bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Statins and Nonadherence
Authors: Turin Alexander , Pandit Jay , Stone Neil J.
Published: April 2015

Statin nonadherence is a major challenge to optimal management. Patients nonadherent to statin therapy do not receive the expected benefit relative to the degree of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) lowering obtained. This is important because new evidence guidelines recommend statins as the first-line therapy for those in high-risk groups (secondary prevention, patients with diabetes 40-75 years of age, and LDL-C ≥ 190 mg/dL) and in selected primary prevention patients. Statin assignment in the latter group occurs only in those with an estimated ≥7.5% 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk after shared decision making in a clinician–patient risk discussion. However, in numerous studies, statin nonadherence shows little or no benefit in reducing cardiovascular events or mortality compared to placebo, effectively negating the risk reduction expected from statin use and concomitantly increasing the total cost of health care. The causes and solutions for nonadherence are multifactorial and include patient, clinician, and health system factors. We believe that a clinician–patient partnership that facilitates patients’ understanding of the potential for optimal benefit with the least adverse effects is an important first step toward improving adherence. A transtheoretical model of stages of behavior change helps clinicians address many of the common factors limiting adherence to statins. We conclude with a teaching tool emphasizing a structured approach to statin therapy with patient-centered risk discussions.
Patient Factors Contributing to Variation in Same-Hospital Readmission Rate
Authors: Henke Rachel Mosher , Karaca Zeynal , Lin Hollis , Wier Lauren M. , Marder William , Wong Herbert S.
Published: April 2015

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Hospital Readmission Reduction Program and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Innovations Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Initiative hold hospitals accountable for readmissions that occur at other hospitals. A few studies have described the extent to which hospital readmissions occur at the original place of treatment (i.e., same-hospital readmissions). This study uses data from 16 states to describe variation in same-hospital readmissions by patient characteristics across multiple conditions. We found that the majority of 30-day readmissions occur at the same hospital, although rates varied considerably by condition. A significant number of hospitals had very low rates of same-hospital readmissions, meaning that the majority of their readmissions went to other hospitals. Future research should examine why some hospitals are able to retain patients for a same-hospital readmission and others are not.
Media Literacy in Action? What Are We Teaching in Introductory College Media Studies Courses?
Authors: Ashley Seth
Published: April 2015

An introductory media studies course is a staple of post-secondary education. What are instructors teaching in this course, and to what extent are the principles of media literacy education being incorporated into this likely home? This article reports the findings of a small survey of instructors, who describe aspects of their course content and pedagogy. Media literacy appears to provide a basic foundation in most cases, though instructors struggle with structural constraints. Findings suggest that more focus should be placed on teaching the political and economic contexts of media, and that instructors should embrace active learning and creative engagement.
Embodied Harms
Authors: Henry Nicola , Powell Anastasia
Published: April 2015

Criminality in cyberspace has been the subject of much debate since the 1990s, yet comparatively little attention has been paid to technology-facilitated sexual violence and harassment (TFSV). The aim of this article is to explore the ways in which retraditionalized gender hierarchies and inequalities are manifested in online contexts, and to conceptualize the cause and effects of TFSV as “embodied harms.” We argue that problematic mind/body and online/off-line dualisms result in a failure to grasp the unique nature of embodied harms, precluding an adequate understanding and theorization of TFSV.
The Everyday Emergency
Authors: Loh Carolyn G.
Published: April 2015

In the last several years, the governor of Michigan has placed seven cities under the control of emergency managers (EMs), who have the authority to make drastic cuts and rearrangements of public processes and services. I investigate what happens to planning processes under these circumstances, and how EMs use planning to accomplish their goals. I find that many of the cities devote renewed attention to planning, and that the planning process may function as an alternative public participation process, given that the normal democratic process had been disrupted. I also find that the implementation of the plans is likely to be problematic because of staffing cuts, and that planning in itself cannot solve the structural problems that led to these cities’ financial distress.
Attention, Executive Function, Behavior, and Electrocortical Function, Significantly Improved With 19-Channel Z-Score Neurofeedback in a Clinical Setting: A Pilot Study
Authors: Wigton Nancy L. , Krigbaum Genomary
Published: April 2015

Objective: Neurofeedback (NF) is gaining recognition as an evidence-based intervention grounded in learning theory, and 19-channel z-score NF (19ZNF) is a new NF model. This pilot study sought to evaluate the efficacy of 19ZNF in a clinical setting. Method: Outcome measures framed groups such that 19ZNF was evaluated, as it relates to the neuropsychological constructs of attention ( n = 10), executive function ( n = 12), behavior ( n = 14), and electrocortical functioning ( n = 21). One-tailed t tests compared pre–post difference scores. Results: For all pre–post comparisons, the direction of change was in the predicted direction, and differences were statistically significant ( p = .000 to p = .008, effect sizes 1.29 to 3.42). Conclusion: Results suggest 19ZNF improved attention, executive function, behavior, and electrocortical function. This study provides beginning evidence of 19ZNF’s efficacy, adds to what is known about 19ZNF, and offers an innovative approach for using quantitative electroencephalographic (QEEG) metrics as outcome measures.
Do High and Low Extremes of ADHD and ASD Trait Continua Represent Maladaptive Behavioral and Cognitive Outcomes? A Population-Based Study
Authors: Greven Corina U. , van der Meer Jolanda M. J. , Hartman Catharina A. , Lappenschaar Martijn G. A. , Buitelaar Jan K. , Rommelse Nanda N. J.
Published: April 2015

Objective: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are thought to reflect the high, symptomatic extreme of quantitative trait continua. However, extreme deviations in either direction on disorder continua, high and low, may both represent maladaptive behavioral and cognitive outcomes. We aimed to test this hypothesis. Method: In a population sample of 378 children, ADHD and ASD traits were rated by parents on questionnaires that provide resolution at high and low extremes of the ADHD and ASD trait continua. ADHD and ASD traits were related to parent-ratings of internalizing and externalizing behavior problems and tests of cognitive functioning using polynomial regression. Results: The low ends of the ADHD and ASD trait continua were related to fewer behavior problems and better cognitive functioning than symptomatic ends. Conclusion: Studying the correlates of the low continuum ends may deepen our understanding of the mechanisms underlying adaptive behavioral and cognitive outcomes.
Is the Theta/Beta EEG Marker for ADHD Inherently Flawed?
Authors: Saad Jacqueline F. , Kohn Michael R. , Clarke Simon , Lagopoulos Jim , Hermens Daniel F.
Published: April 2015

Objective: Despite advances in our understanding of ADHD as a neurodevelopmental disorder, robust biomarkers are yet to be established in clinical practice. More than 40 years of electroencephalography (EEG)-based research has culminated in the recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of the theta/beta (EEG power) ratio (TBR) as a diagnostic marker of ADHD. Method: This review article focuses on resting-state EEG power research in ADHD. Results: Inconsistent findings in the literature and suggestions of reduced specificity threaten the utility of TBR as a biomarker of ADHD. The use of fixed EEG bands may be a significant limitation, particularly in youth, and alternative approaches are needed. Conclusion: We propose that a personalized theta-to-alpha cut point or “transition frequency” is a better frame of reference for the measurement of TBR. Such an approach is better placed to test maturational lag and cortical hypoarousal models of ADHD and may in turn have greater utility in supporting diagnosis.
Conflict and Compromise in Public Health Policy
Authors: Dinour Lauren M.
Published: April 2015

Competitive foods in schools have historically been scrutinized for their ubiquity and poor nutritional quality, leading many states to enact legislation limiting the availability and accessibility of these items. Evaluations of these policy approaches show their promise in improving the healthfulness of school food environments, considered an important strategy for reducing childhood obesity. Yet little is known about the decision-making processes by which such legislation is formed and adopted. Using a comparative case study design, this study describes and analyzes the policy formation processes surrounding five state-level competitive food bills introduced in 2009-2010. Data for each case were drawn from multiple key informant interviews and document reviews. Case studies were conducted, analyzed, and written independently using a standard protocol and were subsequently compared for recurring and unique themes. Abbreviated case studies and summary tables are provided. Results indicate that bill cost is a major barrier to achieving strong, health-promoting policy change. Additionally, findings reveal that supporters of stronger competitive food policies often concede to changes that weaken a bill in order to neutralize opposition and achieve stakeholder buy-in. These challenges suggest that continued research on the development, implementation, and evaluation of public health policies can contribute to the advancement of new strategies for effective health promotion.
Policy, Systems, and Environmental Change in the Mississippi Delta
Authors: Kegler Michelle C. , Honeycutt Sally , Davis Melvin , Dauria Emily , Berg Carla , Dove Cassandra , Gamble Abigail , Hawkins Jackie
Published: April 2015

Community-level policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change strategies may offer an economical and sustainable approach to chronic disease prevention. The rapidly growing number of untested but promising PSE strategies currently underway offers an exciting opportunity to establish practice-based evidence for this approach. This article presents lessons learned from an evaluation of a community-based PSE initiative targeting stroke and cardiovascular disease prevention in the Mississippi Delta. Its purpose is to describe one approach to evaluating this type of PSE initiative, to stimulate discussion about best practices for evaluating PSE strategies, and to inform future evaluation and research efforts to expand practice-based evidence. The evaluation used a descriptive mixed-methods design and focused on the second year of a multisectoral, multiyear initiative. Cross-sectional data were collected in the summer and fall of 2010 using four data collection instruments: a grantee interview guide ( n = 32), a health council member survey ( n = 256), an organizational survey ( n = 60), and a grantee progress report ( n = 26). Fifty-eight PSE changes were assessed across five sectors: health, faith, education, worksite, and community/city government. PSE strategies aligned with increased access to physical activity opportunities, healthy food and beverage options, quality health care, and reduced exposure to tobacco. Results showed that grantees were successful in completing a series of steps toward PSE change and that sector-specific initiatives resulted in a range of PSE changes that were completed or in progress. Considerations for designing evaluations of community-based PSE initiatives are discussed.
Influencing Organizations to Promote Health
Authors: Kok Gerjo , Gurabardhi Zamira , Gottlieb Nell H. , Zijlstra Fred R. H.
Published: April 2015

Stakeholder theory may help health promoters to make changes at the organizational and policy level to promote health. A stakeholder is any individual, group, or organization that can influence an organization. The organization that is the focus for influence attempts is called the focal organization. The more salient a stakeholder is and the more central in the network, the stronger the influence. As stakeholders, health promoters may use communicative, compromise, deinstitutionalization, or coercive methods through an ally or a coalition. A hypothetical case study, involving adolescent use of harmful legal products, illustrates the process of applying stakeholder theory to strategic decision making.
Upending the Social Ecological Model to Guide Health Promotion Efforts Toward Policy and Environmental Change
Authors: Golden Shelley D. , McLeroy Kenneth R. , Green Lawrence W. , Earp Jo Anne L. , Lieberman Lisa D.
Published: April 2015

Efforts to change policies and the environments in which people live, work, and play have gained increasing attention over the past several decades. Yet health promotion frameworks that illustrate the complex processes that produce health-enhancing structural changes are limited. Building on the experiences of health educators, community activists, and community-based researchers described in this supplement and elsewhere, as well as several political, social, and behavioral science theories, we propose a new framework to organize our thinking about producing policy, environmental, and other structural changes. We build on the social ecological model, a framework widely employed in public health research and practice, by turning it inside out, placing health-related and other social policies and environments at the center, and conceptualizing the ways in which individuals, their social networks, and organized groups produce a community context that fosters healthy policy and environmental development. We conclude by describing how health promotion practitioners and researchers can foster structural change by (1) conveying the health and social relevance of policy and environmental change initiatives, (2) building partnerships to support them, and (3) promoting more equitable distributions of the resources necessary for people to meet their daily needs, control their lives, and freely participate in the public sphere.
Developing Evidence for Structural Approaches to Build a Culture of Health
Authors: Mockenhaupt Robin , Woodrum Amy
Published: April 2015

We believe that reframing the conversation to creating a culture around health rather than focusing on discrete actions or activities will capture national consciousness and enable us to make new progress as a nation. Thus, in 2014, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) announced a new vision to help build a “Culture of Health” to enable everyone in our diverse society to lead healthier lives now and for generations to come. In supporting the development of this supplement of Health Education & Behavior, RWJF sought to contribute to a better understanding of the ways in which policy, environmental, and financial approaches can contribute to such a Culture of Health. However, while this supplement issue of Health Education & Behavior stands as a testament to the fact that a broad evidence base, rather than a single approach to health improvement, is necessary to have an impact on social change, more empirical evidence is needed on structural approaches if we are to be successful in understanding and improving health outcomes for individuals, families, communities, states, and nations.
Pragmatic Reflections on a Conversation About Grounded Theory in Management and Organization Studies
Authors: Locke Karen
Published: April 2015

This commentary offers reflections on the conversation about grounded theory in management and organization studies. It highlights the institutional context in which we are having this conversation, noting its consequences for grounded theory practice. It also raises questions about the definition and boundaries of grounded theory, including the role of theory in the analytic process, and it argues for a pragmatic consideration of its research practices.
Practical use of opioids in cats: a state-of-the-art, evidence-based review
Authors: Bortolami Elisa , Love Emma J
Published: April 2015

Rationale

Recent recognition of the need to improve pain management in cats has led to the investigation of the pharmacokinetics and efficacy of opioid analgesic drugs in this species. The results of these studies may be difficult to interpret because the effect of these drugs varies with dose, route of administration and the method used to assess them. As equipotency of different opioids is not known, it is hard to compare their effects. Animals do not verbalise the pain they feel and, in cats, it may be more difficult to recognise signs of pain in comparison with other species such as dogs.

Aim

This article reviews the use of opioid analgesics in cats. It must be remembered that not all drugs are licensed for use in cats, and that marketing authorisations vary between different countries.
Influence of music and its genres on respiratory rate and pupil diameter variations in cats under general anaesthesia: contribution to promoting patient safety
Authors: Mira Filipa , Costa Alexandra , Mendes Eva , Azevedo Pedro , Carreira L Miguel
Published: April 2015

Objectives

The aims of the study were to recognise if there is any auditory sensory stimuli processing in cats under general anaesthesia, and to evaluate changes in respiratory rate (RR) and pupillary diameter (PD) in anaesthetised patients exposed to different music genres, while relating this to the depth of anaesthesia.

Methods

A sample of 12 cats submitted for elective ovariohysterectomy was exposed to 2 min excerpts of three different music genres (classical [CM], pop [PM] and heavy metal [HM]) at three points during surgery (T1 = coeliotomy; T2 = ligature placement and transection of the ovarian pedicle; T3 = ligature placement and transection of the uterine body). A multiparametric medical monitor was used to measure the RR, and a digital calliper was used for PD measurement. Music was delivered through headphones, which fully covered the patient’s ears. P values   <0.05 were considered to be statistically significant.   

Results

Statistically significant differences between stimuli conditions for all surgical points were obtained for RR (T1, P = 0.03; T2, P = 0.00; T3, P = 0.00) and for PD (T1, P = 0.03; T2, P = 0.04; T3, P = 0.00). Most individuals exhibited lower values for RR and PD when exposed to CM, intermediate values to PM and higher values to HM.

Conclusions and relevance

The results suggest that cats under general anaesthesia are likely to perform auditory sensory stimuli processing. The exposure to music induces RR and PD variations modulated by the genre of music and is associated with autonomic nervous system activity. The use of music in the surgical theatre may contribute to allowing a reduced anaesthetic dose, minimising undesirable side effects and thus promoting patient safety.
Steroid-Induced Osteonecrosis in Dermatology
Authors: Nowak Dominik Alex , Yeung Jensen
Published: April 2015

Background:

Steroid-induced osteonecrosis is unpredictable and highly morbid.

Methods:

MEDLINE (Ovid) and PubMed search for relevant literature.

Results:

Oral steroid doses typically considered to be associated with the condition are >20 mg of prednisone (or equivalent) per day or >2 g within a period of 2 to 3 months. Symptoms may be vague.

Conclusions:

Dermatologists must exercise a high degree of clinical suspicion and warn patients about steroid-related risks and conditions for follow-up.
Cognitive impairment in Chinese neuromyelitis optica
Authors: Zhang N , Li YJ , Fu Y , Shao JH , Luo LL , Yang L , Shi FD , Liu Y
Published: April 2015

Background:

Cognitive dysfunction is frequently seen in neuromyelitis optica (NMO). However, the features and influencing factors of cognitive impairment of Chinese NMO patients are unclear.

Objective:

To investigate the patterns of cognitive impairment in Chinese NMO patients, and correlate the neuropsychiatric scores with clinical and MRI parameters.

Methods:

Thirty-six Chinese NMO patients, and 30 sex and age-matched healthy controls were recruited with extensive neuropsychological assessments, using the modified Minimal Assessment of Cognitive Function in MS (MACFIMS). The demographic and clinical characteristics as well as MRI parameters were compared between cognitively impaired (CI) and cognitively preserved (CP) patients.

Results:

NMO patients were significantly impaired in the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task ( P<0.05), the Symbol Digit Modalities Test ( P<0.001), the California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition ( P<0.05), the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test-Revised ( P<0.05) and semantic fluency ( P<0.001). Only lower education level was associated with cognitive dysfunction in NMO (odds ratio: 0.57, P<0.05). There were no significant differences of MRI parameters regarding white matter (WM) lesions, grey matter and WM brain volume between CI and CP patients.

Conclusions:

Chinese NMO patients particularly demonstrated cognitive impairment in information processing speed, executive function and memory. Lower education level was the main factor contributing to cognitive impairment in NMO.
Low incidence of post-thrombotic syndrome in patients treated with new oral anticoagulants and percutaneous endovenous intervention for lower extremity deep venous thrombosis
Authors: Sharifi Mohsen , Freeman Wilbur , Bay Curt , Sharifi Mirali , Schwartz Frederic
Published: April 2015

Post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) is a common complication of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) of the iliofemoral venous system leading to significant morbidity and high health care costs. It has been recently shown that percutaneous endovenous intervention (PEVI) can effectively reduce the incidence of PTS. The role of new oral anticoagulants (NOACs) in combination with PEVI in the reduction of PTS has not been previously studied. This report sought to evaluate the role of PEVI plus NOACs in the reduction of PTS in acute symptomatic femoropopliteal and iliac DVT. We studied 127 patients with acute lower extremity DVT who had undergone PEVI plus administration of NOACs. All had received a minimum of 3 months of anticoagulation with a NOAC following PEVI. The mean follow-up was 22±5 months. The patients were evaluated for development of PTS, bleeding, recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE), duration of hospitalization and mortality. There was no in-hospital bleeding. The mean duration of hospitalization was 46±9 hours. DVT occurred in two patients who had been later switched to warfarin. There were four non-VTE-related deaths. PTS developed in five patients (3%), two of whom were those who had been switched to warfarin. Their mean Villalta score was 6.2±0.9. We conclude that the combination of PEVI plus NOAC and low dose aspirin is associated with a very low rate of PTS with the severity being only mild. This approach leads to very low rates of bleeding and recurrent VTE and promotes early discharge.
Association of foot and ankle characteristics with progression of venous disease
Authors: Kim Tanner I , Forbang Nketi I , Criqui Michael H , Allison Matthew A
Published: April 2015

Although risk factors have been identified for the cross-sectional prevalence of venous disease, few studies have investigated risk factors for venous disease progression. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between foot and ankle characteristics and the progression of venous disease. A total of 1025 participants from the San Diego Population Study were assessed at baseline and at follow-up 11 years later. Risk factors were assessed by questionnaire and physical measurements, while venous disease was determined by physical examination and Duplex ultrasound. Change in venous disease from baseline to 11-year follow-up was characterized as stable or progression. Those with venous disease progression were less likely to spend increased time lying per day, more likely to have a history of hypertension, lie supine for a surgical procedure greater than an hour, and report an occupation that was professional, technical, administrative, or management. Those with a normal arch reported the greatest degree of plantar flexion. In multivariable logistic regression, including adjustment for weight-bearing arch characteristics, greater dorsiflexion (per 5 degrees) was significantly associated with progression of venous disease (OR = 1.11, p = 0.01). A weight-bearing flat arch compared to a weight-bearing normal arch was of borderline significance as a protective factor against progression of venous disease with adjustment for dorsiflexion (OR = 0.56, p = 0.07). Our results indicate that the ability to have higher levels of dorsiflexion is a risk factor for the progression of venous disease, and suggest a role for connective tissue laxity in the pathogenesis of venous disease.
Venous thoracic outlet syndrome
Authors: Moore Robert , Lum Ying Wei
Published: April 2015

Venous thoracic outlet syndrome is a complex but rare disease that often can have excellent outcomes if quickly recognized and treated. The syndrome results from compression of the subclavian vein along its exit from the thoracic cavity and frequently affects young otherwise healthy patients. Modern diagnosis is made with a combination of clinical exam, appropriate non-invasive imaging, and, finally, contrast venography, which can be both diagnostic and therapeutic. Treatments have evolved over time to the point where patients can undergo less extensive procedures than previously performed and still maintain excellent outcomes. One of the most important predictors of outcome is the initiation of treatment within 14 days of symptoms. Hence, the importance of the accurate and prompt diagnosis of this syndrome in patients with an upper-extremity deep vein thrombotic episode cannot be further underscored. This review is a concise summary of the background and treatment algorithm for this patient population.
Comparative efficacy of different modalities for treatment of right heart thrombi in transit: A pooled analysis
Authors: Athappan Ganesh , Sengodan Prasanna , Chacko Paul , Gandhi Sanjay
Published: April 2015

The objective was to compare the efficacy of treatment options for right heart thrombi (RHT) in transit. All published reports between 1992 and 2013 were identified and pooled. We analyzed 328 patients with RHT and pulmonary embolism (PE). The treatments administered were none in 11 patients (3.4%), anticoagulation (AC) with heparin in 70 patients (21.3%), thrombolytics in 122 patients (37.2%), catheter-related treatments in five patients (1.5%) and surgical embolectomy in 120 patients (36.6%). The overall short-term mortality for the entire cohort was 23.2%. The mortality rate associated with no therapy was highest at 90.9%. The mortality associated with AC alone was significantly higher than surgical embolectomy or thrombolysis (37.1% vs 18.3% vs 13.7%, respectively). In univariate analysis, any therapy was better than no therapy with a favorable odds of 16.92 (95% CI 2.05–139.87) for AC, 61.76 (95% CI 7.42–513.81) for thrombolysis and 44.54 (95% CI 5.42–366.32) for surgical embolectomy. In multivariate analysis with age and hemodynamic status entered as covariates, thrombolytic therapy was better than AC with favorable odds of 4.83 (95% CI 1.52–15.36). Similarly, there was a trend in favor of surgical embolectomy with an odds of 2.61 (95% CI 0.90–7.58). The estimated probability of survival in hemodynamically unstable patients with AC, surgical embolectomy and thrombolysis was 47.7%, 70.45% and 81.5%, respectively. There was no significantly increased risk of complications with thrombolytic therapy. In conclusion, left untreated, patients with RHT and PE have very high mortality. Aggressive management with thrombolysis or surgical thrombectomy may be more effective than AC alone in the management of these patients.
Amazonian quilombolas and the technopolitics of aluminum
Authors: Arregui Aníbal
Published: April 2015

By drawing on field research, this article suggests that the impact of an aluminum mine on its neighboring quilombola communities can be analyzed from at least two interconnected technopolitical scales. The first relates to the anatomo-political discipline that the mine imposes over the body of its workers as well as to its inhibiting effect on the traditional body techniques of the populations that surround it. The second stresses a mine’s ecological governmentality that naturalizes the Amazonian environment and downplays quilombola sociotechnical infrastructures. The term technopolitics is proposed as a critical reading on biopolitics that ethnographically highlights the connection between the individual body and the environment as example of the entanglement of the bios (political, qualified life) and a technologically affected zoe, or “bare life”.
Fuelling change: A biography of the beehive coal briquette in post-Đổi Mới Vietnam
Authors: Derks Annuska
Published: April 2015

This article focuses on the beehive coal briquette in Vietnam. Although apparently an ordinary cooking fuel, the author argues that this briquette is a perfect object for exploring the unfolding and experiences of Đổi mới, the economic and social reform processes launched in 1986. The author takes a biographical approach as she traces the beehive coal briquette from its birth to its rise and demise as a cooking fuel in Vietnam. Along the way, the article explores the diverse interactions and relations between objects, humans and nature, and their unequal outcomes. The example of the beehive coal briquette shows how everyday things not only reflect social change and vice-versa but can also produce change.
The paradox of the ‘green’ prison: Sustaining the environment or sustaining the penal complex?
Authors: Jewkes Yvonne , Moran Dominique
Published: April 2015

This article examines the ways in which sustainability discourses intersect with carceral policies. Building new prisons to ‘green’ industry standards; making existing prison buildings less environmentally harmful; incorporating processes such as renewable energy initiatives; offering ‘green-collar’ work and training to prisoners; and providing ‘green care’ in an effort to reduce recidivism are all provided as evidence of ‘green’ strategies that shape the experience of prisoners, prison staff and the communities in which prisons are located. Although usually portrayed positively, this article proposes an alternative, potentially more contentious, interpretation of the green prison. In the context of mounting costs of incarceration, we suggest that green discourses perversely are fast becoming symbolic and material structures that frame and support mass imprisonment. Consequently, we argue, it may be the penal complex, rather than the environment, which is being ‘sustained’. Moreover, we suggest this is a topic worthy of attention from ‘green criminologists’.
Discourse relativity in Russian-English bilingual preschoolers’ classification of objects by gender
Authors: Nicoladis Elena , Da Costa Natalie , Foursha-Stevenson Cassandra
Published: April 2015

Aims and objectives/purpose/research questions:

We tested whether structural relativity (i.e. the grammatical gender of words in Russian) or discourse relativity (e.g. the language spoken, cultural attitudes toward objects) would influence preschool Russian–English bilingual children’s classification of toys as boys or girls.

Design/methodology/approach:

We asked 20 Russian–English bilingual children to classify toys as either boys or girls, once in Russian and once in English. Some of the toys had masculine names in Russian, some feminine and some neuter.

Data and analysis:

We compared the children’s classifications of the toys between languages and within the items differing on gender (i.e. masculine, feminine and neuter) in Russian.

Findings/conclusions:

We found some weak support for structural relativity affecting children’s classifications. We found stronger effects that could be attributed to how language is used within a culture: the children classified the toys as boys more often in Russian than in English, and showed strong correlations between their two languages in how they classified toys as well as strong correlations with English monolingual adults’ classifications of the same items.

Originality:

This study tests the developmental course of language relativity, relying on data from bilingual children.

Significance/implications:

These results are consistent with a developmental account of language relativity in which some aspects of discourse relativity can emerge early, but structural relativity effects do not emerge until the middle childhood years.
Precarious cosmopolitanism: Work migration and cultural belonging in a globalized Asia
Authors: Budianta Melani
Published: April 2015

The strong presence of migrant workers and the emergence of transnational mixed families from the region in Singapore and other Asian capital cities is one of the undercurrents of inter-Asia globalization. The term ‘inter-Asian globalization’ here refers to various forms and daily realities of transnational exchanges within the region, as Southeast Asian workers migrate following the flow of capital, meet other workers in the region, make families, and find and make their home. Contrasting the perspectives of middle-class mixed Filipino-Indonesian families of professionals residing in Singapore and returning female migrant domestic workers, this article reflects on the meaning of home, citizenship and sense of belonging in a time of heightened mobility. The article contends that, while Asian globalization creates the context for making ‘in-transit’ hybrid cultural homes, the migrant’s cosmopolitan experience still hinges precariously on their status, gender and class in the hierarchy created by capital, and the interests and politics of sending and host countries concerning citizenship, economic development and space-making.
Humility and humanity: Machiavelli's rejection and appropriation of a Christian Ideal
Authors: Menchaca-Bagnulo Ashleen
Published: April 2015

Though Machiavelli is famous for advising the mere ‘appearance’ of certain Christian and classical virtues (P XVIII), Machiavellian virtù inherits the legacy (though neither the content nor the telos) of the Christian virtue of humility, a virtue that is not present in pagan Roman accounts of heroism. I am not contending that Machiavelli is a Christian nor that he is continuing a Christian principle. Rather, I am asserting in this article that Machiavelli secularises the distinctly Christian virtue of humility, particularly in its affinity with the virtue of compassion, and that this is particularly true in his Discourses on Livy. To demonstrate how this is so, I compare Machiavelli's treatment of the Roman hero Brutus in the Discourses on Livy to the retelling of the life of Rome's liberator in Augustine's City of God.
There and back again
Authors: Leitch David G
Published: April 2015

This article examines and critiques Susan McWilliams’s recent book, Traveling Back: Toward a Global Political Theory. The book is a largely successful examination of the role of travel writing in western thought and its possible use in articulating a global politics. I offer some critiques, including a discussion of some places I found the analytic framework unclear, as well as noting some routes for extending the argument.
Glare and cognitive performance in screen work in the presence of sunlight
Authors: Rodriguez RG , Yamín Garretón JA , Pattini AE
Published: April 2015

Research concerning the effects of glare on distraction is scarce. We designed a 2 × 2 repeated measures experiment ( n = 32) in order to examine the influence of a large area glare source and glare sensitivity on reported discomfort glare and cognitive performance. Daylight glare probability was the within-subjects variable and glare sensitivity was the between-subjects variable. We found a statistically significant difference in glare sensation votes between scenarios, without statistically significant differences in glare ratings due to glare sensitivity. We found some statistically significant effects on our participants’ reaction times. Also, we calculated their effect sizes, which had practical relevance. Our results encourage further research in an issue that has been suggested since the early stages of glare research but has never been systematically and consistently addressed.
A Longitudinal Cohort Study of Student Motivational Factors Related to Academic Success and Retention Using the College Student Inventory
Authors: Slanger William D. , Berg Emily A. , Fisk Paul S. , Hanson Mark G.
Published: April 2015

Ten years of College Student Inventory (CSI) data from one Midwestern public land-grant university were used to study the role of motivational factors in predicting academic success and college student retention. Academic success was defined as cumulative grade point average (GPA), cumulative course load capacity (i.e., the number of credits earned divided by number of classes for which a grade was given), cumulative ratio of credits earned to credits taken, and retention to subsequent fall semesters through eight semesters of study. An aggregation of 256 stepwise linear regression results showed Predicted Academic Difficulty and Dropout Proneness were predictive of cumulative GPA across all cohort groups and through the eighth semester of study. Three of the four CSI compound scales (not Receptivity to Institutional Help) were found to be predictive of ratio of credits earned to credits attempted through the fourth semester and retention through a maximum of eight semesters. In addition to drawing light to sophisticated nuances with which the CSI can be practically applied to individual students, this study suggests that the CSI can play a global role in monitoring over time changing student motivational factors related to college student success.
Pathways of Parenting Style on Adolescents’ College Adjustment, Academic Achievement, and Alcohol Risk
Authors: Kenney Shannon R. , Lac Andrew , Hummer Justin F. , Grimaldi Elizabeth M. , LaBrie Joseph W.
Published: April 2015

This study examined the pathways of parenting style (permissive, authoritarian, and authoritative) to alcohol consumption and consequences through the mediators of college adjustment and academic achievement (grade point average [GPA]). Participants were 289 students from a private, mid-size, West Coast university (mean age 19.01 years, 58.8% female, and 59.3% Caucasian) who completed online surveys. A path model discovered that receipt of permissive and authoritarian parenting uniquely predicted poorer college adjustment, but authoritative parenting predicted better college adjustment. Further, authoritarian parenting predicted lower GPA, but authoritative parenting predicted higher GPA. Better college adjustment, in turn, was predictive of fewer negative alcohol-related consequences, whereas higher GPA predicted lower drinking levels. Preventive implications for collegiate counseling centers and collaborative campus-wide health promotion efforts are discussed.
Comparing Linear and Nonlinear Delivery of Introductory Psychology Lectures
Authors: Cramer Kenneth M. , Sands Mandy
Published: April 2015

As in most disciplines, the typical introductory class presents topics to students in a linear fashion, beginning (to use psychology as an example) with the history of the field, research methods, brain and neurons, sensation and perception, and so on. This study examined the impact of topic sequence on student achievement. The same professor taught two different sections of an introductory psychology university course during one semester. One section of the course received lectures in the standard linear order, while the other section received lectures in a nonlinear order, beginning with memory and consciousness, followed by history and research methods. Nonlinear-delivery students scored significantly higher on their midterm for four of the seven assigned chapters and performed better overall for the final examination than did linear-delivery students. Nonlinear-student attrition was also significantly lower (7.1% vs. 16.9%). These findings suggest that presentation of material in a nonlinear order better lends itself to student understanding.
Using Social Marketing to Spur Residential Adoption of ENERGY STAR®-Certified LED Lighting
Authors: Schultz P. Wesley , Colehour Julie , Vohr Jill , Bonn Lara , Bullock Ashlee , Sadler Amy
Published: April 2015

Recent technological advancements in lighting have produced light bulbs that are dramatically more efficient than the traditional incandescent bulb. Yet despite these benefits, the marketplace has been slow to adopt these newer and more efficient bulbs. To help facilitate this change, the Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR program conducted a series of pilot behavior change campaigns to encourage residents to purchase and install ENERGY STAR-certified light-emitting diode (LED) lights. Campaigns were conducted with Duke Energy and Efficiency Vermont aimed at encouraging residents to purchase and install certified LED lighting in their homes. The campaigns used community-based social marketing (CBSM) as the platform for developing the overarching strategy and were developed to highlight the benefits of certified LED lights and to decrease the barriers. In Vermont, a school-based fund-raiser was used to promote certified LED bulbs, and in North Carolina, special in-store lighting events were held at Home Depot and Costco retail locations. Both programs were implemented using a control group, and quantitative outcomes were tracked. Reported results highlight the increase in sales of certified LEDs associated with the campaigns. Survey data are also reported from participants in the two campaigns, along with tests for spillover of the newly adopted behavior into other lighting purchases and behaviors. The lessons learned from these two CBSM pilots are synthesized into turnkey materials that can be adopted by other organizations looking to promote the adoption of LED lights.
_____ While Black
Authors: Durham Aisha
Published: April 2015

Millennials are defined by their savvy integration of digital communication technologies and by their seamless incorporation of difference that has been communicated through formal policies and multicultural representations. Although diverse media platforms and people appear commonplace within the millennial milieu, this generation still faces what Amiri Baraka describes as the changing same. The changing cultural landscape has not drastically shifted power relations nor has it dramatically transformed how we mediate blackness under postrace. This article will examine the real and imagined body of the slain Florida teen Trayvon Martin, particularly how his body has animated White racial humor and rage, and has activated a new civil rights movement informed by hip hop. The Florida-based author will situate Martin within the post-hip-hop generation and address state policies policing Martin and other Black youth. Vaudevillian blackface minstrelsy as a form of race play will provide a historical backdrop for a discussion about new media blackness, such as mobile gaming, and social media postcards of theme parties and race-planking called trayvoning. The author not only will address Martin as a specific site to project of collective racial longing but will also point to ways minoritized Y’ers are a part of the collective new dream defenders to challenge racial terror today.
Changes in Gross Tumor Volume and Organ Motion Analysis During Neoadjuvant Radiochemotherapy in Patients With Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer Using an In-House Analysis System
Authors: Kessel Kerstin A. , Jäger Andreas , Habermehl Daniel , Rüppell Jan , Bendl Rolf , Debus Jürgen , Combs Stephanie E.
Published: April 2015

Background and Purpose:

During radiation treatment, movement of the target and organs at risks as well as tumor response can significantly influence dose distribution. This is highly relevant in patients with pancreatic cancer, where organs at risk lie in close proximity to the target.

Material and Methods:

Data sets of 10 patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer were evaluated. Gross tumor volume deformation was analyzed. Dose changes to organs at risk were determined with focus on kidneys both without adaptive radiotherapy compensation and with replanning based on weekly acquired computed tomography scans.

Results:

During irradiation, gross tumor volume changes between 0% and 26% and moves within a radius of 5 to 16 mm. Required maximal dose to organs at risk for kidneys can be met with the current practice of matching computed tomography scans during treatment and adjusting patient position accordingly. Comparison of the mean doses and V15, V20 volumes demonstrated that weekly replanning could bring a significant dose sparing of the left kidney.

Conclusion:

Manual matching with focus on bony structures can lead to overall acceptable positioning of patients during treatment. Thus, tolerance doses of organs at risk, such as the kidneys, can be met. With adequate margins, normal tissue constraints to organs at risk can be kept as well. Adaptive radiotherapy approaches (in this case with weekly rescanning) reduced dose to organs at risk, which may be especially important for hypofractionated approaches.
Examining the Influence of Family Dynamics on Quality of Care by Informal Caregivers of Patients With Alzheimer’s Dementia in Argentina
Authors: Panyavin Ivan , Trujillo Michael A. , Peralta Silvina Victoria , Stolfi Miriam E. , Morelli Eliana , Perrin Paul B. , Lasa Javier Peña , Arango-Lasprilla Juan Carlos
Published: April 2015

Purpose:

This study examined the pattern of family dynamics of Argentinian individuals with dementia that most heavily influences the quality of care provided by family caregivers (CGs).

Method:

One hundred and two CGs of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease in Argentina participated in this study. The majority (75%) were female, with an average age of 57.8 years (standard deviation = 13.5) and had spent a median of 48 months (interquartile range [IQR]: 36.00-60.00) providing care to their family member with dementia, devoting a median of 60 hours (IQR: 50.00-80.00) per week to these duties. Caregivers completed Spanish versions of instruments assessing their family dynamics and quality-of-care provision.

Results:

Hierarchical regression analyses suggested that higher quality of informal care (Provide and Respect) was related to greater levels of empathy and reduced levels of overall dysfunction in CGs’ families. Higher quality of care—Provide was also related to shorter duration of time (in months) spent providing care.

Conclusion:

Dementia CG interventions in Latino populations would likely benefit from addressing difficulties experienced when providing care for a prolonged period of time, as well as programming or techniques to improve family dynamics, especially family empathy and general functioning, given the strong reciprocal influence of these factors on CG quality of care.