bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Delivering Positive Youth Development at a Residential Summer Sport Camp
Authors: Povilaitis Victoria , Tamminen Katherine A.
Published: April 2017

There is currently a lack of theoretically based research regarding positive youth development (PYD) and youth in recreational sport settings, including residential summer sport camps. This qualitative research study explored the ways in which positive developmental experiences are facilitated at a residential summer sport camp. Using a case study approach over an entire summer, interviews were conducted with summer camp leaders and camp management, focus groups were completed with campers and counselors in training, and observations were recorded as field notes. Data were first inductively and then deductively analyzed and results are situated within the 8 Settings Features of PYD programming. This camp context was deliberately structured to facilitate leaders’ provision of growth opportunities for campers. Leaders provided opportunities for growth through the development of supportive relationships with a variety of leaders, the presence of positive social norms, and opportunities for skill building. Findings from this study may have implications for sport administrators as well as day and residential summer camp directors regarding creating programs and environments rich with developmental opportunities for youth.
Numerical analysis of the effect of the change in the ride height on the aerodynamic front wing–wheel interactions of a racing car
Authors: Diasinos Sammy , Barber Tracie , Doig Graham
Published: April 2017

An investigation into the influence of the ground clearance on the aerodynamic interactions between the inverted front wing and the wheel of a racing car was conducted using computational fluid dynamics. Height-to-chord ratios h/ c from 0.075 to 0.27 were assessed for a single-element wing with a fixed angle of 4° and for two wing spans, one of which completely overlapped the wheel and the other which had its endplate coincident with the inside face of the wheel. With a narrower span, a lower peak downforce was achieved at a higher ground clearance owing to changes in the lower endplate vortex strength whereas, with a wider span, no downforce loss was observed, with decreasing clearance for those tested. This contrasted distinctly with the performance of the wing in isolation. The wheel lift was scarcely affected with decreasing wing ground clearance for the narrower span but decreased significantly for the wide-span wing at low ground clearances. The vortex paths changed considerably with the ground clearance, with a strong coupling to the wing span; a state in which the main vortex was destroyed in the contact patch of the wheel was identified.
What do we know about rail suicide incidents? An analysis of 257 fatalities on the rail network in Great Britain
Authors: Ryan Brendan
Published: April 2017

There are over 250 suicides on the railway network in Great Britain each year. Descriptive statistics are compiled, producing national and international data. The industry knows how many and, to a limited extent, where these fatalities occur. There is little in-depth analysis of events. Therefore, there are gaps in knowledge of these fatalities and this can be a weakness when considering the best approaches to prevention. This paper reports on the analysis of data on 257 suicide events at or near to 51 stations on three rail routes in Great Britain over a 20-year period. The analysis uses data from the industry safety management information system database and produces simple descriptive statistics on a range of variables, including comparisons across the three rail routes. Additional data from staff and route-based documentation have been used to verify, supplement and interpret information in the database. Examples of patterns of immediate and precursor behaviours during incidents have been presented, illustrating the potential to explore both common and anomalous behaviours during events. The findings demonstrate the type of content that can be explored within the industry data and through use of other data that are available within the industry. Commentaries have been provided on the strengths and weaknesses of the data and how findings from the analysis can be used to improve future data collection and prevention of incidents.
Information Systems, Supply Chain Management and Operational Performance: Tri-linkage—An Exploratory Study on Pharmaceutical Industry of India
Authors: Modgil Sachin , Sharma Sanjay
Published: April 2017

The present study made an effort to investigate the tri-linkage between information systems (ISs) and supply chain management (SCM) practices to enhance the operational performance (OP) of an organization. The study made an effort to find out, how different kinds of ISs help the supply chain to achieve greater OP. Three constructs, namely, operational IS, strategic IS and infrastructural IS, have been identified from literature. Four plant-level supply chain constructs, namely, strategic supplier partnership, information sharing and information quality, purchasing management and inventory management, have been identified. The co-relation between ISs, supply chain practices and OP has been tested. Finally, both ISs and supply chain impact on OP have been evaluated. The ISs create an indirect impact on OP via supply chain practices, which results in OP. The OP can be in the form of reduction in number of defects in operations, quality improvement in products, delivery of products or raw material at right place, at right time and in right quantity. The study leads to interesting implications for practitioners. The ISs should be connected at various levels, that is, operational, strategic and infrastructural, to support the entire supply chain. With the changing dynamics of accuracy and speed in operations and the target of achieving economies of scale, the role of ISs becomes critical in the entire supply chain. The supply chain and information technology practices impact on OP has been studied by the number of authors. However, the classification of ISs and plant-level supply chain impact on OP has not been studied in detail by authors.
From the Guest Editor: An Introduction to Research on Social Work Practice In Egypt and the Arab World
Authors: Megahead Hamido A.
Published: April 2017

The editor of RSWP inspired the guest editor the idea of this special section as it has been previously sponsored special issues/sections of Research on Social Work Practice devoted to the topic of studies completed by social work specialists from different European, Asia, Australian countries. This special section is a unique one as it has been evidenced in the process of its accomplishment. An example of its particular characteristics was that traditionally, special issues/sections, the authors contacted a guest editor to discuss their ideas and manuscripts. Innovatively, this current special section, the guest editor has not only pro-actively identified and contacted the authors, but also discussed with them their ideas and manuscripts. This guest editor note is an introduction to Research on Social Work Practice in Egypt and the Arab World. It demonstrated that the importance of the topic of research on social work practice has been accepted by social work academic specialists in the Arab World Region. However, barriers and obstacles have been identified. Subsequently solutions and avenues have been implemented. Moreover, a specific plan of action was put forward to go ahead with the research on social work practice, to be internationally flourished.
Fine Particulate Matter and Sulfur Dioxide Coexposures Induce Rat Lung Pathological Injury and Inflammatory Responses Via TLR4/p38/NF-κB Pathway
Authors: Li Ruijin , Zhao Lifang , Tong Jinlong , Yan Yuchao , Xu Chong
Published: April 2017

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) are 2 common air pollutants, but their toxicological effects of coexposure are still not fully clear. In this study, SO2 exposure (5.6 mg/m3) couldn’t cause obvious inflammatory responses in rat lungs. The PM2.5 exposure (1.5 mg/kg body weight) increased inflammatory cell counts in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and some inflammation damage. Importantly, SO2 and PM2.5 (1.5, 6.0, and 24.0 mg/kg) coexposure induced pathological and ultrastructural damage and raised inflammatory cells in BALF compared with the control. Also, they significantly elevated the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, adhesion molecule, and nitric oxide (NO) and promoted the gene expression of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), phosphorylated p38 (p-p38), and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in rat lungs treated with higher dose of PM2.5 (6.0 and 24.0 mg/kg) plus SO2 relative to the control or SO2 group, along with the decreased inhibitor of NF-κBα and increased inhibitor of NF-κB kinase β expressions. The changes in the inflammatory markers in the presence of PM2.5 plus SO2 were not significant compared with the PM2.5 group. The results indicated that inflammatory injury and pathological and ultrastructural damage in rat lungs exposed to PM2.5 plus SO2 were involved in TLR4/p38/NF-κB pathway activation accompanied by oversecretion of pro-inflammatory cytokine, adhesion molecule, and NO. It provides more useful evidence to understand the possible toxicological mechanism that PM2.5 and SO2 copollution exacerbate lung disease.
Effect of Integrated Pest Management Training on Ugandan Small-Scale Farmers
Authors: Clausen Anna Sabine , Jørs Erik , Atuhaire Aggrey , Thomsen Jane Frølund
Published: April 2017

Small-scale farmers in developing countries use hazardous pesticides taking few or no safety measures. Farmer field schools (FFSs) teaching integrated pest management (IPM) have been shown to reduce pesticide use among trained farmers. This cross-sectional study compares pesticide-related knowledge, attitude, practice (KAP), potential exposure, and self-reported poisoning symptoms among 35 FFS farmers, 44 neighboring farmers, and 35 control farmers after an IPM intervention in Uganda (2011-2012). The FFS farmers were encouraged to teach their neighboring farmers. Data were based on standardized interviews and were analyzed using a linear trend test and logistic regression. The results showed that FFS and neighboring farmers used significantly fewer pesticide applications ( P = .021) and used more safety measures. No differences were found on the hazardousness of pesticides used or self-reported symptoms. The study supports IPM as a method to reduce pesticide use and potential exposure and to improve pesticide-related KAP among small-scale farmers in developing countries.
Political conflict in Bismarck’s Germany: An analysis of parliamentary voting, 1867–1890
Authors: Häge Frank M.
Published: April 2017

Imperial Germany is a prominent historical case in the study of Western Europe’s political development. This article investigates the number and content of political conflict dimensions from the foundation of the modern German state in 1867 to the end of Bismarck’s reign as Chancellor in 1890. Methodologically, it applies dimension-reducing statistical methods to a novel data set of content-coded parliamentary roll call votes. The analysis suggests that the emergence of the Catholic Centre Party in 1871 permanently transformed the conflict space from a single liberal-conservative divide to a two-dimensional space that distinguished positions on socio-economic issues and regime matters, respectively. The fact that positions on redistributive and regime issues were not aligned implies that theories stressing economic inequality as a driver for regime change are of limited applicability. Instead, the case of Imperial Germany highlights the importance of cross-cutting non-economic societal cleavages and the role of societal and political organizations in drawing attention to and perpetuating these divisions.
The Sainte-Laguë index of disproportionality and Dalton’s principle of transfers
Authors: Goldenberg Josh , Fisher Stephen D
Published: April 2017

The Sainte-Laguë index (SLI) has a strong claim to be the index that should be adopted as the standard measure of disproportionality in electoral studies. Its properties are therefore worthwhile understanding more clearly. This article provides a counterexample (the 2010 UK general election) to previous claims that the SLI satisfies Dalton’s principle of transfers with respect to differences between seat shares and vote shares but not ratios of seat and vote shares. Instead, we prove that the SLI satisfies the ratio but not the difference version of the principle. This strengthens the argument for the SLI since the ratio version is the one that accords with notion of electoral disproportionality as inequality in the representation of voters.
Use of videoconferencing for physical therapy in people with musculoskeletal conditions: A systematic review
Authors: Grona Stacey L , Bath Brenna , Busch Angela , Rotter Thomas , Trask Catherine , Harrison Elizabeth
Published: April 2017

Background

Physical therapists are key players in the management of musculoskeletal conditions, which are common in rural and remote communities. There are few physical therapists in rural regions compared to potential need, so care is either not provided or must be sought in urban centers, requiring travel and time away from work and family to access services. Telerehabilitation strategies, such as real-time videoconferencing, are emerging as possible solutions to address shortages in rural physical therapy services.

Objectives

This review will: (1) determine the validity and the reliability of secure videoconferencing for physical therapy management of musculoskeletal conditions; (2) determine the health, system, and process outcomes when using secure videoconferencing for physical therapy management of musculoskeletal conditions.

Methods

A protocol-driven systematic review of four databases was carried out by two independent reviewers. Study criteria included English language articles from January 2003 to December 2016, on physical therapy management using secure videoconferencing, pertaining to adults 18–80 years with chronic musculoskeletal disorders. Randomized controlled trials, pre-experimental studies, and case-control studies were included. Quality analysis was performed utilizing standardized tools specific for the study designs.

Results and conclusions

Validity and reliability studies were identified as having high risk of bias. Intervention studies were of moderate quality, and found positive impact on health outcomes and satisfaction. Two studies evaluated costs, with evidence of cost savings in one study. More robust research is required to evaluate long-term effects of telerehabilitation for physical therapy management of musculoskeletal disorders, including cost–benefit analyses.
Clinical encounter and the logic of relationality: Reconfiguring bodies and subjectivities in clinical relations
Authors: Kazimierczak Karolina A
Published: April 2017

This article critically examines the significance of relational approaches for sociological understandings of clinical interactions, relations and practices, by exploring the ways in which relational theories and concepts have been employed in the recent sociological accounts of clinical encounters to trouble the classical dyadic models of clinical interaction and the related atomistic conceptions of agency and accountability. Reading this work through the theoretical contributions from feminist science studies scholarship, and particularly the work of Donna Haraway and Karen Barad, the article proposes an alternative understanding of clinical interactions, relations and practices, where relations are conceived as constitutive of individuals (objects/bodies and their attributes/identities), rather than being constituted by encounters between individuals. Key for this understanding is the reconceptualisation of clinical encounter as an apparatus of bodily production through which different agents (patients, clinicians, diseases and healthcare services) are materialised and enacted.
Contesting facts about wind farms in Australia and the legitimacy of adverse health effects
Authors: Clark Shannon , Botterill Linda Courtenay
Published: April 2017

The development of wind energy in Australia has been subject to ongoing public debate and has been characterised by concerns over the health impacts of wind turbines. Using discursive psychology, we examine ‘wind turbine syndrome’ as a contested illness and analyse how people build and undermine divergent arguments about wind-farm health effects. This article explores two facets of the dispute. First, we consider how participants construct ‘facts’ about the health effects of wind farms. We examine rhetorical resources used to construct wind farms as harmful or benign. Second, we examine the local negotiation of the legitimacy of health complaints. In the research interviews examined, even though interviewees treat those who report experiencing symptoms from wind farms as having primary rights to narrate their own experience, this epistemic primacy does not extend to the ability to ‘correctly’ identify symptoms’ cause. As a result, the legitimacy of health complaints is undermined. Wind turbine syndrome is an example of a contested illness that is politically controversial. We show how stake, interest and legitimacy are particularly relevant for participants’ competing descriptions about the ‘facts’ of wind turbine health effects.
“Listen to your body”: Participants’ alternative to science in online health discussions
Authors: Versteeg Wytske , te Molder Hedwig , Sneijder Petra
Published: April 2017

We present a discursive psychological analysis of how the idiomatic expression “Listen to Your Body” is deployed in online forum discussions about ADHD medication and aspartame. The Listen to Your Body device allows participants to demonstrate to others that they take their health seriously and for that reason avoid scientific knowledge. They contrast Listen to Your Body with “blindly following science,” presenting Listen to Your Body as the more critical and, therefore, more rational behavior. Instead of treating the idiomatic expression as “anyone’s knowledge,” speakers and recipients compete for the right to own it. It is discussed what these results mean for the role of and relation between experiential knowledge (“lay expertise”) and scientific expertise in online discussions about health issues.
Application of dynamic airflows in buildings and its effects on perceived thermal comfort
Authors: Luo Maohui , Yu Juan , Ouyang Qin , Cao Bin , Zhu Yingxin
Published: April 2017

In this paper we explore the performance of a newly developed air conditioner which can produce different airflow modes such as dynamically changed simulated natural wind (SNW) and constant mechanical wind (CMW). Climate chamber experiments were conducted to study the demand for air movement and to compare effects of SNW and CMW on human subjects’ thermal comfort perception in warm environment. The results indicate that it was possible for subjects to remain comfortable at 28℃ and 30℃ with a suitable air velocity range of 0.4–0.6 and 0.7–0.9 m/s, respectively. Compared with CMW, SNW produced stronger cooling effect and induced better perceived thermal comfort voting from human subjects. Over 60% of these subjects preferred SNW to CMW. These experimental findings would serve as a reference for the design of more energy saving space conditioning systems in warm climates.
Reflections on Italy's Decreasing Alcohol Consumption
Authors: Cottino Amedeo , Forni Elisabetta
Published: April 2017

Although Italy still lacks an alcohol policy, consumption of alcoholic beverages, and in particular wine, has been decreasing steadily for several decades. Why? The authors argue that, even if most Italians maintain the habit of eating their main meals at home, wine is losing its role as an essential component of the menu. People today drink smaller amounts and less often than in the past particularly because wine is no longer “eaten” as before. In addition, two other factors may have contributed to the decline in consumption: the loss of confidence in producers and wholesalers following the toxic wine scandals and the increasing preoccupation with healthy lifestyles.
Alcohol Policy in the Changing Eastern Europe
Authors: Lehto Juhani
Published: April 2017

Both alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems are, it is claimed, rapidly increasing problems in central and eastern Europe, due to the transition period. The article presents some available data and discusses the problems in making conclusions from rather inaccurate statistics. The second objective is to discuss the opportunities for effective alcohol policies, and the relevance of the studies made in established market economies, such as the Anglo-American and Scandinavian countries. An important condition for a control policy, the author concludes, is the re-establishment of a basic regulation of the alcohol market, now missing in these countries. Otherwise any policy measures will be ineffective or even counterproductive. The process will probably be different in different countries, due to differences in the economic restructuring and recovery, and to differences between the “beer”, “wine”, and “vodka” cultures.
Homelessness as a Social Construction: A Study on Marginalized Women
Authors: Järvinen Margaretha , Kivinen David
Published: April 2017

The focus of the article is on homeless women in Copenhagen. One of the main arguments is that the so-called new homelessness is not as new as it might appear at first glance. Although statistics indicate an increase in the proportion of women who have no home, this does not necessarily mean that social distress among women has increased. Included in the statistics today are certain groups (such as battered women, poor single parents with housing problems) who 15 years ago would not have been registered as homeless. As a result, the homeless population has become more and more heterogeneous, at the same time as the institutions for the homeless have become more and more differentiated and professionalized. This, in turn, has resulted in a situation where priority is given to those homeless clients who can meet the system's expectations of rehabilitation. Two groups among the homeless are not welcome at these institutions: substance abusers and people with mental problems. For these two groups of socially marginalized people, there seems to be no place in the Danish welfare state.
Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasties are Performed on the Patients with Radiologically Too Mild Osteoarthritis
Authors: Knifsund J. , Hatakka J. , Keemu H. , Mäkelä K. , Koivisto M. , Niinimäki T.
Published: April 2017

Background:

Patient selection for either total knee arthroplasty or unicompartmental knee arthroplasty remains controversial. The latter has several reported advantages over total knee arthroplasty, but it also appears to have significant drawbacks in terms of revision rates.

Aims:

This study aimed to determine the influence of the preoperative degree of osteoarthritis on the risk of reoperation following unicompartmental knee arthroplasty.

Methods:

Surgery was carried out on 294 knees in 241 patients between 2001 and 2012 at a single institute, using cemented Oxford phase III unicompartmental knee arthroplasty. The mean age at the time of operation was 67 years, and the mean follow-up time was 8.7 years.

Results and Conclusion:

The knees with a preoperative Kellgren–Lawrence grade of 0–2 osteoarthritis had a higher risk of reoperation than those with a Kellgren–Lawrence grade of 3–4 (odds ratio = 1.89; 95% confidence interval, 1.03–3.45; p = 0.04). In addition, the knees with a medial joint space width of more than 1 mm or a high medial/lateral joint space width ratio had an increased risk of reoperation. In conclusion, we suggest that unicompartmental knee arthroplasty should only be performed in cases showing severe osteoarthritis in preoperative radiographs, with medial bone-on-bone contact, and a medial/lateral ratio of <20%.
Beyond possession and competition
Authors: Gaibrois Claudine , Steyaert Chris
Published: April 2017

This article examines power issues related to language diversity in organizations, thus answering the need to investigate the role of language in cross-cultural management. More specifically, it contributes to a better understanding of how intraorganizational power relations are (re)defined through language use. Building on insights from language-sensitive research in international business, the article suggests that a further conceptual development of power is needed to study multilingual organizations and their “politics.” Inspired by the writings of Michel Foucault, it aims at developing a differentiated notion of power that allows moving beyond possessive, competitive, and limitation-oriented understandings. It investigates power from a discursive perspective and thus suggests conceptualizing power as an effect of speaking acts. From this point of view, people contribute to the creation of power relations by adopting a multiplicity of subject positions when they talk about their and others’ experiences in multilingual organizations. These processes were empirically investigated by conducting a qualitative case study of a multinational company located in Switzerland. The findings show a variety of subject positions for members of multilingual organizations, ranging from “winners on the rhetorical battlefield” to “helpers paving unskilled speakers the way.” While being in the position of the “battle winner” means discursively constructing competitive power relations, being a “helper” entails the discursive construction of cooperation-oriented power relations. Adopting a discursive approach thus allows to move the focus from “having”/“not having” power and from conflicts to a broader perspective on power relations. Power is then considered as productive in a general sense, and this productivity might engender competition as well as cooperation.
‘Wicked’, ‘deceptive’, and ‘blood sucking’: Cyberbullying against social workers in Israel as claims-making activity
Authors: Kagan Maya , Orkibi Eithan , Zychlinski Ester
Published: April 2017

This study analyses verbal aggression in cyberbullying against social workers in Israel. Given the particular nature of this type of aggressive behaviour, namely its repeated and public dimensions, the study focuses on the content of offensive messages. Drawing on examples from multiple anti-social workers’ weblogs and Facebook pages, the study employs constructionist social problems methodology in order to extract the logical structure of anti-social workers’ discourse as claims-making activity. The analysis demonstrates that, far from constituting isolated or momentary outbursts of anger or frustration, cyberbullying against social workers contains messages which share similarities in content and style, comprise a persistent set of claims against social workers and employ rhetorical means in order to enhance public support. The article holds that understanding the specificity and content of offensive messages against social workers in new-media saturated societies is crucial for understanding current shifts in social workers’ conflict environment and the formation of public opinion concerning social workers and social services.
Integrated Care Pathways and Care Bundles for Dementia in Acute Care: Concept Versus Evidence
Authors: Sullivan Dawn O. , Mannix Mary , Timmons Suzanne
Published: April 2017

Caring for people with dementia in acute settings is challenging and confounded by multiple comorbidities and difficulties transitioning between community and acute care. Recently, there has been an increase in the development and use of integrated care pathways (ICPs) and care bundles for defined illnesses and medical procedures, and these are now being promoted for use in dementia care in acute settings. We present a review of the literature on ICPs and/or care bundles for dementia care in the acute sector. This includes a literature overview including “gray literature” such as relevant websites, reports, and government publications. Taken together, there is clearly a growing interest in and clinical use of ICPs and care bundles for dementia. However, there is currently insufficient evidence to support the effectiveness of ICPs for dementia care in acute settings and limited evidence for care bundles for dementia in this setting.
Exploiting self-organization and fault tolerance in wireless sensor networks: A case study on wildfire detection application
Authors: Giuntini Felipe Taliar , Beder Delano Medeiros , Ueyama Jó
Published: April 2017

The wildfires caused by human occupation is one of the factors that most contributes to deforestation of conservation areas, resulting in a number of issues for ecological systems. Premature fire detections lead to the elimination or reduction of the damage that will be caused by a fire incident. Wireless sensor networks have been shown to be a good alternative for environmental monitoring applications, as they can collect and send information in real time, such as humidity, wind, and temperature of various parts of the forest. Due to problems such as power limitation, communication failure, and loss of nodes, the network topology is constantly changing, requiring mechanisms to achieve self-organization and fault tolerance. This article proposes the development of a model and application in self-organizing and fault-tolerant wireless sensor networks for fire detection in conservation areas. To achieve self-organization and fault tolerance, we rely on encouraged local interactions between neighboring nodes that monitor the same region and the coordination of tasks, through a supervisor node, equipped with a framework for developing component-based fault-tolerant applications. For the analysis and validation of both model and application, it was simulated 60 events in the network of sensors in a real scenario using the simulator Sinalgo. The results were classified as True (partial or absolute) or False (partial or absolute). In all, 45% of consensus identified a possible fault in the application and in only 35% there was absolute consensus.
The cup runneth over: The body, the public and its regulation in digital activism
Authors: Shah Nishant
Published: April 2017

The mainstream discourse focuses on predictive algorithms of probability as a measure of responsibility and culpability for digitally mediated activism. Bodies that threaten to disrupt the seamlessness of events are seen as problematic. The expected response is to contain this overflow into physical spaces and to restrict their excesses to the online platforms. This essay argues that this separation of zones of affective excess signals a shift in how we understand the body, publicness and punishment in the face of ubiquitous digitality. It confronts this ‘cleansing’ acts of algorithmic regulation with a case study of the #KissOfLove campaign from India to show how the expected tropes that deal with concerns of safety of the body, the separation and weaving together of the digital and physical spaces, and the affordances provided by regulation and policy often unquestioningly mark bodies and spaces as overflowing and hence in need of curation, containment and cleansing. Building upon the narratives of technologised nation building in India, it complicates the terrain of the overflow, showing that a ‘technoaffective’ framework might lead to unpacking the ways in which selected bodies are rendered culpable and are forced to bear the marks of punishment in an emerging technosocial landscape.
A content analysis of chronic fatigue syndrome and myalgic encephalomyelitis in the news from 1987 to 2013
Authors: Siegel Zachary A , Brown Abigail , Devendorf Andrew , Collier Johanna , Jason Leonard A
Published: April 2017

Objectives

The aim of this study was to analyze the content of American newspaper articles ( n=214) from 1987 to 2013, in order to understand how the public digests information related to Chronic Fatigue syndrome, a controversial and misunderstood illness.

Methods

A novel codebook derived from the scientific literature was applied to 214 newspaper articles collected from Lexis Nexis Academic®. These articles were coded quantitatively and frequency tables were created to delineate the variables as they appeared in the articles.

Results

The etiology was portrayed as organic in 64.5% ( n=138) of the articles, and there was no mention of case definitions or diagnostic criteria in 56.1% ( n=120) of the articles. The most common comorbidity was depression, appearing in 22.9% ( n=49) of the articles. In 55.6% ( n=119) of the articles, there was no mention of prevalence rates. In 50.9% ( n=109) of the articles, there was no mention of any form of treatment for the illness. A total of 19.4% ( n=42) of the headlines mislabeled the name of the illness.

Discussion

Based on descriptive statistics of all 214 coded articles, media communicated mixed messages for salient variables such as the name of the illness, its etiology and treatment.
Presumed acute fatty liver of pregnancy following influenza A hepatitis
Authors: Morton Adam
Published: April 2017

Acute fatty liver of pregnancy is a rare mitochondrial hepatopathy characterised by microvesicular fatty infiltration, and is believed to be due to impaired fatty acid oxidation. Hepatitis following influenza virus infection is uncommon. Rarely influenza virus infection may be complicated by Reye's syndrome, another hepatic microvesicular fat disease. A case of influenza A hepatitis in third trimester of pregnancy, followed by the evelopment of presumed acute fatty liver of pregnancy is described in this report and a potential mechanism why this may have occurred is discussed.
Diagnosis, management and complications of distal humerus lateral condyle fractures in children
Authors: Shaerf Daniel A , Vanhegan Ivor S , Dattani Rupen
Published: April 2017

We review the diagnosis, evaluation and management of paediatric lateral condylar fractures. The complications of these fractures are also discussed, including the management of fracture non-union.
Optimal design of air turbines for oscillating water column wave energy systems: A review
Authors: Das Tapas Kumar , Halder Paresh , Samad Abdus
Published: April 2017

Oscillating water column wave energy harvesting system uses pneumatic power to run a turbine and generate power. Both reaction (mainly Wells turbine) and impulse type turbines are tested in oscillating water column system and the performances are investigated. Reaction turbines are easy to install, and the operating range is narrow and possesses higher peak efficiency. On the contrary, impulse turbines have the wider operating range and lower peak efficiency. Some of the key parameters for Wells turbine are solidity, tip clearance, and the hub-to-tip ratio. Significant performance improvement is possible by redesigning the turbines using optimization techniques. Till date, surrogate modeling and an automated optimization library OPAL are commonly used in optimization of oscillating water column air turbines. In this article, various types of oscillating water column turbines are reviewed, and optimization techniques applied to such turbines are discussed. The Wells turbine with guide vane has the maximum efficiency, whereas the axial-impulse turbine with pitch-controlled guide vane has the widest operating range. Turbines with optimized geometry have better overall performance than other turbines.
Seven-Year Surveillance of the Clinical Performance of a Blood Glucose Test Strip Product
Authors: Setford Steven , Grady Mike , Phillips Stuart , Miller Lesley , Mackintosh Stephen , Cameron Hilary , Corrigall Krisna
Published: April 2017

Background:

A key approach in enabling people with diabetes to better manage their condition is through self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG). Any functional SMBG system should demonstrate clinical accuracy across a broad glucose range and be insensitive to hematocrit. Furthermore, it should be incumbent on the manufacturer to demonstrate that their product continues to meet clinical accuracy claims during product lifetime.

Methods:

Test strips from a globally distributed SMBG product were sampled from randomly selected production batches as part of the manufacturer’s routine product evaluation process. Clinical accuracy was assessed within diabetes patients at 3 clinic sites against a standard reference method and evaluated against system accuracy in accordance with the ISO 15197:2015 standard (unchanged from ISO 15197:2013 in terms of performance specifications). Data were collected over 7 years (2010-2016) and comprised 73,600 individual glucose results. Overall clinic performance was assessed, as was accuracy at low and high glucose levels and extremes of hematocrit.

Results:

Across the 7-year surveillance period, overall test strip clinical accuracy was 97.8% versus the 95% ISO-defined minimum criterion with by-year values of 97.0-98.6%. Accuracy at the lowest (≤50 mg/dL) and highest (>400 mg/dL) ranges of glucose was 97.0% and 98.3% respectively. Within these low/high blood glucose subpopulations, accuracy at the lower and upper first percentile hematocrit ranges, was 98.9%, and 97.1% respectively.

Conclusions:

This 7-year surveillance program showed the test strips to have excellent clinical accuracy at the outer ranges of subject blood glucose and hematocrit, based on assessment against the ISO 15197:2015 clinical accuracy criterion.
The Effects of Visible Customer Characteristics on Servers’ Perceptions of Tipping: Potential Threats to Service Interactions
Authors: Kim Kathleen Jeehyae , Bae Gumkwang , Kim Dae-Young
Published: April 2017

This study examined the effects of customer race (i.e., Caucasian, African American, Hispanic, and Asian), gender (i.e., female and male), and attire (i.e., business and casual) on servers’ tip expectations and service intentions. The results indicate that customers in business attire are perceived as better tippers and targeted for better treatment than customers in casual attire. However, this main effect of attire was qualified by significant interactions with race and gender. The positive effects of business (vs. casual) attire were greater for African Americans than for Caucasians and for males than for females. The implications of these findings for the training and monitoring of restaurant servers are discussed.
Direct factor IXa inhibition with the RNA-aptamer pegnivacogin reduces platelet reactivity in vitro and residual platelet aggregation in patients with acute coronary syndromes
Authors: Staudacher Dawid L , Putz Vera , Heger Lukas , Reinöhl Jochen , Hortmann Marcus , Zelenkofske Steven L , Becker Richard C , Rusconi Christopher P , Bode Christoph , Ahrens Ingo
Published: April 2017

Background:

Residual platelet reactivity is a predictor of poor prognosis in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACSs) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Thrombin is a major platelet activator and upon initiation of the coagulation cascade, it is subsequently produced downstream of factor IXa, which itself is known to be increased in ACS. Pegnivacogin is a novel RNA-aptamer based factor IXa inhibitor featuring a reversal agent, anivamersen. We hypothesized that pegnivacogin could reduce platelet reactivity.

Methods:

Whole blood samples from healthy volunteers were incubated in vitro in the presence and absence of pegnivacogin and platelet reactivity was analysed. In addition, platelet aggregometry was performed in blood samples from ACS patients in the RADAR trial featuring the intravenous administration of pegnivacogin as well as reversal by anivamersen.

Results:

In vitro, pegnivacogin significantly reduced adenosine diphosphate-induced CD62P-expression (100% vs. 89.79±4.04%, p=0.027, n=9) and PAC-1 binding (100% vs. 83.02±4.08%, p=0.010, n=11). Platelet aggregation was reduced (97.71±5.30% vs. 66.53±9.92%, p=0.013, n=10) as evaluated by light transmission aggregometry. In the presence of the RNA-aptamer reversal agent anivamersen, neither CD62P-expression nor platelet aggregation was attenuated. In patients with ACS treated with aspirin and clopidogrel, residual platelet aggregation was significantly reduced 20 min after intravenous bolus of 1 mg/kg pegnivacogin (100% versus 43.21±8.23%, p=0.020).

Conclusion:

Inhibition of factor IXa by pegnivacogin decreases platelet activation and aggregation in vitro. This effect was negated by anivamersen. In ACS patients, platelet aggregation was significantly reduced after intravenous pegnivacogin. An aptamer-based anticoagulant inhibiting factor IXa therefore might be a promising antithrombotic strategy in ACS patients.
Services in a Rural High Wealth and Low Wealth School District
Authors: Johnson Gary , Elrod G. Franklin , Davis Debbie C. , Smith Jean C.
Published: April 2017

Using a comparative analysis of two rural school districts with similar demographic profiles in Mississippi, the impact on special education programming of disparate school district wealth was studied. The study revealed that the wealthy school district had far greater local revenues supporting special education that was not offset by either state or federal dollars. This revenue difference was most obvious in differences in the quality of special education personnel, with the wealthier district employing teachers with higher academic degrees and with more teaching experience. Implications for resource equalization are also discussed.
Strategies for Coping with Educational and Social Consequences of Chronic Ear Infections in Rural Communities
Authors: Pillai Patrick
Published: April 2017

This article provides pragmatic guidance to parents, teachers, and paraprofessionals with regard to the needs of children who are affected by chronic ear infections. Discussion centers on understanding the educational and social consequences of a “temporary” hearing loss. Strategies for improved communication, teaching, and promotion of socialization are presented.
Experiences and Perceptions of Rural Alaskan General Educators: Implications for Preparation in Inclusive Practices
Authors: Ryan Susan M. , Dennis Ruth E.
Published: April 2017

Special Education policy provides for the involvement and progress of students with disabilities in general education programs. Inclusionary educational practices are impacted not only by the skills of educators, but also by their life experiences, the challenges and rewards they experience in their work, and the perceived integration between the philosophy and practices of inclusion and the culture of their community. This study explores the experiences and perceptions of general education teachers and their special education teaching assistants living in remote Alaskan villages who participated in a distance delivered inservice preparation project to increase skills to support inclusionary education for students with disabilities. Based on (a) questionnaires, (b) permanent products, (c) group audio-conferences, (d) in-depth individual interviews, and (e) researcher field notes collected over a 24 month period, analyses of the data highlighted three major findings of educational significance, all related to teachers' experiences and perceptions. Categories of findings and discussion include: (a) the importance of personal stories, (b) teacher perceptions of challenges and supports for inclusionary practices, and (c) the perceived integration between the culture of special education and teacher experience of Alaskan village culture. The authors conclude with recommendations for the field that build upon experiences of individuals, their values, and beliefs in order to support and enhance the sustainable development and implementation of inclusion of persons with disabilities in school and community life.
Solving Accessibility and Other Problems in School and Classroom Web Sites
Authors: Maddux Cleborne D.
Published: April 2017

The Internet and the World Wide Web are growing at unprecedented rates. More and more teachers are authoring school or classroom web pages. Such pages have particular potential for use in rural areas by special educators, children with special needs, and the parents of children with special needs. The quality of many of these pages leaves much to be desired. All web pages, especially those authored by special educators should be accessible for people with disabilities. Many other problems complicate use of the web for all users, whether or not they have disabilities. By taking some simple steps, beginning webmasters can avoid these problems. This article discusses practical solutions to common accessibility problems and other problems seen commonly on the web.
Updating Knowledge and Skills of Practitioners in Rural Areas: A Web-based Model
Authors: Ludlow Barbara L. , Foshay John D. , Brannan Sara A. , Duff Michael C. , Dennison Katrina E.
Published: April 2017

Technology-mediated distance education models have had a major impact on preservice and inservice preparation of special education and related services personnel over the last several decades. The increasing availability of Internet access and the multimedia capabilities of the World Wide Web have combined to spur the growth of online programs as a medium for both initial certification and continuing activities. This study reports the development, implementation, and evaluation of four courses designed as professional development activities for practicing personnel working in early intervention, early childhood special education, elementary and secondary special education, and adult disability services in rural areas of West Virginia and the surrounding Appalachian region. The article explains the process used to create learning materials and technology formats for presentation of content and interaction with learners, outlines the steps in developing and implementing the courses, and presents the results of evaluation activities conducted to assess learning outcomes and participant perceptions of the online learning experience. The findings of this study suggest that Web-based instruction is a viable mode for delivering staff development. Participants demonstrated the acquisition of new knowledge and skills, expressed satisfaction with most aspects of online teaching and learning, and reported specific applications of the information in their own classroom and intervention program settings.
Personnel Preparation and Service Delivery Issues in Rural Areas: The State of the Art
Authors: Williams Jane M. , Martin Suzanne M. , Hess Robert K.
Published: April 2017

Preparation of high quality personnel to provide educational services to students with disabilities living in rural areas is, at best, challenging. Findings from a comprehensive study concerning the status of the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in rural settings and the issues such implementation presents to teacher education programs in these areas are discussed. Members of the American Council on Rural Special Education (ACRES) participated in the study. Results indicated that strategies for enhancing personnel preparation, recruitment, and retention of individuals to institutions of higher education and K-12 schools in rural settings include distance learning, on-site professional development opportunities, salary incentives/increments, and benefits. Linking evaluation data to the general education curriculum and determining how the student's disabilities affect his/her progress in general education are issues for practitioners implementing IDEA in rural settings. Recommendations are provided for enhancing personnel preparation and service delivery based on the results.