bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Three-dimensional simulations of resistance spot welding
Authors: Nielsen Chris V , Zhang Wenqi , Perret William , Martins Paulo AF , Bay Niels
Published: October 2014

This paper draws from the fundamentals of electro-thermo-mechanical coupling to the main aspects of finite element implementation and three-dimensional modelling of resistance welding. A new simulation environment is proposed in order to perform three-dimensional simulations and optimization of resistance welding together with the simulations of conventional and special-purpose quasi-static mechanical tests. Three-dimensional simulations of resistance welding consider the electrical, thermal, mechanical and metallurgical characteristics of the material as well as the operating conditions of the welding machines. Simulations of the mechanical tests take into account material softening due to the accumulation of ductile damage and cover conventional tests, such as tensile–shear tests, cross-tension test and peel tests, as well as the possibility of special-purpose tests designed by the users. The overall presentation is supported by numerical simulations of electrode misalignment caused by the flexibility of the welding machine arms and electrical shunting due to consecutive welds in the resistance spot welding of two sheets.
A field study of airborne particle emissions from automotive disc brakes
Authors: Wahlström Jens , Olofsson Ulf
Published: October 2014

Airborne particle emissions from automotive disc brakes, one of the main sources of urban particulate matter, adversely affect health. Field measurement of brake particles is complicated, as various particle sources (such as tailpipe emissions, resuspended road dust and tyre wear) can interfere. Brake particles are usually measured on dyno benches or in model-scale tests in controlled environments. Such test results need confirmation in the field, where air flow around disc brakes differs completely. Few field studies focusing on disc brake particles have been reported in the literature. The objective of this work is to investigate further the possibility of measuring brake particles in the field using particle instruments mounted on a car. A car was instrumented with two GRIMM 1.109 aerosol spectrometers and two TSI DustTrak 8520 aerosol monitors. One GRIMM spectrometer and one TSI DustTrak monitor recorded data near the brake, and the other GRIMM spectrometer and the other TSI DustTrak monitor recorded data at the front of the car during five field tests in outer Stockholm. The results suggest that braking directly correlates with increased particle concentrations measured near the brake. The reported test stand results correlate with the field-measured number distributions.
An approximate matching method for a parallel sequential turbocharging system
Authors: Qian Yuehua , Li Hualei , Deng Kangyao
Published: October 2014

A theoretical study on matching a parallel sequential turbocharging system and a diesel engine is conducted. The relationship between the turbocharging system and the engine is represented through expressions for the geometry-equivalent areas of the turbine nozzle and the engine parameters, which are derived on the basis of the thermodynamics equations, and the mass and energy conservation of the turbocharging engine system. The feasible range of the geometry-equivalent areas of the turbine nozzle for a given engine operation condition is determined by the limits of the engine and the turbochargers. The number of sequential turbocharging system phases is determined by the feasible range of geometry-equivalent areas of the turbine nozzle, and the switching boundaries are calculated for the engine’s best performance. The matching method is applied to design the sequential turbocharging system for a six-cylinder diesel engine. The results prove that the number of phases and the switching boundary are accurately estimated by this model. The relative error in the pressure ratio between the results obtained by this matching method and those determined by the validated GT-Power model is less than 6.4%. It is helpful for sequential turbocharging preliminary selection and for providing a foundation for a further matching method.
Multisensory Integration in Complete Unawareness: Evidence From Audiovisual Congruency Priming
Authors: Faivre Nathan , Mudrik Liad , Schwartz Naama , Koch Christof
Published: October 2014

Multisensory integration is thought to require conscious perception. Although previous studies have shown that an invisible stimulus could be integrated with an audible one, none have demonstrated integration of two subliminal stimuli of different modalities. Here, pairs of identical or different audiovisual target letters (the sound /b/ with the written letter “b” or “m,” respectively) were preceded by pairs of masked identical or different audiovisual prime digits (the sound /6/ with the written digit “6” or “8,” respectively). In three experiments, awareness of the audiovisual digit primes was manipulated, such that participants were either unaware of the visual digit, the auditory digit, or both. Priming of the semantic relations between the auditory and visual digits was found in all experiments. Moreover, a further experiment showed that unconscious multisensory integration was not obtained when participants did not undergo prior conscious training of the task. This suggests that following conscious learning, unconscious processing suffices for multisensory integration.
The Invariance Problem in Infancy: A Pupillometry Study
Authors: Hochmann Jean-Rémy , Papeo Liuba
Published: October 2014

Despite the fact that no invariant acoustic property corresponds to a single stop consonant coupled with different vowels (e.g., [da], [de], and [du]), adults effortlessly identify the same consonant embedded in different syllables. In so doing, they solve the invariance problem. Can 3- and 6-month-olds solve it as well? To answer this question, we developed a novel methodology based on pupillometry. In Experiment 1, we demonstrated for the first time that infants are sensitive to the distinction between frequent and infrequent acoustic stimuli, showing greater pupil dilation in response to infrequent stimuli. Building on this effect, in Experiment 2, we showed that 6-month-olds, but not 3-month-olds, solve the invariance problem. Moreover, this ability develops before, and therefore independently of, the ability to produce well-formed syllables.
Holocene stalagmite δ18O records in the East Asian monsoon region and their correlation with those in the Indian monsoon region
Authors: Yang Xunlin , Liu Jianbao , Liang Fuyuan , Yuan Daoxian , Yang Yan , Lu Yanbin , Chen Fahu
Published: October 2014

We compare well-dated Holocene stalagmite δ18O records from the East Asian Summer Monsoon (EASM) region and from the Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) region. We found that the pattern of latitudinal change of speleothem δ18O values from the Indian monsoon region to the East Asian monsoon region is almost identical to that of modern precipitation. This suggests that the modern moisture transport route from the Indian Ocean to the East Asian monsoon region has existed since at least the early Holocene. The δ18O records from both regions exhibit a remarkably similar trend of variation in that the values are more negative during the early Holocene, rapidly become heavy from the mid-Holocene, and are heaviest during the late Holocene. The stalagmite δ18O changes in the East Asian monsoon region are statistically well correlated with those in the Indian monsoon region, both over the entire Holocene and in detail over the last 2000 years. However, in contrast to the obvious consistency of the δ18O values in all of the speleothem records, both instrumental and historical climate records indicate significant spatial variations in rainfall over eastern China. The early-Holocene strong EASM pattern referred from speleothem δ18O in the East Asian monsoon region is quite different to that of other paleoclimatic records such as Holocene paleosol development in the Chinese Loess Plateau, eolian activity in the northern Chinese sandlands, and lake sediments in EASM-dominated region in China, in which the strongest EASM was documented during the mid-Holocene. These findings suggest that the speleothem δ18O record from the East Asian monsoon region may not record EASM variability, but rather that it is controlled by variations in the isotopic composition of precipitation, which is determined mainly by rainfall variability in the ISM region.
An 8700-year record of the interplay of environmental and human drivers in the development of the southern Gran Sabana landscape, SE Venezuela
Authors: Ballesteros T , Montoya E , Vegas-Vilarrúbia T , Giralt S , Abbott MB , Rull V
Published: October 2014

The vegetation of the southern Gran Sabana (SE Venezuela) consists primarily of a treeless savanna with morichales ( Mauritia flexuosa palm stands), despite the prevailing climate being more favorable for the development of extensive rainforests. Here, we discuss the results of our 8700-year paleoecological reconstruction from Lake Encantada based on the analysis of pollen, algal remains, charcoal, and geochemical proxies. We use the findings to assess a number of hypotheses that seek to explain the dominance of savanna vegetation and consider the relative importance of factors such as climate, fire, and erosion on the landscape. The reconstruction of vegetation changes suggests the following trends: open savanna with scattered forest patches (8700–6700 yr BP), forest-savanna mosaic (6700–5400 yr BP), open savanna with forest patches (5400–1700 yr BP), and treeless savanna with morichales (1700 yr BP–the present). We conclude that the interplay between climate and fire and the positive feedback between the presence of grasses and increased fire frequency played a major role in the vegetation dynamics from the early to middle Holocene (8700–6700 yr BP). The synergistic action between reduced fires and wetter conditions appears to be a determinant in the development of rainforest around 6700 yr BP. Despite higher available moisture at ~5400 yr BP, the savanna expanded with the increased frequency of fire, potentially driven by human land-use practices. We also propose that the interplay between fire and erosion created forest instability during the middle and late Holocene. The current southern Gran Sabana landscape is the result of the complex interplay between climate, fire, erosion, and vegetation.
Nurses’ autonomy in end-of-life situations in intensive care units
Authors: Paganini Maria Cristina , Bousso Regina Szylit
Published: October 2014

Background:

The intensive care unit environment focuses on interventions and support therapies that prolong life. The exercise by nurses of their autonomy impacts on perception of the role they assume in the multidisciplinary team and on their function in the intensive care unit context. There is much international research relating to nurses’ involvement in end-of-life situations; however, there is a paucity of research in this area in Brazil. In the Brazilian medical scenario, life support limitation generated a certain reluctance of a legal nature, which has now become unjustifiable with the publication of a resolution by the Federal Medical Council. In Brazil, the lack of medical commitments to end-of-life care is evident.

Objective:

To understand the process by which nurses exercise autonomy in making end-of-life decisions in intensive care units.

Research design:

Symbolic Interactionism and Corbin and Strauss theory methodology were used for this study.

Participants and research context:

Data were collected through single audio-recorded qualitative interviews with 14 critical care nurses. The comparative analysis of the data has permitted the understanding of the meaning of nurse’s experience in exercising autonomy relating to end-of-life decision-making.

Ethical considerations:

Institutional ethics approval was obtained for data collection. Participants gave informed consent. All data were anonymized.

Findings:

The results revealed that nurses experience the need to exercise autonomy in intensive care units on a daily basis. Their experience expressed by the process of increase opportunities to exercise autonomy is conditioned by the pressure of the intensive care unit environment, in which nurses can grow, feel empowered, and exercise their autonomy or else can continuously depend on the decisions made by other professionals.

Conclusion:

Nurses exercise their autonomy through care. They work to create new spaces at the same time that they acquire new knowledge and make decisions. Because of the complexity of the end-of-life situation, nurses must adopt a proactive attitude that inserts them into the decision-making process.
Growth at Atlas Group: Deliberate or an Emergent Strategy?
Authors: Qureshi Zafar I.
Published: October 2014

The Atlas Group had expanded exponentially over the last ten years. Its Chairman, Mr. Yusuf H. Shirazi while drawing satisfaction from the performance of the Group had two key concerns: was launching Atlas Power, a company in the Energy & Power Sector the correct strategic decision and secondly given international market opportunities, at what pace should the Group expand its business outside of the country?
Transformer Commissioning at Central India Oil Refineries Ltd (CIORL)
Authors: Jain Nikunj Kumar , Kapoor Rohit
Published: October 2014

The case describes the uncertain and unavoidable events that delayed the commissioning of a transformer at Central India Oil Refineries Ltd. The project was not being executed as planned, resulting in the delay of almost all the activities. The commissioning of the transformer had become the bottleneck of the refinery because all the pre-commissioning and commissioning activities of the refinery required steam and power, which were in turn dependent on the transformer. Project management tools such as the critical path method and programme evaluation and review technique were used to analyze the time required for the completion of the commissioning of the transformer and resource reallocation for speeding up the project. A cost versus time trade-off analysis was applied to determine the activities to be crashed in order to produce the maximum overall job profit.
Differential Outcomes in Agency-Based Mental Health Care Between Minority and Majority Youth
Authors: Patterson David A. , Dulmus Catherine N. , Maguin Eugene , Perkins Jacob
Published: October 2014

Background:

Childhood mental health problems represent a significant public health concern globally. There is a converging discussion among researchers and practitioners alike that the research results of effectiveness studies are not fully generalizable and applicable to ethnoracial minority groups in real-world practice settings.

Methods:

Archival data on discharges from eight residential programs for children and youth aged 5–18 and operated by a large, child and family human services agency were analyzed to identify the relationship between client demographics and treatment outcomes.

Results:

Minority status was associated with lower odds of treatment success and higher odds of disengagement from treatment.

Discussion:

The results found that minority youth in residential programs had less favorable outcomes, in terms of both disengagement from treatment and a successful discharge, than White youth. This study calls into question whether current treatments are reaching and best serve ethnoracial minority groups in real-world practice settings.
Monitoring of damage mechanisms in sandwich composite materials using acoustic emission
Authors: Assarar Mustapha , Bentahar Mourad , El Mahi Abderrahim , El Guerjouma Rachid
Published: October 2014

This work presents a procedure for investigating local damages created in sandwich composites. The proposed analysis is based on the processing of the recorded acoustic emission hits. Unsupervised pattern recognition analyses (k-means algorithm) associated to Principal Component Analysis (PCA) are the tools used for the classification of the detected acoustic emission events. A cluster analysis of acoustic emission data is achieved and the resulting clusters are correlated to the created damage mechanisms within the sandwich composite. The study is validated on the constituents of the sandwich material (resin, polyvinyl chloride foam and skins) taken separately before investigating the sandwich composite during a three-point bending test. In addition to the advantages given by the use of the multivariable data analysis, results show the impact of the transducers positioning on the analysis of the involved damage mechanisms. An optimized positioning is proposed in order to improve the detection of the acoustic emission activity.
Socially Desirable Responding
Authors: He Jia , van de Vijver Fons J. R. , Dominguez Espinosa Alejandra , Abubakar Amina , Dimitrova Radosveta , Adams Byron G. , Aydinli Arzu , Atitsogbe Kokou , Alonso-Arbiol Itziar , Bobowik Magdalena , Fischer Ronald , Jordanov Venzislav , Mastrotheodoros Stefanos , Neto Félix , Ponizovsky Yael J. , Reb Jochen , Sim Samantha , Sovet Laurent , Stefenel Delia , Suryani Angela O. , Tair Ergyul , Villieux Arnaud
Published: October 2014

This article investigated the dimensionality, measurement invariance, and cross-cultural variations of social desirability. A total of 3,471 university students from 20 countries completed an adapted version of the Marlowe–Crowne scale. A two-dimensional structure was revealed in the pooled sample, distinguishing enhancement (endorsement of positive self-description) and denial (rejection of negative self-description). The factor structure was supported in most countries; medium-sized item bias was found in two denial items. In a multilevel analysis, we found that (a) there was more cross-cultural variation in denial than enhancement; (b) females tended to score higher on enhancement whereas males tended to score higher on denial; (c) the Human Development Index, an indicator of country socioeconomic development, was the best (negative) predictor of denial; and (d) both enhancement and denial seemed to be associated with country-level values and personality pertinent to “fitting in.” We conclude that social desirability has a positive and a negative impression management dimension that are meaningfully associated with country-level characteristics, and we argue that social desirability is better interpreted as culturally regulated response amplification.
Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Patient Version of the Working Alliance Inventory–Short Form Revised
Authors: Falkenström Fredrik , Hatcher Robert L. , Holmqvist Rolf
Published: October 2014

The working alliance concerns the quality of collaboration between patient and therapist in psychotherapy. One of the most widely used scales for measuring the working alliance is the Working Alliance Inventory (WAI). For the patient-rated version, the short form developed by Hatcher and Gillaspy (WAI-SR) has shown the best psychometric properties. In two confirmatory factor analyses of the WAI-SR, approximate fit indices were within commonly accepted norms, but the likelihood ratio chi-square test showed significant ill-fit. The present study used Bayesian structural equations modeling with zero mean and small variance priors to test the factor structure of the WAI-SR in three different samples (one American and two Swedish; N = 235, 634, and 234). Results indicated that maximum likelihood confirmatory factor analysis showed poor model fit because of the assumption of exactly zero residual correlations. When residual correlations were estimated using small variance priors, model fit was excellent. A two-factor model had the best psychometric properties. Strong measurement invariance was shown between the two Swedish samples and weak factorial invariance between the Swedish and American samples. The most important limitation concerns the limited knowledge on when the assumption of residual correlations being small enough to be considered trivial is violated.
Communicating Food Safety via the Social Media
Authors: Mou Yi , Lin Carolyn A.
Published: October 2014

This study examined the Chinese public’s use of Weibo (a microblog platform) and their cognitive, affective, and behavioral responses to a series of food safety crises. Based on a sample of 1,360 adult Weibo users across China, the study found that Weibo use contributed to cognitive and behavioral responses to food safety concerns, but access to other online and off-line news and information outlets was largely irrelevant. Emotional response toward the food safety incidents was a stronger predictor of both food safety risk perception and prevention action, relative to food safety incident awareness and factual awareness. Theoretical and social implications of study findings are discussed.
Social Representations of Brain Research
Authors: O’Connor Cliodhna , Joffe Helene
Published: October 2014

Recent years have seen a major expansion of the position of neuroscience in the mass media, public policy, and legal dialogue. Drawing on interviews with 48 London residents, this article examines how people with no prior involvement with neuroscience make sense of the concept of “brain research.” Thematic analysis of the data furnished little evidence that neuroscience has meaningfully infiltrated lay thinking. Respondents consigned brain knowledge to the “other world” of science, which was seen as a decidedly separate social milieu. They envisioned that the only route by which they might become alert to brain information would be if they developed a neurological illness. This article considers the social and psychological dynamics that shape neuroscience’s dissipation into public consciousness.
A Diffusion of Innovations Approach to Understand Stakeholder Perceptions of Renewable Energy Initiatives
Authors: Silk Kami J. , Hurley Allison , Pace Kristin , Maloney Erin K. , Lapinski Maria
Published: October 2014

This study uses diffusion of innovations (DOI) as a framework for formative research to understand different stakeholders’ perceptions of renewable energy initiatives (i.e., wind, solar, and biomass). Focus groups ( N =12) were conducted with several different stakeholders in Michigan: farmers ( n = 17), rural residents ( n = 20), urban residents ( n = 30), citizen activists/environmentalists ( n = 13), and individuals who live in tourist-based economies ( n = 7). Data were analyzed based on DOI constructs. Results suggest that farmers would be considered early adopters, while urban residents would fall in the late majority. Overall, stakeholder groups perceived renewable energy to be relatively advantageous and compatible with their values.
An Analysis of the Narrative-Building Features of Interactive Sea Level Rise Viewers
Authors: Stephens Sonia H. , DeLorme Denise E. , Hagen Scott C.
Published: October 2014

Interactive sea level rise viewers (ISLRVs) are map-based visualization tools that display projections of sea level rise scenarios to communicate their impacts on coastal areas. Information visualization research suggests that as users interact with such tools they construct personalized narratives of their experience. We argue that attention to narrative-building features in ISLRVs can improve communication effectiveness by promoting user engagement and discovery. A content analysis that focuses on the presence and characteristics of narrative-building features in a purposive sample of 20 ISLRVs is conducted. We also identify particular areas where these ISLRVs could be improved as narrative-building tools.
Medialization of Research Policy
Authors: Scheu Andreas M. , Volpers Anna-Maria , Summ Annika , Blöbaum Bernd
Published: October 2014

This article researches the medialization of research policy in Germany. The concept of medialization focuses on adaptation processes by the micro (individuals), meso (organizations), and macro levels (social systems) of society to the logic of (mostly journalistic) mass media. Below, the focus lies on how decision makers in the field of research policy perceive the journalistic logic as well as adaptation processes to this logic in their fields of expertise and their organizations. The study is based on 35 semistandardized interviews with stakeholders in organizations from politics, science, and research funding.
Factors Related to Self-Reported Attention Deficit Among Incoming University Students
Authors: Cheng Shu Hui , Lee Chih-Ting , Chi Mei Hung , Sun Zih-Jie , Chen Po See , Chang Yin-Fan , Yeh Chin-Bin , Yang Yen Kuang , Yang Yi-Ching
Published: October 2014

Objective: This study was designed to explore physical, social/behavioral, and mental health factors among incoming university students with elevated self-reported ADHD symptoms. Method: A total of 5,240 incoming university students were recruited. The test battery included the ADHD Self-Report Scale, the Measurement of Support Functions, the Chinese Internet Addiction Scale–Revision, Quality of Life assessment, the Brief Symptoms Rating Scale, and the 10-item Social Desirability Scale. Results: ADHD symptoms were elevated in 8.6% of the sample. Only individuals with a lower social desirability score, however, were recruited for further analysis. Significant influential factors for higher self-reported levels for ADHD symptoms included greater suicidal ideation and emotional disturbance, as well as a higher Internet addiction tendency, lower levels of social support, and a greater amount of exercise. Conclusion: Given the elevated prevalence of self-reported ADHD symptoms among this sample of university students, screening for these kinds of problems to detect early challenges before students fail in college as well as identify youth with undiagnosed ADHD should be considered.
Examination of the Effects of Intelligence on the Test of Variables of Attention for Elementary Students
Authors: Hurford David P. , Fender Alex C. , Boux Jordan L. , Swigart Courtney C. , Boydston Paige S. , Butts Shanise R. , Cox Christy L. , Becker Trent A. , Pike Mary E.
Published: October 2014

Objective: To examine the performance differences on the Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA) among different IQ level groups. Method: The present study examined the results of the TOVA with 138 elementary students aged 6 to 10 years who were assigned to one of four different groups based on their scores from the Wechsler Nonverbal Scale of Ability (WNV; low average: IQ < 90, average: IQ between 90 and 109, high average: IQ between 110 and 119, superior: IQ between 120 and 129, and very superior: IQ > 129). The latter two groups were combined. Results: On all TOVA measures (response time, response time variability, errors of omission and commission, and ADHD scores), intellectual functioning significantly influenced performance. Conclusion: The results of the present study indicate that performance on the TOVA was affected by intellectual functioning.
Examining Strategies to Build and Sustain Healthy Aging Programming Collaboratives
Authors: Altpeter Mary , Schneider Ellen Caylor , Whitelaw Nancy
Published: October 2014

Background. Community collaboratives provide a means to build local capacity, reduce service fragmentation and duplication, maximize efficiency, and create synergies for systems change. But what are the collaborative practices that aging services providers and other stakeholders employ for system change and impact in evidence-based programming for older adults? Purpose. The aim of this study was to learn how aging and health collaborations created strategic partnerships to foster multisector systems change and pursue long-term goals and near-term activities to sustain and expand evidence-based health programming. Methods. Via a multiphase process, we identified eight geographically diverse, exemplar agencies that serve as the coordinators for various community collaborations. Using an interview protocol culled from the literature, we conducted on-site, in-depth interviews with leadership and partners. Results. Four creative strategies emerged across sites as contributing to the growth and sustainability of evidence-based health programming including engagement of nontraditional partners, development of new relationships with health care, building of innovative systems of structures and tools, and systematically working with vulnerable populations. Opportunities for future initiatives include enhancing linkages with health care, advocating for the value of evidence-based programming, supporting local program development and adaptation, and developing marketing strategies and business models. Conclusion. These eight organizations are leveraging their historic strengths and newly acquired expertise to extend health programming beyond established partners and funding silos. The four strategies and specific activities reflected in their work have laid a solid foundation for expanding and embedding future initiatives and positively impacting the health of older adults.
A Randomized Trial to Measure the Impact of a Community-Based Cognitive Training Intervention on Balance and Gait in Cognitively Intact Black Older Adults
Authors: Smith-Ray Renae L. , Makowski-Woidan Beth , Hughes Susan L.
Published: October 2014

Introduction. Fall prevention is important for maintaining mobility and independence into old age. Approaches for reducing falls include exercise, tai chi, and home modifications; however, causes of falling are multifactorial and include not just physical but cognitive factors. Cognitive decline occurs with age, but older adults with the greatest declines in executive function experience more falls. The purpose of this study was twofold: to demonstrate the feasibility of a community-based cognitive training program for cognitively intact Black older adults and to analyze its impact on gait and balance in this population. Method. This pilot study used a pretest/posttest randomized trial design with assignment to an intervention or control group. Participants assigned to the intervention completed a computer-based cognitive training class that met 2 days a week for 60 min over 10 weeks. Classes were held at senior/community centers. Primary outcomes included balance as measured by the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), 10-meter gait speed, and 10-meter gait speed under visuospatial dual-task condition. All measures were assessed at baseline and immediately post-intervention. Results. Participants were community-dwelling Black adults with a mean age of 72.5 and history of falls ( N = 45). Compared to controls, intervention participants experienced statistically significant improvements in BBS and gait speed. Mean performance on distracted gait speed also improved more for intervention participants compared to controls. Conclusion. Findings from this pilot randomized trial demonstrate the feasibility of a community-based cognitive training intervention. They provide initial evidence that cognitive training may be an efficacious approach toward improving balance and gait in older adults known to have a history of falls.
A Mixed-Methods Randomized Controlled Trial of Financial Incentives and Peer Networks to Promote Walking Among Older Adults
Authors: Kullgren Jeffrey T. , Harkins Kristin A. , Bellamy Scarlett L. , Gonzales Amy , Tao Yuanyuan , Zhu Jingsan , Volpp Kevin G. , Asch David A. , Heisler Michele , Karlawish Jason
Published: October 2014

Background. Financial incentives and peer networks could be delivered through eHealth technologies to encourage older adults to walk more. Methods. We conducted a 24-week randomized trial in which 92 older adults with a computer and Internet access received a pedometer, daily walking goals, and weekly feedback on goal achievement. Participants were randomized to weekly feedback only (Comparison), entry into a lottery with potential to earn up to $200 each week walking goals were met (Financial Incentive), linkage to four other participants through an online message board (Peer Network), or both interventions (Combined). Main outcomes were the proportion of days walking goals were met during the 16-week intervention and 8-week follow-up. We conducted a content analysis of messages posted by Peer Network and Combined arm participants. Results. During the 16-week intervention, there were no differences in the proportion of days walking goals were met in the Financial Incentive (39.7%; p = .78), Peer Network (24.9%; p = .08), and Combined (36.0%; p = .77) arms compared with the Comparison arm (36.0%). During 8 weeks of follow-up, the proportion of days walking goals were met was lower in the Peer Network arm (18.7%; p = .025) but not in the Financial Incentive (29.3%; p = .50) or Combined (24.8%; p = .37) arms, relative to the Comparison arm (34.5%). Messages posted by participants focused on barriers to walking and provision of social support. Conclusions. Financial incentives and peer networks delivered through eHealth technologies did not result in older adults walking more.
Preparing the Workforce for Healthy Aging Programs
Authors: Frank Janet C. , Altpeter Mary , Damron-Rodriguez JoAnn , Driggers Joann , Lachenmayr Susan , Manning Colleen , Martinez Dana M. , Price Rachel M. , Robinson Patricia
Published: October 2014

Current public health and aging service agency personnel have little training in gerontology, and virtually no training in evidence-based health promotion and disease management programs for older adults. These programs are rapidly becoming the future of our community-based long-term care support system. The purpose of this project was to develop and test a model community college career technical education program, Skills for Healthy Aging Resources and Programs (SHARP), for undergraduate college students, current personnel in aging service and community organizations, and others interested in retraining. A multidisciplinary cross-sector team from disciplines of public health, sociology, gerontology and nursing developed four competency-based courses that focus on healthy aging, behavior change strategies, program management, an internship, and an option for leader training in the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program. To enhance implementation and fidelity, intensive faculty development training was provided to all instructors and community agency partners. Baseline and postprogram evaluation of competencies for faculty and students was conducted. Process evaluation for both groups focused on satisfaction with the curricula and suggestions for program improvement. SHARP has been piloted five times at two community colleges. Trainees ( n = 113) were primarily community college students ( n = 108) and current aging service personnel ( n = 5). Statistically significant improvements in all competencies were found for both faculty and students. Process evaluation outcomes identified the needed logical and component adaptations to enhance the feasibility of program implementation, dissemination, and student satisfaction. The SHARP program provides a well-tested, evidence-based effective model for addressing workforce preparation in support of healthy aging service program expansion and delivery.
Public-Interest Values and Program Sustainability
Authors: Chelimsky Eleanor
Published: October 2014

Evaluating the longer-term sustainability of government programs and policies seems in many ways to go beyond the boundaries of typical evaluation practice. Not only have intervention failures over time been difficult to predict, but the question of sustainability itself tends to fall outside current evaluation thinking, timing and functions. This article is an effort to find some unifying concept that would allow evaluators to encompass the issue of sustainability within an evaluation framework, and to develop a set of criteria that could measure and account for unpredicted – but not necessarily unpredictable – changes in policy that have often affected sustainability in the past. What, for example, could evaluators do – without mingling in politics – to improve the quality of program or policy formulation, and hence potentially, sustainability itself? The author argues : (1) that there are (at least) 19 elements or values associated with the public interest in the United States – some consensual, some controversial – that can help clarify underlying policies, their likely changes, and their potential ramifications for sustainability; (2) that these values, and the preferred balances among them, would be different for different nations; (3) that some among these values will be more relevant than others to particular evaluations; (4) that there are both changes to current practice and new research that would eventually be needed; and (5) that both evaluation and sustainability could benefit from such an endeavor.
Symptoms of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Nonsyndromic Orofacial Cleft Children, and Dopamine Polymorphisms
Authors: Hopkins Emily E. , Wallace Meredith L. , Conley Yvette P. , Marazita Mary L.
Published: October 2014

Purpose:

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common childhood neurobehavioral disorder characterized by inattention, poor impulse control, and motor restlessness. Risk factors include familial stressors, anxiety disorders, learning disabilities, abnormal brain development, heritability, and dopamine polymorphisms. Children with an orofacial clefting (OFC) history are at increased risk of familial stressors, anxiety disorders, learning disabilities, and abnormal brain development. Given this overlap, we present a conceptual model proposing that children with OFC may be more likely to exhibit ADHD symptoms than children without and explore this relationship using pilot data.

Design:

This cross-sectional pilot study included 29 children with OFC or a first-degree relative with OFC recruited through a cleft research registry.

Methods:

The Disruptive Behavior Disorder Scale was used to collect data on children’s ADHD symptoms. Saliva or whole blood samples were collected from children and parents for DNA analyses. ADHD-associated dopamine polymorphisms within the DRD4, DRD2, and DAT1 genes were genotyped. We tested for associations between presence of OFC and dopamine polymorphisms. Mixed-effects models tested whether children with OFC and dopamine polymorphisms had more ADHD symptoms.

Results:

The DRD4 4-repeat allele was associated with increased inattentive ADHD symptoms ( p = .03). Having the DRD2 Taq1A1 allele and OFC predicted fewer ( p = .02) inattentive ADHD symptoms. Children with OFC were significantly less likely to have the DAT1 10-repeat allele ( p = .04). Conclusions: Results indicate that further investigation among a larger sample of children with OFC is warranted, particularly for relationships with inattentive ADHD.
Death in Vienna
Authors: Siemens Elena
Published: October 2014

“Death in Vienna” is intended as an introduction to this themed issue on The Dark Spectacle: Landscapes of Devastation in Film and Photography. Drawing on Susan Sontag’s Regarding the Pain of Others, the articles gathered here address the representation of unsettling subject matter (war, ecological catastrophe, destructive urbanization) in a variety of visual media. The collection’s specific focus is on the important role played by space in the depiction of disturbing events. Do images portraying death and destruction generate documents, or do they create works of art? Does their beauty drain “attention from the sobering subject?” “Death in Vienna” addresses these and other related questions with reference to Yevgeny Khaldei’s photography, specifically a shocking image he took in Vienna during the final days of the World War II. Together with Sontag, this article also questions our “right to look” at images of extreme suffering.
A systematic review of intermittent pneumatic compression for critical limb ischaemia
Authors: Moran Patrick S , Teljeur Conor , Harrington Patricia , Ryan Mairin
Published: October 2014

Intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) is designed to aid wound healing and limb salvage for patients with critical limb ischaemia who are not candidates for revascularisation. We conducted a systematic review of the literature to identify and critically appraise the evidence supporting its use in this population. A search was conducted in Embase, MEDLINE and clinical trial registries up to the end of March 2013. No date or language restrictions were applied. Quality assessment was performed by two people independently. Quality was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool and the NICE case-series assessment tool. Two controlled before-and-after (CBA) studies and six case series were identified. One retrospective CBA study involving compression of the calf reported improved limb salvage and wound healing (OR 7.00, 95% CI 1.82 to 26.89, p<0.01). One prospective CBA study involving sequential compression of the foot and calf reported statistically significant improvements in claudication distances and SF-36 quality of life scores. No difference in all-cause mortality was found. Complications included pain associated with compression, as well as skin abrasion and contact rash as a result of the cuff rubbing against the skin. All studies had a high risk of bias. In conclusion, the limited available results suggest that IPC may be associated with improved limb salvage, wound healing and pain management. However, in the absence of additional well-designed analytical studies examining the effect of IPC in critical limb ischaemia, this treatment remains unproven.
The relationship between fitness and health-related quality of life and the mediating role of self-determined motivation in overweight adolescents
Authors: Riiser Kirsti , Ommundsen Yngvar , Småstuen Milada Cvancarova , Løndal Knut , Misvær Nina , Helseth Sølvi
Published: October 2014

Aim: To examine the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among overweight adolescents and to test whether this relationship is mediated by body image (BI) and self-determined motivation for physical activity (PA) and exercise. Methods: One hundred and twenty adolescents identified as overweight or obese were recruited through the school health service. The participants completed self-report instruments measuring HRQoL, BI and self-determined motivation for physical activity and exercise in addition to a 20 m shuttle-run test, and body mass index was calculated. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to evaluate the hypothesised five-dimensional structure of the Behavioural Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-2 (BREQ-2) used to measure self-determined motivation. Associations between the study variables were explored using univariate linear regression. Mediation was tested by a multistage regression approach. Results: The five-dimensional model of BREQ-2 showed acceptable fit for the data. We revealed a statistically significant association between cardiorespiratory fitness and HRQoL (4.16 [0.3–8.02]; p < .05). CRF failed to affect BI in the first mediation equation. Hence, body image was excluded from further analyses. However, self-determined motivation proved to mediate the relationship between CRF and HRQoL. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that the motivational mechanisms related to fitness can contribute to explain the association between CRF and HRQoL in overweight adolescents. The findings are important from a public health point of view and should be taken into account in the development of PA interventions for overweight and obese adolescents for the potential enhancement of their physical and psychosocial well-being.
Muscle strength, power and cardiorespiratory fitness are associated with bone mineral density in men aged 31–60 years
Authors: Schwarz Peter , Jørgensen Niklas , Nielsen Barbara , Laursen Anne Sofie , Linneberg Allan , Aadahl Mette
Published: October 2014

Background: Osteoporotic fractures represent a growing economical burden to society, not only because of fractures in women, but also because of an increasing number of fractures in men. Aims: In this cross-sectional study we aimed to investigate the association of muscular and cardio-respiratory fitness with BMD at the spine and hip in men. Results: The association between independent variables maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max), leg power and hand grip strength, and dependent variables BMD at the spine and total hip was explored in a series of linear regression models successively adjusted for age, weight and height, smoking, alcohol intake and leisure time physical activity level. In the fully adjusted model we found a significant association of VO2max with BMD at the lumbar spine, p<0.0089. Furthermore, we observed significant associations of VO2max (p<0.0022) and leg power (p<0.011) with BMD at total hip. Conclusions: We found that cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with BMD in men. Furthermore, hand grip strength and leg power were associated with increasing BMD at the lumbar spine and total hip in men, respectively. Further prospective studies are needed to further investigate the association between physical activity and BMD in men.
Digital and networked by default? Women’s organisations and the social imaginary of networked feminism
Authors: Fotopoulou Aristea
Published: October 2014

This article analyses the social imaginary of ‘networked feminism’ as an ideological construct of legitimate political engagement, drawing on ethnographic study conducted with London-based women’s organisations. For many women’s groups, the desire to connect echoes libertarian visions of Web 2.0 as an ‘open’ and ‘shared’ space, and it is encouraged by widely circulating governmental narratives of digital inclusion. In the context of public services becoming digital by default, and severe funding cuts to volunteer organisations in the United Kingdom, feminist organisations are invited to revise the allocation of resources, in order to best accommodate the setting up of digital platforms, and at the same time, to maintain their political and social aims. It is argued that there are tensions between the imaginaries of a ‘digital sisterhood’ and the material realities of women’s organisations: age, lack of resources and media literacy were found to be the three most important factors that modulate participation, and in many cases become new types of exclusions of access to publicity and recognition. By interrogating the circulation of dominant liberal narratives of digital engagement and digital inclusion that motivate new communicative practices between many feminist organisations today, the article offers a fuller understanding of networked media and activism for social justice.
Effects of a restricted fetal growth environment on human kidney morphology, cell apoptosis and gene expression
Authors: Wang Yan-Ping , Chen Xu , Zhang Zhi-Kun , Cui Hong-Yan , Wang Peng , Wang Yue
Published: October 2014

Objective:

Kidney development is key to the onset of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases in adults, and in the fetal stage will be impaired by a lack of nutrients in utero in animal models. However, few human studies have been performed.

Methods:

Kidney samples from fetuses in a fetal growth restriction (FGR) environment were collected and the morphological characteristics were observed. Potentially molecular mechanisms were explored by analyzing apoptosis and kidney-development related gene expression.

Results:

The results indicated that no malformations were observed in the kidney samples of the FGR group, but the mean kidney weight and volume were significantly decreased. Moreover, the ratio of apoptotic cells and Bax-positive cells was increased and the ratio of Bcl-2-positive cells was decreased in the FGR group, indicating potential apoptosis induction under an in utero FGR environment. Finally, aberrant expression of renin and angiotensinogen indicated potential kidney functional abnormalities in the FGR group.

Conclusions:

Our study suggested increased apoptosis and decreased renin and angiotensinogen expression during human kidney development in an FGR environment. The current results will be helpful to further explore the molecular mechanism of FGR and facilitate future studies of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases and the establishment of preventive methods.