bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Occupational Stress among Japanese Emergency Medical Technicians: Hyogo Prefecture
Authors: Okada Naoki , Ishii Noboru , Nakata Minori , Nakayama Shinichi 
Published: April 2013

AbstractIntroduction:As prehospital care became emphasized in emergency medical services in Japan, qualification as a “paramedic” was established in 1991 as a requirement for national qualification as a emergency medical technician (EMT).With recent increases in emergency transportation, the responsibilities of paramedics have become more complex and demand a higher level of competency; however, no method of evaluating occupational stress among Japanese EMTs currently exists.Methods:A questionnaire survey of the working conditions and health of 2,017 EMTs in Hyogo Prefecture was conducted. To analyze stress levels among these EMTs, the survey was divided into two categories: (1) physical stress; and (2) mental stress.Results:The number of responses was 1,551 (76.9%) and the average age of the respondents was 35.4 years. The lower back, neck, and shoulders were most frequently subjected to physical stress, which was related to the daily operations as an EMT. Mental stress was reported more frequently by those who were older or qualified paramedics.Discussion:The high frequency of lower back pain suggests the need for improvement in the work environment and periodic education.Conclusions:Although job satisfaction among paramedics was high, they were exposed to greater mental stress. Therefore, systematic management of stress must be developed and established.
Vertical Evacuation Simulation of Critically Ill Patients in a Hospital
Authors: Gildea Jon R. , Etengoff Stuart 
Published: April 2013

AbstractIntroduction:The world's new social environment dictates the need for preparedness should a disaster occur. One caveat in the realm of disaster preparedness is the vertical evacuation of hospital patients. Little data regarding the evacuation of patients are available, and the consequences of not being prepared could be devastating. Therefore, if the vertical evacuation of critically ill patients was thrust upon a community hospital, the response of emergency services and ancillary staff is largely unknown.Methods:The vertical evacuation of 12 simulated critically ill patients from the fourth floor of a newly constructed and vacant critical care unit was undertaken by local fire fighters, on-staff nursing, residents, and ancillary staff, all under the direction of the hospital Emergency Management Committee. Four randomly selected groups of firefighters, two teams consisting of three personnel and two teams of four personnel, were timed and had vital signs assessed prior to ascending to the fourth floor to retrieve a patient and upon each subsequent decent. Each team, dressed in full turnout gear, retrieved three patients. Each simulated patient was fashioned with mock endotracheal tube, intravenous lines, monitor, and a Pleurovac® was attached in three of the four patients. Vital signs were analyzed for significant changes or patterns due to exertion and or stress during the drill. Evaluations were distributed to all participants upon completion of the drill.Results:Mean values for the vital signs of the members of each team showed minimal increases from baseline to completion with the exception of heart rate. A decrease in systolic blood pressure was present in both of the four member teams. Subjective evaluation by the firefighters, indicated a “minimal” increase in exertion. Mean extraction time was 14.7 minutes. Patient transfer and evacuation was completed without complication to the patients or staff. Only one firefighter requested a replacement. Completed evaluations indicated above average or outstanding performance on organization, commitment, security, and care. Comments included statements regarding equipment management during transport, better communication, stairwell width, difficulty with ventilating intubated patients, improvement of evacuation time, and organization as drill progressed; three member teams, spatially, worked better than four.Conclusion:This drill reflected an impressive level of preparedness by firefighters, nurses, and ancillary staff both physically and organizationally. Should a vertical evacuation of critically ill patients be necessary, a four firefighter extraction team and accompanying nurse and respiratory therapist would be able to evacuate one patient at a rate of 3.75 minutes per floor.
Anxiety Level and Responses to Stress caused by Air Raids Among Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease
Authors: Vukovic Dejana S. , Krotin Mirjana E. , Babic Momcilo M. , Zivanovic Branislav M. 
Published: April 2013

AbstractBackground: This study was undertaken to examine the short-term responses of patients with ischemic heart disease to life-threatening events such as war.Methods:This retrospective study included 75 persons with ischemic heart disease who were admitted to the Cardiac policlinic for a control check-up immediately after the suspension of air raids. Two-thirds of them were male (average age 62 ±10). Data were obtained using a specially conceived questionnaire based on recall.Results:Almost 40% of patients estimated that they were very anxious the week before the attacks began, but the anxiety decreased after the beginning of the air raids. Frequency of anginal pains increased after the start of the air raids, but the difference was not statisticaly significant. The intensity of pains drastically increased in the first week of war. Consequently, the average number of pain killers consumed increased from the week before the attacks to the first week of the attacks, and it reached the highest value the week after the suspension of the attacks (1.39, 1.87, and 3.02 pain pills per week, respectively). The average weekly number of medications was 3.50 in the week prior to the air raids, increased to 5.05 during the first week of air raids, and rose to 6.06 in the week after the suspension.Conclusion:The adjustment on the psychological level was rapid but physical symptoms increased. This implies that physical adaptation to stress could be slower, or that the stress of the war provoked permanent changes in physical status.
Goal Management Training of Executive Functions in Patients with Spina Bifida: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Stubberud Jan , Langenbahn Donna , Levine Brian , Stanghelle Johan , Schanke Anne-Kristine 
Published: April 2013

AbstractExecutive dysfunction causes significant real-life disability for patients with spina bifida (SB). However, no previous research has been directed toward the amelioration of executive functioning deficits amongst persons with SB. Goal Management Training (GMT) is a compensatory cognitive rehabilitation approach, addressing underlying deficits in sustained attention to improve executive function. GMT has received empirical support in studies of other patient groups. The purpose of the present study was to determine the efficacy of GMT in treating subjects with SB, using inpatient intervention periods. We hypothesized post-intervention changes in scores on neuropsychological measures to reflect improved attentional control, including sustained attention and inhibitory control. Thirty-eight adult subjects with SB were included in this randomized controlled trial. Inclusion was based upon the presence of executive functioning complaints. Experimental subjects (n = 24) received 21 hr of GMT, with efficacy of GMT being compared to results of subjects in a wait-list condition (n = 14). All subjects were assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and at 6-month follow-up. Findings indicated superior effects of GMT on domain-specific neuropsychological measures and on a functional “real-life” measure, all lasting at least 6 months post-treatment. These results show that deficits in executive functioning can be ameliorated in patients with congenital brain dysfunction. (JINS, 2013, 19, 1–14)
Factors influencing take-up of free school meals in primary- and secondary-school children in England
Authors: Sahota Pinki , Woodward Jenny , Molinari Rosemary , Pike Jo 
Published: April 2013

AbstractObjectiveThe present study sought to explore the factors that influence registration for free school meals and the subsequent take-up following registration in England.DesignThe research design consisted of two phases, a qualitative research phase followed by an intervention phase. Findings are presented from the qualitative research phase, which comprised interviews with head teachers, school administrators, parents and focus groups with pupils.SettingThe study took place in four primary schools and four secondary schools in Leeds, UK.SubjectsParticipants included head teachers, school administrators, parents and pupils.ResultsFindings suggested that parents felt the registration process to be relatively straightforward although many secondary schools were not proactive in promoting free school meals. Quality and choice of food were regarded by both pupils and parents as significant in determining school meal choices, with stigma being less of an issue than originally anticipated.ConclusionsSchools should develop proactive approaches to promoting free school meals and attention should be given not only to the quality and availability of food, but also to the social, cultural and environmental aspects of dining. Processes to maintain pupils’ anonymity should be considered to allay parents’ fear of stigma.
ON HUPPERT’S CONJECTURE FOR THE CONWAY AND FISCHER FAMILIES OF SPORADIC SIMPLE GROUPS
Authors: ALAVI S. H. , DANESHKHAH A. , TONG-VIET H. P. , WAKEFIELD T. P. 
Published: April 2013

AbstractLet $G$ denote a finite group and $\mathrm{cd} (G)$ the set of irreducible character degrees of $G$. Huppert conjectured that if $H$ is a finite nonabelian simple group such that $\mathrm{cd} (G)= \mathrm{cd} (H)$, then $G\cong H\times A$, where $A$ is an abelian group. He verified the conjecture for many of the sporadic simple groups and we complete its verification for the remainder.
The Prevalence of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Adult Earthquake Survivors in Peru
Authors: Cairo Javier B. , Dutta Suparna , Nawaz Haq , Hashmi Shahrukh , Kasl Stanislav , Bellido Edgar 
Published: April 2013

ABSTRACTObjectives: To estimate the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and to assess the relationships between PTSD and demographic and disaster-related factors.Methods: Five months after a magnitude 8.0 earthquake struck the city of Pisco, Peru, we conducted a cross-sectional study using demographic questions, the PTSD Checklist, and a translated version of the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire. We used stratified sampling to randomly enroll subjects in Pisco and its annexes. We then used bivariate and multivariate analyses to find correlations between PTSD and demographic and disaster-related factors.Results: We interviewed 298 adult earthquake survivors and detected 75 cases of PTSD (prevalence 25.2%; 95% confidence interval, 20.2%-30.1%). In the bivariate analysis, PTSD was significantly associated with female sex, loss of church, food and water shortages immediately after the earthquake, joblessness, injuries, loss of a relative or friend, lack of clean drinking water or appropriate sleeping conditions 5 months after the earthquake, and low levels of perceived support from family and friends. In the multivariate analysis, only female sex, food and water shortages, loss of church, injuries, and low levels of perceived support from family and friends were independently associated with PTSD.Conclusions: PTSD affected about a quarter of Pisco's population. Its impact was moderate to severe when compared with other disasters worldwide and in Latin America.(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2010;4:39-46)
A meta-analysis of changes in bacterial and archaeal communities with time
Authors: Shade Ashley , Gregory Caporaso J , Handelsman Jo , Knight Rob , Fierer Noah 
Published: April 2013

Abstract
Ecologists have long studied the temporal dynamics of plant and animal communities with much less attention paid to the temporal dynamics exhibited by microbial communities. As a result, we do not know if overarching temporal trends exist for microbial communities or if changes in microbial communities are generally predictable with time. Using microbial time series assessed via high-throughput sequencing, we conducted a meta-analysis of temporal dynamics in microbial communities, including 76 sites representing air, aquatic, soil, brewery wastewater treatment, human- and plant-associated microbial biomes. We found that temporal variability in both within- and between-community diversity was consistent among microbial communities from similar environments. Community structure changed systematically with time in less than half of the cases, and the highest rates of change were observed within ranges of 1 day to 1 month for all communities examined. Microbial communities exhibited species–time relationships (STRs), which describe the accumulation of new taxa to a community, similar to those observed previously for plant and animal communities, suggesting that STRs are remarkably consistent across a broad range of taxa. These results highlight that a continued integration of microbial ecology into the broader field of ecology will provide new insight into the temporal patterns of microbial and ‘macro’-bial communities alike.
Combining high-throughput sequencing with fruit body surveys reveals contrasting life-history strategies in fungi
Authors: Ovaskainen Otso , Schigel Dmitry , Ali-Kovero Heini , Auvinen Petri , Paulin Lars , Nordén Björn , Nordén Jenni 
Published: April 2013

Abstract
Before the recent revolution in molecular biology, field studies on fungal communities were mostly confined to fruit bodies, whereas mycelial interactions were studied in the laboratory. Here we combine high-throughput sequencing with a fruit body inventory to study simultaneously mycelial and fruit body occurrences in a community of fungi inhabiting dead wood of Norway spruce. We studied mycelial occurrence by extracting DNA from wood samples followed by 454-sequencing of the ITS1 and ITS2 regions and an automated procedure for species identification. In total, we detected 198 species as mycelia and 137 species as fruit bodies. The correlation between mycelial and fruit body occurrences was high for the majority of the species, suggesting that high-throughput sequencing can successfully characterize the dominating fungal communities, despite possible biases related to sampling, PCR, sequencing and molecular identification. We used the fruit body and molecular data to test hypothesized links between life history and population dynamic parameters. We show that the species that have on average a high mycelial abundance also have a high fruiting rate and produce large fruit bodies, leading to a positive feedback loop in their population dynamics. Earlier studies have shown that species with specialized resource requirements are rarely seen fruiting, for which reason they are often classified as red-listed. We show with the help of high-throughput sequencing that some of these species are more abundant as mycelium in wood than what could be expected from their occurrence as fruit bodies.
Association between Addiction Treatment Staff Professional and Educational Levels and Perceptions of Organizational Climate and Resources
Authors: Krull Ivy , Lundgren Lena , Beltrame Clelia 
Published: April 2013

Background Research studies have identified addiction treatment staff who have higher levels of education as having more positive attitudes about evidence-based treatment practices, science-based training, and the usefulness of evidence-based practices. This study examined associations between addiction treatment staff level of education and their perceptions of 3 measures of organizational change: organizational stress, training resources and staffing resources in their treatment unit. Methods The sample included 588 clinical staff from community-based substance abuse treatment organizations who received Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) funding (2003–2008) to implement evidence-based practices (EBPs). Bivariate analysis and regression modeling methods examined the relationship between staff education level (no high school education, high school education, some college, associate's degree, bachelor's degree, master's degree, doctoral degree, and other type of degree such as medical assistant, registered nurse [RN], or postdoctoral) and attitudes about organizational climate (stress), training resources, and staffing resources while controlling for staff and treatment unit characteristics. Results Multivariable models identified staff with lower levels of education as having significantly more positive attitudes about their unit's organizational capacity. These results contradict findings that addiction treatment staff with higher levels of education work in units with greater levels of organizational readiness for change. Conclusion It cannot be inferred that higher levels of education among treatment staff is necessarily associated with high levels of organizational readiness for change.
The effect of different durations of carbohydrate mouth rinse on cycling performance
Authors: Sinclair Jonathan , Bottoms Lindsay , Flynn Ciaran , Bradley Eoin , Alexander Gareth , McCullagh Sean , Finn Thomas , Hurst Howard Thomas 
Published: April 2013

AbstractCarbohydrate (CHO) mouth rinse has been shown to improve time trial performance. Although the exact mechanism remains un‐established, research postulates that there are oral cavity receptors which increase neural drive. Increasing the duration of the mouth rinse could potentially increase stimulation of these receptors. The aim of the current investigation was to determine whether the duration of mouth rinse with 6.4% CHO affected 30‐min self‐selected cycling performance. Eleven male participants (age =24.1±3.9 years) performed three 30‐min self‐paced trials. On one occasion water was given as a mouth rinse for 5 s without being ingested placebo (PLA), on the other two occasions a 6.4% CHO solution was given for 5 and 10 s. Distance cycled, heart rate, ratings of perceived exertion, cadence, speed and power were recorded throughout all trials. The main findings were that distance cycled during the 10‐s mouth rinse trial (20.4±2.3 km) was significantly greater compared to the PLA trial (19.2±2.2 km; P<0.01). There was no difference between the 5‐ and 10‐s trials (P=0.15). However, 10 out of 11 participants cycled further during the 5‐s trial compared to PLA, and eight cycled further during the 10‐s trial compared to the 5 s. In conclusion, although there was an improvement in distance cycled with the 5‐s mouth rinse compared to the PLA it was only significant with 10 s suggesting a dose response to the duration of mouth rinse.
Rules with Discretion and Local Information*
Authors: Bowen T. Renee , Kreps David M. , Skrzypacz Andrzej 
Published: April 2013

Abstract
To ensure that individual actors take certain actions, community enforcement may be required. This can present a rules-versus-discretion dilemma: it can become impossible to employ discretion based on information that is not widely held, because the wider community is unable to verify how the information was used. Instead, actions may need to conform to simple and widely verifiable rules. We study when discretion in the form of exceptions to a simple rule can be implemented, if the information is shared by the action taker and a second party, who is able to verify for the larger group that an exception is warranted. In particular, we compare protocols where the second party excuses the action taker from taking the action ex ante with protocols where the second party instead forgives a rule-breaking actor ex post.
Preferential Delivery of Zinc to Developing Tissues in Rice Is Mediated by P-Type Heavy Metal ATPase OsHMA2
Authors: Yamaji Naoki , Xia Jixing , Mitani-Ueno Namiki , Yokosho Kengo , Feng Ma Jian 
Published: April 2013

Abstract
Developing tissues such as meristems and reproductive organs require high zinc, but the molecular mechanisms of how zinc taken up by the roots is preferentially delivered to these tissues with low transpiration are unknown. Here, we report that rice (Oryza sativa) heavy metal ATPase2 (OsHMA2), a member of P-type ATPases, is involved in preferential delivery of zinc to the developing tissues in rice. OsHMA2 was mainly expressed in the mature zone of the roots at the vegetative stage, but higher expression was also found in the nodes at the reproductive stage. The expression was unaffected by either zinc deficiency or zinc excess. OsHMA2 was localized at the pericycle of the roots and at the phloem of enlarged and diffuse vascular bundles in the nodes. Heterologous expression of OsHMA2 in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) showed influx transport activity for zinc as well as cadmium. Two independent Tos17 insertion lines showed decreased zinc concentration in the crown root tips, decreased concentration of zinc and cadmium in the upper nodes and reproductive organs compared with wild-type rice. Furthermore, a short-term labeling experiment with 67Zn showed that the distribution of zinc to the panicle and uppermost node I was decreased, but that, to the lower nodes, was increased in the two mutants. Taken together, OsHMA2 in the nodes plays an important role in preferential distribution of zinc as well as cadmium through the phloem to the developing tissues.
Corporate governance and different types of voluntary disclosure
Authors: Ho Poh‐Ling , Taylor Grantley 
Published: April 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of corporate governance on voluntary disclosure of different types of information in annual reports of Malaysian listed firms.Design/methodology/approachA linear regression model is used to test the association between the level of voluntary disclosure of five key information categories and corporate governance. The sample consists of 100 firms over three different socio‐economic periods: 1996, 2001 and 2006.FindingsThere are significant increases in all the key information categories with better communication most pronounced between 1996 and 2001, and a noticeably lower level of communication growth between 2001 and 2006. The strength of a firm's corporate governance structure clearly influences the voluntary disclosure of information relating to corporate and strategic directions, directors and senior management, financial and capital markets, forward‐looking projections and corporate social responsibility in 2001 and 2006.Research limitations/implicationsThe use of a governance index to arrive at an overall corporate governance score has the potential to mask major underlying relationships of individual governance attributes. The use of the self‐constructed disclosure indices may also omit certain information items that are employed in other prior studies. Moreover, the different categories of disclosures are solely constructed on the information disclosed in the annual reports without considering the alternative avenues.Practical implicationsThe results will assist regulators and policy‐makers to better understand the impact of corporate governance on the voluntary disclosure of different types of corporate information in Malaysia.Originality/valueThis study generates evidence of the changing scene of management voluntary disclosure practices embedded in the corporate governance framework in a developing country with an emerging capital market.