bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Demon Possession and Exorcism: A Reaction to Page
Authors: Wilson William P.
Published: February 2018

Western Christianity is in decline. There is little belief in a supernatural kingdom of evil. Satan's chief weapon is to convince the world that he does not exist. Science has believed him. The result is that mental health workers are unable to recognize or treat demon possession when it occurs. To recognize demon possession a person must possess the ability to discern the spirits, and have diagnostic criteria that allow positive diagnosis. This reaction examines the equivocal position taken by Page (1989) and responds by pointing out that we cannot equivocate in our approach to the activities of Satan and his minions. We have marshalled evidence from excellent biblical scholars that we are involved in spiritual warfare, and if equipped to fight it we must do battle. Christian counselors are the only mental health workers appropriately equipped for this warfare.
Exorcism Revisited: A Response to Beck and Lewis and to Wilson
Authors: Page Sydney H.T.
Published: February 2018

The author responds to reactions by Beck and Lewis (1989) and Wilson (1989) to his article, “The Role of Exorcism in Clinical Practice and Pastoral Care” (1989), and argues for the possibility that psychological and demonic explanations of certain types of aberrant human behavior may be complementary and compatible.
Pastoral Counseling and Faith Issues
Authors: Howe Leroy T.
Published: February 2018

What is distinctively “pastoral” about pastoral counseling? This article proposes that the vital center of pastoral counseling is guidance of persons toward life lived out in accordance with a set of ultimate values and meanings. The proposal is elaborated upon by discussing the tasks of guiding persons experiencing difficulties with aspect of their faith. Pastoral ministry today is both enhanced and plagues by a proliferation of expectations. Struggling to meet all of them, many pastoral counselors are experiencing distress over a threatened loss of identity. They ask, with increasing frequency: In all of the many kinds of counseling I am now doing, where is the distinctively pastoral contribution to be found? On what basis do I continue to call myself a pastoral counselor? For all of their expanding competencies as pastoral counselors, one central expectation of their work continues prominently among believers and nonbelievers alike. People continue to hope that pastoral counselors, because they are pastoral counselors, can help them to grow in the light of ultimate values and meanings. How to facilitate such growth is the concern of the present article.
Sin and Self-Functioning, Part 5: Antireligious Humanistic Values, Individualism, and the Community
Authors: Watson P.J. , Morris Ronald J. , Hood Ralph W.
Published: February 2018

Grace alone or in combination with intrinsic religiosity was associated with less narcissistic Exploitiveness, Machiavellianism, and individualism while being congruent with a belief in authority and equalitarianism. Measures of individualism were related to a manipulative style of interpersonal relationships. The failure of religious variables to predict healthy self-functioning as measured by the Personal Orientation Inventory appeared to reflect an antireligious ideological bias built into this humanistically based questionnaire. Although humanistic self-values did not generally promote interpersonal manipulativeness, the data nevertheless supported recent arguments by communitarian theorists that an excessive individualism may have unfortunate social consequences and that beliefs rooted in the biblical tradition may help work against such liabilities.
The Impossibility of a Psychology of the Christian Religion: A Theological Perspective
Authors: Tjeltveit Alan C.
Published: February 2018

Does theology have a legitimate role to play in the psychology of the Christian religion? Several strands of thought within scholarly disciplines which study religion say “Yes.” Those perspectives are reviewed and a particular theological perspective on the definition of the Christian religion is set forth. In light of that perspective, an argument for the appropriate limits of psychology's attempts to provide knowledge about the Christian religion is made. It is concluded that, although a psychology of religious experience and behavior can and ought to be pursued, it is, in several regards, impossible to construct a psychology of the Christian religion.
Homosexuality: The Behavioral Sciences and the Church
Authors: Jones Stanton L. , Workman Don E.
Published: February 2018

Christian mental health professionals are frequently asked to comment on the issue of homosexuality and the church, and yet few are up-to-date on the current research concerning the questions they are asked. We raise four basic questions which might be asked of the Christian psychologist by the church and discuss the best answers to those questions available from the behavioral science literature. The major questions examined are: (a) Is homosexuality an intrinsically psychopathological condition? (b) Is the homosexual orientation caused by factors beyond a person's voluntary control? (c) Is change to heterosexuality impossible for the homosexual? and (d) Is the expression of erotic sexuality essential to psychological wholeness? Christian psychologists are urged to exercise caution when they attempt to articulate “consensus views” on any of these questions, as the current state of our knowledge about homosexuality is much more rudimentary than is usually acknowledged, and may have less proper impact on the ethical deliberations of the church than may be commonly thought.
Theory of Personality, Illness, and Cure Found in the Writings of Agnes Sanford and those Acknowledging Her Influence
Authors: Clark Donald L.
Published: February 2018

The implicit theory of personality, illness, and cure in the sometimes vague and inconsistent writings of the practitioners of “inner healing” is extracted and made more systematic. The writings of Agnes Sanford and those acknowledging her influence are abstracted.
Evangelical Christian Adult Children of Alcoholics: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Wilson Sandra D.
Published: February 2018

Using the Sixteen Personality Factor Test evangelical Christian adult children of alcoholics and nonalcoholics from 17 Protestant churches in Ohio, California, and Illinois were compared on five personality characteristics. Mean scores were analyzed by t-tests, and adult children of alcoholics (ACAs) measured significantly more depressed, distrusting, and self-blaming than adult children of nonalcoholics (NACAs). Self-reported religious problems were investigated also. These religious problems were in the areas of experiencing God's love and forgiveness, trusting God's will, believing biblical promises, and forgiving others. Chi-square tests were used to determine which of the four problem areas differed significantly. The first three differed at p<.001 and the last at p<.01, with ACAs reporting more problems than NACAs. These findings are discussed and suggestions for further research are presented.
Pleural drainage using drainage bag for thoracoscopic lobectomy
Authors: Wu Ming-Ho , Wu Han-Yun
Published: February 2018

Objective

This study was designed to compare the effectiveness and convenience of a drainage bag and a chest bottle following thoracoscopic lobectomy.

Methods

We conducted a test to ensure that the drainage bag was characterized by easy drainage and an antireflux effect. Thereafter, the drainage bag was used in all thoracic operations in our service. To understand the usefulness of the drainage bag, a retrospective cohort study enrolled 30 patients who had a drainage bag after thoracoscopic lobectomy and compared them with 30 similar patients operated on previously who had chest bottles. Variables studied included total drainage volume, duration of drainage, complications, and satisfaction of the care providers.

Results

There was no significant difference between the chest bottle and drainage bag groups respectively in terms of total drainage (697.5 ± 89.7 vs. 614.1 ± 76.6 mL, p = 0.483) or duration of drainage (4.23 ± 0.38 vs. 4.43 ± 0.38 days, p = 0.713). No device-related complication was observed. After our experience with the drainage bag, we abandoned use of the chest bottle. The drainage bag was more convenient for patients and promoted early ambulation as well improving cost effectiveness. Most care providers preferred to use the drainage bag (p = 0.000).

Conclusion

The drainage bag is superior to the chest bottle for postoperative drainage.
Differentiating skull base chordomas and invasive pituitary adenomas with conventional MRI
Authors: Gao Ankang , Bai Jie , Cheng Jingliang , Cheng Xiao , Li Shujian , Zhang Zanxia , Zhang Yong
Published: February 2018

Background

It is difficult to distinguish between invasive pituitary adenomas (IPAs) and skull base chordomas based on tumor location and clinical manifestations.

Purpose

To investigate the value of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), T2-weighted (T2W) imaging, and dynamic contrast enhancement (DCE) in differentiating skull base chordomas and IPAs.

Material and Methods

Data for 21 patients with skull base chordomas and 27 patients with IPAs involving the paranasal sinus were retrospectively reviewed, and all diagnoses were pathologically confirmed. Each patient underwent conventional 3.0 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including, ADC, T2W imaging, and DCE sequences. Regions of interest were drawn in the mass and in normal white matter on ADC maps and T2W imaging. The mean ADC, normal ADC, T2W imaging signal intensity (SI), and relative T2-weighted (rT2W) imaging values were measured. DCE parameters, including types of time signal-intensity curves (TIC), enhancement peak (EP), and maximum contrast enhancement ratio (MCER), were calculated. Differences between skull base chordomas and IPAs were evaluated using the independent samples t-test. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were also performed.

Results

When comparing IPAs and chordomas, there were significant differences in mean ADC, normal ADC, rT2W imaging values, TIC, EP, and MCER ( P < 0.01). The areas under curves in the ROC analyses for normal ADC, mean ADC, T2W imaging, rT2W imaging, TIC, EP, and MCER were 1.0, 0.996, 1.0, 0.81, 0.987, and 0.987, respectively.

Conclusion

ADC, T2W imaging SI, and DCE-related parameters can contribute to the differential diagnosis of skull base chordomas and IPAs.
Misconceptions in engineering thermodynamics: A review
Authors: Foroushani Sepehr
Published: February 2018

This paper examines engineering students’ misconceptions of thermodynamics. A summary of the pedagogical theories of misconceptions is presented and the cognitive roots of misconceptions are briefly reviewed. Concept tests are discussed as one of the most effective tools for diagnosing misconceptions, followed by a summary of the available thermodynamics concept tests. Finally, an overview is presented of the most frequent thermodynamics misconceptions among engineering students.
Evaluating the reporting of adverse events in controlled clinical trials conducted in 2010–2015 on migraine drug treatments
Authors: Tfelt-Hansen Peer , Lindqvist Janus Kaufmann , Do Thien Phu
Published: February 2018

Background

In 2008, the International Headache Society published guidelines on the “evaluation and registration of adverse events in clinical drug trials on migraine”. They listed seven recommendations for reporting adverse events in randomized controlled trials on migraine. The present study aimed to evaluate adherence to these recommendations, and based on the results, to recommend improvements.

Methods

We searched the PubMed/MEDLINE database to identify controlled trials on migraine drugs published from 2010 to 2015. For each trial, we noted whether five of the recommended parameters were presented. In addition, we noted whether adverse events were reported in abstracts.

Results

We identified 73 trials; 51 studied acutely administered drugs and 22 studied prophylactic drugs for migraine. The number of patients with any adverse events were reported in 74% of acute-administration and 86% of prophylactic drug trials. Only 30 (41%) of the 73 studies reported adverse events with data in the abstracts, and 27 (37%) abstracts did not mention adverse events.

Conclusion

Adverse events, both frequency and symptoms, should be reported to allow a fair judgement of benefit/tolerability ratio when randomized controlled trials in migraine treatment are published. Clinically significant adverse events should be included in the abstract of every randomized controlled trial in migraine treatment.
The Social Organization of an Urban Diaspora: Corporate Groups, Factions and Networks amongst Penang's Malaysian-Chinese
Authors: Giordano Christian
Published: February 2018

The social organization of the Chinese diaspora in Malaysia has emerged as a very diversified phenomenon so that it is hard to speak of a coherent social and cultural community. Starting from the case of George Town (Penang), a port city once part of the British Empire and subsequently incorporated in present-day Malaysia, the article will illustrate the various forms of social organization developed by the Chinese in the longue durée. The analysis of the Chinese diaspora in George Town (Penang) based on long-term fieldwork helps to draw attention especially to its internal tensions, rivalries and even open and at times enduring conflicts. Through the notions of network and corporate group, distinctive of the Manchester school, by means of a dynamic analysis, thus mindful of specific historical processes, this article will examine the underlying modalities of organizational changes that occurred in this diasporic society within the colonial and national societies. Thus, the article avoids an essentialist vision based on a uniformity and cultural unity of these immigrant communities.
The suicide of the Soviet Union, Brexit and Svetlana Alexievich’s ‘Secondhand time’
Authors: Ikkos George , McQueen Daniel
Published: February 2018

Spurred by Literature Nobel Laureate Svetlana Alexievich’s empathic reports in Secondhand time: The last of the Soviets—An Oral History (2016b), the authors reflect on the dynamics of suicide and self-harm at individual and communal and national levels. Themes explored in relation to two of Alexievich’s individual cases of suicide, the demise of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and the Soviet Union itself, as well as the result of the Brexit referendum, include feelings of hopelessness, fantasies and experiences of transcendence and the will to control. The necessity of a pluralistic perspective and the possibility of complementary or alternative understandings of Alexievich’s accounts and the people and events discussed in this article are acknowledged.
A multi-criteria decision-making approach to rank supplier selection criteria for hospital waste management: A case from Pakistan
Authors: Ishtiaq Palvisha , Khan Sharfuddin Ahmed , Haq Moiz-ul
Published: February 2018

To address environmental issues and cost effectiveness, waste management is necessary for healthcare facilities. Most importantly, segregation of hazardous and non-hazardous waste must be done as in many developing countries; disposal of both types of healthcare waste is done together, which is an unsafe practice. Waste generated in hospitals needs proper management to minimise hazards for patient and healthcare workers. At the same time, it is quite difficult for hospitals to find a systematic way to select appropriate suppliers for hospital waste management. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to identify, validate, and rank criteria that are essential for hospital waste management suppliers’ selection. The analytical hierarchal process approach has been used and a survey from Pakistan’s largest city (Karachi) has been considered to rank the most appropriate criteria that is necessary to select the supplier, especially in a developing country like Pakistan. Results show that waste management cost (45.5%) and suppliers’ details (31.5%) are the top two main criteria for supplier selection; and storage cost (15.7%), waste handling cost (14.7%), and qualification of the suppliers (10.9%) are the top three most important overall sub-criteria for supplier selection for hospital waste management.
Social Media Usage of Students, Role of Tie Strength, and Perceived Task Performance
Authors: Qi Cong
Published: February 2018

The extensive use of social media has encouraged university teachers to consider employing social media as new e-learning platforms. This study explored the relationship between social media usage and constructive learning performance (perceived group task performance). Specifically, this work focused on the mediating role of communication in group and the moderating role of tie strength in online social networking. Survey data were collected from students in a senior-level business course. Students were asked to express their opinions on Facebook usage, communication in group, tie strength, and group performance. SmartPLS was used as the major data analysis tool. Results revealed that frequent social media usage of students led to increased communication among group members and that communication in group enhanced the perceived group task performance of students. Finally, tie strength negatively moderated the relationship between social media usage and communication in group.
Missing Piece in Understanding Student Learning: Out-of-School Computer Use
Authors: Gu Xiaoqing , Xu Hongjin
Published: February 2018

Advancements in learning analytics allow teachers to track student learning progress and promote learning by providing necessary intervention and support. Multiple data sources are involved in learning analytics, and the major ones are systems that students use in school. To fully comprehend the progress of student learning, out-of-school learning behaviors should be considered an important part of the academic lives of students. In this study, out-of-school learning behaviors of students, particularly home computer use, were measured using four online behavior indicators of students, which were tracked and collected. The learning performance data of the students were analyzed. Results suggested that the out-of-school computer use behaviors of students, such as mutual follow-up and the sharing of learning experiences, were positively related to their academic performance level, regardless of the age and gender of the students. This study provides insight into what may be the missing piece in understanding student learning, that is, out-of-school computer use. With such insights, learning analytics may be enhanced to improve the understanding of learning without being restricted to schools.
The Role of Cultural Factors on Dating Aggression and Delinquency Among Latino Youth
Authors: Cuevas Carlos A. , Sabina Chiara , Fahlberg Anjuli , Espinola Maria
Published: February 2018

There is limited research comparatively evaluating delinquency and dating aggression among Latino youth. This analysis examines the rates and cultural correlates associated with delinquency and dating aggression among Latino youth using data from the Dating Violence Among Latino Adolescents study. The study surveyed 1,525 Latino adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18 years about past-year dating aggression perpetration and delinquency. Dating aggression perpetration and delinquency rates and relative risk ratios are presented. Logistic regression analyses examined the role of cultural factors on the perpetration of dating aggression and delinquent behaviors. Results showed that cultural factors had differential influence on dating aggression versus delinquency. Specifically, victimization, acculturation, and familial support were associated with dating aggression whereas only victimization and familial support were associated with delinquency. The results provide guidance for intervention and prevention efforts with Latino youth, particularly on the need for cultural consideration and the supportive role family can play in addressing these behaviors.
Assessing the Mediating Role of Social Support in Childhood Maltreatment and Psychopathology Among College Students in Northern Ireland
Authors: Lagdon Susan , Ross Jana , Robinson Martin , Contractor Ateka A. , Charak Ruby , Armour Cherie
Published: February 2018

The detrimental impact of early trauma, particularly childhood maltreatment, on mental health is well documented. Although it is understood that social support can act as a protective factor toward mental health for children who experience such adversity, few studies have addressed the experience of childhood maltreatment and the important function of social support in adulthood. The current study aimed to assess the mediating role of social support in the relationship between childhood experiences of maltreatment and mental health outcomes including anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and problematic alcohol use in a sample of university students ( N = 640) from Northern Ireland. Results of binary logistic regression analyses indicated that those reporting experiences of childhood maltreatment were at increased odds of mental health outcomes of PTSD, anxiety, and depression, but not alcohol use. Those reporting greater social support were significantly less likely to report on these mental health outcomes. In addition, the indirect paths from childhood maltreatment through social support to PTSD, depression, and anxiety were all significant, suggesting that social support, particularly family support, is a significant mediator of these relationships. Such findings have important implications for the social care response to children experiencing maltreatment and future support for such children as they transition to adolescence and adulthood.
Disclosure of Sexual Violence Among Girls and Young Women Aged 13 to 24 Years: Results From the Violence Against Children Surveys in Nigeria and Malawi
Authors: Nguyen Kimberly H. , Kress Howard , Atuchukwu Victor , Onotu Dennis , Swaminathan Mahesh , Ogbanufe Obinna , Msungama Wezi , Sumner Steven A.
Published: February 2018

Understanding factors that are associated with disclosure of sexual violence (SV) is important for the delivery of health services as well as developing strategies for prevention and response. The Violence Against Children Surveys were conducted in Malawi and Nigeria. We examined the prevalence of SV, help-seeking behaviors, and factors associated with disclosure among girls and young women aged 13 to 24. The self-reported prevalence of SV was similar in Nigeria (26%) and Malawi (27%). Among females who experienced SV, approximately one third (37%) in Nigeria and one half (55%) in Malawi ever disclosed their experience of SV. Females in Nigeria were significantly more likely to disclose to their parents (31.8%) than females in Malawi (9.5%). The most common reason for nondisclosure in Nigeria was not feeling a need or desire to tell anyone (34.9%) and in Malawi was embarrassment (29.3%). Very close relationships with one or both parents were significantly associated with disclosure among Nigerian females (odds ratio [OR] = 5.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [2.1, 14.6]) but were inversely associated with disclosure among Malawian females (OR = 0.05, 95% CI = [0.01, 0.33]). Reasons for nondisclosure of SV and factors associated with disclosure among females differ in the African nations studied. The stigma associated with shame of SV may prevent females from disclosing and thus receiving necessary support and health, social, and other services. This study demonstrates a need to reduce barriers for disclosure to improve the delivery of health, social, and other response services across African nations, as well as to develop culturally appropriate strategies for its response.
Industry Clusters and Regional Economic Performance: A Study Across U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas
Authors: Slaper Timothy F. , Harmon Karter M. , Rubin Barry M.
Published: February 2018

Cluster theory provides a framework for analyzing regional industry dynamics. Definitions and categorizations of clusters vary, however, hindering the development of econometric models for cluster analysis. The authors propose empirical measures relevant to researchers and practitioners for cluster strength/specialization, cluster diversity/diversification, and identifying regional growth clusters. The latter measure uses location quotients, shift-share analysis, and other criteria to identify robust clusters that are important for thriving regions. These measures are calculated for local and traded clusters using employment data for 366 U.S. metropolitan statistical areas. Additionally, the authors estimated the relationship of their cluster performance measures to four traditional measures of economic performance: growth in gross domestic product, productivity per employee, compensation per employee, and personal income. The authors find traded cluster strength is positively related to compensation per employee growth and positively related to productivity growth, the latter being consistent with expected Marshall–Arrow–Romer externalities. Traded growth clusters are positively related to gross domestic product growth.
Human Capital and Intergenerational Mobility in U.S. Counties
Authors: Li Minghao , Goetz Stephan J. , Weber Bruce
Published: February 2018

With inequality returning to historically high levels, intergenerational mobility has attracted growing attention from policy makers and academics. The authors use recently published county-level data to study the determinants of intergenerational mobility, measured by income levels and teen birth rates. Following Solon’s mobility model, the authors study the impacts of public investment in human capital, returns to human capital, and taxation. The results show that better school quality and higher returns to education increase adult incomes and reduce teen birth rates for children from low-income families. By comparing counties within or adjacent to metropolitan areas to other counties, the authors find that urban upward mobility is sensitive to parents’ education, while nonurban upward mobility is sensitive to migration opportunities.
Multi-criteria optimization of weld bead in pulsed Nd:YAG laser welding of stainless steel 316
Authors: Solati Ali , Bani Mostafa Arab Nasrollah , Mohammadi-Ahmar Akbar , Fazli Shahri Hamid Reza
Published: February 2018

Laser welding is widely used for its advantages like deeper weld penetration, narrow heat affected zone, higher welding speeds and better weld quality with less damage to the workpiece compared to arc welding processes. The purpose of this paper is to determine the influence of major laser welding process parameters of beam pulse energy, travel speed and focal position on weld fusion zone geometry in stainless steel and optimizing these parameters to obtain maximum penetration and minimum weld width simultaneously. The experiments were planned according to Taguchi’s L16 orthogonal array. The grey-based Taguchi method was then employed to convert the multiple quality criteria into one single relational grade. Based on the calculated relational grade, Taguchi tools such as analysis of variance and signal-to-noise ratio were used to analyze and obtain the significant parameters and evaluate the optimum combination levels of the mentioned process parameters. Moreover, the effect of optimization procedure was studied on the microstructure and micro-hardness of the weldments. It was concluded that this optimization method can lead to elimination of chain ferrite precipitation and more uniform micro-hardness across the weld bead. The confirmation experiments verified that this method can effectively improve multiple performance characteristics and the results are reproducible in laser welding.
The case for welfare state universalism, or the lasting relevance of the paradox of redistribution
Authors: Jacques Olivier , Noël Alain
Published: February 2018

In 1998, Walter Korpi and Joakim Palme proposed a political and institutional explanation to account for the greater redistributive success of welfare states that relied more on universal than on targeted programmes. Effective redistribution, they argued, resulted less from a Robin Hood logic – taking from the rich to give to the poor – than from a broad and egalitarian provision of services and transfers. Hence, the paradox: a country obtained more redistribution when it took from all to give to all than when it sought to take from the rich to help the poor. Recent studies, however, failed to confirm the existence of this paradox. This article suggests that the original argument was theoretically sound but inadequately operationalized. Korpi and Palme measured universalism indirectly, not by the design or character of social programmes, but rather by their outcomes, namely, by their income effects. These outcomes, however, are influenced by exogenous factors. We use two new Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) indicators to capture universalism directly, through the institutional design of social programmes: (1) the percentage of social benefits that are means or income tested and (2) the proportion of private spending in total social expenditures. These two indicators are combined into a universalism index and tested with a time-series cross-sectional design for 20 OECD countries between 2000 and 2011. This approach, we argue, better captures institutional design, in a way that is consistent with Korpi and Palme’s original argument, and it suggests that there is still a paradox of redistribution in the 21st-century welfare state.
Do institutions matter? The interplay between income benefit design, popular perceptions, and the social legitimacy of targeted welfare
Authors: Laenen Tijs
Published: February 2018

A recurring theme in welfare state research is that public support for social welfare is related to the institutional design of welfare policies. However, strong empirical evidence for the institutional embeddedness of welfare attitudes has been lacking to date, and the underlying theoretical mechanisms remain underexplored. This article diverges from the widespread macro-perspective of welfare regime theory, by shifting the focus of its analysis from countries to income benefit schemes within the heterogeneous welfare context of the Netherlands. Based on the 2006 Welfare Opinions Survey, results show that the institutional design of three differently organized benefit schemes (the people’s pension, workers’ unemployment insurance and social assistance) is meaningfully related to popular perceptions of self-interest, programme performance and welfare deservingness. These intermediate perceptions, in turn, appear to have a significant impact on the social legitimacy of welfare allocation to the target groups of the schemes: pensioners, unemployed people and social assistance recipients.
Psychometric properties of MDHAQ/RAPID3 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Annapureddy N , Giangreco D , Devilliers H , Block J A , Jolly M
Published: February 2018

Background

The Multidimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire (MDHAQ) is a patient-reported outcome (PRO) tool that includes the Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3 (RAPID3), an index that can be calculated at the point of care. The objective of this study was to perform psychometric analyses of MDHAQ/RAPID3 to study its measurement properties in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods

The MDHAQ was completed by 161 SLE patients in routine care, along with LupusPRO (a disease-specific PRO). The SLE disease-specific activity index (SELENA-SLEDAI) and damage (SDI) were assessed. Data from 70 patients with rheumatoid arthritis who had completed MDHAQ during their routine medical care were used as controls to compare the results of Physical Function (FN) domain exploratory factor analysis. Internal consistency reliability (ICR) for FN items was calculated using Cronbach's α. Validity of MDHAQ/RAPID3 was evaluated for content validity and construct validity. Responsiveness of the RAPID3 to changes in disease activity anchors was assessed.

Results

The ICR of the 10 physical function items on Cronbach's α was 0.88. Exploratory factor analysis revealed cross-loadings of three FN items. RAPID3 showed a strong correlation with LupusPRO health-related quality of life score (rho –0.68 ( p < 0.001)), indicating convergent validity. RAPID3 scores did not correlate with disease activity indices or SDI. After adjustment for fibromyalgia status, a weak correlation with the Physician's Global Assessment (PGA) (rho = 0.31, p = 0.008) was noted. RAPID3 could differentiate between SLE patients based on flare status. RAPID3 was not responsive to changes in PGA, SELENA-SLEDAI or SELENA-Flare Index.

Conclusions

MDHAQ/RAPID3 has fair reliability and validity in SLE.
Increased visceral adipose tissue and altered adiposity distribution in premenopausal lupus patients: correlation with cardiovascular risk factors
Authors: Seguro L P C , Paupitz J A , Caparbo V F , Bonfa E , Pereira R M R
Published: February 2018

Objective

Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) correlates with cardiovascular risk factors and has never been assessed in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Our aim was to evaluate VAT in premenopausal SLE patients.

Methods

Sixty-three premenopausal SLE patients and 186 age-matched healthy women were included. Demographic, anthropometric, disease and treatment parameters were evaluated. VAT was measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) with APEX 4.0 software.

Results

SLE patients had a disease duration of 5.25 ± 3.80 years, SLEDAI activity score of 4.35 ± 5.13, SLICC/ACR-DI of 0.70 ± 0.80, current prednisone dose of 11.60 ± 12.10 mg/day and cumulative glucocorticoid dose of 22.34 ± 12.94 g. Overweight/obese SLE patients and controls had similar VAT parameters ( p > 0.05). Among individuals with BMI <25 kg/m2, SLE patients and controls had similar weight, fat mass and fat percentage ( p > 0.05) but patients had higher values of VAT parameters (VAT mass: 260.60 ± 117.23 vs. 194.77 ± 71.42 g, p = 0.001; VAT area: 54.05 ± 24.30 vs. 40.40 ± 14.82 cm2, p = 0.001; VAT volume: 281.75 ± 126.81 vs. 210.61 ± 77.29 cm3, p = 0.001) and trunk/limb fat mass ratio (0.78 ± 0.21 vs. 0.67 ± 0.12, p = 0.002) compared to controls. In SLE, VAT area correlated with weight ( r = 0.66, p < 0.001), non-HDL cholesterol ( r = 0.53, p < 0.001), LDL cholesterol ( r = 0.48, p < 0.001) and triglycerides ( r = 0.33, p = 0.008), but not with disease duration, SLEDAI, SLICC/ACR-DI or current glucocorticoid use ( p > 0.05).

Conclusion

This study provides original evidence that SLE is associated with increased VAT and altered adiposity distribution. The correlation with traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease, independent of current glucocorticoid dose and disease activity, suggests the role of visceral fat as an additional tool for risk assessment in these young patients.
An Empirical Analysis of Market Efficiency and Price Discovery in Indian Commodity Market
Authors: Gupta Shashi , Choudhary Himanshu , Agarwal D. R.
Published: February 2018

The present article is an attempt to empirically investigate the long-term market efficiency and price discovery in Indian commodity futures market. The study has been conducted with eight commodities which include two agricultural commodities, two industrial commodities, two precious metal and two energy commodities. Sophisticated statistical methods like restricted cointegration and vector error correction model (VECM) are used to analyse the spot and futures prices time series. Restricted cointegration test shows that near-month futures prices for all the commodities are cointegrated with the spot prices but futures prices of all the commodities are inefficient to predict the future spot price. Indian commodity futures market evidenced as the thinly traded market (Kumar & Pandey, 2013, Journal of Indian Business Research, 5(2), 101–121) rejects the null hypothesis of efficiency and unbiasedness for all the eight commodities which reconfirms the result of Fortenbery and Zapata (1997, Journal of Futures Markets, 17(3), 279–301). The presence of short-term biases in the Indian futures market is evidenced in the results of VECM model which indicates the presence of informational efficiency. The statistically significant value of past prices of spot and futures confirm the short-term inefficiency and biasedness. The significant value of error correction term (ECT) of futures prices suggests that commodity futures are the most important indicator of commodity price movements. The important implication of the results is for market traders. They can use the futures prices to discover the new equilibrium and earn profits by transmitting it to the spot market. The better understanding of the interconnectedness of these market would be useful for policymakers who try to establish stability in the financial markets.
Pension multi-pillarisation in Italy: actors, ‘institutional gates’ and the ‘new politics’ of funded pensions
Authors: Jessoula Matteo
Published: February 2018

A latecomer to supplementary funded pension provision, Italy’s multi-pillarisation plan was launched in the 1990s under extremely adverse conditions. Supplementary schemes were expected to achieve universal coverage relying primarily on second pillar occupational pension funds. Twenty-five years after its launch, the comprehensive plan can hardly be called successful with respect to both coverage and the relative importance of second and third pillar institutions. Extreme variation in coverage rates between occupational categories and across economic sectors suggests, however, that these developments cannot be merely interpreted as a consequence of institutional resilience and path-dependent dynamics. The article applies an ‘actor-centred institutionalist’ framework to respond to three main questions. What explains the still limited coverage of supplementary pillars in Italy? What factors account for the prominent role played by third pillar pension schemes in contrast to policy-makers’ original intentions? Which factors allow us to understand the significant variation in coverage across both occupational categories and economic sectors?
Trade unions and the politics of occupational pensions in Denmark and Norway
Authors: Pedersen Axel West , Hippe Jon M , Grødem Anne Skevik , Sørensen Ole Beier
Published: February 2018

Around 1990, trade unions in both Norway and Denmark moved away from their previous hostile stance, and started actively to promote occupational pensions. Over time, full coverage of occupational pensions was achieved in both countries, yet with different scopes, degrees of risk-sharing and modes of governance. Why did both countries go through similar institutional changes, and why were the outcomes still so different? The roads to full coverage were different: In Denmark, this was achieved through wage bargaining; in Norway, through mandating. Denmark developed far more collectivistic schemes than Norway, but recent developments indicate convergence: efforts are being made in Norway to develop encompassing schemes more similar to the Danish ones, while the Danish system appears to be moving in a more individual direction. In both countries, strong trade union branches have at critical junctures forged alliances with their employer counterparts at the expense of trade union solidarity. Both mandatory and negotiated schemes thus have the potential to be sources of solidarity as well as of self-interest within the union movement.
Transnational capital unbound? A critical institutionalist perspective on the marketization of corporate control in Serbia and Turkey
Authors: Maisenbacher Julia
Published: February 2018

Although active markets for corporate control have proliferated beyond liberal market economies, marketization has not become universal and indeed takes different forms. Although there is a growing body of literature that analyses marketization, systemic underlying dynamics shaping the specific trajectory of marketization have been scarcely addressed. Drawing on a critical institutionalist perspective, this article analyzes the marketization of corporate control against the backdrop of the structural problem of overaccumulation and locates the variegated trajectory of marketization in the specific interplay between the state and different capital fractions. This article focuses on Serbia and Turkey. Serbia has witnessed a substantial marketization of corporate control which comprises the adoption of (foreign) investor friendly market-enabling regulations and a growing number of majority acquisitions which were often followed by efficiency-oriented restructurings. By contrast, in Turkey, state capital alliances hampered the marketization of corporate control, and advocated for regulations which still allow for the selective prioritization of certain capital fractions.
A Vocational Recovery Model for Young People With Mental Illness: A Pretest–Posttest
Authors: Young Daniel K. W. , Ng Petrus Y. N. , Cheng Daphne , Leung C. H.
Published: February 2018

Purpose:

This research project aims to evaluate the potential effectiveness of a vocational recovery model promoting both vocational and personal recovery for young people with mental illness.

Methods:

In this study, a one group pre–posttest design was conducted, involving 37 young people with mental illness who received a vocational recovery program that consisted of a psychoeducation group on recovery, social skills and job-related skills training, 3-month job internship, and individual follow-up services. Standardized assessment tools were used for outcomes assessment at baseline, 3 months after treatment began, and 6 months after treatment began.

Results:

Results indicated that the participants showed improved competitive employment rates, personal recovery, and social support at follow-up assessments.

Conclusions:

The present study supports the feasibility and effectiveness of a vocational recovery model for young people with mental illness, suggesting the importance of integrating recovery framework and strategies into community-based vocational service.
“Recognize Our Humanity”: Immigrant Youth Voices on Health Care in Arizona’s Restrictive Political Environment
Authors: Gómez Sofía , Castañeda Heide
Published: February 2018

The “DACAmented Voices in Healthcare” project examined the intersection of restrictive immigration policies and health care via photovoice, a participatory action research approach, with immigrant youth living in Arizona, who were recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. These “DACAmented” youth took part in nine photovoice sessions exploring their health care experiences and accessibility to care using documentary photography and narratives. They poignantly illustrated their experiences through images identifying their main health concerns and strengths, facilitating the development of health policy recommendations. This article illustrates the thematic findings and discusses policy recommendations and lessons learned from presentations to policy makers and health care providers. Findings suggest that immigrant youth are knowledgeable of their family’s health care needs and hold a unique and important position within mixed-status households. Health care providers can benefit from the proposed recommendations by building bridges to care to address health equity in immigrant communities.
Complications of Supine Surgical Achilles Tendon Repair
Authors: Marcel John J. , Sage Katherine , Guyton Gregory P.
Published: February 2018

Background:

Open Achilles tendon surgery with the patient in the supine position potentially avoids the complications of the prone position, but the safety and viability of the supine position for this procedure are not known. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that supine positioning for open repair of acute Achilles tendon ruptures would be safe, with low wound and neurologic complication rates.

Methods:

Supine position safety in acute Achilles tendon repair was investigated. Consecutive cases of supine Achilles tendon surgical repair performed by one surgeon from 2010 to 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were included if they were surgically treated with primary repair in the supine position within 15 days of injury and did not undergo concomitant surgery. A paramedian incision 1 cm medial to the Achilles sheath was used. Initial chart review identified 161 patients who underwent any type of Achilles tendon surgery in the supine position, of whom 45 patients met the inclusion criteria. This group included 39 men and 6 women with an average age of 41 years (range, 20–66 years). Median length of follow-up was 116 days (range, 25–1,589 days). Average body mass index was 29 kg/m2 (range, 23–36 kg/m2).

Results:

There were no infections, sural nerve injuries, or reruptures.

Conclusions:

The supine position was safe for primary open Achilles tendon repair, with no wound or neurologic complications.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, case series.
Radiographic Prognostic Factors for Selective Soft Tissue Release After Ponseti Failure in Young Pediatric Clubfoot Patients
Authors: Kang Michael Seungcheol , Hwang Il-Yeong , Park Soo-Sung
Published: February 2018

Background:

Selective soft tissue release (SSTR), which includes a combination of abductor hallucis, tibialis posterior, and Achilles lengthening, has been used in patients with recurrent clubfoot deformity after Ponseti treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic factors for recurrence of clubfoot deformity after SSTR.

Methods:

Consecutive patients with idiopathic clubfoot and residual or recurrent deformity after Ponseti treatment underwent SSTR between 2005 and 2013. The clinical and radiologic characteristics before and after SSTR were analyzed. The ability of radiologic factors to predict recurrence of clubfoot deformity was assessed using multivariate analysis. Rigid deformities of forefoot adduction, and hindfoot varus, and equinus were examined separately. Forty-three patients with 64 clubfeet were included.

Results:

Postoperative improvement in the talo–first metatarsal angle on the anteroposterior view, the talocalcaneal angle on the lateral view, and the tibiocalcaneal angle on the lateral view independently predicted recurrence after SSTR. Additionally, the preoperative talocalcaneal angles on the anteroposterior and lateral views were also significant predictors, but these angles did not significantly improve after SSTR.

Conclusions:

SSTR seems to be an effective surgical modality only in milder deformities. Among patients with poor talocalcaneal angles, a high percentage required further surgery. The present results may be useful for the choice of SSTR or more extensive surgery.

Level of Evidence:

Level III, retrospective case-control study.
Power to the People? The Initiative Process and Fiscal Discipline in City Governments
Authors: Jimenez Benedict S.
Published: February 2018

Does giving citizens the power to decide budget policies improve fiscal discipline in the local public sector? This study examines the effects of local initiatives on city budgetary solvency or the ability of city governments to generate revenues to meet their service and financial obligations in a fiscal year. Budgetary imbalance in the public sector has been blamed on self-interested bureaucrats and elected officials who desire budgets that are higher than that preferred by the median voter. The initiative gives citizens the power to directly decide budget issues. Research shows that voters are more fiscally conservative than government officials, which suggests that fiscal discipline will improve if citizens exercise greater control over budgeting. Using data from audited financial reports for midsized and large cities from 2006 to 2012, the empirical analysis indicates that initiative cities have weaker budgetary solvency compared with noninitiative cities.