bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors Affecting Women to Practise Breast Self‐examination
Authors: Persson Kerstin , Ek Anna‐Christina , Svensson Per‐Gunnar
Published: March 2013

The aim of the study was to identify factors of decisive importance for women's motivation to perform breast self‐examination (BSE), which could form the basis of an intervention programme. Interviews were conducted in 1994 with 48 women focusing on four different areas: 1) why the women examined/did not examine their breasts, 2) the influence of their upbringing, 3) information or education previously received about the method of examination, and 4) other types of self‐care. The findings were summarized under the following categories: feelings, experiences, and lifestyle. Anxiety/fear of discovering a lump and faith/trust in one's own ability to perform the examination were dominating factors influencing the practice or non‐practice of BSE. However, there was a general need for knowledge, theoretical as well as practical, among the women studied. They also needed help to identify a strategy to enable them to remember to perform the examination. In order to make BSE a habit, education about BSE ought to be provided to girls at school. The important role of nurses in teaching women to examine their breasts themselves and in reminding them to perform the examination was emphasized.
Psychological Patterns in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease, Chronic Pain and Respiratory Disorder
Authors: Lisspers Jan , Nygren Åke , Söderman Eva , Candidate Doctoral
Published: March 2013

Patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), chronic pain and respiratory disorder were investigated for different patterns of psychological factors. Several psychological factors were measured: depression (using Beck's ‘BDI’), anxiety (using Spielberger's ‘STAI’), anger (Spielberger's ‘AX’), and cynicism (Greenglass & Julkunen's ‘CD’). The special psychological pattern in patients with CHD was characterized by an increase in suppressed anger, overall experienced anger, and cynicism. Patients with chronic pain did not show any comparable pattern of elevated psychological factors. The pattern in patients with respiratory disorder was characterized by increased cynicism and, in women, also clinical depression.
Psychosocial Vulnerability and Maintaining Forces Related to Fibromyalgia
Authors: Hallberg Lillemor R.‐M. , Carlsson Sven G.
Published: March 2013

The aim of this qualitative study was to describe, from the perspective of 22 women (aged 22–60 years) with fibromyalgia, their experiences and beliefs of the pain and its origin and how the pain affects family and social life. Open‐ended interviews were analysed via a method influenced by grounded theory. Seven descriptive categories were grounded in the data, forming two higher‐order concepts: psychosocial vulnerability and maintaining forces. The first of these core concepts, psychosocial vulnerability, comprises the categories: traumatic life history, over‐compensatory perseverance, pessimistic life view, and unsatisfying work situation. In the interviews, there are abundant examples of early loss, high degree of responsibility early in life, and social problems with feelings of helplessness and hopelessness later in life. The second core concept, maintaining forces, consists of the categories professional care, pain benefits and family support, which seem to contribute to the persistence of pain. Our results indicate intrapsychic and psychosocial dimensions, which support the hypothesis that individuals with insecure attachment styles are overrepresented among patients with chronic pain.
Can the Experience of Caring at Home Affect Carers' Retrospective Evaluation of Community Care Services?
Authors: Fakhoury Walid KH , McCarthy Mark
Published: March 2013

This paper investigates whether informal carers' experience of caring for their dying cancer patients at home affects their retrospective evaluation of the services received by these patients from community nurses, GPs, and the health and social services in general. Analysis was conducted on a sub‐sample of the Regional Study of Care for the Dying (RSCD), a retrospective survey of family members and others who knew most about the last year of life of a random sample of people who died in 20 health districts in the UK in 1990. The sub‐sample consisted of 1 858 carers of people who died from cancer (ICD, 140–208). The results showed statistically significant associations between carers' satisfaction with community nurses, GPs, and the health and social services in general and their perceptions that caring at home was a rewarding activity, and that their social activities were severely or fairly restricted. Carers' satisfaction with all providers was also more likely to have been reported by those who reported having had no need for more home help. All this suggests the importance of supporting carers to enable them to fulfil their caretaking role and to cope with caring at home. This in turn could lead to an increase in their level of acceptability of the services provided.
Cancer Patient and Staff Perceptions of Caring and Clinical Care in Free versus Forced Choice Response Formats
Authors: Widmark‐Petersson Viveca , von Essen Louise , Sjödén Per‐Olow
Published: March 2013

Two questions were investigated: whether cancer patients (n = 32) and staff (n = 30) have different cognitive representations of the concepts ‘caring’ (Swedish: ‘omvårdnad’) and ‘clinical care’ (Swedish: ‘vård’), and whether results differ between forced vs. free choice response formats. Two Swedish versions of the CARE‐Q instrument were used: (i) a CARE‐Q sorting (forced format) and (ii) a CARE‐Questionnaire (free format). Four groups of patients and 4 groups of staff completed (i) the forced format/caring, (ii) the forced format/clinical care, (iii) the free format/caring and (iv) the free format/clinical care versions, respectively. Participants were asked to rank the importance of 50 CARE‐Q behaviours for the specific method/concept combination. Results demonstrated that neither patients nor staff, to any great extent, valued CARE‐Q subscales differently when regarded as examples of ‘caring’ vs. ‘clinical care’. Further, the free vs. forced choice format did not influence patient and staff perceptions of the importance of CARE‐Q subscales, except that both groups gave higher values to all subscales in the free choice response format. The assumptions that different cognitive representations of the concepts or the response formats had affected previous CARE‐Q results were not substantiated.
Neonatal Death and Parents' Grief
Authors: Lundqvist Anita , Nilstun Tore
Published: March 2013

The aim of the present study was to survey the experience, behaviour and attitudes of nurses in Swedish neonatal wards towards parents who refuse or are reluctant to see, touch or hold their dying or dead baby. A questionnaire was distributed to 173 nurses, of whom 144 responded. The questionnaire contained questions about the nurses' own experience of such situations, their behaviour, and their attitude towards influencing the parents. Seventy‐four percent answered that they had experience of such situations, 59% that they often tried to persuade or in other ways influence the parents to change their mind, and 60% were of the opinion that the parents mourning‐process is always facilitated when they touch or hold their dead baby. Most nurses (83%) were of the opinion that the conflict between beneficence and autonomy was difficult but not impossible to solve. A majority of the nurses were inclined to give priority to the principle of beneficence. But is this inclination ethically justified? A well‐founded answer to this question requires more knowledge about the experiences of parents who have lived through such traumatic situations.
Problem‐focused Coping and Satisfaction with Activities of Daily Living in Individuals with Muscular Dystrophy and Postpolio Syndrome
Authors: Nätterlund Birgitta , Ahlström Gerd
Published: March 2013

The problems, problem‐focused coping and satisfaction with activities of daily living in a total of 119 persons with muscular weakness are described. The study encompasses three groups: 33 persons with various types of muscular dystrophy, 46 with myotonic dystrophy and 40 with symptoms relating to the post‐polio syndrome. A self‐report instrument for Assessment of Problem‐focused Coping (APC) was used. Most of the problems reported were connected with mobility and transportation and work, but the subjects used problem‐focused coping relatively infrequently and few differences were found between the different groups or between the sexes. The most widely used problem‐focused coping strategy was ‘Devices and tricks’. The highest degree of satisfaction was noted for personal care and the lowest for mobility and transportation. The APC provides information about patients' evaluation of everyday situations, forming a complement to functional measurements in the field of rehabilitation.
Pain in Persons with Post‐polio
Authors: Widar Marita , Ahlström Gerd
Published: March 2013

Increasing muscular atrophy and joint instability in the post‐polio syndrome (PPS) leads to muscle and joint pain. The aim of this study was to describe how persons with post‐polio syndrome (PPS) perceive their pain and how the pain affects their everyday lives. The Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI‐S) was used together with supplementary questions concerning location and verbal description of the pain. The study group comprised 37 persons with PPS who had had pain for an average of 19 years. Most commonly reported was pain from the joints of the extremities, followed by pain from the lower back. The verbal description suggests that pain is a palpable health problem for this study group. The results of the MPI‐S show that women had the most pain and that the younger the persons are, the more the pain involves negative stress experiences. Activities such as outdoor work, social and other activities away from home involve difficulties, according to the results. The study group could manage their pain, experienced social support, and especially women managed to carry out household chores despite their pain. The MPI‐S demonstrates acceptable reliability for this study group.
Nursing Interventions in Crisis‐oriented and Long‐term Psychiatric Home Care
Authors: Boomsma Jannie , Dassen Theo , Dingemans Cees , van den Heuvel Wim
Published: March 2013

Psychiatric nurses in The Netherlands are moving out of residential mental health institutions and are pioneering home care for the acutely and chronically mentally ill. The purpose of this study was to identify the interventions nurses currently use and to describe the differences between crisis‐oriented and long‐term psychiatric home care. Data was collected of 159 nursing care plans from four participating crisis‐oriented and two long‐term psychiatric home care teams. All stated nursing activities were identified and subsequently labelled and classified using the Nursing Intervention Classification (NIC). Results revealed that in both crisis‐oriented and long‐term psychiatric home care, nurses used a wide range of nursing interventions. Medication Management, Coping Assistance and Activity Therapy were the most frequently undertaken nursing interventions in both types of care. Within crisis‐oriented care, Emotional Support and Self‐esteem Enhancement dominated, whereas long‐term care focused on Socialization Enhancement and Home Maintenance Assistance. The results will be used for further research and for standardization of nursing care plans within these categories of nursing practice.
Recurrent Infections and Musculoskeletal Disorders—Signs of Generally Increased Care Demands?
Authors: Ekdahl Charlotte , Söderström Margareta , Farsnäs Ann Bowen
Published: March 2013

In this study we describe and analyse the health status, health‐care consumption and the characteristics of persons visiting the primary care centre because of frequent symptoms of respiratory tract infections (RTI) (n = 83) and disorders related to the musculoskeletal system (DMS) (n = 166) as described in medical records for a three‐year period. When all the medical diagnoses, health‐care consumption, sick leave and other information had been gathered, the findings were that more women (73%) than men fulfilled the inclusion criteria. On average, the group with the highest frequency of symptoms paid 8.3 visits/three years to the physician compared with 1.0 for the controls (p < 0.05). The average total sick‐leave attributable to RTI was 29.4 days/3 years and 8.1 days/3 years for the controls. Forty percent of patients in the frequent symptoms group had regular contact with children at work compared with only 18% of the controls. Subjects in the former group were usually manual workers with an increased physical and psychological workload compared with the controls. This group of subjects probably represents a category of vulnerable patients and their total situation should be further investigated.
Patient Records in Nursing Homes
Authors: Ehrenberg Anna , Ehnfors Margareta
Published: March 2013

The purpose of this study was to describe the effects on the contents and comprehensiveness of the nursing‐care documentation in the patient records at nursing homes following an educational intervention. A review was made of records (n = 120) from nursing homes in six Swedish municipalities, allocated to a study group and a reference group. All the nursing home nurses in three municipalities received education concerning the nursing process and how to document according to the VIPS model. A retrospective audit of all nursing notes in the records from the nursing homes was made before and after the intervention. Improvements were found in the contents of the records in the study group. The number of notes on nursing history more than doubled. The occurrence of the recording of nursing diagnoses, goals and discharge notes increased. No corresponding changes were observed in the reference group. In the study group, an increase in the number of acceptable notes with contents on nursing history, status, nursing diagnosis, planned and implemented interventions, and nursing discharge notes was found. This increase was significant. The comprehensiveness in the documentation of single nursing problems was only slightly improved in the study group. No record met the requirements of the national regulations on nursing documentation or followed the nursing process thoroughly.
The Relationship between Nutritional Status and Physical Activity, Ulcer History and Ulcer‐related Problems in Patients with Leg and Foot Ulcers
Authors: Wissing Ulla , Unosson Mitra
Published: March 2013

The nutritional status in patients with leg and foot ulcers is assessed in relation to sociodemographic data, mobility, physical activity, ulcer history, and ulcer‐related problems from the patients' point of view. The patients (20 men and 50 women, mean age 79 years) were living in their own homes and treatment was given in primary health care. The Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) was used to assess nutritional status. Interviews were conducted to collect data on patients' mobility, physical activity, ulcer history and ulcer‐related problems. According to the MNA, 32 patients were classified as being at risk of malnutrition and two were malnourished. Patients classified as at risk of malnutrition or malnourishment were usually living alone and were more dependent on aids for mobility and on home‐help services than the well‐nourished patients (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the well‐nourished patients and those classified as at risk of malnutrition or malnourished in the number and the duration of open ulcers. This study shows that risk of malnutrition was common in this elderly population of 70 patients with leg and foot ulcers. Comprehensive patient care should include nutritional assessment and preventive actions to restore the nutritional status before malnutrition is manifest.
The Utility of Functional Colour Cues
Authors: Cooper Barbara Acheson
Published: March 2013

A before‐after study was conducted with 30 women, mean age 76.8 years, to provide information on their perception of functional colour cueing. Volunteers were randomly assigned to one of three groups and stratified for visual acuity. A free‐standing transfer pole was installed in each apartment and its grip alternately colour cued for Groups 1 and 2 for one month. The experimental groups' views on colour were sampled on entry and exit and on exit only for the control group. Participants recorded their views on the experience throughout the study. Follow‐up interviews probed issues that emerged during the investigation. Data support the premise that colour cues improve the legibility of the environment and people's ability to target objects quickly, especially when they have poor vision. However, while seniors recognized these benefits, most disagreed that they needed this strategy. Preference for cue colour varied widely and was associated with cultural group and recent experience with colour cueing. Future investigations should focus on the role of colour in learning for all seniors and on the polar differences it appears to have on fostering function for those with low vision.
Reorganization of Nursing and Medical Care to Reduce the Incidence of Postoperative Delirium and Improve Rehabilitation Outcome in Elderly Patients Treated for Femoral Neck Fractures
Authors: Lundström Maria , Edlund Agneta , Lundström Gudrun , Gustafson Yngve
Published: March 2013

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a nursing and medical intervention programme for the prevention and treatment of delirium in elderly patients treated for femoral neck fractures. Forty‐nine patients consecutively admitted to an orthogeriatric rehabilitation unit in a county hospital in northern Sweden were compared with historical cohorts of corresponding patients in the same and other hospitals. There was a total reorganization of nursing and medical care of patients with femoral neck fractures. The intervention programme consisted of staff education, co‐operation between orthopaedic surgeons and geriatricians, individual care and planning of rehabilitation, improved ward environment, active nutrition, improved continuity of care and prevention and treatment of complications associated with delirium. The main result of the study was that the incidence of delirium was significantly lower than in all previously published studies. The incidence of other postoperative complications was also lower, and a larger proportion of the patients regained independent walking ability and could return to their previous living conditions on discharge. It can be concluded that the intervention programme reduced the incidence and duration of delirium and improved functional outcome for elderly patients treated for femoral neck fractures.
A Descriptive Study of the Extent to which Self‐perceived Needs of Parents are met in Paediatric Units in Iceland
Authors: Bragadóttir Helga
Published: March 2013

The purpose of this study was to identify the extent to which parents of 2–12‐year‐old hospitalized children perceive their needs to be met in paediatric units, what variables influence parents' perception, and whether parents need help from the hospital to meet their needs. Parents perceived that most of their needs were met fully or to some extent. The need to be able to stay with the child 24 h a day was perceived as fully met by all parents. Needs perceived as important but poorly met were as follows: written information about the child's health status, information about financial assistance and follow‐up after discharge. Independent variables identified as being related to the extent to which individual needs were met were as follows: parents' age (p ≤ 0.05), distance between home and hospital (p ≤ 0.05), parents' education (p ≤ 0.05), length of hospital stay (p ≤ 0.01) and severity of child's illness (p ≤ 0.01). Most parents perceived that they needed help from the hospital to meet their needs. These findings call for identification of effective interventions to meet parents' needs.
Physician in Conflict: A Survey Study of Individual and Work‐related Characteristics
Authors: Skjørshammer Morten , Hofoss Dag
Published: March 2013

Relationship of individual and work‐related factors to interpersonal conflicts at work was studied, using data from a nationwide survey in 1993 of the work environment and living conditions of physicians in Norway. The survey included a total of 1800 questions spread over 16 questionnaires, which were distributed according to an ‘overlapping questionnaire design’. Questionnaires were mailed to a random sample of 9266 physicians, of whom 6652 responded (72%). The results suggest that personality factors such as ‘intensity’ and ‘reality weakness’ are related to conflict with one's immediate superior, but not to conflict with others at work. Respondents reporting conflict with friends, relatives and spouse tended to report more conflict at work both with immediate superiors and others. The frequency of interpersonal conflict at work was not related to gender.
Nursing Assessment of Dysphagia Among Patients With Stroke
Authors: Westergren Albert , Hallberg Ingatill R. , Ohlsson Ola
Published: March 2013

The aims of this study were to investigate the frequency of dysphagia among patients with acute stroke and compare non‐dysphagic and dysphagic stroke patients regarding demographic aspects, performance in activities of daily living and type of neurological deficiency and to test a bedside screening tool to identify patients with dysphagia. The frequency of dysphagia was found to be 27%, or 40% if those patients who were unconscious, terminally ill or had a previous history of dysphagia were included. Overall stroke severity seemed to be an indicator for dysphagia, i.e. being significantly more drowsy, more dependent in activities of daily living, suffering more often from dysarthria, expressive dysphasia, taking antidepressive medication, staying significantly longer in hospital and being discharged to a higher level of formal care than non‐dysphagic patients. The screening method proved to be useful, in that it detected 77% of those with dysphagia using a review of medical charts and continuous observations as a method to check the reliability of the bedside method. It is concluded that most patients with dysphagia can be identified through systematic interviews, observations and test swallows. These have to be repeated and included in nursing care assessment. Overall stroke severity is an indicator of dysphagia.
The Status of Husserlian Phenomenology in Caring Research
Authors: Giorgi Amedeo
Published: March 2013

In a recent article, Paley criticized nursing research that claimed to be phenomenological and recommended that all reference to Husserl be dropped by nurses following certain qualitative procedures. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate that Paley is wrong in his recommendation by showing that Paley (i) does not distinguish scientific phenomenology from philosophical phenomenology; (ii) is severely limited with respect to scholarly references that legitimate and articulate the scientific phenomenological method; (iii) seems to be unaware of the precedents for attempting scholarly analyses of the experiences and behaviors of others; and (iv) seems to be unaware of the internal history of the development of the scientific phenomenological method, which would show its close relationship to Husserl. Although deficiencies in nursing phenomenological research can be found, the solution is not to drive the researchers away from phenomenology, but to encourage them to apply the scientific phenomenological method in a better way.
Concerning the Application of Phenomenology to Caring Research
Authors: Giorgi Amedeo
Published: March 2013

When phenomenology is adopted as a framework for conducting nursing research, confusions sometimes arise because the researchers do not clarify their understanding of phenomenology. One of the biggest confusions is whether to follow philosophical phenomenological guidelines or scientific guidelines. While phenomenology began as a philosophy, it is argued here that the guidelines of scientific practice should be followed when conducting caring research. This article sharpens the distinction between philosophical and scientific phenomenology and demonstrates the confusion that can ensue when philosophical phenomenology is uncritically used as the model for scientific research. It does so by examining the work of Crotty.
Functional Activities and Psychosocial Factors in the Rehabilitation of Patients with Low Back Pain
Authors: Gard Gunvor , Gille Kent Åke , Grahn Birgitta
Published: March 2013

A four‐week rehabilitation programme for back patients, focusing on functional activities and psychosocial factors in the demands of work and daily living, was evaluated. The programme is a combination of training of functional activities and increased psychological knowledge, body awareness and coping. A total of 40 patients with lumbago or lumbago ischias participated in the program and were compared with a matched control group. The results showed that the patients had significantly more ergonomic and psychosocial problems in their working environment than did the controls. A significant reduction in ratings of low back pain was noted in patients compared with controls after rehabilitation. Increased functional ability and physical fitness were shown in the patient group after rehabilitation. Significantly more patients than controls returned to work after the rehabilitation.
Harmonizing Dilemmas
Authors: Dellve Lotta , Cernerud Lars , Hallberg Lillemor R.‐M.
Published: March 2013

The aim of this qualitative study was to describe, from their own perspective and experiences, how siblings of children with deficits in attention, motor control and perception (DAMP) and Asperger syndrome cope with their life situations in their families. Fifteen adolescent females 12–18 years old, siblings of boys with DAMP (8 subjects) and Asperger syndrome (7 subjects), were interviewed. The method used in sampling and analysis of interview protocols was the constant comparative method for grounded theory. The inductive categorization of data produced two core concepts, one about the siblings' life situations in DAMP and Asperger syndrome (‘dilemma of requirements and concerns’) and one about the siblings' coping processes (‘harmonizing’). Of the six categories identified, four were categories of the processes of coping (‘gaining understanding’, ‘gaining independence’, ‘following a bonding responsibility’ and ‘balancing’). The qualitative differences between coping processes were related to the two categories of context to cope within the experienced dilemma ‘requirements’ and ‘concerns’. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the siblings' life situations, and may be important for health personnel in encounter families and for identifying siblings with special needs. The findings may also aid in the development of preventive programs for siblings of children with DAMP and Asperger syndrome.
Correlates for End‐Stage Renal Disease Patients
Authors: Yavuz Nur , KarataşL Metin , Kinç ŞLehri
Published: March 2013

In this study 112 end‐stage renal disease patients on hemodialysis were analyzed for their state of well‐being, cognition, ambulatory capacity, and dexterity. The Nottingham Health Profile, the locomotion and dexterity sections of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys disability scale, the modified Mini Mental State examination and a weighted index of comorbidity were used for assessment. The study revealed that good cognition, good mood, young age, and milder comorbid conditions were positively linked with good functional levels of locomotion and dexterity. The test instruments used in the investigation were considered simple to use and were effective in revealing relationships between the above‐mentioned parameters.
MARKET MICRSOTRUCTURE CHANGES AROUND ACCELERATED SHARE REPURCHASE ANNOUNCEMENTS
Authors: Kulchania Manoj
Published: March 2013

I investigate the impact on trading characteristics of firms announcing share repurchases using a relatively new buyback method—accelerated share repurchases (ASRs). I find that trading costs decrease and market quality improves following an ASR announcement. The improvement in liquidity is not accompanied by significant changes in information asymmetry or price volatility. Multivariate tests show that the change in volatility and the presence of price constraints in the ASR agreement are significant in explaining the changes in spreads, but the reasons given by firms for conducting the ASRs are not. Thus, in the case of ASRs, the announced involvement of an investment bank buying shares on behalf of the firm improves liquidity without significantly affecting the level of information asymmetry.
Trends and Socioeconomic Gradients in Adult Mortality around the Developing World
Authors: De Walque Damien , Filmer Deon
Published: March 2013

We combine data from 84 Demographic and Health Surveys from 46 countries to analyze trends and socioeconomic differences in adult mortality, calculating mortality based on the sibling mortality reports collected from female respondents aged 15–49. The analysis yields four main findings. First, adult mortality is different from child mortality: while under‐5 mortality shows a definite improving trend over time, adult mortality does not, especially in sub‐Saharan Africa. The second main finding is the increase in adult mortality in sub‐Saharan African countries. The increase is dramatic among those most affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Mortality rates in the highest HIV‐prevalence countries of southern Africa exceed those in countries that experienced episodes of armed conflict. Third, even in sub‐Saharan countries where HIV prevalence is not as high, mortality rates appear to be at best stagnating, and even increasing in several cases. Finally, the main dimension along which mortality appears to differ in the aggregate is by sex. Adult mortality rates in sub‐Saharan Africa have risen substantially higher for men than for women—especially so in the high HIV‐prevalence countries. On the whole, the data do not show large gaps by urban/rural residence or by school attainment.
The Effect of Fertility Reduction on Economic Growth
Authors: Ashraf Quamrul H. , Weil David N. , Wilde Joshua
Published: March 2013

We assess quantitatively the effect of exogenous reductions in fertility on output per capita. Our simulation model allows for effects that run through schooling, the size and age structure of the population, capital accumulation, parental time input into childrearing, and crowding of fixed natural resources. The model is parameterized using a combination of microeconomic estimates and standard components of quantitative macroeconomic theory. We apply the model to examine the effect of a change in fertility from the UN medium‐variant to the UN low‐variant projection in Nigeria. For a base case set of parameters, we find that such a change would raise output per capita by 5.6 percent at a horizon of 20 years and by 11.9 percent at a horizon of 50 years. We conclude with a discussion of the quantitative significance of these results.
Inequality in Intergenerational Mobility of Education in China
Authors: Golley Jane , Kong Sherry Tao
Published: March 2013

This paper investigates trends in intergenerational patterns of educational attainment of those born in China between 1941 and 1990. Employing the 2008 Rural–Urban Migration in China and Indonesia Survey, we find that intergenerational correlation is lower in rural and migrant than in urban populations. The higher mobility observed in rural and migrant populations stems from the fact that the majority of these children complete only junior high school, with some children in the youngest cohorts moving down the education ladder relative to their parents. In contrast, urban children seem to at least maintain their parents’ education level. The persistence of intergenerational transmission of education at high levels in urban areas combined with some mobility, upward or downward, in rural areas is likely to aggravate China's rural–urban disparity. Policies should focus more on the underlying gaps in education opportunities and the improvement in education of the rural and migrant populations.
Do the Recent Labor Market Changes Negatively Affect Schooling?
Authors: Du Yang
Published: March 2013

The Chinese labor market has transitioned from a dual labor market to a neoclassical labor market. With wages increasing for skilled workers, the impact on schooling must be considered by policy‐makers. Taking advantage of national representative data for 2005 and 2010, the present paper examines the hypothesis that increasing opportunity costs reduce children's schooling. The empirical result is of particular relevance to poor areas, where people tend to have high discount rates and place more value on real time income. Although the total public investment in education has been increasing, our findings suggest that targeting relevant regions and compensating opportunity costs will improve the efficiency of education investments.
End of the First Demographic Dividend and Possible Labor Market Response in China and Other Asian Countries
Authors: Ogawa Naohiro , Chen Qiulin
Published: March 2013

This paper sheds light on the nexus of age compositional shifts and the generation of the first demographic dividend over the past several decades in China, and also discusses how this dividend could be extended We first estimate how long China's first demographic dividend will last and then compare the computed results for China with those for other selected Asian countries in order to place the Chinese case in a wider perspective. Furthermore, in view of the possibility that China's first demographic dividend will turn negative in 2014, we offer insight into how and to what extent China's labor market needs to adjust and how much labor income must increase for the first demographic dividend to remain positive up to year 2050. For this goal to be achieved, the labor income age profile needs to be shifted to a considerable extent. We conduct an exercise in which the 2007 peak labor income age of 32 years is shifted to 40 years. In the case of the elderly, this implies an annual labor income growth of 3.1 percent over the period of 39 years. Throughout this paper, we draw on a variety of computed results derived from the Chinese component of the global “National Transfer Accounts” project.
Driver Management That Drives Carrier Performance
Authors: Saldanha John P. , Shane Hunt C. , Mello John E.
Published: March 2013

The trucking industry provides the majority of transportation services in the United States. Truck drivers, particularly their driving performance, which influences how customers perceive motor carriers, are integral to the success of their firms. Hence, driver management is a topic of great interest to the trucking industry, logistics practitioners, and logistics researchers. Although the logistics literature does address issues relating to driver management, advice is scarce regarding how motor carriers might manage drivers to improve operational performance and thus the bottom line. Our results shed light on the processes whereby some formal controls directly influence operational performance, whereas others indirectly influence operational performance; that is, in the latter case, the influence of formal controls on operational performance is mediated by certain informal controls. According to our findings, motor carrier firms that employ a combination of formal and informal controls perform better operationally than firms that do not do so. And, thus, those employing such a combination of controls will realize a larger market share.
Multivariate analysis of adaptive capacity for upper thermal limits in Drosophila simulans
Authors: van Heerwaarden B. , Sgrò C. M.
Published: March 2013

Thermal tolerance is an important factor influencing the distribution of ectotherms, but our understanding of the ability of species to evolve different thermal limits is limited. Based on univariate measures of adaptive capacity, it has recently been suggested that species may have limited evolutionary potential to extend their upper thermal limits under ramping temperature conditions that better reflect heat stress in nature. To test these findings more broadly, we used a paternal half‐sibling breeding design to estimate the multivariate evolutionary potential for upper thermal limits in Drosophila simulans. We assessed heat tolerance using static (basal and hardened) and ramping assays. Our analyses revealed significant evolutionary potential for all three measures of heat tolerance. Additive genetic variances were significantly different from zero for all three traits. Our G matrix analysis revealed that all three traits would contribute to a response to selection for increased heat tolerance. Significant additive genetic covariances and additive genetic correlations between static basal and hardened heat‐knockdown time, marginally nonsignificant between static basal and ramping heat‐knockdown time, indicate that direct and correlated responses to selection for increased upper thermal limits are possible. Thus, combinations of all three traits will contribute to the evolution of upper thermal limits in response to selection imposed by a warming climate. Reliance on univariate estimates of evolutionary potential may not provide accurate insight into the ability of organisms to evolve upper thermal limits in nature.
Phylogenetic patterns of skeletal morphometrics and pelvic traits in relation to locomotor mode in frogs
Authors: Jorgensen M. E. , Reilly S. M.
Published: March 2013

Frogs are one of the most speciose groups of vertebrate tetrapods (> 6200sp) with a diverse array of locomotor behaviours. Despite the impressive diversity in frog locomotor behaviours, there remains a paucity of information on the relationship between skeletal variation and locomotor mode in frogs and the evolutionary patterns in which these relationships are framed across the frog phylogeny. Our current understanding of the evolution of frog locomotion shows that hopping transitioned into jumping within the Neobatrachia where a variety of pelvic/hindlimb length patterns and locomotor niches have appeared, but this has yet to be studied over a broad taxonomic sample of frogs. Although limb length remains as the primary predictor of leaping performance, pelvic and sacral morphometrics have not been quantified in relation to limb proportions, body size and locomotor mode and previous studies have not sampled more than 24 families. We present a large‐scale phylogenetic comparison of skeletal morphometrics in relation to locomotor mode in 188 genera from 37 families. Osteological variation in limb/pelvic girdle morphometrics and pelvic traits that are posited to be associated with locomotor mode were analysed to identify which aspects of the frog skeleton are the best descriptors of locomotor mode. Our results, contrary to previous work, reveal that the greatest axis of variation in frogs is represented by the shape of the sacrum with two pelvic morphologies evident in qualitative and quantitative ancestral trait reconstructions. Limb morphology was not significantly different across most locomotor modes, but we identified several outliers in hindlimb phylomorphospace. Patterns of sacral evolution together with hindlimb length outliers reveal how the general bauplan of this successful group of vertebrate tetrapods is constrained, has radiated and has converged on certain phenotypes to fill an array of locomotor modes.
Effects of gene flow on phenotype matching between two varieties of Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia; Agavaceae) and their pollinators
Authors: Yoder J. B. , Smith C. I. , Rowley D. J. , Flatz R. , Godsoe W. , Drummond C. , Pellmyr O.
Published: March 2013

In animal‐pollinated plants, local adaptation to pollinator behaviour or morphology can restrict gene flow among plant populations; but gene flow may also prevent divergent adaptation. Here, we examine possible effects of gene flow on plant–pollinator trait matching in two varieties of Joshua tree (Agavaceae: Yucca brevifolia). The two varieties differ in strikingly in floral morphology, which matches differences in the morphology of their pollinators. However, this codivergence is not present at a smaller scale: within the two varieties of Joshua tree, variation in floral morphology between demes is not correlated with differences in moth morphology. We use population genetic data for Joshua tree and its pollinators to test the hypotheses that gene flow between Joshua tree populations is structured by pollinator specificity, and that gene flow within the divergent plant–pollinator associations ‘swamps’ fine‐scale coadaptation. Our data show that Joshua tree populations are structured by pollinator association, but the two tree varieties are only weakly isolated – meaning that their phenotypic differences are maintained in the face of significant gene flow. Coalescent analysis of gene flow between the two Joshua tree types suggests that it may be shaped by asymmetric pollinator specificity, which has been observed in a narrow zone of sympatry. Finally, we find evidence suggesting that gene flow among Joshua tree sites may shape floral morphology within one plant–pollinator association, but not the other.
Niche differentiation and colonization of a novel environment by an asexual parasitic wasp
Authors: Forbes A. A. , Rice L. A. , Stewart N. B. , Yee W. L. , Neiman M.
Published: March 2013

How do asexual taxa become adapted to a diversity of environments, and how do they persist despite changing environmental conditions? These questions are linked by their mutual focus on the relationship between genetic variation, which is often limited in asexuals, and the ability to respond to environmental variation. Asexual taxa originating from a single ancestor present a unique opportunity to assess rates of phenotypic and genetic change when access to new genetic variation is limited to mutation. Diachasma muliebre is an asexual Hymenopteran wasp that is geographically and genetically isolated from all sexual relatives. D. muliebre attack larvae of the western cherry fruit fly (Rhagoletis indifferens), which in turn feed inside bitter cherry fruit (Prunus emarginata) in August and September. R. indifferens has recently colonized a new host plant with an earlier fruiting phenology (June/July), domesticated sweet cherries (P. avium), and D. muliebre has followed its host into this temporally earlier niche. We tested three hypotheses: 1) that all D. muliebre lineages originate from a single asexual ancestor; 2) that different D. muliebre lineages (as defined by unique mtDNA haplotypes) have differentiated on their ancestral host in an important life‐history trait, eclosion timing; and 3) that early‐eclosing lineages have preferentially colonized the new sweet cherry niche. We find that mitochondrial COI and microsatellite data provide strong support for a single ancestral origin for all lineages. Furthermore, COI sequencing revealed five mitochondrial haplotypes among D. muliebre, and individual wasps possessing one distinctive mitochondrial haplotype (haplotype II) eclosed as reproductive adults significantly earlier than wasps with all other haplotypes. In addition, this early‐eclosing lineage of D. muliebre is one of two lineages that have colonized the P. avium habitat, consistent with the preferential colonization hypothesis. These data suggest that D. muliebre has evolved adaptive phenotypic variation despite limited genetic variation, and that this variation has subsequently allowed an expansion of some wasps into a novel habitat. The D. muliebre system may allow for in‐depth study of adaptation and long‐term persistence of asexual taxa.
Respecting autonomy in the end‐of‐life care of people with intellectual disabilities: a qualitative multiple‐case study
Authors: Bekkema N. , de Veer A. J. E. , Hertogh C. M. P. M. , Francke A. L.
Published: March 2013

Background

The aim of this article was to describe how caregivers and relatives shape respect for autonomy in the end‐of‐life care for people with intellectual disabilities (ID) and to discuss to what extent this corresponds with a relational concept of autonomy, such as described in care ethics.

Method

This study consisted of a qualitative design in which the cases of 12 recently deceased people with ID were reconstructed by interviewing the caregivers and relatives who were closest to the person at the end of their life. A cyclic process of data collection and analysis was used. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and data were analysed inductively.

Results

Respect for autonomy in the end‐of‐life care of people with ID was mainly reflected in helping the person with ID familiarise with three transitions: new information on the diagnosis and prognosis, changing care needs and wishes, and important decisions that were at stake. In respecting autonomy, relatives and caregivers encountered several challenges. These concerned ascertaining information needs, communicating about illness and death, inexperience in end‐of‐life care, eliciting current and hidden last wishes, the dependence of people with ID and conflicting wishes. Several qualities were important for respecting autonomy: attention to information needs, connecting, recognising end‐of‐life care needs, giving space to show wishes and preferences, and discussing dilemmas.

Conclusions

If caregivers and relatives embrace autonomy as a relational construct, attained through an open, active and reflective attitude, and have more access to knowledge about communication and how to identify end‐of‐life care needs, this could lead to improved respect for the ID persons' autonomy at the end of life. We discuss the view that a relational concept of autonomy is useful for describing respect for autonomy in end‐of‐life care for people with ID, but that more reflection and openness is needed to sufficiently employ relationships and regard autonomy as a product of joint work.
Perinatal outcome and clinical features of monochorionic monoamniotic twin gestation
Authors: Murata Masaharu , Ishii Keisuke , Kamitomo Masato , Murakoshi Takeshi , Takahashi Yuichiro , Sekino Madoka , Kiyoshi Kenji , Sago Haruhiko , Yamamoto Ryo , Kawaguchi Haruna , Mitsuda Nobuaki
Published: March 2013

Aim

To clarify perinatal outcomes of monoamniotic (MM) twin pregnancies.

Material and Methods

MM twins delivered in seven tertiary perinatal centers during the last decade were retrospectively evaluated. All pregnant women were scheduled to begin inpatient management at around 24 weeks of gestation and undergo a planned cesarean section beyond 32 weeks. Pregnancy outcomes, prevalence of fetal death and cord entanglement, perinatal mortality and neuromorbidity rate at discharge were examined.

Results

The study group comprised 38 MM twin pregnancies (76 fetuses). Cord entanglement was confirmed in 88% (30/34) of women, and fetal deaths occurred in nine women (eight were both fetal deaths, and one was single fetal death). The cord entanglement accounted for 65% (11/17) of the fetal deaths. The median gestational age at delivery was 31+3 weeks, but that for viable infants was 32+3 weeks; the median birth weight was 1642 g, the perinatal mortality rate was 2% (1/60), and the neuromorbidity rate was 8% (5/50). The overall survival rate was 75% (57/76).

Conclusion

Perinatal outcomes in our study were relatively good irrespective of high frequency of cord entanglement. Close fetal monitoring may allow MM twin pregnancies to extend gestational age, which may contribute to reduce both fetal death and neonatal morbidity by immaturity, although the best delivery weeks remained undetermined.