bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Natural resource dependency, neoliberal globalization, and income inequality: Are they related? A longitudinal study of developing countries (1980–2010)
Authors: ElGindi Tamer
Published: March 2016

Contrary to predominant neoliberal ideology that argued higher economic growth rates would eventually lead to better results in terms of income distribution, the last three decades witnessed high economic growth rates accompanied by rising income inequalities in most countries worldwide. Abundance of natural resources in several developing countries had significant implications for their economic growth and subsequent income inequality levels. Further, neoliberal globalization manifested itself in increased foreign direct investment and trade openness impacted world economies significantly. This research examines the effects of natural resource dependency, neoliberal globalization, and state-institutional factors alongside the internal development model on income inequality in a set of 96 developing countries for the period 1980–2010. Models for Prais–Winsten regressions with panel corrected standard errors show that within the internal development model, population growth rates are the most significant factor in influencing income inequality levels. Natural resource dependency is equally important and is positively associated with increasing inequalities. More detailed analyses of different types of energy-rich countries reveal varying results exemplifying the importance of exploring how different types of natural resources might affect income inequality levels rather than their sheer magnitude. Consistent with previous research, foreign direct investment indicates a robust positive association with increasing income inequalities whereas trade openness exhibits a negative association signifying the positive effect deindustrialization that took place in advanced countries might have had on developing countries. Finally and counterintuitively, democracy is associated with higher income inequalities whereas institutional quality is negatively associated with income inequality.
An Analysis of Real Oil Prices and Real Exchange Rates in Five African Countries
Authors: Ngoma Abubakar Lawan , Ismail Normaz Wana , Yusop Zulkornain
Published: March 2016

This article examines the long-run interactions between real oil prices and real exchange rates in five oil-exporting African countries: Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa and Tunisia. To accomplish this, symmetric and asymmetric cointegration tests and an error-correction modelling technique are applied. The results of the analysis reveal evidence of long-run co-movements between real oil prices and real exchange rates. More specifically, this involved symmetric adjustment of the real exchange rates to the long-run equilibrium values in Egypt, South Africa and Tunisia, caused by changes in real oil prices. Further evidence of persistence, as well as asymmetric adjustments of the real exchange rates to the long-run equilibrium path, were found to exist following an increase in oil price shocks in Ghana and Nigeria. Moreover, the analysis of short-run dynamics between real oil prices and real exchange rates produces evidence of real exchange rate appreciations in Nigeria, South Africa and Tunisia and real exchange rate fluctuations in Egypt and Ghana.
Six-session caregiver psychoeducation on bipolar disorder: Does it bring benefits to caregivers?
Authors: de Souza Marília Silva , da Silva Ricardo Azevedo , Molina Mariane Acosta Lopez , Jansen Karen , de Lima Ferreira Luana , Kelbert Evelin Franco , Soares Jennifer Mendes , de Mattos Souza Luciano Dias
Published: March 2016

Aim:

To evaluate the impact of psychoeducational intervention on the levels of burden, of self-esteem and quality of life in caregivers of patients diagnosed with Bipolar Disorders.

Method:

In this randomized clinical trial, changes in degree of burden, levels of self-esteem and quality of life were evaluated. Caregivers could participate in the group of psychoeducation (six sessions) or usual treatment (without psychoeducation following a manual).

Results:

There were no significant differences regarding levels of objective burden between groups. Both groups presented improvement in subjective burden scores throughout the interventions. Objective burden scores showed significant reduction in the usual treatment group ( p = .003) and a trend toward decrease in the psychoeducational intervention ( p = .081). There are no differences regarding improvement in perceived self-esteem and quality of life when comparing means between the groups with and without intervention.

Conclusion:

A six-session caregiver psychoeducational intervention on bipolar disorder did not bring benefits to caregiver’s health. A longer longitudinal follow-up study would be crucial to see whether there were differences in degree of burden, perceived self-esteem and quality of life over time in caregivers.
Resilience as moderator of the relationship between left-behind experience and mental health of Chinese adolescents
Authors: Shi Jingyu , Chen Zengtang , Yin Fang , Zhao Juan , Zhao Xudong , Yao Yuhong
Published: March 2016

Background:

In China, since the rural labor, leaving their children in the hometown to other caregivers is a trend that has been increasing, and the impact of parental absence on the well-being of left-behind children is increasingly drawing attention in the Chinese society. However, there is a lack of study on the potential impacts of being left behind on later psychosocial outcomes in adolescence and associated protective factors.

Aim:

This study was conducted on a large sample of Chinese college students to test the moderating effect of resilience between left-behind experience and mental health problems.

Methods:

The Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale and Symptom Checklist as well as a self-reported questionnaire about left-behind experience designed by the authors were adopted for a survey with 2,968 Chinese college students as respondents.

Results:

Totally, 1,063 students (35.8%) had 1 year or more left-behind experience. Compared to those who had no left-behind experience, the students who had left-behind experience were rated lower on resilience score and higher on mental health problem score. Mental health problems had a negative correlation with resilience. Regression analysis showed that resilience moderated left-behind experience and mental health problems.

Conclusion:

Individuals with left-behind experience are more vulnerable to mental health problems. Promoting resilience may be helpful for prevention of mental health problems in college students with left-behind experience.
The mystery shopper: a tool to measure public service delivery?
Authors: Jacob Steve , Schiffino Nathalie , Biard Benjamin
Published: March 2016

Originally the exclusive preserve of the private sector, the mystery shopper technique is increasingly being used in the public sector. In the wake of the reforms to modernise the state, accountability and performance-monitoring exercises are on the rise. They focus, in particular, on service quality and user-customer satisfaction. The article makes a twofold contribution to this topic: methodological and substantive. First of all, the article undertakes a scoping review of the literature on the mystery shopper. This review makes it possible to present the mystery shopper technique and its use in the public sector. For this bibliometric study, a sample of 34 papers was analysed. Second, the article offers a summary of the research into the mystery shopper technique, its potential and its limitations.

Points for practitioners

This article describes the use of the mystery shopper technique in the public sector. The areas for which mystery shopper surveys are commissioned are relatively limited, most being undertaken in the health sector. However, the scoping review emphasises the potential importance of mystery shopping for the purposes of the evaluation. As such, investigating other areas can be very interesting and promising for the public authorities. We also observe from this literature review that the challenges identified during mystery shopper studies can be overcome.
The effect of stakeholder inclusion on public sector project innovation
Authors: Godenhjelm Sebastian , Johanson Jan-Erik
Published: March 2016

The delivery of public services in collaborative agency networks has given rise to an increasing use of projects in administering policy and service delivery. Projects are assumed to provide mechanisms by which flexibility can be achieved and innovative solutions produced. The aim of the article is to advance the understanding of collaboration between stakeholders and its effect on innovation. It analyses stakeholders’ influence on the creation of project innovations in 275 European Union-funded projects by using content analyses and logistic regression analyses. The results show that projects can act as hubs where valuable information is produced but that few projects produce innovations. Project stakeholder network, knowledge dissemination and project influence, as well as sources of advice, play a role in predicting project innovations. The article concludes that the overly optimistic view of collaboration as a remedy for a lack of innovation in the public sector can be questioned.

Points for practitioners

The results of the article help practitioners to compose public sector development projects that foster innovation. The results suggest that it pays to include representatives of research and education facilities among project staff as their inclusion predicts the possibilities of achieving innovations. The empirical findings provide insight into project innovation and indicate which practices to avoid. It is suggested that when managed correctly, stakeholder inclusion has an effect on public sector project innovation.
Boss Abuse and Subordinate Payback
Authors: Hornstein Harvey A.
Published: March 2016

After re-confirming an earlier finding that as many as 60% of subordinates retaliate in major and minor ways after suffering a boss’s abuse, using data from 100 participants, this investigation identified the characteristics of successful (the abuse is discontinued) and unsuccessful retaliation. Without arguing that retribution is the response of choice to boss abuse, evidence is presented showing that well-crafted retaliation often produces benefits for the abused subordinate, the organization, and even the abusive boss. Action steps that might guide crafting an abused employee’s response to a boss’s abuse are provided as well as directions for future research.
Bio-Root and Implant-Based Restoration as a Tooth Replacement Alternative
Authors: Gao Z.H. , Hu L. , Liu G.L. , Wei F.L. , Liu Y. , Liu Z.H. , Fan Z.P. , Zhang C.M. , Wang J.S. , Wang S.L.
Published: March 2016

We previously reported that dental stem cell–mediated bioengineered tooth root (bio-root) regeneration could restore tooth loss in a miniature pig model. As a potential new method for tooth restoration, it is essential to compare this method with the widely used commercial dental implant–based method of tooth restoration. Tooth loss models were created by extracting mandibular incisors from miniature pigs. Allogeneic periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) and dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) were isolated and cultured. A PDLSC sheet was prepared by adding 20.0 µg/mL vitamin C to the culture medium; in addition, a hydroxyapatite tricalcium phosphate (HA/TCP)/DPSC graft was fabricated and cultured in a 3-dimensional culture system. A total of 46 bio-root implantations and 9 dental implants were inserted, and crown restorations were performed 6 mo after implantation. Histological, radiological, biomechanical, and elemental analyses were used to evaluate and compare tissue-engineered bio-roots and dental implants to the natural tooth roots. After 6 mo, both computed tomography scans and histological examinations showed that root-like structures and dentin-like tissues had formed. Three months after crown restoration, clinical assessments revealed that tooth function was equivalent in the regenerated bio-root and the dental implant. Biomechanical testing showed that the bio-roots were similar to natural tooth roots in compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, and torsional force; however, these properties were significantly higher in the dental implants. Elemental analysis revealed a higher similarity in elemental composition between bio-roots and natural tooth roots than between bio-roots and dental implants. However, the dental implant success rate was 100% (9 of 9) and the bio-root success rate was only 22% (10 of 46). Taken together, we showed that an allogeneic HA/TCP/DPSC/PDLSC sheet could successfully build a bio-root with structure and function similar to the natural tooth root; however, tissue engineering procedures must be optimized further to improve the success rate.
Dysfluent Handwriting in Schizophrenic Outpatients
Authors: Gawda Barbara
Published: March 2016

Taking into account findings in the literature, the author aimed to test whether specific graphical characteristics of handwriting can distinguish patients diagnosed with schizophrenic disorders from healthy controls. Handwriting samples (one sample from each person) from 60 outpatients (29 women, 31 men; age M = 28.5, SD = 5.4) with paranoid schizophrenia were analyzed by three documents examiners and were compared to samples from 60 controls (30 men, 30 women, age M = 28.0, SD = 3.0) without psychiatric disorders. Document examiners assessed 32 graphical features potentially related to schizophrenia. The comparisons between groups revealed that only 7 out of 32 handwriting properties were significantly different in the handwriting of schizophrenic outpatients from controls: the calligraphic forms of letters, loops in ovals, lacking of dots, tremor, sinusoidal baseline, and irregularities size of lower zone. These findings are discussed in terms of motor disturbances in schizophrenia and in relation to the previous research on handwriting of other mental disorders. Similarities between the graphical patterns of handwriting of schizophrenic patients and those of other mental disorders and/or other mental states have been demonstrated.
Everyday Making through Facebook Engagement: Young Citizens’ Political Interactions in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States
Authors: Vromen Ariadne , Loader Brian D , Xenos Michael A , Bailo Francesco
Published: March 2016

The emergence of personalised, interactive forms of social media has led to questions about the use of these platforms for engagement in politics. Existing research focuses on whether political actors successfully engage citizens, and how social media platforms mobilise young people into offline participation. In this article, we present original survey data on how many young people use social media to do politics: share information, express themselves, and take action. Everyday Facebook use is underpinned by young people’s engaged citizenship norms, and it has the potential to mobilise a broader range of young people. We contextualise the survey findings with qualitative analysis of how young people describe their willingness to engage in politics on social media. There is a general reluctance to take political action due to the possibility of conflict and disagreement within their networks; however, some acknowledge it is a way to bring the disengaged into political debate.
Cross-National Applicability of a Parsimonious Measure of Acculturation to Global Consumer Culture
Authors: Gupta Nitin
Published: March 2016

Durvasula and Lysonski’s paper presented a shorter version of the Acculturation to Global Consumer Culture Scale (hereafter AGCC), which was developed by Cleveland and Laroche to address scarcity of measurements that determined how individuals acquired and became a part of the emerging global consumer culture. The following critique discusses a few concerns and three major shortcomings of the paper, including skewed sample frame and incorrect choice of countries for assessing cross-national applicability of the scale, not discussing the differences in the means of the seven distinct dimensions of AGCC across the four nations studied by the authors, and absence of any critical review of existing consumer acculturation scales vis-à-vis AGCC.
Illustrating Beauty and Utility
Authors: Zhang Yuejiao
Published: March 2016

This article examines illustrations in two medical texts written in China’s Northern Song dynasty. Compared with medical books produced in previous dynasties, these two texts incorporated more illustrations with enhanced beauty and usability. These visual features, I argue, carried rhetorical attributes that helped these texts negotiate their way into printing, circulation, and becoming canonical in their own genres. At the same time, they also facilitated efficient and accurate reading through reduced visual clutter and enhanced accuracy, and thus appealed to both the elite and the public readership. The article reviews these visual strategies and their implication for technical communication today.
A Portrait of Non-Tenure-Track Faculty in Technical and Professional Communication
Authors: Meloncon Lisa , England Peter , Ilyasova Alex
Published: March 2016

We report the results of a pilot study that offers the field of technical and professional communication its first look at material working conditions of contingent faculty, such as course loads, compensation, and professional support. Findings include that contingent faculty are more enduring with stable full-time, multi-year contracts; they carry a substantial teaching loads; and the majority are satisfied and happy in their present position, but half would prefer to be working on the tenure track.
Harvesting Water for the Future
Authors: Stensrud Astrid B.
Published: March 2016

Examination of the distribution of climate vulnerability, water resources, and economic opportunities in a Peruvian watershed suggests that, rather than the concept of adaptation, a focus on political agency is important to highlight the creative and dynamic political action in local responses to climate change. Peasant farmers and herders in the Peruvian headwaters are among the most vulnerable to global warming, since they are the first to experience the changes in water supplies. Leaders in the highlands claim rights connected to a fluid ownership of water that is born in their territory and demand payments from the companies making money on this water based on the principles of reciprocity and justice. These demands are attempts at taking control of an uncertain future and as such are examples of political agency relating to climate change.

El examen de la distribución de la vulnerabilidad climática, los recursos hídricos, y las oportunidades económicas en una cuenca peruana sugiere que, en lugar del concepto de adaptación, un enfoque sobre la agencia política es importante para resaltar la acción política creativa y dinámica en las respuestas locales al cambio climático. Los campesinos y pastores en las cabeceras de cuencas se encuentran entre los más vulnerables al calentamiento global porque son los primeros en experimentar los cambios en las reservas de agua. Los líderes en las partes altas reclaman derechos conectados a una pertenencia fluida del agua que nace en su territorio y exigen pagos de las compañías que hacen dinero de esta agua basándose en los principios de reciprocidad y justicia. Estas demandas son intentos de tomar control de un futuro incierto y como tal, son ejemplos de agencia política relacionada con el cambio climático.
Unsettling Times
Authors: Rasmussen Mattias Borg
Published: March 2016

As in many other parts of the Peruvian Andes, the peasants of rural Recuay report receding glaciers, altered patterns of precipitation, and disappearing species of plants and wildlife among the many things that may unsettle the everyday. Susan Whyte’s concept of uncertainty highlights the fact that climate change emerges in different ways in particular situations. It informs water politics and local lives but is not a priori the most important part of the story. Rather than adapting to climate change, people adapt climate change to their social worlds.

Así como en varias partes de los Andes peruanos, los campesinos del Recuay rural dan parte de glaciares en retroceso, padrones de precipitación alterados, y la desaparición de especies de plantas y fauna silvestre entre las numerosas cosas que puedan perturbar lo cotidiano. El concepto de Susan Whyte de la incertidumbre acentúa el hecho de que el cambio climático se manifiesta de distintas maneras en situaciones particulares. Informa políticas sobre el agua y las vidas locales pero no es a priori la parte más importante de la historia. En vez de adaptarse al cambio climático, la gente adapta el cambio climático a sus mundos sociales.
Civil Society Reconstruction: Popular Organizations in Postearthquake Concepción
Authors: Simon Jeanne W. , Valenzuela-Fuentes Katia
Published: March 2016

The Chilean province of Concepción was little prepared for the impact of the earthquake and subsequent tsunami that took place on February 27, 2010. Because of the destruction of roads and bridges, the power outage, and ineffective communication, each neighborhood was essentially left to fend for itself with virtually no assistance from local and provincial authorities. Within the first 24 hours, panic hit, with stores being looted and local politicians calling for a military presence, and neighbors joined together to protect their property from looting gangs, even in the poorest neighborhoods. Most of these committees were not based on the traditional neighborhood councils that had emerged since the return to electoral democracy in 1990. In the emergency camps established by families that had lost their houses, the new leaders established a more autonomous and horizontal leadership style in their search for decent living conditions and a definitive housing solution. At first glance, these new leaders appear to be a return to the autonomous popular organizations that emerged during the dictatorship but were demobilized under electoral democracy. Ironically, the earthquake and the new center-right government seem to have offered a political opportunity for the reemergence of a more autonomous civil society.

La provincia chilena de Concepción estuvo poco preparada por el impacto del terremoto y el posterior tsunami que ocurrió el 27 de febrero de 2010. Debido a la destrucción de caminos y puentes, el apagón, y la comunicación ineficaz, cada barrio fue esencialmente librado a su suerte prácticamente sin asistencia de las autoridades locales y provinciales. Dentro de las primeras 24 horas cundió el pánico, con saqueos de las tiendas y llamados de los políticos locales por una presencia militar, y vecinos juntándose para proteger su propiedad de las bandas de saqueo, aún en los barrios más pobres. La mayoría de estos comités no estaban basados en los tradicionales consejos barriales que habían surgido desde el retorno de la democracia electoral en 1990. En los campamentos de emergencia establecidos por las familias que habían perdido sus casas, nuevos líderes crearon un estilo de liderazgo más autónomo y horizontal en la búsqueda de condiciones decentes de vida y una solución definitiva sobre la vivienda. A primera vista, estos nuevos líderes parecen representar un retorno a las organizaciones autónomas populares que surgieron durante la dictadura pero que fueron desmovilizados bajo la democracia electoral. Irónicamente, el terremoto y el nuevo gobierno de centro-derecha parecen haber brindado una oportunidad política para la reemergencia de una sociedad civil más autónoma.
Understanding existing exposure situations
Authors: Lecomte J-F.
Published: March 2016

International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Publication 103 removed the distinction between practices and interventions, and introduced three types of exposure situation: existing, planned, and emergency. It also emphasised the optimisation principle in connection with individual dose restrictions for all controllable exposure situations. Existing exposure situations are those resulting from sources, natural or man-made, that already exist when a decision on control has to be taken. They have common features to be taken into account when implementing general recommendations, such as: the source may be difficult to control; all exposures cannot be anticipated; protective actions can only be implemented after characterisation of the exposure situation; time may be needed to reduce exposure below the reference level; levels of exposure are highly dependent on individual behaviour and present a wide spread of individual dose distribution; exposures at work may be adventitious and not considered as occupational exposure; there is generally no potential for accident; many stakeholders have to be involved; and many factors need to be considered. ICRP is currently developing a series of reports related to the practical implementation of Publication 103 to various existing exposure situations, including exposure from radon, exposure from cosmic radiation in aviation, exposure from processes using naturally occurring radioactive material, and exposure from contaminated sites due to past activities.
Developing Latent Semantic Similarity in Initial, Unstructured Interactions
Authors: Ta Vivian P. , Babcock Meghan J. , Ickes William
Published: March 2016

We investigated how same-sex strangers develop latent semantic similarity (LSS)—that is, how they come to use words in the same way—in their initial interactions. In a previous study, Babcock, Ta, and Ickes found evidence suggesting that dyad members’ talking, looking, and acknowledging are important behaviors for the development of dyad-level LSS. Using a different sample of initial interactions, we replicated the major findings of Babcock et al., but found that, in both data sets, only those behaviors that introduced words into the conversation were uniquely predictive of LSS. These findings suggest that “the words may be all you need,” and that LSS might develop as effectively in non–face-to-face (i.e., computer-mediated) conversations in which only words are exchanged as in face-to-face conversations in which nonverbal behaviors are exchanged as well.
Review of the Series: A Roman Catholic Perspective
Authors: Bevans Stephen
Published: March 2016

The Edinburgh Centenary Series is a series for today’s global church. It is about global concerns—migration, children, interfaith dialogue, social justice, reconciliation, secularism, and globalization itself. It has contributions from every part of our world, across denominations, women and men. It is sold at a global price—free downloads for personal use. It is the fruit of global collaboration. The editors of the various volumes come from every continent, and from every Christian church or denomination. The series presents a wonderful portrait of today’s global, ecumenically conscious, and contextualized church.
“Getting involved”
Authors: Garcia Quiroga Manuela , Hamilton-Giachritsis Catherine
Published: March 2016

A large number of children around the world are currently living in residential children’s homes and a central figure in those settings is the caregiver. The relationship children establish with their temporary caregivers can be a crucial factor in their lives. However, little research has been conducted with caregivers working in institutional settings regarding their experience and the relationship they establish with the children they care for. This article presents the results of a qualitative study conducted with 43 caregivers working in eight different residential children’s homes in Chile. The information was gathered through focus groups, and thematic analysis was conducted. The results show that caregivers report their experience of work and their relationship with children very positively and that this is characterized by their emotional involvement with children. This perspective appears to differ from that observed in large institutions in Europe, where there is some evidence that a more impersonal approach is predominant. However, it is acknowledged that this is based on caregiver perceptions which may or may not reflect cultural variations. The conclusion highlights the potential positive impact that caregivers can have on children’s lives, alongside some factors that negatively affect caregivers’ work, which could inform policy and procedures in order to provide better care for these children who (for various reasons) remain in residential care rather than family-based care.
Using eye-tracking in applied linguistics and second language research
Authors: Conklin Kathy , Pellicer-Sánchez Ana
Published: March 2016

With eye-tracking technology the eye is thought to give researchers a window into the mind. Importantly, eye-tracking has significant advantages over traditional online processing measures: chiefly that it allows for more ‘natural’ processing as it does not require a secondary task, and that it provides a very rich moment-to-moment data source. In recognition of the technology’s benefits, an ever increasing number of researchers in applied linguistics and second language research are beginning to use it. As eye-tracking gains traction in the field, it is important to ensure that it is established in an empirically sound fashion. To do this it is important for the field to come to an understanding about what eye-tracking is, what eye-tracking measures tell us, what it can be used for, and what different eye-tracking systems can and cannot do. Further, it is important to establish guidelines for designing sound research studies using the technology. The goal of the current review is to begin to address these issues.
Does the use of Nintendo Wii SportsTM improve arm function? Trial of WiiTM in Stroke: a randomized controlled trial and economics analysis
Authors: Adie Katja , Schofield Christine , Berrow Margie , Wingham Jennifer , Humfryes John , Pritchard Colin , James Martin , Allison Rhoda
Published: March 2016

Objective:

The Trial of Wii™ in Stroke investigated the efficacy of using the Nintendo Wii Sports™ (WiiTM) to improve affected arm function after stroke.

Design:

Multicentre, pragmatic, parallel group, randomized controlled trial.

Setting:

Home-based rehabilitation.

Subjects:

A total of 240 participants aged 24–90 years with arm weakness following a stroke within the previous six months.

Intervention:

Participants were randomly assigned to exercise daily for six weeks using the WiiTM or arm exercises at home.

Main measures:

Primary outcome was change in the affected arm function at six weeks follow-up using the Action Research Arm Test. Secondary outcomes included occupational performance, quality of life, arm function at six months and a cost effectiveness analysis.

Results:

The study was completed by 209 participants (87.1%). There was no significant difference in the primary outcome of affected arm function at six weeks follow-up (mean difference −1.7, 95% CI −3.9 to 0.5, p = 0.12) and no significant difference in secondary outcomes, including occupational performance, quality of life or arm function at six months, between the two groups. No serious adverse events related to the study treatment were reported. The cost effectiveness analysis showed that the WiiTM was more expensive than arm exercises £1106 (SD 1656) vs. £730 (SD 829) (probability 0.866).

Conclusion:

The trial showed that the WiiTM was not superior to arm exercises in home-based rehabilitation for stroke survivors with arm weakness. The WiiTM was well tolerated but more expensive than arm exercises.
Effect of interferential current therapy on pain perception and disability level in subjects with chronic low back pain: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Albornoz-Cabello Manuel , Maya-Martín Julián , Domínguez-Maldonado Gabriel , Espejo-Antúnez Luis , Heredia-Rizo Alberto Marcos
Published: March 2016

Objective:

To assess the short-term efficacy of transregional interferential current therapy on pain perception and disability level in chronic non-specific low back pain.

Design:

A randomized, single-blinded (the assessor collecting the outcome data was blinded), controlled trial.

Setting:

A private physiotherapy research clinic.

Subjects:

A total of 64 individuals, 20 men and 44 women, mean (SD) age was 51 years (11.93), with low back pain of more than three months, with or without pain radiating to the lower extremities above the knee, were distributed into a control ( n = 20) or an experimental group ( n = 44). A 2:1 randomization ratio was used in favour of the latter.

Interventions:

A transregional interferential current electrotherapy protocol was performed for participants in the experimental group, while the control group underwent a ‘usual care’ treatment (massage, mobilization and soft-tissue techniques). All subjects received up to 10 treatment sessions of 25 minutes over a two-week period, and completed the intervention and follow-up evaluations.

Outcome measures:

Self-perceived pain was assessed with a Visual Analogue Scale. Secondary measure included the Oswestry Low Back Disability Index. Evaluations were collected at baseline and after the intervention protocol.

Results:

Significant between-group differences were found for interferential current therapy on pain perception ( p = 0.032) and disability level ( p = 0.002). The observed differences in the between-group mean changes were of 11.34 mm (1.77/20.91) and 13.38 points (4.97/21.78), respectively.

Conclusions:

A two-week transregional interferential current treatment has shown significant short-term efficacy, when compared with a ‘usual care’ protocol, on self-perceived pain and functionality in subjects with chronic low back pain.
Decreased mental time travel to the past correlates with default-mode network disintegration under lysergic acid diethylamide
Authors: Speth Jana , Speth Clemens , Kaelen Mendel , Schloerscheidt Astrid M , Feilding Amanda , Nutt David J , Carhart-Harris Robin L
Published: March 2016

This paper reports on the effects of LSD on mental time travel during spontaneous mentation. Twenty healthy volunteers participated in a placebo-controlled crossover study, incorporating intravenous administration of LSD (75 μg) and placebo (saline) prior to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Six independent, blind judges analysed mentation reports acquired during structured interviews performed shortly after the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans (approximately 2.5 h post-administration). Within each report, specific linguistic references to mental spaces for the past, present and future were identified. Results revealed significantly fewer mental spaces for the past under LSD and this effect correlated with the general intensity of the drug’s subjective effects. No differences in the number of mental spaces for the present or future were observed. Consistent with the previously proposed role of the default-mode network (DMN) in autobiographical memory recollection and ruminative thought, decreased resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) within the DMN correlated with decreased mental time travel to the past. These results are discussed in relation to potential therapeutic applications of LSD and related psychedelics, e.g. in the treatment of depression, for which excessive reflection on one’s past, likely mediated by DMN functioning, is symptomatic.
The Role of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in Substance Use and Risky Sex Behaviors in Hispanic Adolescents
Authors: Lebron Cynthia , Stoutenberg Mark , Janowsky Mariel , Asfour Lila , Huang Shi , Prado Guillermo
Published: March 2016

The purpose of our study was to investigate the potential relationships in Hispanic adolescents ( n = 575) between substance use and/or risky sexual behaviors and (a) physical activity (PA) and (b) sedentary time and (c) the moderating effect of gender. PA levels and sedentary behaviors were assessed using the PA Questionnaire for Adolescents, while risky behaviors were assessed using items similar to those used in the national epidemiological study, Monitoring the Future. We found significant, positive associations between PA and smoking, drug use, and risky sex measures. Similar positive associations existed between sedentary time and risky behaviors. However, after stratifying by gender, most of the relationships remained significant only for males. Our study is among the first to examine these relationships in Hispanic adolescents. Given the emphasis on increasing PA and decreasing sedentary behavior in adolescents, more efforts should be dedicated to understanding the effect of these lifestyle habits on risky behaviors.
An Open Path to the Future: Perceived Financial Resources and School Motivation
Authors: Destin Mesmin
Published: March 2016

One contributing factor to gaps in academic achievement may be that some students perceive long-term educational goals, such as college, as financially out of reach, which can make schoolwork feel meaningless even several years before college. However, information that leads students to perceive that the financial path to college is open for them (i.e., need-based financial aid) can increase school motivation. Two classroom-based field experiments expand this area of theory and research. Early adolescent students who were randomly assigned to receive information about need-based financial aid (open path condition) showed greater school motivation than those who were randomly assigned to a control condition, specifically if they came from low-asset households. In a second exploratory experiment, the open path effect was mediated by an increased likelihood that students envision a future career that includes college (education-dependent identity). Implications for the study of identity and disparities in academic achievement are discussed.
Comparison of the clinical effectiveness of 3D and 2D imaging systems for laparoscopic radical cystectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection
Authors: Tang Feng Jie , Qi Lin , Jiang Hui Chuan , Tong Shi Yu , Li Yuan
Published: March 2016

Objective

To compare the clinical effectiveness of three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) laparoscopic imaging systems for radical cystectomy (RC) with pelvic lymph node dissection.

Methods

This was a retrospective analysis of data collected from all patients who underwent RC with pelvic lymph node dissection between January 2013 and May 2014, performed by a single surgeon in our clinic. Demographic characteristics and operative data from the procedure were collected and compared.

Results

Data were available from 42 patients (mean age 63 ± 6.7 years) of whom 18 were operated on using a 3D imaging laparoscope (Group 3D) and 24 were operated on using a conventional 2D laparoscope (Group 2D). There were no statistically significant differences in patient characteristics between the two groups ( P > 0.05). There was no difference between groups in the mean (±SD) number of lymph nodes retrieved from each patient (13.2 ± 4.6 and 12.5 ± 4.3, for the 3D and 2D groups respectively), or in blood loss. PLND duration and total operative time were statistically significantly lower in Group 3D than in group 2D. There were no statistically significant between-group differences in postoperative hospital stay or total cost of the procedures. Serious postoperative complications occurred in one patient (5.6%) in group 3D, and four patients (16.7%) in group 2D ( P = 0.075).

Conclusions

With the assistance of 3D stereoscopic imaging, surgeons may be able to reduce both the duration of lymph node dissection and overall operative time during laparoscopic RC with pelvic lymph node dissection, without increasing postoperative hospital stay or total cost.
Not Just Any Job Will Do: A Study on Employment Characteristics and Recidivism Risks After Release
Authors: Ramakers Anke , Nieuwbeerta Paul , Van Wilsem Johan , Dirkzwager Anja
Published: March 2016

Ex-prisoners’ recidivism risks are high. Several theories state that employment can reduce these risks but emphasize that the protective role of employment is conditional on job qualities (work intensity, job duration, etc.). Longitudinal research on the role of employment in ex-prisoners’ recidivism patterns is scarce, and most existing work used a simplistic employment measure (i.e., employed vs. unemployed), leaving the topic of job quality underexplored. This study examines the association between employment characteristics and recidivism among Dutch ex-prisoners. Using longitudinal data of the Prison Project ( n = 714), we found that not just any job, but particularly stable employment and jobs with a higher occupational level could help reduce crime rates among these high-risk offenders. Many ex-prisoners face a human capital deficit that complicates the guidance to high-quality jobs. It might, however, be possible to help place ex-prisoners in stable employment.
The publications and contributions of Neil E. Salisbury to physical geography
Authors: Butler David R. , Villa Jennifer
Published: March 2016

One of the most prominent American geomorphologists, Neil E. Salisbury, passed away in May 2015. This paper examines his legacy in geomorphology over the course of his career, and hopefully will be seen as honoring his memory.
General procedure for solution of contact problems under dynamic normal and tangential loading based on the known solution of normal contact problem
Authors: Popov Valentin L , Pohrt Roman , Heß Markus
Published: March 2016

In this article, we show that the normal contact problem between two elastic bodies in the half-space approximation can always be transformed to an equivalent problem of the indentation of a profile into an elastic Winkler foundation. Once determined, the equivalent profile can also be used for tangential contact problems and arbitrary superimposed normal and tangential loading histories as well as for treating of contact problems with linearly viscoelastic bodies. In the case of axis-symmetric shapes, the equivalent profile is given by the method of dimensionality reduction integral transformation. For all other shapes, the profile is deduced from the solution of the elastic contact normal problem, which can be obtained numerically or experimentally.
The Tower of Babel: Massification, Individuality and Empathy in Large Societies and in Small groups
Authors: Doron Yael
Published: March 2016

The Tower of Babel usually appears as a story about the sin of hubris and its punishment. Instead, I wish to argue that this story is about a young society that underwent a tremendous trauma only a few generations previously in the flood—and is unconsciously trying to defend itself from future catastrophes by one-ness, massification and unanimity—one language, one opinion, and one state. In contrast to the people of Babel, group analysis teaches us how to welcome, contain and grow through the reinforcement of the variety of opinions and freedom of mind of individuals. I think the story of Babel is of social consequence, and has echoes in contemporary large society, as well as within small therapeutic groups.
Validation of the French Version of Conners’ Parent Rating Scale Revised, Short Version: Factorial Structure and Reliability
Authors: Fumeaux Pierre , Mercier Catherine , Roche Sylvain , Iwaz Jean , Bader Michel , Stéphan Philippe , Ecochard René , Revol Olivier
Published: March 2016

Objective:

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder is one of the most frequent neurodevelopmental disorders. Its diagnosis requires reference questionnaires such as the Conners’ Parent Rating Scale (CPRS). Presently, in French-speaking countries, a few translations of the revised short CPRS have been put to use without previous formal validation. We sought here for the validation of a French version (Lausanne, Switzerland) of the revised short CPRS regarding construct validity, internal consistency, and item reliability in a sample of French schoolchildren.

Method:

The study involved 795 children and adolescents aged 9 to 19 years from a single school. The factorial structure and item reliability were assessed with a confirmatory factor analysis for ordered categorical variables. The dimension internal consistency was assessed with Guttman’s lambda 6 coefficient.

Results:

The results confirmed the original and strong 3-dimensional factorial structure (Oppositional, Cognitive Problems/Inattention, and Hyperactivity), showed satisfactory item reliability, and indicated a good dimension internal consistency (Guttman’s lambda 6 coefficient: 0.87, 0.90, and 0.82, respectively, to the 3 dimensions).

Conclusions:

Thus, the Lausanne French version of the revised short CPRS may be considered validated regarding construct validity and item and dimension reliability; it can be now more confidently used in clinical practice.
Gender Differences in Physical Activity and Related Beliefs Among Hispanic College Students
Authors: Magoc Dejan , Tomaka Joe , Shamaley Angelee Gigi , Bridges Amber
Published: March 2016

This study investigated gender differences in physical activity (PA) and social-cognitive theory (SCT) variables among Hispanics. Students ( N = 298) completed measures assessing levels of PA and variables derived from SCT. Men reported greater PA than women. Men also reported having greater self-efficacy for PA, greater perceived ability to set Goals and make Plans for PA, and greater Expectancies that PA would produce psychological effects (e.g., reduced stress), improve their body image, and enhance their competitive ability. In addition, gender moderated associations between SCT variables and PA behaviors such that self-efficacy and self-regulation were the best predictors of PA among women (β = .18, β = .24, respectively), but body image was the strongest predictor of PA among men (β = .15). The results are discussed in the context of promoting PA in this population.
An Evaluation of Two Dating Violence Prevention Programs on a College Campus
Authors: Peterson Kerry , Sharps Phyllis , Banyard Victoria , Powers Ráchael A. , Kaukinen Catherine , Gross Deborah , Decker Michele R. , Baatz Carrie , Campbell Jacquelyn
Published: March 2016

Dating violence is a serious and prevalent public health problem that is associated with numerous negative physical and psychological health outcomes, and yet there has been limited evaluation of prevention programs on college campuses. A recent innovation in campus prevention focuses on mobilizing bystanders to take action. To date, bystander programs have mainly been compared with no treatment control groups raising questions about what value is added to dating violence prevention by focusing on bystanders. This study compared a single 90-min bystander education program for dating violence prevention with a traditional awareness education program, as well as with a no education control group. Using a quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design with follow-up at 2 months, a sample of predominately freshmen college students was randomized to either the bystander ( n = 369) or traditional awareness ( n = 376) dating violence education program. A non-randomized control group of freshmen students who did not receive any education were also surveyed ( n = 224). Students completed measures of attitudes, including rape myth acceptance, bystander efficacy, and intent to help as well as behavioral measures related to bystander action and victimization. Results showed that the bystander education program was more effective at changing attitudes, beliefs, efficacy, intentions, and self-reported behaviors compared with the traditional awareness education program. Both programs were significantly more effective than no education. The findings of this study have important implications for future dating violence prevention educational programming, emphasizing the value of bystander education programs for primary dating violence prevention among college students.