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Race, ethnicity, and culture are critical components that affect and shape the supervisory relationship, yet literature about ways to acknowledge and actively engage them from a trauma-informed approach has been limited. To enhance the discussion of this issue, this article first reviews leading theoretical aspects of supervision designed to train practitioners in the field of mental health, followed by a discussion of race, ethnicity, and culture in supervision and, finally, provides reflective practices for engaging in trauma-informed culturally competent supervision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rock climbing is a fast-growing sport performed by athletes in all age groups, especially youths. While epidemiological data are available for injuries in adults, these data are lacking for young climbers. The current literature shows it being a comparably safe activity, mostly in indoor and sport climbing. Age related self-responsibility is necessary under guided supervision by an adult. Injuries are mostly related to a fall (e.g. alpine environment) or overstrain. Epiphyseal stress fractures of the fingers are a major concern, especially during the pubertal growth spurt. A critical evaluation of finger pain in young climbers as well as a neglect of certain training exercises is crucial. Suggestions for injury prevention and further research are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the author traces the development of the current emphasis on trauma-informed practice and care in behavioral and mental health treatment. Using the discrimination model of clinical supervision, the author then discusses the application of trauma-informed principles to supervision. Relevant research is cited, and case examples are employed to illustrate critical roles, responsibilities, and tasks. Challenges and future directions also are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses and illustrates the role and impact of the intersection of supervisors’ and supervisees’ social identities and the associated power and privilege within the context of supervision for trauma-informed practice. Based on current theoretical, empirical, and practice literature, challenges related to the supervisor’s and supervisee’s racial, ethnicity, gender, social class, and additional social affiliations are identified, as are strategies for addressing them within supervision for trauma-informed practice. A case example drawn from the authors’ experiences illustrates the importance of attending to intersectionality in trauma-informed supervision Suggestions for future research efforts are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultural-specific determinants of coping with widowhood were investigated by the Two-Track Model of Bereavement. Participants were 93 middle-aged and middle-class Israeli Arab Muslim widows. Factor analysis emitted 4 factors of adjusting to widowhood. The suffering and resilience factors and the total scale score were consistently correlated with personality attributes, whereas demographics were associated mainly with the suffering factor and the total scale score. The factors differed from the factors characteristic of Israeli Jewish bereaved, which emphasize the need to examine models of bereavement in cross-cultural perspective and to account for the interaction of cultural effects with psychological processes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Adult Protective Services (APS) workers are exposed to substantial occupational hazards and job stress, but these stressors are underdocumented. Therefore, we sought to describe APS workers’ work environments and responses to occupational hazards and stressors, including compassion fatigue, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress. Survey data were gathered with closed-ended questionnaires administered to APS workers in an urban setting. Virtually all workers (97%) reported exposure to one or more environmental hazards in their work, and 80% reported hazard exposure in the past month. Workers also reported mixed responses to their work environment and to experiences with supervision. A sizable minority (22.7%) was at high risk for burnout, 24.6% were at risk for secondary traumatic stress, and 19.9% reported low compassion satisfaction. The results document multiple stressors in APS work. The APS partner is committed to ongoing efforts to better support its staff, and these findings can inform future efforts to enhance supervisor support and worker self-care, to minimize burnout and secondary traumatic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Building research capacity amongst social work practitioners is critically important for leaders in the social work profession. To reverse an apparent reluctance to use evidence and engage in research, strong social work leadership in practice organisations is needed. The literature on leadership in health social work is relatively silent regarding research capacity building as a leadership attribute but it is argued in this paper that leadership is crucial. A programme of research capacity building and its outcomes in a health social work department is described, identifying key principles guiding its establishment and tasks undertaken. A transformational leadership style characterised this approach to research capacity building which delivered benefits to the staff and the service. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Meaning in life has been posited to improve psychological well-being. People facing adversities can reduce psychological distress through pursuing a sense of purpose in life. However, the effectiveness of meaning in life in promoting psychological well-being has been found varied, and what factors may affect the function of meaning in life remain unclear. In this paper, the authors suggest that resilience, the positive adaptation during or following significant adversity, can strengthen the protective effects of meaning in life on psychological well-being. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed data from a sample of 518 vulnerable children of parents living with HIV about their meaning in life, resilience, depression, and loneliness. Results showed that resilience moderated the relationship between meaning in life and depression, and between meaning in life and loneliness. Meaning in life was associated with lower levels of depression and loneliness among children high in resilience, in comparison to children low in resilience. Future interventions targeting meaning in life and well-being should consider children's resilience, which can allow for better individualization of the treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chromogenic reaction catalyzed by metal phthalocyanine (MPc) complexes is a novel and practical method for the facile identification of phenolic pollutants. Exploring the catalytic reaction mechanism is the current concern in the investigation. In this work, tetranitro iron (II) phthalocyanine (TNFe(II)Pc) and iron (II) phthalocyanine (Fe(II)Pc) catalyzed chromogenic reactions were studied at the B3LYP level on the basis of the density functional theory (DFT) calculation. The molecular structure, atomic charge, and frontier molecular orbital of these two kinds of iron phthalocyanine complex were investigated. The calculation results demonstrate that no obvious difference for geometry structures of Fe(II)Pc and TNFe(II) Pc macrocycle can be found, while the atomic charge of Fe atom increases obviously with the four nitro groups substituted on the peripheral of macrocycle. By applying the descriptor of donor-acceptor molecular hardness, the difference of electron transfer from chlorophenol substrates to TNFe(II)Pc/Fe(II)Pc was well explained. Our investigations could provide a new strategy in designing various MPc catalysts for chromogenic identification of chlorophenol pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

End-of-life care impacts on emotional, physical, spiritual, and social wellbeing for both the individual and their family. Despite remarkable medical advances in the field, the empirical evidence regarding the development and efficacy of psychosocial interventions at end-of-life care is lagging behind. A number of psychosocial interventions are promising and represent important progress in the field. Psychologists have a range of suitable skills and knowledge, however, the profession is underutilised in end-of-life care. This special issue on end-of-life care highlights the need for more research into this area and could act as a call to action to accelerate our understanding of the role of Psychology in end-of-life care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This edition of Australian Psychologist focuses on the contribution psychologists can make to improve the experience of people at the end of their life, and that of their families and carers. What an important topic! [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue of the Australian Psychologist on psychology at the end of life is most timely in view of the rising prevalence and mortality rates from cancer and other non-communicable diseases, largely due to the ageing of the world's population. An important focus in the papers in this edition is the subjective experience of patients and families and interventions that involve empathy, meaning-making, and narrative construction. This focus is a departure, in some respects, from the recent emphasis in psychology and psychiatry on interventions more specifically directed to cognitions and behaviour. It may also reflect a renewed interest in subjectivity and/or an awareness of the importance of such approaches in the treatment of patients and families living with advanced and terminal disease. I will discuss each of these papers in this edition and summarise briefly the work of our group on a psychotherapeutic intervention for patients with metastatic and advanced cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The roles of hospital social workers are delineated in the literature; however, their daily interventions have only been described anecdotally. This study analyzes the daily work of social workers in a pediatric hospital through a survey completed which examined factors related to interventions utilized and time spent per case over a 1-day period. Length and types of interventions were associated with the social determinants of health, time since diagnosis, biopsychosocial issues, and perception of complexity. The study offers a snapshot of the personalized expertise, provided by social workers that addresses complex contextual and biopsychosocial concerns of patient and families [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Australian Social Work is the property of Routledge 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 paper outlines the processes, outcomes and lessons learnt from a collaborative writing project undertaken as a partnership between academics at the Open University and 11 social work practitioners from a variety of social work settings across the UK. This partnership successfully co-produced a book of social work stories using a critical best practice approach, which describes and analyses the realities of everyday social work practice. In a context where there still appear to be many barriers to the involvement of practising social workers in research and writing, we conclude that the project’s collaborative process facilitated the sharing of practitioner experience and expertise with the wider world. Drawing on lessons learned during the writing of the book, a number of practical ways of building on this initiative to support the development of practitioner writing are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper examines two distinct forms of practitioner research and makes tentative suggestions around what may constitute good practice in their conduct and reporting, and for thegenreof practitioner research as a whole. We also explore their potential benefits and limitations within the wider set of research approaches. Discussion is informed primarily by an earlier review of practitioner research in adult social care and supplemented by knowledge and experience of wider activities related to practitioner research. Discussion is organised in three parts. First, we explore what are generic good practices around all forms of practitioner research. Second, we move to identify particular forms of good practice within what we call Type 1 and Type 2 practitioner research, situating them alongside a practitioner research matrix of stakeholder benefits. Third, we consider the implications of such discussion for how we best stimulate these types of practitioner research. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Coligranulomatosis (Hjärre and Wramby’s disease) is considered to be a disease of chickens, turkeys and partridges that occurs sporadically in individual, adult birds. Therefore, the condition is not of economic importance, but is of interest due to the similarity of its lesions to those of tuberculosis. In a number of cases the disease could be reproduced by inoculation via artificial routes of granuloma homogenate orEscherichia colibacteria isolated from the lesions. Oral inoculations always failed. Occasionally, also serious outbreaks of granuloma disease have been reported in chickens, turkeys and quails.E. colibacteria were either not isolated or isolated, but the disease could not be reproduced with the isolates, which means that the essence of Koch’s postulates was not fulfilled. Also other evidence of causality was not presented. Therefore, these disease cases might have been wrongly diagnosed as coligranulomatosis. Instead they may have been caused byTetratrichomonas gallinarum, a parasite, which has the ability to induce severe granulomatosis in chicken flocks as has been shown recently. It is concluded that whenever severe granuloma disease is observed in poultry flocks at a large scale and is thus economically relevant,T. gallinarumshould be included and rank high in the list of differential diagnoses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HIV status disclosure plays a crucial role in reducing risk behaviors of drug and sexual partners and thereby limiting HIV transmission. As people who inject drugs (PWID) bear a significant HIV burden and disclosure research among PWID is relatively few, we reviewed the literature to highlight what is known about disclosure among HIV-positive PWID. Searches of articles published from 2000 to 2015 yielded 17 studies addressing different aspects of disclosure, and results are presented by major themes. Our results suggest that despite the difficulties, most PWID (64–86%) disclose their HIV-positive status to trusted individuals (family members and intimate sexual partners) and to those who are known to be HIV-positive. Disclosure to non-intimate sexual partners and fellow drug users is relatively lower. Disclosure decision-making is primarily driven by the perceived positive and negative consequences of disclosure. Subsequent risk reduction practices following disclosure are influenced by the feeling of responsibility, as well as partners’ willingness to accept risk. Cultural family values, ethnicity, and different localities were several contextual factors that affect patterns of disclosure and risk behaviors of PWID. Areas for future research are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

It is highly important that social work practice be guided by scientific research and the resultant practices introduced to the literature. Social work research in Turkey is carried out by social work academics and practitioners. This dual position they occupy has not been thoroughly investigated in recent years; therefore, the aim of this research was to scrutinize the relationship social workers take when completing research in Turkey. Within the scope of this research, data were collected by conducting an online survey of 365 social workers. Results of the study show that 45.8% of the social workers have conducted research before. Nonetheless, 93.7% of the social work practitioners do feel the need to carry out scientific research in order to shape their professional practices. Considering these results, future research should concentrate on social work practitioners’ problems taking into account their dual position as both the producer and consumer of the research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The development of quantitative methods for the detection of viral nucleic acids have significantly improved our ability to manage disease progression and to assess the efficacy of antiviral treatment. Moreover, major advances in molecular technologies during the last decade have allowed the identification of new host genetic markers associated with antiviral drug response but have also strongly revolutionized the way we see and perform virus diagnostics in the coming years. Areas covered: In this review, we describe the history and development of virology diagnostic methods, dedicating particular emphasis on the gradual evolution and recent advances toward the introduction of multiparametric platforms for the syndromic diagnosis. In parallel, we outline the consolidation of viral genome quantification practice in different clinical settings. Expert commentary: More rapid, accurate and affordable molecular technology can be predictable with particular emphasis on emerging techniques (next generation sequencing, digital PCR, point of care testing and syndromic diagnosis) to simplify viral diagnosis in the next future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several qualitative studies explore the experience of being a partner to an individual with schizophrenia spectrum disorder, but these studies remain isolated “islands of knowledge.” This meta-ethnography aimed to synthesize current qualitative studies using Noblit and Hare's method. Thirteen studies were identified for inclusion. Three overarching themes were revealed: unmet expectations of relationship, renegotiating relationship roles, and separation versus togetherness. Themes interacted as a cycle with separation versus togetherness as temporal endpoints. Partners also renegotiated relationships with mental health professionals to accommodate unmet expectations. Leverage points for intervention were identified. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article presents a study which evaluates the effect of a mental health training program on recognition of mental disorders, stigmatizing attitudes, and confidence among community health workers (CHWs) in India.

AimThe aim of this study was to describe the experiences and meaning of using mobile phones in everyday life after stroke, among persons with stroke and their family members.MethodsQualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted among 11 persons with stroke and 9 family members 2 months to 2 years after the stroke. The interviews were analysed by using constant comparative grounded theory (GT) approach.ResultsSeven categories were identified from the analysis of the participants’ experiences. The mobile phone: (1) as an enabler of communication and connections with other people, (2) a source of inspiration for agency, (3) structuring routine and activities in daily life, (4) as a facilitator of social and economic wellbeing of an individual or family, (5) promoter of belonging and participation in social relationships, (6) facilitator of reintegration to community living and (7) enabler of family members to feel secure. From these categories, a core category emerged: The mobile phone as a “life line” and an extension of the body enabling connection, belonging and agency to act in a complex everyday life situation.ConclusionThe study gives support for the possibility of using mobile phones to facilitate change and community integration in the rehabilitation process after stroke.Implications for RehabilitationStroke leads to decreased functioning in everyday life due to impairments, activity limitations and participation restrictions as well caregiver burden.Mobile phones seem to be an accessible and affordable technology used in daily life of persons with stroke and family members and connects them to the needed services and social relationships.The mobile phone technology reduces resource and infrastructural challenges and increases accessibility to rehabilitation interventions.The mobile phone was an important instrument that facilitated the quality of life of persons with stroke and their family members and could increase their participation in rehabilitation interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background:This study was the final phase of a participatory design (PD) project aimed at developing professionally led online art therapy groups for young adults with cancer.Methods:We invited seven professionals with a range of relevant expertise to take part in a PD process that emphasized hands-on creative interaction. Each participant experienced one or more online art therapy sessions and provided feedback that we analyzed with qualitative thematic analysis.Results: The analysis yielded six inter-related themes representing three types of experience (comfort, sense of connectedness and expression) and three types of therapeutic action that supported these experiences (facilitation, group support and dialog about the art).Conclusions: The results assured us that our newly developed mode of psychosocial support was ready for online delivery to young adults with cancer. The results provided insight into therapeutic processes in online art therapy groups, especially with regard to collective meaning-making and sense of connection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the original antidote to social alienation (and its tragic repercussions), community art through its large-scale, public, and collaborative nature has the potential to rebuild a sense of community from the inside out. This concentric notion of community art is addressed at both the individual and classroom level, exploring the origins of community in the social and emotional roots of cognition as well as the potential for initiating a sense of community within the classrooms before extending into schools, districts, and counties. Using an interdisciplinary lens, the author establishes this concentric perspective on community and its contemporary relevance through support from neuroscience, anthropology, sociology, psychology, and educational research, concluding with guidelines for practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction:Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) may be beneficial when applied to antiretroviral (ARV). Even though TDM can be a valuable strategy in HIV management, its role remains controversial. Areas covered:This review provides a comprehensive update on important issues relating to TDM of ARV drugs in HIV-infected patients. Articles from PubMed with keywords relevant to each topic section were reviewed. Search strategies limited to articles published in English. Expert commentary:There is evidence supporting the use of TDM in HIV treatment. However, some limitations need to be considered. The evidence supporting the use of routine TDM for all patients is limited, as it is not clear that this strategy offers any advantages over TDM for selected indications. Selected groups of patients including patients with physiological changes, patients with drug-drug interactions or toxicity, and the elderly could potentially benefit from TDM, as optimized dosing is challenging in these populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policymakers pursue a range of strategies aimed at diversifying neighborhoods despite research indicating the complicated and potentially damaging results of these efforts. One increasingly common approach is to incorporate the arts into planning efforts in the hope of enhancing diversity and catalyzing positive neighborhood change. Using data from the Cultural Data Project, the authors determine where newly established New York City arts organizations locate in terms of neighborhood racial, income, and industry diversity. They then analyze how diverse contexts interact with an arts presence to impact neighborhood economic health over time. They find that neighborhoods with high levels of racial diversity and low levels of income and industry diversity benefit most from an arts presence. However, the arts are attracted predominantly to neighborhoods with moderate levels of racial diversity and high levels of income and industry diversity. This complicates the use of the arts as a tool in urban revitalization policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism geography has developed into a dynamic sub-discipline of contemporary South African geographical scholarship. The investigation provides an overview of the development of South African tourism geography since the early 1970s, and traces its subsequent development. Since the first investigations, tourism geographers had an interest in the developmental potential which the tourism system presents for South Africa. It is shown that recent tourism research is generally framed by concerns for responsible tourism, pro-poor tourism impacts, tourism as a vehicle for local economic development, and the role of small, medium and micro enterprise (SMME) development in the tourism sector. The main contribution of the paper is to propose a range of new investigatory avenues that can build on the current scholarship, and considers potential threats to the future development of South African tourism geography. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Over the past decade, echinocandins have emerged as first-line antifungal agents for manyCandidainfections. The echinocandins have a unique mechanism of action, inhibiting the synthesis of β-1,3-d-glucan polymers, key components of the cell wall in pathogenic fungi. Caspofungin was the first echinocandin antifungal agent to become licensed for use. The objectives of this review are to summarize the existing published data on caspofungin, under the subject headings of chemistry and mechanism of action, spectrum of activity, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, clinical studies, safety, drug interactions, dosing, and an overview of the drug’s current place in therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article presents the synthesis of (2R/2S,4R)-2-aryl-thiazolidine- 4-carboxylic acids via nucleophilic addition of L-Cysteine on aromatic aldehydes involving a yield and time-effective room temperature reaction in an aqueous DMSO medium in the presence of NaHCO3 as a base. The synthesized diastereomers were spectroscopically characterized and quantified for diastereomeric excess by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. The impact of the type and position of substituent in aromatic aldehydes on reaction time, % yield, ¹H NMR shift at newly formed chiral center [C(2)-H], and diastereomeric excess (de%) have been investigated. A plausible mechanism for stereoselectivity via an in situ imine intermediate is proposed using real-time IR monitoring of the synthetic reaction based on the significant signals at 1597, 1593 cm−1 for imine (C=N) stretching. The imine mechanism for stereoselectivity was further supported by NMR studies of azomethine 13C NMR signals at 159, 160 δ ppm and by the single crystal structure of hitherto unknown (2S,4R)-3-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)- 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid (3a) obtained as a major diastereomer in the synthesis of the butyloxy carbonyl (BOC) derivative of (2R/2S,4R)-2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)thiazolidine-4- carboxylic acid. The significant ortho-OH effect of phenolic hydroxyl group leading to strong hydrogen bondings plays a vital role in the formation of 2S,4R BOC derivative stereoselectively. The frontier molecular orbitals, possible electronic excitations, IR band characterizations, and reactivity parameters of newly reported compound (3a) have been predicted using quantum chemical descriptors from density functional theory. The theoretical exploration of experimental spectra using time-dependent DFT indicated a (π-π*) transition between HOMO and LUMO in the ultraviolet region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth participation in mental health settings is fundamental to service design and delivery, and is beneficial for the young people involved as well as the organisation. This paper presents the findings of an evaluation of a youth participation model where tiered participation was attempted in a clinical youth mental health setting. To inform the ongoing development and improvement of a youth participation model, an evaluation was conducted consisting of three focus groups with the youth consultants, consultations with management about the implementation of the tiered participation model, and a review of records. The purpose of this evaluation was to identify possible barriers to implementation early on so these could be addressed and a youth participation model that meets the needs of all key stakeholders could be developed. The findings of this evaluation and the way in which these findings informed the model's development are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the accurate specification of social work interventions for families with a relative with traumatic brain injury (TBI). It mentions that the social work intervention program offered to families include counseling, education and case management. It notes the common consequences of severe TBI that span motor sensory, cognitive, communication and behavioral domains.

Background: Paradigms which emphasize the social determinants of health and client self-management, and approaches which promote health behavior change, are rarely operationalized within rehabilitation settings. The aim of this study was to investigate the processes required for this model of care change within an existing allied health community rehabilitation service. Methods: The service change program consisted of training elements in the areas of the social determinants of health, client self-management and health behavior change techniques as well as associated operational changes to reflect this paradigm shift. Results: The training packages implemented appear to have improved staff knowledge and skills within these socio-behavioral areas. Clinicians self-reported improvement with client care; however, these changes were not reflected in the chart audit. Conclusions: Clinician training is required to build both knowledge and skills in the areas of the social determinants of health, client self-management and health behavior change principles. In addition, clinicians should be equipped with frameworks to assist with operationalizing these principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review reports the reactivity of indolizines. The reactions section covers, in general, electrophilic, oxidation, reduction, addition, cycloaddition, condensation, and Mannich and multicomponent reactions. The synthesis of bis-indolizines and cyclazines are reported. The reaction mechanisms are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The main objective of the work was to evaluate the use of CD38 on T lymphocytes, IFNγ (+874 A/T), and IL-10 (−1082 A/G) polymorphisms in HIV-infected patients under antiretroviral (ARV) therapy. Sixty-one patients were selected at the outpatient clinic for HIV infection at the Hospital São José de Doenças Infecciosas, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. The patients were classified into two groups, according to viral load after one year of ARV therapy. In the aviremic group (group I), a reduction of 35.5% of CD38+CD4+ T cells was observed (p= 0.02) and 49.3% of CD38+CD8+ T cells (p= 0.001). In the viremic group (group II), a reduction of 37.2% of CD38+CD4+ T cells (p= 0.067), and 21.4% of CD38+CD8+ T cells (p= 0.60) occurred. No association was found between IL-10 (−1082) polymorphism and the type of response to ARV therapy. Regarding the gene polymorphism on IFNγ (+874 T/A), 73.34% of group I and 33.3% of group II presented the AA genotype. The relative risk of the individuals carrying AA genotype or the A allele and not being able to suppress the viral load level after one year of ARV therapy was 3.44 (1.25–9.45;p= 0.014) or 2.35 (1.05–5.26;p= 0.027), respectively. Our data suggested that an augmented frequency of activated CD38+CD8+ T cells as well as the presence of the A allele of IFNγ polymorphism could contribute to a reduced virological suppression in patients under antiretroviral therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

There is a dearth of knowledge on the effects of annual burning of fire-breaks on species composition, plant diversity and soil properties. Whittaker's plant diversity technique was used to gather data on species composition and diversity in four grassland communities on the Loskop Dam Nature Reserve (LDNR). The study demonstrated that fire-beaks did not have a negative effect on plant diversity and an increase was even noted in various diversity parameters in the grassland on abandoned cropland. Fire-breaks were changing the species composition, as three of the four communities illustrated a clear separation in species composition between fire-break and unburnt plots. There was not a strong association between specific species and the fire-break or unburnt plots, except forThemeda triandraandTristachya leucothrix, known for their association with and without fire, respectively. The change in species composition was not negatively affecting range condition. Carbon and nitrogen concentrations were slightly lower in the fire-break than unburnt soils, but the reduced concentrations were unlikely to cause severe soil degradation in fire-break zones. From a management perspective, fire-breaks appear to be a sustainable management tool as they are not adversely affecting plant diversity or range condition in the grassland association on LDNR. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The aim of the study was to evaluate, by an electromyographic (EMG) and mechanomyographic (MMG) combined approach, whether years of specific climbing activity induced neuromuscular changes towards performances related to a functional prevalence of fast resistant or fast fatigable motor units. For this purpose, after the maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) assessment, 11 elite climbers and 10 controls performed an exhaustive handgrip isometric effort at 80% MVC. Force, EMG and MMG signals were recorded from the finger flexor muscles during contraction. Time and frequency domain analysis of EMG and MMG signals was performed. In climbers: (i) MVC was higher (762 ± 34 vs 512 ± 57 N; effect size: 1.64; confidence interval: 0.65–2.63;P < 0.05); (ii) endurance time at 80% MVC was 43% longer (34.2 ± 3.7 vs 22.3 ± 1.5 s; effect size: 1.21; confidence interval: 0.28–2.14;P < 0.05); (iii) force accuracy and stability were greater during contraction (P < 0.05); (iv) EMG and MMG parameters were higher throughout the entire isometric effort (P < 0.05). Collectively, force, EMG and MMG combined analysis revealed that several years of specific climbing activity addressed the motor control system to adopt muscle activation strategies based on the functional prevalence of fast resistant motor units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary objective: To identify goal setting approaches used with people with acquired brain injury (ABI) in the working age range. Methods: Database searches were conducted in Medline (via Ovid) (1960–May 2014), CINAHL (1982–May 2014), Cochrane Library (1996–May 2014) and PsycINFO (1840–May 2014). Systematic scoping review of databases identified studies that described or evaluated goal setting approaches, which were classified as informal or formal. Methodological quality appraisal was completed with all studies that evaluated a goal setting approach. Key practice principles were extracted from evaluation studies using a content analytic approach to identify key themes. Results: Of the full text articles included (n = 86), 62 described a goal setting approach and 24 evaluated a goal setting approach. Formal goal setting approaches were used in 77% of studies. The most common practice principles extracted describe goal setting in ABI rehabilitation as being client-centred, collaborative, measurable and realistic and as incorporating proximal goals or providing a link to therapy. Conclusion: Use of formal goal setting approaches appears more prevalent in research studies compared with routine clinical practice. There is a strong theme in the literature that client-centredness and collaboration are necessary components of effective goal setting. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The production of raw starch-degrading amylases by recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae provides opportunities for the direct hydrolysis and fermentation of raw starch to ethanol without cooking or exogenous enzyme addition. Such a consolidated bioprocess (CBP) for raw starch fermentation will substantially reduce costs associated with energy usage and commercial granular starch hydrolyzing (GSH) enzymes. The core purpose of this review is to provide comprehensive insight into the physiological impact of recombinant amylase production on the ethanol-producing yeast. Key production parameters, based on outcomes from modifications to the yeast genome and levels of amylase production, were compared to key benchmark data. In turn, these outcomes are of significance from a process point of view to highlight shortcomings in the current state of the art of raw starch fermentation yeast compared to a set of industrial standards. Therefore, this study provides an integrated critical assessment of physiology, genetics and process aspects of recombinant raw starch fermenting yeast in relation to presently used technology. Various approaches to strain development were compared on a common basis of quantitative performance measures, including the extent of hydrolysis, fermentation-hydrolysis yield and productivity. Key findings showed that levels of α-amylase required for raw starch hydrolysis far exceeded enzyme levels for soluble starch hydrolysis, pointing to a pre-requisite for excess α-amylase compared to glucoamylase for efficient raw starch hydrolysis. However, the physiological limitations of amylase production by yeast, requiring high biomass concentrations and long cultivation periods for sufficient enzyme accumulation under anaerobic conditions, remained a substantial challenge. Accordingly, the fermentation performance of the recombinant S. cerevisiae strains reviewed in this study could not match the performance of conventional starch fermentation processes, based either on starch cooking and/or exogenous amylase enzyme addition. As an alternative strategy, the addition of exogenous GSH enzymes during early stages of raw starch fermentation may prove to be a viable approach for industrial application of recombinant S. cerevisiae, with the process still benefitting from amylase production by CBP yeast during later stages of cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The objective of the study was to assess plasma concentrations of efavirenz, darunavir/ritonavir and raltegravir in patients with human immunodeficiency virus-hepatitis C virus (HIV-HCV)-coinfection without liver cirrhosis. Methods: In this observational, open-label study, adult HIV-infected outpatients treated with tenofovir/emtricitabine plus efavirenz (600 mg daily), darunavir/ritonavir (800/100 mg daily) or raltegravir (400 mg twice daily) for at least 4 weeks were asked to participate. Subjects with liver cirrhosis were excluded. The trough concentration (Ctrough) of darunavir/ritonavir and raltegravir and the mid-dose concentration (C12h) of efavirenz were assessed at steady state by a validated high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-tandem mass spectrometry method. Results: A total of 96 HIV-positive patients were enrolled into the study. Thirty-four patients were treated with efavirenz, 33 with darunavir/ritonavir and 29 with raltegravir. The geometric mean plasma Ctrough [coefficient of variation (%)] of darunavir was comparable between HIV+/HCV+ and HIV+/HCV- subjects: 2644 ng/ml (155%) and 2491 ng/ml (139%), respectively (geometric mean ratio (GMR) = 0.81; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.79-1.56; p = 0.69). These values were comparable for raltegravir: 108 ng/ml (149%) in the HIV+/HCV+ group and 96 ng/ml (161%) in the HIV+/HCV- group (GMR = 0.84; 95% CI = 0.61-1.44; p = 0.72). On the contrary, the geometric mean plasma C12h of efavirenz was significantly higher among the 15 HIV+/HCV+ patients (1915 ng/ml, 159%) than among the 19 HIV+/HCV- patients (1505 ng/ml, 167%; GMR = 1.41; 95% CI = 1.19-1.71; p = 0.009). Conclusions: The mean plasma concentration of efavirenz was significantly higher in HCV-positive than in HCV-negative patients without liver cirrhosis, while the mean plasma levels of darunavir/ritonavir and raltegravir were comparable in both groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic practitioner collaborations can further the practice research agenda of social work departments in a health setting. This article describes the development of a formalised partnership, located in an oncology social work department, which was grounded in a systemic mentoring approach that responded to the expressed needs of social workers to develop skills in research design and implementation. The systemic model promoted the development of a practice research culture and opportunities for social workers to participate in research at multiple levels. Practice research focused on the contribution of social work practice research to improved outcomes for patients and the hospital service. The partnership has supported the development of a range of clinically relevant research studies and the growing motivation and confidence among social work staff to participate in a wider research agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Largetooth sawfish Pristis pristis and green sawfish P. zijsron were not uncommon in catches made in KwaZulu‑ Natal (KZN) on the east coast of South Africa in the mid part of the last century but apparently have disappeared from this area. This paper traces the decline in sawfish catches from 1951 and assesses the current population status and local extinction risk, based on historical and current records up to 2012. Records were collected from research surveys, literature, media and museum specimens, and through contacting researchers and conservation managers who have worked in KZN coastal and estuarine areas. A total of 150 green sawfish, 7 largetooth sawfish and 89 unidentified sawfish records were located. Most sawfish (115) were caught during a four‑year (1967–1970) gillnetting survey conducted by the Oceanographic Research Institute in the St Lucia estuarine system while 91 were caught in the bather protection nets installed and maintained along the KZN coast by the KwaZulu‑Natal Sharks Board. Sawfish ranged from 63 to 533 cm total length (TL). Sawfish caught in the estuarine environments (mean TL 162 cm [SD 72], n = 95) were significantly smaller than those caught in the inshore marine environments (mean TL 310 cm [SD 109], n = 83), confirming the importance of estuaries as pupping and nursery areas. The St Lucia estuarine system, given the high abundance of sawfish, was determined to be the most important nursery area in KZN. The last sawfish encountered in KZN, which was not identified to species level, was caught in the bather protection nets in 1999 and released alive. Extinction probability analysis indicates that sawfish no longer occur in KZN waters. Anthropogenic changes to the St Lucia estuarine system, as well as to other KZN estuaries, gillnetting for bather protection, and illegal fish harvesting, coupled with a non‑adaptive life‑history style, may have precipitated the disappearance of sawfish from KZN waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patient and family-centered care has become a focus in health services. Social work has a rich history of providing responsive patient care. This study identified the contribution and value of social work to PFCC from the key stakeholder perspectives of health social workers (n = 65). Utilizing interpretive description, four themes emerged: (1) Thinking big and holistically, (2) Intervening with families, (3) Enabling patient and family coping, and (4) Maximizing hospital and community resources. Barriers included a lack of power, professional isolation and role creep. Implications for research and practice are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores pathways into homelessness by older Australians, with a particular focus on first-time homelessness. Drawing on a multi-method study including data mining of 561 client records and 20 interviews with service providers, the distinctive nature of older people's homelessness is demonstrated. Three pathways to homelessness in later life are identified. With close to 70 per cent of the participants having had a conventional housing history, the article reveals in rich detail the circumstances surrounding critical housing incidents for older Australians. It shows that older people are at risk when they are evicted, are unable to continue to living with family, face unaffordable rent in the private rental market, cannot continue living in inaccessible rental housing, as well as experience a breakdown in an important relationship. The results provide key material to inform the design of services and policy initiatives to prevent and address homelessness for older Australians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the physiological mechanisms that allow elite level climbers to maintain intense isometric contractions for prolonged periods of time are unknown. Furthermore, it is unclear whether blood flow or muscle oxidative capacity best governs performance. This study aimed to determine the haemodynamic kinetics of 2 forearm flexor muscles in 3 ability groups of rock climbers. Thirty-eight male participants performed a sustained contraction at 40% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) until volitional fatigue. Oxygen saturation and blood flow was assessed using near infrared spectroscopy and Doppler ultrasound. Compared to control, intermediate, and advanced groups, the elite climbers had a significantly (P < 0.05) higher strength-to-weight ratio (MVC/N), de-oxygenated the flexor digitorum profundus significantly (P < 0.05) more (32, 34.3, and 42.8 vs. 63% O2, respectively), and at a greater rate (0.32, 0.27, and 0.34 vs. 0.77 O2%·s−1, respectively). Furthermore, elite climbers de-oxygenated the flexor carpi radialis significantly (P < 0.05) more and at a greater rate than the intermediate group (36.5 vs. 14.6% O2and 0.43 vs. 0.1O2%·s−1, respectively). However, there were no significant differences in total forearm ∆ blood flow. An increased MVC/N is not associated with greater blood flow occlusion in elite climbers; therefore, oxidative capacity may be more important for governing performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of biofilm development, detachment is of practical importance when placed in a biofilm management perspective. The objective of the present study was to examine biofilm structure and biofilm detachment under controlled conditions for two distinct microorganisms grown under constant shear conditions. Detached biofilm biomass was regularly collected and analysed over the course of 72 h biofilm growth byPseudomonas putidaandPseudomonas fluorescenscells, and biofilm structural development assessed using confocal microscopy. The twoPseudomonasspp., which had very similar specific growth rates in planktonic culture, presented notably different characteristics in terms of biofilm morphology but their detachment behaviours over time were very similar. These findings underline the intrinsic complexity of the detachment phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study on the various challenges and emotional impact faced by families of people with severe mental health problems. It states that family caregivers have reported higher levels of common mental disorders, including fatigue, suicidal thinking, and sleep dysfunction as well as social isolation and poor quality of life. It further states that in order to maintain community based care, it is crucial to provide caregivers with the appropriate range of support.

The individual correlations between nematic transition temperatures and the molecular descriptors derived from density functional theory (DFT) method are investigated. Significant quantitative structure–property relationships (QSPRs) forTNof a set of 42 theromtropic liquid crystal were established through principle component analysis (PCA) and multiple linear regression (MLR). A promising six-descriptor linear model with good statistical fitting and predicting capability were developed with the help of DFT. The model is based onEHOMO,ELUMO,μ, S, WandX. The reliability of this model is clear from its correlation coefficient (R2 = 0.95) and cross-validation coefficient (R2CV = 0.93). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]