bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Two-Year Changes in Bone Density After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery
Authors: Yu Elaine W. , Bouxsein Mary L. , Putman Melissa S. , Monis Elizabeth L. , Roy Adam E. , Pratt Janey S. A. , Butsch W. Scott , Finkelstein Joel S. 
Published: February 2015

Context:
Bariatric surgery is increasingly popular but may lead to metabolic bone disease.

Objective:
The objective was to determine the rate of bone loss in the 24 months after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

Design and Setting:
This was a prospective cohort study conducted at an academic medical center.

Participants:
The participants were adults with severe obesity, including 30 adults undergoing gastric bypass and 20 nonsurgical controls.

Outcomes:
We measured bone mineral density (BMD) at the lumbar spine and proximal femur by quantitative computed tomography (QCT) and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry at 0, 12, and 24 months. BMD and bone microarchitecture were also assessed by high-resolution peripheral QCT, and estimated bone strength was calculated using microfinite element analysis.

Results:
Weight loss plateaued 6 months after gastric bypass but remained greater than controls at 24 months (−37 ± 3 vs −5 ± 3 kg [ mean ± SEM]; P &lt; .001). At 24 months, BMD was 5–7% lower at the spine and 6–10% lower at the hip in subjects who underwent gastric bypass compared with nonsurgical controls, as assessed by QCT and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (P &lt; .001 for all). Despite significant bone loss, average T-scores remained in the normal range 24 months after gastric bypass. Cortical and trabecular BMD and microarchitecture at the distal radius and tibia deteriorated in the gastric bypass group throughout the 24 months, such that estimated bone strength was 9% lower than controls. The decline in BMD persisted beyond the first year, with rates of bone loss exceeding controls throughout the second year at all skeletal sites. Mean serum calcium, 25(OH)-vitamin D, and PTH were maintained within the normal range in both groups.

Conclusions:
Substantial bone loss occurs throughout the 24 months after gastric bypass despite weight stability in the second year. Although the benefits of gastric bypass surgery are well established, the potential for adverse effects on skeletal integrity remains an important concern.
What Changes Are Needed to Enable the Safety Net to Become a Provider of Choice? And How Does It Get Done?
Authors: Kahn Howard A. 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
The safety net is the delivery system that provides health care to low-income and uninsured populations. Following the recent implementation of health care reform, hundreds of thousands of people in Los Angeles County gained or became eligible for health care coverage. The safety net now has the potential to remain a regular source of care for these newly covered patients who historically have been dependent on the safety net for their health care. Safety net providers may need to rethink current practices, operate more efficiently, document more consistently, and improve patient experience to keep and attract this newly insured population. Faced with an uncertain future, safety net clinics and hospitals will need to strategically plan for the coming years, with patient choice at the core of their decisions. Given the newly ensured Medicaid beneficiaries, the safety net will need to evolve and adapt to ensure its role in Los Angeles County.
Safety Net Integration: A Shared Strategy for Becoming Providers of Choice
Authors: Murphy Julia , Ko Michelle , Kizer Kenneth W. , Bindman Andrew B. 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
With the expansion of coverage as a result of federal health care reform, safety net providers are confronting a challenge to care for the underserved while also competing as a provider of choice for the newly insured. Safety net institutions may be able to achieve these goals by pursuing greater delivery system integration. We interviewed safety net hospital and community health center (CHCs) leaders in five US cities to determine what strategies these organizations are employing to promote care integration in the safety net. Although there is some experimentation with payment reform and health information exchange, safety net providers identify significant policy and structural barriers to integrating service delivery. The enhanced Medicaid payments for CHCs and the federal requirement that CHCs retain independent boards discourage these organizations from integrating with other safety net providers. Current policies are not mobilizing safety net providers to pursue integration as a way to deliver more efficient and effective care. Medicaid and other policies at the federal and state level could be revised to overcome known fragmentation in the health care safety net. This includes addressing the conflicts in financing and governance arrangements that are encouraging providers to resist integration to preserve their independence.
Acute effects of different stretching methods on static and dynamic balance in female football players
Authors: Amiri-Khorasani Mohammadtaghi , Gulick Dawn T 
Published: February 2015

Background: This study aimed to examine the effects of static, dynamic, combined (static and dynamic) and no stretching on the static and dynamic balance of female football players during warm-ups. Methods: Healthy female students (n=24; mean±SD age = 22.08±0.77 years; height = 159.75±5.37 cm; body mass = 59.76±5.48 kg) were randomised into four groups and undertook different pre-exercise warm-up protocols—i.e. static, dynamic, combined and no stretching—over four days. Static balance was assessed using the stork test and dynamic balance was tested using the star excursion balance test. All findings were normalised to the control group (no stretching) for better comparison. Results: Dynamic balance was improved after dynamic stretching compared with static stretching, and also after combined stretching compared with static stretching. Static balance was better after dynamic stretching compared with static stretching. Conclusions: Dynamic stretching resulted in improved static and dynamic balance performance. Therefore, warm-up tasks incorporating dynamic stretching may be beneficial for athletes.
Reliability of a digital weighing scale relative to the Nintendo Wii in measuring limb load asymmetry
Authors: Kumar Senthil NS , Joseph Leonard H , Omar Baharudin , Sulaiman Riza , Nor Hamdan MY , Htwe Ohnmar , Hamidun Nursalbiyah , Broadbent Suzanne 
Published: February 2015

Background/Aims:Limb load asymmetry (LLA) is common in clinical conditions related to the lower limbs such as degenerative joint disease, soft tissue injuries, joint replacements, amputations and stroke. However, the measurement of LLA is limited in clinical practice as the equipment used is expensive and not readily available in most health care settings. The digital weighing scale is proposed as an inexpensive alternative method of measuring LLA and the objective of this study was to investigate the reliability and accuracy of a digital weighing scale relative to the Nintendo Wii in measuring limb load asymmetry during static standing.Methods:Twenty-four participants (12 participants with knee osteoarthritis (OA) and 12 healthy participants) were recruited through convenient sampling from a public university teaching hospital. The participants were required to perform a quiet standing task during the measurement of LLA. The measurements were taken over three trials during both eyes-open (EO) and eyes-closed (EC) resting conditions. LLA was measured in kilograms and computed with a symmetry index. Intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) (3, 1) analysis, standard error of measurement and coefficient of variation were performed to assess reliability. The Bland-Altman plot was used to test the degree of agreement between digital weighing scales and the Nintendo Wii.Results:The digital weighing scale showed an excellent reliability of 0.983 and 0.988 in EC and EO conditions, respectively. The Bland-Altman plot showed good agreement between digital weighing scales and the Nintendo Wii in measuring LLA.Conclusions:The digital weighing scale is a reliable tool to measure LLA and has excellent potential to be used in clinical settings.
Blue Prescription: A single-subject design intervention to enable physical activity for people with stroke
Authors: Walter Tayler , Hale Leigh , Smith Cath 
Published: February 2015

Background/Aims: Adherence to long-term physical activity is low in stroke survivors despite evidence supporting the benefits of regular physical activity on health and wellbeing. The aims of this single-subject design study were to: i) determine whether Blue Prescription, a physiotherapy approach to increase physical activity, enabled adults with chronic stroke living in the community to engage in a physical activity of their choice for three months; ii) explore the benefits of the Blue Prescription intervention on self-reported quality of life, physical function and self-efficacy. Methods: A multiple-participant, two-phase (baseline followed by treatment) single-subject design study was repeated with adults (n=5) with chronic stroke. The time of baseline testing, follow-up outcome measurement and Blue Prescription visits were randomly assigned to each participant. Due to randomisation, the baseline phase spanned four to six weeks. The intervention phase had a duration of three months. Engagement in physical activity was recorded in a physical activity diary. Secondary outcome measures used included the European Quality of Life Scale, Stroke Impact Scale and Stroke Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, which were completed at 15 random intervals over four and a half months. Results: All five participants maintained engagement in their chosen activity for three months. Participant 2 mostly showed significant improvements in the secondary outcome measures (p<0.05), while participant 4 showed a significant decline in the European Quality of Life Scale (p<0.05). No other significant results were found, although observable trends in secondary outcome measure scores were present. Conclusions: Blue Prescription appears feasible for engaging chronic stroke survivors in physical activity, although its effects on quality of life, physical function and self-efficacy are variable.
A novel in vitro wound biofilm model used to evaluate low-frequency ultrasonic-assisted wound debridement
Authors: Crone S. , Garde C. , Bjarnsholt T. , Alhede M. 
Published: February 2015

Objective: Bacterial biofilms remain difficult to treat. The biofilm mode of growth enables bacteria to survive antibiotic treatment and the inflammatory reaction. Low-frequency ultrasound has recently been shown to improve healing in a variety of settings. It is hypothesised that ultrasound disrupts the biofilm leaving bacteria more vulnerable to antiseptic or antibiotic treatment. The objective of this study is to develop a realistic model to elucidate the effect of ultrasound on biofilms. Method: A novel in vitro wound biofilm model was developed. Biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus were casted in a semi-solid agar gel composed of either tryptic soy broth (TSB) or a wound simulating media (WSM; composed of Bolton broth with blood and plasma), to resemble the non-surface attached aggregates. The model was used to evaluate the antibiofilm effect of an ultrasonic-assisted wound debridement device (UAW) in the presence of saline irrigation and treatment with a polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB)-containing antiseptic. Confocal microscopy was used to evaluate the effect of treatments on biofilm disruption and cell viability counting measured the antibacterial effects. Results: Confocal microscopy showed that application of 10 seconds of moderate-intensity UAW could effectively disrupt semi-solid biofilms grown on both media settings. This treatment only had a small effect on the cell viability. A 24-hour treatment with PHMB was able to reduce the number of bacteria but not eradicate the biofilm in both media settings. Interestingly, the efficacy of the PHMB antiseptic was significantly higher when applied on biofilms grown in the more complex WSM media. However, we found a significant improvement in reducing the number of viable bacteria grown on both media when applying UAW before administration of the PHMB solution. Applying UAW in the presence of PHMB further improved the efficacy. Conclusion: Using a realistic in vitro biofilm wound model, we show combining UAW with a PHMB-containing antiseptic has potential as an antibiofilm strategy in wound care. Declaration of interest: The manufacturer of the ultrasonic-assisted wound debridement device, Söring GmbH, Germany, has supported the ultrasound studies. The funding company had no role in the design, data collection, analysis, review, or approval of the manuscript.
Single-use negative pressure wound therapy for the treatment of chronic lower leg wounds
Authors: Schwartz J.A. , Goss S.G. , Facchin F. , Gendics C. , Lantis J.C. 
Published: February 2015

Objective: Lower extremity ulcers are caused by multiple disease processes and contribute to a high level of patient morbidity and health-care spending in the US. Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has been used extensively for wound bed preparation. Our aim is to assess the efficacy of an affordable, low-profile single-use NPWT (single-use NPWT) on chronic lower extremity wounds that would usually be deemed too small or superficial for traditional NPWT. Method: A prospective pilot study was undertaken in which chronic lower extremity wounds were treated with single-use NPWT. Study visits were biweekly for primary contact dressing change, with the negative pressure unit being changed weekly. Biweekly assessments were made of wound appearance, surface area, depth, exudate amount, peri-wound skin integrity, and signs of clinical infection. Digital photography was performed at each visit. Patients with venous leg ulcers (VLUs) were treated with a 3-layer wrap. Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) were treated with off-loading shoes. Results: The study recruited 12 patients. There were 13 wounds in total; two DFUs, two traumatic/postoperative/pressure ulcers, and nine VLUs. DFUs decreased in size on average 62%, VLUs by 32%, and traumatic/postoperative/pressure wounds by 74%. The wound appearance became more favourable and the wound depth decreased with the use of single-use NPWT. Conclusion: Single-use NPWT is a suitable therapy for chronic lower extremity wounds. Single-use NPWT led to a decrease in wound size and depth, an increased amount of granulation tissue, and a high level of patient satisfaction, with a low complication rate. Declaration of interest: This study was funded by Smith & Nephew, Hull, UK. JC Lantis is a paid consultant for KCI, Smith & Nephew, Healthpoint and Macrocure. C Gendics is a paid consultant for Macrocure and ManukaMed.
Lowlife: Men’s style and clothing in the Atlanta Punk scene
Authors: Speetjens Maile , F. José Blanco 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
From the late 1970s through the late 1980s, Atlanta, Georgia, played host to a thriving Punk scene that developed its own varied and unique way of navigating within both dominant hegemonic southern culture and the established Punk subcultural style. In terms of dress, the Atlanta scene featured elements of global Punk style such as spiked and studded leather jackets and brightly coloured Mohawks alongside regional-style variations. This article aims to shed light on the way the Atlanta Punk scene worked off a balance between the influence of global Punk fashion and locally initiated style trends that responded to the specific characteristics of youth cultures and society in the south of the United States. The beginning of the Atlanta Punk scene may be tied to the US debut of the Sex Pistols, who played the Great Southeast Music Hall on 5 January 1978. At the time of the concert Atlanta Punk rock fans did not yet constitute a particular subculture. After the seminal Sex Pistols concert, however, a Punk scene quickly developed in the neighbourhood of Little Five Points where two major Punk clubs, Metroplex and 688, were located. Newspaper and magazine articles of the period described the clothing choices of performers and fans emphasizing how Atlanta punks differentiated themselves from the conservative southern concert. Punk acts and fans adopted a variety of trends including the do-it-yourself (DIY) culture and a revival of rockabilly fashion, best demonstrated by the home-grown band The Restraints. Perhaps just as telling were specific elements that were absent from the scene such as skinhead motifs and any indication of gender interplay or androgynous clothing. An exception was singer Phreddy Vomit, who often wore feminine make-up and fur. This article narrates the early development and basic characteristics of the Atlanta Punk scene describing some of the venues and the clothing pieces present and absent from some of the local Punk acts and their fans.
Fashioning the fab four: The visual identities of the Beatles
Authors: Wilkins Charlotte , Inglis Ian 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
Many historical analyses of the cultural impact of the Beatles have noted, but failed to explore, the overall significance of the group’s visual imagery. In a decade when fashion and music became recognized as two of the principal elements in British popular culture and quickly developed into profitable global businesses, the group’s stylistic choices and modes of display became crucial components of its continuing story. Inspired by influences drawn from the United States, Liverpool, Hamburg, London and India, the Beatles presented a succession of visual identities that charted their transition from a local, semi-professional group of musicians to international arbiters of taste and style. Their manipulation of new and existing styles also paralleled the Beatles’ departure from a career built around a collective sensibility to one characterized by the rejection of uniformity and the demonstration of an unexpected independence.
Book Reviews
Authors: Bernstein Sara T. , Cole Shaun , Garcia Nancy , Kinley Tammy 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
Vampire Culture, Maria Mellins (2013) London, New Delhi, New York, Sydney: Bloomsbury, 149 pp. ISBN: 9780857850751, p/bk, $29.95
Punk Style by Sklar, Monica Sklar (2013) London and New York: Bloomsbury Academic, 173 pp. ISBN: 9781847884220, p/bk, £17.99
Are you Queer? Or are you just dressed well?
Queer Style, Adam Geczy and Vicki Karaminas (2013) United Kingdom: Bloomsbury Academic, 208 pp. ISBN-13: 9781847881960, p/bk, $29.95
Slogan T-Shirts: Cult and Culture, Stephanie Talbot (2013) London: Bloomsbury, 176 pp. ISBN: 9781408157541, p/bk, $34.95
Entre imagens de prazer e de amizade: Afrodite na elegia grega arcaica
Authors: Ragusa Giuliana 
Published: February 2015

Este artigo concentra-se na representação de Afrodite na poesia elegíaca grega arcaica. O corpus aqui traduzido e estudado é, lamentavelmente, pequeno, uma vez que a presença da deusa se atesta seguramente apenas em quatro poemas e três poetas – mais precisamente, em quatro fragmentos elegíacos: Mimnermo, Fr. 1 W; Sólon, Frs. 19 e 26 W; Anacreonte, Fr. 2 W2. Conforme pretendem mostrar estas páginas, a imagem de Afrodite nesse corpus não é uma e sempre a mesma, mas de múltiplas faces, integrando contextos elaborados pelas ideias de amizade (φιλία) e prazer (ἡδονή), combinadas, como é o caso dos fragmentos simposiásticos de Sólon (26 W) e Anacreonte, ou não – a ideia de prazer prevalecendo no fragmento gnômico de Mimnermo, e a de amizade na elegia de despedida de Sólon (19 W).
Models for Prediction of 28-Day Concrete Compressive Strength
Authors: Rafi Muhammad Masood , Nasir Muhammad Murtaza 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
The design codes usually specify 28-day concrete compressive strength as design strength for reinforced concrete (RC) structures. Concrete specimens are cast and tested at 28 days to ensure compliance of concrete strength with the design requirements. Prediction of concrete strength can help in reducing waiting time and can result in speeding up construction activities. This paper presents prediction models for concrete compressive strength up to 28 days. The data of experimentally tested concrete cylinders were employed in the development of these models. The effects of cement chemical composition and fineness were included by defining two parameters in the models. The predictions are based on 7-day concrete strength. The proposed models provided good correlation with the observed concrete strength data. The models were also validated using the strength results of concrete mixes in the available literature. Generalized forms of the models have been suggested for cement brands available in Pakistan.
Effects of GH replacement therapy on thyroid volume and nodule development in GH deficient adults: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Curtò Lorenzo , Giovinazzo Salvatore , Alibrandi Angela , Campennì Alfredo , Trimarchi Francesco , Cannavò Salvatore , Ruggeri Rosaria Maddalena 
Published: February 2015

ObjectiveDespite the well-known effects of GH/IGF1 signaling on the thyroid, few data are available on the risk of developing nodular goiter in hypopituitary subjects during GH replacement therapy (GHRT). We aimed to define the effects of GH therapy on thyroid volume (TV) and nodular growth.DesignThe records of 96 subjects (47 males and 49 females, median age 48 years) with GH deficit (GHD) were investigated. Seventy also had central hypothyroidism (CH). At the time of our retrospective evaluation, median treatment duration was 5 years.ResultsPre-treatment TV was smaller in GHD patients than in healthy subjects (P=0.030). During GH treatment, TV significantly increased (P=0.016 for the entire group and P=0.014 in euthyroid GHD patients). Before starting GH therapy, 17 patients harbored thyroid nodules. During GH therapy, nodule size increased slightly in seven patients, and new thyroid nodules occurred in nine patients. Among the 79 patients without pre-existing thyroid nodules, 17 developed one or more nodules. There was no difference in the prevalence of CH in GHD patients with or without thyroid nodules (P=0.915; P=0.841, when patients with pre-therapy nodular goiter were excluded), the main predictor for nodule development being serum IGF1 (P=0.038).ConclusionsGHRT is associated with TV's increase in GHD patients. Thyroid nodules developed in 27% of patients, mainly in relation to pre-therapy IGF1 levels, independently of normal or impaired TSH stimulation.