bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Persistent visual perceptual disorders after stroke: Associated factors
Authors: Prince Martin , Lamontagne Véronique , Beauchemin Joanie , Casavant Stéphanie , Jolicoeur Dominique , Mercier Louisette , Desrosiers Johanne
Published: June 2017

Introduction

Visual perceptual disorders are common after stroke and often affect functional independence. Little is known about biopsychosocial variables related to these disorders. This study aimed to identify which variables best explain the persistence of visual perceptual disorders in seniors with stroke.

Method

Visual perception of 195 people aged 65 and over with stroke was assessed using the Motor-free Visual Perceptual Test – Vertical version, three weeks after returning home as well as three and six months later. Biopsychosocial and personal variables were also assessed three weeks after returning home. Correlation analyses were followed by bivariate linear regression analyses.

Results

Seventy participants still had visual perceptual disorders six months later. Many variables measured at the first test were found to be associated with visual perception at the six-month follow-up. Those best explaining the persistence of visual perceptual dysfunctions ( R2 = 49.2%) were memory (Wechsler, delayed recall) ( p < 0.001), verbal comprehension (Token Test) ( p = 0.015), stroke severity (Canadian Neurological Scale) ( p = 0.005) and sex (female) ( p = 0.02).

Conclusion

Among many variables, four (memory, verbal comprehension, stroke severity and sex) were most strongly associated with persistent visual perceptual disorders. Other studies are needed to better understand the role of memory and verbal comprehension in visual perceptual disorders after stroke.
Banking on exclusion: Data disclosure and geographies of UK personal lending markets
Authors: Henry N , Pollard J , Sissons P , Ferreira J , Coombes M
Published: June 2017

In 2013, the UK Government announced that seven of the nation’s largest banks had agreed to publish their lending data at the local level across Great Britain. The release of such area based lending data has been welcomed by advocacy groups and policy makers keen to better understand and remedy geographies of financial exclusion. This paper makes three contributions to debates about financial exclusion. First, it provides the first exploratory spatial analysis of the personal lending data made available; it scrutinises the parameters and robustness of the dataset and evaluates the extent to which the data increase transparency in UK personal lending markets. Second, it uses the data to provide a geographical overview of patterns of personal lending across Great Britain. Third, it uses this analysis to revisit the analytical and political limitations of ‘open data’ in addressing the relationship between access to finance and economic marginalisation. Although a binary policy imaginary of ‘inclusion-exclusion’ has historically driven advocacy for data disclosure, recent literatures on financial exclusion generate the need for more complex and variegated understandings of economic marginalisation. The paper questions the relationship between transparency and data disclosure, the policy push for financial inclusion, and patterns of indebtedness and economic marginalisation in a world where ‘fringe finance’ has become mainstream. Drawing on these literatures, this analysis suggests that data disclosure, and the transparency it affords, is a necessary but not sufficient tool in understanding the distributional implications of variegated access to credit.
Outcomes of Hip Arthroscopic Surgery in Patients With Tönnis Grade 1 Osteoarthritis at a Minimum 5-Year Follow-up: A Matched-Pair Comparison With a Tönnis Grade 0 Control Group
Authors: Domb Benjamin G. , Chaharbakhshi Edwin O. , Rybalko Danil , Close Mary R. , Litrenta Jody , Perets Itay
Published: June 2017

Background:

Studies on midterm outcomes of the arthroscopic treatment of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) and labral tears with mild osteoarthritis (OA) are limited.

Purpose:

To evaluate outcomes of the arthroscopic treatment of FAI and labral tears in patients with mild preoperative OA (Tönnis grade 1) at a minimum 5-year follow-up, and to perform a matched-pair comparison to a control group with Tönnis grade 0.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Data were prospectively collected on patients who underwent hip arthroscopic surgery between February 2008 and April 2011. Inclusion criteria were arthroscopic treatment for FAI and labral tears and having preoperative patient-reported outcome (PRO) scores, including the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), Non-Arthritic Hip Score (NAHS), and Hip Outcome Score–Sports-Specific Subscale (HOS-SSS), and visual analog scale (VAS) scores for pain. Exclusion criteria were workers’ compensation claims, preoperative Tönnis grade ≥2, and previous hip conditions (ipsilateral surgery, slipped capital femoral epiphysis, avascular necrosis, and dysplasia). Patients with minimum 5-year outcomes were eligible for matching on a 1:1 ratio (Tönnis grade 0 vs 1) based on age ±5 years, body mass index ±5 kg/m2, sex, labral treatment, and capsular treatment.

Results:

Of 356 eligible hips, 292 hips had minimum 5-year outcomes (82%). Eighty-five hips with Tönnis grade 1 were evaluated. At 5-year follow-up, patients with Tönnis grade 1 had significant improvements in all PRO and VAS scores ( P < .0001). The overall satisfaction score was 8.2. The survivorship rate with respect to conversion to total hip arthroplasty for the Tönnis grade 1 group was 69.4% at 5 years, while in the Tönnis grade 0 group, it was 88.4% ( P = .0002). Sixty-two hips with Tönnis grade 0 were matched to 62 hips with Tönnis grade 1. Both groups demonstrated improvements in all PRO and VAS scores from preoperatively to postoperatively ( P < .0001). No significant differences existed between preoperative or postoperative scores or survivorship between the groups.

Conclusion:

The arthroscopic treatment of FAI and labral tears in patients with Tönnis grade 1 had good results at 5-year follow-up. After controlling for other variables using a matched-pair comparison, patients with Tönnis grade 1 had similar, durable improvements to those with Tönnis grade 0. While strict surgical indications and appropriate expectations are recommended for patients with mild OA, Tönnis grade 1 alone should not be considered a contraindication to hip arthroscopic surgery.
A novel approach to find and optimize bin locations and collection routes using a geographic information system
Authors: Erfani Seyed Mohammad Hassan , Danesh Shahnaz , Karrabi Seyed Mohsen , Shad Rouzbeh
Published: June 2017

One of the major challenges in big cities is planning and implementation of an optimized, integrated solid waste management system. This optimization is crucial if environmental problems are to be prevented and the expenses to be reduced. A solid waste management system consists of many stages including collection, transfer and disposal. In this research, an integrated model was proposed and used to optimize two functional elements of municipal solid waste management (storage and collection systems) in the Ahmadabad neighbourhood located in the City of Mashhad – Iran. The integrated model was performed by modelling and solving the location allocation problem and capacitated vehicle routing problem (CVRP) through Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The results showed that the current collection system is not efficient owing to its incompatibility with the existing urban structure and population distribution. Application of the proposed model could significantly improve the storage and collection system. Based on the results of minimizing facilities analyses, scenarios with 100, 150 and 180 m walking distance were considered to find optimal bin locations for Alamdasht, C-metri and Koohsangi. The total number of daily collection tours was reduced to seven as compared to the eight tours carried out in the current system (12.50% reduction). In addition, the total number of required crews was minimized and reduced by 41.70% (24 crews in the current collection system vs 14 in the system provided by the model). The total collection vehicle routing was also optimized such that the total travelled distances during night and day working shifts was cut back by 53%.
Group assessment of key indicators of sustainable waste management in developing countries
Authors: Tot Bojana , Vujić Goran , Srđević Zorica , Ubavin Dejan , Russo Mário Augusto Tavares
Published: June 2017

Decision makers in developing countries are struggling to solve the present problems of solid waste management. Prioritisation and ranking of the most important indicators that influence the waste management system is very useful for any decision maker for the future planning and implementation of a sustainable waste management system. The aim of this study is to evaluate key indicators and their related sub-indicators in a group decision-making environment. In order to gain insight into the subject it was necessary to obtain the qualified opinions of decision makers from different countries who understand the situation in the sector of waste management in developing countries. An assessment is performed by 43 decision makers from both developed and developing countries, and the applied methodology is based on a combined use of the analytic hierarchy process, from the multi-criteria decision-making set of tools, and the preferential voting method known as Borda Count, which belongs to social choice theory. Pairwise comparison of indicators is performed with the analytic hierarchy process, and the ranking of indicators once obtained is assessed with Borda Count. Detailed analysis of the final results showed that the Institutional–Administrative indicator was the most important one, with the maximum weight as derived by both groups of decision makers. The results also showed that the combined use of the analytic hierarchy process and Borda Count contributes to the credibility and objectivity of the decision-making process, allowing its use in more complex waste management group decision-making problems to be recommended.
Forecasting Organized Crime Homicides: Risk Terrain Modeling of Camorra Violence in Naples, Italy
Authors: Dugato Marco , Calderoni Francesco , Berlusconi Giulia
Published: June 2017

Mafia homicides are usually committed for retaliation, economic profit, or rivalry among groups. The variety of possible reasons suggests the inefficacy of a preventive approach. However, like most violent crimes, mafia homicides concentrate in space due to place-specific social and environmental features. Starting from the existing literature, this study applies the Risk Terrain Modeling approach to forecast the Camorra homicides in Naples, Italy. This approach is based on the identification and evaluation of the underlying risk factors able to affect the risk of a homicide. This information is then used to predict the most likely location of future events. The findings of this study demonstrate that past homicides, drug dealing, confiscated assets, and rivalries among groups make it possible to predict up to 85% of 2012 mafia homicides, identifying 11% of city areas at highest risk. By contrast, variables controlling for the socio-economic conditions of areas are not significantly related to the risk of homicide. Moreover, this study shows that, even in a restricted space, the same risk factors may combine in different ways, giving rise to areas of equal risk but requiring targeted remedies. These results provide an effective basis for short- and long-term targeted policing strategies against organized crime- and gang-related violence. A similar approach may also provide practitioners, policy makers, and local administrators in other countries with significant support in understanding and counteracting also other forms of violent behavior by gangs or organized crime groups.
Breastfeeding Support: A Geographic Perspective on Access and Equity
Authors: Grubesic Tony H. , Durbin Kelly M.
Published: June 2017

Background:

Clinical lactation professionals, breastfeeding peer counseling, and mother-to-mother support are important sources of information and guidance for helping mothers initiate and maintain breastfeeding in the early weeks, months, and years postpartum. However, there is limited information concerning the geographic barriers that mothers face when seeking this support.

Research aim:

This study aimed to identify the geographic barriers to breastfeeding support, delineate gaps in access, assess inequities in the distribution of local support, and highlight the underlying differences in access and equity for different demographic and socioeconomic groups.

Methods:

The locations of formal breastfeeding support resources were collected for the state of Ohio for 2016 and were combined with demographic and socioeconomic estimates and derived transportation catchment areas to conduct an analysis of spatial access and equity.

Results:

Significant geographic gaps in formal breastfeeding support exist within the state of Ohio. Although urban areas benefit from a higher density of support options, including a wide variety of clinical experts and mother-to-mother support groups, inequities in exurban and rural areas were more strongly aligned with socioeconomic status than geography. In particular, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children offices in rural Ohio offer breastfeeding support to income-qualifying mothers but cannot address the needs of mothers who do not qualify.

Conclusion:

Spatial analytical approaches facilitate a more nuanced view of access and equity to breastfeeding support options, helping to both decompose important structural differences in the state of Ohio and identify locations that could benefit from additional breastfeeding support resources.
Breastfeeding Support in the Workplace: The Relationships Among Breastfeeding Support, Work–Life Balance, and Job Satisfaction
Authors: Jantzer Amanda M. , Anderson Jenn , Kuehl Rebecca A.
Published: June 2017

Background:

Women are increasingly faced with decisions about how to combine breastfeeding with work, but few researchers have directly measured how breastfeeding relates to the work–life interface.

Research aim:

The authors examined how perceptions of work enhancement of personal life and work interference with personal life were influenced by workplace breastfeeding support, including organizational, manager, and coworker support, as well as adequate time to express human milk. Then, we examined how workplace breastfeeding support predicted work–life variables and job satisfaction.

Methods:

Using a self-report, survey design, the authors analyzed online surveys from 87 women in a rural, community sample who indicated that they had pumped at work or anticipated needing to pump in the future.

Results:

According to regression results, provision of workplace breastfeeding support, particularly providing adequate time for human milk expression, predicted work enhancement of personal life. Conversely, we found that as workplace support diminished, employees perceived greater work interference with personal life. Results of path analysis further suggested that providing time for expressing milk improved job satisfaction via a partially mediated relationship where work enhancement of personal life acted as a mediator.

Conclusion:

These results suggest that employers can enhance the lives of their breastfeeding employees both at work and at home by providing workplace breastfeeding support, especially through providing time for expressing human milk in the workplace.
Air and Water Processes Do Not Produce the Same High-Quality Pasteurization of Donor Human Milk
Authors: Buffin Rachel , Pradat Pierre , Trompette Jocelyne , Ndiaye Isabelle , Basson Eliane , Jordan Isabelle , Picaud Jean-Charles
Published: June 2017

Background:

Holder pasteurization is the most commonly used technique in milk banks worldwide, but higher temperatures and longer pasteurization time have been associated with damage to the immune components of human milk.

Research aim:

This study aimed to assess the detailed pattern of pasteurization temperature using two water pasteurizers (WP1 and WP2) and one air pasteurizer (AP).

Methods:

The milk temperature during each phase of the pasteurization cycle was recorded using 6 to 9 probes, depending on the number of bottles, in the pasteurizers. We used 90 to 200 ml bottles to assess the effect of volume on milk temperature.

Results:

The time to heat the milk from room temperature to 58°C was 12.4, 12.9, and 64.5 min, respectively, for WP1, WP2, and the AP ( p < .0001). The duration of the plateau was 35.5, 35.2, and 45.8 min ( p < .0001). The duration of exposure to a temperature above 58°C was 49.6, 40.7, and 76.2 min ( p < .0001). The total duration of a full cycle was 79, 66, and 182 min ( p < .0001). The duration of exposure above 58°C for the different volumes of milk treated showed no difference when using WP1 but was significantly longer in small volumes when using WP2.

Conclusion:

Human milk treated using the air pasteurizer in our study was exposed to higher temperatures and for longer periods of time than the water pasteurizers we employed. Regular qualification of pasteurizers is requested when evaluating the effect of pasteurization on milk components and for routine treatment of human milk in milk banks.
Entrepreneurial-related Programmes and Students’ Intentions to Venture into New Business Creation: Finding Synergy of Constructs in a University of Technology
Authors: Matsheke O. , Dhurup M.
Published: June 2017

Entrepreneurial education has received a fair amount of attention locally and internationally. Interestingly, disparities continue to exist in the quality of entrepreneurship education programmes on offer, particularly in curriculum design, delivery methods and forms of assessment within higher education institutions in South Africa. We examined the relationship between the entrepreneurial content of the curriculum (ENTCC), attitude towards entrepreneurship, general self-efficacy and students’ intentions towards entrepreneurship. The study is located within a quantitative research paradigm and the sample of 263 was drawn from final year students from the Faculty of Management at a South African university of technology (UoT) who were studying various business-related programmes in 2014. Data were analysed using correlation and regression analysis. The results indicate that the ENTCC, students’ attitude towards entrepreneurship and students’ self-efficacy exhibit significant predictive relationships with students’ intentions to venture into new business creation. Our study makes two major contributions: (i) it fills the gap in entrepreneurship education in order to revisit our curriculum to make the module/s more ‘hands on’ and (ii) it provides an avenue to further explore the feasibility for a fully fledged entrepreneurship programme with mandatory, elective and incubation start-up practical training in conjunction with the Science Park, Technology, Transfer and Innovation Centre within the university.
Appreciating the Diversity of NGO’s Towards Service Delivery in South Africa: Drawing Evidences from Eastern Cape Province
Authors: Kajiita Robert Mutemi , Kang’ethe Simon
Published: June 2017

The dismantling of Apartheid era in South Africa in 1994, the advent of democratic era, was welcomed with a package of hope for the citizens as far as development was concerned. Since then, the government has been playing a key role in service delivery. Nonetheless, gaps exist in dispensing an array of services and this has prompted the interventions of NGOs in such developmental discourses. Through a mixed method research approach, this article explores the milestones of NGOs in South Africa while drawing pieces of evidence from Eastern Cape Province. The findings indicate that NGOs have responded positively to the prevention and treatment of various diseases, offered training and facilitated medical facilities in the province, promoted early childhood education and finally ensured regularity in services delivery. The article recommends that the public should appreciate and show goodwill to the efforts of the NGOs, pull their resources together to support and sustain the already existing NGO projects.
The Paradox of Civil Policing in Contemporary South Africa
Authors: Nyawasha Tawanda Sydesky , Mokhahlane Phakiso Michael
Published: June 2017

This article is a study of democratic policing in contemporary South Africa. The attempt in this article is to offer a scholarly analysis on the nature of civil policing in South Africa. Empirically, our focus is on everyday observations and also public discourse shaped and transmitted within the civil and political realms of the broader South African community. We argue that civil policing and security in South Africa is typified by a paradox that destroys the civic virtue and rationale of policing. It is our argument also that this paradox has posed a significant challenge to democratic and civil policing in a new South Africa. The solution to this paradox, we will argue, lies in recognising policing and security as uniquely constituted ‘public goods’. We also argue for a rethink on the place of culture in the policing register and grammar of post-apartheid South Africa. In this article, our treatment of civil policing and its challenges in South Africa is informed by recent incidences that have shown an imbrication between violence and the repertoires of policing. Overall, we contend that policing in contemporary South Africa sits at the disjuncture between political liberation and the persistent use of physical force. In all the cases, we shall refer to in this article, we will attempt to show how policing has often been entirely extricated from the habitus of law.
Parametric multiphysics finite-volume theory for periodic composites with thermo-electro-elastic phases
Authors: Chen Qiang , Tu Wenqiong , Liu Ruonan , Chen Xuefeng
Published: June 2017

The zeroth-order multiphysics finite-volume micromechanics has been proposed to model coupled thermo-electro-mechanical behaviors of unidirectional composites embedded with piezoelectric phases. Parametric mapping is implemented within the multiphysics finite-volume theory’s framework, facilitating modeling of multiphase piezoelectric materials with complex microstructures with relatively coarse unit cell discretization. The resulting theory admits piezoelectric materials with complete anisotropy and arbitrary poling direction and enables rapid generation of the entire set of coupled thermo-mechanical, piezoelectric properties, figures of merits, as well as the local fluctuations of fields within the composite microstructures with greater fidelity than its predecessor. The proposed method is verified extensively by comparison with the finite-element homogenization technique, which produces an excellent agreement in a wide range of volume fractions but offers much better stability and efficiency. The contrast with the rectangular theory is also presented and discussed, demonstrating the advantage and the need for the development of parametric formulation. This extension further increases the finite-volume direct averaging micromechanics theory’s range of applicability, providing an attractive standard for investigating multiphase and multiphysics problems with different microstructural architectures and scales against which other approaches may be compared.
Interventions for Young Children With and at Risk for Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
Authors: Withey Kristin L.
Published: June 2017

Social-emotional and behavioral skills are essential to school and life success. Some young children, though, demonstrate significant delays in these areas. While there is a current hierarchical model of behavioral interventions for young children, it is lacking explicit interventions to be implemented in the early childhood classroom. This column suggests an intervention continuum to be used that extends beyond the current model, providing a matrix that aligns social-emotional or behavioral skills with specific interventions shown to be effective for students who fall under other disability labels.
Using Discipline Data to Enhance Equity in School Discipline
Authors: McIntosh Kent , Ellwood Kathleen , McCall Lisa , Girvan Erik J.
Published: June 2017

There is a longstanding and pressing challenge regarding overuse of exclusionary discipline (e.g., office discipline referrals, suspensions) for students of color and students with disabilities. Moreover, many common efforts to address the problem have not been shown to enhance equity in school discipline. This article describes a promising four-step approach, described in the freely available PBIS Disproportionality Data Guide, for using school discipline data to identify specific interactions that are more susceptible to the effects of implicit bias on decision making and change the environment to meet the needs of all students. A case study is included that identified disproportionality for physical aggression on the playground as a primary source of overall disproportionality and implemented a plan that included elements of explicit instruction and cultural responsiveness. Results showed a consistent decrease in discipline disproportionality over time.
Problem Solving in the Early Years
Authors: Lile Diamond Lindsay
Published: June 2017

Problem solving is recognized as a critical component to becoming a self-determined individual. The development of this skill should be fostered in the early years through the use of age-appropriate direct and embedded activities. However, many early childhood teachers may not be providing adequate instruction in this area. This column provides a summary of the importance of problem-solving instruction for young children with disabilities and outlines interventions to promote the development of this skill.
Using Lesson Study to Prepare Preservice Special Educators
Authors: Roberts Carly A. , Benedict Amber E. , Kim So Yeon , Tandy Jacob
Published: June 2017

Learning to teach students with disabilities is challenging. Preservice special educators must develop critical knowledge of content as well as skill for enacting evidence-based practices effectively. Preservice special educators need increased opportunities to learn core knowledge coupled with a mechanism to support them in situating their newly acquired knowledge and skills in classroom practice. This column describes lesson study (LS), a practice-based approach that can be integrated within a teacher preparation program preparing preservice special educators to teach students with high-incidence disabilities. The column includes (a) a description of steps that teacher educators can take to integrate the LS process into their teacher preparation program, (b) reproducible items needed to facilitate LS, and (c) recommendations for evaluating the effect of LS on preservice special educators’ knowledge and skills.
Smartphone Usage, Social Media Engagement, and Willingness to Participate in mHealth Weight Management Research Among African American Women
Authors: James Delores C. S. , Harville Cedric
Published: June 2017

Background. African American women (AAW) are in a unique position to be recruited into mobile (mHealth) weight management research and programs due to their high rates of obesity and their high ownership of smartphones. Aim. This study examined smartphone usage, social media engagement, and willingness to participate in mHealth weight management among AAW in north-central Florida, United States. Methods. A self-administered survey was completed by a convenience sample of 425 smartphone owners in north-central Florida. Results. Mean age was 34.84 ± 13.74, with age distribution of 18 to 29 (45%), 30 to 50 (39%), and 51+ years (17%). Mean body mass index was 29.52 ± 8.18. Most used smartphones to access the Internet daily and were engaged with eight social media sites, such as Facebook (85%), YouTube (75%), and Google+ (57%). Compared to those 51+, those 18 to 29 were more likely to use YouTube (odds ratio [OR] = 2.52, p = .017) and Instagram (OR = 10.90, p < .0001), but they were less likely to use Google+ (OR = 0.40, p = .009). Compared to those 51+, those 30 to 50 were more likely to use Instagram (β = 1.28, OR = 3.61, p = .014) and Facebook (β = 1.04, OR = 2.84, p < .006). Most were willing to participate in research that used text messages (73%), smartwatches/fitness trackers (69%), and smartphone apps (68%). Compared to those 51+, women 18 to 29 were more likely to report willingness to use a smartphone app (OR = 5.45, p < .0001) as were those 30 to 50 (OR = 3.14, p < .0001). Conclusion. AAW’s high ownership of smartphones, use of mHealth apps and tools, and willingness to participate in mHealth research has the potential to curb the obesity epidemic by participating in mHealth weight management programs and research.
Enhancement of cold flow property of coconut oil by alkali esterification process and development of a bio-lubricant oil
Authors: Babu K Joseph , Kynadi Anna S , Joy ML , Nair K Prabhakaran
Published: June 2017

The low cold flow property of the coconut oil restricts its tribological applications as a lubricant. The flow property at low temperature was improved by removing the glycerol molecules from the oil thereby converting the fatty acids into esters by the process of alkali esterification. Free movement of these fatty acid esters have improved the cold flow properties of the oil from 26.8 ℃ to −4.5 ℃, but have an inverse effect of reduction on the tribological properties when compared to crude coconut oil. Additives such as tricresyl phosphate, oleic acid, and ethylene vinyl acetate were used to improve the anti-wear, anti-friction properties, and viscosity, respectively. The combined action of the additives have further improved the flow property to −6.9 ℃ and other tribological properties such as coefficient of friction and wear was reduced up to 12.8% and 2.3% respectively when compared to commercial two-stroke engine oil. Environmental hazards due to the exposure of newly formulated two-stroke engine oil were studied using bacteria ( B cereus and E coli). These results establish that the newly formulated oil is nontoxic and have comparable tribological properties to that of commercial two-stroke engine oil.
Gender Equality Mood across States and over Time
Authors: Koch Julianna , Thomsen Danielle M.
Published: June 2017

This article provides a new measure of state-level attitudes toward gender roles. Our series, gender equality mood, spans from 1972 to 2010 and is the first measure to capture variation in gender-role attitudes across states and over time. The series is created using two leading techniques for opinion estimation: multilevel regression and poststratification and survey aggregation. We conclude by discussing several research areas in which our measure of gender equality mood may be especially useful.
Doing Child-Centered Ethnography: Unravelling the Complexities of Reducing the Perceptions of Adult Male Power During Fieldwork
Authors: Mayeza Emmanuel
Published: June 2017

In this article, I engage the argument of getting around adult power in child-centered ethnographic research by presenting and discussing my experiences as a man researching with South African children in the early years of schooling. I present and discuss the different strategies I used in order to try and disassociate myself from the presumed position of adult male formal power and authority among children who were in my study. In Gender Play, Barrie Thorne coined the term “learning from the children” to describe a critical child-centered ethnographic approach which seeks to engage children as experts in their everyday social lives. However, Thorne acknowledged that when adults seek to learn from the children, the major challenge for the researcher is reducing the perceptions of adult formal power while establishing child-centered relations with the children. While Thorne discussed the issues of gender power in her relationships and interactions with boys and girls during her ethnographic research, this article considers a different perspective. It provides a male perspective on the relational issues and dynamics around adult–child power relations during child-centered ethnographic research on Gender Play in a South African primary school. The focus is on my attempts to reduce perceptions of adult male power so as to establish child-centered relations with young boys and girls in my research. I highlight the challenges encountered in my attempts to reduce these perceptions, given the children’s variegated expressions of agency that manifest by way of resistance—serving to reinforce adult–child power differentials. The article highlights how adult–child power relations operate in complex ways during fieldwork. It highlights how this complexity compelled the adult male researcher to acknowledge that power is not the sole preserve of adults. Rather, power is fluid and is constantly in flux between the adult male conducting the research and the young boys and girls who are actively participating in the research process.
Sandoz & Hexal v Searle & Janssen Sciences Ireland: What is the formula for patent term extensions?
Authors: Hayes Chris
Published: June 2017

In Sandoz Ltd & Hexal AG v G.D. Searle LLC & Janssen Sciences Ireland UC [2017] EWHC 987 (Pat), the UK High Court held that an active ingredient in a pharmaceutical product that was claimed only by reference to a Markush formula and not expressly referred to in the patent was “protected” by a basic patent for the purposes of obtaining a patent term extension under the European Union Supplementary Protection Certificate Regulations. This decision will be welcomed by practitioners in adding some clarity to the interpretation of previous decisions of the Court of Justice of the European Union relating to the definition of what is protected by a basic patent in this extremely commercially important and fast-moving area of jurisprudence. The implication of this decision is discussed further in this report.
Outcomes following surgical management of complex terrible triad injuries of the elbow: a single surgeon case series
Authors: Domos Peter , Griffiths Emmet , White Andrew
Published: June 2017

Background

Terrible triad injuries of the elbow are complex injuries to treat and we report our outcomes following surgical management.

Methods

Twenty-two consecutive patients who underwent fixation of terrible triad injuries between 2007 and 2012 were identified. Clinical outcomes were assessed by examination, visual analogue scores (VAS), Oxford Elbow Score (OES), Mayo Elbow Performance Index (MEPI) and QuickDash score (QD).

Results

The mean age of patients was 47 years, with a mean follow-up of 32 months. All patients underwent lateral ligament repair, with additional medial ligament repair in four cases. Thirteen patients required repair of the coronoid and 18 patients required surgery to the radial head. The mean flexion–extension arc was 113°, with mean prono-supination of 136°. The functional elbow scores revealed good outcomes in the majority (mean OES of 37, MEPI of 79 and QD of 21). The overall complication rate was 41%. In total, 23% required reoperation, with one patient requiring fasciotomy for acute compartment syndrome and four requiring subsequent removal of metalwork as a result of stiffness.

Conclusions

Recognition of this complex injury pattern and appropriate restoration of the joint stability are the prerequisites. Systematic surgical approach is effective and can provide both stability and good function, in most cases.
Evaluation of information available on the internet regarding reverse total shoulder arthroplasty
Authors: Houck Darby A. , Kraeutler Matthew J. , Belk John W. , McCarty Eric C. , Bravman Jonathan T.
Published: June 2017

Background

Prior studies have analyzed the quality of information available on the Internet regarding common orthopaedic surgical procedures. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the quality of information available for reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (rTSA).

Methods

Websites were identified using the search term ‘reverse total shoulder arthroplasty’ and the first 50 websites from three separate search engines (Google, Yahoo, and Bing) were selected for evaluation of authorship and quality of information using the DISCERN instrument ( www.discern.org.uk ). After disregarding duplicated or overlapping websites within and among search engines, 90 of the total 150 websites were evaluated. A one-way analysis of variance test was used to compare differences in DISCERN scores between three categories of authorship (academic, private, other).

Results

The majority of the websites evaluated were authored by academic (43%) and private institutions (36%). These were the most credible sources, providing overall better quality and reliability than other sources. DISCERN reliable ( p = 0.017) and overall scores ( p = 0.020) were significantly higher for academic institutions compared to other websites.

Conclusions

The information available on the Internet pertaining to reverse total shoulder arthroplasty is highly variable and provides moderate quality information about treatment choices with some limitations based on the DISCERN instrument.
Environmental factors influencing multiple sclerosis in Latin America
Authors: Correale Jorge , Farez Mauricio F , Gaitán María Inés
Published: June 2017

It is generally accepted that autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS) arise from complex interactions between genetic susceptibility and environmental factors. Genetic variants confer predisposition to develop MS, but cannot be therapeutically modified. On the other hand, several studies have shown that different lifestyle and environmental factors influence disease development, as well as activity levels and progression. Unlike genetic risk factors, these can be modified, with potential for prevention, particularly in high-risk populations. Most studies identifying particular lifestyle and environmental factors have been carried out in Caucasian patients with MS. Little or no data is available on the behavior of these factors in Latin American populations. Ethnic and geographic differences between Latin America and other world regions suggest potential regional variations in MS, at least with respect to some of these factors. Furthermore, particular environmental characteristics observed more frequently in Latin America could explain regional differences in MS prevalence. Site-specific studies exploring influences of local environmental factors are warranted.
Discrimination-related Anger, Religion, and Distress: Differences between African Americans and Caribbean Black Americans
Authors: Head Rachel N. , Seaborn Thompson Maxine
Published: June 2017

The Charleston Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church (AMEC) survivors’ forgiveness of the racially motivated shootings prompted our research of the association between religion, discrimination-related anger, and psychological distress among black Americans. Using the first representative national sample of Caribbean black Americans, the National Survey of American Life, we examine if discrimination-related anger produces more psychological distress for African Americans than Caribbean black Americans and if religious emotional support lowers distress from discrimination-related anger. Our findings show discrimination-related anger is associated with less distress for Caribbean black Americans than African Americans. Religious emotional support is associated with lower levels of distress and buffers the mental health of later generation Caribbean black Americans who report anger. African Americans reporting discrimination without anger show lower levels of psychological distress than their counterparts who experience anger. Thus, we have partial support that mercy towards one’s transgressor, illustrated by the Charleston Emanuel AMEC survivors, may benefit mental health.
Recalling and Intending to Enact Health Recommendations: Optimal Number of Prescribed Behaviors in Multibehavior Messages
Authors: McDonald Jack , McDonald Patrick , Hughes Colleen , Albarracín Dolores
Published: June 2017

Two experiments investigated the effects of the number of health recommendations (e.g., quit smoking; relax for a day) contained in a health-promotion message on recommendation recall and intentions to enact the recommendations. We hypothesized that if recommendations are stored individually, a higher number of presented recommendations will increase the number of recalled recommendations. As the number of recommendations increases, however, recipients are likely to summarize more recommendations as part of a single, more general theme (or header), resulting in a decrease in the proportion of recalled recommendations. Two experiments ( N = 193 and N = 266) found that the total number of recalled recommendations increased and the proportion of recalled recommendations decreased with the number of presented recommendations. Experiment 2 replicated the findings with the number and the proportion of intended behaviors. The implications of these findings for future behavioral health interventions are discussed.
Larger Receptive Field Size as a Mechanism Underlying Atypical Motion Perception in Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Schauder Kimberly B. , Park Woon Ju , Tadin Duje , Bennetto Loisa
Published: June 2017

Atypical visual motion perception has been widely observed in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The pattern of results, however, has been inconsistent. Emerging mechanistic hypotheses seek to explain these variable patterns of atypical motion sensitivity, each uniquely predicting specific patterns of performance across varying stimulus conditions. Here, we investigated the integrity of two such fundamental mechanisms—response gain control and receptive field size. A total of 20 children and adolescents with ASD and 20 typically developing (TD) age- and IQ-matched controls performed a motion discrimination task. To adequately model group differences in both mechanisms of interest, we tested a range of 23 stimulus conditions varying in size and contrast. Results revealed a motion perception impairment in ASD that was specific to the smallest sized stimuli (1°), irrespective of stimulus contrast. Model analyses provided evidence for larger receptive field size in ASD as the mechanism that explains this size-specific reduction of motion sensitivity.
The Influence of Event and Reaction Context on Clinicians’ Disorder Diagnoses
Authors: Weine Erienne R. , Kim Nancy S.
Published: June 2017

Clinicians’ judgments about clients can be influenced by the causal context (e.g., life events) preceding behavioral symptoms. However, it is unclear whether this influence extends to diagnosis judgments. In diagnosing Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), traumatic event context must be present, and severe immediate reaction context was formerly required for many years. In a vignette study, we systematically examined whether event and reaction severity influence clinicians’ open-ended diagnoses of PTSD behaviors, Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) behaviors, and nondisordered behaviors. Clinicians made more diagnoses of PTSD for all three types of behaviors (PTSD, MDD, distressed) given a traumatic event than a mildly stressful event but simultaneously found the behaviors to be less abnormal. We found no evidence that reaction context influenced diagnoses. Future directions and the role of causal context in clinical diagnosis are discussed.
Cost-effectiveness, Competitiveness and Export Performance of Indian Private Firms
Authors: Raut Lakshmi K.
Published: June 2017

This paper formulates a model of the optimal export decision of private firms and then empirically studies the effect of firm size, R&D activities, competitiveness and trade policies on export performance of Indian private firms during the period 1975–1986. India practised restrictive trade and industrial policies and introduced partial liberalization of trade policies in the early 1980’s to encourage exports. The paper argues that the Cragg model is more appropriate to model firms’ export behaviours under India’s restrictive trade policies than the commonly used Tobit model. The evaluation of the export promotion and partial import liberalization policies of 1980 based on the Tobit model is found to be qualitatively quite different from the evaluation based on the Cragg model. The LR and LM specification tests reject the Tobit model against the Cragg model in all specifications.
Epidemiology of Injuries in Stand-Up Paddle Boarding
Authors: Furness James , Olorunnife Olayinka , Schram Ben , Climstein Mike , Hing Wayne
Published: June 2017

Background:

Stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) is a recreational activity and sport that has grown exponentially, with participation increasing from 1.1 million in 2010 to 2.8 million in 2014 in the United States alone. Despite this growth in participation, SUP remains underresearched with regard to injury epidemiology.

Purpose:

To investigate injury epidemiology (severity, location, type, mechanism) in SUP.

Study Design:

Descriptive epidemiology study.

Methods:

An open-source online survey was administered to active SUP participants internationally. The survey captured information relevant to demographics, participation, and injury history over the past 12 months.

Results:

Of 240 participants included in the data analysis, 67.1% were males, and 54.6% were involved in competition. Participants spent a mean 192.6 ± 179.5 hours participating in SUP per year, most commonly for fun and fitness (43.3%) at the beach or bay (63.0%). A total of 95 participants had sustained at least 1 injury. A total of 161 injuries were recorded, resulting in an injury rate of 3.63 (95% CI, 3.04-4.16) per 1000 hours of SUP. The shoulder/upper arm was the most frequently injured body location, accounting for 32.9% of all injuries, followed by the lower back (14.3%) and the elbow/forearm (11.8%). The most common injury types were to muscle/tendon (50.4%), joint/ligament (22.6%), and skin (14.2%). Endurance paddling was the most frequently reported mechanism of injury (34.5%), followed by contact with a paddler’s own board (20.1%) and sprint paddling (9.3%). Key risk factors for sustaining an injury were age >46 years, competitive status, and participating for >4.8 hours/week, as well as using SUP for racing.

Conclusion:

This is the first study to report injury epidemiology for SUP. It is evident that both sexes participate in SUP for fun, fitness, and competition. With regard to injuries, the shoulder, lower back, and elbow are the most injury prone; older age, competitive status, and longer hours of participation all influenced the chance of injury. Findings from this study provide the foundation for injury prevention strategies.