Predatory journals recruit fake editor

An investigation finds that dozens of academic titles offered ‘Dr Fraud’ — a sham, unqualified scientist — a place on their editorial board. Katarzyna Pisanski and colleagues report

Process evaluation of a school based physical activity related injury prevention programme using the RE-AIM framework

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In general, only information regarding the effectiveness of an intervention programme is ever published. However, in recent years evaluating the translatability and feasibility of an intervention programme has become more important. Therefore, this paper presents the results of the evaluation of the iPlay programme aimed at preventing physical activity related injuries in primary school children.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The iPlay programme targeted injuries gained through physical activity, and consisted of a teacher's manual, informative newsletters and posters, a website, and set exercises to be carried out during physical education (PE) classes. In order to evaluate the iPlay programme for translatability and feasibility, teachers, children and parents who participated in the iPlay programme filled out a questionnaire</p> <p>The objective of this study is to describe the results of the process-evaluation of the iPlay programme based on the five dimensions of the RE-AIM framework.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The results showed that the participation rate of the children was 100% (reach). Nine percent of the schools who were invited to take part were willing to participate in the study (adoption rate). Teachers stated that they implemented the different elements of the programme partly as intended (implementation). The percentage of children and parents who followed the programme was less than expected. In addition, 52% of the teachers indicated that the current iPlay programme could become standard practice in their teaching routine (maintenance).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The iPlay programme is a first start in the prevention of physical activity related injuries in children, but further improvements need to be made to the programme on the basis of this process evaluation.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>ISRCTN78846684; <url>http://www.controlled-trials.com</url></p

Chronic koro-like symptoms – two case reports

BACKGROUND: Koro is a culture bound syndrome, which has been reported usually from Asian countries. It has been described as an acute, brief lasting illness, which often occurs in epidemics. There is no description in literature of a chronic form of this syndrome. CASE PRESENTATION: Two sporadic cases with koro-like symptoms from East India are presented where the illness had a chronic course with durations spanning more than ten years. In contrast to acute, good prognosis, psycho-education responsive form that is usually seen in epidemics; the chronic form, appeared to be associated with greater morbidity and poorer response to interventions. CONCLUSION: There is a possibility of a chronic form of koro syndrome

Development of a nursing intervention to facilitate optimal antiretroviral-treatment taking among people living with HIV

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Failure by a large portion of PLHIV to take optimally ARV treatment can have serious repercussions on their health. The absence of a systematic treatment-taking promotion program in Quebec prompted stakeholders to develop jointly a theory- and evidence-based nursing intervention to this end. This article describes the results of a collective effort by researchers, clinicians and PLHIV to share their knowledge and create an appropriate intervention.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Intervention mapping was used as the framework for developing the intervention. First, the target population and environmental conditions were analyzed and a literature review conducted to identify predictors of optimal treatment taking. The predictors to emerge were self-efficacy and attitudes. Performance objectives were subsequently defined and crossed-referenced with the predictors to develop a matrix of change objectives. Then, theories of self-efficacy and persuasion (the predictors to emerge from step 1), together with practical strategies derived from these theories, were used to design the intervention. Finally, the sequence and content of the intervention activities were defined and organized, and the documentary material designed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The intervention involves an intensive, personalized follow-up over four direct-contact sessions, each lasting 45–75 minutes. Individuals are engaged in a learning process that leads to the development of skills to motivate themselves to follow the therapeutic plan properly, to overcome situations that make taking the antiretroviral medication difficult, to cope with side-effects, to relate to people in their social circle, and to deal with health professionals.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The intervention was validated by various health professionals and pre-tested with four PLHIV. Preliminary results support the suitability and viability of the intervention. A randomized trial is currently underway to verify the effectiveness of the intervention in promoting optimal antiretroviral treatment taking.</p

Attachment styles and personal growth following romantic breakups: The mediating roles of distress, rumination, and tendency to rebound

© 2013 Marshall et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.This article has been made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund.The purpose of this research was to examine the associations of attachment anxiety and avoidance with personal growth following relationship dissolution, and to test breakup distress, rumination, and tendency to rebound with new partners as mediators of these associations. Study 1 (N = 411) and Study 2 (N = 465) measured attachment style, breakup distress, and personal growth; Study 2 additionally measured ruminative reflection, brooding, and proclivity to rebound with new partners. Structural equation modelling revealed in both studies that anxiety was indirectly associated with greater personal growth through heightened breakup distress, whereas avoidance was indirectly associated with lower personal growth through inhibited breakup distress. Study 2 further showed that the positive association of breakup distress with personal growth was accounted for by enhanced reflection and brooding, and that anxious individuals’ greater personal growth was also explained by their proclivity to rebound. These findings suggest that anxious individuals’ hyperactivated breakup distress may act as a catalyst for personal growth by promoting the cognitive processing of breakup-related thoughts and emotions, whereas avoidant individuals’ deactivated distress may inhibit personal growth by suppressing this cognitive work

The impact of disseminating the whole-community project '10,000 Steps': a RE-AIM analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There are insufficient research reports on the wide-scale dissemination of effective whole-community physical activity (PA) programs. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the impact of the wide-scale dissemination of '10,000 Steps', using the RE-AIM framework.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Dissemination efforts targeted a large region of Belgium and were concentrated on media strategies and peer networks of specific professional organizations, such as local health promotion services. Heads of department of 69 organizations received an on-line survey to assess project awareness, adoption, implementation and intended continuation of '10,000 Steps'. On the individual level, 755 citizens living in the work area of the organizations were interviewed for project awareness and PA levels. Measures were structured according to the RE-AIM dimensions (reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, maintenance). Independent sample <it>t </it>and chi-square tests were used to compare groups for representativeness at the organizational and individual level, and for individual PA differences.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of all organizations, 90% was aware of '10,000 Steps' (effectiveness - organizational level) and 36% adopted the project (adoption). The global implementation score was 52%. One third intended to continue the project in the future (maintenance) and 48% was still undecided. On the individual level, 35% of citizens were aware of '10,000 Steps' (reach). They reported significantly higher leisure-time PA levels than those not aware of '10,000 Steps' (256 ± 237 and 207 ± 216 min/week, respectively; <it>t </it>= -2.8; p < .005) (effectiveness - individual level). When considering representativeness, adoption of '10.000 Steps' was independent of most organizational characteristics, except for years of experience in PA promotion (7.6 ± 4.6 and 2.9 ± 5.9 years for project staff and non-project staff members, respectively; <it>t </it>= 2.79; <it>p </it>< 0.01). Project awareness in citizens was independent of all demographic characteristics.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>'10,000 Steps' shows potential for wide-scale dissemination but a supportive linkage system seems recommended to encourage adoption levels and high quality implementation.</p

Comparative physiology of Australian quolls (Dasyurus; Marsupialia)

Quolls (Dasyurus) are medium-sized carnivorous dasyurid marsupials. Tiger (3,840 g) and eastern quolls (780 g) are mesic zone species, northern quolls (516 g) are tropical zone, and chuditch (1,385 g) were once widespread through the Australian arid zone. We found that standard physiological variables of these quolls are consistent with allometric expectations for marsupials. Nevertheless, inter-specific patterns amongst the quolls are consistent with their different environments. The lower T ^sub b^ of northern quolls (34°C) may provide scope for adaptive hyperthermia in the tropics, and they use torpor for energy/water conservation, whereas the larger mesic species (eastern and tiger quolls) do not appear to. Thermolability varied from little in eastern (0.035°C °C^sup -1^) and tiger quolls (0.051°C ºC^sup -1^) to substantial in northern quolls (0.100°C ºC^sup -1^) and chuditch (0.146°C ºC^sup -1^), reflecting body mass and environment. Basal metabolic rate was higher for eastern quolls (0.662 ± 0.033 ml O^sub 2^ g^sup -1^ h^sup -1^), presumably reflecting their naturally cool environment. Respiratory ventilation closely matched metabolic demand, except at high ambient temperatures where quolls hyperventilated to facilitate evaporative heat loss; tiger and eastern quolls also salivated. A higher evaporative water loss for eastern quolls (1.43 ± 0.212 mg H^sub 2^O g^sup -1^ h^sup -1^) presumably reflects their more mesic distribution. The point of relative water economy was low for tiger (-1.3°C), eastern (-12.5°C) and northern (+3.3) quolls, and highest for the chuditch (+22.6°C). We suggest that these differences in water economy reflect lower expired air temperatures and hence lower respiratory evaporative water loss for the arid-zone chuditch relative to tropical and mesic quolls

Successful implementation of new technologies in nursing care: a questionnaire survey of nurse-users

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A growing number of new technologies are becoming available within nursing care that can improve the quality of care, reduce costs, or enhance working conditions. However, such effects can only be achieved if technologies are used as intended. The aim of this study is to gain a better understanding of determinants influencing the success of the introduction of new technologies as perceived by nursing staff.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study population is a nationally representative research sample of nursing staff (further referred to as the Nursing Staff Panel), of whom 685 (67%) completed a survey questionnaire about their experiences with recently introduced technologies. Participants were working in Dutch hospitals, psychiatric organizations, care organizations for mentally disabled people, home care organizations, nursing homes or homes for the elderly.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Half of the respondents were confronted with the introduction of a new technology in the last three years. Only half of these rated the introduction of the technology as positive.</p> <p>The factors most frequently mentioned as impeding actual use were related to the (kind of) technology itself, such as malfunctioning, ease of use, relevance for patients, and risks to patients. Furthermore nursing staff stress the importance of an adequate innovation strategy.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>A prerequisite for the successful introduction of new technologies is to analyse determinants that may impede or enhance the introduction among potential users. For technological innovations special attention has to be paid to the (perceived) characteristics of the technology itself.</p