bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Author-as-Franchise-Product
Authors: Freeman Matthew
Published: June 2015

This chapter explores the historical relationship between the branded media entertainment of Tarzan and the rise of consumer culture in the 1920s and 1930s. It argues that the transmedia licensing of this property across pulp magazines, comics, and radio reflected the growing embrace of brand-franchise logics throughout the business landscape of America at that time. I offer the metaphor of ‘stepping stones' to understand the brand linkages between these different media products in which consumption of one product led to the consumption of another. More importantly, I analyse the function of Tarzan creator Edgar Rice Burroughs and his company, suggesting that his visibility as franchise-author played a crucial role in constructing these brand linkages between media products. Contextualised as part of the very different cultural landscape of 1920s and 1930s consumer culture, I demonstrate how an authorial name operated commercially as much as a corporatised component of the branded entertainment products of Tarzan as the Tarzan character himself.
The Role of Online Social Interaction in the Recommendation of a Brand Community
Authors: Veloutsou Cleopatra , Dessart Laurence , Arvaniti Georgia Maria
Published: June 2015

This chapter focuses on the growing role of consumer-brand communities in the online context and in particular brand communities in online strategy games. It explores the loyalty of community members toward the other members, as expressed by their willingness to recommend the online community externally. Using data collected from 384 gamers, this chapter suggests that the strength of the relationship with the game brand and the need to socialise are good predictors of brand community participation, as expressed by the brand community engagement and the brand community identification. Brand community participation ultimately leads to the brand community recommendation intention.
Sitcoms Make You Laugh and Recycle
Authors: Kowalczyk Christine , Martinez Jennifer
Published: June 2015

Social marketing and product placement are two common marketing practices. Consumers are seeing the merging of these two concepts through television programming's behavior placements, which are the incorporation of social behaviors into television program storylines to sway viewers to adopt these actions. A major television network has adapted this concept by incorporating environmentally themed messages into its programming. The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the concept of “behavior placements” and discuss the effect of these embedded messages on consumers' green attitudes and intentions. Through an example featured in the television sitcom The Office, the research supports the advancement of the behavior placement concept. Implications and future research directions are presented.
How Branded Entertainment Shapes Consumers' Brand Attitudes
Authors: Verhellen Yann , Dens Nathalie , De Pelsmacker Patrick
Published: June 2015

This chapter investigates how consumers' brand attitudes are influenced by an advanced form of branded entertainment: the Advertiser-Funded Program. Based on prior work on brand placement, hybrid advertising, and branded entertainment, a model is constructed that captures the interplay of three key determinants of brand attitudes: program liking, viewing frequency, and program connectedness. Results indicate that liking of the program is transferred to brand attitudes. This effect is complementarily mediated by connectedness with the program but not by viewing frequency. The chapter concludes with a discussion of implications for theory and practice and provides an overview of potential avenues for future research.
Involving Customers through Co-Creation
Authors: Pardo-Cuenca Desamparados , Prado-Gascó Vicente Javier
Published: June 2015

In an increasingly competitive market environment, companies across different sectors are being pushed to develop new strategies and marketing approaches in order to better promote and engage customers with their products and services. By increasing customers' involvement, companies can improve their marketing results, which may positively relate to their accounting results. In this context, one of the most important approaches is based on promoting consumer involvement with products and services. This involvement can be increased through co-creation design. Co-creation processes are gaining momentum as a customer involvement tool that has important implications for brands including brand co-creation and new product development. This chapter analyzes the new values on consumers and the co-creation processes in the fashion industry and in fashion design education, highlighting the entertainment factor as a key element that fosters co-creation activities. Firstly, the authors conceptualize consumer values through fashion and its functions to then extend the analysis to the co-creation design processes.
Spatio-Temporal Variability of Seasonal Drought over the Dobrogea Region
Authors: Ionita Monica , Chelcea Silvia
Published: June 2015

In this study we have examined the spatial and temporal variability of seasonal short-term drought over Dobrogea region over the period 1965 -2005. The dominant mode of spatial variability captures an in-phase relationship of drought conditions over the entire analyzed region, for all the seasons. We show that the Arctic/North Atlantic Oscillation patterns control a significant part of the interannual drought variability over the Dobrogea region in all seasons. Dry (wet) periods in Dobrogea region are associated with geopotential height anomalies at 850mb that project onto the negative (positive) phase of Arctic/North Atlantic Oscillation. Moreover, the SST anomalies from the Atlantic Ocean realm and potential evapotranspiration anomalies over the south eastern part of Romania play also a significant role on the variability of drought conditions over Dobrogea region.
Dobrogea Geology
Authors: Cazacu Gabriela Brindusa
Published: June 2015

In this chapter we will present the geology of Dobrogea, the delimitation and characteristics of the subareas that Dobrogea is composed of, and also some aspects regarding its tectonics. A parallel will be made between several types of geological delimitations, classifications of formations which were made by various researchers. The Dobrogea area is in south-east part of Romania, comprising two important faults, Peceneaga-Camena and Capidava-Ovidiu, which divide Dobrogea into three sectors: North Dobrogea, Central Dobrogea and South Dobrogea. The geology for each sub-area will be presented hereafter.
Basics for Hydraulic Modelling of Flood Runoff Using Advanced Hydroinformatic Tools
Authors: David Ioan , Beilicci Erika , Beilicci Robert
Published: June 2015

The first part of the chapter presents general and specific issues concerning the use of hydroinformatic tools in hydraulic modeling as important step in decision-making activities in extreme situations such as floods. The special importance of these issues is the fact that currently cannot conceive a project related to water management without the use of computer modeling / simulation. It is shortly presented the usual simplified schematizations of real flow systems which are applied usually for flood modeling: one-dimensional (1D), two-dimensional (2D) or her combination. Based on the general principles of continuum mechanics the fundamental equations of hydrodynamics are deducted which stay on base of the river modeling. For the 1D schemes discussed the particular forms of the basic equations. To illustrate the above explanations in the next section modeling applications for several representative case studies will be presented using three known hydrodynamic/ hydrological modeling packages, namely DUFLOW, HEC-RAS, MIKE-11.
Floods Monitoring
Authors: Adler Mary-Jeanne
Published: June 2015

Romania experiences severe flooding problems almost every year. Within the last decade, floods have resulted in more than 200 deaths and estimated economic damages of $92 million per year. Also, between 1992 and 2012, there were 700 reported accidental chemical spills in Romania, some of them resulting in trans-boundary impacts. In this chapter is described the Romanian flood early warning system concept realized by the National Institute of Hydrology and Water Management (INHGA) under the auspices of Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (in former time Ministry of Environmental and Waters – MoEW) and DESWAT project. Beginning with 2014, DESWAT (Destructive Waters Abatement and Control) flood monitoring system is functional in all Romania.
Management of Drought and Floods in the Dobrogea Region
Authors: Roşu Lucica , Macarov Lavinia Istratie
Published: June 2015

Dobrogea is a region of Romania with a high economic potential, partly due to its advantageous geographical position between the Danube and the Black Sea. Nevertheless, in the last decency, there have been significant social and economic damages due to the successive waves of excessive droughts and catastrophic floods, results of obvious climate changes. In order to avoid damages from future climatic events, Dobrogea has been included in the plans, programmes of measures and future actions, which include monitoring and early warning systems and proactive risk management measures. Furthermore, the institutional and administrative structures are designing preparedness plans aimed at increasing the adaptive capacity, as well as effective emergency response programmes, aimed at reducing the impact of droughts and floods. In this chapter is presented information on the national policies applied at regional and local level in Dobrogea, aimed at reducing the risk of droughts and floods.
Corporate Social Responsibility, Stakeholder Perception, and Firm Performance
Authors: Ravi Siva Prasad
Published: June 2015

In the present-day business landscape characterised by global competition, demanding customers and depleting natural resources, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become an important strategy for corporations for creating competitive advantage. CSR involves a corporation's commitment to align performance (revenue growth and profit) motives with fulfillment of social, ethical, community and environmental obligations. Researchers have found a positive correlation between stakeholder perceptions of firm's CSR performance and financial performance, assuming other factors as constant. In this chapter we study the effect of stakeholder perception of a firm's CSR on the performance of the firm, based on analysis of Wal-Mart's performance from 2001 to 2011. We found that seemingly significant negative perceptions of CSR activities of corporations result in lower performance of the firm. Once formed, changing negative perceptions of stakeholders is often difficult and the effort needed involves considerable amount of resources with questionable outcomes. This study has come to the conclusion that being a good ‘Corporate Citizen' and creating positive stakeholder perceptions is a better strategic approach for firm's continuing success.
We Can Make Anything
Authors: Bateman Chris
Published: June 2015

What limitations are we willing to accept on our development of new technologies? The shared sense among a great many of the idealistic supporters of our ever-growing range of tools and abilities is that the acquisition of knowledge is always a positive gain for the entirety of humanity, and that therefore there should be no (or few) restrictions on continued technology research. This mythology, which descends from the arrival of exclusive Humanism from the Enlightenment onwards, has become one of the greatest moral and prudential threats to human existence because it removes the possibility of accurately assessing the moral implications of our technology. Against this prevailing ethos of unbounded technological incrementalism, this essay uses the pejorative term cyberfetish to mark our dependence upon, and inability to accurately assess, our technology.
Responsibility and War Machines
Authors: Galliott Jai
Published: June 2015

The purpose of this chapter is to demonstrate that while unmanned systems certainly exacerbate some problems and cause us to rethink who we ought to hold morally responsible for military war crimes, traditional notions of responsibility are capable of dealing with the supposed ‘responsibility gap' in unmanned warfare and that more moderate regulation will perhaps prove more important than an outright ban. It begins by exploring the conditions under which responsibility is typically delegated to humans and how these responsibility requirements are challenged in technological warfare. Following this is an examination of Robert Sparrow's notion of a ‘responsibility gap' as it pertains to the deployment of fully autonomous weapons systems. It is argued that we can reach a solution by shifting to a forward-looking and functional sense of responsibility incorporating institutional agents and ensuring that the human role in engineering and unleashing these systems is never overlooked.
An Arctic Environmental Studies Program: Offshore Environmental Data Management in the Chukchi Sea
Authors: Eick C. D. , Cowee C. S.
Published: June 2015

The Chukchi Sea Environmental Studies Program (CSESP) offers a multidisciplinary, multiyear approach to understanding the Arctic ecosystems of the northeastern Chukchi Sea. A joint effort between ConocoPhillips and Shell, including Statoil from 2010 to 2013, CSESP has been in operation since 2008, beginning directly after Lease Sale 193 and completing its final data collection in summer 2014.

Because of the expansiveness of CSESP and the importance of having reliable, defensible data to support permitting, CSESP has instituted a comprehensive data management program. The program covers all aspects of data collection, quality control and data distribution, which ensure data integrity and standardization throughout all phases of CSESP.

This paper discusses the role that technology plays in CSESP's challenging offshore data collection design including a custom computerized data input system and web-based tools for quality control and data submission. Technology helps CSESP scientists collect data more accurately, automate daily and weekly reports, ensure that data are standardized from year to year, and transport data securely from vessel to final report.

Emphasis will be placed on the reasons for and benefits of standardizing data tables, and the need for quality control tools to enforce those standards.
Neonatal Sweet’s Syndrome Associated with Rectovestibular Fistula with Normal Anus
Authors: Shinozuka Jun , Tomiyama Hideki , Tanak Shin-ichiro , Tahara Junko , Awaguni Hitoshi , Makino Shigeru , Maruyama Rikken , Imashuku Shinsaku
Published: June 2015

Sweet’s syndrome, characterized by fever and a painful erythematous rash with a dermal neutrophilic infiltrate, develops primarily due to paraneoplastic phenomena in adults. Sweet’s syndrome is very rare in neonates. We report a Japanese female neonate (age <2 months), who developed Sweet’s syndrome with episodes of perineal infection in association with congenital rectovestibular fistula with normal anus. Sweet’s syndrome was diagnosed basing on clinical features and histopathology of biopsied skin tissues. Rectovestibular fistula was confirmed after the signs of inflammation subsided and the rash disappeared. In the literature, we found another case of neonatal Sweet’s syndrome associated with rectovestibular fistula in a Japanese female neonate. The perineal region should be screened for anomalies following diagnosis of Sweet’s syndrome in neonates.
Paternal and Maternal Transition to Parenthood: The Risk of Postpartum Depression and Parenting Stress
Authors: Epifanio Maria Stella , Genna Vitalba , De Luca Caterina , Roccella Michele , La Grutta Sabina
Published: June 2015

Transition to parenthood represents an important life event increasing vulnerability to psychological disorders. Postpartum depression and parenting distress are the most common psychological disturbances and a growing scientific evidence suggests that both mothers and fathers are involved in this developmental crisis. This paper aims to explore maternal and paternal experience of transition to parenthood in terms of parenting distress and risk of postpartum depression. Seventy-five couples of first-time parents were invited to compile the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form in the first month of children life. Study sample reported very high levels of parenting distress and a risk of postpartum depression in 20.8% of mothers and 5.7% of fathers. No significant correlation between parenting distress and the risk of postpartum depression emerged, both in mothers than in fathers group while maternal distress levels are related to paternal one. The first month after partum represents a critical phase of parents life and it could be considered a developmental crisis characterized by anxiety, stress and mood alterations that could have important repercussions on the child psycho-physical development.
Perceptions of managers regarding supply chain cost reduction in the South African mobile phone industry
Authors: Mpwanya Musenga F. , Van Heerden Cornelius H.
Published: June 2015

Background: Many industries, including the mobile phone industry, experience a surge in supply chain (SC) costs in the provision of products and services to their customers. Despite this, only a few studies have been conducted on SC cost reduction in South Africa and globally.Objective: This study seeks to understand the perceptions of managers regarding cost reduction in the South African mobile phone SC.Method: A qualitative case study was conducted, involving eight willing managers and using semi-structured interviews, observation and documents. Interviews transcripts were analysed thematically with the help of Atlas.ti and a threefold process was followed, comprising data reduction, data display and data interpretation and conclusion drawing.Results: The findings suggest that mobile phone companies should consolidate their strategic relationships and be efficient, in order to effectively reduce costs in the South African mobile phone SC. To achieve this, whilst South African mobile network operators have to share more and more infrastructure and outsource their operations, other mobile phone companies should re-engineer their operational processes and their reduce costs across the SC.Conclusion: The knowledge generated from this study should assist South African mobile phone companies to reduce their SC costs and address high-priced mobile services. On the other hand, this study should assist regulating authorities (the Department of Communications and the Independent Communication Authority of South Africa) to gain insights into the challenges faced by the mobile phone industry in South Africa and, therefore, to make appropriate and adequate mobile telecommunication policies.
The Relationship between Stapes Prosthesis Length and Rate of Stapedectomy Success
Authors: Marchica Cinzia L. , Saliba Issam
Published: June 2015

Objectives

To identify whether measurement of the prosthesis length is mandatory in patients requiring otosclerosis surgeries and to assess their postoperative audiometric outcomes. In addition, evaluation of prosthesis length used in revision compared to primary stapedectomy was carried out.

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Methods

Chart review of 393 patients undergoing primary (321) versus revision stapedectomy (72) was performed in a tertiary referral center. The indication for surgery was the presence or persistence/recurrence of an air-bone gap (ABG) greater than 20 dB. Air and bone conduction thresholds (ACT and BCT, respectively), ABG as well as pure tone averages (PTAs) were determined for all patients, and the results were compared preoperatively and postoperatively.

Results

Prosthesis length used ranged from 3.0 to 6.0 mm without differences between primary and revision groups. Of the revision surgeries, 62.5% were stapedectomies versus stapedotomies (P < 0.001). Patients showed significant decrease in speech discrimination score, with increased air and bone conduction thresholds as well as mean ABG and PTA before the revision surgeries as a first procedure failure. Prosthesis length changes occurred in 73.5% of the cases, with an average absolute change of 0.55 mm. Prosthesis length did not affect postoperative audiometric results between primary and revision groups, in all surgeries combined. When grouping stapes surgery into accurately versus inaccurately measured incus-footplate distance, significant differences were observed in prosthesis length employed (P < 0.01). Hearing outcomes were also better in the group in which an accurately measured prosthesis was chosen, as opposed to “standard-length” prosthesis.

Conclusions

This study corroborates postoperative success rates of revision surgeries, which show smaller improvements in hearing compared to a primary intervention. Accurate intra-operative measurement of prosthesis length was correlated with better audiometric results postoperatively.
Sensory Sensitivity and Strategies for Coping With Pain
Authors: Meredith Pamela J. , Rappel Georgia , Strong Jenny , Bailey Kirsty J.
Published: June 2015

OBJECTIVE. Our goal was to investigate the relationship between sensory processing styles and use of pain coping strategies in an experimental setting to understand individual differences in pain coping.

METHOD. A cross-sectional design was used with a convenience sample of 116 healthy adults. Measures of sensory processing style and mood state were collected before participation in a cold pressor pain-inducement task, and measures of coping strategies were collected afterward. Multiple regression models were constructed to examine relationships between sensory processing and coping strategies.

RESULTS. Sensory sensitivity and sensation avoiding were significantly associated with higher levels of catastrophizing. Sensation seeking was linked with active coping strategies, such as coping self-statements. Low registration was not significantly associated with any particular coping strategy after controlling for salient variables.

CONCLUSION. This study highlights associations between sensory processing and pain coping strategies, which may inform more tailored approaches to clinical practice for people in pain.
P-Drive: Implementing an Assessment of On-Road Driving in Clinical Settings and Investigating Its Internal and Predictive Validity
Authors: Patomella Ann-Helen , Bundy Anita
Published: June 2015

We investigated (1) the psychometric properties of data gathered with the Performance Analysis of Driving Ability (P-Drive), an on-road assessment; (2) P-Drive’s predictive validity in relation to a summed decision of passing or failing a medical driving evaluation; and (3) the success of implementing P-Drive. Drivers (N = 99) with neurological impairment referred for a driving evaluation were observed on road and scored using P-Drive. Results showed evidence of person response validity and internal validity. P-Drive separated the drivers into four different strata (reliability coefficient = .92). A cutoff raw score of 81 was optimal, with sensitivity of 93% and specificity of 92%. Although only 9 occupational therapists (of 19 initially trained) contributed data for analysis, 17 reported using the assessment. Data gathered with P-Drive yielded evidence of excellent psychometric properties. Moreover, P-Drive was implemented successfully in clinical settings, although initial training to full implementation took longer than 1 yr.
Forced Aerobic Exercise Enhances Motor Recovery After Stroke: A Case Report
Authors: Linder Susan M. , Rosenfeldt Anson B. , Rasanow Matthew , Alberts Jay L.
Published: June 2015

OBJECTIVE. Previously, we demonstrated that forced aerobic exercise (FE) increases the pattern of neural activation in Parkinson’s disease. We sought to evaluate whether FE, when coupled with repetitive task practice, could promote motor recovery poststroke.

METHOD. A 46-yr-old man with ischemic stroke exhibited chronic residual upper-extremity deficits, scoring 35/66 on the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) at baseline. He completed 24 training sessions comprising 45 min of FE on a motorized stationary bicycle followed by 45 min of upper-extremity repetitive task practice.

RESULTS. From baseline to end of treatment, the FMA score improved by 20 points, perceived level of recovery on the Stroke Impact Scale increased by 20 percentage points, and cardiovascular function measured by peak oxygen uptake improved 30%. These improvements persisted 4 wk after the intervention ceased.

CONCLUSION. FE may be a safe and feasible rehabilitation approach to augment recovery of motor and nonmotor function while improving aerobic fitness in people with chronic stroke.
Hurricane Sandy, Disaster Preparedness, and the Recovery Model
Authors: Pizzi Michael A.
Published: June 2015

OBJECTIVE. Hurricane Sandy was the second largest and costliest hurricane in U.S. history to affect multiple states and communities. This article describes the lived experiences of 24 occupational therapy students who lived through Hurricane Sandy using the Recovery Model to frame the research.

METHOD. Occupational therapy student narratives were collected and analyzed using qualitative methods and framed by the Recovery Model. Directed content and thematic analysis was performed using the 10 components of the Recovery Model.

RESULTS. The 10 components of the Recovery Model were experienced by or had an impact on the occupational therapy students as they coped and recovered in the aftermath of the natural disaster.

CONCLUSION. This study provides insight into the lived experiences and recovery perspectives of occupational therapy students who experienced Hurricane Sandy. Further research is indicated in applying the Recovery Model to people who survive disasters.
Structural aspects of self in personality disorders and the quality of life
Authors: Błażek Magdalena
Published: June 2015

Background

The analyses of personality disorders from the perspective of the structural aspects of Self may allow a better understanding of the psychological functioning of people manifesting a higher level of dysfunctional personality mechanisms. Research on personality disorders suggests that especially the maladaptive features associated with this group of disorders significantly hinder the ability to meet the requirements of the social environment, cause difficulties in coping with stress and thus cause suffering and reduce satisfaction with life.

Participants and procedure

In an effort to examine the relationship between personality disorders and structural aspects of self and quality of life, correlational analyses of one hundred adult participants’ responses were conducted. Personality disorders were measured using the Questionnaire of Personality Disorders by Cierpiałkowska (2009). Structural aspects of self were measured with the Self Concept Clarity Questionnaire (SCC) and the Differentiation of Self Inventory (DSI). To assess quality of life, two measures were used: the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and the Purpose in Life scale (PIL).

Results

Personality disorders were negatively related to structural aspects of self, such as clarity of self concept and differentiation of self. They were also negatively correlated with satisfaction with life and the feeling of having a purposeful life.

Conclusions

The results indicate that personality disorders lower a person’s ability to form a strong and clear self concept, to differentiate between one’s feelings and cognitive processes, and to establish autonomous psychological functioning. Apart from that, people manifesting personality disorders have lower quality of life in terms of satisfaction and purpose.
The regulative function of mentalization and mindfulness in borderline personality organization
Authors: Marszał Monika , Górska Dominika
Published: June 2015

Background

The aim of this study was to broaden the understanding of the emotional difficulties of borderline personality organization (BPO) by reference to a meta-ability named ‘orientation on the internal world’, here conceptualized as mentalization and mindfulness, in the framework of object relation theory. It was assumed that it is not mentalization “in itself”, but mainly its regulatory function, that is important for BPO.

Participants and procedure

The clinical and control groups (30 individuals each) were examined using The Mental States Task, The Difficulties of Emotion Regulation Scale and The Mindful Attention Awareness Scale.

Results

Individuals with BPO functioned worse than the control group in terms of mentalization, mindfulness, and emotion regulation. The relationship between BPO and the meta-abilities was mediated by emotional dysregulation: total mediation was revealed for one mentalization dimension, and partial mediation was observed for mindfulness.

Conclusions

Orientation on emotional experience and emotional dysregulation are not independent predictors of BPO, but they can be treated as levels in the hierarchical model. Mentalization determines and influences emotion regulation in BPO.
Inventory of Physical Activity Objectives – a new method of measuring motives for physical activity and sport
Authors: Lipowski Mariusz , Zaleski Zbigniew
Published: June 2015

Background

As a conscious activity of an individual, physical activity (PA) constitutes an element of the free-time dimension. The type of goal allows us to distinguish between sport and PA: sport performance vs. psychophysical health – hence the idea to develop a tool for measurement of the motivational function of an objective in physical activity and sport.

Participants and procedure

The normalisation sample consisted of 2141 individuals: 1163 women aged 16-64 (M = 23.90, SD = 8.30) and 978 men aged 16-66 (M = 24.50, SD = 9.40). In the process of validation, a factor analysis, and subsequently validity and reliability analysis of the tool, and normalisation of scales were performed.

Results

Based on the factor analysis and the degree to which each of the given items conformed to the theory of the motivational function of an objective, the following scales were distinguished: 1) motivational value (the extent to which the objective influences the actions undertaken by an individual), 2) time management (the level of focus on planning, arranging and organizing time for PA), 3) persistence in action (efficiency and persistence of action, and the ability to deal with adversities), and 4) motivational conflict (the level of conflict: PA objectives vs. other objectives). The Cronbach’s α reliability coefficient for this version reached .78. The Inventory of Physical Activity Objectives (IPAO) also included questions that allow one to control for variables such as the variety of forms, duration, and frequency of PA, and socio-demographic variables.

Conclusions

The IPAO, as a new method for measuring motives for physical activity and sport, is characterized by good psychometric properties. The IPAO can serve both scientific research and as a useful tool for personal trainers, helping diagnose the motives for engaging in PA and sports. With knowledge about the purposefulness of actions, it is possible to support and shape additional motivation experienced by an individual, by setting new, realistic objectives.
Sense of security in single women and women in lasting relationships
Authors: Janicka Iwona
Published: June 2015

Background

The modern preference for the independence of an individual and an individualistic attitude does not make for favourable conditions for the sense of security, a consequence of which may be the inability of an individual to build and sustain close emotional relationships with others. The sense of security, which is determined by a durable relationship and confidence in its future, is especially important for the health of an individual.

The goal of the current study was to assess the sense of security among women of different marital status (single, cohabiting and married). It was also investigated how the women assess their economic status and if it is correlated with their sense of security.

Participants and procedure

Two hundred and forty women with secondary or higher education, aged between 24 and 35, took part in the study. Participants were divided into three groups: single (80 women), cohabiting (82 women) and married (78 women).

Results

Sense of security differentiated single and married women only in the aspect of the sense of stability, whereas all of the other dimensions of the sense of safety differentiated married women and cohabiting women. Married women scored significantly higher. Economic status of the participants did not have an influence on their sense of security.

Conclusions

Treating a relationship as something temporary negatively influenced the sense of safety of cohabiting women. It is however impossible to exclude the possibility of a selection bias, where the women with a higher sense of safety have higher chances to form a legalized and stable relationship than women with a lower sense of security.
Entitlement and subjective well-being:
a three-nations study
Authors: Żemojtel-Piotrowska Magdalena , Piotrowski Jarosław , Clinton Amanda , Cieciuch Jan , Różycka-Tran Joanna , Khanh Ha
Published: June 2015

Background

The current study investigated the role of three facets of entitlement (active, passive and revenge) in various forms of subjective well-being (SWB): hedonistic and two facets of eudaimonic well-being (social and psychological). Social well-being was based on Keyes’ model (1998) and psychological well-being on Ryff’s model (1989).

Participants and procedure

The study was performed in three nations (Poland, Puerto Rico and Vietnam) on student samples (Poland, n = 245, Vietnam, n = 115, and Puerto Rico, n = 300). To assess entitlement level the Entitlement Questionnaire was used. The level of hedonistic well-being was measured with the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), and eudaimonic well-being by the Mental Health Continuum–Short Form (MHC-SF).

Results

Active entitlement was positively related to all aspects of SWB. Revenge entitlement was negatively related to hedonistic and psychological SWB in all samples and negatively related to social well-being only in Poland. Passive entitlement was unrelated to SWB.

Conclusions

The current study shows cross-cultural similarities in relationships of entitlement with hedonistic and psychological well-being and cross-cultural differences in the relationship of entitlement with social well-being. Additionally, the study indicates positive meaning of healthy aspects of entitlement for subjective well-being and negative meaning of dysfunctional aspects of entitlement for subjective well-being.
The outcomes of family and consumer leadership education: creating positive change in disability policy and practice
Authors: Schuh Mary , Hagner David , Dillon Ann , Dixon Beth
Published: June 2015

Background

When individuals with disabilities are trained in evidenced based practices and how to advocate for themselves and their families, they are best able to ensure that services and supports meet their needs and create and realize a positive vision for their future.

Participants and procedure

In New Hampshire in the United States a Leadership Series provided seven weekend training sessions to an annual cohort of about 25 family members and 10 adults with disabilities about better practices in service provision, defining a vision for the future, and community organizing and advocacy strategies, using informational sessions and participation in small work groups.

Results

A total of 100 participants completing the Series over a six-year period completed pre and post surveys consisting of both closed-ended and open-ended questions. Respondents reported highly significant increases in their knowledge about service provision and advocacy strategies, significant increases in their clarity of vision for six out of seven life domains, and significant increases in their membership in community organizations and frequency of advocacy activities.

Conclusions

The Leadership Series fostered increased efforts to create positive change in the lives of the participants and their family members with disabilities and in the services and supports provided to family members with disabilities.
Sense of coherence and the style of interpersonal functioning and coping in adolescence
Authors: Kulik Agnieszka
Published: June 2015

Background

Sense of coherence is widely discussed with respect to adults. The objective of this study was to find experiences (interpersonal relations and coping) forming the sense of coherence in the adolescent period. Another aim was to find a correlation between the kind of experiences resulting from the style of functioning and the kind of strategy of coping with stress.

Participants and procedure

Three hundred and four subjects aged 17-19 took part in the study. The Sense of Coherence Questionnaire, the Coping with Stress Questionnaire and the Scale of Interpersonal Relations were used.

Results

The analysis showed that girls are characterized by a lower level of sense of coherence. Sense of coherence is in adolescents statistically significantly associated with the following functional styles: self-effacing-masochistic (F: r = –.50, p < .001/M: r = –.52, p < .001), rebellious-distrustful (F: r = –.46, p < .001/M: r = –.41, p < .001) and emotion-focused strategy (F: r = –.65, p < .001/M: r = –.60, p < .001); in girls: cooperative-overconventional (r = .23, p < .01), aggressive-sadistic (r = –.34, p < .001) and problem-focused strategy (r = .40, p < .001); in boys: managerial-autocratic (r = .47, p < .001). The values of the explained variance in girls and boys are comparable (61%). In this model of explanation of the results, an aggressive-sadistic style is important for girls, but a docile-dependent style is important for boys.

Conclusions

Sense of coherence in adolescence is significantly determined by the kind of experiences connected with coping with stress and the style of interpersonal functioning.
Influence of biologic therapy on growth in children with chronic inflammatory connective tissue diseases
Authors: Świdrowska Joanna , Zygmunt Agnieszka , Biernacka-Zielińska Małgorzata , Stańczyk Jerzy , Smolewska Elżbieta
Published: June 2015

Objectives: Connective tissue diseases (CTD) are a heterogeneous group of chronic inflammatory conditions. One of their complications in children is the inhibition of growth velocity. Due to direct inflammation within the musculoskeletal system as well as glucocorticoid therapy, this feature is the most essential and is mainly expressed in the course of juvenile spondyloarthropathies and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Duration of the disease, but predominantly the activity of the inflammatory process, seems to have a significant impact on the abnormal growth profile in children. Effective biological therapy leads to improvement of the patient’s clinical condition and also, through the extinction of disease activity and reduction of daily doses of glucocorticosteroids (GCS), it gradually accelerates and normalizes the growth rate in children with CTD. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of biological therapy on growth in children with chronic inflammatory CTD.

Material and methods:  Data from 24 patients with CTD treated with tumor necrosis factor--blockers (etanercept, adalimumab, golimumab) and an interleukin-6 receptor blocker (tocilizumab) were reviewed at the time of disease onset, biological treatment initiation and at least 12 up to 24 months onwards. The rate of growth was correlated with the daily doses of GCS, and the type and duration of biological therapy.

Results: Patient median height, measured as the change in height standard deviation score, was 0.36 ±1.07 at disease onset and –0.13 ±1.02 at biologic therapy initiation. The growth velocity accelerated in 17 patients (70.1%) during the biological treatment. Mean height-SDS improvement between biological treatment initiation up to two years was 0.51 ±0.58. In 47% of patients daily doses of GCS were reduced to 0 mg/kg/day.

Conclusions: In the treatment of CTD, biological agents restore growth velocity not only by inflammation inhibition, but also through limiting GCS daily doses.
The effect of leptin on the respiratory burst of human neutrophils cultured in synovial fluid
Authors: Gajewski Michał , Rzodkiewicz Przemysław , Gajewska Joanna , Wojtecka-Łukasik Elżbieta
Published: June 2015

Objectives: Leptin is a hormone responsible for nutritional status and immune competence coordination. In rheumatoid arthritis (RA) increased leptin levels were observed in both serum and synovial fluid. Its influence on development of the disease still remains unclear. So far, research on leptin’s influence on the emission of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) measured with chemiluminescence (CL) has provided unclear and contradictory results. In this study, we evaluated the influence of leptin on oxidative activity of neutrophils isolated from blood of healthy volunteers and cultured in different amounts of synovial fluid (SF) from patients with RA.

Material and methods:  Neutrophils’ oxidative metabolism was measured by two types of CL. The first one, luminol-dependent CL (CL-lum), allows one to determine phagocytic activity and the level of ROI generated in a myeloperoxidase-dependent manner. The second method used was lucigenin-dependent CL (CL-luc), which monitors ROI production dependent on the NADPH oxidase enzyme complex located in the cell membranes of neutrophils and enables one to determine the scope of extracellular ROI emission.

Results: Neutrophils stimulated by opsonized zymosan show a decrease in the level of CL-lum, proportional to the increasing concentration of both SF and serum collected from healthy donors. The observed effect of decreased CL-lum may, therefore, be dependent on the physical conditions (viscosity of fluids used). None of these experiments showed any effect of leptin on the level of CL-lum.

Conclusions: The present study showed that leptin does not affect the level of any of the CL types in inactive neutrophils incubated in normal serum, and it does not affect the level of oxidative activity in resting neutrophils incubated with SF. However, leptin influences extracellular ROI emission (measured by CL-luc). Leptin reduces extracellular emission of ROI, and this effect is dependent on concentration and duration of exposure to leptin.
HLA-B27 detection – comparison of genetic sequence-based method and flow cytometry assay
Authors: Skalska Urszula , Kozakiewicz Anna , Maśliński Włodzimierz , Jurkowska Monika
Published: June 2015

Objectives: The presence of human leukocyte antigen B27 (HLA-B27) is strongly associated with ankylosing spondylitis. HLA-B27 testing is routinely applied in the diagnosis of this disease. The aim of the present study was to compare two methods of HLA-B27 detection – a genetic sequence-based method and a flow cytometry assay.

Material and methods: Peripheral blood was obtained from 300 individuals with suspected spondyloarthropathy. Expression of HLA-B27 on the T cell surface was analysed by flow cytometry assay using GS145.2 monoclonal antibody specific for HLA-B27. DNA was isolated from the whole blood. Genes coding for HLA-B27, -B40 and -B47:01 were detected by polymerase chain reaction using the MW02/MW09 primer pair. Then, positive samples were sequenced in order to discriminate allelic variations of the HLA-B27 gene. Results of sequencing were analysed using Chromas LITE 2.1.1 software, BLAST software and the IMGT/HLA database. Ambiguous samples were additionally analysed by polymerase chain reaction using E91 and E136 primers amplifying a 135-bp fragment of the human HLA-B27 gene.

Results: Among 300 samples, 76 were HLA-B27-positive on the basis of flow cytometry analysis. Genetic sequence analysis confirmed positivity of 73 from among 76 samples. Two hundred twenty six samples were HLA-B27-negative, whereas the result of one sample analysis was ambiguous. Fifty-three samples were identified as allelic variation 27:05, 19 samples as allelic variation 27:02, and one sample as allelic variation 27:07.

Conclusions: This study shows that the genetic sequence-based method and the flow cytometry assay give consistent results in 99% of cases. The performed genetic analysis proves that the majority of HLA-B27-positive samples belong to the 27:05 allelic variation, which is strongly associated with high risk of ankylosing spondylitis.
Raynaud’s phenomenon: new aspects of pathogenesis and the role of nailfold videocapillaroscopy
Authors: Kuryliszyn-Moskal Anna , Kita Jacek , Hryniewicz Anna
Published: June 2015

Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP) refers to paroxysmal pallor or cyanosis of the digits of the hands or feet and, infrequently, the tips of the nose or ears (acral parts) owing to cold-induced vasoconstriction of the digital arteries, precapillary arterioles, and cutaneous arteriovenous shunts.

Raynaud’s phenomenon reflects an exaggeration of normal central and local vasomotor responses to cold or emotion. Raynaud’s phenomenon has been classified as primary or secondary, depending on whether it occurs as an isolated condition or is associated mainly with a connective tissue disease.

Dysregulation of autonomic and sensitive nerve fibers, functional and structural vessel changes, and intravascular alterations can be observed in the pathogenesis of RP.

Nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) is the best non-invasive and repetitive diagnostic technique for detecting morpho-functional changes in the microcirculation. Nailfold videocapillaroscopy is accepted in early diagnosis and monitoring of primary and secondary RP.
Polymyositis and dermatomyositis as a risk of developing cancer
Authors: Jakubaszek Michał , Kwiatkowska Brygida , Maślińska Maria
Published: June 2015

Polymyositis (PM) is an idiopathic inflammatory myopathy that affects striated muscles. Dermatomyositis (DM) is an idiopathic inflammatory myopathy with presence of skin symptoms. Both are characterized by acute or subacute onset, symmetrical proximal muscle weakness, the presence of mononuclear cell infiltrates of the muscles and increased activity of muscle enzymes. The treatment still remains glucocorticoids and disease-modifying drugs. Symptoms of PM/DM can be a signal of developing cancer. Known risk factors for cancer in patients with PM/DM are older age, male gender, dysphagia, skin necrosis, cutaneous vasculitis, rapid onset of the disease, elevated creatinine kinase (CK) and C reactive protein (CRP), and an increase in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Recently three new myositis-specific autoantibodies (MSA) predicting the risk of cancer have been discovered: melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (anti-MDA-5), transcription intermediary factor 1γ (TIF-1γ), and nuclear matrix protein NXP-2.