bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Qualitative Study of the Pathways Into and Impacts of Family Homelessness
Authors: Sylvestre John , Kerman Nick , Polillo Alexia , Lee Catherine M. , Aubry Tim , Czechowski Konrad
Published: December 2017

Homelessness has consequences for families, including risk of deterioration in the health of their members, disruption of family dynamics, and separation of parents and children. This study used qualitative interviews to explore pathways into and perceived consequences of homelessness among 18 families living in an emergency family shelter system in Canada. Findings showed that families’ experiences prior to their homelessness were characterized by vulnerability, instability, and isolation. In the emergency shelter system, families faced new challenges in environments that were restrictive, noisy, chaotic, and afforded little privacy. Participants described a further disruption of relationships and described having to change their family practices and routines. Despite the challenges that families encountered, some participants felt optimistic and hopeful about the future. Future research is needed on ways in which shelters can be more hospitable, supportive, and helpful for parents and their families to minimize negative impacts and facilitate timely rehousing of families.
Recovering troubled cities through public spaces and libraries
Authors: Granda Renny , Machin-Mastromatteo Juan D.
Published: December 2017

The Caracas Metropolitan Strategic Plan 2020 (CMSP2020) is an instance of urban and environmental planning that seeks to construct a collective ‘city pact’ for Caracas, currently among the most troubled and violent cities in Latin America. Its main idea is to recover the city through the rescue of its public spaces, by centering on six strategic axes for transforming Caracas: accessibility and mobility; public safety, public spaces and housing improvement; environmental sustainability; productivity and entrepreneurship; governability; and the development of a constructive and responsible citizenship. This model, partly inspired by Medellin’s Library Parks, may be useful for other large cities in the region that suffer similar socio-political fractures, as well as accessibility, mobility, environmental, productive, governance and safety issues.
The effectiveness of hydrokinesiotherapy on postural balance of hemiplegic patients after stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Iatridou Georgia , Pelidou Henrietta-Syngliti , Varvarousis Dimitrios , Stergiou Alexandra , Beris Alexander , Givissis Panagiotis , Ploumis Avraam
Published: December 2017

Objective:

To summarize evidence on the effects of hydrokinesiotherapy (HT) on postural balance in hemiplegic patients after stroke and compare them with conventional land therapy.

Data sources:

A literature search until October 2017 was conducted on CINAHL, PubMed, Cochrane EBM Reviews, Cochrane Clinical Trials, DARE, MEDLINE, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), PsycInfo and Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine Source.

Review methods:

Only randomized controlled trials with pre-intervention and post-intervention assessment on postural control have been included. Assessment of the quality (by Downs and Black quality assessment tool) of the included studies was performed by two reviewers, and a meta-analysis was undertaken.

Results:

A total of 11 trials on postural control with 305 stroke patients were included. The majority of studies showed a beneficial effect of HT in postural control of the patients. The meta-analysis showed statistically significant improvement ( P < 0.05) in Berg Balance Scale (BBS), mediolateral (ML) and anteroposterior (AP) sway velocity of center of pressure with eyes closed (EC) in both groups, but the mean differences in BBS (3.85 points), ML sway velocity of center of pressure (1.38 points) and AP sway velocity of center of pressure (1.64 points) were statistically improved ( P < 0.05) in HT over land therapy program.

Conclusion:

HT is superior to land therapy program regarding postural balance in terms of BBS, ML and AP sway velocity of center of pressure.
A comparative study of the perception of music emotion between adults with and without visual impairment
Authors: Park Hye Young , Chong Hyun Ju
Published: December 2017

In music listening, limitations on visual experience affect a listener’s abstract information processing and conceptualization of the music. The aim of this study is to examine the differences in emotional responses to music between adults with visual impairment (VI) and adults with normal vision (NV). By using specific, emotion-inducing music reflecting happiness, sadness, anger, and fear, this study considers factors such as music emotion identification, emotional valence, arousal, intensity, and musical preference. A total of 120 participants (60 VI and 60 NV) listened to sixteen 15-second music excerpts and reported which emotion and to what extent they perceived it, using a self-reported music emotion evaluation scale. The results indicated that both of the groups showed high congruence in music emotion identification. However, the VI group showed significantly higher arousal, intensity and preference for sadness, while showing the lowest score for the intensity of fear. The main factor affecting emotion identification was preference for the VI group, and valence for the NV group.
The co-evolution of historical source materials in the geophysical, hydrological and meteorological sciences
Authors: Sangster Heather , Jones Cerys , Macdonald Neil
Published: December 2017

Historical data sources are used by a wide variety of disciplines, but rarely do they look outside their particular research fields at how others are using and applying historical data. The use and application of historical data has grown rapidly over the last couple of decades within the meteorological, geophysical and hydrological disciplines, but have done so relatively independently. By coevolving, each discipline has developed separate themes or areas, with varying degrees of uptake beyond their academic communities. We find that whilst the geophysical discipline has been relatively successful in engaging with international policymakers and stakeholders, this has not been reflected within the meteorological or hydrological disciplines to date. This disparity has occurred for a variety of reasons, including varying scales of disaster and social, political and cultural structures. In examining current developments within the disciplines, evidence suggests that this disparity is lessening, as each are using online databases and some citizen science, but that they continue to evolve independently with little unifying structure or purpose. This continued autonomy makes multi-hazard analysis challenging which, considering the potential that historical datasets present in the emerging field of multi-hazards analysis, is a considerable hindrance to this field of research. In looking forward, opportunities emerge for improved understanding of the risks presented to societies by natural hazards in the past, but also for examining how resilience, behaviour and adaptation alter during periods of repose.
Hip Distraction Without a Perineal Post: A Prospective Study of 1000 Hip Arthroscopy Cases
Authors: Mei-Dan Omer , Kraeutler Matthew J. , Garabekyan Tigran , Goodrich Jesse A. , Young David A.
Published: December 2017

Background:

Hip arthroscopy has traditionally been performed with a perineal post, resulting in various groin-related complications, including pudendal nerve neurapraxias, vaginal tears, and scrotal necrosis.

Purpose:

To assess the safety of a technique for hip distraction without the use of a perineal post.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

We prospectively analyzed a consecutive cohort of 1000 hips presenting to a dedicated hip preservation clinic; all patients had hip pain and were subsequently treated with hip arthroscopy. Demographic variables, hip pathology, and lateral center edge angle were recorded for each case. In the operating room, the patient’s feet were placed in traction boots in a specifically designed distraction setup, and the operative table was placed in varying degrees of Trendelenburg. With this technique, enough resistance is created by gravity and friction between the patient’s body and the bed to allow for successful hip distraction without the need for a perineal post. In a subset of 309 hips (n = 281 patients), the degrees of Trendelenburg as well as the distraction force were analyzed.

Results:

The mean ± SD Trendelenburg angle used among the subset of 309 hips was 11° ± 2°. The mean initial distraction force necessary was 90 ± 28 lb, which decreased to 65 ± 24 lb by 30 minutes after traction initiation ( P < .0001). The most important variables in determining initial force for this cohort of patients were, in order of magnitude, sex ( P < .0001), weight ( P < .0001), and lateral center edge angle ( P < .01). No groin-related complications occurred among the entire cohort of patients, including soft tissue or nerve-related complications. The rate of deep venous thrombosis was 2 in 1000.

Conclusion:

The use of the Trendelenburg position and a specially designed distraction setup during hip arthroscopy allows for safe hip distraction without a perineal post, thereby eliminating groin-related soft tissue and nerve complications. Certain patient variables can be used to estimate the required distraction force and inclination angle with this method.
Pediatric-Onset Multiple Sclerosis: A Single Center Study
Authors: Yamamoto Erin , Ginsberg Matthew , Rensel Mary , Moodley Manikum
Published: December 2017

Pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (POMS), once thought to be rare, is now being diagnosed in increasing numbers in children. Despite improvements to diagnostic criteria, the diagnosis and management of POMS remains challenging. The aim of this study is to retrospectively describe a growing POMS patient population seen at a single center over a 13 year period. Epidemiologic, clinical, neuroimaging, laboratory features and therapeutic management and outcome data were collected and analyzed. These data support associations between MS and environmental triggers such as obesity and vitamin D deficiency. Presenting symptoms, magnetic resonance imaging and laboratory findings were consistent with the existing literature; however, the prevalence of cortical lesions and abnormal saccadic pursuit is higher than other reports. Data also demonstrate a shift in practice from first- to second-line therapies over the observed period.
The effects of parking orbit elements on designing of on-orbit servicing missions
Authors: Bakhtiari Majid , Daneshjou Kamran , Mohammadi-Dehabadi Abbas Ali
Published: December 2017

Nowadays on-orbit servicing operations such as satellite refuelling, debris removal and visual inspection are considered as the most important issues in the space missions. Mission planning has a key role on the designation of such missions and it is strongly dependent on the required fuel. In this study, a new approach is proposed for the designing of the on-orbit operations with considering the parking orbit elements and location of the servicing satellites. The proposed method improves the previous mission planning process of the multiple servicing satellites in the terms of the reduction in the mission fuel consumption. Furthermore, a special rendezvous maneuver is considered for meeting the servicing satellites and the targets. Also, the transfer orbits are obtained through Lambert targeting. The optimisation of the problem is carried out by particle swarm optimisation algorithm and Taguchi technique is employed for the robust design of the control parameters of the optimisation algorithm. The results reveal that the proposed approach is an efficient way in the reduction of the fuel consumption in the on-orbit servicing missions rather than the conventional methods.
Genomics England’s implementation of its public engagement strategy: Blurred boundaries between engagement for the United Kingdom’s 100,000 Genomes project and the need for public support
Authors: Samuel Gabrielle Natalie , Farsides Bobbie
Published: December 2017

The United Kingdom’s 100,000 Genomes Project has the aim of sequencing 100,000 genomes from National Health Service patients such that whole genome sequencing becomes routine clinical practice. It also has a research-focused goal to provide data for scientific discovery. Genomics England is the limited company established by the Department of Health to deliver the project. As an innovative scientific/clinical venture, it is interesting to consider how Genomics England positions itself in relation to public engagement activities. We set out to explore how individuals working at, or associated with, Genomics England enacted public engagement in practice. Our findings show that individuals offered a narrative in which public engagement performed more than one function. On one side, public engagement was seen as ‘good practice’. On the other, public engagement was presented as core to the project’s success – needed to encourage involvement and ultimately recruitment. We discuss the implications of this in this article.
Impact of Value Proposition of Digital Marketing Communication on Car Buyers’ Attitude
Authors: Rekha  , Mishra Aparna , Chauhan Ajay Kr.
Published: December 2017

Digital marketing communication has affected almost every business along with significantly altering the consumer behaviour. Businesses around the globe are accepting digital marketing communication as an advanced, cost-effective and more relevant alternative to its traditional counterpart, that is, conventional marketing. Consumers have also become accustomed to digital technology and exercising their control over content along with dictating the terms for time and place of purchase. Marketers are resorting to digital marketing because it is interactive, personalized, relevant, informative and cost-effective. FMCG, BFSI and automobiles have been consistently ranked at top digital spenders of the country for last 5 years. The present study deals with understanding the value proposition of digital marketing in Indian car market by applying Neil Rackham’s model. The study also aimed to assess the impact of value proposition on car buyers’ attitude. Primary data were collected from 603 actual and potential car buyers using area-wise proportionate sampling from Delhi. One sample Wilocoxon-Signed Rank Test was applied as test of significance to understand the value proposition. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to assess the overall fit and impact of value proposition on car buyers’ attitude. Value proposition model successfully explained 67 per cent of the variation in car buyers’ attitude.
Natural Gas Consumption and Economic Growth in Pakistan: Production Function Approach
Authors: Hassan Muhammad Shahid , Tahir Muhammad Naveed , Wajid Ayesha , Mahmood Haider , Farooq Abdul
Published: December 2017

This study investigates the relationship between energy consumption and economic growth in case of Pakistan using annual data from 1977 to 2013. Using Johansen maximum likelihood approach to estimate the long-run relationship and Granger causality to check the direction of causality, the study finds that the long-run relationship between natural gas consumption and economic growth is positive and statistically significant. Furthermore, the Granger causality shows that there exists energy-led growth hypothesis in Pakistan as Granger causality runs from energy to economic growth. The policy implication is that uninterrupted availability of energy is essential and conservation strategies could be harmful for the economic growth.
International Research Collaboration and International Research Orientation: Comparative Findings About European Academics
Authors: Kwiek Marek
Published: December 2017

In this study, international research collaboration (IRC) and international research orientation (IRO) have been studied at the micro-level of individual academics from the university sector ( N = 8,466, 11 European systems). Both were studied cross-nationally, cross-disciplinarily, and cross-generationally. This study differs from most existing internationalization literature in its sample (Europe) and focus (patterns of internationalization in research), using more standard methods (a multivariate model approach). It addresses questions about the patterns of IRC and IRO, international publishing, and the predictors of IRC, or what makes some European academics more prone to collaborating with international colleagues in research than others. In the context of changing incentive and reward systems in European academic science, which are becoming more output oriented, it is ever more important for individual academics to cooperate internationally (as well as to co-publish internationally). “Internationalists” increasingly compete with “locals” in university hierarchies of prestige and for access to project-based research funding across Europe. Evidence is presented that co-authoring publications internationally is still a rare form of research internationalization in Europe (50.8% of academics co-author publications internationally). However, as compared with other world regions, the percentage of European academics collaborating internationally in research (63.8%) is very high. A striking cross-national differential within the youngest European generation of academics was found, which may be a strong barrier to intra-European research collaboration in the future.
Evaluating the Impact of the Addition of Cladribine to Standard Acute Myeloid Leukemia Induction Therapy
Authors: Seligson Nathan D. , Hobbs Athena L. V. , Leonard Joanna M. , Mills Elizabeth L. , Evans Amy G. , Goorha Salil
Published: December 2017

Background: Treatment for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has remained relatively unchanged over the past few decades. Although recent drug approvals have provided an increase in the number of treatment options in AML, further optimization of standard induction therapy is still necessary. The most commonly utilized induction options have been well studied, but there is a paucity of literature comparing the combination of idarubicin with cytarabine and cladribine. Objective: To assess the clinical effectiveness of the addition of cladribine to idarubicin and cytarabine (7+3 IA) induction therapy in the treatment of AML. Methods: This retrospective, propensity score–matched cohort study evaluated 37 patients with previously untreated AML who received either 7+3 IA or idarubicin, cytarabine, and cladribine (7+3+5 IAC) as induction therapy. The primary end point of this study was complete response (CR), with secondary end points including hospital length of stay (LOS), and adverse event rates. Results: After propensity score matching, odds of reaching CR in the 7+3+5 IAC cohort were increased by 33% (95% CI = 1.09-1.55; P < 0.01) compared with the 7+3 IA cohort. Patients who received cladribine were also found to have a reduction in hospital LOS by 3.5 days (95% CI = 0.07-6.85; P = 0.045) without an increase in adverse event rates. Conclusion: The addition of cladribine to the 7+3 IA regimen may improve clinical outcomes when used as initial induction therapy, without increasing the incidence of adverse event rates.
Hospital-Based Clinicians’ Perceptions of Geographic Cohorting: Identifying Opportunities for Improvement
Authors: Kara Areeba , Johnson Cynthia S. , Hui Siu L. , Kashiwagi Deanne
Published: December 2017

Members of the Society of Hospital Medicine were surveyed about geographic cohorting (GCh); 369 responses were analyzed, two thirds of which were from GCh participants. Improved collaboration with the bedside nurse, increased nonclinical interactions, decreased paging interruptions, and improved efficiency were perceived by >50%. Narrowed clinical expertise, increased fragmentation, increased face-to-face interruptions, and an adverse impact on camaraderie within the hospitalist group were reported by 25% to 50%. Academic practices were associated with positive perceptions while higher patient loads were associated with negative perceptions. Comments on GCh benefits invoked improvements in (1) interprofessional collaboration, (2) efficiency, (3) patient-centeredness, (4) nursing satisfaction, and (5) GCh mediated facilitation of other interventions. GCh downsides included (1) professional and personal dissatisfaction, (2) concerns about providing suboptimal care, and (3) implementation barriers. GCh is receiving attention. Although it facilitates important benefits, it is perceived to mediate unintended consequences, which should be addressed in redesign efforts.
Politics of Green Energy Policy
Authors: Pegels Anna , Vidican-Auktor Georgeta , Lütkenhorst Wilfried , Altenburg Tilman
Published: December 2017

The transformation toward sustainability calls for profound renovation of economic structures, technologies, and institutions. The concept of green energy policy, which we define as encompassing any policy measure aimed at aligning the structure of a country’s energy sector with the needs of sustainable development within established planetary boundaries, is critical to this end. We elaborate on why the state needs to play an eminent role in driving the green transformation in general and that of the energy sector in particular, why this brings about coordination challenges with nonstate actors, and how these can be met. We illustrate these aspects with energy policy examples from countries of the global South and, where illustrative, North. In particular, we argue that green energy policy success is subject to three conditions: effectiveness, efficiency, and legitimacy. These conditions can be achieved by facilitating societal agreement on the direction of change, forging change alliances, systematic policy learning, and using market mechanisms to manage policy rents and political capture.
A hybrid functions numerical scheme for fractional optimal control problems: Application to nonanalytic dynamic systems
Authors: Mohammadi F , Moradi L , Baleanu D , Jajarmi A
Published: December 2017

In this paper, a numerical scheme based on hybrid Chelyshkov functions (HCFs) is presented to solve a class of fractional optimal control problems (FOCPs). To this end, by using the orthogonal Chelyshkov polynomials, the HCFs are constructed and a general formulation for their operational matrix of the fractional integration, in the Riemann–Liouville sense, is derived. This operational matrix together with HCFs are used to reduce the FOCP to a system of algebraic equations, which can be solved by any standard iterative algorithm. Moreover, the application of presented method to the problems with a nonanalytic dynamic system is investigated. Numerical results confirm that the proposed HCFs method can achieve spectral accuracy to approximate the solution of FOCPs.
Algorithmic Noise: Ed Reform 2.0 and Work/Think/Playing With Methods of the Present
Authors: Niccolini Alyssa D. , Lesko Nancy
Published: December 2017

As we become more and more algorithmic subjects, algorithms shape the news we access, our political and social views, how and what we buy, as well as the emotional tenor of our lives. Tracking how algorithms work on and with our senses and activate our bodies in different ways requires experimental approaches. To explore affect, algorithms, and method, we work/think/play via two reassemblages of algorithmic tools borrowed from the corporate and art worlds: Moodlens and the Listening Machine. Our algorithmic play with educational reformers’ images and tweets suggests a strategy for fattening our methods and theories to respond to ever-increasing data flows and thinking additively, fractally, and exponentially.
Safety Assessment of Plant-Derived Fatty Acid Oils
Authors: Burnett Christina L. , Fiume Monice M. , Bergfeld Wilma F. , Belsito Donald V. , Hill Ronald A. , Klaassen Curtis D. , Liebler Daniel , Marks James G. , Shank Ronald C. , Slaga Thomas J. , Snyder Paul W. , Alan Andersen F.
Published: December 2017

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel (Panel) assessed the safety of 244 plant-derived fatty acid oils as used in cosmetics. Oils are used in a wide variety of cosmetic products for their skin conditioning, occlusive, emollient, and moisturizing properties. Since many of these oils are edible, and their systemic toxicity potential is low, the review focused on potential dermal effects. The Panel concluded that the 244 plant-derived fatty acid oils are safe as used in cosmetics.
Caveats and pitfalls associated with researching community engagement in the context of HIV vaccine trials
Authors: Kagee Ashraf , De Wet Anneliese , Kafaar Zuhayr , Lesch Anthea , Swartz Leslie , Newman Peter A
Published: December 2017

HIV vaccine efficacy trials require the enrolment of large numbers of HIV-negative individuals and thus it is necessary to engage with communities where HIV incidence is high. We identify some of the caveats and pitfalls associated with researching community engagement in the context of HIV vaccine trials. These are as follows: the lack of consensus of what community engagement is and how it is practiced, the sometimes paradoxical role of community advisory boards as community representatives and challenges associated with information dissemination in communities. We identify a set of considerations for community engagement practitioners, trial investigators and social scientists when conducting community engagement.
Health literacy and participation in sports club activities among adolescents
Authors: Paakkari Leena , Kokko Sami , Villberg Jari , Paakkari Olli , Tynjälä Jorma
Published: December 2017

Aims: The aim of this research was to compare the levels of perceived health literacy among adolescents who do or do not participate in sports club activities. Organized sport club activities reach a high proportion of adolescents, and have the potential to contribute to the development of their health literacy. Methods: The cross-sectional data on health literacy among school children in Finland (aged 13 and 15, n=3852) were measured, as a part of the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study, using the Health Literacy for School-aged Children (HLSAC) instrument. Sports club participation and its association with health literacy were examined in relation to age, gender, family affluence, school achievement, and physical activity. The statistical analyses included cross-tabulation and the multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression analyses. Results: Perceived health literacy was higher among adolescents who participated in sports club activities. This conclusion was valid for boys and girls, for both age groups, among those who were physically active 6–7 days a week, had at least moderate school achievement, and those who belonged to the middle or high affluence families. From the health literacy perspective, participation in sports club activities was especially beneficial for those having low or moderate school achievement level. Conclusions: The sports club setting may work towards equalizing health literacy differences related to school achievement. However, the clubs should ensure that access is available to as many adolescents as possible; by this means they may spread beneficial influences, supporting the development of health literacy among broader population groups.
Control of a magnetorheological tuned vibration absorber for wind turbine application utilising the refined force tracking algorithm
Authors: Martynowicz Paweł
Published: December 2017

This work covers selected control issues, including refined force tracking algorithm formulation, concerning the wind turbine tower-nacelle laboratory model equipped with a magnetorheological damper based tuned vibration absorber. The objective of the current research is a development and experimental implementation of the control algorithm that couples basic adaptive stiffness solution with stock magnetorheological damper force tracking concept to obtain a quality tower vibration reduction system. The experiments were conducted assuming monoharmonic, horizontal excitation applied to the assembly modelling the nacelle. The frequency range comprised the neighbourhood of the first bending mode of the tower-nacelle system. The results proved the effectiveness of the adopted algorithm referring to other high-performance solutions.
The Neural Correlates of Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia: Examples From MRI Literature
Authors: Mørch-Johnsen Lynn , Agartz Ingrid , Jensen Jimmy
Published: December 2017

Negative symptoms of schizophrenia have a negative impact on psychosocial functioning and disease outcome. It is therefore important to investigate the pathophysiology underlying negative symptoms as this may aid the development of better treatment. In the current article, examples from studies investigating neural correlates of negative symptoms in schizophrenia are given. Investigations using both structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging are presented at different levels of symptomatology descriptions, from the more heterogenous construct of negative symptoms to more single discrete symptoms. Some methods to improve imaging studies of negative symptoms in schizophrenia are also suggested.
In Vivo Measurement of Surface Pressures and Retraction Distances Applied on Abdominal Organs During Surgery
Authors: Shah Dignesh , Alderson Andrew , Corden James , Satyadas Thomas , Augustine Titus
Published: December 2017

This study undertook the in vivo measurement of surface pressures applied by the fingers of the surgeon during typical representative retraction movements of key human abdominal organs during both open and hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery. Surface pressures were measured using a flexible thin-film pressure sensor for 35 typical liver retractions to access the gall bladder, 36 bowel retractions, 9 kidney retractions, 8 stomach retractions, and 5 spleen retractions across 12 patients undergoing open and laparoscopic abdominal surgery. The maximum and root mean square surface pressures were calculated for each organ retraction. The maximum surface pressures applied to these key abdominal organs are in the range 1 to 41 kPa, and the average maximum surface pressure for all organs and procedures was 14 ± 3 kPa. Surface pressure relaxation during the retraction hold period was observed. Generally, the surface pressures are higher, and the rate of surface pressure relaxation is lower, in the more confined hand-assisted laparoscopic procedures than in open surgery. Combined video footage and pressure sensor data for retraction of the liver in open surgery enabled correlation of organ retraction distance with surface pressure application. The data provide a platform to design strategies for the prevention of retraction injuries. They also form a basis for the design of next-generation organ retraction and space creation surgical devices with embedded sensors that can further quantify intraoperative retraction forces to reduce injury or trauma to organs and surrounding tissues.
The Differential Representation of Latina and Black Female Victims in Front-Page News Stories: A Qualitative Document Analysis
Authors: Slakoff Danielle C. , Brennan Pauline K.
Published: December 2017

Critical race feminists posit that perceptions of White and minority females differ, which suggests that media representations will vary among female crime victims. To explore this proposition, we examined front-page crime stories from four different U.S. newspapers using Altheide’s approach to qualitative document analysis. We found that stories about White female victims received more repeated coverage and were more likely to contain sympathetic narratives than stories about Latina/Black female victims. In contrast, Latina/Black female victims were more likely to be portrayed as risk-takers and “bad” women, and their victimization was normalized through descriptions of their unsafe environments.
The Relationship Between Hospital Construction and High-Risk Infant Auditory Function at NICU Discharge: A Retrospective Descriptive Cohort Study
Authors: Willis Valerie
Published: December 2017

Purpose:

To describe the difference in auditory function at neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) discharge between high-risk infant cases exposed to hospital construction during NICU stay and those not exposed.

Background:

Noise produced by routine NICU caregiving exceeds recommended intensity. As California hospitals undergo construction to meet seismic safety regulations, vulnerable neonates are potentially exposed to even higher levels of noise. Ramifications are unknown.

Methods:

Retrospective data-based descriptive cohort design was used to compare high-risk infant auditory function at NICU discharge between hospital construction exposed and unexposed groups. Sample size: N = 540 infant cases (243 construction exposed and 297 unexposed controls). Inclusion criteria: Infant cases born and discharged from the study site NICU in the year 2010 (unexposed) and year 2015 (exposed) and received a newborn hearing screening by automated auditory brainstem evoked response (ABER) prior to discharge with results reported. Infant cases excluded: hearing screen results by ABER unavailable, potentially confounding characteristics (congenital infection, major anomalies including cleft lip and/or palate), and transferred into or out of the study site. Instrumentation: ABER. Analysis: descriptive statistics (SPSS Version 24.0), hypothesis testing, correlation, and logistic regression.

Results:

The difference in auditory function at NICU discharge between high-risk infant cases exposed to hospital construction noise and those unexposed was statistically insignificant, χ2 = 1.666, df = 4, p = .1968, 95% confidence interval [−0.635, 2.570].

Conclusions:

More research is needed to better understand whether hospital construction exposure during NICU admission negatively affects high-risk infant auditory function. Findings may catalyze theory development, future research, and child health policy.
Finding the Best Evidence to Support Care of Students With Chronic Conditions: CLUE #2: Acquire
Authors: Yonkaitis Catherine F. , Maughan Erin D.
Published: December 2017

Every day, school nurses make practice decisions that impact the care provided to school children. Our professional standards require that we stay up to date with best practice options, yet there is neither time nor money to attend a continuing education offering for every practice concern we encounter. Learning how to acquire the evidence that leads to best practice can ensure our practice is current and that our students have the best chance to have positive health and academic outcomes. This article explains where to find good evidence and how to access it.
Can Biologic Augmentation Improve Clinical Outcomes Following Microfracture for Symptomatic Cartilage Defects of the Knee? A Systematic Review
Authors: Arshi Armin , Fabricant Peter D. , Go Derek E. , Williams Riley J. , McAllister David R. , Jones Kristofer J.
Published: December 2017

Objective

To perform a systematic review of clinical outcomes following microfracture augmented with biological adjuvants (MFX+) compared with microfracture (MFX) alone.

Design

The MEDLINE, Scopus, and Cochrane databases were searched for clinical studies on MFX+ for chondral defects of the knee. Study characteristics and clinical outcome score data were collected. Subjective synthesis was performed using data from randomized controlled studies to determine effect size of MFX+ procedures performed with either injectable or scaffold-based augmentation compared with MFX alone.

Results

A total of 18 articles reporting on 625 patients (491 MFX+, 134 MFX) were identified. Six studies were level II evidence and 1 study was level I evidence. Mean patient age range was 26 to 51 years, and mean follow-up ranged from 2 to 5 years. All studies demonstrated significant improvement in reported clinical outcome scores at follow-up after MFX+ therapy, and 87% of patients reported satisfaction with treatment. The most commonly reported treatment complication was postoperative stiffness (3.9% of patients). Subjective synthesis on randomized controlled trials demonstrated that 2/2 injectable MFX+ interventions had significantly greater improvements in International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Form (IKDC; P = 0.004) and Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS; P = 0.012) scores compared with MFX alone, while 2/2 trials on scaffolding MFX+ adjuvants showed comparable postoperative improvements.

Conclusions

MFX+ biological adjuvants are safe supplements to marrow stimulation for treating cartilage defects in the adult knee. Early literature is heterogenous and extremely limited in quality. Individual trials report both equivalent and superior clinical outcomes compared with MFX alone, making definitive conclusions on the efficacy of MFX+ difficult without higher quality evidence.
Health-related quality of life and risk of composite coronary heart disease and cerebrovascular events in the Moli-sani study cohort
Authors: Bonaccio Marialaura , Di Castelnuovo Augusto , Costanzo Simona , Persichillo Mariarosaria , De Curtis Amalia , Cerletti Chiara , Donati Maria Benedetta , de Gaetano Giovanni , Iacoviello Licia
Published: December 2017

Background

To assess the association between health-related quality of life (HRQL) and a composite outcome including incident coronary heart disease (CHD) and cerebrovascular events in a large general population-based cohort.

Design

Prospective analysis on 17,102 men and women (mean age 53 ± 11) free from cardiovascular disease at time of enrolment in the Moli-sani cohort (2005–2010).

Methods

HRQL was assessed by the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey. Hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated using multivariable Cox-proportional hazard models.

Results

At the end of follow-up (median 4.2 years), 237 new events occurred (coronary heart disease n = 197, cerebrovascular disease n = 42). In a multivariable model adjusted for socioeconomic factors, chronic disease and health-related behaviours, both mental and physical HRQL were inversely associated with the risk of the composite outcome (hazard ratio = 0.57; 0.39–0.84 and hazard ratio = 0.62; 0.40–0.94, respectively; highest vs. lowest quartile). Further adjustment for C-reactive protein marginally modified the association with physical HRQL (hazard ratio = 0.67; 0.43–1.02). Similar findings were obtained when only CHD events were analysed (hazard ratio = 0.63; 0.41–0.96 for highest versus lowest mental HRQL) although results with physical HRQL were no longer significant (hazard ratio = 0.65; 0.40–1.04 for highest versus lowest quartile). Associations with incident cerebrovascular disease showed a trend toward protection (hazard ratio = 0.50; 0.22–1.17 and hazard ratio = 0.51; 0.22–1.23 for highest versus lowest tertile of mental and physical HRQL, respectively).

Conclusions

HRQL is an independent predictor of composite CHD/cerebrovascular outcomes in an adult population. The magnitude of the association was not affected either by socioeconomic factors, health conditions or health-related behaviours. Improvement of quality of life may be a major factor in targeting appropriate prevention strategies for cardiovascular health.
Conceptual models to guide integration during analysis in convergent mixed methods studies
Authors: Moseholm Ellen , Fetters Michael D
Published: December 2017

Methodologists have offered general strategies for integration in mixed-methods studies through merging of quantitative and qualitative data. While these strategies provide researchers in the field general guidance on how to integrate data during mixed-methods analysis, a methodological typology detailing specific analytic frameworks has been lacking. The purpose of this article is to introduce a typology of analytical approaches for mixed-methods data integration in mixed-methods convergent studies. We distinguish three dimensions of data merging analytics: (1) the relational dimension, (2) the methodological dimension, and (3) the directional dimension. Five different frameworks for data merging relative to the methodological and directional dimension in convergent mixed-methods studies are described: (1) the explanatory unidirectional approach, (2) the exploratory unidirectional approach, (3) the simultaneous bidirectional approach, (4) the explanatory bidirectional approach, and (5) the exploratory bidirectional approach. Examples from empirical studies are used to illustrate each type. Researchers can use this typology to inform and articulate their analytical approach during the design, implementation, and reporting phases to convey clearly how an integrated approach to data merging occurred.
Santal Women and the Rebellion of 1855 in Colonial India
Authors: Mallick Ata
Published: December 2017

It is generally assumed that Santal women contributed an imperative role in the Santal rebellion of 1855. According to the judicial records of the rebellion, almost every Santal woman was a rebel and many of them were arrested for their active involvement in the rebellion. Scholars on Santal rebellion have used such colonial administrative accounts to emphasize the subaltern protest against colonialism. However, a detailed study of administrative accounts also reveals that, after trial, most of the women prisoners were released as they were found innocent. Access to insider voices reveals how Santal women were persecuted under the pretext of witch-hunting by the very orders of Santal leaders. This article would argue how the women became the victims of the unrest and how the Santal rebellion was not spontaneous, and would critically propose how the age-old concept of women’s participation in the Santal rebellion of 1855 needs reconsideration.
The Salting Down of Gertrude: Transgression and Preservation in Three Early German Carnival Plays
Authors: Wright Stephen K.
Published: December 2017

The purpose of this article is twofold. First, it introduces a subgenre of the German carnival play to a wider audience by providing editions and translations of three fifteenth-century Bavarian texts on the theme of preserving unmarried women during lent by packing them in salt. Second, it discusses the historical context focusing on ways in which modern notions of the 'carnivalesque' as a putative agent for positive social transformation are themselves subverted by the conservative nature of much late medieval comedy. Paradoxically, what begins as anti-authoritarian licence ends in the affirmation of a patriarchal status quo that regards the unmarried female body as a commodity preserved for future male delectation.
Rape, Massacre, The Lucrece Tradition, and Alarum for London
Authors: Lucas Georgina
Published: December 2017

This article explores the conflation of rhetorical and physical acts of rape and massacre in a range of early modern drama, culminating in a case study of the two phenomena in Alarum for London (1599). Rooting its analysis in the Lucrece myth, the essay demonstrates how prominent traditions of reading rape – as an attack on the soul, and as an attack on a city – provide a rubric through which Alarum can be understood. When enacted concomitantly, rape and massacre have the propensity to destroy body and soul, individual, and the wider society to which they belong.
‘The Grocers Honour’: or, Taking the City Seriously in The Knight of the Burning Pestle
Authors: Hill Tracey
Published: December 2017

The Knight of the Burning Pestle famously flopped when first performed c. 1607. Critical debate over its so-called ‘privy mark of irony’ has subsequently oscillated between those who argue that the play did not satirize the London citizenry trenchantly enough, and those who prefer the interpretation that the ‘irony’ was only too apparent, and that this alienated the audience. Few have fully interrogated the play’s complex engagement with the early Jacobean citizen class and the City of London’s livery companies. This paper argues that The Knight’s presentation of citizens takes place in the context both of a theatre much more involved in civic structures, and of a city more imbued with performance, than is usually presumed.
The Future Francis Beaumont
Authors: Price Eoin
Published: December 2017

This essay attends to Beaumont’s recent performance and reception history, documenting a range of academic and popular responses to demonstrate the challenges and affordances of engaging with Beaumont’s plays. The first section examines several twenty-first century performances of Beaumont plays, focusing especially on the Globe’s stimulating production of The Knight of the Burning Pestle. The second section considers how Beaumont was both acknowledged and ignored in 2016, the year of his 400th anniversary. The final section suggests some avenues for further research into the performance of Beaumont’s plays.
Diagnosis and treatment of chronic wounds: current standards of Germany's Initiative for Chronic Wounds e. V.
Authors: Dissemond J. , Bültemann A. , Gerber V. , Jäger B. , Kröger K. , Münter C.
Published: December 2017

The diagnosis and treatment of patients with chronic wounds is an enormous challenge in various disciplines of medicine. These very complex processes usually involve several experts of different medical specialties with varying educational backgrounds. A necessary basis for consistent communication and documentation is the use of unambiguous nomenclature. Therefore, the board of the German wound association, Initiative for Chronic Wounds (ICW) e.V., has started to define various terms and procedures. An easy to remember algorithm, in the form of the ABCDE rule, has been developed for the structured diagnosis of chronic wounds. The successful therapy of chronic wounds is then based on the causal treatment of the underlying, pathophysiological relevant diseases. M.O.I.S.T. a concept which helps health professionals in the systematic approach to the local treatment of patients with chronic wounds, in conforming to the most up-to-date scientific knowledge. By using consistent definitions and standards in wound care, it is possible to optimise current diagnostic and treatment strategies as well as to make them more easily understandable.
Genetic Identification of Separase Regulators inCaenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Melesse Michael , Sloan Dillon E , Benthal Joseph T , Caylor Quincey , Gosine Krishen , Bai Xiaofei , Bembenek Joshua N
Published: December 2017

Separase is a highly conserved protease required for chromosome segregation. Although observations that separase also regulates membrane trafficking events have been made, it is still not clear how separase achieves this function. Here, we present an extensive ENU mutagenesis suppressor screen aimed at identifying suppressors of sep-1(e2406), a temperature-sensitive maternal effect embryonic lethal separase mutant that primarily attenuates membrane trafficking rather than chromosome segregation. We screened nearly a million haploid genomes and isolated 68 suppressed lines. We identified 14 independent intragenic sep-1(e2406) suppressed lines. These intragenic alleles map to seven SEP-1 residues within the N-terminus, compensating for the original mutation within the poorly conserved N-terminal domain. Interestingly, 47 of the suppressed lines have novel mutations throughout the entire coding region of the pph-5 phosphatase, indicating that this is an important regulator of separase. We also found that a mutation near the MEEVD motif of HSP-90, which binds and activates PPH-5, also rescues sep-1(e2406) mutants. Finally, we identified six potentially novel suppressor lines that fall into five complementation groups. These new alleles provide the opportunity to more exhaustively investigate the regulation and function of separase.