bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Creativity, craft and Christmas: Textual negotiations and the politics of Kirstie’s Crafty Christmas
Authors: Warner Helen
Published: April 2018

In April 2013 the United Kingdom’s Department of Culture, Media and Sport announced plans to remove ‘craft’ from the list of recognized creative industries, initially claiming that craft occupations have more to do with technical skill than creativity. Concerns were immediately raised within the craft sector that such changes would cause a shift in the symbolic meaning of craft that would in turn devalue the industry and render its workers invisible. Yet precisely at the moment in which visibility was thought to be at risk, the craft sector was experiencing global hypervisibility within mainstream and online media spaces. This article examines the precise nature of this media visibility at a time of political uncertainty and contends that an investigation into the symbolic meaning of craft cannot overlook the importance of representational culture. Consequently, media studies offers a unique lens through which to examine the politics of craft and contribute meaningful responses to the following questions: how is the meaning of craft articulated in the symbolic environment at a time of political contestation? What is the role of gender in the mediated representation of craftwork? These questions inform the analysis of a specific example of representational culture: Kirstie’s Crafty Christmas (2013). This one-off episode documents Allsopp’s attempts to source handmade gifts and decorations from UK craft workers and enables the concerns above to be raised within a very specific context: the Christmas festival. Both craft and festive rituals blur boundaries between work/leisure and public/private in similar ways, which in the case of craft becomes problematic for policy-makers. In the case of Kirstie’s Crafty Christmas, this blurring of boundaries promotes problematic (gendered) hierarchies that position the work of micro-entrepreneurs as necessary, domestic unpaid labour and in so doing, privatize and deskill women’s home-based creative work.
Reviews
Authors: Lamb Ben , Whitehurst Katherine , Johnston Derek
Published: April 2018

Spectacular Television: Exploring Televisual Pleasure, Helen Wheatley (2016) London: I.B. Tauris, 288 pp., ISBN: 9781780767376, p/bk, £16.99

Television Antiheroines: Women Behaving Badly in Crime and Prison Drama, Milly Buonanno (ed.) (2017) Bristol: Intellect, 295 pp., ISBN: 9781783207602, p/bk, £34.00

Sounds of Fear and Wonder: Music in Cult TV, Janet K. Halfyard (2016) London: I.B. Tauris, 215 pp., ISBN: 9781784530297, p/bk £16.99
Gilligan and Captain Kirk have more in common than you think: 1960s Camp TV as an alternative genealogy for Cult TV
Authors: Phillips W. D. , Pinedo Isabel
Published: April 2018

A number of mid-1960s prime-time television programmes such as Batman (1966–69) and The Monkees (1966–68) seemed to not just allow, but encourage viewing practices that transcended the infantilized conceptualization of that era’s television audiences. This article argues such programmes constitute a significant and unhistoricized set of predecessors to contemporary Cult TV. Analysing audience interpretive practices and the set of textual characteristics that facilitated and encouraged such participatory and interpretive activities, we also identify a relatively cohesive group of programmes, all of which premiered in that period, that we retrospectively nominate as ‘Camp TV’. These shows’ distinguishing narrative elements, namely the surreal humour of Green Acres (1965–71), satire of Get Smart (1965–70), exaggerated clichés of Batman (1966–69) and anarchic character of The Monkees appealed to a youth audience and lent themselves to multiple readings and viewing practices similar to those that would come to greater fruition with the later development of Cult TV.
On The Wire: An analysis of ‘the most accurate presentation’ of a newsroom ever
Authors: Ferrucci Patrick , Painter Chad E.
Published: April 2018

This article investigates how fictional print journalists were portrayed on the HBO drama The Wire (2002–08). Portrayals of journalism on television can influence audience perceptions of real-life journalists. The researchers utilized textual analysis of all ten episodes aired during The Wire’s fifth season, paying special attention to latent meanings of verbal and visual features. Key themes that emerged and were explored include the relationship between The Baltimore Sun and other city institutions, editors as teachers, journalists having to do more with less and tensions in the newsroom. These findings are interpreted through the lens of cultivation theory. The researchers suggest that The Wire depicts journalism as a powerful yet morally decaying occupation. With public trust in journalists and journalism at an all-time low, and considering the critical lauds of realism that The Wire has received, this depiction could cause viewers to form or reinforce negative stereotypes about journalists and the field of journalism.
Troubling images? The re-presentation of disabled womanhood: Britain’s Missing Top Model
Authors: Wilde Alison
Published: April 2018

Britain’s Missing Top Model (2008) was a reality television programme which provided unprecedented opportunities to present disabled women in ways which deconstructed old stereotypes and offered new understandings of beauty, value and competency. Set within wider discussions of the possibilities afforded by reality television, this article analyses the programme’s portrayal of the contestants, exploring their presentation as potential models, their place in ‘expert’ discourses of value and competency, and the re-articulations of impairment-based stereotypes of disabled womanhood. Despite any aesthetic gains in the representation of disabled womanhood, the article concludes by suggesting the show was shaped around a moral hierarchy of impairment-based differences, which worked to de-sexualize disabled women, out-contextualize disabling forces, and re-inscribe non-disabled ‘normalities’.
No time like the past: Hearing nostalgia in The Twilight Zone
Authors: Wissner Reba A.
Published: April 2018

One of Rod Serling’s favourite topics of exploration in The Twilight Zone (1959–64) is nostalgia, which pervaded many of the episodes of the series. Although Serling himself often looked back upon the past wishing to regain it, he did, however, understand that we often see things looking back that were not there and that the past is often idealized. Like Serling, many ageing characters in The Twilight Zone often look back or travel to the past to reclaim what they had lost. While this is a pervasive theme in the plots, in these episodes the music which accompanies the scores depict the reality of the past, showing that it is not as wonderful as the character imagined. Often, music from these various situations is reused within the same context, allowing for a stock music collection of music of nostalgia from the series. This article discusses the music of nostalgia in The Twilight Zone and the ways in which the music depicts the reality of the harshness of the past. By feeding into their own longing for the reclamation of the past, the writers and composers of these episodes remind us that what we remember is not always what was there.
Traditions, festivities and finales: The changing role and reception of the Downton Abbey Christmas special
Authors: Wright Andrea
Published: April 2018

The popularity of Downton Abbey (2010–15), especially its international success, has fascinated and divided commentators and journalists. Subsequently a growing American audience, which culminated in record viewing figures for the fourth season, encouraged discussion of what the appeal of the show might be. Importantly, the increased trans-Atlantic demand impacted upon the programme’s content and can be charted most obviously via the ‘Christmas specials’. These feature-length episodes were first screened on Christmas Day in the United Kingdom and acted as a season finale for American viewers in February. The first was a hyperbole of Christmas past that was enthusiastically received by the British press. Romance in the snow, a ghost and bustling festivities suited the 25 December screening, but was out-of-season across the Atlantic and, as Derek Johnston has noted, the inclusion of a supernatural element struck some US reviewers as odd. The subsequent specials have been less seasonally related, with the 2014 and 2015 episodes only returning to a Christmas setting at the end and, although strongly reliant on traditions and nostalgia, seem far more mindful of US scheduling. Interestingly, they have also gained less praise from the British press. This article will consider the shifting themes and tone of the Downton Abbey Christmas special and the British and American critical reception in order to explore the challenges of negotiating domestic and international appeal.
A matrícula de universitários da educação especial em uma universidade pública do Brasil
Authors: Silva Kele Cristina da , Eli Sartoreto de Oliveira Sandra Martins , Leite Lúcia Pereira
Published: April 2018

O aumento expressivo do índice de matrículas de estudantes público-alvo da Educação Especial no ensino superior tem sido um tema bastante discutido, na atualidade. Este texto objetiva descrever e analisar as contribuições da utilização de um instrumento disponibilizado pelo INEP/MEC para a identificação desse público, em contexto universitário. A amostra deste estudo foi composta por 597 estudantes respondentes deste instrumento e que se autodeclararam com deficiência, transtorno global do desenvolvimento, altas habilidades e/ou superdotação, no mapeamento realizado por uma universidade pública do estado de São Paulo, no Brasil. A coleta de dados foi efetivada por meio de formulário eletrônico, durante a rematrícula, seguindo as orientações do Censo da Educação Superior. Apesar de os achados desta investigação evidenciarem que o instrumento de coleta indicado pelo INEP/MEC possibilitou mapear os dados do público da educação especial, nessa modalidade de ensino, constatou-se que o emprego das terminologias, sem caracterizar o público em questão, corroborou para a supervalorização da indicação da deficiência com visual pelos respondentes. A despeito dessa constatação, estudos dessa natureza asseveram que a provisão de políticas públicas direcionadas a esse fim vêm contribuindo para desmistificar o anonimato de pessoas com deficiência, no ensino superior.
Enrollment of students with disabilities in charter schools: Contemporary national and state level findings
Authors: Barnard-Brak Lucy , Schmidt Marcelo , Almekdash M. Hassan
Published: April 2018

There is no national study examining the rate of enrollment of students with disabilities in charter schools. We examined whether students with disabilities were significantly less likely to enroll in charter schools as compared to non-charter public schools accounting for state level variation using data for the entire national population. We utilized data from the Civil Rights Data Collection under the U.S. Department of Education for the 2011-2012 and 2013-2014 academic years. These nationwide and contemporary data provided school-level numbers of students with disabilities receiving special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and charter school status. We performed hierarchical linear modeling to examine for differences in the percentages of students with disabilities under IDEA between charter and non-charter schools, which revealed significantly less students with disabilities enrolled in charter schools at the national and state level. Additionally, we identified and ranked states according to the degree of discrepancy in the percentages of students with disabilities under IDEA between charter and non-charter schools.
Self-injurious behaviors in adolescents: Self-esteem and eating attitude
Ergenlerde kendine zarar verme davranışı: Benlik saygısı ve yeme tutumu
Authors: Oktan Vesile
Published: April 2018

The relationships between adolescents' self- injury behaviors, self-esteem and eating attitudes were investigated in this study. Also it has been examined whether there was a significant difference between the self-esteem and eating attitude of adolescents had and didn’t have self- injury behaviors. The study group consisted of 396 high school students, 205 of which were female and 191 were male. The data were obtained from three different high school in the city of Trabzon. Personal Information Form, The Inventory of Statements About Self-injury (ISAS), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Eating Attitude Test were used in the data collection. According to the results of the research, it was revealed that there is a significant relationship between self-injury behaviors and self-esteem and eating attitude in adolescents, and that self-esteem and eating attitude were significant predictors of self-injury behaviors . In addition, it was  revealed that there was  a significant difference between the self-esteem and eating attitude of the adolescents who have  show and didn’t have  show self-injury behaviors. The results of the research are discussed in the light of the literature.Extended English summary is in the end of Full Text PDF (TURKISH) file. ÖzetBu araştırma ile ergenlerin kendine zarar verme davranışı, benlik saygısı ve yeme tutumu arasındaki ilişkiler ortaya konulmaya çalışılmış ve ayrıca kendine zarar verme davranışı (kzvd) gösteren ve göstermeyen ergenlerin benlik saygısı ve yeme tutumu arasında anlamlı bir farklılık olup olmadığına bakılmıştır. Araştırma grubunu, 205’i kız 191’u erkek toplam 396 lise öğrencisi oluşturmuştur. Veriler Trabzon ili merkezinde bulunan üç farklı liseden elde edilmiştir. Araştırmada veri toplama aracı olarak, Kendine Zarar Verme Davranışını Değerlendirme Envanteri, Rosenberg Benlik Saygısı Ölçeği ve Yeme Tutumları Ölçeği kullanılmıştır.  Araştırma sonuçlarına göre, ergenlerde kzvd ile benlik saygısı ve yeme tutumu  arasında anlamlı ilişkiler olduğu ve benlik saygısı ve yeme tutumunun kzvd’nin anlamlı yordayıcıları olduğu ortaya konmuştur. Ayrıca kzvd gösteren ve göstermeyen ergenlerin benlik saygısı ve yeme tutumu arasında anlamlı bir farklılıklar olduğu ortaya konmuştur. Araştırma sonuçları literatür doğrultusunda tartışılmıştır.
The investigation of the relation between middle class students’ EQ levels and moral decision making attitudes in sports
Ortaokul öğrencilerinin duygusal zeka düzeyleri ile sporda ahlaki karar alma tutumları arasındaki ilişkinin incelenmesi
Authors: Satman Mehmet Cem
Published: April 2018

The aim of this study is to identify the relation between EQ levels and attitudes to Moral Decision-making (Acceptance of Cheating, Acceptance of Gamesmanship and Keep winning in Proportion) of middle class students by cosidering gender factor. 277 students, who were studying in Etimesgut district of Ankara in 2015/2016 academic year, took part in this research. Students were chosen from 7th and 8th grade and all ofthemwere licensed or not licensed participants of different sport organisations withintheir schools. Attitudes to Moral Decison Making in Youth Sport Questionnaire (AMDYSQ) and Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory were used as data collection instruments. From the result, it was reached a significant relation between girl students’ EQ levels and Acceptance of Gamesmanship attitudes. Moral Decison grades vary accross gender in 0,05 level. Any transaction between gender and EQ scores was not reached. According to the result of this research, it wasconcluded that female students’ with  higher EQ scores, moral decison making attitudes were positively affected. Regarding male students, no significant difference was reached.Extended English summary is in the end of Full Text PDF (TURKISH) file. ÖzetBu çalışmanın amacı orta öğretimdeki öğrencilerin Duygusal Zeka düzeyleri ile Sporda Ahlaki Karar Alma tutumları (Hileyi benimsemek, Yarışmaseverliği benimsemek, Adil kazanmayı benimsemek) arasındaki ilişkiyi cinsiyet değişkenini dikkate alarak belirlemektir. Araştırmaya 2015-2016 eğitim-öğretim yılında Ankara’nın Etimesgut ilçesinde 7 ve 8. Sınıflarda öğrenim gören ve okul takımlarında farklı branşlarda yarışmalara katılan lisanslı veya lisanssız 277 öğrenci katılmıştır. Araştırmada Nedensel Karşılaştırmalı Araştırma modeli esas alınmıştır. Veri toplama araçları olarak Altyapı Sporlarında Ahlaki Karar Alma Tutumları Ölçeği ve Bar-On Duygusal Zeka Ölçeği-Çocuk ve Ergen kullanılmıştır. Araştırma neticesinde kız öğrencilerde Duygusal Zeka ile Adil Kazanmayı Koruma arasında anlamlı ilişki bulunmuştur. Cinsiyete göre Ahlaki Karar düzeyleri 0,05 düzeyinde farklılık göstermektedir. Aynı şekilde Duygusal Zeka gruplarına göre Ahlaki karar puanları da 0,05 düzeyinde farklılık göstermektedir. Araştırma bulgularına göre Cinsiyet ile Duygusal Zeka Bölümleri arasında etkileşim bulunmamıştır. Araştırma sonucunda Duygusal Zeka puanı daha yüksek olan kız öğrencilerin Ahlaki Karar verme tutumlarının olumlu yönde etkilendiği belirlenmişken erkek öğrencilerde Duygusal Zeka düzeyleri ile Ahlaki karar alma tutumları arasında anlamlı bir fark elde edilmemiştir.
The correlation between right hand finger ratio (2D:4D) and the parameters of anthropometric and physical fitness in children
Authors: Eler Nebahat
Published: April 2018

It is hypothesized that there is a correlation between the ratio of second hand finger to fourth hand finger (2D:4D) which is an indicator of prenatal testosterone and physical fitness and sportive performance The aim of this study was to determined correlation between the right hand finger ratio (2D:4D) and the parameters of anthropometric and physical fitness in male and female children aged between 10 and 12. Six hundred and seventy eight males whose age average was 0.49±1.32 and 592 females whose age average was 10.38 ± 1.48 participated in this study. In addition to taking the students’ right hand 2D:4D, height, weight, triceps, subscapular, full arm and leg measurements, vertical jumping, standing long jump, flexibility, 20 m sprint, 10x5 agility, leg strength, right/left hand grip strength, 20 m shuttle run and balance tests were also performed. Statistically differences were found between anthropometric measurements apart from height and BMI, 2D:4D and physical fitness parameters in the males and females. A negative correlation between right hand 2D:4D and vertical jumping, standing long jump, 20 m sprint, 10x5 agility and right hand grip strength in the males. As for the females, although a negative correlation was detected between right hand 2D:4D and height, a positive correlation was found between the same variable and body fat ratio (p<0.05). It can be concluded that while a low 2D:4D ratio was correlated with static and explosive strength, speed and agility in the males, it was correlated with height and body fat ratio in the females.
Opinions and cultural sensitivities of midwives and nurses about providing health care to women seeking asylum
Authors: Gönenç İlknur Münevver , Göktaş Meral , Altın Dursun Rukiye , Çökelek Fadik , Ercan Nilüfer , Şahin Derya
Published: April 2018

This descriptive and cross-sectional  study was carried out to determine opinions and cultural sensitivities of midwives and nurses about providing health care to women seeking asylum. The universe of the research was 491 midwives and nurses worked in this hospital. 216 midwives and nurses were included in the study. A questionnaire and the Intercultural Sensitivity Scale (ISS) were used in the data collection process. 69.4 % of the participants stated they had given care to asylum seekers before. 28.2 % of them reported they felt helpless, 22.5 % felt pity, 15.5 % felt anger, resentment. The ISS mean score of the participants was 75.73+10.1  It was determined in the study that 97.3 % of the participants providing care to asylum seekers had difficulties, and that language problem was the biggest challenge. The participants suggested that the units offering services to asylum seekers should be separate, the personnel should be trained on this matter, and that service guides should be improved for the solution of the problems.
Hydrogen Generation in an Annular Micro-Reactor: An Experimental Investigation and Reaction Modelling by Shrinking Core Model (SCM)
Authors: Tekade Shyam P. , Shende Diwakar Z. , Wasewar Kailas L.
Published: April 2018

Hydrogen can be one of the key elements as source of future energy requirement. Water splitting reaction is an important route for generation of hydrogen as maximum fraction of hydrogen constitute in water. The present work describes the experimental investigation for generation of hydrogen through water splitting reaction in flow conditions with the aid of metal aluminum and sodium hydroxide as an activator. The hydrogen generation through water splitting reaction at various concentrations of NaOH, viz. 0.5 N and 1 N and the flow rates ranging from 0.2 to 10 ml/min was studied. The yield of hydrogen generated is reported for each NaOH concentration and flow rate. The yield of hydrogen generated at all the considered concentrations and flow rates was found to be greater than 98 %. The shrinking core model has been modified and developed for predicting the conversion of aluminum in the reaction system as per the prevailing conditions and rate controlling mechanism. The RMSE value of predicted conversion of Al was found to be 0.0351 which signify that the model agrees well with the experimental data.
Effect of flavonol and its dimethoxy derivatives on paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy in mice
Authors: Sayeli Vijaykumar , Nadipelly Jagan , Kadhirvelu Parimala , Cheriyan Binoy Varghese , Shanmugasundaram Jaikumar , Subramanian Viswanathan
Published: April 2018

Background:

Peripheral neuropathy is the dose limiting side effect of many anticancer drugs. Flavonoids exhibit good antinociceptive effect in animal models. Their efficacy against different types of nociception has been documented. The present study investigated the effect of flavonol (3-hydroxy flavone), 3′,4′-dimethoxy flavonol, 6,3′-dimethoxy flavonol, 7,2′-dimethoxy flavonol and 7,3′-dimethoxy flavonol against paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy in mice.

Methods:

A single dose of paclitaxel (10 mg/kg, i.p.) was administered to induce peripheral neuropathy in mice and the manifestations of peripheral neuropathy such as tactile allodynia, cold allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia were assessed 24 h later by employing Von Frey hair aesthesiometer test, acetone bubble test and hot water tail immersion test, respectively. The test compounds were prepared as a suspension in 0.5% carboxymethyl cellulose and were administered s.c. in various doses (25, 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg). The above behavioral responses were assessed prior to and 30 min after drug treatment. In addition, the effect of test compounds on proinflammatory cytokines like tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1-beta (IL-1β) and free radicals was investigated by using suitablein vitroassays.

Results:

A dose-dependent attenuation of tactile allodynia, cold allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia was evidenced in mice treated with flavonol derivatives. The test compounds inhibited TNF-α, IL-1β and free radicals in a concentration-dependent manner.

Conclusions:

These results revealed that flavonol and its dimethoxy derivatives ameliorated the manifestations of paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy in mice. The inhibition of proinflammatory cytokines and free radicals could contribute to this beneficial effect.
An Exploration of Equine-Assisted Therapy to Improve Balance, Functional Capacity, and Cognition in Older Adults With Alzheimer Disease
Authors: Borges de Araujo Thais , Martins Wagner Rodrigues , Freitas Marco Polo , Camargos Einstein , Mota Jéssica , Safons Marisete Peralta
Published: April 2018

Background and Purpose:

Alzheimer disease (AD) is a chronic, progressive dementia syndrome that features cognitive and behavioral symptoms, as well as physical and functional limitations that develop over the course of the disease. As an activity that involves physical and cognitive aspects, equine-assisted therapy (EAT) could be a useful therapeutic approach in conditions that involve physical and cognitive decline. However, to date, there are no reports of the use of this therapy in participants with AD. Within this context, the objective of this case series was to describe the effects of EAT on balance, functional capacity, and cognition in older adults diagnosed with AD.

Methods:

We enrolled 9 participants, of both sexes, with a mean age of 79.7 (7.8) years and a diagnosis of AD. The study intervention comprised 20 sessions of EAT. We evaluated participants at baseline and at the end of the intervention. Outcome measures were balance (force plate), functional capacity (Timed Up and Go test and 30-second chair stand test), and cognition (verbal fluency and Mini-Mental State Examination).

Results:

Comparison between the pre- and postintervention time points (Wilcoxon test) revealed significant improvements in balance (center of pressure in the anterior-posterior direction, P = .017) and functional capacity (Timed Up and Go test, P = .036, and 30-second chair stand test, P = .012).

Conclusion:

These findings provide evidence of an association between EAT and improved balance and functional capacity in older adults with AD, with no significant impact on cognitive performance.
Reliability and Validity of the Patient-Specific Functional Scale in Community-Dwelling Older Adults
Authors: Mathis Ruth Ann , Taylor J. David , Odom Brian H. , Lairamore Chad
Published: April 2018

Background and Purpose:

Clinical measurement of physical function that is both specific to the individual and generates comparable outcome data is a fundamental need in physical therapy examination. The Patient-Specific Functional Scale (PSFS) has been found to be a reliable and valid measure of physical function in patients with musculoskeletal disorders and may have applications for other patient populations. However, the reliability and the validity of the PSFS have not been evaluated in older adults. The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability and the validity of the PSFS in community-dwelling older adults.

Methods:

Thirty-one community-dwelling older adults (11 males, 20 females), mean age = 81.1 (8.3) years, were included. Participants completed the PSFS, Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS), Activity-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC), Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), Berg Balance Scale, and the Timed Up and Go on 2 separate days, 48 hours apart. Assessment scores were compared between testing days and reliability was analyzed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and minimal detectable change (MDC). Validity of the PSFS was assessed by comparing initial scores with the other measures using the Pearson correlation coefficient, scatter plots, and Bland-Altman plots.

Results:

The ICC and the MDC for the PSFS were 0.82 (95% confidence interval = 0.67-0.91) and 2.8, respectively. Significant correlations (P < .05) were found when the PSFS was compared with the ABC (r = 0.68), LEFS (r = 0.81), and SPPB (r = 0.37). Bland-Altman plots and 95% limits of agreement (LOA) using z scores indicated considerable agreement between the PSFS versus the ABC (LOA =−1.6 to 1.6), LEFS (LOA =−1.2 to 1.2), and SPPB (LOA =−2.1 to 2.1).

Conclusion:

The PSFS is a reliable and valid measure of physical function in community-dwelling older adults. A change of 2.8 or greater on the PSFS suggests a true change in physical function in this population.
Characteristics of Older Adults Who Are Unable to Perform a Floor Transfer: Considerations for Clinical Decision-Making
Authors: Ardali Gunay , States Rebecca A. , Brody Lori T. , Godwin Ellen M.
Published: April 2018

Background and Purpose:

The ability to get down to and up from the floor or to perform a floor transfer (FT) is a vital and useful skill for older adults at risk of falling. Little is known about the health-related factors that separate older adults who can perform FT independently from those who cannot. Therefore, the specific aims of this cross-sectional study are to (1) describe and compare health-related factors among older adults who were independent, assisted, or dependent in FT performance; and (2) establish the parallel reliability between self-reported and actual performance of FT.

Methods:

A total of 46 community-dwelling adults ages 65 to 96 years were recruited using a stratified sampling technique based on self-reported levels of FT ability: independent (n = 15), assisted (n = 15), or dependent (n = 15). Participants were asked to perform the actual FT test and were categorized according to test result as independent (n = 18), assisted (n = 10), or dependent (n = 17). Sociodemographic and health-related factors of participants were separated into the 3 FT test outcome groups. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare these factors across the 3 FT test outcome groups. The quadratic-weighted κ coefficient was calculated to determine the agreement between self-reported FT ability and FT test performance.

Results:

Significant differences were observed among the FT test outcome groups based on all sociodemographic and health-related factors (P < .05). Older adults who were dependent in FT were older and dependent in instrumental activities of daily living (IADL, 100%). Also, this group required some type of help during basic activities of daily living (ADL, 35.3%), which reflected a homebound status and the need for caregiver support, including the use of 2-handed assistive devices during ambulation. More than half the participants in this category had fallen at least once in the past 6 months. Conversely, older adults who were independent in FT were younger and living independently in the community (83.3%). The parallel reliability between the self-reported FT ability and actual FT test performance was 0.92 (95% confidence interval, 0.88-0.97).

Conclusion:

Sociodemographic and health-related factors were significantly different among older adults who demonstrated varying abilities on the FT test. This study has shown that the self-reported FT ability and actual FT test performance represented reliable alternative forms to assess the ability to transfer from a standing to a supine position on the floor and then back to an erect position. Evaluation of FT ability and/or performance is recommended as a standard component of geriatric functional assessment to make more informed clinical decision in providing effective physical therapy interventions.
Sprawność funkcjonalna pacjentów w podeszłym wieku hospitalizowanych w oddziałach neurologicznych
Authors: Fidecki Wiesław , Wysokiński Mariusz , Wrońska Irena , Kulina Dorota , Weremkowicz Iwona , Kędziora-Kornatowska Kornelia , Sienkiewicz Zofia , Zalewski Andrzej , Jakubowska Klaudia , Kuszplak Kamil
Published: April 2018

Wstęp. Sprawność funkcjonalna osób starszych może być określana jako zdolność do wykonywania normalnych codziennych życiowych zadań bezpiecznie i samodzielnie.Cel. Celem pracy było określenie sprawności funkcjonalnej pacjentów w podeszłym wieku hospitalizowanych w oddziałach neurologicznych.Materiał i metody. Badania przeprowadzono w grupie 113 pacjentów w podeszłym wieku przebywających w oddziałach neurologicznych szpitali na terenie miasta Lublina. Materiał badawczy zebrano za pomocą dwóch standaryzowanych narzędzi: skali Barthel i skali Katza (ADL).Wyniki. Dokonując oceny pacjentów skalą Barthel stwierdzono, że 38,00% to pacjenci w I kategorii, 52,20% znalazło się w kategorii II a 9,80% zakwalifikowano do kategorii III. W ocenie skalą ADL 68,10% badanych były to osoby sprawne, 12,40% osoby umiarkowanie sprawne i 19,50% były to osoby niesprawne.Wnioski. Badana grupa pacjentów starszych w oddziałach neurologicznych wykazywała umiarkowaną niesprawność funkcjonalną. Wiek istotnie różnicował sprawność funkcjonalną badanych pacjentów. Wykształcenie wpływało na stopień samodzielności pacjentów neurologicznych. (PNN 2017;6(3):102–106)
The Most Frequent Complications after Cranio-cerebral Injuries in Children Hospitalized at the Department of Paediatric Surgery
Authors: Kołpa Małgorzata , Grochowska Aneta , Jurkiewicz Beata , Wolny Renata
Published: April 2018

Introduction. Head injuries among children are the most frequent cause of hospitalization. Posttraumatic cranio-cerebral damage in children can lead to the occurrence of partial physical and mental disorders and in some cases prevent proper functioning of the organism.Aim. The goal of this research was to study the frequency of complication occurrence among children after cranio-cerebral traumas as well as to determine the character they most often take on.Material and Methods. The study was conducted at Paediatric Surgery Outpatient Clinic at the St. Luke District Hospital in Tarnów. It included 150 children hospitalized at the Department of Paediatric Surgery within the period from July to October 2015 due to sustained cranio-cerebral injuries ranging from minor and moderate to severe.Results. The most frequent causes of sustained injuries were sport-related ones as well as those resulting from a fall from height. Among the vast majority of the children with an injury (95%) an early posttraumatic complication occurred in the form of concussion. The most often demonstrated early side symptoms of sustained injury included: emesis (80%), poor well-being and headache (69%) as well as drowsiness and changes in behavior (53%). The most frequent late complication was posttraumatic cerebrasthenia characterized by headache, memory disorders and problems with concentration. In the study group of children with an injury, poor well-being and headache were experienced by approximately 50% of the patients one week following the hospital discharge and by approximately 20% one month after the discharge.Conclusions. The demonstrated early and late side symptoms observed among children with an injury, when properly treated and controlled, with time tend to decrease and thus contribute to comforting statistics of occurrence of a small number of serious complications following minor and moderate to severe cranio-cerebral injuries. (JNNN 2017;6(3):107–113)
A Care Plan For the Patient with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) — Case Report
Authors: Rychlewska Aleksandra , Szambelan Julita , Pietrzak Monika , Haor Beata , Antczak-Komoterska Anna
Published: April 2018

Introduction. Spinal muscle atrophy (SMA) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases of genetic background the the child’s age. Regardless of the form, it is essential to draw up a suitable nursing care plan that will help in accepting disabilities as well as in the preservation of self-care and self-nursing nursing by the child and family.Case Report. The case report refers to a 17-year-old patient diagnosed with a diagnosis spinal muscle atrophy (SMA) five years before. Anorexia has resulted in patient’s underweight. There is a functional deficit in the child. The family and the patient do not have sufficient knowledge about the disease.Discussion. Taking care of a child with SMA during hospitalization period requires from all staff to have broad knowledge on mitigation of the symptoms emerged, delaying the consequences of weakness and muscle atrophy, and therefore prolonging functional efficiency.Conclusions. The care issues of the patinet with SMA cover all areas of his functioning. The child and the family must accept the new situation they are in. Particular significance is attributed to systematic rehabilitation, which slows down the progress of the child’s motor impairment which promotes effective self-care and self-nursing care, and thus the quality of life. (JNNN 2017;6(3):114–119)
Control of Excitation/Inhibition Balance in a Hippocampal Circuit by Calcium Sensor Protein Regulation of Presynaptic Calcium Channels
Authors: Nanou Evanthia , Lee Amy , Catterall William A.
Published: April 2018

Activity-dependent regulation controls the balance of synaptic excitation to inhibition in neural circuits, and disruption of this regulation impairs learning and memory and causes many neurological disorders. The molecular mechanisms underlying short-term synaptic plasticity are incompletely understood, and their role in inhibitory synapses remains uncertain. Here we show that regulation of voltage-gated calcium (Ca2+) channel type 2.1 (CaV2.1) by neuronal Ca2+sensor (CaS) proteins controls synaptic plasticity and excitation/inhibition balance in a hippocampal circuit. Prevention of CaS protein regulation by introducing the IM-AA mutation in CaV2.1 channels in male and female mice impairs short-term synaptic facilitation at excitatory synapses of CA3 pyramidal neurons onto parvalbumin (PV)-expressing basket cells. In sharp contrast, the IM-AA mutation abolishes rapid synaptic depression in the inhibitory synapses of PV basket cells onto CA1 pyramidal neurons. These results show that CaS protein regulation of facilitation and inactivation of CaV2.1 channels controls the direction of short-term plasticity at these two synapses. Deletion of the CaS protein CaBP1/caldendrin also blocks rapid depression at PV-CA1 synapses, implicating its upregulation of inactivation of CaV2.1 channels in control of short-term synaptic plasticity at this inhibitory synapse. Studies of local-circuit function revealed reduced inhibition of CA1 pyramidal neurons by the disynaptic pathway from CA3 pyramidal cells via PV basket cells and greatly increased excitation/inhibition ratio of the direct excitatory input versus indirect inhibitory input from CA3 pyramidal neurons to CA1 pyramidal neurons. This striking defect in local-circuit function may contribute to the dramatic impairment of spatial learning and memory in IM-AA mice.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTMany forms of short-term synaptic plasticity in neuronal circuits rely on regulation of presynaptic voltage-gated Ca2+(CaV) channels. Regulation of CaV2.1 channels by neuronal calcium sensor (CaS) proteins controls short-term synaptic plasticity. Here we demonstrate a direct link between regulation of CaV2.1 channels and short-term synaptic plasticity in native hippocampal excitatory and inhibitory synapses. We also identify CaBP1/caldendrin as the calcium sensor interacting with CaV2.1 channels to mediate rapid synaptic depression in the inhibitory hippocampal synapses of parvalbumin-expressing basket cells to CA1 pyramidal cells. Disruption of this regulation causes altered short-term plasticity and impaired balance of hippocampal excitatory to inhibitory circuits.
Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase Activation and Peroxynitrite Formation in Ischemic Stroke Linked to Neural Damage
Authors: Eliasson Mikael J. L. , Huang Zhihong , Ferrante Robert J. , Sasamata Masao , Molliver Mark E. , Snyder Solomon H. , Moskowitz Michael A.
Published: April 2018

Nitric oxide (NO) is a new intercellular messenger that occurs naturally in the brain without causing overt toxicity. Yet, NO has been implicated as a mediator of cell death in cell death. One explanation is that ischemia causes overproduction of NO, allowing it to react with superoxide to form the potent oxidant peroxynitrite. To address this question, we used immunohistochemistry for citrulline, a marker for NO synthase activity, and 3-nitrotyrosine, a marker for peroxynitrite formation, in mice subjected to reversible middle cerebral artery occlusion. We show that ischemia triggers a marked augmentation in citrulline immunoreactivity but more so in the peri-infarct than the infarcted tissue. This increase is attributable to the activation of a large population (∼80%) of the neuronal isoform of NO synthase (nNOS) that is catalytically inactive during basal conditions, indicating a tight regulation of physiological NO production in the brain. In contrast, 3-nitrotyrosine immunoreactivity is restricted to the infarcted tissue and is not present in the peri-infarct tissue. In nNOSΔ/Δmice, known to be protected against ischemia, no 3-nitrotyrosine immunoreactivity is detected. Our findings provide a cellular localization for nNOS activation in association with ischemic stroke and establish that NO is not likely a direct neurotoxin, whereas its conversion to peroxynitrite is associated with cell death.
Expression of the P2X2Receptor Subunit of the ATP-Gated Ion Channel in the Cochlea: Implications for Sound Transduction and Auditory Neurotransmission
Authors: Housley Gary D. , Kanjhan Refik , Raybould Nicholas P. , Greenwood Denise , Salih Salam G. , Järlebark Leif , Burton Lucille D. , Setz Vera C. M. , Cannell Mark B. , Soeller Christian , Christie David L. , Usami Shin-ichi , Matsubara Atsushi , Yoshie Haruhide , Ryan Allen F. , Thorne Peter R.
Published: April 2018

Extracellular ATP has multimodal actions in the cochlea affecting hearing sensitivity. ATP-gated ion channels involved in this process were characterized in the guinea pig cochlea. Voltage-clamped hair cells exhibited a P2 receptor pharmacology compatible with the assembly of ATP-gated ion channels from P2X2receptor subunits. Reverse transcription-PCR experiments confirmed expression of the P2X2–1receptor subunit mRNA isoform in the sensory epithelium (organ of Corti); a splice variant that confers desensitization, P2X2–2, was the predominant subunit isoform expressed by primary auditory neurons. Expression of the ATP-gated ion channel protein was localized using a P2X2receptor subunit-specific antiserum. The highest density of P2X2subunit-like immunoreactivity in the cochlea occurred on the hair cell stereocilia, which faces the endolymph. Tissues lining this compartment exhibited significant P2X2receptor subunit expression, with the exception of the stria vascularis. Expression of ATP-gated ion channels at these sites provides a pathway for the observed ATP-induced reduction in endocochlear potential and likely serves a protective role, decoupling the “cochlear amplifier” in response to stressors, such as noise and ischemia. Within the perilymphatic compartment, immunolabeling on Deiters’ cells is compatible with purinergic modulation of cochlear micromechanics. P2X2receptor subunit expression was also detected in spiral ganglion primary afferent neurons, and immunoelectron microscopy localized these subunits to postsynaptic junctions at both inner and outer hair cells. The former supports a cotransmitter role for ATP in a subset of type I spiral ganglion neurons, and latter represents the first characterization of a receptor for a fast neurotransmitter associated with the type II spiral ganglion neurons.
Tenascin-C Contains Domains That Independently Regulate Neurite Outgrowth and Neurite Guidance
Authors: Meiners Sally , Mercado Mary Lynn T. , Nur-e-Kamal Mohammed S. A. , Geller Herbert M.
Published: April 2018

Tenascin-C has been implicated in regulation of both neurite outgrowth and neurite guidance. We have shown previously that a particular region of tenascin-C has powerful neurite outgrowth-promoting actionsin vitro. This region consists of the alternatively spliced fibronectin type-III (FN-III) repeats A–D and is abbreviated fnA-D. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether fnA-D also provides neurite guidance cues and whether the same or different sequences mediate outgrowth and guidance. We developed an assay to quantify neurite behavior at sharp substrate boundaries and found that neurites demonstrated a strong preference for fnA-D when given a choice at a poly-l-lysine–fnA-D interface, even when fnA-D was intermingled with otherwise repellant molecules. Furthermore, neurites preferred cells that overexpressed the largest but not the smallest tenascin-C splice variant when given a choice between control cells and cells transfected with tenascin-C. The permissive guidance cues of large tenascin-C expressed by cells were mapped to fnA-D. Using a combination of recombinant proteins corresponding to specific alternatively spliced FN-III domains and monoclonal antibodies against neurite outgrowth-promoting sites, we demonstrated that neurite outgrowth and guidance were facilitated by distinct sequences within fnA-D. Hence, neurite outgrowth and neurite guidance mediated by the alternatively spliced region of tenascin-C are separable events that can be independently regulated.
Cholinergic Induction of Theta-Frequency Oscillations in Hippocampal Inhibitory Interneurons and Pacing of Pyramidal Cell Firing
Authors: Chapman C. Andrew , Lacaille Jean-Claude
Published: April 2018

Cholinergic and GABAergic medial septal afferents contribute to hippocampal theta activity in part by actions on local interneurons. Interneurons near the border between stratum radiatum and stratum lacunosum-moleculare (LM) display intrinsic membrane potential oscillations at theta frequency when depolarized near threshold. First, whole-cell current-clamp recordings in rat hippocampal slices were used to examine effects of the cholinergic agonist carbachol on biocytin-labeled LM interneurons. At resting membrane potential, cells were depolarized by bath application of 25 μmcarbachol, and the depolarization was sufficient to induce membrane potential oscillations (2.4 ± 0.2 mV) that paced cell firing. Carbachol also depolarized LM interneurons in the presence of 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione, (±)-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid, and bicuculline, indicating that cholinergic depolarization of LM cells does not depend on ionotropic glutamate or GABAAsynaptic transmission in local circuits. Atropine blocked the depolarization, indicating that muscarinic receptors were involved. Minimal stimulation applied to visually identified LM interneurons was then used to determine if spontaneous activity in CA1 pyramidal cells can be paced by rhythmic inhibition generated by LM cells at theta frequency. Inhibitory postsynaptic potentials evoked in pyramidal cells by single minimal stimulations were followed by rebound depolarizations and action potentials. When trains of minimal stimulation were delivered, membrane potential oscillations of depolarized pyramidal cells followed the stimulation frequency. Minimal stimulation led pyramidal cell firing with an average phase of 177°. Thus, muscarinic induction of theta-frequency membrane potential oscillations in LM interneurons may contribute to the generation of rhythmic inhibition that paces intrinsically generated theta activity in CA1 pyramidal cells.
Effects of Halothane on GABAAReceptor Kinetics: Evidence for Slowed Agonist Unbinding
Authors: Li Xiaoshen , Pearce Robert A.
Published: April 2018

Many anesthetics, including the volatile agent halothane, prolong the decay of GABAAreceptor-mediated IPSCs at central synapses. This effect is thought to be a major factor in the production of anesthesia. A variety of different kinetic mechanisms have been proposed for several intravenous agents, but for volatile agents the kinetic mechanisms underlying this change remain unknown. To address this question, we used rapid solution exchange techniques to apply GABA to recombinant GABAAreceptors (α1β2γ2s) expressed in HEK 293 cells, in the absence and presence of halothane. To differentiate between different microscopic kinetic steps that may be altered by the anesthetic, we studied a variety of measures, including peak concentration–response characteristics, macroscopic desensitization, recovery from desensitization, maximal current activation rates, and responses to the low-affinity agonist taurine. Experimentally observed alterations were compared with predictions based on a kinetic scheme that incorporated two agonist binding steps, and open and desensitized states. We found that, in addition to slowing deactivation after a brief pulse of GABA, halothane increased agonist sensitivity and slowed recovery from desensitization but did not alter macroscopic desensitization or maximal activation rate and only slightly slowed rapid deactivation after taurine application. This pattern of responses was found to be consistent with a reduction in the microscopic agonist unbinding rate (koff) but not with changes in channel gating steps, such as the channel opening rate (β), closing rate (α), or microscopic desensitization. We conclude that halothane slows IPSC decay by slowing dissociation of agonist from the receptor.