bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A placebo-controlled pilot study of intensification of antiretroviral therapy with mycophenolate mofetil
Authors: Kaur Rupinderjeet , Bedimo Roger , Kvanli Mary Beth , Turner Diana , Shaw Leslie , Margolis David
Published: May 2006

Purpose

We studied the safety, tolerability, virologic, and immunologic effects of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) added to a stable antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the setting of low-level viremia.

Methods

MMF 500 mg BID or placebo was given to patients thought to be adherent on stable ART with plasma viremia between 200 and 4000 copies/mL. At week 4 unblinding was performed and patients on placebo were offered open-label MMF.

Results

Six patients were enrolled. At entry mean plasma HIV-1 RNA (VL) was 2.98 log10 copies/mL; mean CD4 count was 523. All subjects randomized to placebo elected to cross over to open label MMF. No significant adverse events were observed during MMF therapy. Three patients on MMF achieved VL < 50 copies/mL by week 4; a fourth had VL decline of > 0.5 log. Two patients on placebo had declines of VL. One of these had further decline on open label MMF. Cell surface markers of apoptosis, activation, and proliferation on CD4+ and CD8+ cells declined modestly or remained low. CD4 counts were stable at week 24. All but one subject had rebound of viremia by week 24, universally associated with missed doses of medication by pill count.

Conclusion

MMF appears to be safe, and its administration lead to decreased T cell activation. During periods of adherence to therapy, the use of MMF was correlated with declines in viremia, but this small pilot study could not prove this association. Further study of MMF in patients with viremia should be considered for whom additional or alternative antiretrovirals are impractical.
Evaluation of cell wall preparations for proteomics: a new procedure for purifying cell walls from Arabidopsis hypocotyls
Authors: Feiz Leila , Irshad Muhammad , F Pont-Lezica Rafael , Canut Hervé , Jamet Elisabeth
Published: May 2006

Background

The ultimate goal of proteomic analysis of a cell compartment should be the exhaustive identification of resident proteins; excluding proteins from other cell compartments. Reaching such a goal closely depends on the reliability of the isolation procedure for the cell compartment of interest. Plant cell walls possess specific difficulties: (i) the lack of a surrounding membrane may result in the loss of cell wall proteins (CWP) during the isolation procedure, (ii) polysaccharide networks of cellulose, hemicelluloses and pectins form potential traps for contaminants such as intracellular proteins. Several reported procedures to isolate cell walls for proteomic analyses led to the isolation of a high proportion (more than 50%) of predicted intracellular proteins. Since isolated cell walls should hold secreted proteins, one can imagine alternative procedures to prepare cell walls containing a lower proportion of contaminant proteins.

Results

The rationales of several published procedures to isolate cell walls for proteomics were analyzed, with regard to the bioinformatic-predicted subcellular localization of the identified proteins. Critical steps were revealed: (i) homogenization in low ionic strength acid buffer to retain CWP, (ii) purification through increasing density cushions, (iii) extensive washes with a low ionic strength acid buffer to retain CWP while removing as many cytosolic proteins as possible, and (iv) absence of detergents. A new procedure was developed to prepare cell walls from etiolated hypocotyls of Arabidopsis thaliana. After salt extraction, a high proportion of proteins predicted to be secreted was released (73%), belonging to the same functional classes as proteins identified using previously described protocols. Finally, removal of intracellular proteins was obtained using detergents, but their amount represented less than 3% in mass of the total protein extract, based on protein quantification.

Conclusion

The new cell wall preparation described in this paper gives the lowest proportion of proteins predicted to be intracellular when compared to available protocols. The application of its principles should lead to a more realistic view of the cell wall proteome, at least for the weakly bound CWP extractable by salts. In addition, it offers a clean cell wall preparation for subsequent extraction of strongly bound CWP.
Live Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Neisseria meningitidis activate the inflammatory response through Toll-like receptors 2, 4, and 9 in species-specific patterns
Authors: Mogensen Trine H , Paludan Søren R , Kilian Mogens , Østergaard Lars
Published: May 2006

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are pattern recognition receptors (PRR) that recognize molecular structures on pathogens and activate host defenses. Although much is known about specific bacterial components that activate TLRs, few studies have addressed the question of which TLRs are involved in immune activation by live bacteria. Here, we demonstrate that live Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae type b, and Neisseria meningitidis, the three principal causes of bacterial meningitis, use distinct sets of TLRs to trigger the inflammatory response. Using human embryonic kidney 293 cell lines, each overexpressing one type of TLR, we found that S. pneumoniae triggered activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor-κB and expression of interleukin-8, only in cells expressing TLR2 or -9. The same response was evoked by H. influenzae in cells expressing TLR2 or -4 and by N. meningitidis in cells expressing TLR2, -4, or -9. It is interesting that the ability of S. pneumoniae and N. meningitidis to activate TLR9 was severely attenuated when bacteria had been heat-inactivated prior to stimulation of the cells. In human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, we blocked TLR2, -4, or -9 and confirmed the essential role of these TLRs and also identified differential functions of TLRs in activation of the inflammatory response. Collectively, we here demonstrate that S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, and N. meningitidis each activate several TLRs in species-specific patterns and show that infection with live pathogens may lead to activation of PRR not targeted by inactivated bacteria.
ICAM-1-dependent pathways regulate colonic eosinophilic inflammation
Authors: Forbes Elizabeth , Hulett Mark , Ahrens Richard , Wagner Norbert , Smart Vanessa , Matthaei Klaus I , Brandt Eric B , Dent Lindsay A , Rothenberg Marc E , Tang Mimi , Foster Paul S , Hogan Simon P
Published: May 2006

Eosinophilic inflammation is a common feature of numerous eosinophil-associated gastrointestinal (EGID) diseases. Central to eosinophil migration into the gastrointestinal tract are the integrin-mediated interactions with adhesion molecules. Although the mechanisms regulating eosinophil homing into the small intestine have begun to be elucidated, the adhesion pathways responsible for eosinophil trafficking into the large intestine are unknown. We investigated the role of adhesion pathways in eosinophil recruitment into the large intestine during homeostasis and disease. First, using a hapten-induced colonic injury model, we demonstrate that in contrast to the small intestine, eosinophil recruitment into the colon is regulated by a β7-integrin addressin cell adhesion molecule-1-independent pathway. Characterization of integrin expression on colonic eosinophils by flow cytometry analysis revealed that colonic CC chemokine receptor 3+ eosinophils express the intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) counter-receptor integrins αL, αM, and β2. Using ICAM-1-deficient mice and anti-ICAM-1 neutralizing antibodies, we show that hapten-induced colonic eosinophilic inflammation is critically dependent on ICAM-1. These studies demonstrate that β2-integrin/ICAM-1-dependent pathways are integral to eosinophil recruitment into the colon during GI inflammation associated with colonic injury.
The factor structure of test task characteristics and examinee performance
Authors: Carr Nathan T.
Published: May 2006

The present study focuses on the task characteristics of reading passages and key sentences in a test of second language reading. Using a new methodological approach to describe variation in test task characteristics and explore how differences in these characteristics might relate to examinee performance, it posed the two following research questions: First, how do the characteristics of the texts used in a high-stakes test of English for Academic Purposes reading vary? Second, what relationships exist between its text characteristics and examinee performance?

An expanded test task characteristics instrument was constructed, following Freedle and Kostin (1993) and Bachman et al. (1996), and adding a large number of syntactic features (Celce-Murcia and Larsen-Freeman, 1999). Ratings and numerical counts were compiled for three forms of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Reading Comprehension Section. Taking items as the object of measurement, the results were then used in a series of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, along with IRT (item response theory) parameter estimates for the items in question.
A closer look at the construct validity of C-tests
Authors: Eckes Thomas , Grotjahn Rüdiger
Published: May 2006

What C-tests actually measure has been an issue of debate for many years. In the present research, the authors examined the hypothesis that C-tests measure general language proficiency. A total of 843 participants from four independent samples took a German C-test along with the TestDaF (Test of German as a Foreign Language). Rasch measurement modelling and confirmatory factor analysis provided clear evidence that the C-test in question was a highly reliable, unidimensional instrument, which measured the same general dimension as the four TestDaF sections: reading, listening, writing and speaking. Moreover, the authors showed that language proficiency was divisible into more specific constructs and that examinee proficiency level differentially influenced C-test performance. The findings have implications for the multicomponentiality and fluidity of the C-test measurement construct.
Discursive construction of a high-stakes test: the many faces of a test-taker
Authors: Huhta Ari , Kalaja Paula , Pitkänen-Huhta Anne
Published: May 2006

As part of a larger project, we studied how a foreign language test got discursively constructed in the talk of upper-secondary-school leavers. A group of students were asked to keep an oral diary to record their ideas, feelings and experiences of preparing for and taking the test over the last spring term of school, as part of a high-stakes national examination. In addition, they took part in discussions either in pairs or groups of three after having learned about the final test results. After transcribing the data, drawing on a form of discourse analysis originally launched by a group of social psychologists, we identified (at least) four interpretative repertoires in the students’ accounts - with different constructions of themselves as test-takers, the test, and their performance in the test - including expectations and explanations for success or failure as well as credit or blame. The findings point to variation in the uses of these repertoires, not only from one context to another but also from moment to moment.
Investigating the relative effects of persons, items, sections, and languages on TOEIC score dependability
Authors: Zhang Su
Published: May 2006

This study applied generalizability theory to investigate the contributions of persons, items, sections, and language backgrounds to the score dependability of the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC). I replicated and extended Brown’s (1999) study of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), using data from two language groups who took the same form of the TOEIC: 45 156 Japanese examinees and 46 067 Korean examinees. Both classical reliability analyses and generalizability analyses found the TOEIC scores of the examinees in question to be highly reliable/generalizable. The items within a section varied greatly in difficulty. An examinee who scored relatively high in one section was likely to score high in the other section. The findings regarding the effect of language backgrounds on TOEIC score dependability were inconclusive, which suggests directions for future research. TOEIC test developers might explore design alternatives with fewer items per section.
A corpus-based investigation into the validity of the CET-SET group discussion
Authors: He Lianzhen , Dai Ying
Published: May 2006

This article reports the results of an investigation, based on a 170 000-word corpus of test performance, of the validity of College English Test-Spoken English Test (CET-SET) group discussion by examining the degree of interaction among candidates in the group discussion task with respect to a set of interactional language functions (ILFs) to be assessed. The results show a low degree of interaction among candidates in the CET-SET group discussion. Consequently, the inadequate elicitation of ILFs from candidates may well pose a problem for measuring their speaking ability in this regard.
Activities of daily living and social activities in people with multiple sclerosis in Stockholm County
Authors: Einarsson U , Gottberg K , Fredrikson S , von Koch L , Holmqvist L Widén
Published: May 2006

Objective: To describe independence in personal and instrumental activities of daily living (ADL), and frequency of social/lifestyle activities in a population-based sample of people with multiple sclerosis in Stockholm.

Design: Population-based survey.

Setting: Data collection in home environment.

Subjects: One hundred and sixty-six people with multiple sclerosis.

Interventions: Data were collected using measurements and structured interviews.

Main measures: Independence in ADL was assessed by the Barthel Index; independence in personal and instrumental ADL by the Katz Extended ADL Index; and frequency of social/lifestyle activities by the Frenchay Activities Index.

Results: The mean age was 519 ± 12 years in the included 166 people with multiple sclerosis, of whom 71% ( n = 118) were women. Fifty-two per cent ( n = 85) were independent in personal ADL, 30% ( n = 50) in instrumental ADL, and 35% ( n = 57) had normal frequency of social/lifestyle activities. Most frequently affected ADL items were cleaning indoors and outdoors transportation (62%, n = 102) and the social/lifestyle items of household maintenance (59%, n = 97), walking outside (59%, n = 97), heavy housework (61%, n = 100), and gardening (68%, n = 112).

Conclusions: ADL and social/lifestyle activities were affected in two-thirds of people with multiple sclerosis in Stockholm. The most affected items were items that could be classified as mobility-related and physically demanding, underlining the importance of developing and using evidence-based exercise treatments and rehabilitation to increase independence in people with multiple sclerosis in Stockholm.
Strength training in adolescent learners with cerebral palsy: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Unger Marianne , Faure Mary , Frieg Annette
Published: May 2006

Objective: To evaluate the impact of an eight-week strength training program targeting multiple muscle groups using basic inexpensive free weights and resistance devices, on gait and perceptions of body image and functional competence.

Design: A randomized control trial.

Setting: A school for children with special needs in a disadvantaged suburb in Cape Town.

Subjects: Thirty-one independently ambulant senior learners with spastic cerebral palsy (19 males, 12 females; aged 13-18 years; 15 diplegics and 16 hemiplegics).

Intervention: Eight-week strength training programme in circuit format executed during school hours, one to three times per week for 40-60 min per session. Programmes were individually designed and included 8-12 exercises selected from a 28-station circuit to target upper and lower limbs and trunk. Twenty-one subjects took part in the strength training programme and were compared with 10 control subjects.

Main outcome measures: Three-dimensional gait analysis and a questionnaire were used to evaluate the various parameters of gait and perceptions of body image and functional competence respectively. Results were analysed using repeated measures ANOVA and bootstrap analysis.

Results: The experimental group differed significantly from the control group for measure of crouch gait (sum of the ankle, knee and hip angles at midstance) (P = 0.05) and perceptions of body image (P = 0.01). Walking velocity, cadence and stride length as well as perceptions of functional ability did not change significantly after training.

Conclusion: Participation in a school-based strength training programme targeting multiple muscle groups can lead to improved degree of crouch gait and improve perception of body image.
Six-minute walk test in adults with cerebral palsy. A study of reliability
Authors: Andersson Christina , Asztalos Lena , Mattsson Eva
Published: May 2006

Objective: To determine the reliability of a six-minute walk test in adults with cerebral palsy.

Design: Four repeated walk tests during two weeks.

Setting: The tests were conducted in a 40-m-long corridor at a rehabilitation centre for outpatients.

Subjects: Twenty-five adults (9 women and 16 men) with CP. Mean age 36 (26 58) years. Twelve subjects walked with walking aids and 13 without.

Interventions: No intervention.

Measures: The subjects were instructed to walk as far as possible for 6 min. The distance walked, heart rate and perceived exertion were assessed.

Results: Mean distances walked by the subjects in the four tests were 316, 336, 341 and 345 m. The repeatability between test 1 and the other tests was 66 m, and when the first walk test was excluded 40 m. The coefficient of variation (CV) between test 1 and the other tests varied between 7.1 and 8.7%, and when the first walk test was excluded between 3.7 and 4.5%. Intraclass correlation (ICC 1.1) was 0.97 in the four tests, and when the first walk test was excluded 0.99. Walking distance was longer ( P<0.01) and varied less in subjects walking without walking aids ( n=13) compared with subjects using walking aids ( n=12).

Conclusions: Six-minute walk test showed high reliability, with a repeatability of 40 m. One practice test is recommended, as the walking distance in the first test was significantly shorter (P B=0.01) than the other three tests.
The effect of rehabilitation service use on coping patterns over time among older adults with age-related vision loss
Authors: Boerner Kathrin , Reinhardt Joann P , Horowitz Amy
Published: May 2006

Objective: To enhance our understanding of coping and rehabilitation in the context of adaptation to disability by examining how coping may change over a two-year time period, and how different vision rehabilitation services may affect coping over time.

Design: Longitudinal two-wave study (baseline and two-year follow-up).

Setting: Vision rehabilitation agency.

Subjects: Older adults with visual impairment.

Method: In-person interviews using structured assessments of functional vision loss and functional disability, rehabilitation service use and coping strategies.

Results: Ninety-five people participated in both study waves. Findings showed change in patterns of coping over the two-year period of the study, as participants adjusted to living with age-related vision loss. Although instrumental coping was the only coping mode with evidence for average change (a decrease), affective and escape/distraction strategies showed individual variation in change over time. Rehabilitation use explained variance in coping at time 2 over and above impairment status and coping at time 1. Those who used a greater number of assistive aids between time points were likely to report more instrumental coping at time 2, and those who used counselling between time points were likely to report more affective coping at the two-year follow-up. Finally, those who used more optical aids were likely to report more escape/distraction coping at time 2, whereas those who saw a low vision specialist tended to report less of this type of coping over time.

Conclusions: Findings suggest that rehabilitation interventions can affect coping patterns over time, and that direction and magnitude of such an effect may depend on the type of rehabilitation received.
The relationship between depressive symptoms and shoulder mobility among older women: assessment at one year after breast cancer diagnosis
Authors: Caban Mabel E , Freeman Jean L , Zhang Dong D , Jansen Caroline , Ostir Glenn , Hatch Sandra S , Goodwin James S
Published: May 2006

Objective: To examine the association between depressive symptoms and shoulder range of motion at one year after breast cancer diagnosis, controlling for patient characteristics, tumour stage and cancer therapy (surgery, axillary node dissection and radiation).

Design: Prospective trial of nurse case management involving 187 older women with complete data, age 60 years and older, newly diagnosed with breast cancer, from 1 November, 1993 to 31 October, 1996 in south-eastern Texas. Depressive symptoms, sociodemographic characteristics and breast cancer treatment were measured at two months and shoulder range of motion at 12 months. The relationship among the variables was evaluated with bivariate chi-square statistics and logistic regression analysis. All logistic models also included a variable indicating whether or not the woman received nurse case management, to control for intervention status.

Results: Increasing depressive symptoms at baseline were associated with lower arm mobility at 12 months following breast cancer diagnosis. Each unit increase in depressive symptoms at baseline was associated with an 8% decreased odds of having full range of motion of the shoulder (odds ratio (OR) 0.92, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.87, 0.97), after controlling for relevant patient and treatment factors.

Conclusion(s): Older women with depressive symptoms have an elevated risk of not fully recovering shoulder mobility after being treated for breast cancer. Future studies are needed to assess benefits from early intervention with psychological and or physical interventions in the presence of depressive symptoms on shoulder mobility.
Itermittent catheterization in the rehabilitation setting: a comparison of clean and sterile technique
Authors: Moore Katherine N , Burt Jean , Voaklander Donald C
Published: May 2006

Objective: To compare the onset of symptomatic urinary tract infection in individuals with spinal cord injury in a rehabilitation setting who are randomized to clean or sterile intermittent catheterization technique.

Design: Randomized controlled design.

Setting: Spinal cord rehabilitation units in western Canada.

Subjects: Thirty-six patients with cervical spinal cord injuries requiring intermittent catheterization by nursing staff were recruited. None had a previous history of voiding dysfunction or urinary tract infections.

Interventions: Subjects were randomized to either clean or sterile intermittent catheterization technique. Protocols for both clean and sterile techniques were standardized and followed by nursing staff and caregivers.

Main measures: Primary outcome measure was symptomatic urinary tract infection as diagnosed by urine culture ≥ 105 colony-forming units/mL, pyuria (≥ 10 leukocytes on high-power field), and accompanying symptoms.

Results: A total of 189 urine specimens from 36 subjects were cultured. Of the 36 subjects, 15 (43%) developed a symptomatic urinary tract infection: 6/16 (37%) from the clean group; 9/20 (45%) from the sterile group (P>0.05). Mean time to onset for symptomatic urinary tract infection for the clean group was 3.0 (standard deviation (SD) 2.4) weeks and for the sterile group, 3.6 (SD 1.3) weeks (P>0.05). The most common urinary organisms at onset of symptomatic urinary tract infection were Enterococcus species followed by Klebsiella.

Conclusion: Clean intermittent catheterization in the rehabilitation setting does not appear to place the patient with spinal cord injury at increased risk for developing symptomatic urinary tract infection, and has significant cost and time saving benefits for the health care system, as well as enhancing the transition for the patient from rehabilitation to community.
Family-centred services in the Netherlands: validating a self-report measure for paediatric service providers
Authors: Siebes Renate C , Ketelaar Marjolijn , Wijnroks Lex , van Schie Petra EM , Nijhuis Bianca JG , Vermeer Adri , Gorter Jan Willem
Published: May 2006

Objective: To validate the Dutch translation of the Canadian Measure of Processes of Care for Service Providers questionnaire (MPOC-SP) for use in paediatric rehabilitation settings in the Netherlands.

Design: The construct validity, content validity, face validity, and reliability of the Dutch MPOC-SP were determined.

Subjects: The 163 service providers that participated in the validation study represented seven children's rehabilitation centres and affiliated schools in the Netherlands (overall response rate 55.6%). In this sample 19 disciplines were represented.

Main measures: The MPOC-SP consists of 27 items (assessing four domains) and was designed to examine how service providers think about the quality of care they provide and to assess the extent to which these services are family centred. Fifty-three service providers filled out an additional face validity questionnaire.

Results: All items correlated best and significantly with their own scale score (rs 0.48-0.82, P < 0.001). The Pearson's correlation coefficients were all significant and confirmed that the four scales measure different aspects of a same construct, namely family-centred service. The content validity and the face validity of the Dutch MPOC-SP were good, indicating the questionnaire measures relevant aspects of family-centred service delivery in paediatric rehabilitation settings in the Netherlands. The test-retest analyses (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) 0.83-0.89) and the internal consistency analyses (alpha 0.65-0.84) showed that the Dutch MPOC-SP is a reliable tool.

Conclusions: The Dutch MPOC-SP is a reliable and valid instrument to measure the family-centredness of service delivery.
Dynamic interactions between impairment and activity after stroke: examining the utility of decision analysis methods
Authors: Skidmore Elizabeth R , Rogers Joan C , Chandler Lynette S , Holm Margo B
Published: May 2006

Objective: To examine the utility of decision analysis methods for examining the dynamic nature of impairment-activity interactions following stroke.

Design: Decision analyses (Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detector) of a prospective cohort study.

Setting: Community and institutional settings based on the location of participants three months after stroke.

Participants: Individuals were recruited from consecutive admissions to a regional academic health center and were assessed three months after stroke (N=67).

Main outcome measures: Neurological impairment was measured with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Mobility, self-care and instrumental activities of daily living (instrumental ADL) performance were assessed with a performance observation measure, the Performance Assessment of Self-care Skills (PASS). Decision analysis methods were used to examine interactions between neurological impairments and activity outcomes.

Results: Unique neurological impairments were associated with each activity outcome (bowel and bladder urgency interacted with mobility; hand function interacted with self-care; mental functions interacted with instrumental ADL), and these findings are supported by previous studies. The predictive validity of mobility and self-care analyses was stronger than the instrumental ADL analyses.

Conclusions: Decision analysis methods show promise for understanding dynamic impairment-activity interactions. This understanding may enhance methods for informing rehabilitation decisions.
Responsiveness of isokinetic dynamometry parameters, pain and activity level scores to evaluate changes in patients with capsulitis of the shoulder
Authors: van Meeteren J , Roebroeck M E , Selles R W , Stam H J
Published: May 2006

Objective: To determine the responsiveness to change of isokinetic dynamometry of the shoulder and to compare this responsiveness with outcome measures of pain and activity level.

Design: Responsiveness was evaluated as the change in outcome after intra articular steroid injection in patients with capsulitis of the shoulder. Effect sizes of all outcome measures, quantified as standardized response means, were compared. Relationships between change scores of shoulder function and activities were assessed.

Subjects: Ten patients with unilateral capsulitis of the shoulder.

Main outcome measures: Muscle strength and active range of motion were measured by isokinetic dynamometry. We then calculated involved/uninvolved ratios of the maximal peak torques of abduction, adduction, external and internal rotation, active range of motion of abduction and external rotation. In addition, pain was scored using the numeric rating scale (NRS-101) and activity level was scored using the Shoulder Disability Questionnaire.

Results: The standardized response mean of all outcome parameters was equal to or greater than 0.8, except for active range of motion of abduction. No significant differences between the standardized response means were found. There is a significant correlation between the change scores of NRS-101 and Shoulder Disability Questionnaire. No significant correlations were found between the change scores of NRS-101 and Shoulder Disability Questionnaire on the one hand, and involved/uninvolved ratios of peak torques and active range of motion on the other.

Conclusions: Responsiveness of all outcome measures is good. Parameters of isokinetic dynamometry may provide additional information as compared with the usual outcome measures of pain and functional level.
Attitudes to falls and injury prevention: what are the barriers to implementing falls prevention strategies?
Authors: Whitehead Craig H , Wundke Rachel , Crotty Maria
Published: May 2006

Objectives: To ascertain the reasons for not taking up a fall or injury prevention strategy among older people who have sustained a fall and attended an emergency department.

Subjects: As part of another trial, we identified 60 people who attended the emergency department of a public hospital with a fall.

Main measures: Participants were interviewed to ascertain the reasons for not taking up a falls prevention strategy, their falls-related health state, and the likelihood of them undertaking a falls and injury prevention strategy.

Results: A total of 31 (52%) of the participants had considered falls prevention after their fall. There were high levels of reluctance to undertake a strategy with 43 (72%) reluctant to take exercise classes, 10 (59%) reluctant to cease psychotropic medications, 26 (43%) reluctant to have a home safety assessment and 17 (28%) reluctant to take osteoporotic medication. When asked specifically about taking up a strategy to prevent a worsening health state, 19 (63%) of participants would take up exercise, 17 (57%) a home safety assessment, 4 of the 17 (59%) already taking implicated medications would stop and 56 (93%) would begin osteoporotic medication. These decisions did not alter when the goal for treatment was to improve a much worse health state. In participants with a lower starting health state, home safety assessments were viewed more favourably.

Conclusions: There were significant obstacles to the implementation of most falls prevention guidelines examined. Treatment for osteoporosis was more acceptable to participants than exercise classes, cessation of psychotropic medication, and having a home safety assessment. Osteoporosis treatment, which had the least resistance, also had the least impact on the participants' lifestyle.
Examining employee compliance with organizational surveillance and monitoring
Authors: Spitzmüller Christiane , Stanton Jeffrey M.
Published: May 2006

Although the prevalence of employee monitoring and surveillance technologies (MSTs; e.g. e‐mail monitoring) is increasing, very little research has explored the question of whether employees simply accept these systems (compliance) or enact strategies for thwarting them (resistance). In the present study, we proposed a framework based on the theory of planned behaviour and ethical decision making research to predict employees' MST compliance and resistance intentions. We proposed that organizational commitment, organizational identification, and attitudes towards surveillance would predict intentions, with the relationships between attitudes and intentions being moderated by employees' perceived behavioural control and social norms. Moderated multiple regression models were tested and provided support for predictions about the attitudinal and belief constructs, and partial support for predictions about behavioural control and norms. Implications for organizational MST policies and practices are discussed.
Differential activation of judgments in employee well‐being
Authors: Warr Peter
Published: May 2006

To complement environment‐centred perspectives on employee well‐being, which primarily examine the characteristics of external stimuli, a two‐component framework is presented of cognitive processes in responding to those stimuli. First, it is argued that the experience of well‐being derives in part from up to eight kinds of judgment, which operate on an environmental input. These judgments include comparisons with other people, alternative situations and other times, and assessments against three personal reference points: significance for self, relevant self‐efficacy, and novelty or familiarity. The framework's second component sets out situational and personal factors that may differentially promote activation of the judgments. Evidence is reviewed for each judgment's role in well‐being and for the proposed activation contingencies, and a research agenda is presented.
Effects of psychological contract breach on performance of IT employees: The mediating role of affective commitment
Authors: Restubog Simon Lloyd D. , Bordia Prashant , Tang Robert L.
Published: May 2006

In this study, we investigated the relationships between psychological contract breach, affective commitment, and two types of employee performance (i.e. civic virtue behaviour and in‐role performance). It was predicted that an experience of contract breach can severely hurt the affective commitment of the employees and this, in turn, results in poor in‐role performance and less civic virtue behaviours. Results revealed that affective commitment had differential mediating effects on the two types of employee performance. That is, affective commitment mediated the relationship between breach and self‐reported and supervisor‐rated civic virtue, but not the relationship between breach and in‐role performance.
Are emotional display rules formal job requirements? Examination of employee and supervisor perceptions
Authors: Diefendorff James M. , Richard Erin M. , Croyle Meredith H.
Published: May 2006

This study explored whether emotional display rules are perceived by part‐time employees and their supervisors as formal job requirements. Results showed that display‐related behaviours were thought to be required activities (i.e. in‐role) by the majority of the sample, and that employees and supervisors generally agreed in this perception. Job‐based differences in interpersonal requirements predicted the extent to which employees and supervisors categorized display‐related behaviours as required, with more interpersonal requirements being associated with greater in‐role categorization. Job‐based differences in interpersonal requirements also predicted the level of agreement between employees and supervisors in categorizing display‐related behaviours as in‐role or extra‐role. Finally, job satisfaction and job involvement predicted the extent to which employees categorized emotional display behaviours as being required in their jobs, with more satisfied and more involved individuals rating emotional display behaviours as in‐role at a higher rate than less satisfied and less involved individuals.
What have we forgotten ‐ and why?
Authors: Kwiatkowski Richard , Duncan David C. , Shimmin Sylvia
Published: May 2006

British industrial, occupational and organizational psychology has an important yet largely forgotten history. Before and between the two world wars, significant theory and practice was vigorously developed, princes and prime ministers enthusiastically attended psychological functions and early radio broadcasts unselfconsciously emphasized the national importance of psychology for individuals, industry and commerce. Practical help provided by psychologists resulted in increased productivity and effusive public thanks from both employees and employers. As an illustration, we describe the genesis, flourishing and demise of the internationally admired National Institute of Industrial Psychology (NIIP). We examine both the content and the methodological, political and values basis of its work, and provide examples of its relevance today. We identify several reasons for this apparent memory lapse, including a lack of institutional continuity, academic hegemony and ignorance, U.S. domination of psychology, worship of the new and ambivalence about political influence. An ignorance of our shared history may lead to undesirable consequences, including a debased rediscovery of forgotten ideas disguised as invention or, conversely, a failure to build on the work of the past. A more subtle risk may be a move away from a shared humanistic orientation based on common values and principles.
But what does it mean in practice? The Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology from a practitioner perspective
Authors: Gelade Garry A.
Published: May 2006

The author offers some personal reflections on the relevance of the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology (JOOP) to human resource (HR) practitioners. Suggestions are made for how JOOP articles could be more relevant, and how their relevance could be made more explicit. These include (i) framing the research questions/hypotheses in terms that appeal to practitioner concerns as well as theoretical issues, (ii) more analysis of practical implications in the discussion section, (iii) more use of target articles with commentaries rather than special issues/sections, (iv) redirection of articles that focus primarily on method or instrument development to other journals and (v) making use of the World Wide Web. The arguments are illustrated with reference to papers recently published in JOOP.
Is JOOP of only academic interest?
Authors: Wall Toby
Published: May 2006

Garry Gelade's paper offers some helpful suggestions and insights regarding how JOOP and other academic journals might strengthen their appeal to practitioners. His comments fall into two areas: (i) research agenda, and (ii) communication of research. I agree that most of his recommendations could lead to valuable improvements, and note that some of them are being tried elsewhere. However, I disagree with Gelade regarding his call for less emphasis on research method. The call for occupational psychologists to make their work more accessible to practitioners can be sensibly extended to making it relevant to policy.
UK occupational/organizational psychology, applied science and applied humanism: Some further thoughts on what we have forgotten
Authors: Kwiatkowski Richard , Duncan David C.
Published: May 2006

We argue that if we lose the essentially humanistic orientation of early psychology we risk becoming ‘servants of power’. If we focus on technique, we risk becoming technicians. If we ignore the political we risk powerlessness. We maintain our position that applied psychology has immense potential in serving humanity, but wastes energy seeking legitimacy through pursuing an outdated notion of science. Finally, we continue to believe that psychology may be in danger of forgetting pioneering work, with consequent neglect of much that is valuable, not least our values and raison d'etre.
Wider still and wider. Broadening the readership of the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology
Authors: Gelade Garry A.
Published: May 2006

Responding to my paper on how JOOP might widen its appeal to practitioners, Toby Wall, Gillian Symon and Gerard Hodgkinson broaden the debate, and offer further perspectives and suggestions. In reply, I argue that JOOP should continue to pursue this goal, and I counter Hodgkinson's view that JOOP's target readership should be limited to highly‐trained specialists.
The role of JOOP (and other scientific journals) in bridging the practitioner‐researcher divide in industrial, work and organizational (IWO) psychology
Authors: Hodgkinson Gerard P.
Published: May 2006

Reflecting upon recent debates concerning the practitioner‐researcher divide in the field of industrial, work and organizational (IWO) psychology, Garry Gelade advocates a series of changes to the publication policy of the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology (JOOP), in an attempt to increase its appeal to HR practitioners. While his overall intention ‐ the increased application of psychological knowledge, tools and techniques to the enhancement of productivity and well‐being in workplace settings ‐ is to be welcomed, unfortunately, several of his recommendations are misplaced, reflecting a number of misconceptions concerning the nature and role of scientific journals in the science and practice of IWO psychology. Taken as a whole, the package of policy changes he advocates is likely to prove counterproductive. Accordingly, modifications to his recommendations are offered, with a view to ensuring that JOOP continues to meet the needs of its prime constituents.
Academics, practitioners and the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology: Reflecting on the issues
Authors: Symon Gillian
Published: May 2006

Gelade's (2006) paper raises some very important points about the continuing role and development of JOOP that will encourage critical reflection and debate in our discipline. However, it also contains various assumptions that should be further explored before committing JOOP to action. Here I argue that we have to reflect more carefully on: the nature of the ‘problem’ with JOOP, and its causes; the characteristics of the claimed divide between ‘academics’ and ‘practitioners’, and its effects; and what constitutes ‘practical concerns’. I suggest that we need to investigate the current situation more systematically before committing to action but that any intervention should discourage the greater sedimentation of an academic‐practitioner divide. As an initial development, I recommend that we reflect more on the review process as this is the most direct influence on the nature of JOOP publications.
On-Line Reaction Monitoring in the Liquid Phase Using Two Mid-Infrared Quantum Cascade Lasers Simultaneously
Authors: Schaden Stefan , Domínguez-Vidal Ana , Lendl Bernhard
Published: May 2006

On-line monitoring of a model reaction was performed by employing two pulsed mid-infrared Fabry–Pérot quantum cascade lasers (QCL). The emission maxima of the QCLs were located at 1393 and 1080 cm−1. An optical system of parabolic mirrors and a ZnSe beam splitter combined the two laser beams and allowed a transmission cell to be probed with both QCLs simultaneously. The reaction mixture was pumped continuously through a cell that had an optical path of 48 μm. This dual QCL system allowed fast absorption measurements of the reaction mixture at two distinct wavenumbers. The reaction under study was the oxidation of sulfite to sulfate with hydrogen peroxide acting as oxidant. On-line measurements of the chemical reaction allowed direct, real-time monitoring of sulfate formation and hydrogen peroxide depletion.
Absorption Spectra of Dye Solutions Measured Using a White Light Thermal Lens Spectrophotometer
Authors: Marcano A. , Ojeda J. , Melikechi N.
Published: May 2006

We describe a two-beam thermal lens spectrophotometer that uses a xenon lamp as the excitation source and a low power diode pumped Nd-YAG laser as the probe light. The white light from the xenon source is filtered using a variable interference filter producing a partial monochromatic light within the spectral range 400–700 nm and with a spectral resolution of 10 nm. We measure the thermal lens spectrum of a nonfluorescent dye (Malachite Green) and show that this spectrum reproduces its absorbance spectra measured by the usual transmission method. A comparison of the thermal lens and the absorbance spectra of a fluorescent dye (Rhodamine B) reveals substantial differences. These differences can yield important applications of the device for the characterization of fluorescent materials.
Spectroscopic Characterization of Poly(Amidoamine) Dendrimers as Selective Uptake Devices: Phenol Blue versus Nile Red
Authors: Morgan Elizabeth J. , Rippey Julie M. , Tucker Sheryl A.
Published: May 2006

Selectivity of amine-terminated poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM-AT) dendrimers as host molecules for phenol blue and Nile red guests was investigated using absorption and fluorescence spectroscopies. Phenol blue has been known to associate near the core in the PAMAM-AT dendrimers. Nile red has also been shown to associate with this dendrimer family; however, this occurs in the outermost branches. Concentration ratios and generational dependencies were investigated. It was found that phenol blue was sequestered in the PAMAM-AT dendrimers in the presence of the interfering Nile red, and this association appeared to be the same as that of PAMAM-AT with phenol blue alone. As the concentration of Nile red increased relative to the concentration of phenol blue, the desired association of phenol blue became increasingly hindered. While the presence of Nile red did affect association, phenol blue still had considerable association even when Nile red was in ten-fold excess. The association of phenol blue with PAMAM-AT was stable and robust; however, Nile red's association was relatively weak and unstable.
Defining a Strategy for Chemical Imaging of Industrial Pharmaceutical Samples on Raman Line-Mapping and Global Illumination Instruments
Authors: Šašić Slobodan , Clark Donald A.
Published: May 2006

The performance of line-mapping and global illumination Raman systems for two pharmaceutical tablets and a powder blend are assessed in this study. The chemical images were obtained from the placebo, real tablets, and powder blend by using ×20, ×50, and ×100 objectives, as well as via the (pseudo) confocal set-up. The chemical images were produced via univariate wavenumbers and as re-folded principal component (PC) scores (known as score images). In most cases it was easy to image two or three major components of the tablets directly, while the minor components were only imaged via PC scores. The active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) were located relatively easily even if present in quite low concentrations (less than 1%) owing to the high Raman scattering coefficients of these materials. The strength of the Raman signal of the API makes it almost ubiquitous in the chemical images of real tablets. Thorough discussion is given on the strategies used to produce chemical images, the prospects of making composite images of all components present in the tablets, and the effects of packing density with relation to the diffusion of the excitation laser light inside the sample. The strengths and weaknesses of the Raman imaging techniques used are emphasized and suggestions are given regarding which instrument is preferable with respect to the goal of the experiment and material under study. For example, mapping technology is preferred for analyzing minor components, while the global illumination approach is recommended for imaging of spatially isolated strong Raman scatterers.