bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perceptions of ‘Evidence-Based Practice’ among the consumers of adolescent substance use treatment
Authors: Becker Sara J , Spirito Anthony , Vanmali Roshani
Published: April 2015

Objective:

Several national organisations in the USA have recently developed educational materials that encourage substance use disorder treatment consumers to seek out approaches supported by scientific evidence in order to promote the use of ‘evidence-based practice’ (EBP). This study aimed to explore how adolescents (young people aged 12–17 years) with substance use disorders and their caregivers perceive, understand and react to the concept of EBP.

Methods:

Qualitative focus groups and structured interviews were conducted with 29 caregivers and 24 adolescents with substance use disorders in the Northeastern USA. Discussions explored four themes: (a) familiarity with EBP, (b) assumptions about what EBP means, (c) impressions of EBP after reading a common definition and (d) recommended terms to describe EBP in educational materials. Participants’ responses were transcribed and qualitatively analysed by two independent coders.

Results:

Only 2 of the 53 participants had ever heard the term EBP, and only 1 was able to define it correctly. Common assumptions about the term ‘evidence-based’ were that it referred to treatment based on the patient’s medical history, legal evidence of substance use or the clinician’s prior experience. The misperception that EBP was associated with legal evidence was common among adolescents involved in the justice system. After reading a common definition of EBP, most participants thought that the approach sounded inflexible. Alternative terms the participants recommended to educate potential treatment consumers about EBP included proven, successful, better and therapy that works.

Conclusion:

Results suggest that future efforts to educate treatment consumers should use the phrase EBP with caution and emphasise the flexibility of the approach.
Shared performance targets for the horizontal coordination of public organizations: control theory and departmentalism in the United Kingdom’s Public Service Agreement system
Authors: James Oliver , Nakamura Ayako
Published: April 2015

Coordinating organizations horizontally is a longstanding difficulty of public governance, often called departmentalism in central government systems. Several tools for horizontal coordination have previously been analysed but shared performance targets across departments have received relatively little attention. This article develops a control theory of shared performance target systems for horizontal coordination of departments consisting of ‘director’ (shared objective and target setting), ‘detector’ (shared monitoring of progress), and ‘effector’ (shared feedback to promote achievement of targets) components. The theory distinguishes between two kinds of shared targets: those promoting sequential coordination and simultaneous coordination among departments. The expectations of control theory are assessed for the Public Service Agreement (PSA) adopted in the United Kingdom. PSAs enabled a step change increase in discussion of shared policy objectives across departments. However, despite these benefits, the fundamentally separate broader ministerial and departmental accountability structures led to the setting of vague outcome targets, underdeveloped performance reporting, and fragmented delivery arrangements for shared targets.

Points for practitioners

The findings provide a cautionary tale for policy-makers seeking to implement horizontally shared targets across departmental organizations. The UK Government’s Public Service Agreement (PSA) system reveals that shared target systems for departments supervised by a finance ministry are a useful tool for incentivizing departments to collaborate with other departments in policy discussions and resource allocation. However, it was difficult for departments to set specific cross-cutting targets and to develop practical joint delivery and performance reporting strategies across existing departmental boundaries. The effects of the system were, for the most part, counteracted by departmentally focused resource and accountability structures. In some cases, broader structural reform to reorganize departmental structures to align with the formerly cross-cutting policy challenge was necessary rather than predominantly relying on shared targets to pursue policy goals.
Supporting Postsecondary Education Programs for Individuals With an Intellectual Disability
Authors: Plotner Anthony J. , Marshall Kathleen J.
Published: April 2015

As postsecondary education (PSE) programs for individuals with an intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) emerge across the country, it is crucial that these programs involve adult agency partners to enhance planning and service delivery, thereby increasing the likelihood that the skills obtained during these experiences will lead to improved employment outcomes. The present study aims to extend the current knowledge base regarding PSE programs’ and vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies’ collaborative roles and activities. The present study examines state VR involvement with PSE programs as perceived by PSE administrators, specifically, the extent to which PSE and VR are collaborating, and the roles and activities rehabilitation counselors perform during this collaboration. Findings indicate that PSE administrators report variability in both the levels of collaboration with state VR agencies and the understanding of VR roles. Furthermore, data show that the majority of respondents felt VR seldom or never provide services beyond financial assistance. Implications for research and practice are also discussed.
A new method and apparatus for evaluating the electromagnetic shielding effectiveness of textiles
Authors: Šafářová Veronika , Tunák Maroš , Truhlář Martin , Militký Jiří
Published: April 2015

Textile structures with electromagnetic shielding ability are widely used to attenuate the strength of electromagnetic fields, and their functionality is evaluated through direct measurement of their electromagnetic shielding effectiveness. Depending on the size of the shield and measured frequency range, various test methods can be used. There is still a need for development of a rapid testing procedure designed for special materials where only small samples are accessible. The paper presents a new convenient shielding effectiveness measuring procedure based on the modified shielded box method. The design, construction, and testing results of a new device are described in this paper. The proposed method is primarily designed for rapid comparative measurements of newly fabricated samples of relatively small size. Replacement of existing measurement standards is not the goal of this proposal. The main advantages of the new device and methodology are a small required sample size, no necessity of sample preparation to special shapes or dimensions, rapid measurements, and simple and cheap equipment in comparison with standardized equipment. To prove usability of the proposed method the electromagnetic shielding effectiveness of a textile sample set was tested with the help of the new method and the obtained results were statistically compared with those gained by the coaxial transmission line method based on ASTM D 4935-10. The agreement between results from the proposed and comparative methods was verified for textile samples with low and intermediate electric conductivity. Suitability, scope of application, benefits, and limitations of proposed measuring system are discussed.
The journey towards long-term missionary service: How Australian missionaries are being called and choose mission agencies
Authors: Hibbert Richard , Hibbert Evelyn , Silberman Tim
Published: April 2015

Apart from studies focused on short-term mission, there has been little empirical research into the broader range of factors that have been influential in current missionaries’ decisions to serve God long-term. This study aims to address this gap by exploring these factors in the narratives of 42 relatively new Australian missionaries. A qualitative approach was adopted and used semi-structured interviews with 42 missionaries to explore their journey into long-term mission, the factors involved in that decision, and how they chose the agency they are serving with. Three main factors were found to be most influential: interaction with missionaries, participating in short-term mission trips, and being exposed to the world and its needs. Reasons for choosing a mission agency highlighted having a relational connection with agency personnel and perceiving a good fit between their own interests and gifts, and the work of the agency. The article concludes by outlining implications of this research for mission agencies, churches, and Bible colleges.
Clinical Outcomes Related to Protein Delivery in a Critically Ill Population
Authors: Nicolo Michele , Heyland Daren K. , Chittams Jesse , Sammarco Therese , Compher Charlene
Published: April 2015

Objective: Optimal intake of energy and protein is associated with improved outcomes, although outcomes relative to protein intake are very limited. Our purpose was to evaluate the impact of prescribed protein delivery on mortality and time to discharge alive (TDA) using data from the International Nutrition Survey 2013. We hypothesized that greater protein delivery would be associated with lower mortality and shorter TDA. Methods: The sample included patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) ≥4 days (n = 2828) and a subsample in the ICU ≥12 days (n = 1584). Models were adjusted for evaluable nutrition days, age, body mass index, sex, admission type, acuity scores, and geographic region. Percentages of prescribed protein and energy intake were compared with mortality outcomes using logistic regression and with Cox proportional hazards for TDA. Results: Mean intake for the 4‐day sample was protein 51 g (60.5% of prescribed) and 1100 kcal (64.1% of prescribed); for the 12‐day sample, mean intake was protein 57 g (66.7% of prescribed) and 1200 kcal (70.7% of prescribed). Achieving ≥80% of prescribed protein intake was associated with reduced mortality (4‐day sample: odds ratio [OR], 0.68; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.50–0.91; 12‐day sample: OR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.39–0.93), but ≥80% of prescribed energy intake was not. TDA was shorter with ≥80% prescribed protein (hazard ratio [HR], 1.25; 95% CI, 1.04–1.49) in the 12‐day sample but longer with ≥80% prescribed energy in the 4‐day sample (HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.69–0.96). Conclusion: Achieving at least 80% of prescribed protein intake may be important to survival and shorter TDA in ICU patients. Efforts to achieve prescribed protein intake should be maximized.
State Legislative Earmarks
Authors: Wu Yonghong , Williams Dan
Published: April 2015

Using data of “member items” in New York State during 2007–2010, we investigate how political factors such as majority party affiliation, tenure of service, and legislative leadership affect the distribution of state earmarked funds. The statistical results suggest that majority party affiliation and tenure of service have significant effects on the total earmarked funding state legislators may receive each year. Senate leaders or members of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee can also secure additional earmarks to fund their community projects. This research fills the gap in literature on subnational earmarking.
The open access dilemma: how can costs be financed?
Authors: Lau Jesus
Published: April 2015

Open access is an idealistic concept that has both good and less good impacts in the scholarly communication system. The good side is that it sends a strong message to journal publishers who charge exorbitant prices; the bad side is that it potentially inhibits the survival of small journal publishers. In this commentary, the open access (OA) cost model of academic journals is discussed from the point of view of a Latin American researcher, addressing the questions of how this affects the region, and if there is a possible fair funding journal solution.
Stuck with/in a ‘turn’: Can we metaphorize better in Science and Technology Studies?
Authors: Vasileva Bistra
Published: April 2015

This contribution encourages loosening the cast-iron mould of the ‘turn’ metaphor that the practices of general and ontology-related turn-talking/making in Science and Technology Studies forge and fortify. Could framing novel themes and thinking in terms of ‘turn’ be as good as fettering? Not specific to the ‘ontological turn’ or ‘turn to ontology’, but haunting Science and Technology Studies across the board to signify supposed tidal change, the metaphor warrants dissection. Thus, this commentary expounds four distinct yet not unrelated versions of ‘turn’ – rotation, change of course/direction, change in general and occasion/opportunity to act – together with the worlds they beget. Then, the operation of these ‘turns’ in the debates on the ‘ontological turn’ is pursued. Enactments of the first three modes/moulds of ‘turn’, all entailing and tainted by the inexorable directedness of change the coupled ‘turn to’ framing imparts, either debunk or qualify the extent of the professed ‘turn’, with the effect of betraying its conceptual and methodological offerings. The fourth version, less substitutable with ‘turn to’ and thus less infected by intransigent directedness, escapes the rigidity that diminishes the value of ontology-minded studies. Clear of either a resolution to the debate or an alternative trope to cure the maladies of ‘turn’, the conclusion wishes to open space for pondering how to metaphorize more consciously and judiciously evolution and innovation in Science and Technology Studies.
Review of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Cost Variance Within a Regional Health Care System
Authors: Archibald-Seiffer Noah , Jacobs John C. , Saad Charles , Jevsevar David S. , Shea Kevin G.
Published: April 2015

Background:

Examination of value in health care has become a national priority in the United States. Regional variation in health care costs is an area of focus among national policy experts. Procedural cost data can be used to provide physicians with information to evaluate costs and value.

Purpose:

To perform a cost review for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery to document the degree of variation in costs for ACL reconstruction.

Study Design:

Economic and decision analysis; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

A procedural cost review was performed for isolated ACL reconstructions within a 22-surgeon, 7-hospital system. Five consistent cost categories under the influence of the surgeon were identified and were analyzed for cost variation among surgeons: tibial fixation, femoral fixation, graft choice, sutures, and tools or disposable instruments.

Results:

For these 5 categories, the total costs to perform an ACL reconstruction (in 2013 US dollars) ranged from $392.80 to $4670.31, a difference of $4277.51 and a mean of $2039.09. Tibial fixation costs ranged from $95.00 to $760.00 (mean, $293.52). Femoral fixation ranged from $95.00 to $865.00 (mean, $367.14). The graft cost ranged from $1275.00 to $2545.75 (mean, $1976.43). Suture prices for each individual suture varied from $1.19 to $46.00 (mean, $18.26). Tools and disposable supplies ranged from $40.10 to $2136.00 (mean, $452.33).

Conclusion:

There were substantial differences in ACL reconstruction costs in the implant and disposable instruments categories. As health systems and physicians collaborate to improve health care quality and value for patients, information on cost variation will be important. Rational variation in health care cost is appropriate, reflecting variation due to the unique requirements of procedures and patient-centered care. Irrational variations in procedural costs are those that do not add additional value.
Residual flexural strength after impact for textile carbon fiber reinforced polycarbonate laminates
Authors: Ozaki Hiroaki , Saito Hiroshi , Nakada Masayuki , Miyano Yasushi
Published: April 2015

This study prepared textile carbon fiber reinforced polycarbonate laminates of three kinds molded with different conditions and carbon fiber reinforced epoxy laminates consisting of the same carbon fiber textile. Drop-weight impact tests were conducted for these four laminates with three levels of impact energies. The residual flexural strengths were measured after impact. Results show that the residual flexural strengths for all laminates decrease clearly with increasing impact energy. The flexural strengths of these laminates without impact damage have mutually different values. Furthermore, the laminates exhibit a decreasing ratio of residual flexural strength by impact damage with mutually differing values. The reasons were examined through observations conducted using ultrasonic flaw detection and digital microscope.
An investigation on damage loads of mechanical butt joints in composite structures
Authors: Altan Gurkan , Topcu Muzaffer
Published: April 2015

With the advanced technology of our time comes an increased need for high quality materials. The conventional engineering materials are no longer adequate to suit the needs of the manufacturing process. Therefore, there is constant growth in the fields of the use of composite materials formed by the combination of two or more materials. Also various difficulties occur in the field where the composite materials are used. The systems which will be used both in the manufacturing process and in engineering designs are composed of more than one component. Therefore, the components should be jointed for the system designed. These joints are enabled with mechanical and bonding techniques. In this study, mechanical joints made with a joint lock having I profile have been recommended for use instead of the bonding technique in the butt joint of the composite plates. Load-carrying capacities of the locks of different dimensions formed with the exchange of basic geometric parameters that characterize I profile joint lock and its effects on the first damage have been analyzed experimentally and numerically. Determining the optimal joint with the best strength has also been conducted. The composite structure has been prevented from complete damage by the determination of the initial damage that may occur on I profile joint lock. Thus, the lifespan of the composite structure has been increased with the exchange of the lock component.
Redefining the Pediatric Phenotype of X-Linked Monocarboxylate Transporter 8 (MCT8) Deficiency
Authors: Matheus Maria Gisele , Lehman Rebecca K. , Bonilha Leonardo , Holden Kenton R.
Published: April 2015

X-linked monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8) deficiency results from a loss-of-function mutation in the monocarboxylate transporter 8 gene, located on chromosome Xq13.2 (Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome). Affected boys present early in life with neurodevelopment delays but have pleasant dispositions and commonly have elevated serum triiodothyronine. They also have marked axial hypotonia and quadriparesis but surprisingly little spasticity early in their disease course. They do, however, have subtle involuntary movements, most often dystonia. The combination of hypotonia and dystonia presents a neurorehabilitation challenge and explains why spasticity-directed therapies have commonly produced suboptimal responses. Our aim was to better define the spectrum of motor disability and to elucidate the neuroanatomic basis of the motor impairments seen in MCT8 deficiency using clinical observation and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a cohort of 6 affected pediatric patients. Our findings identified potential imaging biomarkers and suggest that rehabilitation efforts targeting dystonia may be more beneficial than those targeting spasticity in the prepubertal pediatric MCT8 deficiency population.
UV-activated 7-dehydrocholesterol-coated titanium implants promote differentiation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells into osteoblasts
Authors: Satué María , Ramis Joana M , Monjo Marta
Published: April 2015

Vitamin D metabolites are essential for bone regeneration and mineral homeostasis. The vitamin D precursor 7-dehydrocholesterol can be used after UV irradiation to locally produce active vitamin D by osteoblastic cells. Furthermore, UV-irradiated 7-dehydrocholesterol is a biocompatible coating for titanium implants with positive effects on osteoblast differentiation. In this study, we examined the impact of titanium implants surfaces coated with UV-irradiated 7-dehydrocholesterol on the osteogenic differentiation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells. First, the synthesis of cholecalciferol (D3) was achieved through the incubation of the UV-activated 7-dehydrocholesterol coating for 48 h at 23℃. Further, we investigated in vitro the biocompatibility of this coating in human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells and its potential to enhance their differentiation towards the osteogenic lineage. Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells cultured onto UV-irradiated 7-dehydrocholesterol-coated titanium implants surfaces, combined with osteogenic supplements, upregulated the gene expression of several osteogenic markers and showed higher alkaline phosphatase activity and calcein blue staining, suggesting increased mineralization. Thus, our results show that the use of UV irradiation on 7-dehydrocholesterol -treated titanium implants surfaces generates a bioactive coating that promotes the osteogenic differentiation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells, with regenerative potential for improving osseointegration in titanium-based bone anchored implants.
The Timing Effect of Bullying in Childhood and Adolescence on Developmental Trajectories of Externalizing Behaviors
Authors: Lee Yoona , Liu Xiaodong , Watson Malcolm W.
Published: April 2015

This longitudinal study investigated the timing effect of bullying on developmental trajectories of externalizing behaviors from middle childhood to adolescence. We focused on the relation of (a) only an early experience of bullying (i.e., desisters) to subsequent externalizing behaviors in adolescence and (b) only a late experience of bullying (i.e., late-onsetters) to the concurrent externalizing behaviors in adolescence. Their trajectories of externalizing behaviors were compared with the persisters and to the non-experience group. Individual growth curve modeling was conducted using 440 child–mother dyads from the Springfield Child Development Project, a community-representative, longitudinal study over a 6-year period that included four time interviews. We modeled the changes in child aggression and delinquency from 7 to 19 years of age as a function of bully status group. Results indicated that the levels of aggression and delinquency for the desisters decreased over time (with the cessation of bullying in adolescence) and were significantly lower than those of the persisters and similar to those of the non-involved group at the end of the trajectory (cessation effect). For the late-onsetters, the level of delinquency increased over time (with the onset of bullying behaviors in adolescence) and were significantly higher than those of the non-involved group and similar to those of the persisters at the end of the trajectory (onset effect). The aggression for the late-onsetters, however, did not support the onset effect. This study implies that we need to pay more attention to intervening for late-onset.
New selection curves for four contact point slewing bearings
Authors: Abasolo Mikel , Coria Ibai , Plaza Jon , Aguirrebeitia Josu
Published: April 2015

The selection of slewing bearings is based on the static load-carrying capacity. In this sense, manufacturers provide selection curves in their catalogues. However, little information is given about their origin. This work develops new and more versatile selection curves for four contact point slewing bearings, with a clear explanation of their background, scope and limitations. The new curves take into account the two possible static failure types, the ball-raceway contact failure and the bolted joint failure.
Grasping the process of implicit mentalization
Authors: Davidsen Annette Sofie , Fosgerau Christina Fogtmann
Published: April 2015

Mentalization has developed through different waves and its definition has gradually changed. Through this process mentalization theorists have not taken a particular position on the philosophical underpinnings of the understanding of others, except that Theory of Mind (ToM) is referred to as a commonsense and underlying theoretical basis. It is apparent that ToM does not explain all dimensions of Mentalization Theory (MT), especially implicit mentalization, and theorists do not account for how implicit mentalization can be captured in interaction. In this article we explain the divergence between MT and ToM and the lack of a philosophical basis for the process of understanding others in MT. We show that conversation analysis (CA) can be used to capture implicit mentalization in interaction. We argue that MT needs a theoretical and philosophical formulation about what constitutes intersubjectivity and the process of understanding others. We suggest that phenomenology could inhabit this space.
Characteristics of delivery pressure in the axial piston pump with combination of variable displacement and variable speed
Authors: Huang Jiahai , Yan Zheng , Quan Long , Lan Yuan , Gao Youshan
Published: April 2015

In recent years, a trend toward the combination of variable displacement and speed-variable pump drive is becoming apparent. Combination of variable displacement and speed-variable pump drive has been revealed to be more efficient than speed-variable pump drive or variable displacement pump drive. However, few research works have dealt with the pumping performance of combination of variable displacement and speed-variable pump. This study aims to investigate the characteristics of pressure pulsations of combination of variable displacement and speed-variable pump. A simulation model is developed by means of software package ITI-SimulationX®. The model is used to predict the pressure pulsations under different operating conditions. Experiments are also carried out to verify theoretical results. From these results, it can be drawn that the pumping dynamics of combination of variable displacement and speed-variable pump is not the best in the view of pressure pulsation, and it is slightly inferior to that of variable displacement pump drive. For required delivery volumetric flow and load pressure, delivery pressure pulsations’ amplitude of combination of variable displacement and speed-variable pump slightly increases with an increase in swash plate angle and adapted rotational speed. However, test results also show that lower rotational speed and adapted swash plate angle working condition can effectively reduce total noise level of the system. Consequently, lower rotational speed and higher swash plate angle working condition are suggested for the design of combination of variable displacement and speed-variable pump drive controller.
The transition of chestnut (Castanea sativa Miller) from timber to fruit tree: Cultural and economic inferences in the Italian peninsula
Authors: Buonincontri Mauro Paolo , Saracino Antonio , Di Pasquale Gaetano
Published: April 2015

Anthracological analysis has been carried out in the Medieval site of Miranduolo, a rural settlement in southern Tuscany with a sequence of occupation between the 7th and 14th century AD. Between the 7th and mid-9th century AD, during the phase of a Lombard farming village, the strong presence of Castanea sativa as timber for building showed that chestnut was the preferred species for carpentry and fuelwood, suggesting coppice management of chestnut woods for timber production. The Miranduolo data, set against the archaeobotanical data in the literature, rejected the hypothesis of chestnut cultivation as a fruit tree and corroborated the hypothesis that the plant was initially used for timber production during the Early Middle Ages, continuing the woodworking tradition of the Roman period. From the mid-9th century AD, during the Carolingian feudal system, chestnut in the feudal estate of Miranduolo ceased to be used for building and firewood, while deciduous Quercus was preferred. At the same time, chestnut fruits began to be picked and kept in warehouses at the disposal of the feudal lord, suggesting the management of chestnut woods for fruit production. Comparison with existing archaeobotanical data revealed that chestnut cultivation for fruits began in this period in other Italian regions also, encouraged by different economic systems. From the 10th century, in Miranduolo chestnut was exploited both for timber and fruit suggesting the abundance of this resource in high managed stands. Comparison with coeval archaeological sources, archaeobotanical data and pollen records suggested from this period the strong expansion of this species that gradually took place throughout central and southern Italy, becoming a ‘multifunctional’ high-forest. The current chestnut forest landscape in central Italy is thus of human origin, expanding and changing over about 1000 years of cultivation.
Ethical dilemmas facing chief nurses in Japan
Authors: Ito Chiharu , Natsume Mikiko
Published: April 2015

Background:

Chief nurses are most likely to take the lead in discussing and working to resolve ethical dilemmas, creating an ethical culture within their organization that results in effective ethics training. As the first step in this process, there is a need to define the kinds of ethical dilemmas that chief nurses grapple with on a regular basis as a target for future study.

Research design:

Anonymous written questionnaires and semi-structured interviews.

Ethical considerations:

All research procedures were approved by the Chubu University Ethics Review Board, the research institution to which the authors belong (authorization no. 250016).

Findings and discussion:

Responses from four chief nurses indicated that ethical dilemmas could be categorized as either those related to patient dignity or those related to management (unique to their roles as administrators). It was also learned that chief nurses struggle with the fact that although they consult with their superiors and others, these efforts do not lead to resolution. The expectation is that going forward, chief nurses will play a central role in acting as coordinators with physicians to promote better communication as well as lead group discussions aimed at providing care that respects patient dignity.
Physical Activity Among Adolescents in an East Malaysian Rural Indigenous Community
Authors: Saimon Rosalia , Choo Wan Yuen , Chang Kam Hock , Ng Chirk Jenn , Bulgiba Awang
Published: April 2015

This study explores the rural environmental factors that influence adolescents’ participation in physical activities (PA). Thirty-six indigenous adolescents, aged 13 to 17 years from rural communities of East Malaysia were involved in the photovoice procedures: photo-taking, selecting, contextualizing, and codifying themes. Despite being endowed with natural resources such as river, forest, hills, and so on, the adolescents and the community did not capitalize on these rich resources to promote and engage in PA. Poor maintenance of natural resources, the lack of pedestrian infrastructures and road safety, the lack of PA facilities, and negative perception of ancestors’ agricultural activities were among factors that constrained adolescents’ PA. Although basic amenities such as play spaces and pedestrian infrastructures are necessary to increase adolescents’ PA, any intervention should make the most of the natural resources, which are cheaper, environment friendly, and sustainable.
Impact load mitigation in sandwich beams using local resonators
Authors: Sharma B , Sun CT
Published: April 2015

Dynamic response of sandwich beams with resonators embedded in the cores subjected to impact loads is studied. Using finite element models the effectiveness of various local resonator frequencies under a given impact load is compared to the behavior of an equivalent mass beam. It is shown that addition of appropriately chosen local resonators into the sandwich beam is an effective method of improving its flexural bending behavior under impact loads. The effect of a given local resonance frequency under different impact load durations is also studied. It is demonstrated that the choice of appropriate local resonance frequency depends on the impact duration. Further, by performing transverse impact experiments, the finite element models are verified and the advantage of using internal resonators under impact loading conditions is demonstrated.
Comparison of three models of ownership of community health centres in China: a qualitative study
Authors: Wei Xiaolin , Yang Nan , Gao Yang , Wong Samuel YS , Wong Martin CS , Wang Jiaji , Wang Harry HX , Li Donald KT , Tang Jinling , Griffiths Sian M
Published: April 2015

Objectives

Community health centres are the main form of provision of primary care in China. There are three models: government managed, hospital managed and private. Our aim was to describe and compare primary care under the three ownership models.

Methods

Four aspects of primary care were studied: services, organization, financing and human resources. Interviews were undertaken with 60 managerial and professional staff in 13 community health centres in the Pearl River Delta region in 2010. Three community health centres were selected in the capital city and two were selected from each of the other five cities. Thematic framework analysis was conducted.

Results

Government-managed community health centres received the largest public funding, followed by hospital-managed community health centres, while private community health centres received the least. Private community health centres were the smallest in scale and provided lower quality public health services compared with the other two models. Patient out-of-pocket costs accounted for the majority of the revenue in all models of community health centres despite improved government funding for preventive services. General challenges such as the shortage of public funding, the exclusion of migrants in the funding for preventive services, low capacity in human resources and the separation of clinical and preventive care in community health centres were identified in all three models of community health centres.

Conclusions

The ownership and management of a community health centre greatly influence the service it provides. Private community health centres are in a disadvantaged position to deliver high quality clinical and preventive care.
Dysfunctional eating behaviour, psychological well-being and adaptation to pregnancy: A study with women in the third trimester of pregnancy
Authors: Gonçalves Sónia , Freitas Flávia , Freitas-Rosa Marta Alexandre , Machado Bárbara César
Published: April 2015

This study evaluated the prevalence and predictors of dysfunctional eating. Women in the third trimester of pregnancy participated in this study ( N = 105). Dysfunctional eating was associated with a higher body mass index, enhanced negative body image, more somatic symptoms, poorer marital relationships, more negative attitudes regarding pregnancy and the baby and more emotional problems. A higher body mass index prior to the pregnancy, higher weight gain during pregnancy and a more negative perception of body image predicted dysfunctional eating. Clinicians must be aware of the presence of dysfunctional eating during pregnancy to prevent relevant physiological and psychosocial consequences during this stage.
Parental attachment insecurity predicts child and adult high-caloric food consumption
Authors: Faber Aida , Dubé Laurette
Published: April 2015

Eating habits are established early and are difficult to change once formed. This study investigated the role of caregiver–child attachment quality and its associations with high-caloric food consumption in a sample of middle socio-economic status children and adults, respectively. Survey data were collected from an online questionnaire administered separately to 213 (143 girls) children and 216 parents (adult sample; 180 women). Two studies showed that an insecure parental attachment, whether actual (Study 1; children) or recalled (Study 2; adults), significantly and positively predicted high-caloric food consumption in both samples. The present findings highlight the importance of parental attachment and its association with unhealthy eating patterns in children and adults.
Avoiding genetically modified foods in GMO Ground Zero: A reflective self-narrative
Authors: Edwards Sachi
Published: April 2015

I engage in a reflective self-narrative of my experience attempting to maintain a diet free of genetically modified organisms. Social tension over the genetically modified organism industry in Hawai‘i, United States, has led to public debates over jobs and social identities. Drawing on local media sources, grassroots organizations, and blog posts, I describe the way this tension has shaped my experience with food, eating, and being with others as a genetically modified organism avoider. I utilize discursive positioning to make sense of my experiences by locating them within the ongoing public conversations that give structure to the daily lives of Hawai‘i’s residents.
Planning versus action: Different decision-making processes predict plans to change one’s diet versus actual dietary behavior
Authors: Kiviniemi Marc T , Brown-Kramer Carolyn R
Published: April 2015

Most health decision-making models posit that deciding to engage in a health behavior involves forming a behavioral intention which then leads to actual behavior. However, behavioral intentions and actual behavior may not be functionally equivalent. Two studies examined whether decision-making factors predicting dietary behaviors were the same as or distinct from those predicting intentions. Actual dietary behavior was proximally predicted by affective associations with the behavior. By contrast, behavioral intentions were predicted by cognitive beliefs about behaviors, with no contribution of affective associations. This dissociation has implications for understanding individual regulation of health behaviors and for behavior change interventions.
Mothers’ guilt responses to children’s obesity risk feedback
Authors: Persky Susan , McBride Colleen M , Faith Myles S , Wagner Laura K , Ward Dianne S
Published: April 2015

This study explored the influence of family health history-based obesity risk feedback for their child on 147 overweight mothers’ guilt related to children’s lifestyle behaviors and passing down a genetic propensity for overweight. Mothers were randomized to receive, or not, obesity risk feedback for their 4- to 5-year-old child and then made food choices for them using a virtual reality–based buffet. Receipt of risk information increased lifestyle- and genetics-related guilt. Choosing fewer unhealthful foods for the child attenuated both types of guilt. Work in this area may aid in development of obesity risk feedback strategies that enhance child feeding.
There comes a baby! What should I do? Smartphones’ pregnancy-related applications: A web-based overview
Authors: Bert Fabrizio , Passi Stefano , Scaioli Giacomo , Gualano Maria R , Siliquini Roberta
Published: April 2015

Our article aims to give an overview of the most mentioned smartphones’ pregnancy-related applications (Apps). A keywords string with selected keywords was entered both in a general search engine (Google®) and PubMed. While PubMed returned no pertinent results, a total of 370 web pages were found on Google®, and 146 of them were selected. All the pregnancy-related Apps cited at least eight times were included. Information about App’s producer, price, contents, privacy policy, and presence of a scientific board was collected. Finally, nine apps were considered. The majority of them were free and available in the two main online markets (Apple® App Store and Android® Google Play). Five apps presented a privacy policy statement, while a scientific board was mentioned in only three. Further studies are needed in order to deepen the knowledge regarding the main risks of these devices, such as privacy loss, contents control concerns, the digital divide and a potential humanization reduction.
A Conversation Analysis of self-initiated repair structures in Jordanian Spoken Arabic
Authors: Al-Harahsheh Ahmad Mohammad Ahmad
Published: April 2015

This article studies the Conversation Analysis (CA) of self-initiated repair structures in everyday conversations in Jordanian Spoken Arabic (JSA). It aims to cast light on self-initiated repairs practised by Jordanians. The data were collected in 2010; 18 dyadic-videotaped conversations totalling about nine hours, mixed and single-sex, were conducted at Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan. The data analysed include 1595 self-initiated repairs. The CA approach is employed as a theoretical framework for this study. The findings of this research indicate that Jordanian speakers practise 10 self-initiated repair structures, namely, expansion, hesitation, replacement, repetition, abort and restart, abort and abandon, insertion, deletion, meta-repair and modify order.
Scene brightness of illuminated interiors
Authors: Rea MS , Mou X , Bullough JD
Published: April 2015

It is important to be able to engineer the brightness of interior spaces. In addition to the amount of light delivered to and reflected from surfaces in the space, light spectrum influences apparent scene brightness. Specifically, spaces illuminated by ‘cool white’ sources will look brighter than those illuminated by ‘warm white’ sources for the same photopic light levels. A scale model residential space was used to obtain judgements of scene brightness where light levels, surface reflectances and light source correlated colour temperatures were parametrically varied. Subjective and radiometric data were used to extend a provisional model of scene brightness, which is intended to be useful for predicting scene brightness of interior spaces illuminated to different levels by ‘white’ light sources of different correlated colour temperatures.
Statistical modelling and satellite monitoring of upward light from public lighting
Authors: Estrada-García R , García-Gil M , Acosta L , Bará S , Sanchez-de-Miguel A , Zamorano J
Published: April 2015

In this work, we propose an approach to estimating the amount of light wasted by being sent towards the upper hemisphere from urban areas. This is a source of light pollution. The approach is based on a predictive model that provides the fraction of light directed skywards in terms of a small set of identified explanatory variables that characterise the urban landscape and its light sources. The model, built via the statistical analysis of a wide sample of basic urban scenarios to compute accurately the amount of light wasted at each of them, establishes an optimal linear regression function that relates the fraction of wasted flux to relevant variables like the kind of luminaires, the street fill factor, the street width, the building and luminaire heights and the walls and pavement reflectances. We applied this model to evaluate the changes in emissions produced at two urban nuclei in the Deltebre municipality of Catalonia. The results agree reasonably well with those deduced from the radiance measurements made with the VIIRS instrument onboard the Suomi-NPP Earth orbiting satellite.
HRD Education in the Netherlands
Authors: Poell Rob F.
Published: April 2015

The Problem

There is hardly any information in English available on human resource development (HRD) education in the Netherlands, although the practice of HRD in this country is flourishing and HRD education is growing, especially within the private sector. Almost all relevant information is in Dutch, which makes it difficult for non-Dutch-speaking scholars and practitioners to appreciate the significant investments that have been made in HRD and HRD education in the Netherlands.

The Solution

This article brings together a wide range of information about academic and non-academic HRD programs, Dutch HRD professional associations, and HRD certification and accreditation efforts in the Netherlands. This information is grounded in an overview of the emergence of HRD/lifelong learning initiatives over the past three centuries.

The Stakeholders

Scholars and practitioners interested in the history and current status of HRD and HRD education in the Netherlands, especially those who do not speak Dutch, will benefit from the information provided in this article. People looking to enroll in an academic or non-academic HRD program or those who seek professional associations, accreditation, or certification in the Netherlands will also find this article useful.
Autophagy activation attenuates renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats
Authors: Zhang Ya-Li , Zhang Jie , Cui Li-Yan , Yang Shuo
Published: April 2015

Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is a leading cause of acute kidney injury (AKI), which is a common clinical complication but lacks effective therapies. This study investigated the role of autophagy in renal I/R injury and explored potential mechanisms in an established rat renal I/R injury model. Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: Sham, I/R, I/R pretreated with 3-methyladenine (3-MA, autophagy inhibitor), or I/R pretreated with rapamycin (autophagy activator). All rats were subjected to clamping of the left renal pedicle for 45 min after right nephrectomy, followed by 24 h of reperfusion. The Sham group underwent the surgical procedure without ischemia. 3-MA and rapamycin were injected 15 min before ischemia. Renal function was indicated by blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine. Tissue samples from the kidneys were scored histopathologically. Autophagy was indicated by light chain 3 (LC3), Beclin-1, and p62 levels and the number of autophagic vacuoles. Apoptosis was evaluated by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) method and expression of caspase-3. Autophagy was activated after renal I/R injury. Inhibition of autophagy by 3-MA before I/R aggravated renal injury, with worsened renal function, higher renal tissue injury scores, and more tubular apoptosis. In contrast, rapamycin pretreatment ameliorated renal injury, with improved renal function, lower renal tissue injury scores, and inhibited apoptosis based on fewer TUNEL-positive cells and lower caspase-3 expression. Our results demonstrate that autophagy could be activated during I/R injury and play a protective role in renal I/R injury. The mechanisms were involved in the regulation of several autophagy and apoptosis-related genes. Furthermore, autophagy activator may be a promising therapy for I/R injury and AKI in the future.
Disturbance estimation and compensation for planar motors on the long-stroke stage of a wafer stage
Authors: Xia Bizhong , Yuan Cuiping , Tian Yong , Wu Shuang , Yang Kaiming
Published: April 2015

This article presents a data-based method to estimate and compensate low-frequency disturbance in planar motors on the long-stroke stage of a wafer stage, which is a typical multiple-input multiple-output system. First, a data-based method is introduced to decouple the multiple-input multiple-output system into multi-single-input single-output system, which is crucial for the design of controller and the correction of disturbance estimation in the scanning direction. Second, dominant low-frequency disturbances in the long-stroke stage are analyzed. Third, estimation and compensation method under moving condition is proposed. The compensation method is based on three feedforward tables, and the tables are indexed by trajectory parameters, including velocity and position instead of time in the iterative learning control method. Finally, experiments are performed on the long-stroke stage of a wafer stage to verify the proposed method. Experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively improve the servo performance by reducing the tracking errors by nearly 1/2 in the forward direction and 1/3 in the backward direction and lowering error difference between the forward and backward directions from 5.1 to 1.2 µm.