bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Postpartum uterus involution observed by real-time ultrasound scanning and vaginal cytology in Van cats
Authors: Sendag Sait , Alan Muhammet , Eski Funda , Uslu Sema , Uslu Baris A , Wehrend Axel
Published: August 2015

Objectives

The objective was to investigate postpartum uterus involution by real-time ultrasonography and vaginal cytology in Van cats.

Methods

This study included 15 healthy Van cats belonging to the Van Cat Research Centre (Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, Turkey). Starting 24 h postpartum, ultrasonographic measurements were performed on the placental and interplacental uterine horn regions every day. Decreases in the diameters and uterine content were considered as criteria for uterine involution. Vaginal discharge samples were collected every day for 4 weeks postpartum. The smears were stained with Papanicolaou stain.

Results

The average diameters of placental and interplacental regions (IPRs) in the uterine horns were 3.12 ± 0.29 cm and 2.36 ± 0.43 cm, respectively, at 24 h postpartum. Placental regions (PRs) shrank faster than IPRs. At 48 h postpartum, it became difficult to distinguish PRs from IPRs in the uterine horns. The uterine horns could be seen in the abdominal cavity up to 5.60 ± 0.99 days postpartum. The mean of the last assessable diameter of the uterine horns from days 4 to 7 in all cats was 0.49 ± 0.07 cm. The vaginal epithelial cells appeared to be under the effect of oestrogen for 4 weeks postpartum.

Conclusions and relevance

The morphological involution of the uterus completes, to a large extent, within the first 48 h postpartum in Van cats. A more detailed hormonal analysis would contribute greatly to the understanding of the physiological processes involved in this period. Although postpartum involution appeared complete by 5.60 ± 0.99 days after parturition in Van cats, histological verification of this finding is needed.
Dystocia in the cat evaluated using an insurance database
Authors: Holst Bodil Ström , Axnér Eva , Öhlund Malin , Möller Lotta , Egenvall Agneta
Published: August 2015

Objectives

The aim of this study was to describe the incidence of feline dystocia with respect to breed.

Methods

The data used were reimbursed claims for veterinary care insurance and/or life insurance claims in cats registered in a Swedish insurance database from 1999–2006.

Results

The incidence rates for dystocia were about 22 cats per 10,000 cat-years at risk, 67 per 10,000 for purebred cats and seven per 10,000 for domestic shorthair cats. The median age was 2.5 years. A significant effect of breed was seen. An incidence rate ratio (IRR) that was significantly higher compared with other purebred cats was seen in the British Shorthair (IRR 2.5), the Oriental group (IRR 2.2), Birman (IRR 1.7), Ragdoll (IRR 1.5) and the Abyssinian group (IRR 1.5). A significantly lower IRR was seen in the Norwegian Forest Cat (IRR 0.38), the Maine Coon (IRR 0.48), the Persian/Exotic group (IRR 0.49) and the Cornish Rex (IRR 0.50). No common factor among the high-risk breeds explained their high risk for dystocia. There was no effect of location; that is, the incidence rate did not differ depending on whether the cat lived in an urban or rural area. Caesarean section was performed in 56% of the cats with dystocia, and the case fatality was 2%.

Conclusions and relevance

The incidence rate for dystocia was of a similar magnitude in purebred cats as in dogs. The IRR varied significantly among breeds, and the main cause for dystocia should be identified separately for each breed. A selection for easy parturitions in breeding programmes is suggested.
Free vibration analysis of soft-core sandwich beams by the novel weak form quadrature element method
Authors: Wang Yu , Wang Xinwei
Published: August 2015

The free vibration of soft-core sandwich beams is analyzed by using the weak form quadrature element method. An N-node novel weak form quadrature sandwich beam element is established based on the extended high-order sandwich panel theory and the differential quadrature rule. Gauss quadrature is used to obtain the element stiffness and consistent mass matrices numerically. Detailed formulations are given. Convergence study shows the fast rate of convergence. The validity and the capability of the novel beam element are examined through comparison with analytic results based on the same theory and two-dimensional finite element data. It is shown that one proposed beam element can yield very accurate frequencies with a relatively small number of nodal points. New data of soft-core sandwich beams with boundary conditions other than the simply supported one, not available in literature, are provided. These data may be referential with which other researchers can compare their results during developing new numerical methods.
Effects of an evidence-based computerized virtual clinician on low-density lipoprotein and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in adults without cardiovascular disease: The Interactive Cholesterol Advisory Tool
Authors: Block Robert C , Abdolahi Amir , Niemiec Christopher P , Rigby C Scott , Williams Geoffrey C
Published: August 2015

There is a lack of research on the use of electronic tools that guide patients toward reducing their cardiovascular disease risk. We conducted a 9-month clinical trial in which participants who were at low (n = 100) and moderate (n = 23) cardiovascular disease risk—based on the National Cholesterol Education Program III’s 10-year risk estimator—were randomized to usual care or to usual care plus use of an Interactive Cholesterol Advisory Tool during the first 8 weeks of the study. In the moderate-risk category, an interaction between treatment condition and Framingham risk estimate on low-density lipoprotein and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was observed, such that participants in the virtual clinician treatment condition had a larger reduction in low-density lipoprotein and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol as their Framingham risk estimate increased. Perceptions of the Interactive Cholesterol Advisory Tool were positive. Evidence-based information about cardiovascular disease risk and its management was accessible to participants without major technical challenges.
The interplay between media-for-monitoring and media-for-searching: How news media trigger searches and edits in Wikipedia
Authors: Geiß Stefan , Leidecker Melanie , Roessing Thomas
Published: August 2015

This study investigates how traditional news media and Internet services have become entangled in recipients’ habits of gathering information on current topics. Push media enable citizens to scan the issue environment while pull media enable them to seek out in-depth information if information needs have been elicited. Furthermore, content quality in many pull media may increase when more users generate content, removing flaws and adding information. We expected that TV and newspaper coverage of an issue will lead to increases in (a) searches for and (b) user edits in related articles in the online encyclopedia Wikipedia. Our findings reliably support the hypotheses, but the extent to which the count of page views increases is highly dependent on the topic at hand and how the search keyword relates to the issue. This matches the predictions of information-seeking theories and the dynamic transactional model of media effects.
China’s ‘info-web’: How Beijing governs online political communication about Japan
Authors: Schneider Florian
Published: August 2015

In digital China, networked actors ranging from state agencies to private Internet users engage in highly active online discourse. Yet as diverse as this discourse may be, political content on China’s web remains highly regulated, particularly on issues affecting the legitimacy of the ruling party. A prominent issue in this regard has been the conflict-laden relationship with Japan. This article asks how Chinese websites shape online discourse on two Japan issues (the Nanjing Massacre and the East China Sea conflict), and what these sites can tell us about the leadership’s strategy for managing digital communication. Combining content analysis and digital tools, the article shows how the authorities apply a Leninist mass-communication logic to the web, treating websites not as spaces for networked social interaction but as authoritative information sources that broadcast approved content to a mass audience, which effectively brings digital media into the fold of China’s ‘traditional’ mass-media system.
Re-evaluating journalistic routines in a digital age: A review of research on the use of online sources
Authors: Lecheler Sophie , Kruikemeier Sanne
Published: August 2015

This review article provides a critical discussion of empirical studies that deal with the use of online news sources in journalism. We evaluate how online sources have changed the journalist–source relationship regarding selection of sources as well as verification strategies. We also discuss how the use of online sources changes audience perceptions of news. The available research indicates that journalists have accepted online news sourcing techniques into their daily news production process, but that they hesitate to use information retrieved from social media as direct and quoted sources in news reporting. Studies show that there are differences in the use of online sources between media sectors, type of reporting, and country context. The literature also suggests that verification of online sources requires a new set of skills that journalists still struggle with. We propose a research agenda for future studies.
The liberal field of journalism and the political – The New York Times, Fox News and the Tea Party
Authors: Jutel Olivier
Published: August 2015

This article looks at the challenge posed to the liberal field of journalism by Tea Party populism and Fox News’ attempt to claim the cultural capital of journalism. The Tea Party have defied expectations of a political and rhetorical normalization, declaring liberalism and the New York Times as iredeemable enemies of the populist people. The Times’ coverage of the Tea Party, analyzed in this article, assumes an importance beyond merely covering a political story as it articulates the present state of the field and its understanding of the political. What this author finds is a normative liberal universalist interpretation of the Tea Party movement between the pessimissm of Lippmann or the redemptive humanism of Dewey. The populists are either treated as irrational pseudo-political actors or the credibility of the field is bestowed upon them as the redemptive embodiment of democracy. Neither approach is able to explain populism’s immutable antagonism at an ontological level or the persistence of the Tea Party’s fetishized notion of an America reconciled in private property.
Blood pressure reduction and control with fixed-dose combination perindopril/amlodipine: A Pan-Hellenic prospective observational study
Authors: Manolis Athanasios , Grammatikou Violetta , Kallistratos Manolis , Zarifis John , Tsioufis Konstantinos
Published: August 2015

Introduction:

Hypertension guidelines recommend fixed-dose combinations for enhanced blood pressure (BP) reduction and compliance. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness and safety of fixed-dose perindopril/amlodipine combination in reducing and controlling BP in Greek hypertensive patients, as well as the effect of baseline BP and added cardiovascular risk on BP reduction.

Methods:

This 6-month prospective observational study included male or female patients ⩾18 years with essential hypertension prescribed fixed-dose combination perindopril/amlodipine. BP was measured at baseline and 3 and 6 months. Baseline cardiovascular risk and treatment compliance were also assessed.

Results:

In 2231 per protocol patients, mean systolic BP decreased from 157.0±15.4 mm Hg to 129.0±7.9 mm Hg after 6 months, and diastolic BP from 91.5±10.1 to 78.8±6.7 mm Hg (both p < 0.001). BP control was achieved in 84.8% at 6 months. Patients with higher baseline added cardiovascular risk or BP had greater BP reduction ( p < 0.001). Compliance was good (97.1% took treatment “every day” or “quite often”) and few ( n = 27; 1.2%) discontinued treatment prematurely due to adverse events.

Conclusions:

Fixed-dose perindopril/amlodipine safely and effectively reduced high BP in real-life practice, achieving BP control in most patients. About half of Greek hypertensive patients have high/very high added cardiovascular risk.
ACE polymorphisms and the acute response of blood pressure to a walk in medicated hypertensive patients
Authors: Goessler Karla F , Cornelissen Véronique A , de Oliveira Edilamar M , de F Mota Glória , Polito Marcos D
Published: August 2015

Hypothesis/Introduction:

Polymorphisms of the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene can interfere with exercise-induced acute blood pressure (BP) reduction. This cross-over study investigated the acute effect of a single walk on BP and tested whether polymorphisms of the ACE gene might explain the variation in BP responses.

Materials and methods:

Thirty-four healthy medicated individuals were randomized to one control and one walking session at 60–75% of heart rate reserve. Subjects left the laboratory wearing an ambulatory BP monitor until waking the next morning.

Results:

Overall, systolic BP was somewhat lower following the walking session ( p=.06), which could be attributed to a consistently lower systolic BP for 5 h after exercise ( p-interaction<.04) compared with control rest. Similarly, II/ID individuals had a lower systolic BP ( p-interaction=.02) and diastolic BP ( p-interaction<.01) for 5 h after walking compared with control rest. Among DD individuals, a single walk did not induce a reduction in BP ( p-interaction>.05).

Conclusions:

Our results showed that postexercise hypotension can occur after a walk at moderate intensity in carriers of the I allele; we were not able to demonstrate this in DD individuals. Our results suggest that genetic variation in the ACE gene might affect the BP response to exercise, although more research is needed to confirm these findings.
Teaching and learning French – A tale of desire in the humanities
Authors: Cunningham Catriona
Published: August 2015

This article considers the way we talk about learning and teaching the humanities in higher education in the UK. By using the tools of the arts and humanities within the scholarship of learning and teaching, and examining a personal perspective, the author explores the transformational impact of French language learning and teaching. Close textual analysis of literary language learning memoirs highlight the sensual and physical effects of language learning that can remain muted in our everyday conversations. As a result, the author suggests that rather than lament the death of the humanities in 21st century higher education, learning and teaching a language offers a pedagogy of desire that embodies the transformation aspect of our disciplines, as we deal with the business of being human.
Mathematical limitations of the CIE mesopic photometry system
Authors: Shpak M , Kärhä P , Ikonen E
Published: August 2015

The International Commission on Illumination (CIE) has published a recommended system for mesopic photometry based on visual performance. The system provides means for determining mesopic photometric values based on measuring the spectral composition and intensity of light. The system uses an iterative calculation method. We investigate the conditions under which this system is applicable and identify potential problems with the iterative method. We show that the system works well for the vast majority of lighting applications. However, it has non-convergence and discontinuity issues for sources with very high and very low values of scotopic-photopic ratio. A set of parameterised formulae is presented that approximates the mesopic model and provides a continuous, closed-form solution for the adaptation level in all lighting conditions.
Effect of postprandial hyperglycaemia on coronary flow reserve in patients with impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Ikeda Hiroyuki , Uzui Hiroyasu , Morishita Tetsuji , Fukuoka Yoshitomo , Sato Takehiko , Ishida Kentaro , Kaseno Kenichi , Arakawa Kenichiro , Amaya Naoki , Tama Naoto , Shiomi Yuichiro , Lee Jong-Dae , Tada Hiroshi
Published: August 2015

Background:

This study investigated whether postprandial hyperglycaemia has an adverse effect on coronary microvascular function and left ventricular diastolic function.

Methods:

In all, 28 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with no significant stenosis in left anterior descending artery were enrolled. In all subjects, plasma 1,5-anhydroglucitol was measured, and coronary flow reserve in the left anterior descending artery was evaluated using a Doppler wire. Membrane type-1 matrix metalloproteinase expression on circulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells was measured by flow cytometry. Correlation analyses were performed for coronary flow reserve and 1,5-anhydroglucitol, other coronary risk factors, membrane type-1 matrix metalloproteinase and E/e′.

Results:

Strong correlations were found only between 1,5-anhydroglucitol and coronary flow reserve and membrane type-1 matrix metalloproteinase. On multiple regression analysis, 1,5-anhydroglucitol remained an independent predictor of coronary flow reserve (β = 0.38, p = 0.048).

Conclusion:

Postprandial hyperglycaemia appears to have an adverse effect on coronary microvascular function, suggesting that improvement of postprandial hyperglycaemia may contribute to the improvement of coronary microvascular dysfunction.
Prior treatment with dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors is associated with better functional outcome and lower in-hospital mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus admitted with acute ischaemic stroke
Authors: Tziomalos Konstantinos , Bouziana Stella D , Spanou Marianna , Kostaki Stavroula , Papadopoulou Maria , Giampatzis Vasilios , Dourliou Vasiliki , Kostourou Danai-Thomais , Savopoulos Christos , Hatzitolios Apostolos I
Published: August 2015

It is unclear whether prior antidiabetic treatment affects stroke severity and outcome. To evaluate this association, we prospectively studied all patients who were admitted in our Department with acute ischaemic stroke ( n = 378, mean age = 78.8 ± 6.5 years). The severity of stroke was assessed at admission with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale. The outcome was assessed with the modified Rankin Scale at discharge and with in-hospital mortality. A total of 123 patients had type 2 diabetes mellitus. At admission, there was a trend for lower National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale in patients treated with dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors compared with patients treated with other antidiabetic agents (6.1 ± 7.5 vs 10.0 ± 9.2, respectively; p = 0.079). At discharge, patients treated with dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors had lower modified Rankin Scale than patients treated with other antidiabetic agents (2.1 ± 1.9 vs 3.2 ± 2.1, respectively; p < 0.05). Patients treated with dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors also had lower in-hospital mortality than patients treated with other antidiabetic agents (0.0% vs 15.1%, respectively; p < 0.05). In conclusion, prior treatment with dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors in patients with acute ischaemic stroke appears to be associated with better functional outcome and lower mortality risk.
Association Between Substance Use and the Perpetration of Family Violence in Industrialized Countries
Authors: Choenni Vandhana , Hammink Alice , van de Mheen Dike
Published: August 2015

This review examines the association between alcohol and illicit drug use and the perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV) and child maltreatment (CM). In clinical populations, alcohol use is related to IPV, although other variables are also known to influence this relationship. Studies in specialized social/health care and in the community have also demonstrated the association between alcohol use and IPV. Although data on the association between illicit drug use and IPV are less clear, in most studies perpetration seems related to the use of cannabis and cocaine. The occurrence of CM is related to alcohol use in specialized social/health care and community populations but has not been extensively investigated in clinical samples. These findings also apply to studies on the association between illicit drug use and CM. Moreover, many studies on CM fail to distinguish between the effects of alcohol and those of illicit drugs. This review concludes with recommendations for future research about substance use and family violence and discusses implications for prevention and treatment.
Process Evaluation of a Comprehensive Supermarket Intervention in a Low-Income Baltimore Community
Authors: Lee Ryan M. , Rothstein Jessica D. , Gergen Jessica , Zachary Drew A. , Smith Joyce C. , Palmer Anne M. , Gittelsohn Joel , Surkan Pamela J.
Published: August 2015

Supermarket-based interventions are one approach to improving the local food environment and reducing obesity and chronic disease in low-income populations. We implemented a multicomponent intervention that aimed to reduce environmental barriers to healthy food purchasing in a supermarket in Southwest Baltimore. The intervention, Eat Right-Live Well! used: shelf labels and in-store displays promoting healthy foods, sales and promotions on healthy foods, in-store taste tests, increasing healthy food products, community outreach events to promote the intervention, and employee training. We evaluated program implementation through store environment, taste test session, and community event evaluation forms as well as an Employee Impact Questionnaire. The stocking, labeling, and advertising of promoted foods were implemented with high and moderate fidelity. Taste test sessions were implemented with moderate reach and low dose. Community outreach events were implemented with high reach and dose. Supermarket employee training had no significant impact on employees’ knowledge, self-efficacy, or behavioral intention for helping customers with healthy purchasing or related topics of nutrition and food safety. In summary, components of this intervention to promote healthy eating were implemented with varying success within a large supermarket. Greater participation from management and employees could improve implementation.
Development of single-layer 3D ‘T’ profile with fillet for composite ‘T’ joints
Authors: Sugun BS , Sandeep DN
Published: August 2015

This paper details about weaving of single-layer 3D ‘T’ profile with fillet for use as insert in composite ‘T’ joints and ‘T’ stiffeners. The ‘T’ insert with fillet was woven using 3 K carbon tows on a narrow width multi-beam automatic loom. Weaving was carried out based on the double-cloth weaving principle. Novelty of the work lied in the approach adopted for designing of the weave architecture in developing 3D ‘T’ profile with fillet portion, arriving at the pick cycle diagram for weave design development which has been detailed in this paper. Test results of composite ‘T’ joints fabricated incorporating the insert showed strength improvement as well as change in crack propagation mode as compared to conventional ‘T’ joint. The continuous insert with fillet acted as a bridging member among the three sections of the ‘T’ joint, thus contributing to performance improvement.
A Multilevel Examination of Risk/Need Change Scores, Community Context, and Successful Reentry of Committed Juvenile Offenders
Authors: Baglivio Michael T. , Wolff Kevin T. , Jackowski Katherine , Greenwald Mark A.
Published: August 2015

Current theory and practice dictates the use of risk/needs assessment to guide programming to reduce reoffending. Limited research has examined assessment change scores and recidivism, none examining whether such changes moderate the effects of deleterious community contexts. We examine a multiyear statewide sample of juvenile offenders returning to the community from residential placement ( N = 12,302). We address whether changes in dynamic risk/needs scores predict official recidivism upon return, community socioeconomic contexts predict recidivism, and which risk/needs changes moderate the effects of context. Findings reveal 6 of the 17 change scores affect reoffending, context matters, and some change scores moderate contextual effects.
Shocking fault component of abnormal sound signal in the fault engine extract method based on linear superposition method and cross-correlation analysis
Authors: Ning Dayong , Gong Yongjun
Published: August 2015

An extracted fault component of an abnormal sound is useful for faulty diagnosis. The existing fault component extracting approaches based on time–frequency analysis should filter the original signal to eliminate the background noise. However, these approaches will significantly change the fault component. In this article, a method for extracting the fault component of an abnormal sound signal is presented. This method is based on the linear superposition method and cross-correlation analysis. The method can eliminate the background noise and acquire the waveform of fault component. According to the feature of the shocking fault component, the acquired signal was intercepted into several segments, and the cross-correlation analysis was adopted to remove the wrong segment without the fault shocking component. The correct components were then linearly superposed together to eliminate the background noise. Finally, two experiments were performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed fault component extracting method. The results show that the approach satisfactorily extracts the fault shocking component. The precise faulty component can be extracted by this method, which judges the engine condition precisely. The fault type can be diagnosed easily by this method. This method can be used in other fields to extract a particular component from a complicated signal.
Periodic flow due to oscillations of eccentric rotating porous disks
Authors: Ersoy H Volkan
Published: August 2015

This article is concerned with the periodic flow induced by non-torsional oscillations of two porous disks rotating about distinct axes. While the porous disks are initially rotating with the same angular velocity about non-coincident axes, they start to execute non-torsional oscillations in their own planes and in the opposite directions. An analytical solution corresponding to the velocity field in the periodic state is obtained. The variations in the components of the horizontal force per unit area exerted by the fluid on the top and bottom disks with the time are investigated for the suction/injection velocity parameter, the Reynolds number, the ratio of the frequency of oscillation to the angular velocity of the disks, and the dimensionless velocity amplitudes of oscillation. It is shown that the horizontal force on the upper disk is not equal to that on the lower disk.
V2I-based startup assistance system at signalized intersections
Authors: Wang Jianqiang , Bian Yougang , Xu Biao , Qin Hongmao , Hu Manjiang , Huang Bin
Published: August 2015

Traffic delays are caused by unskilled vehicle operation and driver distraction during the startup process at signalized intersections. To address this issue, we propose a V2I-based driver assistance system that can acquire the current traffic signal status and provide drivers with startup assistance. This article presents the proposed system’s architecture and an assistance algorithm, which contains two types of driver assistance methods: startup prompting and automatic startup control. The automatic startup control method, based on fuzzy logic control, is validated in simulation tests. We also implement startup prompting using a prototype system and validate its performance in field tests. The test results suggest that the proposed assistance algorithm can help drivers start up their vehicles with less delay, which will significantly improve traffic efficiency.
A novel stepwise method to predict ultimate strength reduction in offshore structures with pitting corrosion
Authors: Rahmdel Sajad , Kim Kwanghoon , Kim Sangjin , Park Seonghun
Published: August 2015

Corrosion is a factor that decreases the ultimate strength of a structure, which can lead to structural failure in an aged structure. This study proposes a reliable method to predict the ultimate strength reduction caused by pitting corrosion of a structure at various ages. Hence, the objectives of this study are as follows: (1) finding relationship between the ultimate strength reduction and pit depth and (2) finding relationship between the ultimate strength reduction and the age of structure. The presented method has six steps and was assessed by applying it to the simplified example of a thin-plate panel structure. The ultimate strengths of the panel with different pit depths were calculated using finite element analysis. The effects of material and geometric nonlinearities as well as the initial imperfections and buckling were also considered. A linear regression model, representing the relationship between the ultimate strength reduction and pit depth, was then developed. Furthermore, using the experimental data, the weighted mean value of ultimate strength reduction was acquired for different age groups of the panel. The introduced stepwise approach contemplates the nonlinearity of pitting corrosion with time by considering the experimental data. As corroborated by the successful application of the presented methodology, this method is more accurate, compared to the accepted practices available in the literature.
Severe gestational hypertriglyceridemia: A practical approach for clinicians
Authors: Wong Bertha , Ooi Teik C , Keely Erin
Published: August 2015

Severe gestational hypertriglyceridemia is a potentially life threatening and complex condition to manage, requiring attention to a delicate balance between maternal and fetal needs. During pregnancy, significant alterations to lipid homeostasis occur to ensure transfer of nutrients to the fetus. In women with an underlying genetic predisposition or a secondary exacerbating factor, severe gestational hypertriglyceridemia can arise, leading to devastating complications, including acute pancreatitis. Multidisciplinary care, implementation of a low-fat diet with nutritional support, and institution of a hierarchical therapeutic approach are all crucial to reduce maternal and fetal morbidity. To avoid maternal pancreatitis, close surveillance of triglycerides throughout pregnancy with elective hospitalization for refractory cases is recommended. Careful dietary planning is required to prevent neural and retinal complications from fetal essential fatty acid deficiency. Questions remain about the safety of fibrates and plasmapheresis in pregnancy as well as the optimal timing for induction and delivery of these women.
Rare problems with RhD immunoglobulin for postnatal prophylaxis after large fetomaternal haemorrhage
Authors: Biscoe Amber , Kidson-Gerber Giselle
Published: August 2015

We report a case of unusually large fetomaternal haemorrhage in a RhD- patient; of symptomatic non-sustained haemolysis of fetal red cells in the maternal circulation with infusion of intravenous high-dose RhD immunoglobulin; and of a failure to prevent RhD alloimmunisation. The haemolytic reaction is not previously reported in this patient group and we suggest would be limited to patients where the number of fetal red cells in the circulation is high. We advocate caution in treatment and spaced dosing of RhD immunoglobulin where the required dose is high, and refer readers to the WinRhoSDF™ RhD immunoglobulin product information for their updated dosing recommendations. There is a need for better understanding of pathophysiology and RhD immunoglobulin effects, to further reduce alloimmunisation rates, and we support the reporting of prophylaxis failures to haemovigilance programmes as is in place in the United Kingdom.
The effect of disease-modifying therapies on brain atrophy in patients with clinically isolated syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Tsivgoulis Georgios , Katsanos Aristeidis H. , Grigoriadis Nikolaos , Hadjigeorgiou Georgios M. , Heliopoulos Ioannis , Papathanasopoulos Panagiotis , Dardiotis Efthimios , Kilidireas Constantinos , Voumvourakis Konstantinos ,   on behalf of HELANI (Hellenic Academy of Neuroimmunology)
Published: August 2015

Objectives:

Brain atrophy is associated with cognitive deficits in patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) and can predict conversion to clinical definite multiple sclerosis. The aim of the present meta-analysis was to evaluate the effect of disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) on brain atrophy in patients with CIS.

Methods:

Eligible placebo-control randomized clinical trials of patients with CIS that had reported changes in brain volume during the study period were identified by searching the MEDLINE, SCOPUS, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) databases. This meta-analysis adopted the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines for systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Results:

Three eligible studies were identified, comprising 1362 patients. The mean percentage change in brain volume was found to be significantly lower in DMD-treated patients versus placebo-treated subgroups (standardized mean difference [SMD]: = −0.13, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.25, 0.01; p = 0.04). In the subgroup analysis of the two studies that provided data on brain-volume changes for the first (0–12 months) and second (13–24 months) year of treatment, DMD attenuated brain-volume loss in comparison with placebo during the second year (SMD = −0.25; 95% CI: −0.43, −0.07; p < 0.001), but not during the first year of treatment (SMD = −0.01; 95% CI: −0.27, 0.24; p = 0.93). No evidence of heterogeneity was found between estimates, while funnel-plot inspection revealed no evidence of publication bias.

Conclusions:

DMDs appear to attenuate brain atrophy over time in patients with CIS. The effect of DMDs on brain-volume loss is evident after the first year of treatment.
Management of carcinoma in situ of the bladder: best practice and recent developments
Authors: Tang Dominic H. , Chang Sam S.
Published: August 2015

Management of carcinoma in situ of the bladder remains a complex and challenging endeavor due to its high rate of recurrence and progression. Although it is typically grouped with other nonmuscle invasive bladder cancers, its higher grade and aggressiveness make it a unique clinical entity. Intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin is the standard first-line treatment given its superiority to other agents. However, high rates of bacillus Calmette-Guérin failure highlight the need for additional therapies. Radical cystectomy has traditional been the standard second-line therapy, but additional intravesical therapies may be more appealing for non-surgical candidates and patients refusing cystectomy. The subject of this review is the treatment strategies and available therapies currently available for carcinoma in situ of the bladder. It discusses alternative intravesical treatment options for patients whose condition has failed to respond to bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy and who are unfit or unwilling to undergo cystectomy.
Quantifying patient bacterial exposure risk from reusable phlebotomy tourniquets in a New Zealand secondary level hospital
Authors: Schauer Cameron KMW , Hammer David A
Published: August 2015

Aim:

This study aimed to assess for the presence of multi-drug resistant organisms (MDROs) on tourniquets and quantify the number of bacteria to which patients might be exposed with each blood collection episode.

Methods:

Tourniquets were randomly sampled in a 246-bed, secondary level, New Zealand hospital, which is currently non-endemic for MDROs. A 6-cm length of each tourniquet sampled was applied to the surface of an agar plate and the colony forming units (CFUs) were enumerated. All colonies were then screened for MDROs using standard methods. CFU counts per linear centimetre were multiplied by a range of patient arm circumference measurements. Comparison was also made between non-disinfected tourniquets left on the wards and phlebotomy service tourniquets after daily decontamination with a proprietary disinfectant.

Results:

The median exposure risk from non-disinfected tourniquets was 173 CFUs per collect (95% CI, 104–861). None of the general ward tourniquets grew any MDROs but four out of five dedicated, single-patient reusable isolation room tourniquets grew MRSA. Disinfected tourniquets had few if any CFUs and CFU counts were significantly lower than non-disinfected tourniquets ( P = 0.0001).

Conclusion:

The quantitative risk from reusable tourniquets appears low in the setting of MDRO non-endemicity, with the application of standard infection control practices.
Telling a different story: The effect of parenting on the academic and professional achievement of 24 British-Ghanaian high flyers
Authors: Owusu-Kwarteng Louise
Published: August 2015

Research often highlights concerns about the underachievement of Black students in education and, later, within the labour market. However, shortcomings are identifiable with such research. Firstly, achievement levels of all Black students are often homogenised. For example, findings on the achievements of African-Caribbean students are often applied to other Black groups, creating a misleading impression of their different academic outcomes. Secondly, studies seeking to explain low attainment levels of Black students frequently present a pathological picture of Black families in Britain, by assuming that most parents use authoritarian approaches to socialising their children, which hinders educational outcomes. This research aims to challenge these ideas. It analyses the role of parenting in the academic and professional success of 24 high-achieving British-Ghanaians. In doing so, it suggests that not all Black/Ghanaian parents use authoritarian socialisation methods. However, when parents did adopt this approach, it was not necessarily detrimental to children’s educational/professional outcomes.
Using of Group-Modeling in Predesign Phase of New Healthcare Environments
Authors: Elf Marie , Eldh Ann Catrine , Malmqvist Inga , Öhrn Kerstin , von Koch Lena
Published: August 2015

Background:

Current research shows a relationship between healthcare architecture and patient-related outcomes. The planning and designing of new healthcare environments is a complex process. The needs of the various end users of the environment must be considered, including the patients, the patients’ significant others, and the staff. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of healthcare professionals participating in group modeling utilizing system dynamics in the predesign phase of new healthcare environments. We engaged healthcare professionals in a series of workshops using system dynamics to discuss the planning of healthcare environments in the beginning of a construction and then interviewed them about their experience.

Methods:

An explorative and qualitative design was used to describe participants’ experiences of participating in the group-modeling projects. Participants ( N = 20) were recruited from a larger intervention study using group modeling and system dynamics in planning and designing projects. The interviews were analyzed by qualitative content analysis.

Results:

Two themes were formed, representing the experiences in the group-modeling process: “Participation in the group modeling generated knowledge and was empowering” and “Participation in the group modeling differed from what was expected and required the dedication of time and skills.”

Conclusions:

The method can support participants in design teams to focus more on their healthcare organization, their care activities, and their aims rather than focusing on detailed layout solutions. This clarification is important when decisions about the design are discussed and prepared and will most likely lead to greater readiness for future building process.
Toward a New Marketing Science for Hospitality Managers
Authors: Zaltman Gerald , Olson Jerry , Forr James
Published: August 2015

A New Marketing Science (NMS) is proposed that can dramatically improve a firm’s marketplace performance. The NMS challenges managers to dare to think and act differently. It generates deep insights into the thoughts and actions of both customers and managers and how the two mind-sets interact. As several examples illustrate, it departs from the “old” marketing science by its emphasis on imagination, knowing how and why a practice works, understanding the total customer experience, and focus on effectiveness over efficiency. The NMS is grounded in principles from the behavioral sciences and humanities such as the importance of the unconscious mind, the way mental frames serve as interpretative lenses, the centrality of emotions, the reconstructive nature of memory, and the importance of metaphor for learning about and influencing choices.
Happily Single
Authors: Girme Yuthika U. , Overall Nickola C. , Faingataa Sivailele , Sibley Chris G.
Published: August 2015

Although prior research suggests that single people experience lower well-being than those involved in romantic relationships, the effect of relationship status is small. Moreover, relationships can be a source of hurt and conflict, which single people can avoid. The current research examined for whom being involved in a relationship versus being single enhances versus undermines well-being by testing whether social goals moderated the link between relationship status and (1) daily life satisfaction (Study 1, N = 187, undergraduate sample) and (2) life satisfaction/well-being across time (Study 2, N = 4,024, nationally representative sample). In both studies, single people high in avoidance goals who strive to prevent relationship conflict and disagreements were just as happy as people involved in a relationship. In addition, individuals high in approach goals who strive to enhance relationship closeness experienced greater life satisfaction/well-being but particularly when they were involved in a relationship (Study 2).
A Refresher of the Original Bloch’s Law Paper (Bloch, July 1885)
Authors: Gorea Andrei
Published: August 2015

In 1885, Adolphe-Moïse Bloch asked the following simple question “Is there a law describing the relationship between the duration of a light and its perceived intensity?” Based on a series of experiments using a Foucault regulator and a candle, Bloch concluded that “when the lighting duration varies from 0.00173 to 0.0518 seconds (…) the [visible] light is markedly in inverse proportion to its duration”—his famous law. As this law pertains to the more general and hotly debated question of accumulation of sensory information over time, it is timely to offer the public a full translation of Bloch’s original paper (from French) and to present it within the context of contemporary research.
Policing Fish at Boston's Museum of Science: Studying Audiovisual Interaction in the Wild
Authors: Goldberg Hannah , Sun Yile , Hickey Timothy J. , Shinn-Cunningham Barbara , Sekuler Robert
Published: August 2015

Boston's Museum of Science supports researchers whose projects advance science and provide educational opportunities to the Museum's visitors. For our project, 60 visitors to the Museum played “Fish Police!!,” a video game that examines audiovisual integration, including the ability to ignore irrelevant sensory information. Players, who ranged in age from 6 to 82 years, made speeded responses to computer-generated fish that swam rapidly across a tablet display. Responses were to be based solely on the rate (6 or 8 Hz) at which a fish's size modulated, sinusoidally growing and shrinking. Accompanying each fish was a task-irrelevant broadband sound, amplitude modulated at either 6 or 8 Hz. The rates of visual and auditory modulation were either Congruent (both 6 Hz or 8 Hz) or Incongruent (6 and 8 or 8 and 6 Hz). Despite being instructed to ignore the sound, players of all ages responded more accurately and faster when a fish's auditory and visual signatures were Congruent. In a controlled laboratory setting, a related task produced comparable results, demonstrating the robustness of the audiovisual interaction reported here. Some suggestions are made for conducting research in public settings.
Development of the My Medicines and Me (M3Q) side effect questionnaire for mental health patients: a qualitative study
Authors: Ashoorian Deena M. , Davidson Rowan M. , Rock Daniel J. T. , Seubert Liza J. , Clifford Rhonda M.
Published: August 2015

Objective:

The objective of this study was to assess the acceptability, content validity and usability of the My Medicines and Me (M3Q) self-report side effect questionnaire.

Methods:

Eight focus groups consisting of mental health patients, carers, general practitioners, psychiatrists, mental health nurses and pharmacists were conducted, involving 78 participants. Two researchers independently examined the transcriptions and analysed the data thematically using an inductive method.

Results:

The findings supported changes to the formatting, length and phrasing of questions in the original version of the questionnaire. Although the groups provided differing views on the usability of the M3Q in clinical practice, the patient and carer groups were unconditionally in favour of such a tool to be used systematically to describe patients’ subjective experiences with side effects.

Conclusion:

The differing contribution made by all groups involved in the administration and completion of the M3Q assisted with content validity of the questionnaire. The acceptability and usability of this novel side effect questionnaire was also explored, with many participants agreeing it was a necessary tool for a patient centred approach to treatment. Following implementation of the changes to the current format of the questionnaire, investigation into the uptake and use in clinical practice should be carried out.
Looking forward into the past
Authors: Lucey Thomas A , Giannangelo Duane M
Published: August 2015

This article concerns the interpretation of a semester-long email mentoring correspondence related to social studies teaching between the two authors. Analysis interpreted the mentee’s growth along O’Malley’s stages of professional reflection. The analysis found that the mentoring process fostered the mentee’s establishment of professional identity through a negotiation of individual goals within professional expectations. This experience informs the literature with regard to the promise it holds for professional training of teacher educators, its successes in building professional community, and the safety of this method for providing critical performance feedback.
Crohn’s disease and skin
Authors: Gravina AG , Federico A , Ruocco E , Lo Schiavo A , Romano F , Miranda A , Sgambato D , Dallio M , Ruocco V , Loguercio C , Romano M
Published: August 2015

Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease potentially involving any segment of the gastrointestinal tract. Extra‐intestinal manifestations may occur in 6%–40% of patients, and disorders of the skin are among the most common. This manuscript will review skin manifestations associated to Crohn’s disease, with a particular focus on lesions associated to anti‐tumour necrosis factor therapy.