bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Burden of caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Pudelewicz Anna , Talarska Dorota , Bączyk Grażyna 
Published: October 2018

IntroductionAlzheimer's disease is a progressive, degenerative brain disease of unknown aetiology. It is characterised by a gradual deterioration of cognitive processes, especially memory, orientation and thinking. With the deepening of Alzheimer's disease, the independence of patients is increasingly limited, what results in an increased involvement of caregivers in care. Excessive duties contribute to the development of caregiver burnout.AimThe aim of the study was to examine the level of feeling of burden in caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease and to determine the relationship between selected parameters and the feeling of burden.Material and methodsThe study included 55 people with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers. In order to test the level of the burden, the Polish version of Caregiver Burden Scale was used. The level of self‐esteem was assessed using the Polish version of the Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale.ResultsThe total result of the level of burden of caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease, according to the Caregiver Burden Scale, was 2.6 points. There was a significant relationship between the feeling of burden and the caregiver's gender, the lack of free time, the number of hours devoted to day care, the number of years of patient care, the degree of a caregiver's self‐assessment and the progression of the patient's disease.ConclusionsIn the examined group of caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease and according to the Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale, the medium level of care burden and the average level of self‐esteem were prevailing.
Tracing tsunami signatures of the ad 551 and ad 1303 tsunamis at the Gulf of Kyparissia (Peloponnese, Greece) using direct push in situ sensing techniques combined with geophysical studies
Authors: Obrocki Lea , Vött Andreas , Wilken Dennis , Fischer Peter , Willershäuser Timo , Koster Benjamin , Lang Franziska , Papanikolaou Ioannis , Rabbel Wolfgang , Reicherter Klaus 
Published: October 2018

AbstractThe western Peloponnese was repeatedly hit by major tsunami impacts during historical times as reported by historical accounts and recorded in earthquake and tsunami catalogues. Geological signatures of past tsunami impacts have also been found in many coastal geological archives. During the past years, abundant geomorphological and sedimentary evidence of repeated Holocene tsunami landfall was found between Cape Katakolo and the city of Kyparissia. Moreover, neotectonic studies revealed strong crust uplift along regional faults with amounts of uplift between 13 m and 30 m since the mid‐Holocene. This study focuses on the potential of direct push in situ sensing techniques to detect tsunami sediments along the Gulf of Kyparissia. Direct push measurements were conducted on the landward shores of the Kaiafa Lagoon and the former Mouria Lagoon from which sedimentary and microfaunal evidence for tsunami landfall are already known. Direct push methods helped to decipher in situ high‐resolution stratigraphic records of allochthonous sand sheets that are used to document different kinds of sedimentological and geomorphological characteristics of high‐energy inundation, such as abrupt increases in grain size, integration of muddy rip‐up clasts and fining upward sequences which are representative of different tsunami inundation pulses. These investigations were completed by sediment coring as a base for local calibration of geophysical direct push parameters. Surface‐based electrical resistivity tomography and seismic data with highly resolved vertical direct push datasets and sediment core data were all coupled in order to improve the quality of the geophysical models. Details of this methodological approach, new in palaeotsunami research, are presented and discussed, especially with respect to the question of how the obtained results may help to facilitate tracing tsunami signatures in the sedimentary record and deciphering geomorphological characteristics of past tsunami inundation. Using direct push techniques and based on sedimentary data, sedimentary signatures of two young tsunami impacts that hit the Kaiafa Lagoon were detected. Radiocarbon age control allowed the identification of these tsunami layers as candidates for the ad 551 and ad 1303 earthquake and tsunami events. For these events, there is reliable historical data on major damage on infrastructure in western Greece and on the Peloponnese. At the former Mouria Lagoon, corroborating tsunami traces were found; however, in this case it is difficult to decide whether these signatures were caused by the ad 551 or the ad 1303 event.
Socioeconomic status and the dynamics of preferences for income inequality in the United States, 1978–2016
Authors: Sumino Takanori 
Published: October 2018

AbstractAlthough considerable evidence indicates that public preferences for income inequality and redistribution vary across socioeconomic groups (i.e., occupation and income), much less is known about the temporal dynamics of these preferences. The purpose of this study is (a) to examine whether the attitudinal distance between managerial/professional workers and unskilled manual workers has changed (converged or diverged) over time and to (b) explore the reasons for and implications of the dynamics of preferences in the past several decades. Using data from the General Social Survey 1978–2016 (23 time‐points; N = 27,211), this study finds that the influence of occupational class has lost some of its significance in shaping public preferences for income inequality and that the declining effect of occupation can be explained in part by the attitudinal convergence between better‐ and less‐educated citizens. Findings suggest that proequality coalitions across educational boundaries play a remedial role in bridging the occupational divide over government redistribution in the United States.
Measuring teachers’ beliefs in relation to teaching mathematics with mathematical practices in mind
Authors: Riggs Iris M. , Fischman Davida D. , Riggs Matt L. , Jetter Madeleine E. , Jesunathadas Joseph 
Published: October 2018

AbstractEfforts to measure teacher self‐efficacy beliefs have built upon the theories of Albert Bandura. Continuing in that vein, the purpose of this study was to develop a measure that assesses teachers’ efficacy and expectancy beliefs regarding teaching mathematics with an emphasis on conceptual understanding and mathematical practices, and to use this instrument to examine growth in these variables and correlations between these and other measures of quality of instruction. The instrument, developed as part of an NSF‐funded project, built upon prior measures of teacher self‐efficacy and expectancy beliefs, by modifying or omitting existing items and developing additional items aligned with instruction that supports the development of mathematical practices and conceptual understanding of mathematics. A group of mathematicians, mathematics educators, and K–12 experts developed a collection of items that was reduced based on factor analysis and modified based on cognitive interviews. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses provide robust support for the psychometric properties of the two measures, and suggest that the two subscales are distinct and measurable constructs. Evidence of concurrent and predictive validity was obtained using multi‐year correlations calculated between these scores and other constructs measured for the teachers participating in the grant.
Big data‐enabled social sensing in spatial analysis: Potentials and pitfalls
Authors: Liao Chuan , Brown Daniel , Fei Ding , Long Xuewen , Chen Dan , Che Shengquan 
Published: October 2018

AbstractOver the past decade, there has been an unprecedented boom in the application of big data derived from location‐aware technology in GIScience. However, reflections on data quality lead to concerns about inaccurate or even erroneous spatial analysis results. This article contributes a meta‐analysis of big data‐enabled social sensing in spatial analysis. Big data‐enabled research has substantially enhanced our understanding of human population distribution and dynamics, land use, travel behavior, movement patterns, and spatial social networks from city to country to global levels. However, the effectiveness of big data‐enabled social sensing can be undermined by five critical issues related to research design: data volume, spatial coverage, locational information quality, and representativeness across socioeconomic and demographic groups. We suggest a framework for addressing the inherent bias in spatial big data at multiple stages of the research lifecycle and applying them to appropriate topics and scales of applications.
Novel negative pressure wound therapy device without foam or gauze is effective at −50 mmHg
Authors: Nuutila Kristo , Yang Lu , Broomhead Michael , Proppe Karl , Eriksson Elof 
Published: October 2018

AbstractNegative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) promotes healing in acute or chronic wounds. Conventional NPWT devices consist of a filler (such as foam or gauze) that covers the wound and of a permeable membrane and tubing that connects the space under the membrane to a suction pump. The permeable membrane increases airflow and thus increases the required pump capacity that can cause patient discomfort or even ischemia in wounds with compromised vascularity. In addition, foam or gauze may fragment and become colonized with bacteria over time. To mitigate these, negative aspects, we have developed a new impermeable single layer component membrane dressing to deliver NPWT that does not need a foam or gauze to function. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to introduce this novel NPWT system (platform wound device, PWD) and evaluate its usability and effectiveness in the treatment of porcine full‐thickness burns. A total of 48 burn wounds were created across four Yorkshire pigs on the dorsum. Wounds were created on day 0 and continuous NPWT with −50 mmHg and − 80 mmHg was initiated immediately. Subsequently, the burns were debrided on day 3 and animals were euthanized on day 7. The efficacy of the PWD on wound healing and reduction of bacterial burden was measured and compared to wounds that did not receive NPWT. The results showed that PWD promoted wound healing by outperforming the wounds that did not receive NPWT and that PWD was efficient at reducing bacteria from the burn eschar and from the wound bed. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that PWD promoted wound healing with a negative pressure as low as −50 mmHg, which likely benefits healing and avoids potential safety issues.
Pembelajaran Berdasarkan Senario dalam Mengajar Model Penyelesaian Masalah
Authors: Tamilselvam Shanthi , Surif Johari 
Published: October 2018

This study aims to evaluate the suitability of the Scenario Based Learning Module (SBL), which has been designed in the topic of Problem Solving Models. The study also aims to examine the advantages of SBL in universities and secondary education levels. In addition, this study was conducted to find out the barriers and constraints in the designated SBL. Lecturers from a university and a secondary school participated in this study which is conducted as an interview. The interview is aimed to gather information on the suitability and features of the module, as well as the advantages and obstacles in the SBL module. The data obtained from the interviews are qualitatively analyzed through the transcription process. The findings show that the modules are designed to be practiced at university level among students. The findings also show that the module has many advantages in terms of understanding the learning content, thinking skills and problem solving skills, social and collaborative skills and intrinsic motivation of students. Additionally, obstacles and constraints that exist in SBL are also discussed. This study benefits from the perspective of providing information on the suitability, advantages and obstacles of SBL for the Problem Solving course in Chemistry Education. In fact, university lecturers and secondary school teachers can take this study as a reference for SBL applications in teaching and learning. University students can also benefit from the SBL module designed and the results of this study.
Reviewer Acknowledgements
Authors: Oscar William 
Published: October 2018

International Journal of Contemporary Education (IJCE) would like to acknowledge the following reviewers for their assistance with peer review of manuscripts for this issue. Many authors, regardless of whether IJCE publishes their work, appreciate the helpful feedback provided by the reviewers. Their comments and suggestions were of great help to the authors in improving the quality of their papers. Each of the reviewers listed below returned at least one review for this issue.Reviewers for Volume 1, Number 2 Alexandra Ingram, University of Tennessee, USACarme Pinya, University of Balearic Islands, SpainCristina Simões, Portuguese Catholic University, PortugalDorota Celinska, Roosevelt University, USAFederica Cornali, University of Turin, ItalyFroilan Delute Mobo, Philippine Merchant Marine Academy, PhilippinesGiuseppe Maugeri, Ca' Foscari University, ItalyIonel Bondoc, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Iasi, RomaniaIosif Fragkoulis, Hellenic Open University, GreeceLucilia Falcão, University of Fortaleza -UNIFOR, BrazilMakrina Nina Zafiri, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GreeceMatthew Schatt, University of Florida, USABruna Gabriela Augusto Marçal Vieira, Universidade Estadual Paulista, BrazilNatalia V. Andraphanova, Kuban State University, RussiaNesrin Ozturk, Ege University, TurkeyNoelia Navarro Gómez, Universidad de Almería, SpainRaymond Aaron Younis, ACU Australia, AustraliaSaid K. Juma, The State University of Zanzibar, FinlandSandro Sehic, Oneida BOCES, USASandro Serpa, University of the Azores, PortugalVassiliki Pliogou, Metropolitan College of Thessaloniki, GreeceVassilios Papadimitriou, University of Thessaly, Greece William OscarEditorial AssistantInternational Journal of Contemporary Education---------------------------------------------------------Redfame Publishing9450 SW Gemini Dr. #99416Beaverton, OR 97008, USATel: 1-503-828-0536 ext. 509Fax: 1-503-828-0537E-mail: ijce@redfame.comURL: http://ijce.redfame.com
Non-mydriatic ultrawide field scanning laser ophthalmoscopy compared with dilated fundal examination for assessment of diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular oedema in Chinese individuals with diabetes mellitus
Authors: Szeto Simon K H , Wong Raymond , Lok Jerry , Tang Fangyao , Sun Zihan , Tso Tiffany , Lam Thomas C H , Tham Clement C , Ng Danny S , Cheung Carol Y 
Published: October 2018

AimsTo evaluate the performance of ultrawide field scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (UWF-SLO) for assessing diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic macular oedema (DME) in a Chinese population, compared with clinical examination.MethodsThis is a retrospective cohort study. A series of 322 eyes from 164 patients with DM were included. Each patient underwent both dilated fundal examination with DR and DME grading by retina specialist and non-mydriatic 200° UWF-SLO (Daytona, Optos, Dunfermline, UK). The severity of DR and DME from UWF-SLO images was further graded by ophthalmologists, according to both international clinical DR and DME disease severity scales and the standard 7-field Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) scale. Any DR, DME and vision-threatening DR (VTDR) were treated as endpoints for this study.Results23 out of 322 images (7.14%), including all four cases with proliferative DR on clinical examinations, were determined as ungradable. When the international scale was used for grading UWF-SLO images, the sensitivity of any DR, DME and VTDR was 67.7%, 67.4% and 72.6%, respectively; the specificity of any DR, DME and VTDR was 97.8%, 97.3% and 97.8%, respectively. The agreement with clinical grading in picking up any DR, DME and VTDR was substantial, with κ-values of 0.634, 0.694 and 0.707, respectively. The performance of UWF-SLO was shown to be lower when ETDRS scale was used for grading the images.ConclusionThe performance of non-mydriatic UWF-SLO is comparable in identifying DR with that of clinical examination in a Chinese cohort. However, whether UWF-SLO can be considered as tool for screening DR is still undetermined.
Hepatic abnormalities identified by staging MRI and accuracy of MRI of patients with uveal melanoma
Authors: Francis Jasmine H , Catalanotti Federica , Landa Jonathan , Barker Christopher A , Shoushtari Alexander N , Abramson David H 
Published: October 2018

BackgroundMetastases to the liver are often the first finding in patients with uveal melanoma with extraocular disease, but little has been published on the utility of staging MRI at initial diagnosis. We aimed to evaluate the proportion of abnormal hepatic findings on baseline MRI and accuracy of MRI in patients with newly diagnosed uveal melanoma.MethodsThis is a single-centre, retrospective, institutional review board-approved study of 145 consecutive patients diagnosed with uveal melanoma, at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center between 2004 and 2016, who had staging MRI within 1 month of diagnosis. Scans were classified as normal or abnormal, and further distinguished as abnormal non-metastatic, uncharacterisable lesions and suspicious for metastasis. Where available, follow-up MRI (at ~1 year) or biopsies were reviewed.ResultsMRI in 145 patients revealed 62% (90) with abnormal hepatic findings; out of these 87% (78) had non-metastatic benign findings, 6.7% (6) had unclassifiable lesions and 6.7% (6) were suspicious for metastasis (6). Abnormal non-metastatic findings included 72 focal (36 solitary and 36 multiple) and 12 diffuse lesions. Lesions suspicious for metastases were found in 6 of 145 patients (4%), despite normal liver function tests. Of these, five had confirmed liver metastases and one patient had a stable, presumed non-metastatic lesion on follow-up. In this study, the sensitivity and specificity of staging MRI for all findings were 83.3% (95% CI 35.9 to 99.6) and 99.0% (95% CI 94.3 to 99.9), respectively.ConclusionStaging MRI of patients with newly diagnosed uveal melanoma accurately identified early metastases. Furthermore, imaging revealed hepatic abnormalities in the majority of patients, although as expected few of these represented metastatic disease.
Conjunctival myxoid stromal tumour: a distinctive clinicopathological and immunohistochemical study
Authors: Qin Xiao-Yi , Jin Zhe-Hao , Wang You-Pei , Zhang Zong-Duan 
Published: October 2018

Background/aimsTo describe the clinicopathological and immunohistochemical characteristics of 10 patients representing a new entity of benign conjunctival myxoid stromal tumours.MethodsRetrospective review of clinical findings, histopathological and immunohistochemical studies identified 10 cases of low-grade conjunctival myxoid stromal tumours. Specimens were routinely processed and stained with H&E. Immunohistochemical stains for CD34, CD68, vimentin, S100, smooth muscle actin (SMA), myosin, desmin, actin, Bcl-2 and Ki-67 were performed. Specific stains for Alcian-blue periodic acid-Schiff (AB-PAS) and aldehyde fuchsin stains were also performed.ResultsTen patients with an average age of 45.6±11.1 years had a tender white or faint yellow to red mass on the bulbar conjunctiva. All the lesions were completely removed, and none of the patients relapsed. Histologically, all neoplasms consisted of spindle-shaped cells that showed signs of pseudonuclear inclusions, multinuclear cells and had no atypia. The stroma consisted of a large amount of mucus and was infiltrated with delicate to ropey collagens, a few mast cells and new vessels. Immunohistochemical stains were positive for CD34, vimentin and Bcl-2; partial positive for CD68; very low for Ki-67; and negative for S100, SMA, myosin, desmin and actin. AB-PAS suggested that the stroma was mucinous.ConclusionsThese rare benign mesenchymal conjunctival tumours are mostly unilateral and occur in the bulbar conjunctiva. Complete resection is the radical treatment. These lesions are characterised by multiple spindle cells, a large amount of mucus, and sharing similar basic histopathological features with conjunctival myxoma and conjunctival stromal tumour. We suggest naming these lesions ‘conjunctival myxoid stromal tumours’.
Mirtazapine added to SSRIs or SNRIs for treatment resistant depression in primary care: phase III randomised placebo controlled trial (MIR)
Authors: Kessler David S , MacNeill Stephanie J , Tallon Deborah , Lewis Glyn , Peters Tim J , Hollingworth William , Round Jeff , Burns Alison , Chew-Graham Carolyn A , Anderson Ian M , Shepherd Tom , Campbell John , Dickens Chris M , Carter Mary , Jenkinson Caroline , Macleod Una , Gibson Helen , Davies Simon , Wiles Nicola J 
Published: October 2018

AbstractObjectiveTo investigate the effectiveness of combining mirtazapine with serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants for treatment resistant depression in primary care.DesignTwo parallel group multicentre phase III randomised placebo controlled trial.Setting106 general practices in four UK sites; Bristol, Exeter, Hull, and Keele/North Staffs, August 2013 to October 2015.Participants480 adults aged 18 or more years who scored 14 or more on the Beck depression inventory, second revision, fulfilled ICD-10 (international classification of diseases, 10th revision) criteria for depression, and had used an SSRI or SNRI for at least six weeks but were still depressed. 241 were randomised to mirtazapine and 239 to placebo, both given in addition to usual SSRI or SNRI treatment. Participants were stratified by centre and minimised by baseline Beck depression inventory score, sex, and current psychological therapy. They were followed up at 12, 24, and 52 weeks. 431 (89.8%) were included in the (primary) 12 week follow-up.Main outcome measuresDepressive symptoms at 12 weeks after randomisation, measured using the Beck depression inventory II score as a continuous variable. Secondary outcomes included measures of anxiety, quality of life, and adverse effects at 12, 24, and 52 weeks.ResultsBeck depression inventory II scores at 12 weeks were lower in the mirtazapine group after adjustment for baseline scores and minimisation or stratification variables, although the confidence interval included the null (mean (SD) scores at 12 weeks: 18.0 (12.3) in the mirtazapine group, 19.7 (12.4) in the placebo group; adjusted difference between means −1.83 (95% confidence interval −3.92 to 0.27); P=0.09). Adverse effects were more common in the mirtazapine group and were associated with the participants stopping the trial drug.ConclusionThis study did not find evidence of a clinically important benefit for mirtazapine in addition to an SSRI or SNRI over placebo in a treatment resistant group of primary care patients with depression. This remains an area of important unmet need where evidence of effective treatment options is limited.Trial registrationCurrent Controlled TrialsISRCTN06653773.