bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Distributed Cognition in Cancer Treatment Decision Making: An Application of the DECIDE Decision-Making Styles Typology
Authors: Krieger Janice L. , Krok-Schoen Jessica L. , Dailey Phokeng M. , Palmer-Wackerly Angela L. , Schoenberg Nancy , Paskett Electra D. , Dignan Mark
Published: May 2016

Distributed cognition occurs when cognitive and affective schemas are shared between two or more people during interpersonal discussion. Although extant research focuses on distributed cognition in decision making between health care providers and patients, studies show that caregivers are also highly influential in the treatment decisions of patients. However, there are little empirical data describing how and when families exert influence. The current article addresses this gap by examining decisional support in the context of cancer randomized clinical trial (RCT) decision making. Data are drawn from in-depth interviews with rural, Appalachian cancer patients ( N = 46). Analysis of transcript data yielded empirical support for four distinct models of health decision making. The implications of these findings for developing interventions to improve the quality of treatment decision making and overall well-being are discussed.
Toward a Better Understanding of Patient Health Literacy: A Focus on the Skills Patients Need to Find Health Information
Authors: Champlin Sara , Mackert Michael , Glowacki Elizabeth M. , Donovan Erin E.
Published: May 2016

While many health literacy assessments exist, this area of research lacks an instrument that isolates and reflects the four components driving this concept (abilities to find, understand, use, and communicate about health information). The purpose of this study was to determine what abilities comprise the first component, how a patient finds health information. Low ( n = 13) and adequate ( n = 14) health literacy patients, and health professionals ( n = 10) described their experiences when looking for health information and the skills they employed to complete these tasks. Major skills/themes elicited included knowing when to search, credibility assessments, finding text and numerical information, interpersonal seeking, technology and online search, and spatial navigation. Findings from this study suggest that each of the dimensions included in the definition of health literacy warrants specific attention and assessment. Given identification of the skills comprising each dimension, interventions targeting deficits across health literacy dimensions could be developed to improve patient health.
Belonging and Mental Wellbeing Among a Rural Indian-Canadian Diaspora: Navigating Tensions in “Finding a Space of Our Own”
Authors: Caxaj C. Susana , Gill Navjot K.
Published: May 2016

Belonging is linked to a variety of positive health outcomes. Yet this relationship is not well understood, particularly among rural immigrant diasporas. In this article, we explore the experiences of community belonging and wellbeing among a rural Indian-Canadian diaspora in the Interior of British Columbia, Canada, our central research questions being, “What are the experiences of belonging in this community? How does a sense of belonging (or lack of) shape mental health and wellbeing among local residents?” Using a situational analysis research approach, our findings indicate that local residents must navigate several tensions within an overarching reality of finding a space of our own. Such tensions reveal contradictory experiences of tight-knitedness, context-informed notions of cultural continuity, access/acceptability barriers, particularly in relation to rural agricultural living, and competing expectations of “small town” life. Such tensions can begin to be addressed through creative service provision, collaborative decision making, and diversity-informed program planning.
Anna Hazare: A Corruption Crusader and His Grassroots Wisdom
Authors: Chowdhury Rashedur , Banerjee Sourindra , Nagarkoti Deepak Singh
Published: May 2016

This article explores the fight against corruption through the eyes of Anna Hazare, a renowned social activist from India, who spent more than 35 years of his life fighting corruption. Anna Hazare provides a detailed description of the anti-corruption movement he has led, provides his views on the World Bank guidelines to lower corruption, and highlights the need for sacrifice and righteousness on the part of leaders who fight corruption. The article presents insights into these concepts, which deserve greater attention from organization scholars and must be researched further if the literature on corruption is to be enriched.
Representing stochastic damage evolution in disordered media as a jump Markov process using the fiber bundle model
Authors: Kale Sohan , Ostoja–Starzewski Martin
Published: May 2016

The damage evolution in quasi-brittle materials is inherently stochastic due to the presence of strong disorder in the form of heterogeneities, voids, and microcracks. The final macroscopic failure is foreshadowed by accumulation of a significant amount of distributed damage that results in precursory events observed as avalanches in experiments and simulations. Simulations on spring lattice models of disordered media have been widely used to understand the collective nature of the quasi-brittle material failure process. In this study, we use the jump Markov process to model stochastic damage evolution, which is informed by the avalanche size distributions for a given material. The jump Markov process is defined based on the probability distributions of the jump sizes, the wait-time between consecutive jumps, and the failure strength. The fiber bundle model is used as an example to obtain the required inputs and test the viability of the proposed approach. The stochasticity and size-dependence of the damage evolution process is inherently captured through the inputs provided for the jump Markov process. The avalanche and strength distributions are used to describe the effect of microscopic information present in the form of disorder, on the macroscopic damage evolution behavior.
A framework for complex product architecture analysis using an integrated approach
Authors: Uddin Amad , Khan Mohammed Khurshid , Campean Felician , Masood Maryam
Published: May 2016

Contemporary design decomposition and synthesis analytical tasks at the conceptual design stage rely on functional and structural modelling approaches. There is a wide diversity of elements used by various modelling approaches for information and representation of product architecture, which incurs difficulties for multidisciplinary engineers working across different phases of design in capturing, visualising, sharing and tracing consistent yet common knowledge and elements across the function and structure domains. This prompts for fixation of detail and common modelling knowledge across both functional and structural analytical approaches which are also critical from automatised software perspective. A limitation of the existing approaches is that they tend to focus more on ‘what’ and less on ‘how’ (and vice versa). This article proposes an integrated conceptual product architecting approach that combines and expands the functional and structural modelling approaches, enabling capturing and tracing knowledge coherently through a common binding domain. This is underpinned by the view that most interaction requirements among the physical components during structural modelling can be derived from functional modelling. The proposed integrated approach is underpinned by the critical analysis and synthesis of the existing approaches in the literature dealing with functional and structural architecture analyses, integrated within a multiple domain matrix to fuse the knowledge of both solution-independent (functional) and solution-dependent (structural) analyses. The proposed framework is illustrated with a case study of solar robot toy, followed by discussion and suggestions for future work.
Coming Out, Coming Home
Authors: Martin Julie M. L.
Published: May 2016

Michael C. LaSala, PhD, is a nationally and internationally renowned expert on gay and lesbian youth and their families. He is currently the director of the MSW program and an associate professor at the School of Social Work at Rutgers University. His research interests are the couple and family relationships of gay men and lesbians, and his current work examines the role of gay and lesbian family relationships in coping with stigma and also parental influence on gay youth’s safe sex behaviors. Dr. LaSala’s published book, entitled: Coming out, coming home: Helping families adjust to a gay or lesbian child (Columbia University Press), describes the findings and practice implications of a National Institute of Mental Health–funded qualitative study of 65 gay and lesbian youth and their families. Other examples of Dr. LaSala’s work can be found in Social Work, Family Process, Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, Families in Society, Journal of GLBT Family Studies, and Journal of Lesbian and Gay Social Services. Dr. LaSala completed a Fulbright Fellowship during which he taught family therapy courses at Tallinn University in Estonia and where he also investigated the impacts of stigma on Estonian lesbians and gay men. He has been keynote speaker at national and international family therapy conferences and is also the author of a blog for Psychology Today entitled: Gay and Lesbian Well-Being. Dr. LaSala has practiced clinical social work for 30 years, is committed to practice-informed research, and continues to practice part-time as a licensed clinical social worker at the Institute for Personal Growth in Highland Park, New Jersey. Dr. LaSala can be reached at mlasala@ssw.rutgers.edu
Clinical and MRI Donor Site Outcomes Following Autologous Osteochondral Transplantation for Talar Osteochondral Lesions
Authors: Fraser Ethan J. , Savage-Elliott Ian , Yasui Youichi , Ackermann Jakob , Watson Geoffrey , Ross Keir A. , Deyer Timothy , Kennedy John G.
Published: May 2016

Background:

Autologous osteochondral transplantation (AOT) has an inherent risk of donor site morbidity (DSM). The reported rates of DSM vary from 0% to 50%, with few studies reporting clinical or imaging outcomes at the donor site as a primary outcome and even fewer report these outcomes when a biosynthetic plug backfill is employed. Although TruFit (Smith & Nephew, Andover, MA) plugs have been removed from the market for regulatory purposes, biphasic plugs (including TruFit plugs) have been used for several years and the evaluation of these is therefore pertinent.

Methods:

Thirty-nine patients who underwent forty AOT procedures of the talus, with the donor graft being taken from the ipsilateral knee, were included. Postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to assess the donor site graded with magnetic resonance observation of cartilage repair tissue (MOCART) scoring. Lysholm scores were collected preoperatively, at the time of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and again at 24 months and at final follow-up to assess clinical outcomes. Statistical analysis was performed to establish if there was any correlation between MRI assessment of the donor site and clinical outcomes. The mean patient age was 36.2 ± 15.7 years with a mean follow-up of 41.8 ± 16.7 months.

Results:

All patient donor site defects were filled with OBI TruFit biphasic plugs. DSM was encountered in 12.5% of the patient cohort at 24 months, and in these patients, the Lysholm score was a mean 87.2 ± 5.0. At final follow-up, DSM was reduced to 5%. Lysholm scores for the entire cohort were 98.4 ± 4.6 and 99.4 ± 3.1 at 24 months and final follow-up, respectively. MRI of the donor sites were taken at an average of 18.1 ± 13.5 (range, 3-48) months postoperatively and the mean MOCART score was 60.0 ± 13.5. No correlation was found between the MOCART score and Lysholm outcomes at the donor knee ( P = .43, r = 0.13).

Conclusion:

Low incidence of DSM and good functional outcomes were achieved with AOT. Additionally, MRI findings did not predict clinical outcomes in our study.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, retrospective case series.
Relationship and Classification of Plantar Heel Spurs in Patients With Plantar Fasciitis
Authors: Ahmad Jamal , Karim Ammar , Daniel Joseph N.
Published: May 2016

Background:

This study classified plantar heel spurs and their relationship to plantar fasciitis.

Methods:

Patients included those with plantar fasciitis who were treated from 2012 through 2013. Plantar heel spur shape and size were assessed radiographically and correlated to function and pain before and after treatment. Function and pain were scored with the Foot and Ankle Ability Measures and a visual analog scale, respectively. This study included 109 patients with plantar fasciitis.

Results:

The plantar heel spur shape was classified as 0/absent in 26 patients, 1/horizontal in 66 patients, 2/vertical in 4 patients, and 3/hooked in 13 patients. The plantar heel spur size was less than 5 mm in 75 patients, 5-10 mm in 28 patients, and greater than 10 mm in 6 patients. Initially, patients with any shape or size to their spur had no difference in function and pain. With treatment, patients with horizontal and hooked spurs had the greatest improvement in function and pain ( P < .05). With treatment, patients with larger spurs had the greatest improvement in function and pain ( P < .05).

Conclusion:

Plantar heel spurs can be classified by shape and size in patients with plantar fasciitis. Before treatment, neither the spur shape nor size significantly correlated with symptoms. After treatment, patients with larger horizontal or hooked spurs had the greatest improvement in function and pain. These findings may be important when educating patients about the role of heel spurs with plantar fasciitis and the effect of nonsurgical treatment with certain spurs.

Level of Evidence:

Level III, comparative series.
Development and Validation of the Dissociative Symptoms Scale
Authors: Carlson Eve B. , Waelde Lynn C. , Palmieri Patrick A. , Macia Kathryn S. , Smith Steven R. , McDade-Montez Elizabeth
Published: May 2016

The Dissociative Symptoms Scale (DSS) was developed to assess moderately severe levels of depersonalization, derealization, gaps in awareness or memory, and dissociative reexperiencing that would be relevant to a wide range of clinical populations. Structural analyses of data from four clinical and five nonclinical samples ( N = 1,600) yielded four factors that reflected the domains of interest and showed good fit with the data. Sample scores were consistent with expectations and showed very good internal consistency and temporal stability. Analyses showed consistent evidence of convergent and divergent validity, and posttrauma elevations in scores and in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder provided additional evidence of construct validity. Item response theory analyses indicated that the items assessed moderately severe dissociative experiences. Overall, the results provide support for the reliability and validity of DSS total and subscale scores in the populations studied. Further work is needed to evaluate the performance of the DSS relative to structured interview measures and in samples of patients with other psychological disorders.
Communication Strategies and New Media Platforms
Authors: Willoughby Jessica Fitts , Smith Hollie
Published: May 2016

Environmental communication and health communication are often intertwined. The complex connections between health and environmental issues can be seen in groundwater pollution, natural resource extraction disasters, and myriad others. While these academic areas are often interconnected, strategies that attempt to influence attitudes and behaviors in one area are not often conveyed to the other. This commentary explores the synergistic potential of health and environmental communication by examining two new media strategies previously applied in health communication—the use of video games and the use of mobile devices for behavior change—and providing examples on how these strategies may be applied to environmental communication.
Efficacy and Safety of Fondaparinux in Patients With Suspected Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia
Authors: Snodgrass Megan N. , Shields Jenna , Rai Hema
Published: May 2016

Objective:

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) occurs in up to 5% of patients exposed to unfractionated heparin for 5 or more days. Direct thrombin inhibitors (DTIs) are currently the only Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved agents for the treatment of HIT. The purpose of this study is to determine whether fondaparinux is an appropriate first-line alternative anticoagulant in patients with suspected or confirmed HIT.

Methods:

A retrospective study was conducted by identifying all patients who received a DTI or fondaparinux during a 5 year period, August 2009-August 2014. Patients were included if they had a HIT panel/serotonin-release assay analysis (regardless of the result) and were initiated on a DTI or fondaparinux for alternative anticoagulation. The primary outcome was new, recurrent, or progressive thromboembolic event. Secondary outcomes included bleeding events, platelet count recovery, and hospital stay.

Results:

A total of 1022 patients were evaluated, and 47 patients met the inclusion criteria. Twelve patients were HIT positive and 35 were HIT negative. Seven (14.9%) of the 47 patients experienced a new thrombosis, none of whom were on fondaparinux only (FONDA). There were 4 new minor bleeds, with 1 bleed as a result of being on fondaparinux. FONDA treatment resulted in a slightly shorter median duration of hospital stay compared to the DTI-only group and the DTI followed by fondaparinux group. There is a potential for cost savings with fondaparinux due to the ease of administration and availability to be given in the outpatient setting.

Conclusion:

In this small retrospective review, fondaparinux appeared similarly efficacious and safe compared to DTIs for the treatment of suspected HIT.
Effects of Regulation and Payment Policies on Nurse Practitioners’ Clinical Practices
Authors: Barnes Hilary , Maier Claudia B. , Altares Sarik Danielle , Germack Hayley Drew , Aiken Linda H. , McHugh Matthew D.
Published: May 2016

Increasing patient demand following health care reform has led to concerns about provider shortages, particularly in primary care and for Medicaid patients. Nurse practitioners (NPs) represent a potential solution to meeting demand. However, varying state scope of practice regulations and Medicaid reimbursement rates may limit efficient distribution of NPs. Using a national sample of 252,657 ambulatory practices, we examined the effect of state policies on NP employment in primary care and practice Medicaid acceptance. NPs had 13% higher odds of working in primary care in states with full scope of practice; those odds increased to 20% if the state also reimbursed NPs at 100% of the physician Medicaid fee-for-service rate. Furthermore, in states with 100% Medicaid reimbursement, practices with NPs had 23% higher odds of accepting Medicaid than practices without NPs. Removing scope of practice restrictions and increasing Medicaid reimbursement may increase NP participation in primary care and practice Medicaid acceptance.
Take a Break: Examining College Students’ Media Multitasking Activities and Motivations During Study- or Work-Related Tasks
Authors: Kononova Anastasia G. , Yuan Shupei
Published: May 2016

A survey ( N = 524) examined how frequently college students engage in multitasking with social media, texting/instant messaging (IM), and music while studying/working and what motivates them to multitask with each medium. Four out of five participants multitasked with Facebook and texting/IM, and two out of three multitasked with music. Habit was the strongest motivation for multitasking that positively predicted multitasking frequency. Overall, multitasking with Facebook, texting/IM, and music differed by motivations. Multitasking with music was associated with entertainment and efficiency needs, while multitasking with Facebook/texting/IM was related to satisfying socialization, passing time, and escaping needs.
Should Programs Designed to Help IPV Survivors Screen for Mental Health–Related Problems
Authors: Simmons Catherine A. , Delaney Matthew J. , Lindsey Leslie , Whalley Anna , Murry-Drobot Olliette , Gayle Beck J.
Published: May 2016

Qualitative responses that 187 service providers gave to a question assessing whether agencies designed to help intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors should screen for mental health-related problems were analyzed using a version of the concept mapping approach. Nine central clusters emerged from the data analysis, which can be linked to three underlying themes: how the identification of mental health-related problems (i.e., labeling) could be misused when working with IPV survivors, ways screening can be appropriately used to help IPV survivors, and barriers that prevent screening. Findings highlight the importance of trauma-informed approaches across all aspects of service delivery.
Probabilities of ADD/ADHD and Related Substance Use Among Canadian Adults
Authors: Connolly Ross D. , Speed David , Hesson Jacqueline
Published: May 2016

Objective: The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and probabilities of comorbidities between self-reported ADD/ADHD and smoking, alcohol binge drinking, and substance use disorders (SUDs) from a national Canadian sample. Method: Data were taken from the Public Use Microdata File of the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey–Mental Health ( N = 17 311). The prevalence of (a) smoking, (b) alcohol binge drinking, and (c) SUDs was estimated among those with an ADD/ADHD diagnosis versus those without an ADD/ADHD diagnosis. Results: After controlling for potential socioeconomic and mental health covariates, self-reported ADD/ADHD acted as a significant predictor for group membership in the heaviest smoking, heaviest drinking, and heaviest drug usage categories. Conclusion: Individuals self-reporting a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD were found to have a significantly higher likelihood of engaging in smoking and alcohol binge drinking, and were more likely to meet criteria for SUDs than individuals not reporting an ADD/ADHD diagnosis.
Does Parent Stress Predict the Quality of Life of Children With a Diagnosis of ADHD? A Comparison of Parent and Child Perspectives
Authors: Galloway Helen , Newman Emily , Miller Nicola , Yuill Clare
Published: May 2016

Objective: There are indicators that parental psychological factors may affect how parents evaluate their child’s quality of life (QoL) when the child has a health condition. This study examined the impact of parents’ perceived stress on parent and child ratings of the QoL of children with ADHD. Method: A cross-sectional sample of 45 matched parent–child dyads completed parallel versions of the KIDSCREEN-27. Children were 8 to 14 years with clinician diagnosed ADHD. Results: Parents who rated their child’s QoL lower than their child had higher perceived stress scores. Parent stress was a unique predictor of child QoL from parent proxy-rated but not child-rated QoL scores. Conclusion: Parents’ perceived stress may play an important role in their assessments of their child’s QoL, suggesting both parent and child perspectives of QoL should be utilized wherever possible. Interventions that target parent stress may contribute to improvements in the child’s QoL.
The Influence of Methylphenidate on Hyperactivity and Attention Deficits in Children With ADHD: A Virtual Classroom Test
Authors: Mühlberger A. , Jekel K. , Probst T. , Schecklmann M. , Conzelmann A. , Andreatta M. , Rizzo A. A. , Pauli P. , Romanos M.
Published: May 2016

Objective: This study compares the performance in a continuous performance test within a virtual reality classroom (CPT-VRC) between medicated children with ADHD, unmedicated children with ADHD, and healthy children. Method: N = 94 children with ADHD ( n = 26 of them received methylphenidate and n = 68 were unmedicated) and n = 34 healthy children performed the CPT-VRC. Omission errors, reaction time/variability, commission errors, and body movements were assessed. Furthermore, ADHD questionnaires were administered and compared with the CPT-VRC measures. Results: The unmedicated ADHD group exhibited more omission errors and showed slower reaction times than the healthy group. Reaction time variability was higher in the unmedicated ADHD group compared with both the healthy and the medicated ADHD group. Omission errors and reaction time variability were associated with inattentiveness ratings of experimenters. Head movements were correlated with hyperactivity ratings of parents and experimenters. Conclusion: Virtual reality is a promising technology to assess ADHD symptoms in an ecologically valid environment.
Short- and Long-Term Effects of Parent Training for Preschool Children With or at Risk of ADHD: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Rimestad Marie Louise , Lambek Rikke , Zacher Christiansen Helene , Hougaard Esben
Published: May 2016

Objective: The aim of the study was to synthesize the evidence of parent training (PT) as an early intervention for preschool children aged 2.5 to 6 years with ADHD or ADHD symptoms. Method: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted. Results: Sixteen studies including 1,003 children were analyzed. Parent-rated outcomes revealed moderate effect sizes (ESs; Hedges’ g) of 0.51 for ADHD symptoms, 0.4 for conduct problems, and 0.63 for negative parenting. Based on independent assessment, results were only significant for negative parenting. Parent-rated outcomes were sustained at follow-ups of 3 to 12 months. Program type, intervention modality, and child diagnostic status did not moderate the effect. Conclusion: PT was partially supported as an efficacious intervention for preschool children with ADHD or ADHD symptoms with moderate ESs on parent-rated outcomes, but no significant results on independently assessed ADHD symptoms.
Predicting Behaviors to Reduce Toxic Chemical Exposures Among New and Expectant Mothers
Authors: Mello Susan , Hovick Shelly R.
Published: May 2016

There is a growing body of evidence linking childhood exposure to environmental toxins and a range of adverse health outcomes, including preterm birth, cognitive deficits, and cancer. Little is known, however, about what drives mothers to engage in health behaviors to reduce such risks. Guided by the integrative model of behavioral prediction, this study surveyed women who were pregnant and/or had children younger than 7 years ( N = 819) to identify the factors that determine engagement in behaviors to reduce childhood exposure to toxic chemicals in the environment. Structural equation modeling pertaining to three different environmental toxins—bisphenol A, arsenic, and pesticides—demonstrated that perceived normative pressure was the primary determinant of behavior across all three models. Additionally, we identified two key distal variables—perceived risk and information seeking—that not only increased the model’s predictive power but also consistently and positively predicted perceived social norms regarding exposure reduction behaviors. Findings also suggest important differences across these behaviors. Implications for health communication researchers and practitioners developing interventions, communication campaigns, and persuasive messages to promote prenatal and pediatric environmental health are discussed.
Emotional and Behavioral Aspects of Diabetes in American Indians/Alaska Natives
Authors: Scarton Lisa J. , de Groot Mary
Published: May 2016

American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) bear a disproportionate burden of diabetes and associated long-term complications. Behavioral interventions play a vital role in promoting diabetes medical and psychological outcomes, yet the development of interventions for AI/AN communities has been limited. A systematic review was conducted of studies focused on the psychosocial and behavioral aspects of diagnosed diabetes among AI/ANs. Ovid and PubMed databases and published reference lists were searched for articles published between 1987 and 2014 that related to the psychosocial and behavioral aspects of type 1 or type 2 diabetes in the AI/AN population. Twenty studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria. Nineteen studies were observational and one study was intervention based. Two of the studies used community-based participatory research methodology. Of the 20 studies, 2 discussed cultural influences associated with diabetes self-management and 10 identified the specific tribes that participated in the study. Tribal affiliations among the studies were broad with the number of AI/AN participants in each study ranging from 30 to 23,529 participants. Emotional and behavioral topics found in the literature were adherence ( n = 2), depression ( n = 9), physical activity ( n = 3), psychosocial barriers ( n = 1), social support ( n = 3), and stress ( n = 2). Relatively few studies were identified using AI/AN populations over a 27-year period. This is in stark contrast to what is known about the prevalence and burden that type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus place on AI/AN communities. Future research should promote community engagement through the use of community-based participatory research methodologies, seek to further understand and describe the emotional and behavioral context for diabetes self-management in this population, and develop and test innovative interventions to promote the best possible diabetes outcomes.
¡Cocinar Para Su Salud! Development of a Culturally Based Nutrition Education Curriculum for Hispanic Breast Cancer Survivors Using a Theory-Driven Procedural Model
Authors: Aycinena Ana Corina , Jennings Kerri-Ann , Gaffney Ann Ogden , Koch Pamela A. , Contento Isobel R. , Gonzalez Monica , Guidon Ela , Karmally Wahida , Hershman Dawn , Greenlee Heather
Published: May 2016

We developed a theory-based dietary change curriculum for Hispanic breast cancer survivors with the goal of testing the effects of the intervention on change in dietary intake of fruits/vegetables and fat in a randomized, clinical trial. Social cognitive theory and the transtheoretical model were used as theoretical frameworks to structure curriculum components using the Nutrition Education DESIGN Procedure. Formative assessments were conducted to identify facilitators and barriers common to Hispanic women and test the degree of difficulty and appropriateness of program materials. Focus groups provided valuable insight and informed preimplementation modifications to the dietary program. The result was a systematically planned, evidence-based, culturally tailored dietary intervention for Hispanic breast cancer survivors, ¡Cocinar Para Su Salud! (Cook for Your Health!). The methodology described here may serve as a framework for the development of future dietary interventions among diverse and minority populations. Short- and long-term study results will be reported elsewhere.
In Vitro Toxicological Assessment of Magnesium Oxide Nanoparticle Exposure in Several Mammalian Cell Types
Authors: Mahmoud Abudayyak , Ezgi Öztaş , Merve Arici , Özhan Gül
Published: May 2016

Worldwide researchers have rising concerns about magnesium-based materials, especially magnesium oxide (MgO) nanaoparticles, due to increasing usage as promising structural materials in various fields including cancer treatment. However, there is a serious lack of information about their toxicity at the cellular and molecular levels. In this study, the toxic potentials of MgO nanoparticles were investigated on liver (HepG2), kidney (NRK-52E), intestine (Caco-2), and lung (A549) cell lines. For the toxicological assessment, the following assays were used: the particle characterization by transmission electron microscopy, the determination of cellular uptake by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, MTT and neutral red uptake assays for cytotoxicity, comet assay for genotoxicity, and the determination of malondialdehyde (MDA), 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, protein carbonyl, and glutathione levels by enzyme-linked immune sorbent assays for the potential of oxidative damage and annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) apoptosis detection assay with propidium iodide (PI) for apoptosis. Magnesium oxide nanoparticles were taken up by the cells depending on their concentration and agglomeration/aggregation potentials. Magnesium oxide nanoparticles induced DNA (≤14.27 fold) and oxidative damage. At a concentration of ≥323.39 µg/mL, MgO nanoparticles caused 50% inhibition in cell viability by 2 different cytotoxicity assays. The cell sensitivity to cytotoxic and genotoxic damage induced by MgO nanoparticles was ranked as HepG2 < A549 < Caco-2 < NRK-52E. Although it was observed that MgO nanoparticles induced apoptotic effects on the cells, apoptosis was not the main cell death. DNA damage, cell death, and oxidative damage effects of MgO nanoparticles should raise concern about the safety associated with their applications in consumer products.
The use of telehealth (text messaging and video communications) in patients with cystic fibrosis: A pilot study
Authors: Gur Michal , Nir Vered , Teleshov Anna , Bar-Yoseph Ronen , Manor Eynav , Diab Gizelle , Bentur Lea
Published: May 2016

Background

Poor communications between cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and health-care providers may result in gaps in knowledge and misconceptions about medication usage, and can lead to poor adherence. We aimed to assess the feasibility of using WhatsApp and Skype to improve communications.

Methods

This single-centre pilot study included CF patients who were older than eight years of age assigned to two groups: one without intervention (control group), and one with intervention. Each patient from the intervention group received Skype-based online video chats and WhatsApp messages from members of the multidisciplinary CF team. CF questionnaires, revised (CFQ-R) scores, knowledge and adherence based on CF My Way and patients satisfaction were evaluated before and after three months. Feasibility was assessed by session attendance, acceptability and satisfaction survey. Descriptive analysis and paired and non-paired t-tests were used as applicable.

Results

Eighteen patients were recruited to this feasibility study (nine in each group). Each intervention group participant had between four and six Skype video chats and received 22–45 WhatsApp messages. In this small study, CFQ-R scores, knowledge, adherence and patient satisfaction were similar in both groups before and after the three-month intervention.

Conclusions

A telehealth-based approach, using Skype video chats and WhatsApp messages, was feasible and acceptable in this pilot study. A larger and longer multi-centre study is warranted to examine the efficacy of these interventions to improve knowledge, adherence and communication.
Parent-reported patterns of loss and gain in communication in 1- to 2-year-old children are not unique to autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Brignell Amanda , Williams Katrina , Prior Margot , Donath Susan , Reilly Sheena , Bavin Edith L , Eadie Patricia , Morgan Angela T
Published: May 2016

We compared loss and gain in communication from 1 to 2 years in children later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (n = 41), language impairment (n = 110) and in children with typical language development at 7 years (n = 831). Participants were selected from a prospective population cohort study of child language (the Early Language in Victoria Study). Parent-completed communication tools were used. As a group, children with autism spectrum disorder demonstrated slower median skill gain, with an increasing gap between trajectories compared to children with typical development and language impairment. A proportion from all groups lost skills in at least one domain (autism spectrum disorder (41%), language impairment (30%), typical development (26%)), with more children with autism spectrum disorder losing skills in more than one domain (autism spectrum disorder (47%), language impairment (15%, p = 0.0003), typical development (16%, p < 0.001)). Loss was most common for all groups in the domain of ‘emotion and eye gaze’ but with a higher proportion for children with autism spectrum disorder (27%; language impairment (12%, p = 0.03), typical development (14%, p = 0.03)). A higher proportion of children with autism spectrum disorder also lost skills in gesture (p = 0.01), sounds (p = 0.009) and understanding (p = 0.004) compared to children with typical development but not with language impairment. These findings add to our understanding of early communication development and highlight that loss is not unique to autism spectrum disorder.
Clinical outcomes of behavioral treatments for elopement in individuals with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities
Authors: Call Nathan A , Alvarez Jessica P , Simmons Christina A , Lomas Mevers Joanna E , Scheithauer Mindy C
Published: May 2016

The external validity of behavioral treatments for elopement (i.e. leaving supervision without permission) remains unclear because studies to date include only small samples ( n = 1–3). This study quantified the overall effectiveness of behavioral treatments for elopement by retrospectively examining treatment data from all patients seen for the treatment of elopement at an intensive day treatment clinic ( n = 11), irrespective of treatment success. Reductions in elopement from baseline to the final treatment for each participant demonstrate that behavioral intervention is a highly effective treatment for elopement, as determined by the large effect size (Cohen’s d = 1.18).
Trajectories and correlates of special education supports for youth with autism spectrum disorder and psychiatric comparisons
Authors: Spaulding Christine J , Lerner Matthew D , Gadow Kenneth D
Published: May 2016

Relatively little is known about patterns of school-based supportive services for youth with autism spectrum disorder. This study describes these supportive services and their correlates, both cross-sectionally and retrospectively, in a large sample ( N = 283) of 6- to 18- year-old youth. To assess whether special education designation and classroom placement patterns were peculiar to autism spectrum disorder, we also conducted analyses comparing youth with autism spectrum disorder to those with other psychiatric diagnoses ( N = 1088). In higher grades, the relative quantity of three common supportive services received by youth with autism spectrum disorder decreased, while total supportive service quantity remained stable over time. Youth with autism spectrum disorder were more likely to receive a special education designation and were placed in less inclusive classroom settings than youth with other psychiatric diagnoses. These findings suggest that as youth with autism spectrum disorder reach higher grades, changes in service provision occur in terms of both time and quantity.
Dissociation, reflexivity and habitus
Authors: Rafieian Shahram , Davis Howard
Published: May 2016

Many theorists, in their search for a better explanation of the dynamics of structure and agency, have expressed the need for a theory in which reflexivity and habitus are reconciled. In this article, we argue that a dissociative theory of mind can provide the essential framework in which habitual routines and reflexivity function in parallel. This is explored using the examples of athletic training and hypnosis, where the interplay between conscious and unconscious mechanisms is displayed. In both settings, there is evidence to show that conscious reflexiveness and intersubjective and unconscious automatic processes are necessary to reach the desired outcome. We conclude that a dissociative theory of mind can shed new light on the relationship between habitus and reflexivity.
From interacting systems to a system of divisions
Authors: Stoetzler Marcel
Published: May 2016

This article examines a fundamental theoretical aspect of the discourse on ‘intersectionality’ in feminist and anti-racist social theory, namely, the question whether intersecting social divisions including those of sex, gender, race, class and sexuality are interacting but independent entities with autonomous ontological bases or whether they are different dimensions of the same social system that lack separate social ontologies and constitute each other. Based on a historical reconstruction of its genesis, the article frames this as a dispute between system-theoretical and dialectical, ‘Critical Theory’-related approaches and argues that the latter better capture the dynamics of contemporary society, including the perspective of its transcendence.
Private policing of financial crime
Authors: Gottschalk Petter
Published: May 2016

Fraud examiners in white-collar crime investigations represent the private policing of financial crime. Examiners in crime investigations reconstruct the past to create an account of who did what to make it happen or let it happen. This article addresses the following research question: What is the contribution of fraud examiners in private investigative policing of white-collar crime? Contributions are considered to be the benefits resulting from an investigation. To make private policing a profitable investment, benefits should exceed costs. Based on an analysis of five U.S. and eight Norwegian cases, private policing does not seem profitable.
Honour and respect in Danish prisons: Contesting ‘cognitive distortions’ in cognitive-behavioural programmes
Authors: Laursen Julie , Laws Ben
Published: May 2016

Using empirical data from prison-based cognitive-behavioural programmes, this article considers how prisoners’ subcultural capital shapes their responses to demands for ‘cognitive self-change’. We argue that accounts of ‘respect’ in the prior literature fail to capture how prisoners react to these programmes, and that a discussion of honour (and what we term ‘respect plus’) needs to be incorporated. The empirical material derives from four different cognitive-behavioural programme setups in three Danish prisons and semi-structured interviews with participants and course instructors. By attempting to create accountable and rational actors, who ‘self-manage’, the therapeutic ethos neglects participants’ life experiences and subcultural capital. Open expressions of moral values by prisoners (such as displays of honour and respect) are considered to be cognitive distortions which are dismissed by instructors, while alternative and ‘correct’ thinking styles are prescribed. Our findings advance understandings of the meanings of honour and respect in prisons in general and in cognitive-behavioural programmes in particular.
Modelling of the damage development in carbon/epoxy laminates subjected to combined seawater ageing and mechanical loading
Authors: Carrere N , Tual N , Bonnemains T , Lolive E , Davies P
Published: May 2016

In this study, a damage model that accounts for the effect of seawater ageing is proposed. The model is based on a failure criterion that takes into account the effect of the ply thickness, while the kinetics of the damage development are based on a Finite Fracture Mechanics approach. The stiffness degradation is identified by a multiscale approach. The parameters of the model are physically based which facilitates the identification and the coupling with the ageing. These and their evolution as a function of the time of immersion in seawater have been identified for a carbon/epoxy composite. The changes in crack density as a function of the applied load for three ageing times are quite well predicted by the model. The model explains why the damage threshold is strongly influenced by the ageing while the kinetics of the crack propagation remain quasi-constant.
A study on thermal buckling load of clamped functionally graded beams under linear and nonlinear thermal gradient across thickness
Authors: Majumdar Aritra , Das Debabrata
Published: May 2016

The present work aims at the determination of thermal buckling loads of various functionally graded material beams with both ends clamped. Thermal loading is applied by applying linear temperature distribution and nonlinear temperature distribution at steady state heat conduction condition, across the beam thickness. Temperature dependences of the material properties, considered in the formulation, make the present problem physically nonlinear. Also, the effect of limit thermal load at which the effective elastic modulus and/or thermal expansion coefficient become theoretically zero is considered. The mathematical formulation is based on Euler–Bernoulli beam theory. An energy based variational principle is employed to derive the governing equations as an eigenvalue problem. The solution of the governing equation is obtained using an iterative method. The validation of the present work is carried out with the available results in the literature and with the results generated by finite element software ANSYS. Four different functionally materials are considered, namely, stainless steel/silicon nitride, stainless steel/alumina, stainless steel/zirconia, and titanium alloy/zirconia. Comparative results are presented to show the effects of variations of volume fraction index, length–thickness ratio, and material constituents on nondimensional thermal buckling loads.
Fabrication of A356-based rolled composites reinforced by Ni–P-coated bimodal ceramic particles
Authors: Kheirifard R , Beigi Khosroshahi N , Azari Khosroshahi R , Taherzadeh Mousavian R , Brabazon D
Published: May 2016

Three arrangements of reinforced A356-based composites were fabricated. Samples with 3 wt% Al2O3 (average particle size: 170 µm), 3 wt% SiC (average particle size: 15 µm), and 3 wt% of mixed Al2O3–SiC powders (each reinforcement 1.5 wt%) were fabricated. The novel fabrication process of two-step stir casting followed by rolling was utilized. Analysis of the effect of using bimodal-sized ceramic particles and process parameters on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the composites was examined. Electroless deposition of nickel was used to improve the wettability of the ceramic reinforcements by the molten metal. From microstructural characterization, it was found that fine SiC particles were agglomerated, including when coated with Ni–P. It was also revealed that the rolling process broke the fine silicon platelets within the A356 matrix, which were mostly observed around the Al2O3 particles. The processed microstructure of the composite was altered in comparison to conventionally cast A356 MMC by translocation of the fractured silicon particles, by improving the distribution of fine SiC particles, and by elimination of porosities remaining after casting. A good bonding quality at matrix–ceramic interface was formed during casting and no significant improvement was found in this regard after the rolling process. The mechanical properties of the composites tested showed that the samples, which contained the bimodal ceramic particle distribution of coarse Al2O3 and fine SiC particles produced the highest levels of composite strength and hardness.
Johnston Press and the crisis in Ireland’s local newspaper industry, 2005–2014
Authors: Cawley Anthony
Published: May 2016

Reflecting international trends, Ireland’s local newspaper industry has suffered steep circulation and advertising revenue falls since the late-2000s and has struggled to reshape traditional business models for the digital era. In harsh trading conditions, local titles are operating on reduced editorial resources and are weakened in their capacity to fulfil their traditional watchdog and informed-citizenry functions. Perhaps, no company better encapsulates the industry’s recent difficulties than UK media group Johnston Press. In 2005, it paid more than €200m to acquire 14 local titles in Ireland, but 9 years later sold them for just €8.5m. The article draws on this case study to consider wider issues related to the corporatisation of local news provision, the sustainability of local news industries in small media markets such as Ireland’s and the increasing disconnect between local journalism’s commodity value and its public good value.