bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Designing and evaluating a patient-centred health management system for seniors
Authors: Dhillon Jaspaljeet Singh , Wünsche Burkhard , Lutteroth Christof
Published: May 2015

Introduction

Telehealth has been widely promoted as a technology to make healthcare more effective and affordable. However, current telehealth systems suffer from vendor lock-in and high cost, and are designed for managing chronic diseases rather than preventing them.

Methods

We address shortcomings of existing consumer-level health informatics applications in supporting senior health consumers, and provide designers of such systems with a design framework. We assess the feasibility of patient-centred health management systems (HMSs) that are designed based on the proposed framework. In contrast to traditional telehealth, HMSs are patient centred and aim at enabling health consumers to take control of their own health by providing functionality for health self-management. Quantitative and qualitative methods were adopted in evaluating a prototype HMS.

Results

Senior healthcare consumers viewed our HMS prototype positively, and experienced a positive change in their attitude towards their health. We identified requirements and challenges for HMSs. In particular, participants indicated that social networking features must have a clear purpose beyond simple broadcasting of emotions and opinions.

Discussion

Our study indicates that seniors are able and motivated to leverage a web-based patient-centred HMS, provided that there are suitable health support applications tailored to their needs. This could be achieved by making it attractive for third party application developers to contribute HMS content.
Tele-emergency utilization: In what clinical situations is tele-emergency activated?
Authors: Ward Marcia M , Ullrich Fred , MacKinney A Clinton , Bell Amanda L , Shipp Shiann , Mueller Keith J
Published: May 2015

Introduction

Tele-emergency provides audio/visual communication between a central emergency care centre (tele-emergency hub) and a distant emergency department (remote ED) for real-time emergency care consultation. The purpose of this mixed methods study is to examine how often tele-emergency is activated in usual practice and in what circumstances it is used.

Methods

Tele-emergency log data and merged electronic medical record data from Avera Health (Sioux Falls, SD) were analysed for 60,193 emergency department (ED) encounters presenting over a two-and-a-half year period at 21 critical access hospitals using the tele-emergency service. Of these, tele-emergency was activated for 1512 ED encounters.

Results

Analyses indicated that patients presenting at rural EDs with circulatory, injury, mental and symptoms diagnoses were significantly more likely to have tele-emergency department services activated as were patients who were transferred to another hospital. Interviews conducted with 85 clinicians and administrators at 26 rural hospitals that used this service indicated that this pattern of utilization facilitated rapid transfers and followed recommended clinical protocols for patients needing serious and/or urgent attention (e.g. stroke symptoms, chest pain).

Discussion

Although only used in 3.5% of ED encounters on average, our findings provide evidence that tele-emergency activation is well reasoned and related to those situations when extra expert assistance is particularly beneficial.
A meta-review of Internet computer-based psychological treatments for anxiety disorders
Authors: Peñate Wenceslao , Fumero Ascensión
Published: May 2015

Introduction

Internet computer-based psychological treatments have enjoyed rapid growth. Today, there are a number of them available for many mental disorders and psychological problems. Internet-based psychological treatments for anxiety disorders and phobias are amongst the most frequently observed. Treatment results with these resources are promising, but inconclusive.

Methods

This paper reviews 11 systematic reviews and meta-analyses about the efficacy of Internet-based psychological treatments for anxiety disorders, including studies and clinical trials covering the majority of anxiety disorders and phobias, usually with adult patient samples.

Results

In general, these reviews agree on the efficacy of Internet-based psychological treatment as compared with non-treatment groups (with large effect sizes), finding similar efficacy compared with face-to-face therapies. Internet-based psychological treatments are further improved when combined with some type of therapist contact. On the negative side, some systematic reviews highlight high attrition rates of Internet-based psychological treatments.

Discussion

These findings remain inconclusive and more refined reviews (involving patient samples, therapy comparisons, type of therapist contact, etc.) are needed, in order to establish the scope and limits of Internet-based psychological treatments for anxiety disorders.
Use of and interest in mobile health for diabetes self-care in vulnerable populations
Authors: Humble James R , Tolley Elizabeth A , Krukowski Rebecca A , Womack Catherine R , Motley Todd S , Bailey James E
Published: May 2015

Objective

We aimed to assess use of and interest in mobile health (mHealth) technology and in-person services for diabetes self-care in vulnerable populations.

Methods

We delivered a self-administered cross-sectional survey. Participants were recruited at two primary care practices (P1 and P2) with P1 located in a medically underserved area and P2 in an affluent suburb. Two-sample t-tests and chi-square tests were used with p < 0.05 significant. In addition, a secondary analysis was performed to analyse differences in use and interest in mHealth by age.

Results

Of 75 eligible patients, 60 completed the survey (80% response rate). P1 patients had significantly higher interest in three of five categories of in-person diabetes support services, one of four categories of health-related text messages (TM), and three of eight categories of mHealth applications ( p < 0.05). Smartphone users reported higher interest in TM ( p = 0.004) and mHealth applications for diabetes self-care ( p = 0.004). Younger patients were more likely to have a smartphone ( p < 0.006), use the Internet ( p < 0.0012), use smartphone applications ( p < 0.0004), and to be interested in using applications to manage their diabetes ( p < 0.004).

Discussion

This study shows substantial patient interest in TM and mHealth applications for diabetes self-care and suggests that patients in underserved areas may have particularly high interest in using mHealth solutions in primary care. Younger patients and smartphone users were more likely to be interested in using applications to manage their diabetes. As more patients use smartphones, interest in using mHealth to support patient self-care and strengthen primary care infrastructure will continue to grow.
Consumer preferences for teledermoscopy screening to detect melanoma early
Authors: Spinks Jean , Janda Monika , Soyer H Peter , Whitty Jennifer A
Published: May 2015

Introduction

‘Store and forward’ teledermoscopy is a technology with potential advantages for melanoma screening. Any large-scale implementation of this technology is dependent on consumer acceptance.

Aim

To investigate preferences for melanoma screening options compared with skin self-examination in adults considered to be at increased risk of developing skin cancer.

Methods

A discrete choice experiment was completed by 35 consumers, all of whom had prior experience with the use of teledermoscopy, in Queensland, Australia. Participants made 12 choices between screening alternatives described by seven attributes including monetary cost. A mixed logit model was used to estimate the relative weights that consumers place on different aspects of screening, along with the marginal willingness to pay for teledermoscopy as opposed to screening at a clinic.

Results

Overall, participants preferred screening/diagnosis by a health professional rather than skin self-examination. Key drivers of screening choice were for results to be reviewed by a dermatologist; a higher detection rate; fewer non-cancerous moles being removed in relation to every skin cancer detected; and less time spent away from usual activities. On average, participants were willing to pay AUD110 to have teledermoscopy with dermatologist review available to them as a screening option.

Discussion and conclusions

Consumers preferentially value aspects of care that are more feasible with a teledermoscopy screening model, as compared with other skin cancer screening and diagnosis options. This study adds to previous literature in the area which has relied on the use of consumer satisfaction scales to assess the acceptability of teledermoscopy.
A cost comparison of travel models and behavioural telemedicine for rural, Native American populations in New Mexico
Authors: Horn Brady P , Barragan Gary N , Fore Chis , Bonham Caroline A
Published: May 2015

Objective

The purpose of this study was to model the cost of delivering behavioural health services to rural Native American populations using telecommunications and compare these costs with the travel costs associated with providing equivalent care.

Methods

Behavioural telehealth costs were modelled using equipment, transmission, administrative and IT costs from an established telecommunications centre. Two types of travel models were estimated: a patient travel model and a physician travel model. These costs were modelled using the New Mexico resource geographic information system program (RGIS) and ArcGIS software and unit costs (e.g. fuel prices, vehicle depreciation, lodging, physician wages, and patient wages) that were obtained from the literature and US government agencies.

Results

The average per-patient cost of providing behavioural healthcare via telehealth was US$138.34, and the average per-patient travel cost was US$169.76 for physicians and US$333.52 for patients. Sensitivity analysis found these results to be rather robust to changes in imputed parameters and preliminary evidence of economies of scale was found.

Conclusion

Besides the obvious benefits of increased access to healthcare and reduced health disparities, providing behavioural telehealth for rural Native American populations was estimated to be less costly than modelled equivalent care provided by travelling. Additionally, as administrative and coordination costs are a major component of telehealth costs, as programmes grow to serve more patients, the relative costs of these initial infrastructure as well as overall per-patient costs should decrease.
The effectiveness of telephone counselling in the treatment of illicit drug and alcohol use concerns
Authors: Gates Peter , Albertella Lucy
Published: May 2015

Introduction

Technology-assisted substance use interventions such as ‘high-tech’ internet-based treatments are thought to be effective; however, the relatively ‘low-tech’ use of telephone counselling does not yet have an established evidence base. This paper reviews the literature including articles with information on the use of telephone counselling for the treatment of illicit drug or alcohol use.

Methods

A systematic literature search using a set of telephone counselling and substance-related terms was conducted across four electronic databases. English studies prior to June 2014 that involved the use of telephone counselling with the treatment of illicit drug or alcohol use as a primary or secondary outcome were included. Review papers, opinion pieces, letters or editorials, case studies, published abstracts, and posters were excluded. In all, 94 publications were included in the review.

Results and discussion

The literature was supportive of telephone counselling for the treatment of alcohol use in the short term; however, literature regarding illicit drug use was particularly scarce. The generalisability of findings was limited by evident methodological issues in the included studies.
Home spirometry: Assessment of patient compliance and satisfaction and its impact on early diagnosis of pulmonary symptoms in post-lung transplantation patients
Authors: Fadaizadeh Lida , Najafizadeh Katayoun , Shajareh Elham , Shafaghi Shadi , Hosseini Mahsa , Heydari Gholamreza
Published: May 2015

Telemedicine is useful in monitoring patients, and in particular those, such as lung transplant recipients, suffering from chronic illnesses. This prospective cohort study was conducted on 15 lung transplant recipients. The patients provided physicians with data from spirometry as well as their clinical respiratory symptoms via SMS messages. In cases where spirometry results or clinical symptoms required follow-up, the monitoring physician contacted the patient according to guidelines and gave appropriate instructions. Qualitative assessment of satisfaction showed that the sense of increased support from medical staff was rated highest (92.9%). Telespirometry is an efficient method of monitoring lung transplant recipients which leads to patient satisfaction, compliance, adherence to study and sense of security. Nevertheless, for optimal implementation of this method, thorough training of both medical staff and patients is required.
A comparative study on the effectiveness of one-way printed communication versus videophone interactive interviews on health promotion
Authors: Homma Satoki , Imamura Haruhiko , Nakamura Toru , Fujimura Kaori , Ito Yoshihiro , Maeda Yuji , Kaneko Ikuyo
Published: May 2015

Introduction

We performed a comparative study of a health education programme that was delivered either through one-way communication with printed media, or through interactive videophone interviews. We aimed to ascertain which mode of counselling, when used in combination with telemonitoring, is more effective at lifestyle modification intended to improve health status.

Methods

Participants, who were residents of Kurihara city in Miyagi prefecture, Japan, were randomized into two groups: one group received individualized monthly documented reports ( n = 33; 22 females; average age: 67.2 years), and the other received interactive videophone communication ( n = 35; 22 females; average age: 65.1 years) for three months. Telemonitoring was conducted on both groups, using a pedometer, weighing scale and a sphygmomanometer. Pre- and post-intervention, anthropometric measurements and blood tests were performed; the participants also completed self-administered questionnaires.

Results and discussion

The two groups showed similar degrees of health status improvement and satisfaction levels. However, the participants in the videophone group were more aware of improvements in their lifestyles than were the participants in the document group. The individualized printed communication programme was less time-consuming compared to videophone communication. Further studies are needed to formulate a balanced protocol for a counselling-cum-telemonitoring programme that provides optimal health improvement and cost performance with the available human resources.
Speed and accuracy of text-messaging emergency department electrocardiograms from a small community hospital to a provincial referral center
Authors: Scheuermeyer Frank Xavier , Grunau Brian E , Findlay Timothy , Grafstein Eric , Christenson Jim , Lang Eddy , Rowe Brian , Ho Kendall
Published: May 2015

Background

Currently, transmission of electrocardiograms (EKGs) from a small emergency department (ED) to specialists at referral hospitals can be a time-consuming and laborious process. We investigate whether text messaging by use of short message service (SMS) of EKGs from a small hospital to consultants at a large hospital is rapid and accurate.

Methods

This study involved a one-month prospective evaluation of consecutive EKGs recorded in a small community ED. Investigators obtained de-identified photographs of each EKG via a mobile phone camera. Each EKG picture, along with a brief patient clinical history, was sent via SMS to on-call emergency physicians located at a large referral care site. All images were evaluated solely on a mobile phone. The primary outcome was the proportion of SMS that were received within two minutes of being sent. As a secondary outcome, the intra-rater evaluation of the initial EKG and the SMS EKG image were compared on 13 standardized features. The tertiary outcome was cost of text messaging.

Results

A total of 298 patients (14.6%) had 409 EKGs performed and a total of 926 SMS were sent. 921 SMS (99.5%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 98.7–99.8%) arrived within two minutes with a median transmission time of nine seconds (interquartile range (IQR) 3–32 s). Between the gold standard original EKG, and the interpretation of the texted image, six out of 409 (1.5%, 95% CI 0.6–3.3%) had any differences recorded, across all 13 categories. Overall, the study cost 4.1 cents per texted image.

Conclusions

Systematic text messaging of ED EKGs from a small community hospital to a referral center is a rapid, accurate, portable, and inexpensive method of data transfer. This may be a safe and effective strategy to communicate vital patient information.
Spirituality in patients with advanced illness: The role of symptom control, resilience and social network
Authors: Fombuena Miguel , Galiana Laura , Barreto Pilar , Oliver Amparo , Pascual Antonio , Soto-Rubio Ana
Published: May 2015

In this study, we analyzed the relationships among clinical, emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions of patients with advanced illness. It was a cross-sectional study, with a sample of 108 patients in an advanced illness situation attended by palliative care teams. Statistically significant correlations were found between some dimensions of spirituality and poor symptomatic control, resiliency, and social support. In the structural model, three variables predicted spirituality: having physical symptoms as the main source of discomfort, resiliency, and social support. This work highlights the relevance of the relationships among spirituality and other aspects of the patient at the end of life.
Cognate identification methods: Impacts on the cognate advantage in adult and child Spanish-English bilinguals
Authors: Potapova Irina , Blumenfeld Henrike K , Pruitt-Lord Sonja
Published: May 2015

Objectives:

The purpose of this study was to determine whether four different cognate identification methods resulted in notably different classifications of cognate status for Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Third Edition (PPVT-III) test items and to investigate whether differences across criteria would impact findings of cognate effects in adult and preschool-aged Spanish-English bilingual speakers.

Methodology:

We compared four cognate identification methods: an objective criterion based on phonological overlap; two subjective criteria based on a translation elicitation task; and a hybrid criterion integrating objective and subjective standards. We then used each criterion to investigate cognate effects on the PPVT-III in 26 adult and 73 child Spanish-English bilinguals.

Data and analysis:

The test items identified as cognates by each criterion were compared (Experiment 1). Then, cognate advantage magnitudes, cognate accuracy rates, non-cognate accuracy rates, and number of individuals demonstrating the cognate advantage were investigated in both adult (Experiment 2) and child bilinguals (Experiment 3).

Conclusions:

Objective and subjective cognate identification methods were found to select notably different subsets of test items as cognates. Further, the methods led to differences in cognate effects, as well as in cognate and non-cognate accuracy rates, for both child and adult bilinguals.

Originality:

Although the cognate advantage has been widely studied in adult bilinguals, research on the cognate advantage in child bilinguals is limited and methods of identifying cognates are inconsistent across studies. The present study provides information about cognate effects in a young population and is the first comparison of objective and subjective approaches to cognate identification.

Implications:

This study extends previous work on cognate word processing in both child and adult bilinguals. Further, results offer an evaluation of methodologies that are critical for investigating the cognate advantage. This both facilitates interpretation of previous findings and can be used to guide methodological decisions in future research.
Valuable selves: Potentiality and temporality in work-related coaching
Authors: Mäkinen Katariina
Published: May 2015

This article contributes to the discussions concerning immaterial labour and temporality in post-Fordism by examining how accounts of individuality intertwine with accounts of potential in the newly emerged field of work-related coaching. In producing potential individuals, coaching responds to the needs of the anticipatory economy that produces value in terms of future expectations and potentialities. In this sense, coaching is an example of immaterial production that merges subjectivity and individuality with economic value production and transforms subjects into a flexible workforce. However, examining the temporalities inherent in the production of potential in coaching also shows that orientation towards the future is not the only aspect of temporality in this kind of production. It is thus suggested that taking into account the time spent in coaching means that contrary to what is often claimed, questions concerning the measuring of time are not irrelevant to immaterial labour.
Transplant temporalities and deadly reproductive futurity in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s 21 Grams
Authors: McCormack Donna
Published: May 2015

This article explores the generally pathologized relationship between organ recipients and the families of deceased donors. Its focus is Alejandro González Iñárritu’s 2003 production 21 Grams because this film brings to the fore both the urgent desire of the organ recipient to be close to the donor family and the purported pathological ramifications of such encounters. Furthermore, the formal representation of time portrays the very ways in which normative structures of temporality are disrupted and perhaps irreversibly altered by the organ transfer process. The article explores how the film forecloses the possibility of the organ recipient and the donor family creating a viable relationship. It argues that the film terminates a transplant temporality by structuring the narrative ending through a normative linear trajectory of reproductive heterosexuality. It concludes with an examination of how the donor family returns to a life of sameness where social norms are restored and repeated, and where transplantees accept a deadly fate so that anxieties about bodily relationality and disruptive temporalities can be assuaged.
‘If you ever saw an Opera singer naked’: The social construction of the singer’s body
Authors: Gvion Liora
Published: May 2015

This article analyzes the process by which a singer’s body is turned into an instrument that produces music. Through practice, singers develop bodily habits and a ‘corporal memory’ consisting of techniques, sensations and positions, all of which are used reflexively when singing. This ‘tool kit’ enables singers to deconstruct their bodies, mobilizing necessary bodily functions and synchronizing them to meet the requirements of the musical text. Using Bourdieu’s concepts of habit and habitus, I illustrate how singing classes become arenas where corporal capital (habit) and cultural capital (habitus) are formed and transformed, enabling singers to enter the professional world. Data were gathered via participant observation in private classes, a music school, a university-affiliated academy of music and master classes at a conservatory, since the studio is the social arena in which both forms of capital are developed and sustained.
Neoliberal postcolonialism in the media: Constructing Filipino nurse subjects in Finland
Authors: Näre Lena , Nordberg Camilla
Published: May 2015

In 2007, a private recruitment agency started recruiting nurses from the Philippines to private elderly care homes and to operation wards in Finland. Although less than a hundred nurses have been recruited to Finland, the recruitment has received extensive media attention. Applying discourse analysis to the media data, the article analyzes the ways in which Filipino subjects were constructed by the Finnish media. We distinguish three types of categories relating to Filipino nurses as ‘good migrant/suspect worker’, ‘global commodity’ and as a ‘colonized subject’. The article argues that the discourse depicting Filipino subjects is a form of neoliberal postcolonialism, which combines a global geography of colonial power with a discourse of individualized economic risks and responsibilities.
Blurring the boundaries: Prosumption, circularity and online sustainable consumption through Freecycle
Authors: Eden Sally
Published: May 2015

This article explores the digital exchange and moral ordering of sustainable and ethical consumption in online Freecycle groups. Through interactive exchanges in digital (online posts) and material (consumer items) modes, Freecycling blurs three common binaries in analyses of consumption: (1) consumption/production, (2) digital/material and (3) mainstream/alternative. Drawing on Ritzer’s notion of ‘implosions’ as well as practice theory, I show that Freecycling practices reimagine and reproduce both products and consumers, practising prosumption through mixed digital and material practices in a performative economy, and how mainstream and alternative ways of consuming are entangled in pursuit of more sustainable, ethical consumption. This challenges us to think beyond these traditional binaries and to conceptualise a more blurred, less analytically clean and more circular approach to studying consumption.
Negotiation of user identity and responsibility at a prerelease conference
Authors: Berger Nichlas Permin , Eskelinen Leena
Published: May 2015

Recent political changes in the field of social work have sought to incorporate values of independence and client participation into social work practice. Such an ideological shift stresses user roles, agency, and clients' responsibility to play an active role in their rehabilitation and participate in decision-making processes. This reflects a move away from traditional paternalism, dependency, and professional control. Based on a single case of a prerelease conference in prison, this article investigates the complexity of social work practice in relation to user engagement in the social interaction between the inmate, his parents, and frontline professionals from prison and various welfare institutions. We explore how the participants negotiate the inmate's identity and find that the professionals' intention of engaging the inmate as a user and accentuating his responsibility creates a process in which different identity positions are at stake. The aim of engaging the inmate as a user conflicts with the two other identity categories, namely “client in need of support” and “victim of ADHD,” demonstrating how different discourses are drawn upon by professionals and parents in talk. Despite the professionals' attempts to set the stage as client empowering, the analysis shows that the inmate is frequently presented as a dependent individual. This creates an ambivalent situation for the inmate, who responds with resistance against the situation. The findings discussed in this article highlight the complexity of engaging clients as users.
A critique of the information asymmetry argument in the management and entrepreneurship underpricing literature
Authors: Tsang Eric W.K. , Blevins Dane P.
Published: May 2015

Since the last decade management researchers have actively studied the phenomenon of underpricing in initial public offerings. The information asymmetry argument derived from signaling theory is the most commonly used theoretical framework. This essay reviews how the argument is formulated in 14 prior studies published in leading management and entrepreneurship journals. Two major problems are identified: a signal is erroneously argued to have an effect on information asymmetry and the uninformed investors involved in an information asymmetry situation are either ambiguously specified or misspecified. We suggest broadening the scope of underpricing research to include alternative theoretical perspectives and to consider underpricing as an independent variable.
Using Creative Techniques in Leadership Learning and Development
Authors: Edwards Gareth , Elliott Carole , Iszatt-White Marian , Schedlitzki Doris
Published: May 2015

The Problem

Leadership development programs have become prolific in organizations in both the public and private sectors, with new initiatives endlessly being developed. Empirical and conceptual work that challenges some of the mainstream approaches to leadership learning and development has led to initiatives increasingly becoming complex in nature and to the use of innovative and unusual approaches. There is limited knowledge, however, regarding the impact of such techniques.

The Solution

This issue focuses on some core themes around enabling and enacting leadership development in organizations through creative techniques using art, poetry, symbolism, theater, drama, and film, and is rooted in experiences of delivering such interventions in a range of countries, sectors, and professions. Each article explores how these techniques can be translated into practice across a wide of variety leadership learning and development contexts and is rooted in the contemporary and critical leadership literature.

The Stakeholders

Human resource development professionals seeking to identify key considerations in selecting creative techniques for effective leadership learning and development interventions, and academics advising on such selections and teaching leadership themselves, will be interested in these articles, which will also set the basis for further empirical research and theoretical reflection on the topic.
The Dark Side
Authors: Armitage Andrew
Published: May 2015

The Problem

Morgan explored in her book What Poetry Brings to Business the deep but unexpected connections between business and poetry. She demonstrated how the creative energy, emotional power, and communicative complexity of poetry relate directly to the practical needs for innovation and problem solving that face business managers, and how poetry can unpack complexity, together with the ability to empathize with, and better understand the thoughts and feelings of others. This, it can be argued, not only aids the creative process of individuals, but it can also help facilitate the entrepreneurial culture of an organization, develop imaginative solutions, and help better understand chaotic environments. However, despite Morgan’s welcomed addition, it still remains that there is still a dearth of literature of the use of poetry concerning toxic leadership practices.

The Solution

According to Roebuck, reflexive practice can be described as a process of inquiry that facilities appreciation and understanding of contextualized views, deeper learning experiences, the development of ideas, and the conditions for actual change. Therefore, if organizations are not to objectify the creativity of those who aspire to be organizational leaders, then leadership development programs have to give voice to those who own organizational problems and their solution. Examples of organizational poetry will be presented to show how it can be used to unlock personal experiences and relationships within the context of working life. It will be argued that if stories are to represent reality as lived by those who report them, then poetry provides an alternative method of enquiry to inform contemporary leadership practices.

The Stakeholders

Poetry empowers individuals to internalize stories that carefully attend to context and settings to offer fresh perspectives on established truths, thus providing a way to explore hidden worlds that might often go unsaid in the milieu of normal conversation. As such, this article is aimed at those who need to develop an alternative paradigm for leadership and Human Resource Development (HRD) educational programs and want to adopt a more open dialogical approach to human relations within classroom settings and practice.
Aftercare Services for Child Victims of Sex Trafficking
Authors: Muraya Dorothy Neriah , Fry Deborah
Published: May 2015

Objective:

To explore aftercare services provided to child victims of sex trafficking globally based on the results of a systematic review of published and unpublished research, organizational policy, and current practice. This systematic review serves as a first step toward developing best practices for aftercare service providers.

Method:

A systematic search was conducted of four English language databases, two human trafficking resource libraries, and one Internet search engine for journal articles and “grey” literature published between January 2000 and May 2013 on the services offered to child sex trafficking victims globally. The search yielded 15 documents for inclusion in the review.

Results:

The 15 documents emphasized the need for aftercare service provision to be founded on children’s rights and trauma-informed service provision. They recommended delivery practices such as case management and multidisciplinary, multiagency and multinational coordination to ensure the child victims benefit fully from the services. The systematic review revealed that there are three phases to aftercare service provision: rescue, recover, and reintegration. Each of these phases is characterized by different needs and types of services provided. The recovery phase received the most attention compared to recovery and reintegration phases.

Conclusion:

The literature highlighted that aftercare service provision for child sex trafficking victims is a new area that needs an evidence base from which policy and practice can be formed. There is great need for further research and better documentation of service provision. While this research provides insight into this area, the gap in literature remains wide. The area of aftercare service provision for children who have been trafficked has experienced phenomenal growth within the last 10 years, and with more research and resources being directed to the area, the achievement of international minimum standards of care provision is possible.
Do Fans Care About Compliance to Doping Regulations in Sports? The Impact of PED Suspension in Baseball
Authors: Cisyk Jeffrey , Courty Pascal
Published: May 2015

There is little evidence in support of the main economic rationale for regulating athletic doping that doping reduces fan interest. The introduction of random testing for performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) by Major League Baseball (MLB) offers unique data to investigate the issue. The announcement of a PED violation (a) initially reduces home-game attendance by 8%, (b) has no impact on home-game attendance after 15 days, and (c) has a small negative impact on the game attendance for other MLB teams. This is the first systematic evidence that doping decreases consumer demand for sporting events.
Assortative Matching Using Soccer Data
Authors: Drut Bastien , Duhautois Richard
Published: May 2015

In labor economics, the theory of assortative matching focuses on the mutual selection of workers and firms. Empirical studies using Abowd, Kramarz, and Margolis’ methodology (an estimation of a two-way fixed effects (FE) model) do not provide clear evidence of the existence of assortative matching between workers and firms, that is, there is no clear evidence that good employees work in good firms. In fact, negative or very small correlations are found in the literature using this approach. Andrews, Gill, Shank, and Upward suggest that positive assortative matching has not been observed in the empirical literature because of a limited mobility bias. This article uses Italian soccer championship data to test positive assortative matching. Because job turnover is significantly high in professional soccer, we use numerous movers to detect sorting. Our results indicate that estimating a standard Mincerian wage equation with numerous movers enables us to find a positive correlation between players’ and firms’ FE, meaning that good players tend to move to good teams. This suggests that superstar effects are at work as the unobserved component of the player FE is far more correlated with the wage than the observed component.
Defining Action Levels for In Vivo Dosimetry in Intraoperative Electron Radiotherapy
Authors: López-Tarjuelo Juan , Morillo-Macías Virginia , Bouché-Babiloni Ana , Ferrer-Albiach Carlos , Santos-Serra Agustín
Published: May 2015

In vivo dosimetry is recommended in intraoperative electron radiotherapy (IOERT). To perform real-time treatment monitoring, action levels (ALs) have to be calculated. Empirical approaches based on observation of samples have been reported previously, however, our aim is to present a predictive model for calculating ALs and to verify their validity with our experimental data. We considered the range of absorbed doses delivered to our detector by means of the percentage depth dose for the electron beams used. Then, we calculated the absorbed dose histograms and convoluted them with detector responses to obtain probability density functions in order to find ALs as certain probability levels. Our in vivo dosimeters were reinforced TN-502RDM-H mobile metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs). Our experimental data came from 30 measurements carried out in patients undergoing IOERT for rectal, breast, sarcoma, and pancreas cancers, among others. The prescribed dose to the tumor bed was 90%, and the maximum absorbed dose was 100%. The theoretical mean absorbed dose was 90.3% and the measured mean was 93.9%. Associated confidence intervals at P = .05 were 89.2% and 91.4% and 91.6% and 96.4%, respectively. With regard to individual comparisons between the model and the experiment, 37% of MOSFET measurements lay outside particular ranges defined by the derived ALs. Calculated confidence intervals at P = .05 ranged from 8.6% to 14.7%. The model can describe global results successfully but cannot match all the experimental data reported. In terms of accuracy, this suggests an eventual underestimation of tumor bed bleeding or detector alignment. In terms of precision, it will be necessary to reduce positioning uncertainties for a wide set of location and treatment postures, and more precise detectors will be required. Planning and imaging tools currently under development will play a fundamental role.
Systematic Review of Retraction Devices for Laparoscopic Surgery
Authors: Vargas-Palacios Armando , Hulme Claire , Veale Thomas , Downey Candice L.
Published: May 2015

Background. Retraction plays a vital role in optimizing the field of vision in minimal-access surgery. As such, a number of devices have been marketed to aid the surgeon in laparoscopic retraction. This systematic review explores the advantages and disadvantages of the different instruments in order to aid surgeons and their institutions in selecting the appropriate device. Primary outcome measures include operation time, length of stay, use of staff, patient morbidity, ease of use, conversion rates to open surgery, and cost. Methods. Systematic literature searches were performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library, Current Controlled Trials, and ClinicalTrials.gov. The search strategy focused on studies testing a retraction device. The selection process was based on a predefined set of inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were then extracted and analyzed. Results. Out of 1360 papers initially retrieved, 12 articles were selected for data extraction and analysis. A total of 10 instruments or techniques were tested. Devices included the Nathanson’s liver retractor, liver suspension tape, the V-List technique, a silicone disk with or without a snake retractor, the Endoloop, the Endograb, a magnetic retractor, the VaroLift, a laparoscope holder, and a retraction sponge. None of the instruments reported were associated with increased morbidity. No studies found increased rates of conversion to open surgery. All articles reported that the tested instruments might spare the use of an assistant during the procedure. It was not possible to determine the impact on length of stay or operation time. Conclusions. Each analyzed device facilitates retraction, providing a good field of view while allowing reduced staff numbers and minimal patient morbidity. Due to economic and environmental advantages, reusable devices may be preferable to disposable instruments, although the choice must be primarily based on clinical judgement.
“Who’s the Slut, Who’s the Whore?”
Authors: Armstrong Lynzi
Published: May 2015

Street-based sex work is commonly portrayed as a social nuisance in the urban landscape. However, a wealth of research has shown how sex workers on the street experience frequent harassment from other members of the public in the course of their work. This article explores the experience of street harassment among women working on the street in New Zealand, where sex work is decriminalized. In this article, I consider the social, legal, and cultural factors that underpin the street harassment that the women described. I consider the significance of this form of harassment when situated in the “workplace” of street workers in a decriminalized street-based sex industry. I argue that these experiences are inextricably linked to the continued subordination of women in contemporary society and to social norms regarding female sexuality. I argue that challenging this harassment is critical in supporting the human rights of street-based sex workers, but that doing so requires a fundamental shift in societal views on women and sexuality in general.
Measures of follow-up in time-to-event studies: Why provide them and what should they be?
Authors: Betensky Rebecca A
Published: May 2015

Background/Aims:

There is some consensus among authors of reports of clinical studies that a measure of follow-up time is informative for the interpretation of the Kaplan–Meier estimate of the survivor function of the event time of interest. Previous authors have suggested that length of follow-up is important to report because the findings of a study should be extracted from the time frame in which most of the subjects have had the event or have remained under observation. This time frame is where the Kaplan–Meier estimate is most stable. This concept of stability is relative to the potential maximum information about the event time distribution contained in the sample; it is not relative to the true, population survivor function. A measure of stability is useful for the interpretation of an interim analysis in which an immature survivor function is presented. Our interest in this article lies in characterizing the unobserved, complete follow-up Kaplan–Meier estimate based on the observed, partial follow-up estimate. Our focus is not on characterizing the true event time distribution relative to its estimate. The concept of stability has not been well-defined in the literature, which has led to inconsistency and lack of transparency across trials in their attempts to capture it through a variety of measures of follow-up.

Methods:

We report the results of a survey of recent literature on cancer clinical trials and summarize whether follow-up is reported and if so, whether it is well-defined. We define commonly used measures of follow-up in clinical studies.

Results:

We explain how each measure should be assessed to evaluate the stability of the Kaplan–Meier estimate for the event, and we identify relationships among measures. We propose a new measure that better conveys the desired information about the stability of the current Kaplan–Meier estimate relative to one based on complete follow-up. We apply the proposed measure to a meningioma study for illustration.

Conclusion:

It is useful for reports of clinical studies to supplement Kaplan–Meier estimates with quantitative assessments of the stability of those estimates relative to the potential follow-up of study participants. We justify the use of one commonly used measure, and we propose a new measure that most directly accomplishes this goal.
Morphological and functional relationships with ultrasound measured muscle thickness of the lower extremity: a brief review
Authors: Abe Takashi , Loenneke Jeremy P , Thiebaud Robert S
Published: May 2015

Ultrasound is a potential method for assessing muscle size of the extremity and trunk. In a large muscle, however, a single image from portable ultrasound measures only muscle thickness (MT), not anatomical muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) or muscle volume (MV). Thus, it is important to know whether MT is related to anatomical CSA and MV in an individual muscle of the extremity and trunk. In this review, we summarize previously published articles in the lower extremity demonstrating the relationships between ultrasound MT and muscle CSA or MV as measured by magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scans. The relationship between MT and isometric and isokinetic joint performance is also reviewed. A linear relationship is observed between MT and muscle CSA or MV in the quadriceps, adductor, tibialis anterior, and triceps surae muscles. Intrarater correlation coefficients range from 0.90 to 0.99, except for one study. It would appear that anterior upper-thigh MT, mid-thigh MT and posterior thigh MT are the best predictors for evaluating adductor, quadriceps, and hamstrings muscle size, respectively. Despite a limited number of studies, anterior as well as posterior lower leg MT appear to reflect muscle CSA and MV of the lower leg muscles. Based on previous studies, ultrasound measured anterior thigh MT may be a valuable predictor of knee extension strength. Nevertheless, more studies are needed to clarify the relationship between lower extremity function and MT.
Bi-criteria maintenance policies for a system subject to competing wear and δ-shock failures
Authors: Zhu W , Fouladirad M , Bérenguer C
Published: May 2015

We consider a deteriorating system subject to dependent competing failure modes, which fails either because its deterioration exceeds a predetermined failure threshold L (irreparable deterioration failure) or because the interval between two successive shocks is less than a threshold δ (repairable δ-shock failure). The system gradual deterioration is modelled by a Gamma process and the shocks occur following a Poisson process. The duration of a shock itself is negligible so it does not affect the system deterioration, while the δ-shock failure causes a non-negligible interruption to the production process. The threshold δ is dependent on the deterioration level. The deterioration state of the system can only be observed by inspection. The shock can be detected once it has occurred. In order to avoid the δ-shock failure caused by the shocks, a scheduled halt of the system is planned after a shock occurrence and two maintenance policies introducing the possibility of such a scheduled halt are proposed and their performances are studied. The effect and the benefit of introducing a scheduled halt of the system as a protective maintenance measure is evaluated by Pareto multi-objective optimization and Pareto front according to both cost and availability criteria.