bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social interactions in job satisfaction
Authors: Tumen Semih , Zeydanli Tugba
Published: May 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to test empirically whether there exist spillover externalities in job satisfaction, i.e., to test whether individual-level job satisfaction is affected by the aggregate job satisfaction level in a certain labor market environment.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors use a linear-in-means model of social interactions in the empirical analysis. The authors develop an original strategy, motivated by the hierarchical models of social processes, to identify the parameters of interest. BHPS and WERS datasets are used to perform the estimations both at the establishment and local labor market levels.

Findings

– The authors find that one standard deviation increase in aggregate job satisfaction leads to a 0.42 standard deviation increase in individual-level job satisfaction at the workplace level and a 0.15 standard deviation increase in individual-level job satisfaction at the local labor market level. In other words, the authors report that statistically significant job satisfaction spillovers exist both at the establishment level and local labor market level; and, the former being approximately three times larger than the latter.

Originality/value

– First, this is the first paper in the literature estimating spillover effects in job satisfaction. Second, the authors show that the degree of these spillover externalities may change at different aggregation levels. Finally, motivated by the hierarchical models of social processes, the author develop an original econometric identification strategy.
Determinants of job-hopping: an empirical study in Belgium
Authors: Steenackers Kelly , Guerry Marie-Anne
Published: May 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to analyze the determinants of job-hopping. More specifically, the authors investigate the effect of age, gender, educational level, organizational size and sector on the job-hop frequency.

Design/methodology/approach

– Due to a lack of an existing appropriate measure of job-hopping, the authors introduce a new measure, namely, the job-hop frequency. Based on the data collected from a survey in Belgium, a linear regression analysis is performed.

Findings

– Through an empirical analysis, the authors show that age is negatively related to the job-hop frequency. Gender moderates this relationship. Therefore, the analysis supports the view that young women tend to job-hop significantly more than young men, but as they age, women are significantly more likely than men to remain within the same company. Furthermore, the authors find that the educational level has no influence on the job-hop behavior, indicating that having more job alternatives does not necessarily result in actual job-hop behavior. Both the sector and the size of the organization are found not to be significantly related to the job-hop frequency.

Practical implications

– This research provides human resource managers more insight into the job-hop behavior of employees and offers some useful suggestions for their retention management.

Originality/value

– Existing literature on turnover is very extensive, but literature on job-hopping remains rather underexplored. Therefore, the study extends previous research on voluntary turnover and job mobility by focussing on job-hopping in particular.
Judgementoring and how to avert it: introducing ONSIDE Mentoring for beginning teachers
Authors: Hobson Andrew J.
Published: May 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to extend existing knowledge on the nature, reach, causes and consequences of judgementoring; second, to present a new framework for mentoring beginner teachers that has the potential to forestall and combat judgementoring, and enable the full potential of institution-based mentoring to be realised.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper draws on a thematic analysis of: previously published findings from three empirical studies undertaken between 2003 and 2015; new data from two empirical studies undertaken between 2012 and 2016; and recent literature (2013-2016) on judgementoring.

Findings

– The paper provides further evidence of the nature, reach, causes and consequences of judgementoring as a national and international phenomenon. In doing so, it extends previous knowledge about the conditions that enhance or detract from the successful enactment of beginner teacher mentoring.

Practical implications

– The findings presented have implications for the work of education policymakers, school and college leaders, mentor trainers, mentors and others concerned with enhancing mentorship and effectively supporting the professional learning, development and well-being of beginning teachers.

Originality/value

– The paper presents ONSIDE Mentoring as an original, research-informed framework for mentoring beginner teachers. The framework may also be applicable to other contexts, especially for the mentoring of early career professionals.
Six Sigma critical success factors in Brazilian industry
Authors: Ribeiro de Jesus Abel , Antony Jiju , Lepikson Herman Augusto , Peixoto Adriano L. A.
Published: May 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to identify critical success factors (CSFs) that are regarded as the most important in Six Sigma programs in Brazil and to compare these rankings with those in international literature.

Design/methodology/approach

– A sample of industrial companies was selected to complete a survey. In total, 104 questionnaires were obtained. The results were compared with a literature review consisting of 26 papers from 13 countries. In total, 70 CSFs were found in the papers, but 19 CSFs were analyzed and reduced to ten. A multivariate factor analysis further reduced this number to two underlying constructs.

Findings

– The authors identified a CSFs common denominator/ranking based on the sample of international articles. The authors found that there are four CSFs that are more prevalent in Brazil and in the international papers studied and that there are no differences between the importance of CSFs in terms of hierarchical levels. Three gaps, five levers and two CSFs constructs were identified.

Social implications

– This study may initiate cooperation between the studied companies and academia, thus possibly increasing these organization’ knowledge regarding Six Sigma.

Originality/value

– The originality of this study is that the survey was conducted with companies in Brazil, a country where little information exists on Six Sigma programs. The authors also contributed a literature review on CSFs, a comparison based on most of the consulted papers and the use of a robust methodological strategy that was made possible by the sample size.
Gang organization and violence in youth correctional facilities
Authors: Scott Daniel Walter , Maxson Cheryl Lee
Published: May 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine characteristics of gang organization in youth correctional facilities as reported by youth and staff as well as to analyze the relationship between institutional violence and level of gang organization.

Design/methodology/approach

– The data were collected through interviews with staff and youth in correctional facilities. Gang organization level averages are compared across youth and official perspectives, and the variability of responses among youth is also examined. Negative binomial regression models are conducted to determine the association between perceived level of gang organization and officially recorded violent behavior, both prior to and subsequent to the interview.

Findings

– Perceptions of institutional gang organization vary notably depending on who is reporting. In contrast with prior studies of street gangs, controlling for youth demographics and offense characteristics, the authors find no significant relationship between gang organization and violence.

Research limitations/implications

– The sample size is small and the data are cross-sectional. Future studies will need to be conducted in order to confirm these findings, as they contradict prior studies. The analysis of street gang organization may need to be approached differently by scholars.

Originality/value

– Research has not been conducted on the organizational structure of gangs in youth correctional facilities or its relationship to institutional violence.
Psychological and behavioral characteristics differentiating gang and non-gang girls in the UK
Authors: Alleyne Emma , Pritchard Elizabeth
Published: May 2016

Purpose

– Research has demonstrated that girls are involved in gangs as members and affiliates. However, the psychological processes related to female gang membership has, to date, not been examined using a rigorous comparative design. The purpose of this paper is to assess whether female gang members exhibit distinct psychological and behavioral features when compared to female non-gang youth.

Design/methodology/approach

– In total, 117 female students were recruited from all-girls’ secondary schools in London, UK. Gang members (n=22; identified using the Eurogang definition) were compared to non-gang youth (n=95) on self-report measures of criminal activity, sexual activity, self-esteem, anti-authority attitudes, their perceived importance of social status, and hypermasculinity, using a series of MANCOVAs.

Findings

– The results found that gang members reported significantly more criminal activity, sexual activity, unwanted sexual contact, and held more anti-authority attitudes when compared to their non-gang counterparts.

Practical implications

– These findings support Pyrooz et al.’s (2014) findings that gang membership contributes to the theoretical conceptualization of the victim-offender overlap. Practitioners need to take this into consideration when working with female gang members.

Originality/value

– There is very little research that explicitly examines the characteristics of female gang members with suitable comparison groups. This study adds to the growing literature on female involvement in gangs and highlights the distinct psychological and behavioral characteristics of this group. In summary, these findings support the notion that female gang members are both at risk of being sexually exploited and engaging in criminal activities.
Video “talks back” in a relational research approach
Authors: Mumford Clare
Published: May 2016

Purpose

– The author argues for the use of unedited, fixed-camera-position video footage in relationally responsive research grounded in Bakhtinian dialogic theory. The purpose of this paper is to offer an empirical example of such a use, and shows how this contrasts with an ethnomethodological interactionist use of similar types of video footage.

Design/methodology/approach

– The empirical material is taken from an ethnographic study of a project group in the UK, in which video is used alongside other data during the fieldwork period.

Findings

– The author proposes that the audio-visual detail of social interaction and the sense of experiential immersion upon re-viewing can provide a “talking back” dialogic potential for video recordings, that helps to show multiple narratives in social interaction other than the researcher’s original interpretation, and that points to new ways to engage with research participants.

Research limitations/implications

– The paper focuses specifically on unedited video footage that is generated through fixed-camera positions. It is also limited to the ethnographic fieldwork period rather than the textual practices of writing up research.

Practical implications

– The purpose and positioning of unedited, fixed-camera-position video footage in the empirical study is contrasted with other research approaches to video. Through this contrast, the paper offers methodological support for a way of using such footage which brings out a range of voices and alternative perspectives on social interaction.

Originality/value

– The paper contributes to the methodological literature by discussing a research approach in which both interactionist and phenomenological qualities of video footage were combined to develop a radically reflexive (Cunliffe, 2003) purpose for video in relational research.
Mortgage Insurance Adoption in the Netherlands
Authors: Cox Ruben H.G.M. , Zwinkels Remco C.J.
Published: May 2016

Individuals tend to underinsure on low probability, high consequence risks. Using a survey data set from a unique institutional context, we provide an assessment of the underinsurance puzzle by studying mortgage insurance adoption among Dutch homeowners. The results indicate that the demand for mortgage insurance is affected by risk exposure, type of mortgage lender, and the involvement of financial advisors. We document that wealthier and younger mortgagors are more likely to insure. However, locus of control, house price expectations, and precautionary savings are not related to insurance demand. Finally, we find evidence that borrower (over)confidence negatively affects the likelihood that insurance is bought.
A retrospective audit of referral letter quality from general practice to an inner‐city emergency department
Authors: Nash Emily , Hespe Charlotte , Chalkley Dane
Published: May 2016

Objectives

Our primary aim was to analyse the quality of letters from general practitioners (GPs) to the ED as defined by two checklists: the authors' own nine‐item list and a template published in 2013 by the New South Wales Agency for Clinical Innovation. The secondary aim was to determine if referral quality was influenced by letter format (handwritten or computer‐generated) or urgency of the patient's condition (defined by triage category).

Methods

The present study is a retrospective audit of records of patients presenting to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital ED from a GP during February and March 2014.

Results

Out of 12 199 ED presentations, 575 (4.7%) were recommended by a GP and 414 (72.0%) had a letter. Greater than 60% completion was achieved in 80.9% of letters compared to our own checklist, and in 6.3% compared to the Agency for Clinical Innovation checklist. Computer‐generated letters were more likely to be fully legible and include an accurate medical history and medication list. Handwritten letters were less frequent (11.9%) but of poorer quality and legibility. Overall, less than half of letters contained results, psychosocial history or vaccination history. Referrals for patients assigned an urgent triage category were more likely to contain examination findings, but there was otherwise no difference in quality.

Conclusions

Referral quality was influenced by letter format but not by urgency of the patient's condition. Omission of information from referral letters potentially risks patient safety. Handwritten referrals should be abandoned. Comprehensive electronic letter templates and regular updating of medications, comorbidities and allergies are encouraged.
Admission of medical patients from the emergency department: An assessment of the attitudes, perspectives and practices of internal medicine and emergency medicine trainees
Authors: Lawrence Sean , Sullivan Clair , Patel Nadia , Spencer Lyndall , Sinnott Michael , Eley Rob
Published: May 2016

Objective

We sought to obtain a deeper understanding of the differing needs and expectations of inpatient and ED medical staff regarding the admission process for medical patients.

Design

Online questionnaire regarding their attitudes to and perceptions of various aspects of the admission process was used.

Setting

The setting is a tertiary 640‐bed adult hospital with over 60 000 ED presentations per year and an inpatient admission rate of 30%.

Results

A total of 42 out of 56 (75%) internal medical trainees (IMT) felt that the ED admission workup standard was lower or much lower than the inpatient standard; however, 10 of 16 (62.5%) ED trainees (EDT) thought it was similar (P = 0.009). Regarding why IMT order additional tests in the ED, the major reason supported by IMT was to ‘identify or exclude urgent pathology’ (53/56, 96.4%); however, this reason ranked only fifth for EDT (2/16, 12.5%) who ranked ‘to ensure nothing was missed’ (12/15, 80%) first. A total of 24 out of 56 (42.8%) IMT felt that if ED admissions were enacted without IMT review, inappropriate admissions to hospital would occur regularly although only one of 16 EDT (6.3%) agreed (P = 0.025). A total of 14 out of 16 (87.5%) EDT but only 16 of 56 (23.2%) IMT were comfortable with admissions occurring without inpatient review in the ED (P < 0.001). The top two perceived barriers to a smooth and timely admission process for IMT were patient instability (34/43, 79.1%) and inadequate ED workup (37/49, 75.5%); for EDT, they were excessive IMT workload (11/14, 78.6%) and referral close to the end of an IMT shift (7/11, 63.6%).

Conclusion

Substantial barriers to more harmonious admission processes exist. A ‘paradigm shift’ where roles and responsibilities are clear might be required. Defusing tension across the ED–inpatient interface should improve efficiency and ensure that patient outcomes remain the focus.
Distribution of lymph node metastases on FDG‐PET/CT in inoperable or unresectable oesophageal cancer patients and the impact on target volume definition in radiation therapy
Authors: Machiels Melanie , Wouterse Sanne J , Geijsen Elisabeth D , van Os Rob M , Bennink Roel J , van Laarhoven Hanneke WM , Hulshof Maarten CCM
Published: May 2016

Introduction

Definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT) is standard care for localised inoperable/unresectable oesophageal tumours. Many surgical series have reported on distribution of lymph node metastases (LNM) in resected patients. However, no data is available on the distribution of at‐risk LN regions in this more unfavourable patient group. This study aimed to determine the spread of LNM using FDG‐PET/CT, to compare it with the distribution in surgical series and to define its impact on the definition of elective LN irradiation (ENI).

Methods

FDG‐PET/CT images of patients with oesophageal cancer treated with dCRT (from 2003 to 2013) were reviewed to identify the anatomic distribution of FDG‐avid LNs. Tumours were divided according to proximal, mid‐thoracic or distal localisation.

Results

About 105 consecutive patients entered analysis. The highest numbers of FDG‐avid LNs in proximal tumours were at LN station 101R (45%) and 106recL (35%). For mid‐thoracic tumours at 104R (30%) and 105 (30%). For tumours located in the distal oesophagus, the most common sites were along the lesser curvature of the stomach (21%) and the left gastric artery (21%). Except for the supraclavicular and pretracheal nodes, there were no positive locoregional LNM found outside the standard surgical resection area.

Conclusion

Our results show a good correlation between the distribution of nodal volumes at risk in surgical series and on FDG‐PET/CT. The results can be used to determine target definition in dCRT for oesophageal cancer. For mid‐thoracic tumours, the current target delineation guidelines may be extended based on the risk of node involvement, but more clinical studies are needed to determine if the potential harm of expanding the CTV outweighs the potential benefit.
What Is the Optimal Setting for a Continuous‐Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device in Severe Mitral Regurgitation?
Authors: Naito Noritsugu , Nishimura Takashi , Takewa Yoshiaki , Kishimoto Satoru , Date Kazuma , Umeki Akihide , Ando Masahiko , Ono Minoru , Tatsumi Eisuke
Published: May 2016

Excessive left ventricular (LV) volume unloading can affect right ventricular (RV) function by causing a leftward shift of the interventricular septum in patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) receiving left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support. Optimal settings for the LVAD should be chosen to appropriately control the MR without causing RV dysfunction. In this study, we assessed the utility of our electrocardiogram‐synchronized rotational speed (RS) modulation system along with a continuous‐flow LVAD in a goat model of MR. We implanted EVAHEART devices after left thoracotomy in six adult goats weighing 66.4 ± 10.7 kg. Severe MR was induced through inflation of a temporary inferior vena cava filter placed within the mitral valve. We evaluated total flow (TF; the sum of aortic flow and pump flow [PF]), RV fractional area change (RVFAC) calculated by echocardiography, left atrial pressure (LAP), LV end‐diastolic pressure (LVEDP), LV end‐diastolic volume (LVEDV), and LV stroke work (LVSW) with a bypass rate (PF divided by TF) of 100% under four conditions: circuit‐clamp, continuous mode, co‐pulse mode (increased RS during systole), and counter‐pulse mode (increased RS during diastole). TF tended to be higher in the counter‐pulse mode. Moreover, RVFAC was significantly higher in the counter‐pulse mode than in the co‐pulse mode, whereas LAP was significantly lower in all driving modes than in the circuit‐clamp condition. Furthermore, LVEDP, LVEDV, and LVSW were significantly lower in the counter‐pulse mode than in the circuit‐clamp condition. The counter‐pulse mode of our RS modulation system used with a continuous‐flow LVAD may offer favorable control of MR while minimizing RV dysfunction.
SOX1 inhibits breast cancer cell growth and invasion through suppressing the Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathway
Authors: Song Lingqin , Liu Di , He Jianjun , Wang Xijing , Dai Zhijun , Zhao Yang , Kang Huafeng , Wang Baofeng
Published: May 2016

Abnormal activation of the Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathway is common in human cancers. Several studies have demonstrated that SRY (sex‐determining region Y)‐box (SOX) family genes serve as either tumor suppressor genes or oncogenes by regulating the Wnt signaling pathway in different cancers. However, the role of SOX1 in breast cancer and the underlying mechanism is still unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the effect and mechanism of SOX1 on the breasted cancer cell growth and invasion. In this study, we established overexpressed SOX1 and investigated its function by in vitro experiments. SOX1 was down‐regulated in breast cancer tissues and cell lines. Overexpression of SOX1 inhibited cell proliferation and invasion in vitro, and it promoted cell apoptosis. Furthermore, SOX1 inhibited the expression of β‐catenin, cyclin D1, and c‐Myc in breast cancer cells. Taken together, these data suggest that SOX1 can function as a tumor suppressor partly by interfering with Wnt/β‐catenin signaling in breast cancer.
Heavy metal resistance and virulence profile in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from Brazilian soils
Authors: Pitondo‐Silva André , Gonçalves Guilherme Bartolomeu , Stehling Eliana Guedes
Published: May 2016

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen, which can have several virulence factors that confer on it the ability to cause severe, acute and chronic infections. Thus, the simultaneous occurrence of resistance to antibiotics and heavy metals associated with the presence of virulence genes is a potential threat to human health and environmental balance. This study aimed to investigate the resistance profile to heavy metals and the correlation of this phenotype of resistance to antimicrobials and to investigate the pathogenic potential of 46 P. aeruginosa isolates obtained from the soil of five Brazilian regions. The bacteria were evaluating for antimicrobial and heavy metal resistance, as well as the presence of plasmids and virulence genes. The isolates showed resistance to four different antibiotics and the majority (n = 44) had resistance to aztreonam or ticarcillin, furthermore, 32 isolates showed concomitant resistance to both of these antibiotics. A high prevalence of virulence genes was found, which highlights the pathogenic potential of the studied environmental isolates. Moreover, a high frequency of heavy metal resistance genes was also detected, however, the phenotypic results indicated that other genes and/or mechanisms should be related to heavy metal resistance.
Reduction of dietary lysine increases free glutamate content in chicken meat and improves its taste
Authors: Watanabe Genya , Kobayashi Hiroyuki , Shibata Masahiro , Kubota Masatoshi , Kadowaki Motoni , Fujimura Shinobu
Published: May 2016

Taste is a crucial factor of meat quality, and amino acids are important taste‐active components in meat. Here, the effects of dietary lysine (Lys) content on taste‐active components in meat, especially free glutamate (Glu), were investigated. Twenty‐eight‐day‐old broilers (Gallus gallus) were fed diets with graded Lys content of 90% or 100% of the recommended Lys requirement, (according to the National Research Council, ) for 10 days. Free amino acid content in meat and sensory scores of meat soup were estimated. Free Glu content, the main taste‐active component of meat, was significantly increased by a reduction of dietary Lys. Compared with the Lys 100% group (control), free Glu concentrations of meat were increased by 35.7% in the Lys 90% group (P < 0.05). In addition, free glycine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, histidine and threonine concentrations of meat were significantly increased in the Lys 90% group (P < 0.05). Sensory evaluation of meat soup made from the Lys 100% and 90% groups indicated different meat tastes. Sensory scores of taste intensity, umami and kokumi tastes were significantly higher in the Lys 90% group. These results suggest that a reduction of dietary lysine increased free glutamate content in meat and improved its taste.
Paternal and Maternal Experiences in Caring for Chinese Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Hong Kong
Authors: Ma Joyce L. C. , Lai Kelly Y. C.
Published: May 2016

This paper reports the results of an exploratory study that (i) identified parental stress and competence, parents’ perception of their children's attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, and the parent‐child relationship in caring for children with ADHD; (ii) compared paternal and maternal experiences in these areas; and (iii) examined the effect of children's ADHD behavior on paternal and maternal experiences in Hong Kong Chinese parents. Seventy‐two (59.5%) mothers and 49 (40.5%) fathers participated in the study, in which data were collected using a structured questionnaire. The results showed that: (i) mothers’ level of parental stress was higher than fathers’, but paternal and maternal competence in child‐rearing did not significantly vary; (ii) mothers perceived the child's ADHD behavior more seriously than fathers; (iii) both mothers and fathers had positive perceptions of their parent‐child relationship; and (iv) gender, employment, ADHD symptoms, and parental satisfaction explained the significant variance in parental stress but did not explain the significant variance in parental competence. Implications for social work practice and service development are discussed.
Parent and child psychopathological symptoms: the mediating role of parental emotion dysregulation
Authors: Han Zhuo Rachel , Lei Xuemei , Qian Jing , Li Peipei , Wang Hui , Zhang Xutong
Published: May 2016

Background

Parental psychopathological symptoms have been associated with a number of child psychological problems, yet little research has examined the role of parental emotion dysregulation on the intergenerational transmission of psychopathological symptoms. This study aims to examine the relationship between parents' and children's psychopathological symptoms with a focus on the mediating mechanism of parental emotion dysregulation on these relationships.

Methods

Eighty‐nine Chinese parents and their school‐age children between the ages of 7 and 12 (49 males,Mage = 8.79,SD = 1.81) participated in the study. In the initial phase of the study, parents filled out a series of questionnaires reporting their own psychopathological symptoms viaSCL‐90 and difficulties with emotion regulation via Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale. After 9 months, the parents reported their children's internalizing and externalizing problems via Child Behavior Checklist, and the children self‐reported anxiety symptoms via Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders in the second phase of the study.

Results

The results showed that parental emotion dysregulation played an important role as a mediator of the relationship between parental psychopathological symptoms and child internalizing problems and separation anxiety, which indicates that parents' mental health problems were significantly associated with their difficulties with emotion regulation, which in turn led to more internalizing problems and separation anxiety in their children. However, we did not find a mediating effect of parental emotion dysregulation on the links between parent psychopathology and child externalizing problems or other types of self‐reported anxiety symptoms.

Conclusions

Our findings highlighted the importance of implementing more psycho‐education programs that specifically target parents' emotion regulation abilities in both community and clinical settings to ameliorate the intergenerational transmission of psychopathological symptoms between generations.
Treatment with botulinum toxin in children with cerebral palsy: a qualitative study of parents' experiences
Authors: Lorin K. , Forsberg A.
Published: May 2016

Background

In children with cerebral palsy everyday movements such as walking, standing and using one's hands can be difficult to perform because of spasticity. Botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNT‐A) are often used to reduce spasticity. The aim of this study was to describe how parents of children with cerebral palsy experienced the child's treatment with BoNT‐A, how the child was affected by the treatment and how spasticity affected the child.

Methods

A qualitative study in which 15 parents of children (6–13 years old) with cerebral palsy were interviewed about their experiences of the BoNT‐A treatment. The children had received several BoNT‐A treatments. An interview guide was used with topics: the child's functions before and after the treatment, the outcomes of the treatment and how they valued the BoNT‐A treatment. Content analysis was used to analyse the interviews.

Results

The analyses resulted in two themes: ‘When softness comes and goes’ and ‘Both want and do not want’. The reduction of spasticity – softness – was described to promote motor functions, and facilitate the next step in motor development. The children were described as being more active out of their own initiative and having a happier mood. Spasticity, described as stiffness, was described to make walking more strenuous as well as interfering with activities. The BoNT‐A injection procedure was perceived as troublesome and painful for the child, and sometimes traumatic for both children and parents.

Conclusions

Treatment with BoNT‐A was described as facilitating motor development and activity. The children's and the parents' negative experiences of the injection procedure should be addressed.
Identity Processes and Parent–Child and Sibling Relationships in Adolescence: A Five‐Wave Multi‐Informant Longitudinal Study
Authors: Crocetti Elisabetta , Branje Susan , Rubini Monica , Koot Hans M. , Meeus Wim
Published: May 2016

The purpose of this study was to examine reciprocal associations between identity processes (commitment, in‐depth exploration, and reconsideration of commitment) and dimensions (support, negative interaction, and power) of maternal, paternal, and sibling relationships. A total of 497 Dutch families including 14‐years‐old adolescents (56.9% males), their fathers, mothers, and siblings, for a total of 1,988 respondents, participated in a five‐wave longitudinal study. Cross‐lagged analyses indicated that commitment and in‐depth exploration predicted improvements in family relationships (unidirectional effects), whereas reconsideration of commitment was predicted by low levels of maternal support and worsened the quality of the paternal relationship (reciprocal effects). These results were not moderated by adolescents' gender and sibling characteristics. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Informal help from family support workers for families in France
Authors: Tillard Bernadette
Published: May 2016

Providing educative help at home means that professionals have to enter into the intimacy of families and share daily tasks often for a long time. Family support workers spend many hours alongside parents, helping them with their domestic and parenting tasks. This paper reports findings from an ethnographic study in which the researcher notes and gathers personal accounts relating to material and non‐material exchanges between professionals and parents. It analyses the various forms of exchanges between families and family support workers that are permitted, tolerated or excluded by employers. It shows the informal side of professionals working with parents at home.
The role of interventional sialendoscopy and intraductal steroid therapy in patients with recurrent sine causa sialadenitis: a prospective cross‐sectional study
Authors: Capaccio P. , Torretta S. , Di Pasquale D. , Rossi V. , Pignataro L.
Published: May 2016

Objectives

To verify the role of interventional sialendoscopy and steroidal ductal irrigation in patients with recurrent sialadenitis.

Design

A prospective, cross‐sectional pilot study.

Setting

University of Milan.

Participants

Fifty‐four patients with sine causa recurrent sialadenitis who underwent interventional sialendoscopy (group A, 36 patients) or interventional sialendoscopy followed by a intraductal steroidal irrigations (group B, 18 patients).

Main outcomes measures

The number of episodes of sialadenitis three and 6 months before and after sialendoscopy, and their severity assessed by means of a 0–10 pain visual analogue scale.

Results

In the population as a whole, a significant post‐treatment reduction in the number of episodes of 30.7 ± 5.5 after 3 months and 34.6 ± 10.2 after 6 months (P < 0.001) and a significant reduction in pain visual analogue scale values of 4.7 ± 0.4 after 6 months (P < 0.001) occurred. There was a statistically significant reduction in both parameters at the same time points in both treatment groups (P ≥ 0.001), with no significant between‐group difference in pain visual analogue scale values, an albeit non‐significant trend in favour of group B in terms of the number of episodes 3 months after therapy that became significant after 6 months (11.0 ± 9.9 versus 20.5 ± 9.5; P = 0.05).

Conclusions

Interventional sialendoscopy is effective for the treatment of recurrent sialadenitis; the addition of intraductal steroidal irrigations seems to increase its value in the medium term. Further studies of larger case series with longer follow‐up are needed to establish the possibly primary role of steroid therapy in blocking inflammation.
Effectiveness of percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation in managing refractory constipation
Authors: Kumar L. , Liwanag J. , Athanasakos E. , Raeburn A. , Zarate‐Lopez N. , Emmanuel A. V.
Published: May 2016

Aim

Chronic constipation can be aetiopathogenically classified into slow transit constipation (STC), rectal evacuation difficulty (RED) or a combination (BOTH). Although the efficacy of percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) in faecal incontinence has been well proved, a current literature search identifies only one study which assessed its effect on constipation. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of PTNS in patients with different causes of constipation.

Method

Thirty‐four patients [30 women, median age 50 (20−79) years] with constipation who had previously failed maximal laxative and biofeedback therapy participated in the study. All patients underwent a baseline radio‐opaque marker transit study and anorectal physiology examination. All had 12 sessions of PTNS of 30 min per session. A fall in the Wexner constipation score to ≤15 or by ≥5 points was taken as the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included the results of pre‐ and post‐ PTNS transit and anorectal physiology studies.

Results

Eleven patients had STC, 14 had RED and nine had BOTH. A response was seen in four patients (1/11 STC, 2/14 RED and 1/9 BOTH). Comparing pre‐ and post‐ PTNS, there was no significant change in the mean Wexner score (P = 0.10). There was no change in colonic transit time among the whole population (P = 0.56) or among those with STC (P = 0.47). There was no improvement in balloon expulsion in the whole group (P = 0.73) or in patients with RED (P = 0.69).

Conclusion

PTNS is of no benefit to patients with constipation, whatever aetiopathogenic mechanism is responsible for the symptoms.
The role of learning in social development: Illustrations from neglected children
Authors: Wismer Fries Alison B. , Pollak Seth D.
Published: May 2016

Children who experience early caregiving neglect are very likely to have problems developing and maintaining relationships and regulating their social behavior. One of the earliest manifestations of this problem is reflected in indiscriminate behavior, a phenomenon where young children do not show normative wariness of strangers or use familiar adults as sources of security. To better understand the developmental mechanisms underlying the emergence of these problems, this study examined whether institutionally reared children, who experienced early social neglect, had difficulty associating motivational significance to visual stimuli. Pairing stimuli with motivational significance is presumably one of the associative learning processes involved in establishing discriminate or selective relationships with others. We found that early experiences of neglectful caregiving were associated with difficulties in acquiring such associations, and that delays in this developmental skill were related to children's social difficulties. These data suggest a way in which early social learning experiences may impact the development of processes underlying emotional development.
Five‐year extended follow‐up status of 10 patients with Dravet syndrome treated with fenfluramine
Authors: Ceulemans Berten , Schoonjans An‐Sofie , Marchau Fabienne , Paelinck Bernard P. , Lagae Lieven
Published: May 2016

Dravet syndrome (DS) is a rare and therapy‐resistant epilepsy syndrome. A retrospective analysis of add‐on fenfluramine treatment in 12 patients with DS was published in 2012 and provided evidence of a meaningful long‐term response. Herein we present the results of a subsequent 5‐year prospective observation of this original cohort. Ten patients with a mean current age of 24 years were followed prospectively from 2010 until 2014. The mean current dose of fenfluramine was 0.27 mg/kg/day, with a mean treatment duration of 16.1 years. Seizure frequency was derived from a seizure diary. Cardiac examinations and assessments of clinical effectiveness and adverse events were performed at least annually. Three patients were seizure‐free for the entire 5 years, and an additional four patients experienced seizure‐free intervals of at least 2 years. Fenfluramine was generally well‐tolerated. Two patients had mild (stable) valve thickening on the last echocardiography that was deemed clinically insignificant. No patient had any clinical or echocardiographic signs of pulmonary hypertension. These findings support the long‐term control of convulsive seizures by low‐dose fenfluramine while being well tolerated in this cohort of patients with DS. After up to 27 years of treatment, no patient has developed any clinical signs or symptoms of cardiac valvulopathy or pulmonary hypertension.
Frontal fibrosing alopecia: reflections and hypotheses on aetiology and pathogenesis
Authors: Tziotzios Christos , Stefanato Catherine M. , Fenton David A. , Simpson Michael A. , McGrath John A.
Published: May 2016

Since first described by Kossard in 1994, frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) has been something of an enigma. The clinical heterogeneity of FFA, its apparent rarity and investigators' suboptimal access to phenotypically consistent patient cohorts may all have had a negative impact on delineating disease pathogenesis. Moreover, there is a relative paucity of epidemiological, interventional and basic research studies, and there have been no advances in translational therapeutics, unlike for other inflammatory dermatoses, such as alopecia areata (AA). Dermatologists anecdotally describe an increasing incidence in FFA over the last decade, which has led to the notion that the disorder may be induced by unknown environmental triggers. On the other hand, segregation of FFA in some families lends support to an unexplored genetic element implicated in disease pathogenesis. We herein review what is known about the pathobiology of FFA and formulate working hypotheses to advance insight into this intriguing hair disorder.
A fracture mechanics based model for the analysis of seal effectiveness
Authors: Brighenti R. , Artoni F.
Published: May 2016

The fluid containment in vessels, pipes, containers, etc. often requires the use of seals in order to assure the absence of leak in the junction zones. Sealing mechanism is typically achieved through the use of elastomeric elements that form contact with the surrounding rigid materials the containers are made of. A proper design and safety evaluation of the containment capacity of seals requires the careful evaluation of the contact pressure distribution between the soft (seal) and hard (vessel) elements. In the present paper such a problem is considered and solved through contact stress and strain evaluation based on fracture mechanics; numerical and experimental analyses on elastomeric elements are considered in order to verify the proposed modeling procedure. It is shown that the desired safety level against leakage can be ensured on the basis of the classical fracture mechanics parameters when the seal crack tip exists, or through contact strain assessment when the stress singularity vanishes. Such results can be useful in the design of seal shapes and for estimating the pressure to be applied to the sealed bodies in order to guarantee no leaks. Finally, some final relevant conclusions on the present study on leak containment are drawn.
An extrapolation method to determine the effective notch stress in circular hollow section X‐joints
Authors: Pradana M. R. , Qian X. , Swaddiwudhipong S. , Shen W.
Published: May 2016

This paper presents an extrapolation method to determine the effective notch stress (ENS) on the weld toes of welded circular hollow section (CHS) X‐joints in‐line with the extrapolation method to determine the structural hot‐spot stress in existing design guidelines. This investigation verifies and extends the recently proposed ENS extrapolation scheme to CHS X‐joints, which elevates significantly the difficulty in generating a weld toe radius along the brace‐to‐chord intersection as required in existing guidelines. An extensive numerical study then investigates the ENS extrapolation for CHS X‐joints under three loading conditions, namely, the brace axial load, the brace in‐plane bending load, and the brace out‐of‐plane bending load. The numerical study derives a set of recommended extrapolation parameters that ensures accurate ENS estimation for each loading condition. This paper demonstrates that the proposed extrapolation method for the CHS X‐joints yields good agreement with the standard ENS calculation procedure described in the International Institute of Welding (IIW) guideline.
Association of low back and knee pain with falls in Japanese community‐dwelling older adults: A 3‐year prospective cohort study
Authors: Kitayuguchi Jun , Kamada Masamitsu , Inoue Shigeru , Kamioka Hiroharu , Abe Takafumi , Okada Shimpei , Mutoh Yoshiteru
Published: May 2016

Aim

To examine whether the chronicity and intensity of low back pain (LBP) or knee pain (KP) was associated with the occurrence of falls among a community‐dwelling older population.

Methods

This was a community‐based 3‐year prospective cohort study. In 2009, baseline questionnaires were mailed to 3080 randomly selected residents aged 60–79 years; 2534 residents (82.3%) responded to the baseline survey, and 1‐ and 3‐year follow‐up surveys were subsequently mailed to them. The data for 1890 respondents who had no falls in the past year at baseline were analyzed. Associations between pain status (chronicity, intensity and persistence) and the occurrence of falls were analyzed by multivariable‐adjusted logistic regression.

Results

A total of 197 (13.6%) participants had at least one fall during 12 months at 3‐year follow up; of those, 68 (4.8%) had multiple falls, and 65 (4.5%) resulted in an injury. Chronicity and intensity of LBP were associated with injurious falls (P for trend = 0.033 and P for linearity = 0.041, respectively), and KP was associated with at least one fall (P for trend = 0.021 and P for linearity = 0.040, respectively). In addition, participants who had chronic pain persistently at both baseline and 1‐year follow up had a higher risk of falls (LBP for injurious falls; adjusted odd ratio 2.46, 95% confidence interval 1.08–5.63, KP for at least one fall; adjusted odd ratio 2.39, 95% confidence interval 1.29–4.44), compared with those who had no pain at both time‐points.

Conclusions

LBP and KP chronicity, intensity and persistence of chronic pain were associated with a greater risk of falls in older adults. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 875–884.
Making Data Speak: Lessons for Using Numbers for Solving Public Policy Puzzles
Authors: Kettl Donald F.
Published: May 2016

There is a vast increase in the production of policy analysis in government, but behind the rising volume is a deep paradox: We are generating information faster than we are devising strategies for hearing what it tells us and helping policymakers act on it. There are 10 big issues in using numbers for solving policy problems, and they lead to important lessons: Analysts need to speak in a language that policymakers can understand, capture the inevitable ambiguity of analysis without muddying their message, use analysis to help policymakers discover the opportunities for collaboration across interrelated policies, and speak to the questions that policymakers most want to have answered, instead of the questions they most want to study. These are the keys to defining what an information‐age government truly means.
Parametric analysis of RNA‐seq expression data
Authors: Konishi Tomokazu
Published: May 2016

Various methods had been introduced for normalization and comparison of RNA‐seq count data. However, they lacked objectivity because they based on ad hoc assumptions that were never verified their appropriateness. Here, we introduced a method that assumes parsimony models on data distribution; the assumptions were verified according to exploratory data analysis. As was expected, count data were lognormally distributed. The level of noise in recent data appeared to be much higher than those of microarrays. Still, the appropriate distribution model would improve certainty and accuracy of normalization, by finding out the reliable range of data. Primary cause of noise was not the principle of the methodology; that is, each read is a trial that which transcript is read. Rather, the cause would be overlooking of transcripts, and the overlooking occurred more often among lower range of data. To find out genes likely to be overlooked, number of replications would be more important than read depth, which will not prevent overlooking. Both signal and noise in the reliable range of data were distributed normally, showing the suitability to use generalized linear model to evaluate differences in expression levels. In the framework, normalized data can be compared and combined freely beyond studies.