bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Soil factors improve predictions of plant species distribution in a mountain environment
Authors: Buri Aline , Cianfrani Carmen , Pinto-Figueroa Eric , Yashiro Erika , Spangenberg Jorge E , Adatte Thierry , Verrecchia Eric , Guisan Antoine , Pradervand Jean-Nicolas
Published: November 2017

Explanatory studies suggest that using very high resolution (VHR, 1–5 m resolution) topo-climatic predictors may improve the predictive power of plant species distribution models (SDMs). However, the use of VHR topo-climatic data alone was recently shown not to significantly improve SDM predictions. This suggests that new ecologically-meaningful VHR variables based on more direct field measurements are needed, especially since non topo-climatic variables, such as soil parameters, are important for plants. In this study, we investigated the effects of adding mapped VHR predictors at a 5 m resolution, including field measurements of temperature, carbon isotope composition of soil organic matter (δ13CSOM values) and soil pH, to topo-climatic predictors in SDMs for the Swiss Alps. We used data from field temperature loggers to construct temperature maps, and we modelled the geographic variation in δ13CSOM and soil pH values. We then tested the effect of adding these VHR mapped variables as predictors into 154 plant SDMs and assessed the improvement in spatial predictions across the study area. Our results demonstrate that the use of VHR predictors based on more proximal field measurements, particularly soil parameters, can significantly increase the predictive power of models. Predicted soil pH was the second most important predictor after temperature, and predicted δ13CSOM was fourth. The greatest increase in model performance was for species found at high elevation (i.e. 1500–2000 m a.s.l.). Addition of predicted soil factors thus allowed better capturing of plant requirements in our models, showing that these can explain species distributions in ways complementary to topo-climatic variables. Modelling techniques to generalize edaphic information in space and then predict plant species distributions revealed a great potential in complex landscapes such as the mountain region considered in this study.
Strategic Pluralism and Monism in Heterodox Economics
Authors: Jackson William A.
Published: November 2017

Pluralism is frequently supported by heterodox economists, but their rationale for it is not always transparent. It could be advocated for strategic reasons, as a response to the institutional power of orthodoxy, or for fundamental reasons, as a program for how economics should best be done. This paper evaluates strategic pluralism, compares it with the alternative of strategic monism, and relates both strategies to long-term objectives.
Economic analysis of a hypothetical bamboo-biochar plant in Zhejiang province, China
Authors: Zhang Tao , Liang Fang , Hu Wanhe , Yang Xiaomeng , Xiang Hongzhong , Wang Ge , Fei Benhua , Liu Zhijia
Published: November 2017

Significant quantities of bamboo waste are generated in Zhejiang province, China. Many small businesses in this area convert this waste to biochar for use as a cooking fuel (in residential barbecues). This case study was conducted to evaluate the potential economic benefits of building and operating an industrial-sized plant in this province, yielding 500 tonnes per year. The researchers developed a conceptual design for a hypothetical biochar plant and then calculated net present value (NPV), investment payback period (PBP), internal rate of return (IRR), and sensitivity analysis. Results show that the static investment PBP would be 2.58 years, the IRR would be 38.8%, and the NPV would be US$ 486,700. The IRR would be higher than the forestry industry benchmark (11%), indicating that a production line of bamboo-biochar with the stated yield not only could generate higher profits, but also could achieve a better return on investment. Thus, this study indicates that there are good market prospects for the bamboo-biochar industry in this region. The influence of sales prices on the IRR was more than that of operational costs, indicating that a large-scale plant should be designed to produce a high-quality bamboo-biochar. Supply chain issues such as transportation distances between locations where bamboo wastes are generated and the biochar plant should be considered in advance when siting new bamboo-biochar plants. The results from this research provide guidance to those considering development of bamboo-biochar plants in other parts of China.
The Methodological Underdog: A Review of Quantitative Research in the Key Adult Education Journals
Authors: Boeren Ellen
Published: November 2017

An examination of articles published in leading adult education journals demonstrates that qualitative research dominates. To better understand this situation, a review of journal articles reporting on quantitative research has been undertaken by the author of this article. Differences in methodological strengths and weaknesses between quantitative and qualitative research are discussed, followed by a data mining exercise on 1,089 journal articles published in Adult Education Quarterly, Studies in Continuing Education, and International Journal of Lifelong Learning. A categorization of quantitative adult education research is presented, as well as a critical discussion on why quantitative adult education does not seem to be widespread in the key adult education journals.
Circadian Profiling of Amino Acids in the SCN and Cerebral Cortex by Laser Capture Microdissection–Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Fustin Jean-Michel , Karakawa Sachise , Okamura Hitoshi
Published: November 2017

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is an extremely robust self-sustained oscillator, containing virtually the same molecular clock present in other tissues in the body but, in addition, endowed with tight intercellular coupling dependent on multiple neurotransmitter systems that allow the SCN to function as the “master clock.” Several studies on the circadian SCN transcriptome have been published and compared with the transcriptome of other tissues, but the recent focus shift toward the circadian metabolome and the importance of small molecules for circadian timekeeping has so far been limited to macroscopic tissues such as the liver. Here, we report the successful use of laser capture microdissection coupled with liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry for the circadian profiling of SCN amino acids. Among 18 amino acids detected, 10 (55.5%) showed significant variations, particularly marked for proline, lysine, and histidine, with higher levels during the subjective day. Moreover, we compared SCN and cortical amino acid levels between wild-type and Bmal1-deficient animals, either in the whole body or specifically in the liver. Interestingly, lack of Bmal1 in the whole body led to a significant increase in most amino acids in the SCN but not in the cerebral cortex. In contrast, deletion of Bmal1 in the liver mostly affected cortical amino acid levels during the subjective day. This study demonstrates that laser capture microdissection can be used for the isolation of microscopic brain structures for metabolomic purposes and reveals interactions between liver and SCN amino acid metabolism.
A Generic Simulation Model of the Relative Cost-Effectiveness of ICU Versus Step-Down (IMCU) Expansion
Authors: Mahmoudian-Dehkordi Amin , Sadat Somayeh
Published: November 2017

Background:

Many jurisdictions are facing increased demand for intensive care. There are two long-term investment options: intensive care unit (ICU) versus step-down or intermediate care unit (IMCU) capacity expansion. Relative cost-effectiveness of the two investment strategies with regard to patient lives saved has not been studied to date.

Methods:

We expand a generic system dynamics simulation model of emergency patient flow in a typical hospital, populated with empirical evidence found in the medical and hospital administration literature, to estimate the long-term effects of expanding ICU versus IMCU beds on patient lives saved under a common assumption of 2.1% annual increase in hospital arrivals. Two alternative policies of expanding ICU by two beds versus introducing a two-bed IMCU are compared over a ten-year simulation period. Russel equation is used to calculate total cost of patients’ hospitalization. Using two possible values for the ratio of ICU to IMCU cost per inpatient day and four possible values for the percentage of patients transferred from ICU to IMCU found in the literature, nine scenarios are compared against the baseline scenario of no capacity expansion.

Results:

Expanding ICU capacity by two beds is demonstrated as the most cost-effective scenario with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of 3684 (US $) per life saved against the baseline scenario. Sensitivity analyses on the mortality rate of patients in IMCU, direct transfer of IMCU-destined patients to the ward upon completing required IMCU length of stay in the ICU, admission of IMCU patient to ICU, adding two ward beds, and changes in hospital size do not change the superiority of ICU expansion over other scenarios.

Conclusions:

In terms of operational costs, ICU beds are more cost effective for saving patients than IMCU beds. However, capital costs of setting up ICU versus IMCU beds should be considered for a complete economic analysis.
A Multicenter Survey of House Staff Knowledge About Sepsis and the “Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines for Management of Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock”
Authors: Watkins Richard R. , Haller Nairmeen , Wayde Melinda , Armitage Keith B.
Published: November 2017

Background:

We aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of resident physicians regarding sepsis in general and the Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines in particular.

Methods:

After institutional review board approval, we surveyed internal medicine (IM) and emergency medicine (EM) house staff from 3 separate institutions. House staff were notified of the survey via e-mail from their residency director or chief resident. The survey was Internet-based (using http://www.surveymonkey.com ), voluntary, and anonymous. The Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines were used to develop the survey. The survey was open between December 2015 and April 2016. No incentives for participation were given. Reminder e-mails were sent approximately every 3 to 4 weeks to all eligible participants. Comparisons of responses were evaluated using the N-1 2-proportion test.

Results:

A total of 133 responses were received. These included 84 from IM house staff, 27 from EM house staff, and 22 who selected “other.” Eighty (101/126) percent reported managing at least 1 patient with sepsis in the preceding 30 days, 85% (97/114) rated their knowledge of the Surviving Sepsis Guidelines as “very familiar” or at least “somewhat familiar,” and 84% (91/108) believed their training in the diagnosis and management of sepsis was “excellent” or at least “good.” However, 43% (47/108) reported not receiving any feedback on their treatment of patients with sepsis in the last 30 days, while 24% (26/108) received feedback once. Both IM and EM house staff received comparable rates of feedback (62% vs 48%, respectively; P = .21). For the 3 questions that directly tested knowledge of the guidelines, the scores of the IM and EM house staff were similar. Notably, <20% of both groups correctly identified diagnostic criteria for sepsis.

Conclusion:

Additional education of IM and EM house staff on the Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines is warranted, along with more consistent feedback regarding their diagnosis and management of sepsis.
Aggressive Treatment of Life-Threatening Hypophosphatemia During Recovery From Fulminant Hepatic Failure: A Case Report
Authors: Bissell Brittany D. , Davis Jason E. , Flannery Alexander H. , Adkins David A. , Thompson Bastin Melissa L.
Published: November 2017

Acute liver failure secondary to acetaminophen overdose can be a life-threatening condition, characterized by severe electrolyte derangements. Hepatocyte regeneration is associated with phosphorous utilization and is a known complication of liver recovery following injury. We report the case of profound, life-threatening hypophosphatemia following recovery from acute fulminant liver failure. As the liver enzymes normalized, serum phosphorous levels plummeted. Our patient required an aggressive, individualized phosphorus replacement regimen, which resulted in a continuous infusion of intravenous (IV) sodium phosphate, titrated to a maximum rate of 30 mmol/h or 0.5 mmol/kg/h. The patient required over 400 mmol of total IV and oral phosphorous over the course of 48 hours. An aggressive approach to phosphorous replacement was done safely and effectively. Traditional replacement protocols are not adequate to sustain patients with this degree of hypophosphatemia. This is the first report to utilize a continuous infusion of phosphate with a maximum reported rate (0.5 mmol/kg/h). Our report summarizes a novel and safe approach for clinicians to maximally support these patients through high-dose, continuous infusion phosphorous administration.
Experimental investigations for preparation of biocompatible feedstock filament of fused deposition modeling (FDM) using twin screw extrusion process
Authors: Singh Rupinder , Ranjan Nishant
Published: November 2017

Twin screw extrusion (TSE) is one of the commercially established processes for reinforcement of metallic/nonmetallic/ceramic fillers in polymer matrix for tailor-made applications. In this study, biocompatible feedstock filament has been prepared (in-house) for commercial fused deposition modeling (FDM) setup with biocompatible grade polymers, namely polyvinyl chloride and polypropylene which was reinforced with the hydroxyapatite particles. The process parameters (namely, material composition, rotational speed of TSE, die temperature of TSE, HAp particle grain size, and applied load on TSE) were optimized using Taguchi L18 orthogonal array. In this study, mechanical, thermal, and metallurgical properties have been established, and best-feedstock filament wire for development of partial/complete denture on the FDM with functionally graded surfaces properties has been recommended for future applications.
Crystallization and mechanical properties of polyphenylene sulfide/multiwalled carbon nanotube composites
Authors: Yang Rui , Su Zhengtao , Wang Shan , Zhao Yanfen , Shi Jiao
Published: November 2017

Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS)/multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composites were prepared by melt blending and injection molding. The nonisothermal crystallization behavior, morphology, and mechanical properties of the nanocomposites were systematically investigated as a function of MWCNT content. For nonisothermal process, the presence of MWCNTs possesses both acceleration and retardation effect on the crystallization of PPS without affecting the ultimate degree of crystallinity. Due to the interfacial interaction between MWCNTs and PPS, the MWCNTs can be uniformly dispersed in PPS. The interfacial crystallization of PPS on the surface of nanotubes was observed by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. A reinforcing effect of MWCNTs on the mechanical properties of PPS is found, which is considered to be relevant with the uniformly dispersed MWCNTs and the interfacial crystallization.
Employability Capital: A Conceptual Framework Tested Through Expert Analysis
Authors: Peeters Ellen , Nelissen Jill , De Cuyper Nele , Forrier Anneleen , Verbruggen Marijke , De Witte Hans
Published: November 2017

Previous research attempted to identify personal resources that promote employability, that is, an individual’s chance to find and maintain employment. This has resulted in a large number of different personal resources, which are not always clearly differentiated from one another and often seem to—at least partially—overlap conceptually and/or empirically. In response, we aim at conceptual clarification and integration of what we coin “employability capital”. Based on a literature review, we developed a conceptual framework that integrates the various facets. Two types of distinctions were found: (a) an employability distinction, which differentiates between job-related, career-related, and development-related employability capital, and (b) a capital distinction, which differentiates between human capital (more specifically knowledge, skills, and attitudes) and social capital. We performed a Q-sorting study in which items of existing measurements were mapped onto the conceptual framework by subject matter experts. Overall, we found support for the conceptual framework.
Spiritual Well-Being, Depression, and Stress Among Hemodialysis Patients in Jordan
Authors: Musa Ahmad S. , Pevalin David J. , Al Khalaileh Murad A. A.
Published: November 2017

Purpose: The spiritual dimension of a patient’s life is an important factor that may mediate detrimental impacts on mental health. The lack of research investigating spiritual well-being, religiosity, and mental health among Jordanian hemodialysis patients encouraged this research. This study explored levels of spiritual well-being and its associations with depression, anxiety, and stress. Design: A quantitative, cross-sectional correlational study. Method: A sample of 218 Jordanian Muslim hemodialysis patients completed a structured, self-administered questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and linear multivariate regression models. Findings: The hemodialysis patients had, on average, relatively low levels of spiritual well-being, moderate depression, severe anxiety, and mild to moderate stress. The results of the regression models indicated that aspects of spiritual well-being were negatively associated with depression, anxiety, and stress, but only existential well-being consistently retained significant associations after controlling for religious well-being, religiosity, and sociodemographic variables. Conclusions: Greater spiritual and existential well-being of Jordanian hemodialysis patients were significantly associated with less depression, anxiety, and stress. It appears that these patients use religious and spiritual beliefs and practices as coping mechanisms to overcome their depression, anxiety, and stress. The implications for holistic clinical practice are explored.
Can Cognitive Speed of Processing Training Improve Everyday Functioning Among Older Adults With Psychometrically Defined Mild Cognitive Impairment?
Authors: Valdés Elise G. , Andel Ross , Lister Jennifer J. , Gamaldo Alyssa , Edwards Jerri D.
Published: November 2017

Objective: The aim of these secondary analyses was to examine cognitive speed of processing training (SPT) gains in cognitive and everyday functioning among older adults with psychometrically defined mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Method: A subgroup of participants from the Staying Keen in Later Life (SKILL) study with psychometrically defined MCI ( N = 49) were randomized to either the SPT intervention or an active control group of cognitive stimulation. Outcome measures included the Useful Field of View (UFOV), Road Sign Test, and Timed Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) Test. A 2 × 2 repeated-measures MANOVA revealed an overall effect of training, indicated by a significant group (SPT vs. control) by time (baseline vs. posttest) interaction. Results: Effect sizes were large for improved UFOV, small for the Road Sign test, and medium for Timed IADL. Discussion: Results indicate that further investigation of cognitive intervention strategies to improve everyday functioning in patients with MCI is warranted.
Moral Philosophy after Austin and Wittgenstein: Stanley Cavell and Donald MacKinnon
Authors: Bowyer Andrew D.
Published: November 2017

There are broad commonalities between the projects of Donald MacKinnon (1913–1994) and Stanley Cavell (1926–) sufficient to make the claim that they struck an analogous pose in their respective contexts. This is not to discount their manifest differences. In the milieu of 1960s and 1970s Cambridge, MacKinnon argued in support of a qualified language of metaphysics in the service of a renewed catholic humanism and Christian socialism. At Harvard, Cavell articulated commitments that made him more at home in the world of North American secular political liberalism. Where Nietzsche, Hume, Freud, Heidegger, Emerson and Thoreau were Cavell’s inspirations, Butler, Kant, G. E. Moore, Collingwood and the New Testament were MacKinnon’s. For all the stark differences, commonalities abound and the reason for this can be traced to a shared appreciation of Austin’s contribution to the ‘lingusitic turn’ together with Wittgenstein’s later work. They both developed projects obsessed with the problem of scepticism together with a commitment to a creative re-animation of moral discourse in light of it, with MacKinnon defending a qualified ‘moral realism’, and Cavell, ‘moral perfectionism’. Seen together, a distinctive post-Kantian and post-Wittgensteinian therapeutic moral philosophy is in evidence.
Sleeping in a Brave New World: Opportunities for Improving Learning and Clinical Outcomes Through Targeted Memory Reactivation
Authors: Paller Ken A.
Published: November 2017

Neuroscientific insights into learning and memory have mostly concerned input and output, but intervening processing during the time between acquisition and retrieval is also critical. Indeed, intervening memory reactivation may regulate memory longevity, and a growing body of evidence implicates sleep in changing memory storage. For example, subtle auditory stimulation can be used experimentally to selectively encourage memory reactivation during sleep, which thereby improves learning. Much remains to be elucidated about how learning depends on sleep. Nevertheless, this methodology for modifying memory storage during sleep offers new opportunities for reinforcing learning to enhance clinical outcomes in conjunction with therapies engaged during waking. A variety of such possibilities must now be carefully investigated. Likewise, brain rhythms can be entrained to enhance sleep functions, facilitating further progress in understanding the neurophysiological basis of memory processing during sleep. Ultimately, empirical evidence may reveal the extent to which the way we behave when awake is a function of what our brains do when we are asleep. Through such research efforts, an advanced understanding of memory and sleep may allow us to both make better use of our time asleep and take steps toward better health.
Modi Government and Changing Patterns in Indian Foreign Policy
Authors: Chandra Vikash
Published: November 2017

This article examines continuity and change in Indian foreign policy since Narendra Modi took office. It proceeds with analyzing six issues that dominated India’s foreign engagement between the prime ministerial regimes of Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh as a reference point. To evaluate the level of change, it defines major change as a major shift in the goals and strategies of a state’s foreign policy and argues that most often a major change in foreign policy is a result of changes in the systemic variables followed by a change in either state- or individual-level variables. Indian foreign policy under Modi is witnessing a proactive turn infused by a strong leadership. The new government has redefined India’s foreign policy priorities, and the level of external engagement has also gone up. However, areas like democracy promotion have not upheld their momentum, and the government’s regional policy has failed to utilize the opportunities that were available to it when it began its tenure. Also, foreign policy changes under the new government cannot be regarded as a major change because the goals and strategies of Indian foreign policy have not changed.
On the International Review for the Sociology of Sport, the field of play, and six years of more “more than less”
Authors: Wenner Lawrence
Published: November 2017

In this editorial essay, Editor-in-Chief Lawrence Wenner reflects on his six-year tenure editing the International Review for the Sociology of Sport and the sociology of sport as a scholarly field of play. Thanks are given to the many in the sociology of sport community who have supported the IRSS and contributed to its success. Consideration then turns to the imprimatur of the IRSS and a series of identity struggles evident in the scholarly community. Using the “framing of the naming” of the IRSS, the essay poses that the IRSS is “more than” each of the constituent parts making up the journal’s title. In considering how the IRSS is “more than international,” arguments are advanced that most socio-cultural studies of sport tend to focus on local, regional, and national sporting experiences and that the IRSS might be better characterized as “multinational” or “multi-vocal” in its orientation. In considering how the IRSS is “more than a review,” arguments are advanced that the IRSS has always gone beyond featuring critical articles, a chief technical characteristic marking publications as reviews. In considering how the IRSS is “more than sociology,” arguments are advanced that the socio-cultural study of sport has always necessarily reached beyond sociology in engaging a host of disciplines. Related consideration is given to the current status of socio-cultural inquiry about sport, sociology, the sport sciences, and management. In considering how the IRSS is “more than sport,” arguments are advanced about the how the socio-cultural study of sport has always had boundaries that blur with the study of physical activity that engages fitness, health, and recreation. Finally, the essay closes with consideration of physical cultural studies and poses that it is deficient as an alternative characterization of the scholarly community.
Achieving Legitimacy in Cross-Border Higher Education: Institutional Influences on Chinese International Branch Campuses in South East Asia
Authors: He Lan , Wilkins Stephen
Published: November 2017

All universities must achieve legitimacy, as this is essential to attract students, staff, and resources, including funding. To achieve legitimacy in transnational higher education, universities must conform to the rules and belief systems in the host countries. Adopting a case study approach, this research aims to investigate the different institutional influences on three Chinese international branch campuses (IBCs) that operate in South East Asia. The institutional factors behind the strategies taken in establishing and operating such branch campuses are discussed, as well as the different legitimacy building strategies adopted to counteract the liability of foreignness in the host countries. It was found that legitimacy is established through three modes: legitimacy conformity, selective legitimacy conformity/nonconformity, and legitimacy creation, which are adopted according to the IBC’s dependence on local resources and the strength of the institutional forces in the host country.
Driving the Future: A Management Flight Simulator of the US Automobile Market
Authors: Keith David R. , Naumov Sergey , Sterman John
Published: November 2017

Background. A significant gap exists in the United States between ambitious regulatory goals requiring firms to introduce hybrid and electric vehicles, and consumer adoption of these technologies to date. However, the interventions required to close this gap are not obvious due to the complex feedbacks and time delays that govern alternative fuel vehicle (AFV) diffusion.

Purpose. The purpose of this article is to introduce Driving the Future (DtF), a free, web-based management flight simulator to explore the effects of automaker strategies and public policies on the US automotive market.

Method. We develop a behavioral, dynamic model portraying multiple automobile and fuel types, fueling infrastructure, and consumer choices, enabling users to rapidly experiment with how a wide array of decisions and assumptions shape the dynamics of AFV diffusion out to 2050.

Results. We describe how the simulator can be used to explore various scenarios for AFV adoption, and discuss how the simulator can help improve mental models and decision-making. We present evidence from classroom and online experiments, demonstrating that the simulation is both effective in developing users’ understanding of AFV diffusion dynamics, and enjoyable to use.
The Chorus of User Voices: Meeting the Challenge of Patient-Reported Outcomes From Medications
Authors: Nickman Nancy A.
Published: November 2017

Prescription medication management by both healthcare providers and patients describe struggles not to inflict harm and encourage safe use in the context of culture and social relationships. Risk vs benefit assessments conducted in these contexts are essential for understanding how medication-taking decisions are made. Qualitatively-based Patient Reported Outcomes (PROs) are critical to understanding how medication pathways are navigated by both healthcare providers and patients seeking relief from maladies. Qualitative PROs have the potential to improve understanding of social and cultural factors that impact patient decision making whether to take a drug at all and would also serve to support developing models of patient-centered care.
Managing Pain in Patients With Chronic Medical Illnesses and Serious Mental Illnesses
Authors: O’Mahony Sean , Bines Steven , Gerhart James , Bagwell Erin , Marlene McHugh , Card Ariel
Published: November 2017

Objectives:

This study investigated the use of opioid treatment plans that included the implementation of opioid dependence risk with a validated screening tool and opioid dependence risk tool (UDT) in a noncancer palliative pain clinic.

Methods:

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records for diagnostic information, information on analgesic medications, daily morphine equivalent dose, presence of pain management agreements and opioid dependence risk tools (ORT), and UDT. We recorded hospital days and emergency department visits.

Results:

Seventy-four patients were followed for a mean of 15.9 months. Ninety-three percent of patients had pain management agreements and 74% had ORT. The median score was 8: consistent with a high risk. More than half had UDT and 17.6% of patients had unexpected findings. Fifty-nine percent of patients had a psychiatric diagnosis. Hospital days and emergency department visits decreased by more than 30% ( P = .015 and P = .019).

Significance of Findings:

Both mental health problems and aberrant drug use were common in patients seen in a noncancer palliative care clinic. There were significant reductions in acute care utilization in the 12 months post intake in the clinic.
Personal, Interpersonal, and Organizational Predictors of the Mode of Delivery Among Urban Women: A Prospective Study With Socio-Ecological Approach
Authors: Bakhtari Fatemeh , Nadrian Haidar , Matlabi Hossein , Sarbakhsh Parvin , Bidar Maryam
Published: November 2017

The aim of this prospective study was to investigate the predictors of choosing mode of delivery (MOD) among Iranian urban women applying the socio-ecological model. In 2015, a convenient sample of 530 pregnant women in urban regions of Urmia, Iran, was recruited to complete a socio-ecological approach–based questionnaire. Then, 1 week after childbirth, the women were followed up by telephone to be asked about their MOD (response rate = 81.88%). Logistic regression analysis showed that the odds of cesarean section (CS) among the women with university education, whose husbands were an employee in a governmental organization, who preferred a private hospital for delivery, and who selected the CS as the preferred MOD during pregnancy were significantly higher than their counterparts. Among all the factors, the socioeconomic status of the families was more influential in predicting the MOD among women. The cognitive factors like fear of childbirth may not be determinants for MOD if women are from privileged families.
Physician Perceptions of Performance Feedback in a Quality Improvement Activity
Authors: Eden Aimee R. , Hansen Elizabeth , Hagen Michael D. , Peterson Lars E.
Published: November 2017

Physician performance and peer comparison feedback can affect physician care quality and patient outcomes. This study aimed to understand family physician perspectives of the value of performance feedback in quality improvement (QI) activities. This study analyzed American Board of Family Medicine open-ended survey data collected between 2004 and 2014 from physicians who completed a QI module that provided pre- and post-QI project individual performance data and peer comparisons. Physicians made 3480 comments in response to a question about this performance feedback, which were generally positive in nature (86%). Main themes that emerged were importance of accurate feedback data, enhanced detail in the content of feedback, and ability to customize peer comparison groups to compare performance to peers with similar patient populations or practice characteristics. Meaningful and tailored performance feedback may be an important tool for physicians to improve their care quality and should be considered an integral part of QI project design.
Perceptions of Communication Practices Among Stakeholders in Special Education
Authors: Woods Adrienne D. , Morrison Frederick J. , Palincsar Annemarie S.
Published: November 2017

Especially important to the successful education of children with disabilities are stakeholder (parents and educators) perceptions of home–school relationships across grade levels and diagnoses. However, research on these communication patterns often excludes the perspectives of multiple stakeholders and downplays differences across disabilities. The present study investigated perceived patterns of communication among special education stakeholders through 17 qualitative, semistructured interviews. Notable results indicate that educators at younger grades are more proactive with home contact; parents who have more frequent communication with schools tend to be more satisfied with schools, but their children may also have more common or noncomorbid disabilities; most stakeholders rely on elementary-level educators to identify students with exceptionalities; and administrators are still challenged by perceptions that general and special education are two separate systems. These results are framed by disability type and comorbidity, and substantively add to the conversation regarding how to improve home–school relationships regardless of disability.
Platelet to Lymphocyte Ratio and Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio as Risk Factors for Venous Thrombosis
Authors: Artoni Andrea , Abbattista Maria , Bucciarelli Paolo , Gianniello Francesca , Scalambrino Erica , Pappalardo Emanuela , Peyvandi Flora , Martinelli Ida
Published: November 2017

High platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) are associated with an increased risk of arterial thrombosis, but their role in venous thromboembolism (VTE) has not been fully investigated. A case–control study, of 486 patients with VTE, 100 with cerebral vein thrombosis (CVT), and 299 healthy individuals, was carried out to investigate whether high PLR or NLR values are associated with an increased risk of VTE. Patients with high PLR or NLR did not have an increased risk of VTE (odds ratio [OR] 0.89, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.46-1.76; OR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.34-1.39, respectively) or CVT (OR: 1.65, 95% CI: 0.68-4.00; OR: 0.39, 95% CI: 0.09-1.72, respectively). Subgroups analysis showed that high PLR values were associated with the risk of provoked CVT (OR: 2.65, 95% CI: 1.02-6.92), and there was an interaction with thrombophilia abnormalities (OR: 7.67, 95% CI: 1.67-35.27) in patients with CVT. In conclusion, high PLR and NLR values are not associated with an overall increased risk of VTE or CVT. High PLR values increase the risk of provoked CVT and interact with thrombophilia abnormalities in patients with CVT.
Care Transformation Strategies and Approaches of Accountable Care Organizations
Authors: Lewis Valerie A. , Tierney Katherine I. , Fraze Taressa , Murray Genevra F.
Published: November 2017

Although accountable care organizations (ACOs) proliferate, little is known about the activities and strategies ACOs are pursuing to meet goals of reducing costs and improving quality. We use semistructured interviews with executives at 16 ACOs to understand ACO approaches. We identified two overarching ACO approaches to changing clinical care: a practice-based transformation approach, working to overhaul care processes and teams from the inside out; and an overlay approach, where ACO activities were centralized and delivered external to physician practices. We additionally identified four methods ACOs were using to achieve their aims: using patient support roles; targeted clinics, events, programs, and interventions; clinical process standardization; and tracking and identifying patients on which to focus resources. We expect that ACOs using either of the major approaches can succeed under current ACO programs, but that as value-based payment programs mature, ACOs will need to undertake practice-based approaches to be successful in the long term.
The Consent Order as Mandated Collaboration: The Case of Hampton Roads Sanitation District
Authors: Martz Robert J. , McCarthy William J. , Morris John C.
Published: November 2017

In an age of growing infrastructure needs and increasingly limited resources to meet those needs, governments at all levels must search for ways to close the resources gap, as is the case of wastewater treatment and the requirement to treat stormwater. Recent efforts to address water quality have focused on collaboration as a mechanism to achieve desired outcomes. This article traces the development and implementation of a mandated collaborative effort to address stormwater infiltration into the sanitary sewer system in the Hampton Roads, Virginia, area. We find that, unlike more traditional conceptions of collaboration, the consent order in place served to require the participants to work together to achieve positive outcomes. We conclude with some general thoughts about the use of mandated collaboration as a lens to understand collaborative processes in public works settings.
Improving Schools, Improving School Health Education, Improving Public Health: The Role of SOPHE Members
Authors: Birch David A.
Published: November 2017

The reciprocal relationship between health and education has garnered increased attention among public health professionals. The evidence is clear that the level of an individual’s education is related to health outcomes in adulthood and that healthier children are more likely to be academically successful than those with health issues. Unpacking and examining various aspects of this relationship is the focus of my 2017 SOHE Presidential Address. The three specific purposes of the presentation are to (a) understand the reciprocal relationship between education and health, (b) understand the characteristics of quality schools and quality school health education, and (c) to review strategies designed to activate school improvement as a public health strategy. In order to examine the relationship, I will address the relationship of social determinants and social justice to the quality of education with special attention to the impact of poverty. In addition, I will present possible reasons behind the linkage of higher educational attainment to better health outcomes, and the impact of health challenges on academic success for school-age children and youth. Finally, I will present characteristics of quality schools including considerations related to quality school health education programs. I conclude the presentation by presenting 11 specific actions for school improvement for consideration by SOPHE members and other public health professionals.
Businesses Beware
Authors: Komarova Loureiro Yuliya , Haws Kelly L. , Bearden William O.
Published: November 2017

Consumers feeling wronged in the marketplace can respond in a variety of ways both morally appropriate and morally inappropriate. We focus on specific circumstances under which company wrongdoing increases the likelihood for consumers to respond with immoral retaliatory behavior. Importantly, we demonstrate that such immoral retaliation is not directed solely toward the guilty party but may also spill over to guiltless marketplace entities. This research highlights the underlying processes for immoral retaliation against a guilty versus a guiltless company, demonstrating the varying roles of anger and justification as well as assessing the overall effectiveness of such vengeance in offsetting further retaliation. Our findings inform important aspects of effective service recovery by shedding light on the destructive potential of consumer perceptions of immorality of any one company’s actions and by providing recommendations for managing the associated risk factors.
Organizational Transformation Through Service Design
Authors: Kurtmollaiev Seidali , Fjuk Annita , Pedersen Per Egil , Clatworthy Simon , Kvale Knut
Published: November 2017

In this article, we provide in-depth insight into the process of adopting service design (SD) by a large service organization. We use an inductive interpretive approach and draw on rich longitudinal data collected in one of the world’s major telecommunication companies that undertook a series of SD initiatives to improve its innovation capability. We find that instead of merely bringing new services, SD has far-reaching consequences for organizations, prompting significant changes in the organizational mindset and routines. Building on the institutional logics perspective and acknowledging the role of individuals’ institutional work, we identify the macro-level and micro-level mechanisms of the organizational logic transformation that SD induces. Interestingly, the effects are bidirectional, as the organizational context has a considerable impact on SD as an innovation practice. As this study shows, managers and other practitioners can effectively overcome organizational hindrances to the adoption of SD by creating an SD-based corporate language, realigning key performance indicators, and facilitating learning and experimentation.
Automation and human relations with the private vehicle: from automobiles to autonomous cars
Authors: Sandry Eleanor
Published: November 2017

This article theorises interactions between drivers, cars and their surroundings. It uses Don Ihde’s four human–technology relations – embodiment, hermeneutic, alterity and background – to analyse the ways in which human–car relationships develop through the process of driving. When driving non-autonomous cars, humans are engaged with cars in driver–car assemblages, within which they are aware of not only the car and how they control its movement but also the road and environmental conditions conveyed through the car. In autonomous and semi-autonomous cars, the connection between driver and car, process of driving and surrounding environment is disrupted. This may be regarded as a positive change, freeing drivers from the work of driving to enjoy rest and entertainment as they become passengers; however, as the car moves into a background relation with people inside the vehicle, it can become difficult for a human to take back control of the driving process with little warning.
Hooked on the Blues: Technical and expressive continuities between life and music
Authors: Marcos Marcos José Bernal , Castro-Tejerina Jorge , Trejo Florentino Blanco
Published: November 2017

This article proposes a very specific approach to music, defined as a cultural, material or symbolic tool that intermeshes with certain people’s life experience. From that standpoint, music may be seen as one of the essential keys for interpreting a biography. The theoretical argument, described from a cultural and mediational perspective, is exemplified in the relationship established between musician and instrument. The singular value of each interpreter’s personal and non-transferable encounter with musical mediators is addressed, and the possible interweave between musicians’ technical and actual life horizons explored. The significance proposed refers to the specific ways in which music may translate world experience and model affect. The objective is to establish the relevance or possibility of expanding or nuancing the view of music as the outer representation of inner emotions through the conceit vitality affects, a term that stresses the dynamic and temporal dimensions of the emotive meaning of music.
Learner perception of multimodal synchronous computer-mediated communication in foreign language classrooms
Authors: Jung YeonJoo , Kim YouJin , Lee Hikyoung , Cathey Robin , Carver Julie , Skalicky Stephen
Published: November 2017

Recently, second language (L2) instruction has benefitted from the development of instructional technology such as synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC). The present study was conducted to investigate learner perception of the effectiveness of SCMC interactions for L2 learning and building intercultural competence. Students ( n = 55) from three different universities in Korea, Japan, and Taiwan participated in a joint online class for one semester. The purpose of the class was to facilitate students’ development of linguistic and intercultural competence by interacting with peers from different cultures online. This study set out to examine the relation between learner perception and interactional features during group discussions. A range of data collection instruments were employed, including a questionnaire to track change in learner perception over time, interviews, and transcripts of interactions during each chat session. Results from linear mixed effect models suggest that among various interactional features, the following two variables were found to be significant predictors of positive attitudes towards SCMC: the amount of students’ attention to language and cultural issues during online discussion. Findings are discussed in light of developing effective SCMC-based language courses.
‘There’s no pill to help you deal with the guilt and shame’: Contemporary experiences of HIV in the United Kingdom
Authors: Walker Liz
Published: November 2017

The experience of living with HIV, in the global north, has changed significantly over the past 20 years. This is largely the result of effective biomedical methods of treatment and prevention. HIV is now widely considered to be a long-term condition like many others – it has been argued that HIV has been ‘normalised’. Drawing on online qualitative survey data, with respondents aged 18–35 years, diagnosed with HIV in the past 5 years, this research explores contemporary subjective experiences of being diagnosed, and living, with HIV in the United Kingdom. The data reveal ambiguous experiences and expectations, as the ‘normative’ status of HIV exists alongside ongoing experiences of fear, shame and stigma – maintaining its status as the most ‘social’ of diseases. In rendering HIV ‘everyday’, the space to articulate (and experience) the ‘difference’ which attaches to the virus has contracted, making it difficult to express ambivalence and fear in the face of a positive, largely biomedical, discourse. In this article, the concepts of normalisation and chronicity provide an analytical framework through which to explore the complexity of the ‘sick role’ and ‘illness work’ in HIV.