bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cord Blood Lysophosphatidylcholine 16: 1 is Positively Associated with Birth Weight
Authors: Lu Yong-Ping , Reichetzeder Christoph , Prehn Cornelia , Yin Liang-Hong , Yun Chen , Zeng Shufei , Chu Chang , Adamski Jerzy , Hocher Berthold
Published: February 2018

Background/Aims: Impaired birth outcomes, like low birth weight, have consistently been associated with increased disease susceptibility to hypertension in later life. Alterations in the maternal or fetal metabolism might impact on fetal growth and influence birth outcomes. Discerning associations between the maternal and fetal metabolome and surrogate parameters of fetal growth could give new insight into the complex relationship between intrauterine conditions, birth outcomes, and later life disease susceptibility. Methods: Using flow injection tandem mass spectrometry, targeted metabolomics was performed in serum samples obtained from 226 mother/child pairs at delivery. Associations between neonatal birth weight and concentrations of 163 maternal and fetal metabolites were analyzed. Results: After FDR adjustment using the Benjamini-Hochberg procedure lysophosphatidylcholines (LPC) 14: 0, 16: 1, and 18: 1 were strongly positively correlated with birth weight. In a stepwise linear regression model corrected for established confounding factors of birth weight, LPC 16: 1 showed the strongest independent association with birth weight (CI: 93.63 - 168.94; P = 6.94×10-11 ). The association with birth weight was stronger than classical confounding factors such as offspring sex (CI: -258.81- -61.32; P = 0.002) and maternal smoking during pregnancy (CI: -298.74 - -29.51; P = 0.017). Conclusions: After correction for multiple testing and adjustment for potential confounders, LPC 16: 1 showed a very strong and independent association with birth weight. The underlying molecular mechanisms linking fetal LPCs with birth weight need to be addressed in future studies.
Fetal Serum Metabolites Are Independently Associated with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Lu Yong-Ping , Reichetzeder Christoph , Prehn Cornelia , von Websky Karoline , Slowinski Torsten , Chen You-Peng , Yin Liang-Hong , Kleuser Burkhard , Yang Xue-Song , Adamski Jerzy , Hocher Berthold
Published: February 2018

Background/Aims: Gestational diabetes (GDM) might be associated with alterations in the metabolomic profile of affected mothers and their offspring. Until now, there is a paucity of studies that investigated both, the maternal and the fetal serum metabolome in the setting of GDM. Mounting evidence suggests that the fetus is not just passively affected by gestational disease but might play an active role in it. Metabolomic studies performed in maternal blood and fetal cord blood could help to better discern distinct fetal from maternal disease interactions. Methods: At the time of birth, serum samples from mothers and newborns (cord blood samples) were collected and screened for 163 metabolites utilizing tandem mass spectrometry. The cohort consisted of 412 mother/child pairs, including 31 cases of maternal GDM. Results: An initial non-adjusted analysis showed that eight metabolites in the maternal blood and 54 metabolites in the cord blood were associated with GDM. After Benjamini-Hochberg (BH) procedure and adjustment for confounding factors for GDM, fetal phosphatidylcholine acyl-alkyl C 32: 1 and proline still showed an independent association with GDM. Conclusions: This study found metabolites in cord blood which were associated with GDM, even after adjustment for established risk factors of GDM. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating an independent association between fetal serum metabolites and maternal GDM. Our findings might suggest a potential effect of the fetal metabolome on maternal GDM.
AVALIAÇÃO PÓS-OCUPAÇÃO NO ENSINO DE PROJETO DE ARQUITETURA: UMA EXPERIÊNCIA DIDÁTICO-PEDAGÓGICA NA DISCIPLINA “ATELIER DE PROJETO INTEGRADO V”
Authors: Villa Simone Barbosa , Saramago Rita de Cássia Pereira , Araújo Débora Cristina
Published: February 2018

A relevância da Avaliação Pós-Ocupação (APO) para obtenção da qualidade do projeto de arquitetura tem sido comprovada por diversas pesquisas na área da construção civil. Aspectos relacionados à gestão do processo de projeto, em que a APO se insere, e seu papel no atendimento à qualidade dos espaços construídos, notadamente nas habitações, também já foram amplamente discutidos. Assim evidencia-se a profunda relação existente entre a aferição do comportamento humano no espaço doméstico e a qualidade habitacional como forma de se elevar os índices de satisfação dos usuários e de promover a melhoria do desempenho dos projetos, especialmente para novas propostas. É nesse sentido que se encontra a contribuição da APO para o ensino de projeto. Este artigo discute, portanto, a validade do emprego de instrumentos de APO como metodologia diferenciada de ensino que pode se constituir como elemento norteador do processo projetual em disciplinas de projeto, ou ateliê, na graduação em Arquitetura e Urbanismo. Para tanto, apresenta a experiência didático-pedagógica que vem sendo desenvolvida na disciplina Atelier de Projeto Integrado V, cujo tema é Habitação de Interesse Social (HIS), ministrada a alunos do quinto período do curso de Arquitetura e Urbanismo da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia. Essa disciplina busca desenvolver uma visão crítica sobre a atual produção de HIS no Brasil, através de aulas expositivas, da apresentação de obras referenciais e da aproximação dos alunos com a realidade analisada mediante a aplicação de algumas técnicas de avaliação em estudos de caso. Os resultados dessa experiência têm demonstrado que a APO pode influenciar o processo de concepção projetual, especialmente no caso dos estudantes, profissionais em formação, instigando-os no desenvolvimento de soluções que visem reduzir e/ou sanar as problemáticas identificadas.
Impact of Atrial Fibrillation During ST-Segment–Elevation Myocardial Infarction on Infarct Characteristics and Prognosis
Authors: Reinstadler Sebastian J. , Stiermaier Thomas , Eitel Charlotte , Fuernau Georg , Saad Mohammed , Pöss Janine , de Waha Suzanne , Mende Meinhard , Desch Steffen , Metzler Bernhard , Thiele Holger , Eitel Ingo
Published: February 2018

Background—

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is frequently observed in patients with ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction and associated with worse clinical outcome. However, the mechanisms for this increased risk are not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of the presence of AF to cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) derived myocardial salvage and damage as well as clinical outcomes.

Methods and Results—

This multicenter CMR study enrolled 786 patients with ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction. CMR parameters (infarct size, myocardial salvage index, microvascular obstruction, and myocardial function) were assessed 3 (interquartile range [IQR], 2–4) days post-ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction and compared between patients with or without AF during hospitalization. Major adverse cardiac events were assessed as a composite of all-cause death, reinfarction, and new congestive heart failure at 12 months. AF was documented in 48 (6.1%) patients. There was no significant difference in infarct size (18 [IQR, 9–29]% versus 17 [IQR, 9–25]% of left ventricular mass;
P
=0.340), myocardial salvage index (51 [IQR, 34–69] versus 51 [IQR, 33–69];
P
=0.830), or microvascular obstruction (0.6 [IQR, 0–2.0]% versus 0.0 [IQR, 0–1.8]% of left ventricular mass;
P
=0.340) between groups. Patients with AF had significantly lower left ventricular (47 [IQR, 34–54]% versus 51 [IQR, 44–58]%;
P
=0.003) and left atrial (42 [IQR, 17–57]% versus 53 [IQR, 45–59]%;
P
<0.001) ejection fraction. AF was associated with major adverse cardiac events, even when adjusting for clinical risk factors (odds ratio, 2.48 [95% confidence interval, 1.22–5.03];
P
=0.0120) or CMR prognosis markers (odds ratio, 3.77 [95% confidence interval, 1.83–7.79];
P
=0.001).

Conclusions—

This CMR study found no major differences in myocardial salvage, infarct size, or microvascular damage in patients with ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction or without AF. AF was, however, associated with cardiac dysfunction and independently related to major adverse cardiac events.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00712101.
Randomized Comparisons of Double-Dose Clopidogrel or Adjunctive Cilostazol Versus Standard Dual Antiplatelet in Patients With High Posttreatment Platelet Reactivity
Authors: Tang Yi-Da , Wang Wenyao , Yang Min , Zhang Kuo , Chen Jing , Qiao Shubin , Yan Hongbing , Wu Yongjian , Huang Xiaohong , Xu Bo , Gao Runlin , Yang Yuejin , Yuan Xun , Ji Hongwen , Zhou Zhou , Liu Zhaohui , Chen Jue , Yuan Jinqing , Liu Haibo , Qian Jie , Hu Fenghuan , Shao Chunli , Zhao Hanjun , Hua Yihong , Lu Jie
Published: February 2018

Background:

Patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention react differently to antiplatelet drugs. Those with low responsiveness to clopidogrel have a higher risk of cardiac ischemic events. The goal of this study is to conduct a head-to-head comparison of the safety and effectiveness of intensified antiplatelet therapies (either double-dose clopidogrel [DOUBLE] or adjunctive cilostazol [TRIPLE]) and conventional strategy (STANDARD) in patients after percutaneous coronary intervention.

Methods:

In this single-center, randomized, controlled trial, we used thromboelastography, a platelet function test, to select 1078 patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention at high thrombotic risk and compared the intensified antiplatelet therapies with standard antiplatelet therapy. The primary outcome was the incidence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events at 18 months after percutaneous coronary intervention, defined as a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, target vessel revascularization, or stroke. Bleeding Academic Research Consortium defined bleeding complications (types 1, 2, 3, or 5) were the safety end points.

Results:

The primary end point occurred in 52 patients (14.4%) in the STANDARD group, 38 patients (10.6%) in the DOUBLE group, and 30 patients (8.5%) in the TRIPLE group (hazard ratio, 0.720; 95% confidence interval, 0.474–1.094, DOUBLE versus STANDARD; hazard ratio, 0.550; 95% confidence interval, 0.349–0.866, TRIPLE versus STANDARD). No significant difference in the rates of major bleeding (Bleeding Academic Research Consortium grade≥3) was found in the DOUBLE group (3.34% versus 1.93% in STANDARD,
P
=0.133) and the TRIPLE group (2.53% versus 1.93% in STANDARD,
P
=0.240). The rate of Bleeding Academic Research Consortium–defined minor bleeding increased in the DOUBLE group (27.4% versus 20.3% in STANDARD,
P
=0.031), but not in the TRIPLE group (23.6% versus 20.3% in STANDARD,
P
=0.146).

Conclusions:

In patients with low responsiveness to clopidogrel, as measured by thromboelastography, the intensified antiplatelet strategies with adjunctive use of cilostazol significantly improved the clinical outcomes without increasing the risk of major bleeding. Decreased trend of negative outcomes could be observed in patients with double dosage of clopidogrel, but the difference was not significant.

Clinical Trial Registration:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT01779401.
Lacunar Infarcts, but Not Perivascular Spaces, Are Predictors of Cognitive Decline in Cerebral Small-Vessel Disease
Authors: Benjamin Philip , Trippier Sarah , Lawrence Andrew J. , Lambert Christian , Zeestraten Eva , Williams Owen A. , Patel Bhavini , Morris Robin G. , Barrick Thomas R. , MacKinnon Andrew D. , Markus Hugh S.
Published: February 2018

Background and Purpose—

Cerebral small-vessel disease is a major cause of cognitive impairment. Perivascular spaces (PvS) occur in small-vessel disease, but their relationship to cognitive impairment remains uncertain. One reason may be difficulty in distinguishing between lacunes and PvS. We determined the relationship between baseline PvS score and PvS volume with change in cognition over a 5-year follow-up. We compared this to the relationship between baseline lacune count and total lacune volume with cognition. In addition, we examined change in PvS volume over time.

Methods—

Data from the prospective SCANS study (St Georges Cognition and Neuroimaging in Stroke) of patients with symptomatic lacunar stroke and confluent leukoaraiosis were used (n=121). Multimodal magnetic resonance imaging was performed annually for 3 years and neuropsychological testing annually for 5 years. Lacunes were manually identified and distinguished from PvS. PvS were rated using a validated visual rating scale, and PvS volumes calculated using T1-weighted images. Linear mixed-effect models were used to determine the impact of PvS and lacunes on cognition.

Results—

Baseline PvS scores or volumes showed no association with cognitive indices. No change was detectable in PvS volumes over the 3 years. In contrast, baseline lacunes associated with all cognitive indices and predicted cognitive decline over the 5-year follow-up.

Conclusions—

Although a feature of small-vessel disease, PvS are not a predictor of cognitive decline, in contrast to lacunes. This study highlights the importance of carefully differentiating between lacunes and PvS in studies investigating vascular cognitive impairment.
Stroke Self-Management Support Improves Survivors’ Self-Efficacy and Outcome Expectation of Self-Management Behaviors
Authors: Lo Suzanne H.S. , Chang Anne M. , Chau Janita P.C.
Published: February 2018

Background and Purpose—

Evidence shows self-management programs are associated with improved recovery outcomes. This article reports on the effectiveness of a new nurse-led self-efficacy–based stroke self-management program.

Methods—

A randomized controlled trial of participants recruited from 3 acute stroke units was conducted. The intervention group received the 4-week stroke self-management program. The control group received usual care. All participants were assessed at baseline and 8 weeks after randomization. Data were analyzed using generalized estimating equations. Outcomes included self-efficacy, outcome expectation, and satisfaction with performance of self-management behaviors.

Results—

One hundred twenty-eight participants were randomized with mean age, 67.46 years (SD, 11.95); 59% men; and mean duration poststroke, 45 days (SD, 26.16). At 8 weeks of follow-up in the intention-to-treat population, the intervention group improved significantly in self-efficacy (95% confidence interval, 2.55–12.45;
P
<0.01), outcome expectation (95% confidence interval, 5.47–14.01;
P
<0.01), and satisfaction with performance of self-management behaviors (95% confidence interval, 3.38–13.87;
P
<0.01) compared with the control. Similar results were obtained at 8 weeks of follow-up in the per-protocol population.

Conclusions—

The stroke self-management program improved survivors’ self-efficacy, outcome expectation, and satisfaction with performance of self-management behaviors.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT02112955.
Theta-band Oscillations in the Middle Temporal Gyrus Reflect Novel Word Consolidation
Authors: Bakker-Marshall Iske , Takashima Atsuko , Schoffelen Jan-Mathijs , van Hell Janet G. , Janzen Gabriele , McQueen James M.
Published: February 2018

Like many other types of memory formation, novel word learning benefits from an offline consolidation period after the initial encoding phase. A previous EEG study has shown that retrieval of novel words elicited more word-like-induced electrophysiological brain activity in the theta band after consolidation [Bakker, I., Takashima, A., van Hell, J. G., Janzen, G., & McQueen, J. M. Changes in theta and beta oscillations as signatures of novel word consolidation. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 27, 1286–1297, 2015]. This suggests that theta-band oscillations play a role in lexicalization, but it has not been demonstrated that this effect is directly caused by the formation of lexical representations. This study used magnetoencephalography to localize the theta consolidation effect to the left posterior middle temporal gyrus (pMTG), a region known to be involved in lexical storage. Both untrained novel words and words learned immediately before test elicited lower theta power during retrieval than existing words in this region. After a 24-hr consolidation period, the difference between novel and existing words decreased significantly, most strongly in the left pMTG. The magnitude of the decrease after consolidation correlated with an increase in behavioral competition effects between novel words and existing words with similar spelling, reflecting functional integration into the mental lexicon. These results thus provide new evidence that consolidation aids the development of lexical representations mediated by the left pMTG. Theta synchronization may enable lexical access by facilitating the simultaneous activation of distributed semantic, phonological, and orthographic representations that are bound together in the pMTG.
Females and males respond more strongly to duets than to female solos: comparing the function of duet and solo singing in a tropical songbird (Icterus icterus)
Authors: Odom Karan J. , Omland Kevin E.
Published: February 2018

Both females and males of many animals possess elaborate displays, such as solo songs and duets of songbirds. We know little about the function of female song or what selects for duets. To examine their possible functions, we played female solos, duets and a heterospecific control to pairs of troupials (Icterus icterus). Both sexes responded strongly to duets by approaching the playback speaker significantly closer, faster, and more often compared to female solos or the control. Neither sex responded strongly to female solos; troupials approached closer, sang sooner, and duetted more following female solos than the control, but this difference was not significant. Our results indicate that troupial duets pose a greater threat than female solos and female troupial solos are not particularly threatening. Troupial duets may be especially threatening because they indicate the presence of a mated pair, which likely poses a greater territorial threat than lone, unmated birds.
Domestic Political Incentives, Congressional Support, and U.S. Mediation
Authors: Todhunter James P.
Published: February 2018

Powerful states have numerous resources that can be mobilized in mediation processes. However, evidence suggests that such states are not more likely to be successful than other mediators. This article examinesU.S.mediations through the lens of foreign policy decision making and argues that leaders make foreign policy decisions primarily with their domestic consequences in mind. Further, it contends that presidential administrations seek to build a record of success in order to improve their domestic political fortunes based on the policy options available to them. The study tests two explanations of foreign policy substitution based on domestic conditions and institutional configurations, the “party cover” and “policy availability” arguments, forU.S.mediations from 1945–1999. Results for the party cover argument are more robust, suggesting that domestic conditions play an important role in the decision to engage in mediation and imply that successful mediation is secondary to domestic politics.
Surveying Climate Services: What Can We Learn from a Bird’s-Eye View?
Authors: Vaughan Catherine , Dessai Suraje , Hewitt Chris
Published: February 2018

Billed as the creation and provision of timely, tailored information for decision-making at all levels of society, climate services have garnered a great deal of attention in recent years. Despite this growing attention, strategies to design, diagnose, and evaluate climate services remain relatively ad hoc—and while a general sense of what constitutes “good practice” in climate service provision is developing in some areas, and with respect to certain aspects of service provision, a great deal about the effective implementation of such service remains unknown. This article reviews a sample of more than 100 climate service activities as a means to generate a snapshot of the state of the field in 2012. It is found that a “typical climate service” at this time was provided by a national meteorological service operating on a national scale to provide seasonal climate information to agricultural decision-makers online. The analysis shows that the field of climate services is still emerging—marked by contested definitions, an emphasis on capacity development, uneven progress toward coproduction, uncertain funding streams, and a lack of evaluation activities—and stands as a signpost against which the development of the field can be measured. The article also reflects on the relative contribution of this sort of sampling activity in informing “good practice” and offers suggestions for how both sampling and case study efforts can be better designed to increase the potential for learning. This article concludes with some observations on the relative contribution that broad-based analyses can play in informing this emerging field.
The Emergence and Volatility of Homesickness in Exchange Students Abroad: A Smartphone-Based Longitudinal Study
Authors: Götz Friedrich M. , Stieger Stefan , Reips Ulf-Dietrich
Published: February 2018

Previous research on the determinants of homesickness has tended to produce inconsistent results and relied mostly on cross-sectional assessments. To capture the longitudinal perspective, we conducted a smartphone app-based study, monitoring the emergence and volatility of homesickness in international university exchange students ( n = 148). Applying an experience sampling method (ESM), homesickness was measured every second day over a period of 3 months followed by a post hoc questionnaire to assess potential moderators. Multilevel modeling revealed that whereas age, Extraversion, Conscientiousness, Openness to Experience, voluntariness, previous stays abroad, support from host university, geographical distance, co- and host national identification, language proficiency, and pre-data collection duration of stay did not yield any effects, being male, scoring high on Neuroticism as well as Agreeableness, having difficulties in sociocultural adaptation, and being at the beginning of the stay (as opposed to later on) were related to higher levels of homesickness. Corroborating the latter finding, curve estimation regression analyses showed that homesickness normally peaks immediately after relocation and fades away afterward. Together with the low overall intensities of homesickness found in the present sample, the results suggest that homesickness is a common but mild adverse by-product of international student mobility.
Creative health promotion methods for young LGBTIQA+ people
Authors: Bellamy Roz
Published: February 2018

This paper evaluates the potential efficacy of using life writing to address mental health disparities and to promote health and well-being among young LGBTIQA+ persons. It examines the potential benefits of young LGBTIQA+ people engaging with life writing including memoir, autobiography, creative nonfiction, journaling and digital storytelling. These benefits include exploring identity and making sense of one’s experiences, unifying and empowering marginalised communities, providing people with agency, illuminating common experiences, and facilitating the exchange of resources and support. It evaluates current developments in literacy and English education and identifies an increasing trend towards neo-liberalism and economic discourses, potentially at the expense of providing opportunities for young people to develop creativity and engage in self-exploration. It discusses the author’s experiences in running life writing workshops with groups of LGBTIQA+ young people and offers suggestions on how to run similar workshops in educational and wider community settings, including possible prompts, modes of working and debriefing the participants. Overall, the findings suggest that life writing can be used to improve the health and well-being of LGBTIQA+ young people; however, the paper concludes that this sort of intervention needs to be run respectfully, strategically and with full awareness of how sensitive and traumatic the content may be that can emerge for young people. For this reason, the paper presents guidelines and recommendations to provide structure and support.
Preservice Teachers’ Mathematics Teaching Competence: Comparing Performance on Two Measures
Authors: Santagata Rossella , Sandholtz Judith Haymore
Published: February 2018

This exploratory study examines the relationship between preservice teachers’ performance on a teaching performance assessment for licensure in elementary mathematics and a measure of knowledge that, in studies of practicing teachers, was found to predict effective mathematics teaching. A sample of 89 preservice teachers completed the Performance Assessment for California Teachers (PACT) and the classroom video analysis (CVA) instrument. Correlation analyses found overall weak associations between measures for the whole group. For groups of high, medium, and low performers on PACT, average scores on the CVA measure and its subscales varied in the predicted direction. However, individuals within the PACT performing groups had a relatively broad range of scores on the CVA, and several preservice teachers who performed poorly on PACT had average or better than average performance on the CVA. Similarly, several of the PACT high performers scored below the whole group CVA average. In addition to suggesting areas for future research, the findings raise questions about assessing preservice teachers’ readiness to teach mathematics and the use of a single measure to make licensing decisions.
Developing Preservice Teachers’ Instructional Design Skills Through Case-Based Instruction: Examining the Impact of Discussion Format
Authors: Koehler Adrie A. , Ertmer Peggy A. , Newby Timothy J.
Published: February 2018

For more than 100 years, case-based instruction (CBI) has been an effective instructional method for building problem-solving skills in learners. While class discussion is often included as part of the CBI learning process, the impact on learning is unclear. Furthermore, little research has focused on how specific facilitation strategies influence the development of learners’ problem-solving skills. This study examined the impact of case discussion facilitation strategies on the development of preservice teachers’ problem-solving skills. Specifically, two discussion formats were compared: instructor-facilitated (class discussions guided by instructor-crafted prompts and an active facilitator) and instructor-supported (discussions guided by instructor-crafted prompts only). Results indicated that while preservice teachers’ problem-solving skills improved in both sections of the course, individuals in the instructor-facilitated section demonstrated significantly higher scores on course activities and designed instructional activities at higher cognitive levels compared with preservice teachers who participated in the instructor-supported discussions. Results underscore the importance of an active facilitator in CBI.
The role of fresh frozen plasma in reducing the volume of anti-snake venom in snakebite envenomation
Authors: Holla Subraya Krishna , Rao Harish A , Shenoy Damodara , Boloor Archith , Boyanagari Manaswitha
Published: February 2018

Snakebite associated with a venom-induced consumption coagulopathy (VICC) is a major public health problem. Our study aims to evaluate if fresh frozen plasma (FFP), administered after anti-snake venom (ASV), restores coagulability rapidly. At admission, all snakebite victims with a whole blood clotting time (WBCT) >20 min received ten vials of ASV according to World Health Organization criteria. After 6 h, at the discretion of the physician, patients with WBCT >20 min were divided into two groups. The test group received both ASV and FFP and the control group received ASV only. The mean number of ASVs used in tests and controls were 17 and 31, respectively. The clotting time normalised at 24 h and 42 h in the test group and control group, respectively. FFP appears to aid restoration of clotting factors more rapidly and thus haemorrhage and the number of anti-snake venom vials used are both reduced.
The Impact of Model Choice on Estimates of Regional TFP
Authors: Schatzer Thomas , Siller Matthias , Walde Janette , Tappeiner Gottfried
Published: February 2018

A large range of different approaches to determine a region’s total factor productivity (TFP) is currently used in the literature. As there is no generally recognized method, it is an important issue whether different approaches produce comparable results or whether results depend heavily on the chosen method. By employing a data set of 220 European regions over the period from 1990 to 2007, the present work compares a set of TFP estimation approaches and examines whether regional TFP levels and TFP growth rates obtained from the various approaches differ considerably from each other. More specifically, the neoclassical accounting approach, the cross-section approach, the pooled panel approach, and the fixed-effects approach are investigated. Furthermore, this article proposes an extension of the fixed-effects approach that allows estimation of both regional TFP levels and region-specific, long-term TFP growth rates in a single estimation procedure. The results clearly demonstrate that the choice between the examined approaches has an essential impact on estimation results for both TFP levels and TFP growth rates. From the apparent differences between the obtained results, it is reasonable to expect that follow-up analyses based on TFP estimates, for example, studies investigating the determinants of regional TFP, are affected by the model choice to a considerable extent. Therefore, it is important to examine whether one model is superior to others or whether it is only up to the scholar to choose a model.
Protection Motivation and Communication through Nanofood Labels
Authors: Cummings Christopher L. , Chuah Agnes S. F. , Ho Shirley S.
Published: February 2018

The development and use of nanotechnology in the food industry (nanofood) have grown steadily. While visions for nanofood suggest that the applications will improve quality and safety, they are also controversial for several reasons including potential health risks coupled with difficulty in assessing low-dosage nanoparticle risks as well as values-based objections. In recent years, debate over nanofoods has sparked inquiry into factors that predict public attitudes and purchase intentions. Such studies have investigated the roles of demographics and sociographics, value predispositions toward science and technology, preferences for natural products, trust in regulatory agencies, scientific knowledge, and media attention. This study assesses the role of each of these factors in shaping public attitudes toward nanofood and improves the predictive models by evaluating concepts from protection motivation theory. We find that incorporating threat and coping appraisals provides the best predictive models of public attitudes and intention to purchase nanofood products.
How Does Sibling Relationship Affect Children’s Prosocial Behaviors and Best Friend Relationship Quality?
Authors: Smorti Martina , Ponti Lucia
Published: February 2018

The aim of this study was to explore whether the sibling condition (having a sibling) and sibling relationship quality affect prosocial behaviors and best friend relationship quality, deepening the mediating role of prosocial behaviors on the relationship between sibling relationship quality and best friend relationship quality. A sample of 310 children (161 males and 149 females) aged 8 to 11 years ( M = 9.50, SD = 0.66) completed a battery of questionnaires. Results revealed that the sibling condition did not affect prosocial behaviors and best friend relationship quality. However, the quality of sibling relationships positively affected prosocial behaviors, which in turn positively influenced best friend relationship quality, supporting the mediator hypothesis. Limitations, strengths, and further development of the present study are discussed.
Respiratory-digestive tract fistula: two-center retrospective observational study
Authors: Sersar Sameh I , Maghrabi Lamees A
Published: February 2018

Background

Aerodigestive fistulae can be defined as abnormal communications between the gastrointestinal tract and the respiratory tract. Choking after meals, coughing, feeding difficulties, tachycardia, and persistent pneumonia are the main presentations. The aim of our study was to review our experience in the management of 27 cases of acquired aerodigestive fistulae of different types, levels, and management.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective observational study on 27 cases of fistulae between the respiratory and digestive tracts, which were managed in 2 hospitals in Saudi Arabia in the last 5 years. The patients comprised 16 females and 11 males, with a mean age of 29 years (range 17–67 years).

Results

The most common aerodigestive tract fistula was tracheoesophageal in 8 patients, followed by esophagobronchial in 6, and esophagopleural in 5. Four postendoscopic fistulae were included. The least common were gastropleural and esophagopulmonary fistulae. The most common etiologies were iatrogenic and esophageal cancer, and the least common was blunt chest trauma. The main presentations were fever, chocking after or during meals, and tachycardia. We used various modalities of treatment: conservative, cervical repair, thoracoabdominal repair, hybrid insertion of a T-tube, endoscopic esophageal stenting, and endoscopic clipping of the fistulous tract. During follow-up, 6 patients died due to advanced esophageal cancer in 5 and upper airway obstruction after iatrogenic tracheobronchial fistula in one.

Conclusion

Acquired aerodigestive fistula is a devastating condition that should be managed early and aggressively by a multidisciplinary team.
The family ties that protect: Expanded-self comparisons in parent–child relationships
Authors: Thai Sabrina , Lockwood Penelope , Zhu Rebecca , Li Yachen , He Joyce C.
Published: February 2018

We examine whether individuals react to social comparisons involving their parent or child as they would to comparisons involving the self. Individuals reported high self–other overlap for mother and child, but not father (Pilot Study), suggesting that individuals may experience mother’s and child’s outcomes as their own. After recalling upward comparisons, high-overlap children (undergraduate students; Study 1) protect their perceptions of their mother, but not father, and parents (with children 18 or younger; Studies 2–3), regardless of overlap, protect their perceptions of their child: They changed the meaning of threatening upward comparisons by rating domains as less important and attributing less responsibility to family members. Finally, we examined self-attributions to rule out the alternative explanation that individuals use these strategies to protect themselves because they feel personally responsible for family members’ outcomes. These studies suggest that individuals experience mother, but not father, comparisons as if they were directly involved but only if they are high in overlap. In contrast, parents experience child comparisons as if they were comparing themselves directly regardless of overlap.
Brands, Truthiness and Post-Fact
Authors: Berthon Pierre R. , Pitt Leyland F.
Published: February 2018

In the past US election cycle, and mirrored by similar events in Europe, two trends have come to dominate social discourse: truthiness (the validity of something based on how it feels) and post-fact (taking a position that ignores facts). Human discourse has always contained elements of these, but the nature of the Internet and social media has pushed truthiness and post-facts to new levels. The purpose of this paper is to explore the complicated relationship brands have with fake news and discuss the implications for brand management of a post-truth world. We explore the complicated relationship brands have with fake news: Brands both fuel fake news and are burned by it. Next, we turn to the intellectual and instrumental roots of the post-truth world: postmodernism and its technological enablers, show how marketing became a purveyor of the postmodern worldview, and how brands have increasingly adopted truthiness and post-fact positions. We offer managers a way out of the postmodern cul-de-sac, discussing ways brands can be rethought and managed in a post-rational world.
Narrative Identity: What Is It? What Does It Do? How Do You Measure It?
Authors: McAdams Dan P.
Published: February 2018

In this commentary, I provide an historical perspective on the methodological and conceptual issues that are raised by the papers in this volume, with a focus on the idea of narrative identity as it relates to autobiographical memory. Referring back to the emergence of the concept of narrative identity in the 1980s, I consider old and new ideas regarding the form and function of narrative identity and methodological challenges that arise in efforts to measure and code psychologically important features of life-narrative accounts.
The Impact of Participation in Victim-Offender Mediation Sessions on Recidivism of Serious Offenders
Authors: Stewart Lynn , Thompson Jennie , Beaudette Janelle N. , Buck Manon , Laframboise Renée , Petrellis Tania
Published: February 2018

The federal correctional agency in Canada offers victim–offender mediation services to address serious crime. The current study used survival analysis to compare revocation rates of 122 offenders who participated in facilitated face-to-face meetings to a matched sample of 122 of non-participants. Results indicated that there was no significant difference between revocation rates when offenders participated while incarcerated, although the trend was that participants did better. When the meetings were held in the community post-release, however, participants were significantly more likely to spend a longer period of time under supervision in the community without returning to custody and were less likely to be revoked than their matched counterparts. The findings support participation in restorative justice sessions while under community supervision for higher risk offenders with histories of serious and violent crimes. The authors discuss how factors not controlled in the matching procedure may have contributed to this effect.
The Dynamics of Intra-Family Relationships During Incarceration and the Implications for Children of Incarcerated Parents
Authors: Song Hyojong , Woo Youngki , Lee Heeuk D. , Cochran John K.
Published: February 2018

The current study examines effects of changes in intra-family relationships after parental incarceration on internalizing behaviors of the children of incarcerated parents. Using data from a sample of 249 incarcerated parents with minor children in South Korea, the present study found that perceived degradation of family relationships among inmate parents, their non-incarcerated spouses, and children was a significant risk factor of internalizing behaviors of children of incarcerated parents. The current study also found that inmate parents who had more frequent family contact were more likely to perceive improvements of all forms of intra-family relationships during incarceration. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Challenging Stigma: Identity Talk among Male Sex Workers in a Recovery Program
Authors: Oselin Sharon S.
Published: February 2018

Research shows that stigma can generate severe and prolonged negative consequences for particular groups. Affected populations often attempt to mitigate stigma and its effects by implementing various management tactics, such as concealment and resistance. Due to its illegality and the taboo surrounding it, people involved in street-based prostitution are especially susceptible to stigmatization. This article extends knowledge on how male sex workers cope with stigma by examining their use of identity talk—the ways in which they craft and avow personal identities that resuscitate self-worth and dignity. Identity talk unfolds within a service-provision organization, A Lift Up, and men’s relationship to this program and their views on prostitution influence their narratives. The findings highlight how identity talk shapes and is also influenced by behavior. The data consist of 21 in-depth interviews (male sex workers and staff members) and participant observations within this setting.
Coupling model of aerobic waste degradation considering temperature, initial moisture content and air injection volume
Authors: Ma Jun , Liu Lei , Ge Sai , Xue Qiang , Li Jiangshan , Wan Yong , Hui Xinminnan
Published: February 2018

A quantitative description of aerobic waste degradation is important in evaluating landfill waste stability and economic management. This research aimed to develop a coupling model to predict the degree of aerobic waste degradation. On the basis of the first-order kinetic equation and the law of conservation of mass, we first developed the coupling model of aerobic waste degradation that considered temperature, initial moisture content and air injection volume to simulate and predict the chemical oxygen demand in the leachate. Three different laboratory experiments on aerobic waste degradation were simulated to test the model applicability. Parameter sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate the reliability of parameters. The coupling model can simulate aerobic waste degradation, and the obtained simulation agreed with the corresponding results of the experiment. Comparison of the experiment and simulation demonstrated that the coupling model is a new approach to predict aerobic waste degradation and can be considered as the basis for selecting the economic air injection volume and appropriate management in the future.
Correlation of Palliative Performance Scale and Survival in Patients With Cancer Receiving Home-Based Palliative Care
Authors: Cai Jiaoli , Guerriere Denise N. , Zhao Hongzhong , Coyte Peter C.
Published: February 2018

The main objective of this study was to examine whether and how the Palliative Performance Scale (PPS), a measure of a patient’s function, was predictive of survival time for those in receipt of home-based palliative care. This was a prospective study, which included 194 cancer patients from November 17, 2013, to August 18, 2015. Data were collected from biweekly telephone interviews with caregivers. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were estimated to assess how survival time was correlated with initial PPS scores after admission to the home-based palliative care program. A multivariate extended Cox regression model was used to examine the association between PPS and survival. The results showed that patients with higher PPS scores, that is, better function, had a lower hazard ratio (0.977; 95% confidence interval: 0.965-0.989) and hence longer survival times. The PPS can be used in predicting survival time for home-based palliative care patients.
Why some patients who do not need hospitalization cannot leave: A case study of reviews in 6 Canadian hospitals
Authors: Bender Danielle , Holyoke Paul
Published: February 2018

In an optimal healthcare system, patients receive care in the most appropriate, least expensive setting. In Canada, too many patients remain in hospital well after they no longer require hospital-based care. This study examines the observations on this problem by a team with a home and community lens in six cases. The underlying issues across the six are the insufficiency of home and community supports before hospitalization, the routine underestimation of these patients’ potential for independence, the deconditioning of patients while in hospital, and hospital staff’s lack of understanding of home care. Addressing these issues would help many of these patients transition from hospital to less costly, more fitting settings.
Natural Resource Management in the U.S. Arctic: Sustainable Organizing Through Communicative Practices
Authors: Mitra Rahul
Published: February 2018

This study advances a theoretical framework of sustainable organizing, grounded in the communicative practices of key organizational actors. I situate this study in the enactment of natural resource management (NRM) in the U.S. Arctic, drawing on qualitative fieldwork and in-depth interviews. The theoretical framework hinges on four iterative sensitizing concepts—stakeholder embeddedness in local–global ecologies, constitutive role of d/Discourse, rhetoric–practice tensions, and systemic risk–resilience—that guided data analysis. Findings revealed that participants communicatively constituted NRM in terms of structural challenges and best practices. NRM’s structural challenges were rooted in discursive closure of key perspectives through past events, routinization, and design; othering of important stakeholders; and framing institutional tension as conflict. Nevertheless, participants emphasized key decision-making, relationship-building, and risk-managing clusters that enabled NRM best practices benefiting both human and natural stakeholders. The empirical study thus extends the proposed theoretical framework by demonstrating context-specific practices that enact sustainable organizing.
State Auditors in Education Policy
Authors: Hornbeck Dustin , Malin Joel
Published: February 2018

Contemporary education reform movements in the United States have emphasized accountability for student performance. Policy actors serving within the executive branch have arguably gained power in part to provide this accountability function. The present study, in which Ohio and Pennsylvania serve as state case contexts, examines the changing education policy role of executive-level state auditors. Findings indicate their powers have expanded considerably between 2005 and 2017, with expansion attributable to four main factors: the proliferation of brick-and-mortar and online charter schools, auditors’ political motivations, auditors’ ability to conduct performance audits, and state legislatures’ reliance on auditors to provide oversight.
Computational analysis of magneto-hydrodynamic natural convection in partially differentially heated cavity: Effect of cooler size
Authors: Gangawane Krunal M , Bharti Ram P
Published: February 2018

This work presents thermal lattice Boltzmann method simulation of magneto-hydrodynamic, buoyancy-driven convection in a partially differentially heated cavity (aspect ratio = 1) subjected to a magnetic field along the vertical direction, i.e. at 90°. Lattice Boltzmann method simulations are performed for three different cooler lengths (Lc = H/4, H/2, H) placed along the middle of one vertical wall for a wide range of Rayleigh and Hartmann numbers (103 ≤ Ra ≤ 105; Ha = 0, 60, 120) at fixed Prandtl number (Pr = 0.71, air). A partial heater is placed at the center of other vertical walls and its size is kept as half of the characteristic length (H/2). The physical insights of the systems are delineated by systematic analysis of stream function and temperature contours. Heat transfer characteristics of the cavity are elucidated by using averaged values of the Nusselt number. It is noted that average Nusselt number has a proportional dependence with cooler length and Rayleigh number, while it varied inversely with Hartmann number. Further, the functional dependence of average Nusselt number with cooler size, Rayleigh number, and Hartmann number is established for possible use in engineering design purpose.