bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A redescription of Metopa species (Amphipoda, Stenothoidae) based on the type material. 1. Zoological Museum, Copenhagen (ZMUC)
Authors: TANDBERG ANNE HELENE S. , VADER WIM
Published: July 2019

This paper presents redescriptions of amphipods in the genus Metopa (Stenothoidae) in the type-collections of the Zoological Museum of Copenhagen. For Metopa clypeata and M. abyssalis we redescribe the type-specimens, for M. glacialis and M. groenlandica the redescriptions are based on new material and checked against the type-specimens. For all except M. abyssalis a combination of new line drawings and scanning electron microscope (SEM) pictures is provided, for M. abyssalis, line drawings only. A summary of the other species having earlier been designed to Metopa in the Copenhagen collections is given, with a list of their present taxonomic position.
A new species of Sycorax Curtis (Diptera, Psychodidae, Sycoracinae) collected on harlequin frogs (Anura: Bufonidae, Atelopus) in the Ecuadorian Andes
Authors: BRAVO FREDDY , SALAZAR-VALENZUELA DAVID
Published: July 2019

Sycorax wampukrum sp. nov. is described from the Amazonian slopes of the Cordillera Oriental of southern Ecuadorian Andes. This new species constitutes the first record of the genus from Ecuador. Males and females of this new species were found in contact with the dorsal surfaces of head, body and extremities of male individuals of harlequin frogs, thus establishing the second record of species of the genus Sycorax feeding on frog blood.
Brachyhypopomus gauderio, new species, a new example of underestimated species diversity of electric fishes in the southern South America (Gymnotiformes: Hypopomidae)
Authors: GIORA JULIA , MALABARBA LUIZ R.
Published: July 2019

Brachyhypopomus gauderio n. sp. is described here from the central, southern and coastal regions of the Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, from Uruguay, and from Paraguay. It is diagnosed from the congeners on the basis of body coloration, meristic and morphometric characters, such as the number of anal-fin rays, the position of anal-fin origin in relation to pectoral-fin, the morphology of the distal portion of caudal filament of mature males, and body proportions. The new species has been formerly identified as B. pinnicaudatus and is herein distinguished from it.
Anthomalachius, a new genus of soft-winged flower beetles (Coleoptera, Malachiidae: Malachiinae)
Authors: TSHERNYSHEV SERGEI E.
Published: July 2019

A new malachiid beetle genus, Anthomalachius gen. n., is described for Clanoptilus spinosus species group. Figures of male habiti, special structures, genitalia, and a distribution map for all species are given.
A new species of Pseudatrichia Osten Sacken (Diptera: Scenopinidae) from North America
Authors: WINTERTON SHAUN L.
Published: July 2019

A new species of the North American genus Pseudatrichia Osten Sacken is described. Pseudatrichia bezarki sp. nov. is described based on a male and female reared from wood-boring beetle galleries in Pinus sp. from Arizona (United States).
Etheostoma erythrozonum, a new species of darter (Teleostei: Percidae) from the Meramec River drainage, Missouri
Authors: SWITZER JOHN F. , WOOD ROBERT M.
Published: July 2019

A new species of darter, Etheostoma erythrozonum, is described from the Meramec River drainage of Missouri, USA. Etheostoma erythrozonum is the first known fish species endemic to the Meramec River drainage. It differs morphologically and genetically from populations of its sister species, Etheostoma tetrazonum, from the Gasconade River, Osage River, and Moreau River drainages.
Wormy Collaborations in Practices of Soil Construction
Authors: Meulemans Germain
Published: July 2019

This paper studies the capture of organisms and materials in soil construction – a branch of ecological engineering dedicated to making soil in order to compensate for soil degradation. This approach takes all organisms to be ‘ecosystem engineers’, and often refers to earthworms as ‘collaborators’ in making soil. I examine the claim that such a convocation of worms amounts to a redistribution of agency and the underlying assumption that form-taking is the shaping of raw matter according to pre-existing forms. Drawing on processual anthropology, I question the distinction between living and material components of soils, and between growing and making. I elaborate on soil scientists’ description of soil growth as pedogenesis in order to propose a view in which soil materials, along with organisms, participate in soil’s transformative and generative fluxes. I envisage the process as a concrescence, an experimentation that brings humans, worms, and soil materials together in new ways.
Media policy for private media in the age of digital platforms
Authors: Enli Gunn , Raats Tim , Syvertsen Trine , Donders Karen
Published: July 2019

Digital platforms such as Google, Facebook and Netflix have caused a watershed moment not only for markets and businesses but also for media policy. Concerns about the US-based digital platforms’ impact on national media markets have grown among European media businesses as well as policy makers. Media policy research argues that small media markets are particularly vulnerable to global players and foreign influence, but that market size must be understood also in the context of political traditions. This article investigates how digital platforms influence media policy for private media businesses in the small media systems of Norway and Flanders. Drawing on 20 qualitative interviews with CEOs and top-level media managers in these two small media markets, we ask what private media businesses expect from policy makers in light of the intensified competition from digital platforms, what experience they have with cooperating with policy makers and what explains the differences between Norway and Flanders. A key finding is that the managers in both markets want policy makers to regulate digital platforms to secure level playing field, and that the Norwegian respondents had more positive experiences with co-regulation and expressed more trust in policy makers and policy instruments, compared to the Flemish. Despite the global players and the need for transnational solutions, regional variations in policy making still matters, and might inform the discussion about how to regulate the digital platforms.
Spreading depolarizations in the rat endothelin-1 model of focal cerebellar ischemia
Authors: Oliveira-Ferreira Ana I , Major Sebastian , Przesdzing Ingo , Kang Eun-Jeung , Dreier Jens P
Published: July 2019

Focal brain ischemia is best studied in neocortex and striatum. Both show highly vulnerable neurons and high susceptibility to spreading depolarization (SD). Therefore, it has been hypothesized that these two variables generally correlate. However, this hypothesis is contradicted by findings in cerebellar cortex, which contains highly vulnerable neurons to ischemia, the Purkinje cells, but is said to be less susceptible to SD. Here, we found in the rat cerebellar cortex that elevated K+ induced a long-lasting depolarizing event superimposed with SDs. Cerebellar SDs resembled those in neocortex, but negative direct current (DC) shifts and regional blood flow responses were usually smaller. The K+ threshold for SD was higher in cerebellum than in previous studies in neocortex. We then topically applied endothelin-1 (ET-1) to the cerebellum, which is assumed to cause SD via vasoconstriction-induced focal ischemia. Although the blood flow decrease was similar to that in previous studies in neocortex, the ET-1 threshold for SD was higher. Quantitative cell counting found that the proportion of necrotic Purkinje cells was significantly higher in ET-1-treated rats than sham controls even if ET-1 had not caused SDs. Our results suggest that ischemic death of Purkinje cells does not require the occurrence of SD.
Advanced monoenergetic reconstruction technique in dual-energy computed tomography for evaluation of vascular anatomy before adrenal vein sampling
Authors: Nakayama Keita , Shimohira Masashi , Nakagawa Motoo , Ozawa Yoshiyuki , Sawada Yusuke , Ohta Kengo , Ohashi Kazuya , Shibamoto Yuta
Published: July 2019

Background

In adrenal vein sampling, selecting the right adrenal vein is technically difficult and it is important to evaluate the right adrenal vein anatomy before adrenal vein sampling. The advanced monoenergetic reconstruction technique has recently become available and we hypothesized that this technique may be useful.

Purpose

To evaluate the usefulness of the advanced monoenergetic reconstruction technique in dual-energy computed tomography (CT; advanced monoenergetic images) for evaluation of vascular anatomy before adrenal vein sampling.

Material and Methods

Twenty-one patients underwent three-phase (20, 30, and 70 s) contrast-enhanced CT before adrenal vein sampling. Advanced monoenergetic images were reconstructed at 40 keV and analyzed objectively and subjectively in comparison with the standard 120-kVp images. As objective evaluation, the signal-to-noise ratio and contrast-to-noise ratio of the right adrenal vein were assessed. As subjective evaluation, two radiologists assessed the delineation of the right adrenal vein using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = poor, 5 = excellent). Furthermore, the technical success rate of adrenal vein sampling and procedure time were also evaluated.

Results

There was no difference in the signal-to-noise ratio between the two groups. The contrast-to-noise ratios of the right adrenal vein of advanced monoenergetic images were higher than those of the standard images ( P < 0.05). The Likert scores of advanced monoenergetic images were higher than those of the standard images ( P < 0.05). The technical success rate of adrenal vein sampling was 95% (20/21) and the median of procedure time was 103 min (range = 59–197 min).

Conclusion

Advanced monoenergetic imaging appears to be useful in the delineation of the right adrenal vein before adrenal vein sampling.
Accuracy of Intercepting Moving Tactile Targets
Authors: Nelson J. S. , Baud-Bovy G. , Smeets J. B. J. , Brenner E.
Published: July 2019

When intercepting a moving target, we typically rely on vision to determine where the target is and where it will soon be. The accuracy of visually guided interception can be represented by a model that combines the perceived position and velocity of the target to estimate when and where to hit it and guides the finger accordingly with a short delay. We might expect the accuracy of interception to similarly depend on haptic judgments of position and velocity. To test this, we conducted separate experiments to measure the precision and any biases in tactile perception of position and velocity and used our findings to predict the precision and biases that would be present in an interception task if it were performed according to the principle described earlier. We then performed a tactile interception task to test our predictions. We found that interception of tactile targets is guided by similar principles as interception of visual targets.
Vection Attenuates N400 Event-Related Potentials in a Change-Detection Task
Authors: Stróżak Paweł , Augustynowicz Paweł , Ratomska Marta , Francuz Piotr , Fudali-Czyż Agnieszka
Published: July 2019

The illusion of self-motion (vection) can affect human cognitive functioning, but little is known about the attentional mechanisms of this influence. In this study, event-related potentials were recorded, while participants ( N = 23) performed a visual change-detection task in the S1–S2 matching paradigm, which was embedded in a visual stimulation pattern (VSP) that was static or moving. In the condition of moving VSP, participants had additionally to indicate whether they were sensing the illusion of self-motion (vection) or perceiving object-motion (no vection). For moving VSP, there were no differences in response accuracy or reaction times between conditions with vection and conditions without vection. Both for static and moving VSP, a series of event-related potentials time-locked to the onset of S2 was observed. N400 amplitudes from anterior–frontal electrodes were attenuated in conditions with vection as compared with conditions without vection. P3a and P3b amplitudes were also attenuated by vection but only in the subgroup of participants who had a high frequency of reporting vection. This shows that the illusion of self-motion disrupted the magnitude of an electrophysiological correlate of complex conflict detection. The potentials reflecting the direction of attention were not affected, unless individual differences in vection frequency were considered.
The Automatic Evaluation of Regularity and Semantic Decodability in Wallpaper Decorative Patterns
Authors: Fu Kaili , Zhang Yilei , Lin Xun
Published: July 2019

The perception and evaluation of decorative patterns can have a high impact in daily life but has received little empirical attention. This article attempts to offer some insight in terms of the regularity and semantic decodability. The implicit attitudes of subjects were measured by the Implicit Association Test. The results showed that regularity and semantic information can be automatically evaluated. The regular and realistic wallpaper decorative patterns are implicitly preferred to random and abstract ones. The Implicit Association Test effect of the former was greater than the latter. The increase in the number of motifs led to a decrease in the response latencies of regular and realistic patterns. The findings indicated that the processing fluency of wallpaper patterns is enhanced by a translational symmetry operation and a higher conceptual fluency of motifs. The resulting processing acceleration in high-density patterns may be due to the formation of a better Gestalt when the motifs are closer to one another.
Occupational therapists’ perspectives on the implementation of client-centred practice in Tanzania
Authors: Mshanga Dominick , Duncan Eve M , Buchanan Helen
Published: July 2019

Introduction

Client-centred practice was theorised by occupational therapists in Canada and subsequently introduced into the Tanzanian occupational therapy curriculum. There has been no critique of its relevance for African countries, nor research into occupational therapists’ perspectives of applying client-centred practice in African world contexts. This study aimed to determine the understanding and use of client-centred practice by occupational therapists in Tanzania.

Method

A descriptive cross-sectional design was used. Working Tanzanian occupational therapists ( n=64) completed a questionnaire based on two existing instruments. Data were analysed using SSPS (version 20.0) and qualitative coding.

Results

Barriers were shortage of time (79.7%), client-centred practice is too demanding for the client (78.1%) and the therapist and client have different goals (76.6%). Enablers included education about client-centred practice as a student (98.4%), client involvement in planning services (96.9%) and staff and service provider training (96.9%). Three themes were identified: client-centred practice enriches relationships, is difficult to implement, and needs to be supported by increasing human resources, further training and client education.

Conclusion

The implementation of client-centred practice in Tanzania is compromised by the resource-constrained and hospi-centric health service context. Alternative practice approaches that are aligned with collectivist cultural attitudes could be considered.
Curcumin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles promote diabetic wound healing via attenuating inflammation in a diabetic rat model
Authors: Li Fang , Shi Yijie , Liang Jia , Zhao Liang
Published: July 2019

Diabetes caused wound healing delay is attributed to the enhanced and prolonged inflammation, which is always induced by a large amount of inflammatory mediators secreted by macrophage cells. Therefore, it is urgent to develop a strategy to attenuate macrophage cells-mediated inflammation in diabetic wound treatment. In this study, we fabricated curcumin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (Cur-CS-NPs) and explored their potential to accelerate diabetic wound healing. The results showed the diabetic model treated by Cur-CS-NPs showed better physical characterizations than control group, manifested by a sustained drug release and efficient cell uptake. Furthermore, we found Cur-CS-NPs could effectively attenuate macrophage-mediated inflammation and enhanced angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, Cur-CS-NPs promote the diabetic wound healing in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat models.
Numerical simulation study on multi-pass non-axisymmetric spinning of cylindrical parts with oblique flange
Authors: Ye Tao , Jia Zhen , Han Zhi-ren , Xu Bin , Ji Shude
Published: July 2019

A non-axisymmetric cylinder with an oblique flange has broad application prospects. Spinning is the main production process for this kind of workpiece. Finite element modeling is a necessary method to study some key problems that are difficult to be solved merely through experiments, such as the strain and stress fields in the development of this spinning technology. In this study, the spinning process of a non-axisymmetric oblique flange cylindrical part was established and simulated using ABAQUS/explicit software. The credibility of the simulation result was validated through an experiment. The influence of the axial roller feed along the cylinder wall on the distribution of wall thickness and stress and strain during the forming process was analyzed. The change in stress field and strain field with time was analyzed, and the quantitative relationship between forming conditions and forming results was described. Furthermore, the forming principle of the flange was analyzed. It would be beneficial for flange forming to reduce the increasing distance of the cylinder wall in the 180° direction (parameter c) and the vertical distance from the closest point to the spindle as the roller returns back in the 180° direction (parameter d), to a certain extent. Hence, a workpiece with an ideal appearance was obtained. By comparing the wall thickness distribution, the design and optimization of the roller path were once again verified to be reasonable.
Inverse procedure for mechanical characterization of multi-layered non-rigid composite parts with applications to the assembly process
Authors: Vu Ngoc-Hung , Pham Xuan-Tan , François Vincent , Cuillière Jean-Christophe
Published: July 2019

In assembly process, non-rigid parts in free-state may have different forms compared to the designed model caused by gravity load and residual stresses. For non-rigid parts made by multi-layered fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites, this process becomes much more complex due to the nonlinear behavior of the material. This paper presented an inverse procedure for characterizing large anisotropic deformation behavior of four-layered, carbon fiber-reinforced polyphenylene sulphide, non-rigid composite parts. Mechanical responses were measured from the standard three points bending test and the surface displacements of composite plates under flexural loading test. An orthotropic hyperelastic material model was implemented as a UMAT user routine in the Abaqus/Standard to analyze the behavior of flexible fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites. Error functions were defined by subtracting the experimental data from the numerical mechanical responses. Minimizing the error functions helps to identify the material parameters. These optimal parameters were validated for the case of an eight-layered composite material.
A novel thermo-flexible coupled dynamics analysis method of planar deployable structures in the deploying process
Authors: Peng Qi'an , Wang Sanmin , Li Bo , Zhi Changjian , Li Jianfeng
Published: July 2019

The temperature-induced vibration of deployable structures caused by the temperature gradient due to heat flux from the solar radiation is a major factor that results in a significant effect on synchronism of the deploying motion. In this paper, a coupled thermo-flexible dynamics analysis method of deployable structures is presented. In this method, the temperature field of thin-walled rectangular tube element subjected to the solar radiation is established by the linear interpolation functions and the proposed high-order polynomials. The two methods, respectively, are used to approximate the axial and circumferential temperature distributions. Then, the dynamics equations of the tube element are derived by the extended absolute node coordinate formulation with the temperature field inset and verified by comparing with ANSYS. Next, the coupled thermo-flexible dynamics equations of the deploying mechanisms are assembled by the virtue of rods and constraint conditions. Finally, the deployable structure with three scissor-like units is analyzed as a numerical example. The simulation results show that the thermal loading has a significant impact on the displacement, straightness, and driving force due to thermally induced bends and vibrations and the incidence angle of the solar radiation is a key parameter to determine the different aspects of the temperature influence.
Investigations of polylactic acid reinforced composite feedstock filaments for multimaterial three-dimensional printing applications
Authors: Kumar Sudhir , Singh Rupinder , Singh TP , Batish Ajay
Published: July 2019

This paper reports properties of four different filaments prepared from (i) virgin polylactic acid, (ii) polylactic acid reinforced with polyvinyl chloride, (iii) polylactic acid reinforced with wood powder, and (iv) polylactic acid with reinforcement of Fe3O4 prepared with twin-screw extrusion for possible multimaterial three-dimensional printing. The results suggest that the melt flow rate of composite increases with the increase in reinforcements except for wood powder, which has shown a negative trend. Mechanical properties were also reduced with the loading but with the increase in the Fe3O4 content, these properties were improved. It has been observed that with reinforcement of polyvinyl chloride from 10 wt% to 25 wt% peak elongation and break elongation were reduced by 47.61% and 50%, respectively. Further, thermal analysis suggests that all samples were stable but for reinforced samples, the integral energy has decreased significantly in successive cycles. The vibration sample magnetometery of samples suggested that magnetic properties were dependent on the content of Fe3O4 present in the composite.
British Association for Sexual Health and HIV national guideline for the management of infection with Mycoplasma genitalium (2018)
Authors: Soni Suneeta , Horner Paddy , Rayment Michael , Pinto-Sander Nicolas , Naous Nadia , Parkhouse Andy , Bancroft Darren , Patterson Carl , Fifer Helen
Published: July 2019

This is the first British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) guideline for the diagnosis and management of Mycoplasma genitalium in people aged 16 years and older. The guideline is primarily aimed at level 3 sexually transmitted infection (STI) management services within the UK, although it could also serve as a reference guide for STI services at other levels.
Antiviral activity of sirolimus in an HIV-positive kidney transplant recipient
Authors: Alfano Gaetano , Fontana Francesco , Mori Giacomo , Vicari Emanuela , Dolci Giovanni , Franceschini Erica , Guaraldi Giovanni , Mussini Cristina , Cappelli Gianni
Published: July 2019

Sirolimus (SIR) is a potent immunosuppressive agent with multiple proprieties. We report beneficial antiviral effects of SIR in an HIV-positive kidney transplant recipient who experienced low-level HIV-1 replication. The immunosuppressive agent was well tolerated by the patient, and no side effects were reported during follow-up. Despite immunosuppressive monotherapy, SIR ensured stable graft function.
Presentation to HIV care and antiretroviral therapy initiation and response in clinical practice from 2003 through 2013
Authors: Pallotta Andrea M , Pirzada Sana A , Shrestha Rabin K , Yen-Lieberman Belinda , Calabrese Leonard H , Taege Alan J , Butler Robert S , Abbas Ume L
Published: July 2019

Universal HIV screening and treatment initiation of HIV-positive persons are well-established standards. However, late presentation to care is a barrier to early antiretroviral therapy (ART) and prevention of HIV transmission. We sought to determine the immunodeficiency at presentation to care and characterize the initiation and response to ART among HIV-positive persons over 2003–2013 in our urban HIV clinical practice at the Cleveland Clinic. Using a retrospective cohort study design, we assessed the CD4 cell count of HIV-positive patients at entry into care for each year and evaluated the trend over time. For patients who initiated treatment, we assessed the pretreatment CD4 cell count, consistency of timing and regimen with US treatment guidelines, and HIV RNA level at one-year and last follow-up visits. Regression analyses were used to determine predictors of study outcomes. We found that the cohort (N = 452) median CD4 cell count at presentation to care was 297 cells/mm3 (inter-quartile range: 104–479 cells/mm3), without any significant change over time (P = 0.62), and with 37% and 21% of presentations being late and advanced, respectively. Guideline-consistency (85%–100%) and regimen-consistency (41%–100%) were moderate to high and improved over time. Virologic suppression (<400 copies/ml) at one year and last follow-up was high (79% and 92%) and associated with regimen selection and durability. We conclude that CD4 cell count at first presentation to HIV care remained less than 350 cells/mm3 for 11 years in our clinical practice, despite advances in HIV testing and treatment guidelines. Early diagnosis and linkage to care and treatment are critical for ending the HIV epidemic.
Nondestructive estimation of remaining fatigue life without the loading history
Authors: Jang JY , Mehdizadeh M , Khonsari MM
Published: July 2019

A new nondestructive method to estimate the remaining fatigue life of a fatigue specimen with unknown knowledge of the loading history is presented. It requires only one short-time excitation test. The method utilizes the concept of damage parameter and the temperature rise to reliably predict the remaining number of cycles before fracture. A generalized procedure and numerous experimentally verified examples are presented. It is shown that the method can be applied to both constant and variable stress levels. Extensive laboratory tests reveal that the results of the remaining fatigue life predictions are in very good agreement with measurements.
Growth prediction of two bacterial populations in co-culture with lactic acid bacteria
Authors: Ačai Pavel , Medved'ová Alžbeta , Mančušková Tatiana , Valík L'ubomír
Published: July 2019

The co-culture growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and lactic acid bacteria starter culture in milk was quantitatively evaluated and modelled with a set of coupled differential equations originally proposed by Baranyi and Roberts and by Gimenez and Dalgaard (BR–GD model). The lactic acid bacteria starter culture showed the ability to induce an early stationary phase of both E. coli and S. aureus populations at different combination of temperature (ranging from 12 to 37 ℃) and lactic acid bacteria inocula (from approx. 103 to 106 CFU/ml). First, the prediction ability was performed only with parameters estimated from individual growth curves of E. coli, S. aureus and the lactic acid bacteria in milk (Dataset 1, 21 experiments). Subsequently, the model was extended with the average competition coefficients (E-BR–GD model) that represented quantitative relations among the populations. The prediction ability of this model was validated with the second dataset consisting of seven experiments. Results and also their statistical indices (accuracy and bias factors) showed that the E-BR–GD model improved growth prediction of all involved populations. Thus, the total root mean square error decreased from 0.457, 0.840 and 0.322 log CFU/ml (BR–GD model) to 0.290, 0.245 and 0.333 log CFU/ml (E-BR–GD) for S. aureus, E. coli and lactic acid bacteria, respectively. This approach in growth prediction of multiple competing microbial populations can be used in assessment of S. aureus and E. coli exposure from raw milk cheeses consumption and contribute to decision making in prevention of staphylococcal enterotoxin production.
Ernst Boesch’s cultural psychology of education
Authors: Kölbl Carlos
Published: July 2019

Ernst Boesch (1916–2014) is well known for his symbolic action theory and distinctive approach to cultural psychology. In contrast, his numerous contributions as an educational psychologist have remained nearly unnoticed up to now. Against this backdrop, this article highlights some crucial phases in Boesch’s biography that demonstrate his strong involvement in educational psychology in general. It then reconstructs and discusses the main constituents of what one could call Boesch’s cultural psychology of education, which he developed in the context of his work as director of the Forschungsstelle für Entwicklungshilfe, insbesondere Erziehungshilfe (Institute for Research on Developmental Aid – specifically educational aid) – which was later renamed Sozialpsychologische Forschungsstelle für Entwicklungsplanung (Institute for Social Psychological Research on Developmental Planning) – during the years from 1962 to 1986. Finally, some conclusions are presented.
Comparing fly-in fly-out and telehealth models for delivering advanced-practice physiotherapy services in regional Queensland: An audit of outcomes and costs
Authors: Cottrell Michelle , Judd Perry , Comans Tracy , Easton Paula , Chang Angela T
Published: July 2019

Introduction

Recruitment of advanced-practice physiotherapists to regional and rural healthcare facilities in Queensland, Australia remains a challenge. To overcome this barrier, two different service delivery models (Fly-In, Fly-Out (FIFO), Telehealth) were trialled by one regional facility. This study aims to describe the economic- and service-related outcomes of these two methods of service delivery.

Methods

A retrospective audit was conducted where two nine-week time periods were selected for each service delivery model. Outcomes of interests include patient demographics and case-mix, service utilisation, clinical actions, adverse events and costs. Net financial position for both models was calculated based upon costs incurred and revenue generated by service activity.

Results

A total of 33 appointment slots were recorded for each service delivery model. Patient case-mix was variable, where the Telehealth model predominately involved patients with musculoskeletal spinal conditions managed from a neurosurgical waiting list. Appointment slot utilisation and pattern of referral for further investigations were similar between models. No safety incidents occurred in either service delivery model. An estimated cost-savings of 13% for the Telehealth model could be achieved when compared to the FIFO model.

Discussion

Telehealth is a safe, efficient and viable option when compared to a traditional in-person outreach service, while providing cost-savings. Telehealth should be seen as a service delivery medium in which sustainable recruitment of advanced-practice physiotherapists to regional and rural healthcare facilities can be achieved.
A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of canakinumab in patients with peripheral artery disease
Authors: Russell Kerry S , Yates Denise P , Kramer Christopher M , Feller Andrea , Mahling Ping , Colin Laurence , Clough Timothy , Wang Tianke , LaPerna Lucy , Patel Alpa , Lawall Holger , Shennak Mustafa M , Fulmer James , Nikol Sigrid , Smith William B , Müller Oliver J , Ratchford Elizabeth V , Basson Craig T
Published: July 2019

Extensive atherosclerotic plaque burden in the lower extremities often leads to symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD) including impaired walking performance and claudication. Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) may play an important pro-inflammatory role in the pathogenesis of this disease. Interruption of IL-1β signaling was hypothesized to decrease plaque progression in the leg macrovasculature and improve the mobility of patients with PAD with intermittent claudication. Thirty-eight patients (mean age 65 years; 71% male) with symptomatic PAD (confirmed by ankle–brachial index) were randomized 1:1 to receive canakinumab (150 mg subcutaneously) or placebo monthly for up to 12 months. The mean vessel wall area (by 3.0 T black-blood magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)) of the superficial femoral artery (SFA) was used to measure plaque volume. Mobility was assessed using the 6-minute walk test. Canakinumab was safe and well tolerated. Markers of systemic inflammation (interleukin-6 and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) fell as early as 1 month after treatment. MRI (32 patients at 3 months; 21 patients at 12 months) showed no evidence of plaque progression in the SFA in either placebo-treated or canakinumab-treated patients. Although an exploratory endpoint, placebo-adjusted maximum and pain-free walking distance (58 m) improved as early as 3 months after treatment with canakinumab when compared with placebo. Although canakinumab did not alter plaque progression in the SFA, there is an early signal that it may improve maximum and pain-free walking distance in patients with symptomatic PAD. Larger studies aimed at this endpoint will be required to definitively demonstrate this. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01731990
Encountering the colonial: religion in feminism and the coloniality of secularism
Authors: Carrasco Miró Gisela
Published: July 2019

The debate on feminism and ‘religion’ has rarely been suggested as a critique of modernity that has silenced other possible cultural, epistemological and spiritual options. Efforts have been made to ascertain whether ‘religion’ is ‘good’ or ‘bad’ for – or indeed an ally or threat to – women’s liberation. More specifically, in a European context, contemporary discussions of ‘religion’ and the rights of women have been very much centred on Islam. Yet, none of these narratives have resolved the intrinsic colonial character of modernity. This article explores the debate on both Islamic and Western feminism from a decolonial perspective. It argues that today, feminist theory faces the tremendous challenge of how to encounter the colonial and not only redefine, but also review the concepts and categories upon which Western feminism bases its arguments. Drawing on the work of the Spanish-Syrian Islamic decolonial thinker, Sirin Adlbi Sibai, this article develops a critical, self-reflexive approach that questions secular assumptions regarding feminist analyses of ‘religion’. In doing so, I present the decolonising of feminism as an invitation to (re)imagine our feminist encounters.
Responsibility, affective solidarity and transnational maternal feminism
Authors: Johnson Candace
Published: July 2019

Maternal health has become a top global priority. In contrast to the decline of the maternal subject (Stephens, 2011), and despite previous evidence that maternal health has struggled to find a place on the global policy agenda (Shiffman and Smith, 2007), it is now clear that the promotion of health for mothers and children is a staple of both government and private donor commitments. On humanitarian grounds, it makes sense to focus on maternal health and survival in the Global South. Death related to pregnancy or childbirth is a disheartening example of needless suffering. But beyond the initial impulse to reduce suffering, what motivates and/or requires action for addressing injustice in the form of distributional inequities for maternal and reproductive health? In this article, I make a case for the necessity and validity of transnational cooperation to address maternal mortality and morbidity in the Global South. The first component of my argument addresses the transnational elements of both global interconnectedness and responsibility to act. These elements are drawn from Iris Marion Young’s philosophical justification for North-South responsibility-taking. The second component of my argument adds the concept of affective solidarity to that of transnational responsibility. My argument in this section draws from Iris Marion Young’s earlier work on identity (Young, 1990) and embodiment (Young, 1984) and expands the analysis of affective solidarity as a form of both embodiment and political commitment in order to explain the mechanism for transnational connection and understanding. And the final component of my argument explains how both of these elements – transnational responsibility and affective solidarity – support a theory of transnational maternal feminism.
Design of a new generation wound dressing with pine bark extract
Authors: Karakaya Pelin Secim , Oktay Ayberk , Seventekin Necdet , Yesil-Celiktas Ozlem
Published: July 2019

Medical textiles are one of the fastest growing sectors in the technical textile market. Wound dress is one of the significant applications with the largest share in medical textiles. Active molecules doped in the dressings may be therapeutic agents, vitamins, antibiotics, minerals, and growth factors, which contribute to wound healing. Medical plants have a great potential with positive effects in wound care and accelerate the rate of wound healing. Pine bark, which is known to exhibit wound healing properties, is also used in the medical field. The purpose of this study is to design a new wound dressing enriched with Pinus brutia extract. Microwave-assisted extraction which is an environmentally friendly method was carried out at 70℃, 900 W for 10 min to obtain the extracts. Subsequently, P. brutia bark extract was embedded to the alginate gel dressing and characterized and evaluated by in vivo studies on rats. According to the results, the extract was rapidly released from the alginate gel in the first 6 h, whereas the release was slowly increased to 24 h and then reached a steady state. Therefore, P. brutia extract-embedded alginate gel dressings applied for in vivo studies were changed every 24 h, reaching a healing rate of 75.7%, whereas the control group showed a healing rate of 48.6% indicating the superiority of the newly designed wound healing dress enriched with pine bark extract.
Position-based emergency message dissemination for Internet of vehicles
Authors: Ali Muhammad , Malik Asad W , Rahman Anis U , Iqbal Sohail , Hamayun Mian M
Published: July 2019

With the advancement in communication technologies, Internet of vehicles presents a new set of opportunities to efficiently manage transportation problems using vehicle-to-vehicle communication. However, high mobility in vehicular networks causes frequent changes in network topology, which leads to network instability. This frequently results in emergency messages failing to reach the target vehicles. To overcome this problem, we propose a data dissemination scheme for such messages in vehicular networks, based on clustering and position-based broadcast techniques. The vehicles are dynamically clustered to handle the broadcast storm problem, and a position-based technique is proposed to reduce communication delays, resulting in timely dissemination of emergency messages. The simulation results show that the transmission delay, information coverage, and packet delivery ratios improved up to 14%, 9.7%, and 5.5%, respectively. These results indicate that the proposed scheme is promising as it outperforms existing techniques.
Health monitoring among asylum seekers and refugees: a state-wide, cross-sectional, population-based study in Germany
Authors: Biddle Louise , Menold Natalja , Bentner Martina , Nöst Stefan , Jahn Rosa , Ziegler Sandra , Bozorgmehr Kayvan
Published: July 2019

Background

Health monitoring in Germany falls short on generating timely, reliable and representative data among migrants, especially transient and marginalized groups such as asylum seekers and refugees (ASR). We aim to advance current health monitoring approaches and obtain reliable estimates on health status and access to essential healthcare services among ASR in Germany’s third largest federal state, Baden-Württemberg.

Methods

We conducted a state-wide, cross-sectional, population-based health monitoring survey in nine languages among ASR and their children in collective accommodation centres in 44 districts. Questionnaire items capturing health status, access to care, and sociodemographic variables were taken from established surveys and translated using a team approach. Random sampling on the level of 1938 accommodation centres with 70,634 ASR was employed to draw a balanced sample of 65 centres with a net sample of 1% of the state’s ASR population. Multilingual field teams recruited eligible participants using a “door-to-door” approach. Parents completed an additional questionnaire on behalf of their children.

Results

The final sample comprised 58 centres with 1843 ASR. Of the total sample expected eligible (N = 987), 41.7% (n = 412) participated in the survey. Overall, 157 households had children and received a children’s questionnaire; 61% (n = 95) of these were returned. Age, sex, and nationality of the included sample were comparable to the total population of asylum applicants in Germany. Adults reported longstanding limitations (16%), bad/very bad general health (19%), pain (25%), chronic illness (40%), depression (46%), and anxiety (45%). 52% utilised primary and 37% specialist care services in the previous 12 months, while reporting unmet needs for primary (31%) and specialist care (32%). Younger and male participants had above-average health status and below-average utilisation compared to older and female ASR.

Conclusions

Our health monitoring survey yielded reliable estimates on health status and health care access among ASR, revealing relevant morbidities and patterns of care. Applying rigorous epidemiological methods in linguistically diverse, transient and marginalized populations is challenging, but feasible. Integration of this approach into state- and nation-wide health monitoring strategies is needed in order to sustain this approach as a health planning tool.
Homonymous hemianopsia versus unilateral spatial neglect rehabilitation strategies in stroke patients
Authors: Bulboaca1 Adriana Elena , Bulboaca Angelo , Stanescu Ioana , Boarescu Paul-Mihai , Chirilă Ioana , Bulboaca Alexandra , Dogaru Gabriela
Published: July 2019

Abstract Visual rehabilitation therapy is one of the most problematic issue in stroke rehabilitation. The difficulties consist in specific assessment of visual deficit and poor results reports by the authors of the clinical studies. Opposite, experimental studies reports encouraging results that give hopes in this specific rehabilitation therapy. There are still difficult to analyze different aquisitions concerning various visual residual deficits after stroke, the main rehabilitation targgets being motor rehabilitation in order to ensure at least a partial autonomy in day by day life. All the studies that proved there are chances for a better quality of life if there is an improvement of visual abilities together with motor and cognitive skills with a better rehabilitation prognosis. The aim of this paper is to make a brief report regarding two of the most important visual deficits after stroke as are homonymous hemianopsia and neglect. Starting with differential diagnosis, neuroplasticity and specific rehabilitation available method, the main issues are discussed. a better understanding of phenomena that are associated with spontaneous rehabilitation, or enhancing the progress of recuperation by various method, could be able to bring a new light and hopefully better results in rehabilitation for these patients Key words: stroke, visual impairment, visual rehabilitation, neuroplasticity, homonymous hemianopsia,
The importance of visuo-motor coordination in upper limb rehabilitation after ischemic stroke by robotic therapy
Authors: Bulboaca Angelo , Stanescu Ioana , Dogaru Gabriela , Boarescu Paul-Mihai , Bulboaca Adriana Elena
Published: July 2019

Abstract
Stroke is an acute hypoperfusion of cerebral parenchyma that most often leads to outstanding motor deficits that can last for the rest of the patient’s life. The purpose of the neurorehabilitation process is to limit, as far is possible for the motor deficits and to bring the patient to an independent life. A modern method consists in robotic neurorehabilitation which is more and more used, associated with functional electrical stimulation (FES). At the lower limb, the use of robotic rehabilitation associated with FES is already considered a success due to relatively stereotypical movements of the lower limb. In opposition, the upper limb is more difficult to rehabilitate due to its more complex movements. Therefore, eye-hand coordination (EHC) constitutes an important factor that is conditioning the rehabilitation progress. The eye-hand coordination can be brutally disturbed by stroke with critical consequences on motor-executive component. The EHC development depends on the interaction between a feedback complex and the prediction of the upper limb motility in the space, and requires the association between visual system, oculomotor system and hand motor system. We analyzed the stroke impact on this sensorial-motor functional integration and looked for a possible solution for the interruption of coordination between eyes and the movements of the superior limb. We consider that our study can contribute to a better understanding and to a faster rehabilitation of the motor deficit in the upper limb after stroke.
Key words: stroke, rehabilitation, eye-hand coordination, robotic neurorehabilitation,
Study on the importance of medical treatment and physical methods in recovering patients with knee osteoarthritis
Authors: Silisteanu Sinziana Calina , Antonescu Elisabeta , Totan Maria
Published: July 2019

Abstract Intrduction.Etoricoxibum belongs to the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory inhibitors selective of cyclooxygenase-2. The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used to treat acute musculoskeletal disorders as they result in pain-relieving therapeutical effect. Etoricoxibum intervenes by blocking cyclooxygenase-2 and by reducing the painful and inflammatory phenomena. Material and method. The trial focused on the evolution of patients diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis after making the treatment by etoricoxibum. This study was conducted in the ambulatory regime for a period of 6 months and included 77 patients. Results and discussions It was assessed the efficacy of the complex recovery treatment for the patients diagnosed by knee osteoarthritis wich use of Etoricoxibum, in a dose of 60 mg /day, in order to improve the pain and the inflammation. The pursued objectives were: the assessment of the effects by using Etoricoxibum for the reduction of the pain and inflammation, the increase of the articular mobility and stability, the recovery of the walk and motor control, the decrease of the body weight, the increase of the quality of life. Conclusions. This trial show that, by making a combined treatment of medication and recovery, there was an reducing the pain and the inflammation as well as increasing the articular mobility. Key words: osteoarthritis, pain, ultrasound, recovery, disability,