Validation of a Spanish version of the Spine Functional Index

Background The Spine Functional Index (SFI) is a recently published, robust and clinimetrically valid patient reported outcome measure. Objectives The purpose of this study was the adaptation and validation of a Spanish-version (SFI-Sp) with cultural and linguistic equivalence. Methods A two stage observational study was conducted. The SFI was cross-culturally adapted to Spanish through double forward and backward translation then validated for its psychometric characteristics. Participants (n = 226) with various spine conditions of >12 weeks duration completed the SFI-Sp and a region specific measure: for the back, the Roland Morris Questionnaire (RMQ) and Backache Index (BADIX); for the neck, the Neck Disability Index (NDI); for general health the EQ-5D and SF-12. The full sample was employed to determine internal consistency, concurrent criterion validity by region and health, construct validity and factor structure. A subgroup (n = 51) was used to determine reliability at seven days. Results The SFI-Sp demonstrated high internal consistency (α = 0.85) and reliability (r = 0.96). The factor structure was one-dimensional and supported construct validity. Criterion specific validity for function was high with the RMQ (r = 0.79), moderate with the BADIX (r = 0.59) and low with the NDI (r = 0.46). For general health it was low with the EQ-5D and inversely correlated (r = −0.42) and fair with the Physical and Mental Components of the SF-12 and inversely correlated (r = −0.56 and r = −0.48), respectively. The study limitations included the lack of longitudinal data regarding other psychometric properties, specifically responsiveness. Conclusions The SFI-Sp was demonstrated as a valid and reliable spine-regional outcome measure. The psychometric properties were comparable to and supported those of the English-version, however further longitudinal investigations are required.

Social Media Audience Metrics as a New Form of TV Audience Measurement

Digital media have contributed to significant disruptions in the business of audience measurement. Television broadcasters have long relied on simple and authoritative measures of who is watching what. The demand for ratings data, as a common currency in transactions involving advertising and program content, will likely remain, but accompanying measurements of audience engagement with media content would also be of value. Today's media environment increasingly includes social media and second-screen use, providing a data trail that affords an opportunity to measure engagement. If the limitations of using social media to indicate audience engagement can be overcome, social media use may allow for quantitative and qualitative measures of engagement. Raw social media data must be contextualized, and it is suggested that tools used by sports analysts be incorporated to do so. Inspired by baseball's Sabremetrics, the authors propose Telemetrics in an attempt to separate actual performance from contextual factors. Telemetrics facilitates measuring audience activity in a manner controlling for factors such as time slot, network, and so forth. It potentially allows both descriptive and predictive measures of engagement.

The new screen ecology : A new wave of media globalisation?

There may be a new wave of media globalisation based on what may appear to be the virtually frictionless, near-global reach of major digital content delivery platforms, pre-eminently YouTube. This article looks at the scale and significance of this new screen ecology, considering its continuities and discontinuities with established understandings of media globalisation, arguing against the notion that it provides a platform for new forms of cultural hegemony. Focusing on the periphery rather than the centre, it uses Australia as a case study in asking the question: in what ways does it make sense to talk about a nationally demarked YouTube space?

A New Synthesis Of Dibenzo[Aj]Xanthene Derivatives

Oxidation of mu-H/alkylbisnaphthols (4a-g) gives the 14-substituted dibenzo[aj]xanthenes (5a-g) as the sole product while that of mu-arylbisnaphthols (4h-j) gives the xanthenes (5h-j) along with the corresponding spironaphthalenones (1h-j). A probable mechanism for the formation of the products has been suggested.

A New Class Of Photo-Cross-Linkable Side-Chain Liquid Crystalline Polymers Containing Bis(Benzylidene)Cyclohexanone Units

This paper reports a new class of photo-cross-linkable side chain liquid crystalline polymers (PSCLCPs) based on the bis(benzylidene)cyclohexanone unit, which functions as both a mesogen and a photoactive center. Polymers with the bis(benzylidene)cyclohexanone unit and varying spacer length have been synthesized. Copolymers of bis(benzylidene)cyclohexanone containing monomer and cholesterol benzoate containing monomer with different compositions have also been prepared. All these polymers have been structurally characterized by spectroscopic techniques. Thermal transitions were studied by DSC, and mesophases were identified by polarized light optical microscopy (POM). The intermediate compounds OH-x, the monomers SCLCM-x, and the corresponding polymers PSCLCP-x, which are essentially based on bis(benzylidene)cyclohexanone, all show a nematic mesophase. Transition temperatures were observed to decrease with increasing spacer length. The copolymers with varying compositions exhibit a cholesteric mesophase, and the transition temperatures increase with the cholesteric benzoate units in the copolymer. Photolysis of the low molecular weight liquid crystalline bis(benzylidene)-cyclohexanone compound reveals that there are two kinds of photoreactions in these systems: the EZ photoisomerization and 2 pi + 2 pi addition. The EZ photoisomerization in the LC phase disrupts the parallel stacking of the mesogens, resulting in the transition from the LC phase to the isotropic phase. The photoreaction involving the 2 pi + 2 pi addition of the bis(benzylidene)cyclohexanone units in the polymer results in the cross-linking of the chains. The liquid crystalline induced circular dichroism (LCICD) studies of the cholesterol benzoate copolymers revealed that the cholesteric supramolecular order remains even after the photo-cross-linking.

Novel Functionalised Troger's Bases: Synthesis of a New Class of Troger's Base Analogues Containing Dicarboxyl Functionality

The synthesis of three new Troger's base analogues, each functionalized with two carboxyl groups, is described. Copyright.

Conformational flexibility in androgenic steroids - the structure of a new form of (+)-17-beta-hydroxy-19-nor-4-androsten-3-one (19-nortestosterone), c18h26o2

The structure and conformation of a second crystalline modification of 19-nortestosterone has been determined by X-ray methods. M r = 274, monoclinic P2 l, a=9.755(2), b= 11.467(3), c= 14.196(3)/L fl=101.07(2) ° , V=1558.4 (8) A 3, Z=4, Ox= I. 168 g cm -3, Mo Ka, 2 = 0.7107 ,/k, ~ = 0.80 cm -l, F(000) = 600, T= 300 K. R = 0.060 for 2158 observed reflections. The two molecules in the asymmetric unit show significant differences in the A-ring conformation from that of the previously reported form of the title compound [Precigoux, Busetta, Courseille & Hospital (1975). Acta Cryst. B31, 1527-1532]. The l a,2fl-half-chair conformation of the A ring increases its conformational freedom compared with testosterone.

Anthranilate Hydroxylase from Aspergillus niger: New Type of NADPH-Linked Nonheme Iron Monooxygenase

Anthranilate hydroxylase from Aspergillus niger catalyzes the oxidative deamination and dihydroxylation of anthranilic acid to 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid. This enzyme has been purified to homogeneity and has a molecular weight of 89,000. The enzyme is composed of two subunits of 42,000 with 2 gram-atoms of nonheme iron per mol. Fe2+-chelators like alpha,alpha'-dipyridyl and o-phenanthroline are potent inhibitors of the enzyme activity. Absorption and fluorescence spectra of the enzyme offer no evidence for the presence of other cofactors like flavin. Flavins and flavin-specific inhibitors like atebrin have no effect on the activity of the enzyme. The enzyme incorporates one atom of oxygen each from 18O2 and H218O into the product 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid. Based on these studies, it is concluded that anthranilate hydroxylase from A. niger is a new type of NADPH-linked nonheme iron monooxygenase.

Five new species of Aptenocanthon Matthews (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) from tropical Australia, with notes on distribution

Five new species of the flightless scarabaeine genus Aptenocanthon Matthews are described from northern Australia: jimara sp. nov. from the Northern Territory; kabura sp. nov., wollumbin sp. nov., winyur sp. nov. and speewah sp. nov. from mountains in the wet tropics of northern Queensland. A key is given to the eight species in the genus. A. jimara is the first record of the genus away from the east coast. Biology and distribution are discussed.

A new species of Aptenocanthorn Mathews from North Queensland. (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae)

Aptenocanthorn monteithi sp. Nov. is described from Atherton Tableland areas in northern Queensland. The nearest relatives are from mountains in eastern New South Wales.

New species of Onthophagus Latreille (Coleoptera : Scarabaeidae) from Australia

Twenty new Australian species of the scarabaeine genus Onthophagus Latreille are described: O. arkoola, O. beelarong, O. bindaree, O. binyana, O. bundara, O. cooloola, O. dinjerra, O. godarra, O. gurburra, O. kakadu, O. mije, O. mongana, O. pinaroo, O. trawalla, O. weringerong, O. williamsi, O. worooa, O. yackatoon, O. yaran, O. yourula. Notes and scanning electron micrographs are given to assist in the separation of each from previously described Australian species. Distribution maps are provided for each species

Six new species of Onthophagus Latreille (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) from Australia

Six new species of Onthophagus are described from Queensland and Northern Territory: 0. kiambram. 0. yarrumba, 0. kora, O.punthari, 0. terrara and 0. wanappe. All six species are related to the Australian 0. rubescens Macleay, and a key is given to separate the 14 species in that group.

New species of Ptychozoon (Sauria: Gekkonidae) from the Nicobar Archipelago, Indian Ocean

A new species of Ptychozoon is described from the central portion of the Nicobar Archipelago, Bay of Bengal, India. It has been formerly referred to P. kuhli, a species widely distributed in Sundaland. Ptychozoon nicobarensis sp. nov. reaches an SVL of 100.3 mm, and is diagnosable from congeneric species in showing the following combination of characters: dorsum with a tan vertebral stripe, lacking dark transverse bars; supranasals in contact; cutaneous expansions on sides of head; absence of predigital notch in preantebrachial cutaneous expansion; imbricate parachute support scales; four irregular rows of low, rounded enlarged scales on dorsum; 20-29 scales across widest portion of tail terminus; three indistinct chevrons on dorsum; 7-11 pairs of preanal pores; femoral pores absent; tail with an expanded terminal flap and weak lobe fusion at proximal border of tail terminus. The curious distribution of the new species, centred around the central Nicobars is speculated to be the result of competition with and/or predation by large gekkonid species, to the north (Gekko verreauxi) and south (G. smithii) of the group of islands occupied by the new Ptychozoon from the central Nicobars.

‘The door creaked shut’: The new breach of bail offence for youth in Queensland

As part of the 2014 amendments to the Youth Justice Act 1992 (Qld) the previous Queensland government introduced a new breach of bail offence and a reverse onus provision in relation to the new offence. Also included in the raft of amendments was a provision removing the internationally accepted principle that, in relation to young offenders, detention should be used as ‘a last resort’. This article argues that these changes are likely to increase the entrenchment of young people within the criminal justice system.