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"Hart, Casey B."
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The evolution and social impact of video game economics
This book examines how the video game industry's economic strategies have changed over the past decade (2006-2016) from a media effects and game design perspective. It also features discussions and analyses on the social impact of these changes and how consumers have reacted to evolving marketing and design strategies.
Book
The evolution and social impact of video game economics
Today, consumers of video games spend over 22.4 billion each year; using more complex and multi-layered strategies, game developers attempt to extend the profitability of their products from a simple one-time sale, to continuous engagement with the consumer.
eBook
A Linguistic Analysis of Sexual Content and Emotive Language in Contemporary Music Genres
The study examines sexual content and emotive language in contemporary popular music using word count and linguistic inquiry. The study examines the possible connections between sexual content and emotive language in five major genres of popular music by comparing frequency and looking for correlations between these variables. The study uses the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count 2015 program to conduct the basic analysis and then a series of ANOVAs to test for significance and relationships between variables. Results indicate that the genre of Rap/R&B contains significantly higher frequencies of sexual content than other genres and a strong correlation between sexual content and anger. This supports and expands on previous work in the field by examining emotional motivations connected to sexual narratives. Contrary to Rap/R&B, the genre of Rock shows moderate a correlation between sexual content and anxiety, indicating narrative differences in the contextualization of sexual content in the genre. The paper discusses the implications of these findings in the modern era of #MeToo and awareness of domestic violence.
Journal Article
Drowning rule‐out with novices (DROWN) in ultrasound
AbstractObjectivesNon‐fatal drownings confer significant morbidity and mortality in the United States. Chest radiograph (CXR) is typically used as a screening modality for interstitial edema but lacks sensitivity early after submersion. No study has evaluated lung ultrasound in assessing for pulmonary edema after submersion events and we hypothesized that lung point‐of‐care (POC) ultrasound can identify interstitial edema in patients presenting after non‐fatal drownings. MethodsPatients presenting to the emergency department after a submersion event were eligible if a CXR was obtained as part of their care. Emergency medicine residents performed a lung POC ultrasound and provided a “novice” interpretation of “normal” or “abnormal,” which was independently reviewed by a blinded expert sonographer. Patients were contacted 2 weeks after presentation to assess for late sequela. ResultsA prospective convenience sample of 59 patients included 21 adults (36%) and 38 children (64%) enrolled over 17 months with a median age of 6. Twenty‐four (41%) patients had abnormalities on CXR. Of these, 20 patients had a positive ultrasound per novice interpretation. Compared to CXR, ultrasound had an overall sensitivity of 83% and a specificity of 66% for detecting pulmonary edema in non‐fatal drownings. Notably, out of 35 subjects with a negative CXR, there were 12 (34%) cases with a positive lung ultrasound, 10 of which required hospital admission. ConclusionLung POC ultrasound has a moderate sensitivity and specificity when performed by novice sonographers to detect pulmonary edema presenting to an ED setting after a non‐fatal drowning event.
Journal Article
Effect of an Intrapartum Pelvic Dilator Device on Levator Ani Muscle Avulsion During Primiparous Vaginal Delivery: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Introduction and Hypothesis
The objective was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of an intrapartum electromechanical pelvic floor dilator designed to reduce the risk of levator ani muscle (LAM) avulsion during vaginal delivery.
Methods
A multicenter, randomized controlled trial enrolled nulliparous participants planning vaginal delivery. During the first stage of labor, participants were randomized to receive the intravaginal device or standard-of-care labor management. The primary effectiveness endpoint was the presence of full LAM avulsion on transperineal pelvic-floor ultrasound at 3 months. Three urogynecologists performed blinded interpretation of ultrasound images. The primary safety endpoint was adverse events (AEs) through 3 months.
Results
A total of 214 women were randomized to Device (
n
= 113) or Control (
n
= 101) arms. Of 113 Device assignees, 82 had a device placed, of whom 68 delivered vaginally. Of 101 Control participants, 85 delivered vaginally. At 3 months, 110 participants, 46 Device subjects who received full device treatment, and 64 Controls underwent ultrasound for the per-protocol analysis. No full LAM avulsions (0.0%) occurred in the Device group versus 7 out of 64 (10.9%) in the Control group (
p
= 0.040; two-tailed Fisher’s test). A single maternal serious AE (laceration) was device related; no neonate serious AEs were device related.
Conclusions
The pelvic floor dilator device significantly reduced the incidence of complete LAM avulsion in nulliparous individuals undergoing first vaginal childbirth. The dilator demonstrated an acceptable safety profile and was well received by recipients. Use of the intrapartum electromechanical pelvic floor dilator in laboring nulliparous individuals may reduce the rate of LAM avulsion, an injury associated with serious sequelae including pelvic organ prolapse.
Journal Article
The Effects of Acute Beta-Adrenergic Blockade on Aortic Wave Reflection in Postmenopausal Women
BACKGROUND
Acute beta-adrenergic blockade increases aortic-wave reflection in young women. However, it is not known whether this effect extends to postmenopausal women. We therefore examined the effect of systemic beta-adrenergic blockade on aortic wave reflection in 14 postmenopausal women with a mean age of 58±2 years.
METHODS
Aortic pressure waveforms were synthesized noninvasively from high-fidelity radial pressure waveforms obtained through applanation tonometry before and during systemic beta-blockade with propranolol given in a bolus dose of 0.25mg/kg, followed by a continuous infusion at 0.004mg/kg/min. To further examine the effects of acute beta-blockade on aortic-wave reflection in postmenopausal women, we compared the changes in hemodynamics and indices of aortic-wave reflection with published data from a previous study with a protocol identical to that in the present study but which involved young women.
RESULTS
Acute beta-blockade increased the aortic augmentation index (AIx) in postmenopausal women (32±2% vs. 35±2%, P < 0.01). However, AIx adjusted for a heart rate of 75 bpm (AIx75) was unchanged (25±2% vs. 24±2%, P > 0.05). The changes in AIx, AIx75, and the amplitude of reflected waves (augmented aortic pressure) during beta-blockade were all substantially smaller in postmenopausal women than in their younger counterparts (P < 0.05).
Conclusions
As compared with those in our previously published study involving young women, indices of aortic-wave reflection were significantly less affected by acute systemic beta-adrenergic blockade in the postmenopausal women in the present study. Taken together, our data suggest that the negative effects (i.e. increased aortic wave reflection) of nonselective beta-adrenergic blockade are less pronounced in postmenopausal than in young women.
Journal Article
Cross-Sectional Exploration of Plasma Biomarkers of Alzheimer’s Disease in Down Syndrome: Early Data from the Longitudinal Investigation for Enhancing Down Syndrome Research (LIFE-DSR) Study
With improved healthcare, the Down syndrome (DS) population is both growing and aging rapidly. However, with longevity comes a very high risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The LIFE-DSR study (NCT04149197) is a longitudinal natural history study recruiting 270 adults with DS over the age of 25. The study is designed to characterize trajectories of change in DS-associated AD (DS-AD). The current study reports its cross-sectional analysis of the first 90 subjects enrolled. Plasma biomarkers phosphorylated tau protein (p-tau), neurofilament light chain (NfL), amyloid β peptides (Aβ1-40, Aβ1-42), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were undertaken with previously published methods. The clinical data from the baseline visit include demographics as well as the cognitive measures under the Severe Impairment Battery (SIB) and Down Syndrome Mental Status Examination (DS-MSE). Biomarker distributions are described with strong statistical associations observed with participant age. The biomarker data contributes to understanding DS-AD across the spectrum of disease. Collectively, the biomarker data show evidence of DS-AD progression beginning at approximately 40 years of age. Exploring these data across the full LIFE-DSR longitudinal study population will be an important resource in understanding the onset, progression, and clinical profiles of DS-AD pathophysiology.
Journal Article
Effects of disinhibitory transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and therapeutic exercise on sagittal plane peak knee kinematics and kinetics in people with knee osteoarthritis during gait: a randomized controlled trial
Objective: To determine whether sensory transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) augmented with therapeutic exercise and worn for daily activities for four weeks would alter peak gait kinetics and kinematics, compared with placebo electrical stimulation and exercise, and exercise only.
Design: Randomized controlled trial.
Setting: Motion analysis laboratory.
Subjects: Thirty-six participants with radiographically assessed knee osteoarthritis and volitional quadriceps activation below 90% were randomly assigned to electrical stimulation, placebo and comparison (exercise-only) groups.
Interventions: Participants in all three groups completed a four-week quadriceps strengthening programme directed by an experienced rehabilitation clinician. Active electrical stimulation units and placebo units were worn in the electrical stimulation and placebo groups throughout the rehabilitation sessions as well as during all activities of daily living.
Main measures: Peak external knee flexion moment and angle during stance phase were analysed at a comfortable walking speed before and after the intervention.
Findings: Comfortable walking speed increased for all groups over time (TENS 1.16 ± 0.15 versus 1.32 ± 0.16 m/s; placebo 1.21 ± 0.34 versus 1.3 ± 0.24 m/s; comparison 1.27 ± 0.18 versus 1.5 ± 0.14 m/s), yet no group differences in speed were found. No differences were found for peak flexion moment or angle between groups overtime.
Conclusions: TENS in conjunction with therapeutic exercise does not seem to affect peak flexion moment and angle during stance over a four-week period in participants with tibiofemoral osteoarthritis.
Journal Article
Reduced quadriceps activation after lumbar paraspinal fatiguing exercise
Although poor paraspinal muscle endurance has been associated with less quadriceps activation (QA) in persons with a history of low back pain, no authors have addressed the acute neuromuscular response after lumbar paraspinal fatiguing exercise.
To compare QA after lumbar paraspinal fatiguing exercise in healthy individuals and those with a history of low back pain.
A 2 x 4 repeated-measures, time-series design.
Exercise and Sport Injury Laboratory.
Sixteen volunteers participated (9 males, 7 females; 8 controls and 8 with a history of low back pain; age = 24.1 +/- 3.1 years, height = 173.4 +/- 7.1 cm, mass = 72.4 +/- 12.1 kg).
Subjects performed 3 sets of isometric lumbar paraspinal fatiguing muscle contractions. Exercise sets continued until the desired shift in lumbar paraspinal electromyographic median power frequency was observed. Baseline QA was compared with QA after each exercise set.
An electric burst was superimposed while subjects performed a maximal quadriceps contraction. We used the central activation ratio to calculate QA = (F(MVIC)/[F(MVIC) + F(Burst)])* 100, where F = force and MVIC = maximal voluntary isometric contractions. Quadriceps electromyographic activity was collected at the same time as QA measurements to permit calculation of median frequency during MVIC.
Average QA decreased from baseline (87.4% +/- 8.2%) after the first (84.5% +/- 10.5%), second (81.4% +/- 11.0%), and third (78.2% +/- 12.7%) fatiguing exercise sets. On average, the group with a history of low back pain showed significantly more QA than controls. No significant change in quadriceps median frequency was noted during the quadriceps MVICs.
The quadriceps muscle group was inhibited after lumbar paraspinal fatiguing exercise in the absence of quadriceps fatigue. This effect may be different for people with a history of low back pain compared with healthy controls.
Journal Article
Quadriceps inhibition after repetitive lumbar extension exercise in persons with a history of low back pain
A neuromuscular relationship exists between the lumbar extensor and quadriceps muscles during fatiguing exercise. However, this relationship may be different for persons with low back pain (LBP).
To compare quadriceps inhibition after isometric, fatiguing lumbar extension exercise between persons with a history of LBP and control subjects.
A 2 x 3 factorial, repeated-measures, time-series design with independent variables of group (persons with a history of LBP, controls) and time (baseline, postexercise set 1, postexercise set 2).
University research laboratory.
Twenty-five subjects with a history of LBP were matched by sex, height, and mass to 25 healthy control subjects.
Electromyography median frequency indexed lumbar paraspinal muscular fatigue while subjects performed 2 sets of isometric lumbar extension exercise. Subjects exercised until a 15% downward shift in median frequency for the first set and a 25% shift for the second set were demonstrated.
Knee extension force was measured while subjects performed an isometric maximal quadriceps contraction. During this maximal effort, a percutaneous electric stimulus was applied to the quadriceps, causing a transient, supramaximal increase in force output. We used the ratio between the 2 forces to estimate quadriceps inhibition. Quadriceps electromyographic activity was recorded during the maximal contractions to compare median frequencies over time.
Both groups exhibited significantly increased quadriceps inhibition after the first (12.6% +/- 10.0%, P < .001) and second (15.2% +/- 9.7%, P < .001) exercise sets compared with baseline (9.6% +/- 9.3%). However, quadriceps inhibition was not different between groups.
Persons with a history of LBP do not appear to be any more or less vulnerable to quadriceps inhibition after fatiguing lumbar extension exercise.
Journal Article