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BackgroundKnee extensor muscle performance is reduced after lower extremity trauma and orthopedic surgical interventions. At-home use of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) may improve functional recovery, but adherence to at-home interventions is low. Greater benefits from NMES may be realized with closer monitoring of adherence to at-home prescriptions and more frequent patient-provider interactions. ObjectiveThis study aimed to develop a cyber-physical system to monitor at-home adherence to NMES prescription and facilitate patient-provider communications to improve adherence in near real time. MethodsThe RehabTracker cyber-physical system was developed to accomplish this goal and comprises four components: (1) hardware modifications to a commercially available NMES therapy device to monitor device use and provide Bluetooth functionality; (2) an iPhone Operating System–based mobile health (mHealth) app that enables patient-provider communications in near real time; (3) a clinician portal to allow oversight of patient adherence with device use; and (4) a back-end server to store data, enable adherence analysis, and send automated push notifications to the patient. These four elements were designed to be fully compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. The system underwent formative testing in a cohort of patients following anterior cruciate ligament rupture (n=7) to begin to assess face validity. ResultsCompared with the NMES device software–tracked device use, the RehabTracker system recorded 83% (40/48) of the rehabilitation sessions, with 100% (32/32) of all sessions logged by the system in 4 out of 7 patients. In patients for whom tracking of automated push notifications was enabled, 100% (29/29) of the push notifications sent by the back-end server were received by the patient. Process, hardware, and software issues contributing to these inaccuracies are detailed. ConclusionsRehabTracker represents a promising mHealth app for tracking and improving adherence with at-home NMES rehabilitation programs and warrants further refinement and testing.

This study investigates the widely accepted notion that spending more time looking at works of art results in better art appreciations. To this end, we examined the verbal responses of 34 non-expert viewers to works of public contemporary art. We structured and conducted the study in such a way as to compare, for each informant, examples of free, self-guided viewing experiences against instances of semi-structured viewing experiences with researcher imposed minimum durations. In this way, we hoped to determine the impact of longer viewing periods on the informants' art appreciation performance by examining changes in cognitive dispositions and in production of interpretive hypotheses about the works of art. According to these two indicators, extended viewing periods were found to have a significant and positive effect on the art appreciation performances of the majority of the non-expert participants in this study. These findings support the notion that there is a relationship between viewing duration and better art appreciations. (Contains 8 footnotes.)

Examines how understandings of concepts of experiential and theoretical learning have evolved within Discipline-Based Art Education (DBAE) debates; explores how these two types of learning are related to each DBAE discipline; and proposes that educational practices emphasize interaction between experiential and theoretical learning within and across the four art disciplines. (DSK)

We examined cardiomyocyte intracellular calcium ([[[Ca.sup.2+]].sub.i]) dynamics and sarcomere shortening dynamics in genetic rat models of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy associated with or without hypertension (HT) and with or without hyperactive (HA) behavior. Previous selective breeding of the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) strain, which is HA and HT, with the Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rat strain, which is not hyperactive (NA) and not hypertensive (NT), has led to two unique strains: the WKHA strain, selected for HA and NT, and the WKHT strain, selected for NA and HT. Cardiomyocytes were isolated from young adult males and females of each strain, paced at 2, 3, and 4 Hz in 1.2 mM external [Ca.sup.2+] concentration at 37[degrees]C, and cardiomyocyte [[[Ca.sup.2+]].sub.i] and sarcomere dynamics were recorded simultaneously. Under these conditions, LV cardiomyocyte systolic and diastolic [[[Ca.sup.2+]].sub.i] dynamics and diastolic sarcomere dynamics in the WKHT were significantly enhanced compared with WKY controls, suggesting an underlying LV hypertrophic response that successfully compensated for HT in the absence of HA. LV cardiomyocyte [[[Ca.sup.2+]].sub.i] dynamics in the WKHA and SHR were strikingly similar to each other and only slightly reduced compared with WKY. LV cardiomyocyte systolic and diastolic sarcomere dynamics, on the other hand, were significantly reduced in the SHR compare with WKHA and more so in male than in female SHR. We conclude from these data that HT alone is an insufficient descriptor of the cause of LV hypertrophy and diminished LV cardiomyocyte function in the SHR rat. These data further suggest that HA (augmented by male sex) in the SHR may interact with the HT state to initiate impaired cardiomyocyte function and thereby inhibit or undermine an otherwise compensatory response that may occur with HT in the absence of HA. spontaneously hypertensive rat; Wistar-Kyoto rat; Wistar-Kyoto hypertensive; Wistar-Kyoto hyperactive; fura-2; left ventricular

This paper documents an educational artist-in-residence program that was particularly active in some Ottawa Roman Catholic Separate School Board primary schools during the period 1970 to 1988. In schools where space was available, professional artists were assigned studio space as a means to encourage their participation in the day-to-day life of the schools. In exchange, the visual and performing artists offered non-teaching services that included mentoring and participation in stage plays, mural creation and art exhibitions. These activities mainly took place within the framework of the artists' everyday ongoing professional practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlike other types of public art, works of public contemporary art are often the subject of controversy. This paper examines two examples of public contemporary art: one controversial (A & B associés, Transformer Site, 1982), the other not (John Ceprano's Ottawa River stone sculptures, 1987). To understand the developments that led to these different outcomes, the two case studies are examined using three different approaches. First, by presenting various viewers' points of view as expressed in newspaper articles and letters to the editor, the author explores public opinions about A & B associés' Transformer Site (1982) in terms of the social class aesthetics of French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu (1980). Second, the author examines how additional factors, such as education and viewing experience, also shed light on viewer reactions to works of public contemporary art. Third, consideration is given to the role of the media in influencing public opinion about the two art projects. The author argues that, in the case of John Ceprano's stone sculptures on the shores of the Ottawa River, the media's coverage of the production of these works is an example of art education on a massive scale. The article concludes with a discussion of Vincent Lanier's (1987) argument that freedom of aesthetic choice can only truly exist when viewers have informed access to works of art. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We sought to evaluate the safety and efficacy of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on ischemia and reperfusion in a pig model focusing on cardio-renal protection. High doses of NAC may provide protection from contrast induced nephropathy (CIN). NAC has also been demonstrated to reduce myocardial infarction size and improve left ventricular function after ischemia in both humans and animals studies. In this study we tested the safety and cardiorenal protective efficacy of intracoronary NAC delivered in the radiographic contrast agent in a pig model that simulates the catheter based reperfusion therapy of ST elevation myocardial infarctions. 27 pigs underwent 45 min of ischemia after surgical ligation of distal left descending coronary artery. With coronary reperfusion the animals received at total of 200 mL of the contrast agent Iopamidol with and without NAC to mimic radiographic contrast use during invasive reperfusion therapy. At 24 h the following endpoints were compared: LV function (MRI, echocardiography), myocardial injury (infarct size, area-at-risk, troponin, creatinine kinase) and CIN (creatinine, BUN and renal histology). The effects of NAC on platelet reactivity were also evaluated. Intracoronary administration of NAC administered in the contrast agent is safe. NAC reduces platelet reactivity and there was a trend towards a better cardiac function at 24 h. There was no significant difference in the size of the myocardial infarction. In this model of ischemia–reperfusion high dose NAC did not protect from CIN. High dose intracoronary NAC administered with the radiographic contrast is safe but does not provide significant cardio-renal protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the life and works of Quéec artist René Dérouin, who wrote the open letter "Le Devoir, which calls for young visual artists to work to create new art publics for their survival. It cites that he has been seriously doing efforts to form links between the general public and contemporary art practices through establishing symposiums wherein artists from various places gather together to foster a wider and greater appreciation of contemporary art.

The article discusses various reports published within the issue, including a discussion on the history of arts-based research by David Pariser, assessment on the influence of colonial history to the development of art education in New Zealand by Jill Smith, and evaluation on the teaching experiences of post-secondary visual art instructors by Christian Halliday.

The author reflects on the contributions of various authors of the journal "Canadian Review of Art Education." He mentions Professor Stan Horner, who died last fall, and his influences to the generations of young and emerging art educators. He also highlights the professional accomplishments of another Canadian art educator Dr. Roger Allen Clark.

A personal narrative is presented which explores the author's experience on being an editor.