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Background: Regular physical activity (PA) decreases the risk of comorbidities associated with a sedentary lifestyle in individuals with intellectual disabilities (IDs). They also may experience additional barriers that may prevent PA, including access, proper instruction and support. At‐home PA programming is a feasible alternative to long‐term adherence. This study aimed to determine (1) how an at‐home DVD programme affects PA adherence and (2) the extent to which caregiver support influences PA. Methods: Thirty‐one adolescent or adult‐aged participants with mild or moderate ID were randomised into a DVD or control group exercise intervention. Participants were given autonomy to choose what type of PA modality from the intervention they would like to participate in. Caregiver support during the PA was also measured. Results: The two‐way repeated‐measures MANOVA demonstrated that the intervention DVD group was statistically significant, with a large effect size in PA minutes (P = 0.014, ηP2 = 0.236) and rate of perceived exertion (P = 0.002, ηP2 = 0.342) compared with the control group. Conclusions: The findings demonstrated that using an adapted DVD increased PA minutes and the rate of perceived exertion without high levels of caregiver support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Identification of significant coronary artery disease (CAD)in NSTEMI/UA/CSA patients without invasive methodsremains a clinical challenge. Severe CAD is known to cause LV dysfunction. However, the LV ejection fraction is usually normal at a relatively early stage. Therefore, establishing a more sensitive index for the detection of early-stage LV dysfunction is of utmost importance. Methods: This was a cross sectional observational study conducted on 136 patients with NSTEMI/UA/CSAto evaluate the value of global longitudinal strain (GLS) at rest to predict the presence of significant CAD and to determine the severity of CAD. The patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) to measure 2DSTE to measure GLS. Results: Overall, Left Anterior Descending artery(43.38%) was the commonest vessel involved. Study revealed that mean GLS value was significantly lower in significant CAD (>70% stenosis)i.e. -15.95+ 2.78 than those with non-significant CAD (<70% stenosis) i.e. -20 + 1.73 with p < 0.001. The sensitivity and specificity for SVD, DVD and TVD were67.53% andTVD were67.53% and 89.83%, 88.90% and 82.60%, 85.30% and 70.40% respectively. Conclusion:Global longitudinal strain (GLS) assessed by 2D speckle tracking echocardiography at rest has good sensitivity and specificity to predict the presence, extent and severity of CAD in patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: We have been studying different combinations of medications to treat relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. Among these combinations, one includes daratumumab with pomalidomide and dexamethasone (DPd), and another includes daratumumab with bortezomib and dexamethasone (DVd). So far, there have not been any direct comparisons performed through a clinical trial. In our analysis, we found that the DPd group had more patients with high-risk disease characteristics. Interestingly, the DPd group showed a better response to treatment. However, when we looked at the time until the disease progressed and overall survival, we found that these were similar between the two groups. It is important to note that we should be cautious in drawing conclusions from these findings because there were differences in the characteristics of the patients and lengths and durations of treatment, and the number of patients in both treatment groups was relatively small. Our study highlights the importance of considering factors like the type of patients, the side effects of the medications, and the characteristics of the disease when deciding which treatments to use. It is crucial to personalize the treatment approach for each individual based on these factors. Daratumumab-based combinations with pomalidomide/dexamethasone (DPd), or bortezomib/dexamethasone (DVd), have shown activity in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) patients. However, no direct comparisons of safety or efficacy of the two regimens have been published to date. We conducted a retrospective study to compare the safety and efficacy of DPd and DVd in daratumumab-naïve RRMM patients. We included 140 daratumumab-naïve patients who had received DPd or DVd for RRMM. Overall, the DPd group had a greater number of patients who had high-risk disease characteristics. Although response was deeper in the DPd group, the median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were similar between the two groups. The DPd group exhibited a higher incidence of hematologic toxicities, whereas the DVd group had a higher incidence of peripheral neuropathy. The study results showed that while DPd may provide a deeper response, there was no significant difference in PFS or OS compared to DVd. For the high proportion of difficult-to-treat patients, duration of treatment may have contributed to these results, indicating that patient and disease characteristics should be considered when selecting salvage treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Home-based video exercise programmes might be a suitable alternative to traditional physical activity in older adults to preserve muscle health. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to examine the effects of home-based video exercise programmes on physical fitness in older adults. Methods: A systematic review and robust variance estimation meta-analysis with meta-regression were carried out according to the recommendations and criteria outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Results: Thirteen studies involving 1,056 participants were included. Meta-analysis showed statistically significant positive changes in balance (p = 0.023), upper extremity strength (p = 0.049, and strength overall (p = 0.042), there was also statistically significant positive effect based on all the 28 outcomes in eight studies, including 696 participants (p = 0.008). Conclusion: The present systematic review and meta-analysis indicate that home-based video exercise programmes positively affect essential components of physical fitness, such as balance and strength, to prevent falls in older adults. Promoting home-based video exercise in clinical practice and ideally supporting it through supervision is vital to effectively combat the age-related physical decline, especially for those in home isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multilingualism and multiculturalism are verbally and visually recurrent in the sitcom Family Guy (1999-in production) through a combination of a main language of communication (L1) and other languages (L3) in the source language (SL) or source text (ST). The use of L3 is tantamount to tokenism and stereotyping characters, especially those whose recurrence is incidental and part of jokes. This paper compares two versions of the episode "Road to Rhode Island" (American and Spanish DVDs) and addresses a scene to analyze the linguistic challenges and lexical choices in dubbing and subtitling L1 and L3 in two geographical varieties of Spanish: Latin American Spanish and Peninsular Spanish. In this regard, this study focuses on the role and function of L3 in translation, the techniques to represent L3 in translation, L1 and L3 translation techniques, and which techniques are used in translation. Overall, this paper explores how the Spanish DVD adds a new L3 in the target text (TT) to maintain its original function in subtitling and dubbing, and the differences in the American DVD: L3TT omission in subtitling and L3TT change of function and meaning in dubbing, which ultimately accentuates linguistic and cultural misrepresentation and stereotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents dynamic voltage-domain stacking, which incorporates the attractive efficiency benefits of voltage-domain stacking into a wide-input-range conversion system. This is achieved by combining two novel switched-capacitor converter topologies with an integrated finite-state machine into a highly reconfigurable system. First, a zooming gearbox converter efficiently enables a wide input range while only implementing three conversion ratios. Second, a reconfigurable ladder converter continuously compensates for imbalance between the dynamically stacked voltage domains. A prototype has been fabricated in a 40-nm baseline CMOS technology to provide a stable supply voltage to four loads across an input voltage range from 4 V down to 0.55 V. Measurements show a best-in-class average efficiency of 80.1% and a peak efficiency of 92.1%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: A study was undertaken to assess the face validity and content correctness of a diabetes nutrition education (DNE)-DVD developed for low literacy adults living with diabetes. Setting: The study was undertaken in the city of Tshwane Municipality, Gauteng province. Participants: Adults living with diabetes (n = 73, 18–65 years) attending a tertiary hospital diabetes outpatient clinic and 18 health professionals (HPs) with expertise in diabetes from three healthcare-related organisations were included. Methods: A mixed-methods approach was used. Quantitative data were collected from patients (n = 63) using a Likert scale questionnaire, and from HPs using 'Yes/No' and Likert-scale questions. Qualitative data were collected using three focus-group discussions with patients (n = 10) and comments from HPs. Results: Quantitative results indicated that patients perceived the visuals to be clear, appealing, culturally appropriate, contained familiar images and aided in their understanding of diabetes. Both patients and HPs found the language, length and layout of the DVD to be suitable. The HPs perceived the content to be accurate and concise. The qualitative data supported the quantitative findings. Participants perceived the DNE-DVD to be useful for patients and families, and provided suggestions for improving the DVD. Conclusion: Quantitative and qualitative results agreed that the face validity and content correctness of the DNE-DVD was appropriate. Improving the DNE-DVD could further enhance its utility and effectiveness for the target population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increase in the population demands healthy food, clean air, fresh water and high secured life. To fulfil the above demands, spectrometers such as ultraviolet, Fourier transformation infrared, Raman, HPLC, gas chromatography are used as confirmation tool for identification of materials. The cost and space of above-mentioned instruments are more and to build low-cost spectrometer with high efficiency is a challenging research area for material scientists and engineers. In the present work, an attempt has been made to manufacture a low-cost spectrometer. The spectrometer has been designed using cardboard, DVD, a webcam and free available spectrum software named as theremino. The DVD is used as a diffraction grating and webcam as an image sensor with an overall cost of Rs 1000. This can be used as an instrument for practical demonstration for students and other research purposes for detecting pesticides level in fruits and vegetables, sensing water purity level, edible oils, etc. The spectral range can be improved by removing infrared filter integrated in webcam. The performance of the constructed spectrometer could be upgrade using effective filters and high intense low-cost lasers. This designed spectrometer will be a boon towards application in healthcare, biomedicals and food processing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dendrobium viroid (DVd) was first reported in China in 2020, and it is the only viroid known to infect Orchidaceae family plants. In this study, we developed a simple reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) method for the rapid detection of DVd in Dendrobium plants. When extracting the sap template from the leaves, they are first clamped between two layers of plastic film, and the sap is pressed out and collected with a pipette. Using this sap, DVd was detected by dot‐blot and RT‐PCR methods and, the expected amplicons were confirmed by sequencing analysis. The batch analysis of field samples revealed that this method can be used to detect DVd rapidly. The detection method also reduces cross‐contamination between different samples and minimizes false positives. Thus, this sap‐direct RT‐PCR method allows effective and rapid DVd detection in the study of Orchidaceae plants. Significance and Impact of the Study: The sap‐direct reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) assay described in this study is the first report of rapid detection of Dendrobiumviroid (DVd), which allows effective and rapid DVd detection in field investigations of Orchidaceaeplants. It can also be used as a reference for the detection of other plant viruses and viroids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The use of videos for patient and public health education has been widely adopted and well documented in the literature. Aims. To conduct a systematic review of empirical studies that used video-based interventions for cancer prevention and control to document study designs, settings, approaches, targeted cancer sites and behaviors, and outcomes and to identify gaps in research and practice. Method. PubMed, PsychINFO, CINAHL, SCOPUS, and Web of Science were searched for studies published in the 30-year period from 1984 to 2014. Of 1,521 articles identified, duplicates were removed, and titles and abstracts of 779 were examined for eligibility. In all, 315 articles met the inclusion criteria and were coded by three independent coders. Interrater reliability was assessed. Descriptive frequencies and proportions were calculated. Results. Studies evaluating video interventions for cancer prevention and control have increased over time. The majority used randomized controlled trial designs (54%), followed by single-group pre–posttest designs (18%). Most were delivered in health care settings (39%). Detection (30%) and treatment (16%) were the cancer control continuum stages most frequently addressed, with breast cancer (29%) being the most frequently targeted cancer site. The behavior most commonly targeted was screening/early detection (39%). Topics such as caregiving, coping, palliative care, and end of life were rarely addressed. The majority (69%) reported being successful at achieving their stated objectives, though outcomes varied across studies. Conclusions. Video interventions have been widely utilized for cancer prevention and control, with demonstrated successes. Future research should test innovative designs and new delivery platforms and should include underrepresented topics and cancer sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Before a new product launch, marketers need to infer how demand will respond to various levels of marketing-mix variables to set an appropriate marketing plan. A critical challenge in estimating marketing-mix responsiveness from historical data is that the observed decisions were affected by private information possessed by managers about the heterogeneous effects of marketing-mix variables on sales. The authors refer to this as the “slope endogeneity” problem. Such endogeneity differs from the “intercept endogeneity” problem, which has been widely acknowledged in the literature. To correct for the slope endogeneity bias, the authors develop a conceptually simple control function approach that is amenable to multiple endogenous variables and marketing-mix carryover effects. The method is applied to forecasting advertising responsiveness in the U.S. DVD market. The results suggest that advertising responsiveness varies substantially across DVD titles and that estimated marketing-mix elasticities would be biased if the slope endogeneity problem were ignored. This analysis also yields findings of substantive interest to researchers and managers involved in entertainment marketing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a current control of dual three-phase permanent magnet synchronous machine (PMSM) based on five-leg inverter. The five-leg inverter can be utilized to drive dual three-phase PMSM with full torque at slow speed when the conventional dual three-phase voltage source inverter (VSI) has a faulty inverter leg. Usually, the common leg in the five-leg inverter may have severe current stress. By dedicated selection of which two phases as a pair to share the common leg, its current rating is approximately half of current rating of other legs. Meanwhile, the five-leg inverter can fully fulfill the vector space decomposition control for dual three-phase PMSM, which has the same dynamical performance as the conventional dual three-phase VSI. However, due to the asymmetry of five-leg inverter non-linearity, the currents of dual three-phase PMSM are unbalanced. To mitigate this issue, the five-leg inverter non-linearity compensation is also introduced and investigated in this paper, whose effectiveness is verified by comparative experiments on a prototype dual three-phase PMSM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BCH codes are an important class of cyclic codes which have applications in satellite communications, DVDs, disk drives, and two-dimensional bar codes. Although BCH codes have been widely studied, their parameters are known for only a few special classes. Recently, Ding et al. made some new progress in BCH codes. However, we still have very limited knowledge on the dimension of BCH codes, not to mention the weight distribution of BCH codes. In this paper, we generalize the results on BCH codes from several previous papers. 1) The dimension of narrow-sense BCH codes of length $((q^{m}-1)/{\lambda })$ with designed distance $2\leq \delta \leq (({q^{\lceil (m+1)/2 \rceil }-1})/(\lambda)+1)$ is settled, where $\lambda $ is any factor of $(q-1)$. 2) The weight distributions of two classes of narrow-sense BCH codes of length $(({q^{m}-1})/2)$ with designed distance $\delta =(({(q-1)q^{m-1}-q^{\lfloor (m-1)/2\rfloor }-1})/2)$ and $\delta =(({(q-1)q^{m-1}-q^{\lfloor (m+1)/2\rfloor }-1})/2)$ are determined. 3) The weight distribution of a class of BCH codes of length $((q^{m}-1)/({q-1}))$ is determined. In particular, a subclass of this class of BCH codes is optimal with respect to the Griesmer bound. Some optimal linear codes obtained from this class of BCH codes are characterized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of ProInflow is the property of Casopis ProInflow and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Self-administered treatments may overcome access barriers to evidence-based care for pediatric sleep problems. Two hundred thirty-nine families participated in a randomized controlled trial with 3 study arms: a DVD intervention condition (the Sleep Easy Solution), a Website comparison condition, and a Wait-List comparison condition. The primary outcome was trichotomous—Do you consider your child's sleep a problem? (not a problem at all, a small problem, a very serious problem). DVD was superior to Wait-List in terms of the primary outcome (P =.03; odds ratio = 0.44; 95% confidence interval = 0.21-0.93). Similarly, regarding secondary outcomes, DVD was superior to Wait-List in terms of longer continuous sleep periods (P =.003), more favorable perceptions of the child's overall sleep (P =.001), and higher parental confidence in managing the child's sleep (P =.001). Results suggest that the DVD intervention is a promising self-administered treatment for pediatric insomnia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recruitment to clinical trials can be challenging. Methods that improve the efficiency of trial recruitment are needed to increase successful study completions. The aim of this study was to ascertain whether sending an audio-visual presentation on a digital versatile disc (DVD), along with usual study invitation materials, would improve recruitment to the Febuxostat versus Allopurinol Streamlined Trial (FAST), a clinical trial in patients with established gout.Methods: Potential participants for the FAST study who were identified by searches of GP records in Scottish primary care practices between August 2013 and July 2014 were included in this study. Individuals were randomly allocated to receive either a standard invitation (letter and information leaflet) or a standard invitation and a DVD containing an audio-visual presentation explaining the background and operation of FAST. Data on invitation response rates, screening attendances and randomisations were collected by research nurses.Results: One thousand fifty potential participants were invited to take part in FAST during this period. 509 individuals were randomised to receive the DVD presentation and the standard invitation and 541 received a standard invitation only. DVD recipients were less likely to respond to the initial invitation (adjusted OR 0.76, CI 0.58-0.99) and marginally less likely to return a positive response (OR 0.75, CI 0.59-0.96). There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in attendance for screening or randomisation. The DVD did not influence the age, gender, or socioeconomic deprivation scores of those responding positively to a letter of invitation.Conclusions: The inclusion of a DVD presentation with FAST study invitations did not make any practical difference to the rate of positive response to invitation. Further innovation and evaluation will be required to improve recruitment to clinical trials.Trial Registration: EU Clinical Trials Register. EudraCT Number: 2011-001883-23 . ISRCTN registry.  ISRCTN72443278 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the feasibility of conducting a randomized controlled trial of an instructional and educational stroke DVD and determine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of this intervention in a multinational context. Design: Non-funded, pilot randomized controlled trial of intervention versus usual care. Setting: International, multicentre, community-based. Participants: Community-living adults up to three years post stroke with moderate to severe disability and their nominated informal caregivers. Interventions: Intervention patients viewed and practised rehabilitation techniques demonstrated in the DVD over six weeks. Main measures: Trial feasibility by number of active recruitment sites, recruitment efficiency, randomization and follow-up. Intervention feasibility by patient and caregiver impressions. Preliminary efficacy by the quality of life -- 5-level EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) health status measure, General Health Questionnaire and Centre for Epidemiological Studies--Depression at two months. Results: In total, 14 recruitment sites were established across eight countries. Recruitment was achieved at nine (64%) sites. Over 16 months, 66 participants were recruited (mean (SD) age = 63.5 (12.47) years) and randomized to intervention (n = 34) and control (n = 32) groups. In total, 54 (82%) completed a follow-up assessment. Patient and/or caregiver comments about the benefits and barriers to accessing the intervention were mixed. There were no significant between-group differences in outcomes at two months (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Conducting a multinational trial of a stroke DVD requires full funding. The intervention was acceptable to some patients and their caregivers, yet a generalized education approach did not fully meet their needs and/or expectations. A more individualized method may be required to meet peoples' changing needs during stroke recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Defense Sciences / Savunma Bilmleri Dergisi is the property of Turkish Military Academy Defense Sciences Institute and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Dissociated vertical deviation (DVD) is commonly measured using a prism and alternate cover test (PACT), but some providers use a prism under cover test (PUCT). The aim of this study was to compare a standardized PUCT measurement with a PACT measurement, for assessing the magnitude of DVD. Methods: Thirty-six patients with a clinical diagnosis of DVD underwent measurement of the angle of deviation with the PACT, fixing with the habitually fixing eye, and with PUCT, fixing both right and left eyes. The PUCT was standardized, using a 10-second cover for each prism magnitude, until the deviation was neutralized. The magnitude of hyperdeviation by PACT and PUCT was compared for the non-fixing eye, using paired non-parametric tests. The frequency of discrepancies more than 4 prism diopters (PD) between PACT and PUCT was calculated. Results: The magnitude of hyperdeviation was greater when measured with PUCT (range 8PD hypodeviation to 20PD hyperdeviation) vs. PACT (18PD hypodeviation to 25PD hyperdeviation) with a median difference of 4.5PD (range –5PD to 21PD);P < 0.0001. Eighteen (50%) of 36 measurements elicited >4PD hyperdeviation (or >4PD less hypodeviation) by PUCT than by PACT. Conclusions: A standardized 10-second PUCT yields greater values than a prism and alternate cover test in the majority of patients with DVD, providing better quantification of the severity of DVD, which may be important for management decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theatrical-era short animation has often acquired a complex, even contradictory, textual identity: most cartoons were originally produced for a general audience, but were then marketed almost exclusively towards children as repeats on television. The rise of DVD has further complicated the status of these films. On the one hand, the format has facilitated the release of a lot of rare animated material, most notably within a series of multi-volume special editions entitled the Walt Disney Treasures, explicitly aimed at the previously marginalized adult viewer. However, Disney has also produced lower priced, ‘family friendly’ discs featuring many of the same cartoons. Unlike the Treasures volumes, the latter sets tend to censor problematic content and generally lack contextualizing bonus features. The choice to watch one of these collections over the other can thus have a significant impact upon one’s interpretation of the collected films. Thomas Elasasser argues that film culture – embodied most fervently by the devoted cinephile (and, for the purposes of this study, the equivalent figure of the animatophile) – has often failed to recognize itself as a product of generational memory. It is frequently implied by such groups that DVD special editions are the most ‘authentic’ because they privilege the original cinematic experience, without acknowledging the degree to which the format itself serves to remediate its contents. For instance, while the Treasures discs generally present the films uncut – sometimes ‘restoring’ footage unseen since the 1930s and 40s – these are often prefaced with mandatory disclaimers providing historical context for contentious elements such as racism. The sheer volume of material that these collections provide, including opportunities for binge-watching with ‘play all’ functions, similarly alters the portioned availability of these texts in the theatrical sphere. This article will suggest that both the special edition and ‘family friendly’ DVD options ultimately reflect a nostalgic struggle to appropriate and define the present and future reception of the films, rather than to truly reclaim the past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Folia Toruniensia is the property of Nicolus Copernicus Public Provincial Library in Torun and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article explores the concept of the binge as viewing protocol associated with fan practices, industry practice and linked to ‘cult’ and ‘quality’ serialised content. Viewing binge-watching as an intersection of discourses of industry, audience and text, the concept is analysed here as shaped by a range of issues that dominate the contemporary media landscape. In this, factors like technological developments, fan discourses and practices being adopted as ‘mainstream’ media practice, changes in the discursive construction of ‘television’ and an emerging video-on-demand industry contribute to the construction of binge-watching as deliberate, self-scheduled alternative to ‘watching TV’. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To examine the effect of a pre-operative DVD on parents' knowledge, participation and anxiety and on children's distress, pain, analgesic requirements and length of recovery after same-day surgery. Background Very few parents are adequately prepared to participate in their child's care during a same-day surgery. An educational DVD was developed to educate parents on how to actively support their child in the recovery room. Design Single-blind, post-test randomized controlled trial. Study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02766452. Methods Between September 2011-September 2012, 123 parent-child dyads where the child underwent an ENT or dental same-day surgery were recruited in a Canadian paediatric hospital. Dyads were randomly assigned to either the intervention ( DVD and standard preparation) or control group (standard preparation). Parents and children were videotaped in the recovery room where parental participation and anxiety and children's distress were measured. Data on parents' knowledge, children's postoperative pain, analgesic requirements and length of recovery were measured. Independent and paired t-tests, chi square and repeated measures anova were used to analyse the data. Results Parents in the intervention group gained greater knowledge of and used more positive reinforcement and distraction and relaxation methods than those in the control group. Children's postoperative pain in the day-care surgery unit was significantly lower among the intervention group compared with the control group. Conclusion A pre-operative DVD can increase parents' participation in the recovery room and decrease children's postoperative pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gold film electrodes (Au-FE) with distinct nanostructured patterns were prepared from polycarbonate (PC) substrates and investigated with respect to their analytical sensitivity. The recordable (R) and read-only memory (ROM) discs, respectively, yield PC substrates with grooves (stripe pattern) or pits (indented pattern). The Au-FEs were characterized in terms of surface morphology and surface patterns, and it was found that the surface area of all Au-FEs does not significantly differ (by 0.2 to 7.4 %) compared to electrode with flat surfaces. However, the electrical signal of indented patterns is larger by 32 to 213 % when directly compared to stripe-patterned Au-FEs (at the same scale of groove and pit). An Au-FE prepared from a polycarbonate sheet from a Blu-ray disc read only memory (BD-ROM) as substrate displayed the best electrochemical performance towards reductive sensing of HO. The respective calibration plot, acquired at a working potential of −0.1 V vs. Ag/AgCl, covers the 0 to 10 mM hydrogen peroxide concentration range. The sensitivity is as high as 3.11 μA∙mM∙cm which is larger by a factor of 28 compared to flat gold electrodes, and the detection limit (at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3) is 6 μM. Therefore, the results confirm that the indented nanopattern on the Au-FE significantly increases the efficiency of electrochemical detection. Conceivably, the surface patterns and structures may be designed in order to tune sensitivity with respect to future applications of Au-FEs in diagnostics, agriculture, and environmental monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A composite consisting of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) was prepared by a chemical reduction method, and its structure characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy energy dispersive spectroscopy and FT-IR spectrometry. The hybrid composite was deposited on the surface of a disposable gold electrode that was manufactured from a commercial digital versatile gold disc by a drop casting method. The electrochemical properties of the modified electrode were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. The sensor showed an excellent electrocatalytic activity towards oxidation of paracetamol (PA). The calibration plot (with current typically measured at 0.41 V vs. Ag/AgCl) is linear in the 0.5 to 80 μM concentration range, and the detection limit is as low as 10 nM. The sensor was successfully applied to the determination of PA in spiked water and tablet samples where it gave recoveries ranging between 95.25 and 100.5 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streaming video is becoming the preferred means of viewing video for consumers, but physical formats do continue to offer libraries certain advantages: greater variety of choice for patrons at a lower cost. Many academic libraries have invested heavily in DVD collections, and these videos may be housed in closed stacks that satisfy some stakeholders but that discourage use and do not meet student needs or expectations. This article provides a framework for deciding whether to open up a closed collection and uses the author's library's closed-stack collection as a case study. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The purpose of the current study was to test an interactive DVD and workbook specifically designed for African-American parents and adolescents (ages 13-18), based on an efficacious face-to-face intervention, to address key factors associated with risk. A total of 170 parent-adolescent dyads were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive either the 'Work It Out Together' DVD or a General Health Promotion DVD (HP). Parents and adolescents completed measures of HIV knowledge, self-efficacy, and parenting behaviors. Immediately after receiving the Work It Out Together intervention, parents and adolescents demonstrated higher HIV knowledge and greater HIV prevention self-efficacy. Three months after receiving the Work It Out Together intervention, parents and adolescents reported higher levels of parental monitoring and sexually active adolescents reported higher levels of condom use self-efficacy and a lower rate of recent sex. These outcomes provide preliminary evidence that the 'Work It Out Together' DVD impacted individual attitudes and protective parenting behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article cites a research study that examines the effect on diabetic care of an educational DVD in Muslim diabetic patients treated with insulin. The 6-month-period pre- and post-intervention study included type 2 diabetes Muslim patients on insulin treatment and poor glycemic control in one hospital in southern Thailand.

We show that for a nonnegative tensor, a best nonnegative rank- $r$ approximation is almost always unique, its best rank-one approximation may always be chosen to be a best nonnegative rank-one approximation, and the set of nonnegative tensors with nonunique best rank-one approximations forms an algebraic hypersurface. We show that the last part holds true more generally for real tensors and, thereby, determine a polynomial equation, so that a real or nonnegative tensor that does not satisfy this equation is guaranteed to have a unique best rank-one approximation. We also establish an analogue for real or nonnegative symmetric tensors. In addition, we prove a singular vector variant of the Perron–Frobenius theorem for positive tensors and apply it to show that a best nonnegative rank- $r$ approximation of a positive tensor can never be obtained by deflation. As an aside, we verify that the Euclidean distance (ED) discriminants of the Segre variety and the Veronese variety are hypersurfaces and give defining equations of these ED discriminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing together work from global media studies, studies of digital media regulation and governance, and cultural theory, this article analyzes the DVD region code system. It details how the technology came about through a process of global governance that set the terms for home video’s global distribution to the general advantage of Hollywood’s film industries. Rather than presenting a picture of purely top-down technological control, however, it argues that the emergence of region codes represented an international process of technical development and standardization by private media industries that reflected and generated understandings of media regions as both differentiated economic markets and spaces of cultural organization and coherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, a method for retrospective ^220Rn measurements by etching alpha-tracks in compact discs (CDs) or digital video discs (DVDs) has been proposed. In that method the tracks at the front surface (with respect to the reading laser beam) of the discs are analyzed. These measurements are influenced by ^222Rn absorbed in the disc material and the signal must be corrected for ^222Rn presence. In this work we study whether the influence of ^222Rn can be eliminated if the back (labeled) side of the CDs is analyzed. Because of the coating on the back side of the disc, ^222Rn absorption is prevented and its influence on ^220Rn signal is significantly reduced. Moreover, it has been found that in most discs the signal at the back side is an order of magnitude greater than that at the front side, which significantly improves the sensitivity of the method. Thus, this work proposes a new practical approach for retrospective ^220Rn measurements of improved sensitivity and reduced ^222Rn influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caring for a relative with dementia places caregivers at increased risk for psychological distress and adverse physical outcomes. Research on Chinese caregivers, and effective means of support for this group, is limited. This pilot study investigates effectiveness of a home-based psychoeducational skills training culturally tailored to increase coping among Chinese dementia caregivers. Twelve Chinese family caregivers, from Australia and Singapore (11 female) between 41 and 80 years old, completed the 8-week program. Measures of coping and psychological distresswere administered at baseline, mid-point and post-intervention. Caregivers encountered less problem behaviors in care recipients and were less distressed by their disruptive behaviors after completing the program; caregiver anxiety, depression, and worry appraisal remained unchanged. Feedback highlighted the value of culturally customized support. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A novel disk discrimination approach with two levels of classification is proposed. The optical pickup head is controlled to emit the digital versatile disk laser followed by the compact disk laser during the process of being pulled in from the neutral position toward the optical disk. Four features are measured and analyzed based on the reflected signals from the optical disk. Two levels of classifications are designed for the disk discrimination using these four features. A supervised learning approach based on the evolutionary ellipsoid classification algorithm is utilized to learn the classifiers and optimize the classifier parameterizations. Six different disk types have been successfully discriminated using the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The authors outline the development in the United Kingdom of a service commissioned by the Department for Education from the Tavistock Centre for Couple Relationships. The purpose was to develop and evaluate a well-being service for couples. The service offered a brief therapeutic intervention of four sessions and was primarily aimed at younger couples in the early stages of parenthood presenting with a focused concern. The authors examine the contextual factors that lead to the development of the service; namely, the importance of prevention and the need for early intervention in regard to securing children's emotional and psychological well-being. Particular emphasis was placed on the couple relationship as a foundational factor. The authors also explore the purpose and effectiveness of the brief therapeutic approach and the theoretical underpinnings that informed their work. Case studies are presented to illustrate the application of the four-session model. In addition, a set of DVDs was specifically commissioned to enhance the brief intervention and their impact is examined and assessed. The report concludes with an evaluation of the service. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Combining written and video material could increase the impact of health education for people with less education, but more evidence is needed about the impact of combined materials in different formats, especially in the context of chronic pain self-management. This study tested the impact of combining written information about self-managing chronic joint pain, which used language at a high reading level, with a DVD containing narrative video material presented directly by patients, using language at a lower reading level. Physical and mental health-related quality of life (36-Item Short Form Health Survey) was measured among 107 men with hemophilia before and 6 months after being randomly assigned to receive an information booklet alone or the booklet plus the DVD. Analysis of covariance was used to compare health outcomes between randomized groups at follow-up, using the baseline measures as covariates, with stratified analyses for groups with different levels of education. The DVD significantly improved mental health-related quality of life among those with only high school education. Video material could therefore supplement written information to increase its impact on groups with less education, and combined interventions of this type could help to achieve health benefits for disadvantaged groups who are most in need of intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to propose what can be learned from the study of specific promotional materials. Design/methodology/approach - The in-depth analysis of the text and layout of websites - adapted from Niels Brugger, and in contrast to the study of promotional materials as ancillary or interrelated texts. Findings - That websites can tell the author much about the intentions of distributors, and their target market, even when these resources are no longer active or social media is used. Research limitations/implications - Specific promotional materials should be increasingly studied as individual texts. Websites have their own conventions and structures that can be studied, as well as other digital and physical artefacts. Originality/value - The findings are potentially widespread, as they are evident within a defunct distributor's webpages, as well as one that remains to be active in the UK market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Exercise training has been demonstrated to enhance physical function and to have a protective effect against functional limitations and disability in older adults.Purpose: The objective of this study was to determine whether the effects of a home-based, DVD-delivered exercise intervention on functional performance and limitations were maintained 6-month postintervention termination.Methods: Follow-up assessments of functional performance and limitations were conducted in a sample of community-dwelling older adults (N = 237) who participated in a 6-month randomized controlled exercise trial. Participants were initially randomized to a DVD-delivered exercise intervention or an attentional control condition. The Short Physical Performance Battery, measures of flexibility and strength, and functional limitations were assessed immediately before and after the intervention and then again 6 months later. Analyses of covariance were conducted to examine changes in physical function between the two conditions at the end of the intervention to 6-month follow-up.Results: There were statistically significant adjusted group differences in the Short Physical Performance Battery (η(2) = 0.03, p = .01), upper-body strength (η(2) = 0.03, p = .005), and lower-body flexibility (η(2) = 0.02, p = .05), indicating that gains brought about by the intervention were maintained 6 months later.Conclusions: A DVD-delivered exercise program specifically designed to target elements of functional fitness in older adults can produce clinically meaningful gains in physical function that are maintained beyond intervention cessation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Algorithmic specified complexity (ASC) measures the degree to which an object is meaningful. Neither fundamental Shannon nor Kolmogorov information models are equipped to do so. ASC uses performance context in an information theoretic framework to measure the degree of specified complexity in bits. To illustrate, we apply ASC to Conway’s Game of Life to differentiate patterns designed by programmers from those originating by chance. A variety of machines created by Game of Life hobbyists, as expected, exhibit high ASC thereby corroborating ASC’s efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is interested in the way new music redefines old silent films, altering their cultural value and cult status, as well as engaging new audiences. The recent renaissance of silent film has been led by the rediscovery of live music, and has opened up the possibility for silent films being recontextualized and made cult objects through new music by uncompromising musicians who aim to make them into something different. This process has developed apace in recent years due to the fragmenting what were once distinct areas of culture, the expansion of film into venues beyond the cinema, and the possibility of release on DVD. The KTL version ofThe Phantom Carriagevividly illustrates the possibility of the status of music and musicians redefining films as cult objects, altering their sense of cultural value and interest, allowing the rediscovery and renewal of films that are the best part of a century old. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Danny Dyer is one of Britain's most prolific stars, with a career spanning both critically acclaimed and critically derided material, the latter exemplified by his work in exploitation movies. This article investigates Dyer's film stardom, considering some of the central debates surrounding his status as an actor. Central to the discussion is the significance of Dyer within the contemporary cultural landscapes of gender and class, and the various complexities and contradictions that circulate around his persona. The article analyses Dyer's stardom in the wake of his role in the cult exploitation movie that consolidated his subsequent 'hard man' typecasting, The Football Factory (2004), and considers how the marketing of the majority of his subsequent films has been instrumental in perpetuating a particular construction of his stardom which, in turn, informs his reception by the critics. The article traces connections between Dyer's popularity and recurrent critical derision aimed at him as an actor lacking artistic integrity and genuine talent. It contends that the politics of both Dyer's star construction and his critical reception are linked to the renewed legitimacy of class hatred in British society, represented by media discourses surrounding the 'chav', which appositely reflects his 'low' cultural status as a 'straight-to-DVD' actor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]