bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychology Baccalaureates at Work: Major Area Subspecializations, Earnings, and Occupations
Authors: Rajecki D. W.
Published: June 2012

A Census Bureau national survey identified baccalaureates aged up to 64 years having major area subspecializations labeled “psychology,” “industrial/organizational (I/O) psychology,” and “counseling psychology.” Median 2009 earnings of all such types of baccalaureate psychology alumni were well below the distribution mean of the153 fields in the survey-wide sample. Further, psychology subspecialization group earnings differed widely from one another. As terminal baccalaureates, those who presumably specialized in counseling psychology earned only 54.7% of the wages of counterparts who specialized in I/O psychology. Undergraduate specializations and psychology subspecializations were associated with patterns of obtained occupational categories. Future developments in subspecializations for psychology majors were discussed in terms of intradepartmental curricular tracks.
The Testing Effect: Illustrating a Fundamental Concept and Changing Study Strategies
Authors: Einstein Gilles O. , Mullet Hillary G. , Harrison Tyler L.
Published: June 2012

An important recent finding is that testing improves learning and memory. In this article, the authors describe a demonstration that illustrates this principle and helps students incorporate more testing into their learning. The authors asked students to read one text using a Study–Study strategy and one text using a Study–Test strategy. One week later, the authors tested students’ memory for both texts with short-answer quizzes. The results revealed the standard testing effect and served as the basis for a laboratory report that required students to analyze and interpret the results and to answer questions about the testing effect and the experimental design. At the end of the term, students indicated that they were engaging in more testing during their studying.
Faculty Views on the Appropriateness of Teaching Undergraduate Psychology Courses Online
Authors: Mandernach B. Jean , Mason Teresa , Forrest Krista D. , Hackathorn Jana
Published: June 2012

This study examines faculty views concerning the appropriateness of teaching specific undergraduate psychology courses in an online format. Faculty express concern about teaching methodology and counseling/clinical content courses online, but endorse teaching introductory and nonclinical content courses in either format; faculty report diverse views on the extent to which capstone and integrative experiences in psychology can be facilitated in a virtual format. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to the growing demand for online psychology course offerings.
A Classroom Activity to Demonstrate Self-Other Agreement in Personality Judgments
Authors: Kaplan Seth A. , Stachowski Alicia A. , Bradley-Geist Jill C.
Published: June 2012

This article describes a classroom activity to demonstrate (dis)agreement in personality judgments, using an exercise derived from Watson’s research on the accuracy of rating strangers’ personalities. On the first day of class, undergraduate students in psychology courses rated their own personality and the personality of a classmate, using items from the International Personality Item Pool (IPIP). Across five samples, self-other correlations were strong for extraversion but varied for the other four traits. Comparisons with control groups on relevant test items provided preliminary evidence that the exercise promotes learning of relevant material. This exercise can be used in introductory or personality psychology courses to facilitate discussion of various topics including interpersonal judgment and accuracy and methodological and statistical issues.
Administration Technique and Storage of Disposable Insulin Pens Reported by Patients With Diabetes
Authors: Mitchell Virginia D. , Porter Kyle , Beatty Stuart J.
Published: June 2012

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to evaluate insulin injection technique and storage of insulin pens as reported by patients with diabetes and to compare correct pen use to initial education on injection technique, hemoglobin A1C, duration of insulin therapy, and duration of insulin pen.

Methods

Cross-sectional questionnaire orally administered to patients at a university-affiliated primary care practice. Subjects were patients with diabetes who were 18 years or older and prescribed a disposable insulin pen for at least 4 weeks. A correct usage score was calculated for each patient based on manufacturer recommendations for disposable insulin pen use. Associations were made between the correct usage score and certainty in technique, initial education, years of insulin therapy, duration of pen use, and hemoglobin A1C.

Results

Sixty-seven patients completed the questionnaire, reporting total use of 94 insulin pens. The 3 components most often neglected by patients were priming pen needle, holding for specific count time before withdrawal of pen needle from skin, and storing an in-use pen. For three-fourths of the insulin pens being used, users did not follow the manufacturer’s instructions for proper administration and storage of insulin pens. Correct usage scores were significantly higher if initial education on insulin pens was performed by a pharmacist or nurse.

Conclusions

The majority of patients may be ignoring or unaware of key components for consistent insulin dosing using disposable insulin pens; therefore, initial education and reeducation on correct use of disposable insulin pens by health care professionals are needed.
Educational Needs for Improving Self-Care in Heart Failure Patients With Diabetes
Authors: Cha EunSeok , Clark Patricia C. , Reilly Carolyn Miller , Higgins Melinda , Lobb Maureen , Smith Andrew L. , Dunbar Sandra B.
Published: June 2012

Purpose

To explore the need for self-monitoring and self-care education in heart failure patients with diabetes (HF- DM patients) by describing cognitive and affective factors to provide guidance in developing effective self-management education.

Methods

A cross-sectional correlation design was employed using baseline patient data from a study testing a 12-week patient and family dyad intervention to improve dietary and medication-taking self-management behaviors in HF patients. Data from 116 participants recruited from metropolitan Atlanta area were used. Demographic and comorbidities, physical function, psychological distress, relationship with health care provider, self-efficacy (medication taking and low sodium diet), and behavioral outcomes (medications, dietary habits) were assessed. Descriptive statistics and a series of chi-square tests, t tests, or Mann-Whitney tests were performed to compare HF patients with and without DM.

Results

HF-DM patients were older and heavier, had more comorbidities, and took more daily medications than HF patients. High self-efficacy on medication and low-sodium diet was reported in both groups with no significant difference. Although HF-DM patients took more daily medications than HF, both groups exhibited high HF medication-taking behaviors. The HF-DM patients consumed significantly lower total sugar than HF patients but clinically higher levels of sodium.

Conclusions

Diabetes educators need to be aware of potential conflicts of treatment regimens to manage 2 chronic diseases. Special and integrated diabetes self-management education programs that incorporate principles of HF self-management should be developed to improve self-management behavior in HF-DM patients.
ISO Certificates as Organizational Degrees? Beyond the Rational Myths of the Certification Process
Authors: Boiral Olivier
Published: June 2012

This paper explores both the concrete and symbolic aspects of how ISO 9000 certification audits are prepared for and passed. Based on interviews with 60 respondents employed in certified organizations, this study analyzes the process of preparing for and passing an ISO certification audit through the lens of the degree-purchasing syndrome (DPS) in education, which refers to the disconnect between the acquisition of academic degrees and the learning process they should entail. This perspective makes it possible to go beyond the neo-institutional approach to shed light on the scholastic, ethical and contradictory aspects of the ISO certification process, which remain largely unexplored in the literature. The findings debunk the rhetoric of impartiality, objectivity and rigor surrounding the ISO certification process. They also reveal the tendency to acquire ISO certification as a sort of “organizational degree” after passing a quite predictable exam, with all the pitfalls that entails, such as rote preparation, procrastination, short-term focus and cheating.
Making Standards Stick: A Theory of Coupled vs. Decoupled Compliance
Authors: Sandholtz Kurt W.
Published: June 2012

This paper presents an inductive account of how two divisions of the same corporation sought to standardize their engineering work. Although both groups achieved ISO 9000 certification, each was guided by historical antecedents and internal processes that left different legacies: a culture of cynicism and chaotic work practices in one division vis-a-vis a system of standardized work practices that are voluntarily (and often enthusiastically) followed in the other. The contrasting cases shed light on what happens when an external standard is adopted by an organization, converted into a formal directive, and then confronted by the norms and practices of an existing occupational community. More generally, the paper articulates how three common modes of social regulation—standards, directives, and norms—are interconnected in the process of implementing a standard in an organization, and the conditions under which institutional exigencies are either decoupled from or tightly coupled to technical work.
The Paradox of Standard Flexibility: The Effects of Co-evolution between Standard and Interorganizational Network
Authors: van den Ende Jan , van de Kaa Geerten , den Uijl Simon , de Vries Henk J.
Published: June 2012

The literature has dedicated significant attention to the effects of standard-supporting, interorganizational networks on the content of standards and standard survival. However, minimal attention has been paid to the effects of the standard’s characteristics and dynamics on these networks. This paper contributes to closing this gap. We introduce the paradoxical concept of ‘standard flexibility’ and study the interaction between the characteristics of a standard-supporting network and the development of the standard itself, including the effect of the interaction on standard success. More specifically, we show how a standard’s flexibility can serve to attract new network members, facilitating growth and diversity of the network, which in turn has implications for further adaptations of the standard. We study this co-evolutionary process in three standards battles: Blu-ray versus HD-DVD, USB versus Firewire, and WiFi versus HomeRF. Our findings suggest that those participating in standardization can persuade non-participating stakeholders to join by allowing for changes in the standard. In turn, the existing members can expect that the new members will request further changes. The cases suggest that early timing of the co-evolutionary process enhances the chances of standard success. We also explore the emergence of path dependencies in the process and the forces that restrict the co-evolutionary process over time. For managers, our findings indicate that changes in standards should not be considered undesirable, but as opportunities that may strengthen the interorganizational network and contribute to a standard’s success.
Standardization Cycles: A Process Perspective on the Formation and Diffusion of Transnational Standards
Authors: Botzem Sebastian , Dobusch Leonhard
Published: June 2012

Standards are receiving increasing attention, especially at the transnational level where standardization aims at coherence and social ordering beyond the nation-state. However, many attempts to bring about uniformity via formalized standards fail. To understand better how such rules successfully span national and organizational boundaries over time, we compare two cases of standardization in international business. Both Windows desktop software and International Accounting Standards demonstrate the need for a process perspective to understand and explain social ordering through standards. Long-lasting standardization processes require conceptualizing how different sequences of transnational standardization relate to each other. We find that at the core of such recursive cycles is the interplay of input and output legitimacy.
Talking the Talk, Moral Entrapment, Creeping Commitment? Exploring Narrative Dynamics in Corporate Responsibility Standardization
Authors: Haack Patrick , Schoeneborn Dennis , Wickert Christopher
Published: June 2012

This paper examines the type and temporal development of language in the process of corporate responsibility (CR) standardization. Previous research on CR standardization has addressed the proliferation and organizational embedding of material practices but neglected the analysis of underlying ideational dynamics. Departing from this practice, we introduce a narrative perspective that illuminates the trajectory a CR standard follows, from being formally adopted to becoming collectively accepted as a valid solution to a problem of societal concern. We argue that this perspective helps scholars explore the dynamic interplay between symbolic and material aspects of standardization and understand better the discursive antecedents of coupling processes in organizations. Drawing on the case of the Equator Principles standard in international project finance, we empirically study how narratives create meaning shared by both business firms and their societal observers, thereby exemplifying the analytical merit of a narrative approach to CR standardization.
The Dynamics of Standardization: Three Perspectives on Standards in Organization Studies
Authors: Brunsson Nils , Rasche Andreas , Seidl David
Published: June 2012

This paper suggests that when the phenomenon of standards and standardization is examined from the perspective of organization studies, three aspects stand out: the standardization of organizations, standardization by organizations and standardization as (a form of) organization. Following a comprehensive overview of existing research in these three areas, we argue that the dynamic aspects of standardization are under-represented in the scholarly discourse. Furthermore, we identify the main types of tension associated with standardization and the dynamics they generate in each of those three areas, and show that, while standards and standardization are typically associated with stability and sameness, they are essentially a dynamic phenomenon. The paper highlights the contributions of this special issue to the topic of standards as a dynamic phenomenon in organization studies and makes suggestions for future research.
Explaining the strength of civil society: Evidence from cross-sectional data
Authors: Bailer Stefanie , Bodenstein Thilo , Heinrich V. Finn
Published: June 2012

A number of societal and institutional factors enhance the development of a vibrant civil society, such as a country’s socioeconomic traditions and societal structure, political institutions, or foreign influence. But the question of which one of these factors contributes most to a vibrant civil society still remains unanswered. Using ordinary least square techniques, this article statistically tests the competing factors with a large- N design that includes 42 countries. Our dependent variable is the new Civil Society Index, composed of a structural and a value dimension of civil society. The results show that a country’s quality of political institutions and a high degree of religious fragmentation have the strongest impact on the development of a vibrant civil society. In order to examine the causal relationship, we reassess our findings by conducting two case studies on Chile and Russia. The case studies corroborate the causal direction from the quality of political institutions to a stronger civil society.
Liver Hypertrophy
Authors: Hall A. P. , Elcombe C. R. , Foster J. R. , Harada T. , Kaufmann W. , Knippel A. , Küttler K. , Malarkey D. E. , Maronpot R. R. , Nishikawa A. , Nolte T. , Schulte A. , Strauss V. , York M. J.
Published: June 2012

Preclinical toxicity studies have demonstrated that exposure of laboratory animals to liver enzyme inducers during preclinical safety assessment results in a signature of toxicological changes characterized by an increase in liver weight, hepatocellular hypertrophy, cell proliferation, and, frequently in long-term (life-time) studies, hepatocarcinogenesis. Recent advances over the last decade have revealed that for many xenobiotics, these changes may be induced through a common mechanism of action involving activation of the nuclear hormone receptors CAR, PXR, or PPARα. The generation of genetically engineered mice that express altered versions of these nuclear hormone receptors, together with other avenues of investigation, have now demonstrated that sensitivity to many of these effects is rodent-specific. These data are consistent with the available epidemiological and empirical human evidence and lend support to the scientific opinion that these changes have little relevance to man. The ESTP therefore convened an international panel of experts to debate the evidence in order to more clearly define for toxicologic pathologists what is considered adverse in the context of hepatocellular hypertrophy. The results of this workshop concluded that hepatomegaly as a consequence of hepatocellular hypertrophy without histologic or clinical pathology alterations indicative of liver toxicity was considered an adaptive and a non-adverse reaction. This conclusion should normally be reached by an integrative weight of evidence approach.
Scientific and Regulatory Policy Committee (SRPC) Paper
Authors: Long Richard E. , Smith Adam , Machotka Sam V. , Chlipala Elizabeth , Cann Jennifer , Knight Brian , Kawano Yoshihiro , Ellin Jesus , Lowe Amanda
Published: June 2012

Digital Pathology Systems (DPS) are dynamic, image-based computer systems that enable the acquisition, management, and interpretation of pathology information generated from digitized glass slides. This article provides a roadmap for (1) qualification of a whole slide scanner (WSS) during a validation project, (2) validation of software required to generate the whole slide image (WSI), and (3) an introduction to visual digital image evaluation and image analysis. It describes a validation approach that can be utilized when validating a DPS. It is not the intent of this article to provide guidance on when validation of DPS is required. Rather, the article focuses on technical aspects of validation of the WSS system (WSS, IT infrastructure, and associated software) portion of a DPS and covers the processes of setting up the WSS for scanning a glass slide through saving a WSI on a server. Validation of a computerized system, such as a DPS, for use in a regulated nonclinical environment is governed by Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 21 part 11: Electronic Records; Electronic Signature and predicate rules associated with Good Laboratory Practices documents including 21 CFR part 58. Similar regulation and predicate rules apply in the European Union and Japan.
Relational uncertainty and communication efficacy as predictors of religious conversations in romantic relationships
Authors: McCurry Allyson L. , Schrodt Paul , Ledbetter Andrew M.
Published: June 2012

This study investigated the associations among relational uncertainty, communication efficacy, and the frequency and comfort of discussing religious topics in romantic relationships. Participants included 204 young adults currently involved in a romantic relationship. Results indicated that relational uncertainty was inversely associated with the frequency and comfort with which dating partners discuss religious (and/or spiritual) topics. Communication efficacy, however, was positively associated with both outcomes. Moreover, effects for uncertainty and efficacy were moderated by levels of intimacy and perceived similarity in religious affiliation. Consequently, the results provide meaningful extensions to emerging theories of relational uncertainty and information management in romantic relationships.
The digital divide in individual e-commerce utilization in China
Authors: Zhu Shizhan , Chen Juan
Published: June 2012

Using data from a national survey with 1,288 respondents, this study investigates the socio-demographic determinants of the first-order digital divide (access to the Internet) and the second-order digital divide (e-commerce use) in China. The survey employed spatial probability sampling technology so it would encompass migrants as well as registered residents. Multiple logistic regressions were applied to model the associations between access to the Internet/e-commerce use and demographic characteristics, socio-economic attributes, and migration and residency status. The results demonstrate the significant effects of rural-urban inequality and socio-economic divisions in Internet access. Age, gender, education, and residency were identified as significant predictors for individual e-commerce use. The findings provide helpful information for enterprises wishing to broaden their business horizons. The research can also be used in designing effective policies to reduce China’s digital inequality.
A survey on air bubble detector placement in the CPB circuit: a 2011 cross-sectional analysis of the practice of Certified Clinical Perfusionists
Authors: Kelting T , Searles B , Darling E
Published: June 2012

The ideal location of air bubble detector (ABD) placement on the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuit is debatable. There is, however, very little data characterizing the prevalence of specific ABD placement preferences by perfusionists. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to survey the perfusion community to collect data describing the primary locations of air bubble detector placement on the CPB circuit.

In June 2011, an 18-question on-line survey was conducted. Completed surveys were received from 627 participants. Of these, analysis of the responses from the 559 certified clinical perfusionists (CCP) was performed.

The routine use of ABD during CPB was reported by 96.8% of CCPs. Of this group, specific placement of the bubble detector is as follows: distal to the venous reservoir outlet (35.6%), between the arterial pump and oxygenator (3.8%), between the oxygenator and arterial line filter (35.1%), distal to the arterial line filter (ALF) (23.6%), and other (1.8%). Those placing the ABD distal to the venous reservoir predominately argued that an emptied venous reservoir was the most likely place to introduce air into the circuit. Those who placed the ABD between the oxygenator and the arterial line filter commonly reasoned that this placement protects against air exiting the membrane. Those placing the ABD distal to the ALF (23.6%) cited that this location protects from all possible entry points of air. A recent false alarm event from an ABD during a case was reported by 36.1% of CCPs.

This study demonstrates that the majority of CCPs use an ABD during the conduct of CPB. The placement of the ABD on the circuit, however, is highly variable across the perfusion community. A strong rationale for the various ABD placements suggests that the adoption of multiple ABD may offer the greatest comprehensive protection against air emboli.
Is Integrated Planning Any More Than the Sum of Its Parts?
Authors: Holden Meg
Published: June 2012

Policy integration is currently cresting a wave of interest, with new legal frameworks, programs, and processes emerging. Does integrated sustainability planning, to take one key motivator of this interest in integration, offer more than environmental planning, climate change planning, or other sectoral moves? This article reviews planning research and practice in integration in the context of diverse aspirations for sustainability. Normative claims, central to environmental policy integration, are seldom distinguished in theory or tested in practice. Applying a normative framework to sustainability policy integration in current practice, we find evidence of risks to applying each and contradictions within the set.
A Comparison of Nonfatal Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Among Hispanic Versus Non-Hispanic Workers in the United States
Authors: Hurley Dene T. , Lebbon Angela R.
Published: June 2012

This article investigates the trends and changes in patterns of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses among Hispanic workers versus non-Hispanic minority workers in the United States between 1992 and 2009. Injuries and illnesses are also examined by the severity of cases and across industry sectors. The differences in the mean share of nonfatal injury and illness cases found between Hispanic and non-Hispanic minority workers in the top three industries are tested to determine if they are statistically different. The hypothesis that Hispanic workers experience a relatively higher incidence of injuries and illnesses because of the growing share of Hispanics in the U.S. labor force and relatively lower educational attainment level is established through a vector autoregressive (VAR) framework. These findings suggest greater need for safety efforts with Hispanic workers in industries demonstrating high rates of injuries and illnesses, such as education and training that addresses safety behavior, work conditions, and language and cultural barriers.
The Stigmatization and Resilience of a Female Indigenous Mexican Immigrant
Authors: Casanova Saskias
Published: June 2012

This case study examines the autobiographical writing and interviews of Lupe, an Indigenous Mexican immigrant, at multiple times in her life. The case study is contextualized within social, historical, psychological, and institutional spaces both in the United States and in Mexico. Consequently, Lupe’s journey is an example of how stigmatization and discrimination are critical issues affecting the educational experiences of immigrant adolescents in American schools. The case study, however, is also evidence of an immigrant youth’s perseverance, the factors that positively influenced her resilience process, and her ability to overcome the stigma placed on her throughout her education. Currently this college educated, Mexican, Indigenous women works as a teacher for a school with a predominantly low-income, Latina/o immigrant population.
How and What You Pay Matters
Authors: Park Sanghee , Sturman Michael C.
Published: June 2012

Companies regularly use multiple types of pay-for-performance plans to motivate and sustain high performance levels. Although research generally confirms that pay-for-performance plans can influence these outcomes, it is unclear how effective different pay plans are relative to each other. The current study examines how three different forms of pay-for-performance plans—merit pay, individual-based annual bonuses and long-term incentive plans—influence employee future performance when they operate simultaneously. The results of this study suggest that the effects of pay-for-performance plans on employee future performance can be explained by the strength of the link between pay and performance for each plan and the financial nature of the awards from each plan.
Effect of a hybrid controller on ride comfort under random road excitation for a semi-active suspension system
Authors: Wang Yu-Hsien , Shih Ming-Chang
Published: June 2012

An adjustable damper is able to achieve effective anti-vibration performance by changing the damping coefficient. Therefore, this study experimentally evaluated the dynamic responses of the adjustable damper, which was subsequently incorporated into a quarter-car system. The current research employed a hybrid controller with a self-tuning fuzzy sliding-mode controller and a self-organizing learning mechanism under random road excitation (ISO 8608:1995) to verify the reliability. A single-input single-output fuzzy inference was used to adjust the slope of the sliding surface. Furthermore, the self-organizing control was developed to self-organize online fuzzy sliding rules. This study also investigated the ride comfort of the car body according to the ISO 2631-1:1997 standard. The experimental results show that the proposed controller demonstrates notable improvements in the vibration suppression of the car body and in the ride comfort, which is superior to the compared mixed skyhook–acceleration-driven damping controller.
The Social Side of Abstraction
Authors: Ledgerwood Alison , Callahan Shannon P.
Published: June 2012

Intuition suggests that a distanced or abstract thinker should be immune to social influence, and on its surface, the current literature could seem to support this view. The present research builds on recent theorizing to suggest a different possibility. Drawing on the notion that psychological distance regulates the extent to which evaluations incorporate context-specific or context-independent information, we suggest that psychological distance should actually increase susceptibility to sources of social influence that tend to be consistently encountered across contexts, such as group norms. Consistent with this hypothesis, two studies showed that psychological distance and abstraction increased conformity to group opinion and that this effect persisted in a novel voting-booth paradigm in which participants believed their voting behavior was both anonymous and consequential. We discuss implications of these findings for understanding the social side of abstraction as well as the conditions under which different types of social influence are likely to be most influential.
A comprehensive review of reporting practices in psychological journals: Are effect sizes really enough?
Authors: Fritz Astrid , Scherndl Thomas , Kühberger Anton
Published: June 2012

Over-reliance on significance testing has been heavily criticized in psychology. Therefore the American Psychological Association recommended supplementing the p value with additional elements such as effect sizes, confidence intervals, and considering statistical power seriously. This article elaborates the conclusions that can be drawn when these measures accompany the p value. An analysis of over 30 summary papers (including over 6,000 articles) reveals that, if at all, only effect sizes are reported in addition to p’s (38%). Only every 10th article provides a confidence interval and statistical power is reported in only 3% of articles. An increase in reporting frequency of the supplements to p’s over time owing to stricter guidelines was found for effect sizes only. Given these practices, research faces a serious problem in the context of dichotomous statistical decision making: since significant results have a higher probability of being published (publication bias), effect sizes reported in articles may be seriously overestimated.
Deleuze, sense, and life: Marking the parameters of a psychology of individuation
Authors: Tucker Ian
Published: June 2012

This paper offers a psychology of individuation, drawing on Gilles Deleuze’s concepts of series, event, sense, and individuation to develop a way of thinking human experience that is non-reductionist and processual. Deleuze’s writing produces a conceptualization of life as multiple, novel, and yet inherently linked to the past. The desire for such an undertaking comes from the need to avoid capturing experience according to theories that prioritize one factor over others, and in doing so define psychological life as a set of intrinsic properties. Understanding individuals as the products of individuating processes introduces a philosophy of change that, although not entirely “pure,” can still be novel. A psychology of individuation potentially allows for the extraction of a virtual realm of sense that is “in between” forms of language and materiality, and which allows novelty to emerge in our social worlds. The paper concludes by discussing the potential moral benefits of conceptualizing psychological life as produced through processes of individuation.
Exploring unexplained variation
Authors: Doherty Michael E. , Shemberg Kenneth M. , Anderson Richard B. , Tweney Ryan D.
Published: June 2012

In a 1974 commencement address, Richard Feynman described scientific integrity as a kind of utter honesty, a kind of leaning over backwards to tell the whole truth. We argue that investigators could tell more of the truth and increase the value of their papers by highlighting and discussing unexplained variation, a major source of which is individual differences. An argument that unexplained individual differences must have many sources is presented, and means of representing that variation are illustrated. We believe that such a change in reporting of research results is likely to advance the progress of scientific psychology, but perhaps the most compelling argument for what we propose is simply that telling the whole story as fully as possible is good scientific practice. The Appendix provides two examples of what we are urging, taken from recent psychological literature.
Primary Bilateral Seminal Vesicle Carcinoma
Authors: Campobasso Davide , Fornia Samanta , Ferretti Stefania , Maestroni Umberto , Cortellini Pietro
Published: June 2012

With no more than 60 reported cases, tumors of the seminal vesicles are rare. Because of poor and nonspecific symptoms diagnosis is often very difficult. This report presents a case of a 56-year-old man with right renal agenesis and intermittent hematospermia and bilateral cystic masses of the seminal vesicles. Transrectal biopsies of the cystic lesion revealed a papillary clear cell adenocarcinoma. The patient underwent radical prostatectomy and pelvic lymphoadenectomy. Lymph node metastases were found on histological examination. The patient received 4 cycles of chemotherapy and pelvic radiotherapy. He remains disease free 21 months after surgery. Radiological imaging in patients with hematospermia and hematuria will allow disease detection at earlier stages. Immunohistochemistry and histomorphology can be used for differential diagnosis. Surgery with clear margins offers the best chance to cure. Hormonal and radio-chemotherapy have a role as adjuvant and palliative treatment.
Research Governance and the Role of Evaluation
Authors: Molas-Gallart Jordi
Published: June 2012

Through a comparative study of the United Kingdom and Spain, this article addresses the effect of different research governance structures on the functioning and uses of research evaluation. It distinguishes three main evaluation uses: distributive, improvement, and controlling. Research evaluation in the United Kingdom plays important distributive and improvement roles while the Spanish evaluation system plays, mainly, a controlling function and a minor distributive role. The differences that the article identifies should not be attributed to alleged different positions of the two countries in a putative research evaluation learning curve. Evaluation practice fits its national research governance structure.
Effects of Matching Instruction Difficulty to Reading Level for Students With Escape-Maintained Problem Behavior
Authors: Sanford Amanda K. , Horner Robert H.
Published: June 2012

The effects of a literacy intervention matching student skill level with academic performance demands were examined through a multiple baseline across participants design. The dual dependent variables were problem behavior and academic engagement. Four students in Grades 2 or 3 who exhibited low academic performance and problem behavior during reading instruction participated. Functional behavioral assessment and oral reading fluency assessment indicated that each of the students (a) was at risk for reading difficulties and read at the frustration level in text used for reading instruction and (b) had escape-maintained problem behavior during instruction sessions. A nonconcurrent multiple baseline design across students was used to assess the effects of matching reading instructional level (e.g., reducing the aversive level of instruction) on academic engagement and problem behavior. Matching the reading instructional level to the skill level of the students was associated with academic engagement increases and problem behavior decreases for three of the students. The fourth student demonstrated improvement during baseline that made effects of the intervention difficult to assess. Conceptual implications and suggestions for integrating behavioral and academic supports are explored.
Pre-specified subgroup analyses of a placebo-controlled phase III trial (TEMSO) of oral teriflunomide in relapsing multiple sclerosis
Authors: Miller Aaron E , O’Connor Paul , Wolinsky Jerry S , Confavreux Christian , Kappos Ludwig , Olsson Tomas P , Truffinet Philippe , Wang Lin , D’Castro Laura , Comi Giancarlo , Freedman Mark S ,   for the Teriflunomide Multiple Sclerosis Trial Group
Published: June 2012

Background:

The Teriflunomide Multiple Sclerosis Oral (TEMSO) trial, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III study, demonstrated that teriflunomide significantly reduced annualized relapse rate (ARR), disease progression and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) activity, with a favorable safety profile in relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) patients.

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to report the effects of teriflunomide on ARR and disability progression in pre-specified subgroups.

Methods:

RMS patients ( n=1088) were randomized to placebo or teriflunomide, 7 mg or 14 mg, once daily, for 108 weeks. Subgroup analyses were performed for ARR and disability progression by baseline demographics (gender, race, age), disease characteristics (Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) strata, relapse history, multiple sclerosis (MS) subtype), MRI parameters (gadolinium-enhancing lesions, total lesion volume) and prior use of MS drugs. A generalized estimating equation method and Cox regression model were used to assess consistency of the treatment effect across subgroups, utilizing a treatment-by-subgroup interaction test for each factor separately.

Results:

Reductions in ARR and disability progression were consistent across subgroups in favor of teriflunomide, with no treatment-by-subgroup interaction test reaching statistical significance.

Conclusion:

The positive effects of teriflunomide were demonstrated consistently across subgroups in TEMSO.
An experimental investigation of the effects of interest-group endorsements on poorly aligned partisans in the 2008 presidential election
Authors: Neddenriep Gregory , Nownes Anthony J
Published: June 2012

In this article, we test the effects of interest group endorsements on potential voters in the 2008 presidential election. Specifically, we use a posttest-only, multiple control group experiment (N = 701) to examine how real-world endorsements affect citizens. We find that endorsements have profound effects on some voters. Specifically, we find that interest-group endorsements profoundly affect the candidate evaluations and stated voting preferences of potential voters who are what we call ‘poorly aligned’ – that is, whose stand on the issue on which the endorsement is based (in this case, abortion) does not align ‘properly’ with their party identification and ideology. Moreover, we find that the effects of endorsements are most profound among poorly aligned voters who are not well informed. In all, our results confirm that interest-group endorsements indeed act as cues for voters, even in high-information elections.
Party system competitiveness and corruption
Authors: Schleiter Petra , Voznaya Alisa M
Published: June 2012

This article examines why democratic competition sometimes fails to curb governmental corruption. We argue that in democracies party system competitiveness, which shapes the ability of voters to effectively select and control their politicians through elections, plays a critical role in conditioning the scope for corruption. For voters, governmental corruption is a classical principal–agent problem and its magnitude is mediated by the extent to which the competitiveness of a party system helps to make information and effective choices available to the electorate. Informed voters who can coordinate on credible alternatives to under-performing and corrupt incumbents, we argue, can select politicians who are likely to curb corruption and hold accountable those who do not. We test this argument through a controlled comparative analysis of corruption in 70 democracies around the world and find broad support for our hypotheses.
The roads less traveled: Mapping some pathways on the global mental health research roadmap
Authors: Fernando Gaithri A.
Published: June 2012

The global mental health (GMH) research agenda should include both culture-general and culture-specific perspectives to ensure ecological validity of findings. Despite its title, the current GMH research agenda appears to be using a monocultural model that is individualistic, illness-oriented, and focused on intrapsychic processes. Ironically, issues of culture are prominently absent in many discussions of global mental health. This paper highlights some issues and concerns considered key to conducting ecologically valid and socially responsible GMH research. The concerns are particularly directed at researchers from dominant cultures who are working in low-income countries. Central to these issues is the balance between etic and emic perspectives in assessment, diagnosis, and intervention, as well as language, engagement of stakeholders and their agendas, and evaluation of the benefit of interventions to the community. New terminology is proposed that identifies broad cultural groups, and recommendations provided for a research agenda to encourage both basic and applied research that mutually benefits all stakeholders in the GMH research endeavor.
Utilization of bulge and uniaxial tensile tests for determination of flow stress curves of selected anisotropic alloys
Authors: Janbakhsh Milad , Djavanroodi Faramarz , Riahi Mohammad
Published: June 2012

In sheet metal forming industries, finite element simulations are commonly used for the process/tool design. An important factor for finite element modeling is mechanical property (flow stress curves and stress–strain relationships) of the sheet material. Hydroforming bulge and uniaxial tensile tests were performed on four different sheet metal alloys of industrial interest and the resulting flow stress curves determined using different analytical approaches developed by Hill, Panknin, Chakrabarty and Kruglov. To obtain flow stress curves, both the dome height and pressure were measured during the bulge tests. The effect of anisotropy and strain hardening characteristics were also investigated. The results show that biaxial loading provides flow stress properties at higher strain levels as compared to uniaxial loading. It was also concluded that an accurate flow curves can be obtained using Panknin’s bulge radius and Kruglov’s thickness calculation approaches.
‘But they’re happening to you at the wrong time’: Exploring young adult women’s reflections on serious illness through photovoice
Authors: Burles Meridith , Thomas Roanne
Published: June 2012

Although serious illness is often associated with aging, many young adults are affected by various life-threatening and chronic illnesses, and thus have experiences that do not correspond to socio-cultural expectations for young adulthood. In this article, we describe a qualitative study exploring young adult women’s experiences of serious illness. Ten participants diagnosed with a life-threatening or chronic illness in the previous three years participated in phenomenological interviews and photovoice project that focused on what it is like to be seriously ill during young adulthood. Our analysis reveals that participants experienced serious illness with respect to their position in the life course; specifically, participants perceived ill health as being inconsistent with young adulthood. This finding is illustrated by three inter-related themes: feeling abnormal and ‘off time,’ realizing vulnerabilities, and renegotiating expectations for young adulthood and the future. We propose that these themes offer evidence of how illness is experienced within the broader socio-cultural context of individuals’ lives. We conclude that social workers involved in supporting this population are well positioned to address life course disruptions brought about by illness and aid in negotiating ill health with respect to expectations for young adulthood.
Considerations on the fatigue assessment methods of floating-structure details
Authors: Xu Li , Lou Benqiang , Barltrop Nigel
Published: June 2012

The assessment of the finite element analysis results on stiffened plating structures is not straightforward because of the stress singularities that are inherent in the overall geometry. Some guidance is available but it is generally founded on limited comparisons with experiments rather than on an overall analysis of the problem, and the guidance is almost certainly not generally applicable. Fracture mechanics finite element methods are very useful but generally provide little understanding of the behaviour and a very limited basis for checking the quality of the results. This paper reports some work carried out recently to try to provide an understanding of the nature of the singularities in these details and some simple ‘rules of thumb’. This provides a direct calculation method for fracture mechanics stress intensity factors and stress concentration factors for fatigue analysis based on the S–N approach (where S is the stress and N is the number of cycles to failure). By providing a better understanding of the nature of the stress fields, it also provides a good foundation for a finite element analysis of these details. This paper concentrates on the analysis of a simple planar right-angled cruciform corner with no bending, overlapping plates or weld reinforcement geometry. Also the effects of the mean stress and the residual stress are ignored. Some initial insights into the stress field are studied when the detail is not planar; this gives some further understanding of the behaviour of real structure details.
Procedure for identification and analysis of the vibration characteristics and the mode shapes of semi-submersible platforms
Authors: Ringsberg Jonas W , Ernholm Per , Hagström Love
Published: June 2012

The fundamental vibration characteristics and the mode shapes of a semi-submersible platform determine its operation conditions and long-term structural response. The current investigation presents a procedure for identification of the global natural frequencies and the mode shapes of a semi-submersible platform. The purpose is to evaluate the separation in frequency between the semi-submersible’s global natural frequencies and the exciting wave spectrum. Two types of finite element model are developed and compared: a beam element model and a shell element model. The main differences in the models are the level of resolution in the details and the model complexity. It is shown that both the beam element model and the shell element model can be used for the analysis. However, the beam element model is recommended for a first approximate assessment of the fundamental natural frequency and the interval and spectrum of the global resonance frequencies compared with the wave spectrum. The shell element model is recommended when a more thorough analysis is required. In addition, the natural frequencies of the semi-submersible are calculated for free vibrations in air. The fundamental frequency was 1.9 Hz for the beam element model and 1.5 Hz for the shell element model. When the masses corresponding to a submerged structure in operation mode are considered, including the effects of the added mass, the fundamental frequency for the first mode was decreased to 0.7 Hz when using the beam element model, and to 0.6 Hz when using the shell element model. When compared with the world wave spectrum’s highest frequency of 0.29 Hz reported by Det Norske Veritas, it is concluded that the natural frequencies of the semi-submersible are at a sufficient distance from the exciting wave spectrum.