bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does stimulating various coping strategies alleviate loneliness? Results from an online friendship enrichment program
Authors: Bouwman Tamara E. , Aartsen Marja J. , van Tilburg Theo G. , Stevens Nan L.
Published: July 2016

Loneliness stems from a mismatch between the social relationships one has and those one desires. Loneliness often has severe consequences for individuals and society. Recently, an online adaptation of the friendship enrichment program (FEP) was developed and tested to gain insight in its contribution to the alleviation of loneliness. Three loneliness coping strategies are introduced during the program: network development, adapting relationship standards, and reducing the importance of the discrepancy between actual and desired relationships. Data were collected among 239 participants aged 50–86. Loneliness was measured four times using a multi-item scale, and on various days with a single, direct question. Loneliness assessed with the scale declined during and after the program. Scores on loneliness assessed for a specific day, however, are more ambiguous. Despite the immediate positive effect of conducting assignments, we did not observe a decline in the single loneliness item score over the course of the program. The online FEP seems to reduce loneliness in general, but these effects are not visible on today’s loneliness. Nevertheless, the online intervention to reduce loneliness is a valuable new contribution to the collection of loneliness interventions.
In their words
Authors: Hass Aida Y , Hannis Christine
Published: July 2016

The strong and consistent relationship between criminal involvement and victimization is one of the most persistent documented findings within criminological research. However, there is little study on the nature and extent of why this overlap exists with even less research focusing on the perspective of the offenders who identify themselves as victims. The current study analyzes the personal experiences of female offenders at the Greene County Jail, Missouri. Our findings indicate a substantial overlap in lifestyle and risk behavior of female offenders who also identify as victims of crime. Important theoretical and policy implications are discussed.
The Clinical Effect of a Rotator Cuff Retear: A Meta-analysis of Arthroscopic Single-Row and Double-Row Repairs
Authors: Yang Jeffrey , Robbins Matthew , Reilly Jordan , Maerz Tristan , Anderson Kyle
Published: July 2016

Background:

The clinical effect of a retear after rotator cuff repair remains unclear. While some studies have indicated clinical deficits due to a retear, others have stated that a retear does not detrimentally affect outcomes.

Purpose:

To conduct a meta-analysis comparing clinical outcomes between intact and retorn rotator cuffs after arthroscopic repair.

Study Design:

Meta-analysis.

Methods:

A literature search using the terms “arthroscopic,” “rotator cuff,” “repair,” “retear,” “re-tear,” “defect,” “single-row,” “double-row,” “clinical outcomes,” and “functional outcomes” was conducted. Article inclusion criteria were an adequate description of the surgical technique, stratification of outcomes by intact rotator cuff versus retear with a minimum of 1 year of follow-up, and documentation of the presence/absence of a full-thickness retear using imaging. Exclusion criteria were isolated subscapularis tears/repairs, labral repairs, infections, postoperative fractures, insufficient data or statistical indications, and postoperative data not stratified by retear versus intact rotator cuff. A meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model on variables that had comparisons from at least 3 studies. Single-row (SR) and double-row (DR) studies were analyzed both separately and together in an “all arthroscopic repairs” (AAR) comparison. The calculated effect was considered significant at a P value <.05.

Results:

Within the SR group, patients with a rotator cuff retear had a significantly lower Constant score (mean difference [95% CI], −6.79 [–8.94 to −4.65]; P < .001) and lower University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) score (−3.21 [–5.27 to −1.15]; P = .002) but not higher pain (0.071 [–0.34 to 0.49]; P = .739). Within the DR group, patients with a rotator cuff retear had a significantly lower Constant score (mean difference [95% CI], −9.35 [–12.2 to −6.50]; P < .001), lower American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score (−12.1 [–17.1 to −7.26]; P < .001), lower UCLA score (−3.07 [–4.85 to −1.29]; P < .001), higher pain (0.622 [0.19 to 1.05]; P = .005), and lower abduction strength ( P < .001). In the AAR comparison, patients with a retear had a significantly lower Constant score (mean difference [95% CI], −7.56 [–9.55 to −5.57]; P < .001), lower ASES score (−10.1 [–15.5 to −4.64]; P < .001), lower UCLA score (−3.00 [–4.47 to −1.53]; P < .001), and lower abduction strength (in kg·f) (−3.32 [–4.53 to −2.12]; P < .001) but not higher pain (0.332 [–0.014 to 0.680]; P = .060).

Conclusion:

Patients with a full-thickness rotator cuff retear exhibited significantly lower clinical outcome scores and strength compared with patients with an intact or partially torn rotator cuff.
The interleukin-6-hepcidin-hemoglobin circuit in systemic lupus erythematosus flares
Authors: Indrakanti D L , Alvarado A , Zhang X , Birmingham D J , Hinton A , Rovin B H
Published: July 2016

Objective

Hepcidin regulates iron availability and may be responsible for the anemia of chronic disease because it is induced by interleukin-6. This study investigated the IL-6-hepcidin-hemoglobin axis in patients with lupus.

Methods

IL-6 and hepcidin were measured in serial serum samples collected before, during and after lupus flares by specific ELISAs.

Results

During renal and non-renal SLE flare cycles IL-6 did not predict hepcidin and hepcidin did not predict hemoglobin. When lupus nephritis patients were in remission, IL-6 and hepcidin were correlated, but hepcidin and hemoglobin were not.

Conclusion

Hepcidin does not contribute significantly to anemia during active lupus.
Hospice Care and the Bereavement Process in Two Countries: Experience from the United States and the Netherlands
Authors: Wrenn Robert L. , Zylicz Zbigniew , Balk David E.
Published: July 2016

The authors examine the bereavement process within hospice programs in the United States and in the Netherlands. Topics covered include brief histories of hospice within each country, circumstances that constrain bereavement outcomes research, approaches to hospice bereavement services in each country including bereavement program protocols developed by the National Hospice Organization for programs in the United States, issues of bereavement care and physician-assisted suicide, and an overall comparison of hospice bereavement services in each country.
“If I Was Your Wife, I Would Tell you …”: Issues of Communicative Success on an AIDS Hot Line
Authors: Youssef Valerie , Russell-Brown Pauline
Published: July 2016

This article discusses a series of telephone interactions between callers with AIDS-related queries and listeners on a telephone response hot line in Trinidad and Tobago. The calls were analyzed according to established criteria for medical and telephone discourse with specific focus on the communication process and its outcome and effectiveness. It was found that success was highest on single-sex calls in which empathy between caller and listener was high. It was deduced that listeners interacted best with callers whose social reality they were able to share. A synonymity of worldview related to sexuality and gender is clearly useful in interactions of this kind, but must be mitigated by trained judgment as to the appropriateness of the support offered.
Is Death Better in Utopia?
Authors: Kastenbaum Robert
Published: July 2016

Life is better in any utopia that deserves its name. But what about death? This question might have seemed remote to the point of absurdity had it been raised in the early years of the death awareness movement. During the “taboo” period (Feifel, 1959) even words such as dying and death were not to be spoken. Unfortunately, people touched by mortality (the dying or the grieving) were also distanced. Here and there a smattering of protothana-tologists were trying to assess the situation and decide where to start. The priorities were clear and compelling, the needs urgent: we should try to encourage open discussion of dying and death on both a feeling and a knowledge level; end the social isolation so often experienced by dying people and provide effective palliation of pain and other symptoms; improve our understanding of grief and offer more sensitive and appropriate support. This was—and remains—a challenging agenda. Nevertheless, progress is also evident, as exemplified by hospice/palliative care programs, peer and professional counseling services, informed consent, advance directives, and death education.
Neonatal Death: A Grief Intervention Framework
Authors: Lightbody Teresa K.
Published: July 2016

The death of a neonate is an extremely heartbreaking loss that can result in overwhelming and overpowering grief responses. Because of the intensity of the grief reactions these parents experience it is absolutely imperative that social workers intervene appropriately with families whose baby has died. This article will review grief intervention and the application of this approach. Five grief intervention models will be discussed including Lindemann's (1944) stages of grief work, Bowlby's (1980) three phases of mourning, Rando's (1988) three phases of grief, Worden (2001) tasks of grief work and White's (1988) “saying hullo metaphor.” A case example will be used to describe the application of Worden's (2001) task model with a family whose twin babies have died on the NICU. Lastly, how this review and use of grief intervention models impacts social work practice on a NICU setting will be discussed. Ultimately, social workers should intervene according to the needs presented by these families or otherwise clinicians risk inflicting further pain and suffering on parents already experiencing the extreme anguish of grief.
Exploring the Link between Aids-Related Grief and Unsafe Sex
Authors: Villa Daniel Paul , Demmer Craig
Published: July 2016

This review article focuses attention on the impact of AIDS deaths on gay survivors, in particular whether the complex nature of AIDS-related grief contributes to increased sexual risk behavior among these survivors. There has been surprisingly little research investigating the association between AIDS-related grief and sexual risk behaviors. This article describes aspects of the bereavement experience of AIDS survivors in an effort to understand how such factors might potentially influence survivors to engage in high risk behaviors. Suggestions are offered to both grief counselors and HIV prevention educators on how to address this issue with bereaved gay individuals.
Care Giving Offspring to Aging Parents: How it Affects Their Marital Relations, Parenthood, and Mental Health
Authors: Ron Pnina
Published: July 2016

The study examined the effect of direct and indirect stresses on the mental health of offspring caring for an aging parent. The study is based on Pearlin, Lieberman, Menaghan, and Mullan's (1981) Stress Development Model. The research examined 345 subjects, men and women aged 40-59 who filled a questionnaire sent by post within their workplace. The research findings show that the various stresses of the caregiver role are mutually connected and have a significant positive effect on the mental health of caregiving offspring. Another finding shows that the extended family support variable acts as a buffer on the caregiving burden on the adult child.
Recreating the Ghosts of Place: Community Struggle through Loss and Healing
Authors: Wallace Gail
Published: July 2016

This article focuses on how impoverished racial and ethnic communities attribute meaning to place. I discuss theoretical ideas that support community organization along with practical ways of looking at community. Another aspect of this article involves the importance of a group's ties to place along with the constraints of a community's collective historical biography or “ghosts of place.” The “ghosts of place” refer to those presences real or imagined that are socially constructed and part of a phenomenological sociology. The creation of racial and ethnic enclaves makes place an important dimension of community life and the shaping of future events. Community practitioners could approach these types of community issues through an ongoing sensitivity to the “ghosts of place” in culturally based interventions that acknowledge the hold that place attachment, its constraints, and its possibilities has on a cultural group's way of envisioning and living out its community health.
When Meaning Has Lost its Way: Life and Loss “Behind Bars”
Authors: Stevenson Robert G. , McCutchen Raymond
Published: July 2016

This article examines loss, and the grief that follows a loss, among prison inmates and parolees. It looks at the parallel between the emotions of grief and the reactions of prisoners to incarceration. It also examines coping behaviors and makes suggestions for possible interventions that can be initiated by counselors and others who may wish to offer help.
Ministering to Native Americans
Authors: Cox Gerry
Published: July 2016

Native American religion is often sought for study and “borrowing.” The respect that is generally accorded to the study of religions other than one's own is typically lacking with Native American religions. When visiting a Buddhist temple, one removes one's shoes. When attending a Muslim prayer service, one might use a prayer rug. If one attends a Jewish service, a male would don a yarmulke and remove his jacket and tie. The non-Jewish visitor would not wear the tallit or prayer shawl out of respect for Jewish traditions. Native Americans generally prefer that strangers not attend spiritual services unless invited, yet people come to watch, take pictures, record, or videotape services without permission. One does not take the Muslim prayer rug home after using it, yet many will take sand paintings, dream-catchers, pipes, or other sacred items from Native American services. The lack of respect for Native American religions is not natural or inevitable. What caused the U.S. culture to disrespect Native American religions and to subject them to unequal treatment?
Life and Death, War and Peace: A Liberal Quaker Perspective
Authors:   Anonymous
Published: July 2016

Quakers are enjoined to listen to the promptings of the “Inner Light” and to answer “that of God in every one.” This article looks at two interlinked aspects of Liberal Quaker practice: the Quaker attitude to death and dying and the Peace Testimony. Because many British Quakers—perhaps the majority—are unsure or doubtful about the possibility of any kind of personal survival after death, they concentrate on ministry to those who mourn rather than speculating as to the fate of those who have died. Similarly, the injunction to answer “that of God in every one” has led inexorably to the Quaker tradition of pacifism. But neither of these is simple or unproblematical; and the Peace Testimony, in particular, still exercises the consciences of Friends—and leaves considerable room for private judgment.
Katrina's Aftermath: The Role of the Rapid Mobilization Action Plan
Authors: Cabrera Fernando , Richards Reverend Bobby , Stevenson Robert G.
Published: July 2016

The churches in areas adjacent to the Gulf Coast played an important role in the relocation and support of many thousands of people forced out of their homes by Hurricane Katrina. This article describes a plan, the Rapid Mobilization Action Plan, that was developed and used by the clergy and parishioners of 40 churches, with the assistance of clergy from as far away as New York and with financial support from across the country. The plan described here was developed and expanded as the situation developed after Hurricane Katrina. Now two of the clergy, who were in the middle of this effort, share their experiences so that others may benefit from them.
The Workplace, the Chaplain, the Grief
Authors: Gilbert Richard B.
Published: July 2016

The workplaces in America (and in many other countries, especially in the Western world) have experienced significant changes in the last few decades. Many values are perceived as changing, and there has been a rearranging of many manufacturing trends that have further affected workers, communities and regions. This article brings two theses before us. First, there is the role of the chaplain in the workplace. This is not a new concept, but it is new to many now struggling to keep their workplaces intact. Second, we have the importance of workplace leadership in taking seriously the bereavement needs in their organization and how the workplace chaplain can assist in that urgent need.
Illness, Crisis and Loss: Towards a Spiritually Intelligent Workplace?
Authors: Moss Bernard
Published: July 2016

This article looks at the contribution the contemporary debate about spirituality—and spiritual intelligence—can make to our understanding of a healthy, or sick, organization, and the implications this can have for the health or sickness of those involved. The loss of a spiritual understanding can have a profound impact not only upon the success of the organization, but also upon those who work for it. By contrast, a spiritually intelligent organization will not only ensure that it takes care of its employees when they experience grief and loss at a personal level; it will also address structural issues which affect the well-being of the organization itself. This article explores ways in which the contemporary debate about spirituality throws important light on the concept of loss and grief in the workplace at a structural level.
Workplace Well-Being: An Occupational Social Work Approach
Authors: Bates John , Thompson Neil
Published: July 2016

In recent years there has been an increasing emphasis on employee welfare or, as it is being referred to with increasing frequency, “workplace well-being.” Traditional approaches to such issues have tended to be either medicalized (via occupational health interventions) or individualized (for example, through employee assistance programs—EAPs). This article proposes a broader approach based on the problem-solving perspective of occupational social work. It is argued that such a broader approach offers a sounder foundation for tackling workplace problems and promoting well-being in general and for addressing the challenges of loss, grief, and trauma in the workplace in particular.
Relational Distressed and Maternal Absence: Young Women's Lived Experience of Familial Breast Cancer
Authors: Johnson Nicole , Pascal Janice
Published: July 2016

Young women growing up within the context of familial breast cancer are faced with significant psychosocial challenges. The most profound of these are the temporary absence, and permanent loss, of their mothers. Eighteen young women (aged 18–34) from rural Victoria (Australia), with family histories of breast cancer, were interviewed for this study. The data were analyzed using hermeneutic Heideggerian phenomenology to explore their lived experiences. Our findings reveal the long term and pervasive consequences of relational distress associated with the temporary and permanent loss of mothers. This distress is experienced through disruptions to developmental attachment and embodied and biographical identity. We highlight how familial breast cancer extends beyond genetic inheritance to encompass the relational distress of loss and grief. We conclude by highlighting the importance of considering the ways in which temporality, self-identity, and daughters' ways of seeing themselves are significantly altered by their mothers' cancer experience.
A Bombing in April: Culture and Disaster in the Oklahoma City Bombing
Authors: Stein Howard F.
Published: July 2016

This article offers a meaning-centered approach to understanding Oklahomans' (and Americans') adaptation to the 19 April 1995 bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City. Adaptation to trauma is discussed in terms of the symbolism of trauma, especially the violation of the sense of place. Multiple, often competing, cultures of response and understandings of the crisis and of its solutions are explored. Key concepts discussed are sense of place, place symbolism, preparation, healing or recovery, timetable (closure), units of risk, units of community, heroism/heroes, crisis narrative (story line), therapeutic communities, cultural baseline, and emergent communities. In studying the relationship between incident, trauma, adaptation, narrative, and memory in a single disaster, this article contributes to a comparative framework of understanding disaster and recovery.
The Place of Viability, Suffering, and Anomalies in Ethical Decision Making in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Schlomann Pamela
Published: July 2016

This ethnographic study explored the role of infant characteristics in the identification of a situation as ethical. Data, collected during a six-month field study, included observations, interviews, and chart, policy, and procedural manual review. Field notes and interview data were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed for patterns and negative exceptions. Perceptions of ambiguity about a baby's humanness affected the process of defining situations as ethical. Ethical discourse was most likely to occur about babies who were overtly anomalous. It was least likely to occur about babies who were significantly “objectified” but not anomalous. Objectification was mediated by staff perceptions about infant suffering. Determinations of infant nonviability, while not ignored, were neither necessary nor sufficient for ethical discourse to occur.
Dying Homeless but Not Alone: Social Support Roles of Staff Members in Homeless Shelters
Authors: Wright R. Dean , Wright Susan E. , Jones Amy
Published: July 2016

This article provides an integrated examination of the process of death among the homeless and the integral role that shelter staff and residents play in this process. Several brief case studies illustrate a variety of ways in which shelter staff and friends who provide support networks in the final stages of life often are excluded by families and others from the rites and rituals of death. The authors suggest that the reliance of homeless people on support networks composed of shelter staff and residents, combined with the lack of legitimacy accorded to these associates, produces excessive strain and blocks opportunity for normal grieving. The article emphasizes the fact that few communities or social service providers are ensuring that staff and residents are given training and counseling to prepare them to deal effectively with such strain.
HIV and AIDS: A Clinical Sociological Application of Assumptions and Principles Developed by the International Work Group on Death, Dying, and Bereavement
Authors: Keller Jennifer , Fleming William D.
Published: July 2016

HIV is a worldwide epidemic. According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), 30.6 million people were living with HIV at the end of 1997 (1998). This epidemic not only has implications on the individual but also society. The International Work Group on Death, Dying, and Bereavement (IWG) is an organization that studies issues concerning death, dying, and bereavement and produces materials of social value. They have taken a position on the issue of HIV with regard to treatment and prevention by developing assumptions and principles for the patient, family, caregiver, and programs. This article provides a closer look at some of the assumptions and principles developed by the IWG.
The Importance of School Staff Referrals and Follow-Up in Connecting High School Students to HIV and STD Testing
Authors: Rasberry Catherine N. , Liddon Nicole , Adkins Susan Hocevar , Lesesne Catherine A. , Hebert Andrew , Kroupa Elizabeth , Rose India D. , Morris Elana
Published: July 2016

This study examined predictors of having received HIV and sexually transmitted disease (STD) testing and having been referred by school staff for HIV/STD testing. In 2014, students in seven high schools completed paper-and-pencil questionnaires assessing demographic characteristics, sexual behavior, referrals for HIV/STD testing, and HIV/STD testing. The analytic sample ( n = 11,303) was 50.7% female, 40.7% Hispanic/Latino, 34.7% Black/African American (non-Hispanic), and mean age was 15.86 ( SD = 1.22). After controlling for demographic characteristics, significant predictors of reporting having been tested for HIV or STDs were reporting having received a referral for HIV/STD testing (odds ratio [ OR] = 3.18; 95% CI = [2.14, 4.70]) and reporting staff following-up on the referral ( OR = 3.29; 95% CI = [1.31, 8.23]). Students reporting referrals had significantly higher odds of being male ( OR = 2.49; 95% CI = [1.70, 3.65]), “other” or multiracial (non-Hispanic; compared to White, non-Hispanic; OR = 2.72; 95% CI = [1.35, 5.46]), sexual minority ( OR = 3.80; 95% CI = [2.57, 5.62]), and sexually experienced ( OR = 2.58; 95% CI = [1.76, 3.795]). School staff referrals with follow-up may increase HIV/STD testing among students.
Description and Impact Evaluation of a Statewide Collaboration to Reduce Preventable Hospital Readmissions
Authors: Meehan Thomas P. , Elwell Anne , Meehan Thomas P. , Ho Shih-Yieh , Van Hoof Thomas J. , Ray Dan , Thomas Casey , Hong Alison , Martinson Wendy , Savino Terri
Published: July 2016

This article describes how a Medicare-funded Quality Improvement Organization collaborated with a hospital association and multiple cross-continuum partners on a statewide effort to reduce hospital readmissions. Interventions included statewide education on quality improvement strategies and community-specific technical assistance on collaboration approaches, data collection and analysis, and selection and implementation of interventions. Fifteen communities, comprising 16 acute care hospitals, 119 nursing homes, 70 home health agencies, and 32 other health care or social service providers, actively participated over a 4.5-year period. Challenges included problems with end-of-life discussions (80.0%), physician engagement (70.0%), staffing (70.0%), and communication between settings (60.0%). Thirty-day all-cause readmission rates in fee-for-service Medicare patients decreased in most hospital service areas across the state (22/24), and the aggregate statewide readmission rate dropped from 15.2/1000 to 12.1/1000, a relative decrease of 20.3% ( P < .001). Despite these positive findings, the specific impact of this collaboration could not be determined because of multiple confounding interventions.
Outcomes in Patients With Hemophilia and von Willebrand Disease Undergoing Invasive or Surgical Procedures
Authors: Chapin John , Bamme Jaqueline , Hsu Fraustina , Christos Paul , DeSancho Maria
Published: July 2016

Adults with hemophilia A (HA), hemophilia B (HB), and von Willebrand disease (VWD) frequently require surgery and invasive procedures. However, there is variability in perioperative management guidelines. We describe our periprocedural outcomes in this setting. A retrospective chart review from January 2006 to December 2012 of patients with HA, HB, and VWD undergoing surgery or invasive procedures was conducted. Type of procedures, management including the use of continuous factor infusion, and administration of antifibrinolytics were reviewed. Adverse outcomes were defined as acute bleeding (<48 hours), delayed bleeding (≥48 hours), transfusion, inhibitor development, and thrombosis. We identified 59 patients with HA and HB. In all, 24 patients had severe hemophilia and 12 had mild/moderate hemophilia. Twelve patients had inhibitors. There were also 5 female carriers of HA and 6 patients with VWD. There were 34 major surgeries (26 orthopedic, 8 nonorthopedic) and 129 minor surgeries. Continuous infusion was used in 55.9% of major surgeries versus 8.5% of minor surgeries. Antifibrinolytics were administered in 14.7% of major surgeries versus 23.2% of minor surgeries. In all, 4 patients developed acute bleeding and 10 patients developed delayed bleeding. Delayed bleeding occurred in 28.6% of genitourinary procedures and in 16.1% of dental procedures. Five patients acquired an inhibitor and 2 had thrombosis. In conclusion, patients with HA, HB, or VWD had similar rates of adverse outcomes when undergoing minor surgeries or major surgeries. This finding underscores the importance of an interdisciplinary management and procedure-specific guidelines for patients with hemophilia and VWD prior to even minor invasive procedures.
Lessons From the EThIGII Trial
Authors: Rogenhofer Nina , Markoff Arseni , Wagner Annett , Klein Hanns-Georg , Petroff David , Schleussner Ekkehard ,   for the EThIG II Group, Thaler Christian J.
Published: July 2016

This study presents sample size considerations derived from the Efficacy of Thromboprophylaxis as an Intervention during Gravidity (EThIGII) trial (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00400387) to address the question of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) treatment in women with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) depending on the M2/ANXA5 haplotype. To evaluate the possible influence of such treatment on miscarriage rates of trial participants, a post hoc analysis of ANXA5 promoter genotypes in the light of M2/ANXA5 ( RPRGL3) distribution was performed using logistic models. DNA for genotyping was available from 129 LMWH and 95 control patients, 44 (19.6%) of whom were M2/ANXA5 carriers. Miscarriages occurred in 1 (4.0%) of 25 M2/ANXA5 carriers from the LMWH group compared to 4 (21.1%) of 19 in the control group, resulting in an odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for miscarriage of 0.16 (0.016-1.5) for women treated with LMWH. In noncarriers, miscarriage rates were 6 (5.8%) of 104 versus 7 (9.2%) of 76 for the LMWH and the control groups, respectively, corresponding to an odds ratio for miscarriage of 0.60 (0.19-1.9). The apparent beneficial effects of miscarriage rate reduction in M2/ANXA5 carriers with RPL concur with biological considerations about improvement in reduced ANXA5 function through LMWH treatment in an adequate murine model. The data obtained were instrumental to design proper assessment of the existence and magnitude of this effect.
The Importance of Magnesium Values in Patients With STEMI Admitted to the Emergency Department
Authors: Yuksel Melih , Isik Turgay , Tanboga Ibrahim Halil , Ayhan Erkan , Erimsah Mehmet Emre , Topcu Selim , Demirelli Selami , Aksakal Enbiya , Sevimli Serdar
Published: July 2016

Aim:

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between initial magnesium (Mg) levels, electrocardiographic no-reflow, and long-term mortality in patients who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) due to ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods:

A total of 111 patients with pPCI participated in the study. Magnesium and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were measured. The sum of ST-segment elevation was measured immediately before and 60 minutes after the restoration of coronary flow. The difference between the 2 measurements was taken as the amount of ST-segment resolution and defined as sum of ST-segment resolution (∑STR). The ∑STR <50% was determined as electrocardiographic sign of no-reflow phenomenon. After the patients were discharged, they were followed up for major adverse cardiac events for up to 51 months after discharge.

Results:

Forty patients in the no-reflow group and 71 patients in the normal-flow group were included in the study. Magnesium value ≤1.87 mg/dL initially measured had 77% sensitivity and 59% specificity in predicting no-reflow on receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. In multivariate analyses, Mg (odds ratio [OR]: 0.01, <95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.01-0.12; P = .004), hs-CRP (OR: 1.06, <95% CI: 1.00-1.14; P = .05), left anterior descending artery lesion (OR: 6.66, <95% CI: 1.45-3.05; P = .01), and reperfusion time (OR: 1.01, <95% CI: 1.00-1.01; P = .03) were still independent predictors of electrocardiographic no-reflow, and only Mg (OR: 0.08, <95% CI: 0.01-1.03; P = .05) was still an independent predictor of long-term mortality.

Conclusion:

Serum Mg level is an independent predictor of electrocardiographic no-reflow and long-term mortality in patients with STEMI.
Antifungal effects of the biological agent Pythium oligandrum observed in vitro
Authors: Načeradská Martina , Fridrichová Michaela , Kellnerová Dita , Peková Soňa , Lány Petr
Published: July 2016

Objectives

Dermatophytosis, commonly known as ringworm, is a superficial fungal skin disease and zoonosis. Pythium oligandrum is a micromycete with mycoparasitic properties that is used in agriculture to control fungal infections on plants. Formulations containing P oligandrum were also developed for the treatment of dermatophytoses, but only a small number of case studies have been published. In order to document the process in simplified conditions in vitro, we investigated the effectiveness of P oligandrum against three pathogenic dermatophytes common in domestic animals.

Methods

Cultures of the pathogens grown on nutrient media and experimentally infected cat hair were treated with P oligandrum preparations in therapeutic concentration and the changes were documented by microscopic videos and scanning electron microscopy.

Results

There was strong mycoparasitic activity of P oligandrum against Microsporum canis, Microsporum gypseum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes.

Conclusions and relevance

P oligandrum was demonstrated to be effective against three common causes of dermatophytosis in vitro.
A worldwide survey of MATESOL programs in 2014: Patterns and perspectives
Authors: Stapleton Paul , Shao Qing
Published: July 2016

This article reports on a survey of 241 Master of Arts programs in TESOL (MATESOL) in 16 countries serving as a snapshot of second language teacher education in 2014. After an initial screening by a set of criteria, these programs were first identified, and their course offerings, among other criteria, such as entrance and capstone requirements, were categorized. In total, 3,877 courses across 15 knowledge fields were coded with frequency counts taken. Our analysis revealed that the most frequently appearing course offerings tended to focus on teaching methods. However, large differences appeared among the programs with regard to the offering of courses in various knowledge fields. Differences also appeared between US and non-US programs, particularly with regard to practicum requirements. Several other patterns and themes emerged from the data including the extensive coverage of social and cultural aspects of language learning in elective courses, and the lack of focus on specific English as a foreign language (EFL) contexts in course offerings, among others.
Impact of the Charter of Quebec Values on psychological well-being of francophone university students
Authors: Hassan Ghayda , Mekki-Berrada Abdelwahed , Rousseau Cécile , Lyonnais-Lafond Gabrielle , Jamil Uzma , Cleveland Janet
Published: July 2016

This paper discusses results from a pilot study conducted in the spring of 2014 among young adults living in Montreal. The main objective of this study was to assess the relation between perception of the Charter of Quebec Values, 1 self-identification, perception of intercommunity relations, perceived discrimination, and psychological well-being in young students enrolled in undergraduate or graduate programs of a francophone university in Montreal. A total of 441 students (30.5% male, 69.5% female) took part in a web survey designed by the research team. The data analyses and results suggest that the debate around the Charter of Quebec values was associated with a shift from a predominantly positive perception of intercommunity relations to a predominantly negative one, particularly among women, immigrants, and those who self-identified as cultural or religious minorities. In addition, more than 30% of participants reported having experienced some form of ethnic or religious discrimination since the Charter was released (personally or as a witness). This was particularly the case among immigrants, as well as those who self-identified as bicultural or from cultural or religious minority groups. This study’s results thus highlight the exacerbation of intercommunity tensions linked to the public debate around identity and intercommunity relations in Quebec.
Promoting smartness among local areas in a Southern Italian region: The Smart Basilicata Project
Authors: Salvia M. , Cornacchia C. , Di Renzo G. C. , Braccio G. , Annunziato M. , Colangelo A. , Orifici L. , Lapenna V.
Published: July 2016

Making cities smarter and more competitive is one of the major challenges of climate change and energy security. Smart city initiatives have arisen Europe-wide to help cities to start planning their future in a new way to become more sustainable and resilient. New business models need to be investigated to foster local business development, innovative local administrations and industries, valorize the cultural heritage and the research outcomes and promote community’s participation. This transition is even more complex and necessary for sparsely populated regions with poor infrastructures in the buildings, manufacturing and transport domains and with a multi-layer local governance (e.g. Italian Towns, Provinces and Region). In this case, a widespread concept of smart city can be applied proposing systematic strategies for urban innovation with a regional-wide perspective. This paper focuses on a coordinated project aimed to promote smartness among local areas in a small region in Southern Italy (Basilicata). The ‘Smart Basilicata’ project constitutes a unique example in which, by working together, multi-layer public authorities, private enterprises, research organizations and universities drafted the basis for a regional strategy for smart-related issues.
Critique and process: Signature pedagogies in the graphic design classroom
Authors: Motley Phillip
Published: July 2016

Like many disciplines in design and the visual fine arts, critique is a signature pedagogy in the graphic design classroom. It serves as both a formative and summative assessment while also giving students the opportunity to practice the habits of graphic design. Critiques help students become keen observers of relevant disciplinary criteria; reflective about what they’ve been taught, what they’ve observed, and how they’ve applied both; articulate in giving meaningful feedback to peers; and capable of using a specific tool to assess the successes and failures of their own design work.
Signature pedagogy in theatre arts
Authors: Kornetsky Lisa
Published: July 2016

Critique in undergraduate theatre programs is at the heart of training actors at all levels. It is accepted as the signature pedagogy and is practiced in multiple ways. This essay defines critique and presents the case for why it is used as the single most important way that performers come to understand the language, values, and discourse of the discipline. In actor training, critique is used in the studio, classroom, and rehearsal hall as the way that students learn to take theory and practical skills and apply them through choices that are clear and justifiable, demonstrating an understanding of text and dramatic style. The focus is on where and how critique is used, who is doing the critique in what setting, and how students learn and grow through this process. This is discussed in relationship to the development of self and community and preparation for the professional world.
Settler colony on the Hudson: What history and theory tell us about the education crisis in East Ramapo Central School District, New York
Authors: Justice Benjamin
Published: July 2016

Scholars typically frame the subgroup problem in education in terms of protecting religious minorities from majoritarian encroachment. This essay explores a different aspect of the subgroup problem: what happens when an antidemocratic religious minority becomes a local majority responsible for the promotion of the public good? This essay uses the takeover and plundering of a public school district by Hasidic Jews in New York State as a case study. The settler colonist orientation of the Hasidim uniquely situates them to take advantage of the legacies of nineteenth-century school districting laws, but that same orientation leads them to grossly antidemocratic behaviors that victimize children of color. In such a case, democracy demands state intervention into the much-cherished arena of democratic localism. For advocates of church-state cooperation in the management of public schooling, this case provides a cautionary tale about the critical importance of substantive commitments to democratic values.
“I Know That I Should Be Here”: Lessons Learned From the First-Year Performance of Borderline University Applicants
Authors: Covarrubias Rebecca , Gallimore Ronald , Okagaki Lynn
Published: July 2016

At many higher education institutions, admissions decisions often rely on standardized test scores and high school grades; yet, they are less reliable predictors for applicants falling slightly below cutoff points, what we call borderline applicants. Since borderline applicants are often from underrepresented backgrounds and diverted to 2-year institutions, this may potentially jeopardize efforts to increase campus diversity. Using a mixed-methods approach, two studies investigated an “admissions experiment” designed to increase campus diversity by admitting 34 borderline applicants into a summer bridge program. Study 1 compared program participants’ performance to two comparison samples of regularly admitted students ( N = 912). Compared with a matched sample, borderline students performed better after the first semester and comparably after the first year. Study 2 identified program components that helped or undermined participants’ college adjustment and performance. Results suggested several program improvements that might enhance underrepresented students’ performance and experiences on 4-year campuses.
The Role of Qualitative Research in Clinical Trial Development: The EASE Back Study
Authors: Bartlam Bernadette , Waterfield Jacqueline , Bishop Annette , Holden Melanie A. , Barlas Panos , Ismail Khaled M. , Kettle Christine , Foster Nadine E.
Published: July 2016

This article outlines the rationale for adopting a mixed methods approach within randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and explores challenges associated in doing so. Taking the example of the EASE Back feasibility and pilot study ( Evaluating Acupuncture and Standard care for pregnant wom En with BACK pain: ISRCTN49955124), we detail why and how we operationalized a concurrent-sequential mixed methods research design. We present key findings from the exploratory research (focus groups and interviews) and explain how these were integrated with descriptive findings (a national survey of physical therapists) in order to inform and refine the design of the explanatory phase (the pilot RCT). We conclude with a discussion of lessons learned and implications for future research design and conduct.
The validity and reliability of ultrasound on identifying supraspinatus tears during passive external rotation from 0° to 30°: a pilot project
Authors: Kennedy June S. , Myers Heather S. , Gibson Scott D. , Kanaan Matthew G. , Butler Robert J.
Published: July 2016

Background

Controversy exists regarding how much external rotation should be allowed following rotator cuff repair. Clinicians may use ultrasound imaging (USI) to visualize the supraspinatus (SSp) tendon during passive external rotation. However, the validity and reliability of USI used to assess supraspinatus tendon gap formation during external rotation needs to be established prior to using this technique in patient cohorts.

Methods

Ten subjects with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmation of full-thickness SSp tears were matched to 10 control subjects. Images of the SSp were obtained at 0°, 10°, 20° and 30° of external rotation by a blinded tester on two occasions to establish both validity and reliability of the measure.

Results

Validity was established as 70% agreement between the USI and MRI confirmed SSp tear group; reliability was established at greater than 0.90 at all positions of external rotation measured.

Conclusions

USI may be used to detect SSp tears with 70% validity, and the technique is reliable in all positions of external rotation.
Fecal immunochemical test‐based colorectal cancer screening: The gender dilemma
Authors: Grobbee Esmée J , Wieten Els , Hansen Bettina E , Stoop Esther M , de Wijkerslooth Thomas R , Lansdorp‐Vogelaar Iris , Bossuyt Patrick M , Dekker Evelien , Kuipers Ernst J , Spaander Manon CW
Published: July 2016

Background

Despite differences between men and women in incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) and its precursors, screening programs consistently use the same strategy for both genders.

Objective

The objective of this article is to illustrate the effects of gender‐tailored screening, including the effects on miss rates of advanced neoplasia (AN).

Methods

Participants (age 50–75 years) in a colonoscopy screening program were asked to complete a fecal immunochemical test (FIT) before colonoscopy. Positivity rates, sensitivity and specificity for detection of AN at multiple cut‐offs were determined. Absolute numbers of detected and missed AN per 1000 screenees were calculated.

Results

In total 1,256 individuals underwent FIT and colonoscopy, 51% male (median age 61 years; IQR 56–66) and 49% female (median age 60 years; IQR 55–65). At all cut‐offs men had higher positivity rates than women, ranging from 3.8% to 10.8% versus 3.2% to 4.8%. Sensitivity for AN was higher in men than women; 40%–25% and 35%–22%, respectively. More AN were found and missed in absolute numbers in men at all cut‐offs.

Conclusion

More AN were both detected and missed in men compared to women at all cut‐offs. Gender‐tailored cut‐offs could either level sensitivity in men and women (i.e., lower cut‐off in women) or level the amount of missed lesions (i.e., lower cut‐off in men).
Who tweets about cancer? An analysis of cancer-related tweets in the USA
Authors: Murthy Dhiraj , Eldredge Macgill
Published: July 2016

Cancer patients, family members and friends are increasingly using social media. Some oncologists and oncology centres are engaging with social media, and advocacy groups are using it to disseminate information and coordinate fundraising efforts. However, the question of whether such social media activity corresponds to areas with higher incidence of cancer or higher access to cancer centres remains understudied. To address this gap, our study compared US government data with 90,986 cancer-related tweets with the keywords ‘chemo’, ‘lymphoma’, ‘mammogram’, ‘melanoma’, and ‘cancer survivor’. We found that the frequency of cancer-related tweets is not associated with mammogram testing and cancer incidence rates, but that the concentration of doctors and cancer centres is associated with cancer-related tweet frequency. Ultimately, we found that Twitter has value to cancer patients, survivors and their families, but that cancer-related social media resources may not be targeting locations that could see the most value and benefit. Therefore, there are real opportunities to better align cancer-related engagement on Twitter and other social media.