of NR2B were found in the D1 group when compared with the controls. Baclofen treatment significantly suppressed their expression, bringing it close to the levels of controls. However, in the D3 group, the expression of p-CREB and NR2B were still significantly higher than that of the controls. Activation of GABAB receptor by baclofen attenuates diabetic neuropathic pain, which may partly be accomplished via down-regulating the expression of p-CREB and NR2B.
Simulated microgravity induces an inflammatory response in the common carotid artery of rats
Authors: Liu Huan , Wang Zhong-Chao , Yue Yuan , Yu Jin-Wen , Cai Yue , Bai Yun-Gang , Zhang Hai-Jun , Bao Jun-Xiang , Ren Xin-Ling , Xie Man-Jiang , Ma Jin
Published: June 2014

Post-spaceflight orthostatic intolerance is one of the most important adverse effects after exposure to space microgravity, and there are still no effective countermeasures. It has been considered that arterial remodeling may play an important role in the occurrence of post-spaceflight orthostatic intolerance, but the cellular mechanisms remain unknown. In this study, we investigated whether an inflammatory response exists in the common carotid artery of rats exposed to simulated microgravity. For this, Sprague–Dawley rats were subjected to 4 weeks of hindlimb unweighting to simulate microgravity. The expression levels of the adhesion molecules E-selectin and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and the cytokine monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in the common carotid artery of simulated microgravity rats were evaluated by immunohistochemical staining, quantitative RT–PCR, and Western blot analyses. The recruitment of monocytes in the common carotid artery of rats exposed to simulated microgravity was investigated by en face immunofluorescence staining and monocyte binding assays. Our results provided convincing evidence that there is an inflammatory response in the common carotid artery of rats exposed to simulated microgravity. Our work suggests that the inflammatory response may be a novel cellular mechanism that is responsible for the arterial remodeling that occurs during exposure to microgravity.
Free Vibration Analysis of Battened Beams
Authors: Li Ji-Liang , Chen Jian-Kang
Published: June 2014

This paper presents an analytical solution for the free vibration analysis of simply supported battened beams/columns. The free vibration frequencies are derived using the classical Hamilton's principle. Unlike most of the existing studies on this topic, the present approach considers not only the transverse shear deformation effect but also the discrete effect of battens on the dynamic characteristics of the beams. The present analytical solution is validated using the data obtained from the finite element analysis. The results show that the shear and discrete effects of battens have significant influence on the frequencies of battened beams, particularly for the beams that are short and the vibration modes that are in high-order. It is also shown that the frequency decreases with the increase of the beam length. The decrease is rather rapid for beams that are shorter than 5 m.