bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Focused extracorporeal shock wave therapy for greater trochanteric pain syndrome with gluteal tendinopathy: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Carlisi Ettore , Cecini Miriam , Di Natali Giuseppe , Manzoni Federica , Tinelli Carmine , Lisi Claudio
Published: December 2018

Objectives:

To investigate if focused extracorporeal shock wave therapy (f-ESWT) is an effective treatment in a population affected by greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS).

Design:

Randomized controlled trial, with blind outcome assessors.

Setting:

Outpatients, University Hospital.

Subjects:

A total of 50 patients affected by GTPS with gluteal tendinopathy.

Interventions:

The study group was assigned to receive f-ESWT, the control group received ultrasound therapy (UST).

Main measures:

We assessed hip pain and lower limb function by means of a numeric rating scale (p-NRS) and the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS scale), respectively. The first follow-up evaluation (2M-FUP) was performed two months after the first treatment session, the second (6M-FUP) was carried out six months later.

Results:

The mean age of the population was 61.24 (9.26) years. A marked prevalence of the female sex was recorded (44 subjects, 86%). The statistical analysis showed a significant pain reduction over time for the study group and the control group, the f-ESWT proving to be significantly more effective than UST ( P < 0.05) at the 2M-FUP (2.08 vs 3.36) and at the 6M-FUP (0.79 vs 2.03). A marked improvement of the LEFS total score was observed in both groups as well, but we found no statistical differences in the comparisons between groups.

Conclusion:

Our findings support the hypothesis that f-ESWT is effective in reducing pain, both in the short-term and in the mid-term perspective. We also observed a functional improvement in the affected lower limb, but, in this case, f-ESWT showed not to be superior to UST.
If Not Now, When? The Timeliness of Developing a Dialogue between Consumer Culture Theoretic and Macromarketing Perspectives
Authors: Fischer Eileen
Published: December 2018

This paper advocates for doing more research at the intersction of consumer culture theoretic and macromarketing perspectives. It provides an example of a project ideally suited for analysis of this kind, a study that would address how the features and marketing practices of social media platforms may be contributing to political polarization at the societal level.
Fear and anxiety: Affects, emotions and care practices in the memory clinic
Authors: Swallow Julia , Hillman Alexandra
Published: December 2018

This paper contributes to the growing recognition in Science and Technology Studies and medical sociology of the significant role of affect in scientific and clinical work. We show how feelings of fear and anxiety associated with dementia not only shape people’s experiences and responses to a diagnosis, but also shape the practices and processes through which assessments and diagnoses are accomplished. What emerges from our research, and provides a distinct contribution to this growing field of study, is the relationship between the uncertainties that pervade the diagnosis of memory problems and the various strategies and practices employed to care for, divert, restrict or manage affective relations. Furthermore, our ethnographic material illustrates the implications of this relationship: on the one hand, it provides opportunities for care work through ‘tinkering’ with diagnostic technologies and extending and opening out diagnostic categories, while on the other, it can form part of healthcare practitioners’ disposal work, restricting opportunities for alternative meanings of dementia to endure.
Mechanical shear stress and leukocyte phenotype and function: Implications for ventricular assist device development and use
Authors: Radley Gemma , Ali Sabrina , Pieper Ina Laura , Thornton Catherine A
Published: December 2018

Heart failure remains a disease of ever increasing prevalence in the modern world. Patients with end-stage heart failure are being referred increasingly for mechanical circulatory support. Mechanical circulatory support can assist patients who are ineligible for transplant and stabilise eligible patients prior to transplantation. It is also used during cardiopulmonary bypass surgery to maintain circulation while operating on the heart. While mechanical circulatory support can stabilise heart failure and improve quality of life, complications such as infection and thrombosis remain a common risk. Leukocytes can contribute to both of these complications. Contact with foreign surfaces and the introduction of artificial mechanical shear stress can lead to the activation of leukocytes, reduced functionality and the release of pro-inflammatory and pro-thrombogenic microparticles. Assessing the impact of mechanical trauma to leukocytes is largely overlooked in comparison to red blood cells and platelets. This review provides an overview of the available literature on the effects of mechanical circulatory support systems on leukocyte phenotype and function. One purpose of this review is to emphasise the importance of studying mechanical trauma to leukocytes to better understand the occurrence of adverse events during mechanical circulatory support.
Promotion of Dental Pulp Wound Healing in New Zealand White Rabbits’ Teeth by Thai Propolis Product
Authors: Likitpongpipat Nattriya , Sangmaneedet Somboon , Klanrit Poramaporn , Noisombut Rajda , Krisanaprakornkit Suttichai , Chailertvanitkul Pattama
Published: December 2018

This study examined and compared wound healing between Thai propolis product and calcium hydroxide paste as pulp-capping agents after partial pulpotomy in New Zealand white rabbits. Forty incisor teeth from 10 rabbits were treated. Thirty-six teeth received class V cavity preparations with partial pulpotomy and application of either propolis or calcium hydroxide paste. Similar cavity preparations were performed in 2 teeth without any capping material as a positive control, whereas 2 teeth without the cavity preparation served as a negative control. Histological evaluation showed that both groups had dentin bridge formation. Dentinal tubules in the dentin bridge were more orderly arranged in the Thai propolis group than in the calcium hydroxide group. Wound healing and the median number of hyperemic blood vessels were not statistically significant different between the 2 groups. Thai propolis product may be used as a pulp-capping agent.
Building a Cross-Sectoral Interorganizational Network to Advance Nonprofits: NGO Incubators as Relationship Brokers in China
Authors: Yang Aimei , Cheong Pauline Hope
Published: December 2018

In light of the recent rise of Chinese nongovernmental organizations (NGO) and the significant roles that they are playing to advance nonprofit and voluntary activities, this article explores the network dynamics of emerging NGOs in China, known as NGO incubators. NGO incubators were birthed to provide services to civil society actors, including capacity-building training, fundraising, information support, and network formation guidance. This study examines the evolution of the organizational network of the largest Chinese NGO incubator over its 6-year formative period and provides fresh empirical evidence to illustrate how NGO incubators can powerfully bridge structural holes and build cross-sectoral alliance networks in a nascent civil society. Theoretical and practical implications for NGO development are discussed.
Donations to Outgroup Charities, but Not Ingroup Charities, Predict Helping Intentions Toward Street-Beggars in Sweden
Authors: Erlandsson Arvid , Nilsson Artur , Tinghög Gustav , Andersson David , Västfjäll Daniel
Published: December 2018

This article investigates how donation behavior to charitable organizations and helping intentions toward begging European Union (EU)-migrants are related. This question was tested by analyzing survey responses from 1,050 participants sampled from the general Swedish population. Although the overall results suggested that donations to charitable organizations were positively related to helping intentions toward beggars, the results differed substantially as a function of whether the organization was perceived to focus its efforts on outgroup victims or on ingroup victims. Specifically, whereas donation behavior toward outgroup-focused organizations clearly predicted more helping intentions toward beggars (also when controlling for demographics, education, income, religiosity, and political inclination), donation behavior toward ingroup-focused organizations predicted slightly less helping intentions toward beggars. We conclude that the type of charitable organization a person donates to might tell us more about his or her values and preferences than merely whether or not he or she donates at all.
Load distribution over threads of planetary roller screw mechanism with pitch deviation
Authors: Zhang Wenjie , Liu Geng , Ma Shangjun , Tong Ruiting
Published: December 2018

A model is proposed to calculate load distribution over threads of planetary roller screw mechanism (PRSM) with pitch deviation. Firstly, four kinds of machining errors of threads including pitch deviation, deviation of thread angle, division error of multiple threads and deviation of pitch diameter are analyzed, and the relationships among them are investigated. After analyzing the relationships among the errors, pitch deviation is chosen to be the main machining error to investigate because it can reflect the effects of other machining errors, and is the most influential machining error on the contact condition and deformation compatibility relationship, i.e. the load distribution of PRSM. Based on the proposed model, the effects of pitch deviation on the load distribution of PRSM are studied through numerical analyses, and load distributions under different machining precisions are analyzed. In order to experimentally verify the investigation, two PRSM samples are measured and tested under the same experimental conditions. The experimental results show that load distributions over threads will fluctuate because of the existence of pitch deviations. The pitch deviations, load distributions over threads and wear depths of threads in the samples show obvious accordance, which indirectly demonstrates the effects of pitch deviation on load distribution.
Preverbal children as co-researchers: Exploring subjectivity in everyday living
Authors: Juhl Pernille
Published: December 2018

This article theoretically refines the rendering of a conceptual framework suitable for including preverbal subjects, i.e., infants, in research. It is argued that the theoretical framework “psychology from the standpoint of the subject” is useful, as its conceptualization of the human–world relationship is a dialectical one that emphasizes how children are active subjects in their own lives. Nevertheless, key concepts such as subjective reasons for action and first-person perspective, do not sufficiently encompass bodily and emotional activity. The article discusses the framework’s inadequacies and, by extension, proposes the notion of Befindlichkeit, a German word translated here as embodied orientation, as a key concept that allows the inclusion of infants and toddlers as co-researchers. Befindlichkeit contributes to the analysis of the human–world relationship by situating bodily and emotional activities in processes of orientating in social practice.
Effects of the Satir Model on Mental Health: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Lau Way Kwok-Wai , Leung Pamela Pui-Yu , Chung Catherine Lai-Ping
Published: December 2018

Objective:

This randomized controlled trial examined the effect of an intensive experiential workshop based on the Satir growth model (SGM) that aims at cultivating self-transformation.

Method:

Ninety-six adult participants were randomly assigned to the intervention group (52 participants) or the wait-list control group. The role of self-transformation, measured by the Perceived Self-Transformation Scale, in the relationship between affects and mental health problems was examined using mediation analyses.

Results:

After the workshop, the intervention group demonstrated higher levels of self-transformation (η2 = .308, p < .001), as well as significant improvement ( p < .001) in positive (η2 = .557) and negative (η2 = .293) affects, self-esteem (η2 = .538), spirituality (η2 = .473), and mental health problems (η2 = .386). Importantly, increased self-transformation after the workshop partially mediated the relationship between reduced negative affect and mental health problems in the intervention group (indirect effect: β = 0.163, 95% confidence interval [0.035, 0.343]).

Conclusion:

Findings of this study suggest that the SGM-based intervention can be effective in ameliorating mental health problems.
Providing End-of-Life Care: Increased Empathy and Self-efficacy Among Student Caregivers in Residential Homes for the Dying
Authors: Weisse Carol S. , Melekis Kelly , Hutchins Bailey
Published: December 2018

Background:

Health-care providers report a lack of training in end-of-life care and limited opportunities exist to learn about the dying process in home settings where most prefer to die.

Aim:

To evaluate the effectiveness of a Community Action, Research, and Education (CARE) program designed to promote empathy and self-efficacy communicating with and caring for terminally ill patients.

Methods:

This mixed-methods study collected pre–post data from 18 undergraduates (7 men≤ 11 women) in a 8-week immersive program where they served as primary caregivers in residential homes for the dying providing 200 hours of bedside care to hospice patients during their final days. Quantitative measures assessed empathy using the Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Health Professions (JSE-HPS) version and self-efficacy using a 20-question palliative care skill assessment. Qualitative analyses were conducted on reflective journals to further assess knowledge, skill, and value development.

Results:

Paired t tests revealed significant increases in empathy ( P < .05) and self-efficacy ( P < .001) to provide end-of-life care. Thematic analysis of reflective journals further demonstrated specific instances of empathy and self-efficacy.

Conclusions:

Community-run residential homes for the dying offer a unique opportunity for skills training in end-of-life care. The opportunity to serve as a caregiver for the dying improved students’ confidence and ability to provide empathic patient- and family-centered end-of-life care to hospice patients in their final days.
Oligoanalgesia in Adult Colles Fracture Patients Admitted to the Emergency Department
Authors: Pasiorowski Ashley , Olson Karin , Ghosh Sunita , Ray Lynne
Published: December 2018

Pain is a complex symptom to assess properly and it is often poorly managed in the Emergency Department. The majority of research has focused on exploring oligoanalgesia in samples of patients with heterogeneous injuries. The occurrence of oligoanalgesia in a homogeneous injury, such as Colles fracture, has yet to be explored. A retrospective chart review was conducted to determine the incidence of oligoanalgesia in adults with Colles fractures admitted to two urban Emergency Departments in Western Canada. Data were collected from one hundred fifty charts from a 5-year period (2009-2014). Age and gender predicted of pain assessment (p = .019), but were not significantly associated with receipt of an opioid or pain reassessment. Pain reassessment was only completed in 47% of patients who received an initial pain assessment; this was significantly different from current best practice standards ( p = .0002).
The Power of Negative Disposition: An Examination of Trait and State Negative Affect With OCBI and OCBO
Authors: Geiger Mark , Lee Jeong-Yeon , Geiger Mingang K.
Published: December 2018

The authors developed and tested a two-by-two framework that identifies the strength of relationships between facets of negative affect (trait and state) and facets of organizational citizenship behavior (OCBI and OCBO). The framework is based on a stream of research concerned with dispositional- and situational-based predictors of OCB and is complemented with the phenomenon of social exchange spillover. Hypotheses were developed and tested using meta-analytic data to provide an authoritative perspective on the relationships of interest. The results largely support the proposed framework and suggest the strongest relationships are those between trait negative affect and OCBO, whereas the weakest relationships are those between state negative affect and OCBI. The authors discuss implications for research and practice concerning relationships between negative affect and OCB.
Offensive and Defensive Marketing in Spatial Competition
Authors: Martín-Herrán Guiomar , Sigué Simon Pierre
Published: December 2018

While it is well established that travel costs impact on customer preference toward local service providers, research about how this situation affects competitive marketing strategies remains sparse. This article investigates, in a local market with two competing service providers, whether service providers should undertake defensive marketing (DM), targeted at the nearest customers who typically prefer their offering for convenience and/or offensive marketing, directed to relatively remote customers who favor the rival as the closest alternative. We find that the service providers can exclusively undertake either DM or offensive marketing or combine the two in a full differentiated strategy at the equilibrium. We compare the outcomes of these three strategic options to identify the conditions under which they are worth implementing. Main findings suggest that service providers are better off undertaking offensive marketing alone when their rival’s retaliatory offensive capacity is weak and customers incur small travel costs. Otherwise, service providers may exclusively undertake DM or combine it with offensive marketing when travel costs become significant. Also, service providers should not invest in any marketing activity when they have no market power, like in the case of two adjacent outlets in a mall. Finally, the implications of these findings are discussed.
Glycemic Control in Insulin-Treated Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: Empowerment Perceptions and Diabetes Distress as Important Determinants
Authors: Chen Shi-Yu , Hsu Hui-Chun , Wang Ruey-Hsia , Lee Yau-Jiunn , Hsieh Chang-Hsun
Published: December 2018

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to explore the determinants of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels in insulin-treated patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) based on demographic and disease characteristics, self-reported regimen adherence factors (adherence in insulin regimen and self-monitoring of blood glucose), and psychosocial factors (decisional balance for insulin injection, health literacy, self-efficacy for insulin injection, diabetes distress, and empowerment perceptions). Via convenience sampling, 255 insulin-treated patients with T2DM were recruited from two endocrinology clinics in Taiwan. A self-report questionnaire was used to collect demographic and disease characteristics, regimen adherence factors, and psychosocial factors. The first HbA1c level measured after completion of the questionnaire was the dependent variable. The last HbA1c level measured before patients started insulin therapy as well as body mass index (BMI) was collected from medical records. Results indicated that adherence in insulin regimen was relatively good. Regimen adherence factors did not significantly correlate with HbA1c levels, but empowerment perception, decisional balance for insulin injection, health literacy, and diabetes distress did. The hierarchical multiple regression models indicated that BMI, the last HbA1c levels before starting insulin therapy, empowerment perception, and diabetes distress were important determinants of HbA1c levels. Nurses could periodically assess the diabetes distress of insulin-treated patients with T2DM and refer to mental health professionals when needed. Furthermore, applying empowerment approaches such as enhancing self-awareness of improved glycemic control and sharing more decision-making power with insulin-treated patients with T2DM might have benefits for their glycemic control.
Management of Pain in the United States—A Brief History and Implications for the Opioid Epidemic
Authors: Bernard Stephen A , Chelminski Paul R , Ives Timothy J , Ranapurwala Shabbar I
Published: December 2018

Pain management in the United States reflects attitudes to those in pain. Increased numbers of disabled veterans in the 1940s to 1960s led to an increased focus on pain and its treatment. The view of the person in pain has moved back and forth between a physiological construct to an individual with pain where perception may be related to social, emotional, and cultural factors. Conceptually, pain has both a medical basis and a political context, moving between, for example, objective evidence of disability due to pain and subjective concerns of malingering. In the 20th century, pain management became predominately pharmacologic. Perceptions of undertreatment led to increased use of opioids, at first for those with cancer-related pain and then later for noncancer pain without the multidimensional care that was intended. The increased use was related to exaggerated claims in the medical literature and by the pharmaceutical industry, of a lack of addiction in the setting of noncancer pain for these medications—a claim that was subsequently found to be false and deliberatively deceptive; an epidemic of opioid prescribing began in the 1990s. An alarming rise in deaths due to opioids has led to several efforts to decrease use, both in patients with noncancer conditions and in those with cancer and survivors of cancer.
Healthy Eating Index: Assessment of the Diet Quality of a Brazilian Elderly Population
Authors: Fernandes Dalila Pinto de Souza , Lopes Duarte Maria Sônia , Pessoa Milene Cristine , Castro Franceschini Sylvia do Carmo , Queiroz Ribeiro Andréia
Published: December 2018

Background:

The food consumption assessment is necessary to monitor elderly’s nutritional status because it allows detecting nutrition deficits and guiding the elaboration of effective conducts.

Objective:

The objective of this study is to assess the global quality of the elderly’s diet in Viçosa—MG, Brazil.

Methods:

This is a population-based cross-sectional study, involving noninstitutionalized elderly. Diet quality was assessed through the Brazilian Healthy Eating Index-Revised (BHEI-R) validated to the Brazilian population.

Results:

The study comprised 620 elderly individuals. The mean total BHEI-R score was 64.28. The worse consumption scores concerned the components Whole grains, Milk and derivatives, Sodium, Total fruit, and Whole fruit. Approximately 82% scored zero (0%) for Whole grains and 67% for Sodium. Men presented significantly lower scores than women, who have presented maximal score in the same items. Women’s scores were not only significantly higher for Total fruit, Whole fruit, Milk and derivatives, but also significantly lower for Saturated fat.

Discussion:

Most elderly need to improve their diet quality. Strategies heading toward the improvement of diet quality must be priority in policies to health promotion toward the healthy and active aging.
Common Sense as Political Struggle: Asserting the Right to Home Following the Grenfell Tower Fire
Authors: Leaney Sarah
Published: December 2018

The Grenfell Tower fire is a tragic manifestation of the brutality of the neoliberal conditionality of home. The systematic devaluing of the lives of residents in the social housing block is the result of stigmatisation-fuelled neglect. This article explores the ideological formation of the ‘ideals’ of home ownership, asserting a right to home as a means to resist the ‘unequal distribution of precarity’ that defines neoliberal formations of home.
Following the money: News, sexual assault and the economic logic of the gendered public sphere
Authors: Biressi Anita
Published: December 2018

This article engages with news coverage of the sexual assault scandal involving elite politician Dominique Strauss-Kahn and hotel cleaner Nafissatou Diallo to explore what their media treatment reveals about current relations of gender and power in the public sphere. Several key questions inform the analysis. What happens when a low status complainant speaks to power? What strategies of denigration take place to challenge her credibility? And how (in what terms) do the media make sense of the encounter between the two parties? Feminist media analyses of sex crime in the news have shown how misogynist attitudes underlie the depiction of women who speak out. This analysis reveals how the rules of media engagement are stacked against the speaking subject because she is both female and poor. It finds that economic inequalities, as well as those of gender and race, are dramatically inscribed in the mythic narratives of news. The overall conclusion is that the public sphere and its dynamics of denigration and disrespect toward women who complain are problematically organized along faultlines embedded in the gendered socio-economics of the public and private/domestic realms.
Increasing female participation in municipal elections via the use of local radio in conflict-affected settings: The case of the West Bank Municipal elections 2017
Authors: Heywood Emma
Published: December 2018

The 2017 West Bank Municipal elections were framed by locally based non-governmental organisations and the Palestinian Authorities – albeit to a lesser extent – in terms of the desirability of increasing female participation in them in two particular ways: participation as representatives and participation as voters. Both aspects of participation were supported by extensive radio campaigns conducted by locally based non-governmental organisations. The effectiveness of these campaigns and the approaches used form the basis of this article. Using a mixed-methods approach consisting of both quantitative and qualitative data, it concludes that radio has endemic socio-technical advantages for reaching women, particularly in conflict-affected areas, and that broadcasting content aimed at women by women is essential in terms of increasing their representation and voting.
The impact of grades on student motivation
Authors: Chamberlin Kelsey , Yasué Maï , Chiang I-Chant A
Published: December 2018

Although research has explored how in-class pedagogical practices and narrative feedback affect student engagement and motivation, questions remain on the impact of grading systems (i.e. multi-interval grades vs pass/fail and narrative evaluation) on academic motivation. Here, we compared the motivation of students who received multi-interval grades to students who were evaluated with a pass/fail and end of course narrative evaluation. In addition, we compared academic motivation at institutions with different grading systems. Grades did not enhance academic motivation. Instead, grades enhanced anxiety and avoidance of challenging courses. In contrast, narrative evaluations supported basic psychological needs and enhanced motivation by providing actionable feedback, promoting trust between instructors and students and cooperation amongst students. Even when accounting for potential confounding factors, students in universities that used narrative evaluations experienced higher intrinsic and autonomous motivation compared to students who received multi-interval grades. Given the potential for grades to thwart basic psychological needs and academic motivation, institutions should re-evaluate when and in which programs grades may be appropriate or necessary.
Interactive temporal display through collaboration networks visualization
Authors: Jing Ming , Li Xueqing , Zhang Li
Published: December 2018

Visual analytics play an important role in understanding complex datasets. The bibliographic database is often visualized as a collaboration network to illustrate the connections between researchers. Static networks, however, barely reveal any information when the dataset includes temporal variables. In this article, we propose an embedded network visualization to display the temporal patterns hiding in the data and use intelligent filters to avoid occlusion. We examined different graphing styles, such as the temporal display and the time direction, to find the best way to present the temporal features. In addition, we demonstrate the utility of our approach with case studies and evaluations of real bibliographic databases.
Balance assessment in people with COPD: An evidence-based guide
Authors: Beauchamp Marla K
Published: December 2018

Balance problems and an increased rate and risk of falls are common in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Although a balance assessment is now recommended by clinical practice guidelines for pulmonary rehabilitation, specific tests have yet to be suggested. The purpose of this review is to provide an evidence-based synthesis of balance measurement in older adults and in people with COPD, to guide practice in this area. An overview of best practices for assessing balance and fall risk in older adults is provided along with a practical synthesis of evidence to date on common balance measures used in people with COPD such as the Timed Up and Go, Single Leg Stance, Berg Balance, and Mini and Full Balance Evaluation Systems Tests. Finally, two clinical scenarios are described to illustrate the process of evidence-based clinical decision-making with respect to balance assessment in people with COPD. Ultimately, the selection of balance test and its interpretation will depend on the purpose of the assessment, available data on psychometric properties, the patient’s individual characteristics, and the resources available to the clinician.
Education and Employment After Lung Transplantation in Adolescents and Young Adults
Authors: Chou Helen , Groh Jaclyn , Nicholson Kerri , Krivchenia Katelyn , Hayes Don , Tobias Joseph D. , Tumin Dmitry
Published: December 2018

Pediatric transplant recipients experience barriers to social functioning, including participation in school and work, but our understanding of barriers to these activities is limited by insufficient data collection and standardization. Existing studies rely on cross-sectional surveys of transplant survivors that are subject to survivorship and nonresponse bias, or analyses of large registry data that lack detail on educational progress and work participation. We report our experience using the electronic medical record to retrospectively review work and educational attainment in this population, and identify specific barriers that were encountered and how they were addressed by the patient and care team. We reviewed current literature on post-transplant survey participation and compared questionnaires to our current documentation practice for tracking education and employment progress in the transplant recipient population. Based on this review, we discuss the possibility, barriers, and implications of conducting a standardized assessment to track social participation outcomes of transplantation.
To Know It Is to Loath It: Perceptions of Campaign Finance and Attitudes About Congress
Authors: Donovan Todd , Bowler Shaun
Published: December 2018

We model attitudes about Congress as structured by perceptions of campaign finance. Attitudes about unlimited corporate and union spending are modeled as structured by knowledge about Congress. We find people with more factual knowledge of Congress were more likely to view unlimited independent corporate and union spending as having improper influence. We also found that people made some distinctions about sources of campaign finance. Knowledgeable people viewed unlimited independent expenditures as improper influence, but were less likely to perceive direct contributions from individuals to candidates as corrupt. When attitudes about Congress are estimated as a function of perceptions about financier influence, we find that perceptions about unlimited independent spending predicted negative views of representation and Congress, whereas perceptions of limited individual donations did not. People who knew the most about Congress were substantially more likely to find unlimited independent spending—the sort allowed by Citizens United—to be troubling.
Dermoscopic Monitoring for Treatment and Follow-Up of Actinic Keratosis With 5-Aminolaevulinic Acid Photodynamic Therapy
Authors: Xiaoqin Yang , Chan Hu , Long Wen , Yuting Xu , Keyal Uma , Guolong Zhang , Peiru Wang , Xiuli Wang
Published: December 2018

Objectives:

To assess the usefulness of dermoscopy in monitoring the treatment response and recurrence of actinic keratosis treated with 5-aminolaevulinic acid photodynamic therapy.

Methods:

In total, 35 patients with 75 actinic keratosis lesions were treated with 5-aminolaevulinic acid photodynamic therapy. The patients were divided randomly into 2 groups, dermoscopic group and the control group. Sixteen patients with 35 actinic keratosis lesions were treated with dermoscopic monitoring to determine the end point of the treatment. The remaining 19 patients with 40 skin lesions served as control and treated without dermoscopic monitoring and observed with naked eyes. At 1-year follow-up, patients were examined to look for the recurrence rate of the disease.

Results:

In the dermoscopic group, 1 (2.85%) of 35 actinic keratosis lesions showed recurrence of disease after 6 months of treatment. The recurrence was noted with red pseudo-network and scales at the treated site, whereas in the control group, 5 (12.5%) of 40 lesions showed recurrence.

Conclusions:

Dermoscopy can be a useful tool for monitoring the skin lesions in patients with actinic keratosis during photodynamic therapy and follow-up.
Measuring Engagement in Early Education: Preliminary Evidence for the Behavioral Observation of Students in Schools–Early Education
Authors: Hojnoski Robin L. , Missall Kristen N. , Wood Brenna K.
Published: December 2018

Engagement in early childhood is defined as a child’s level of participation with the environment. Engagement is an important construct in assessment and intervention of social and early learning competence given its link to school achievement. Few tools exist to assess engagement of young children in early education, and there is a need for a systematic direct observation tool that can be applied universally (e.g., with all young children) in these settings. This article describes preliminary evidence of validity and reliability for the Behavioral Observation of Students in Schools–Early Education (BOSS-EE). Specifically, the article describes results from a survey of experts and practitioners in which feedback was solicited on target behaviors and operational definitions, presents reliability data (i.e., interobserver and test–retest), examines correlations with a criterion measure, and describes variability across settings, sites, and methods (i.e., video vs. in vivo). Next steps in measurement development are discussed with attention to the challenges of producing a tool that can be used in a range of early education settings with diverse groups of young children.
Using Latent Class Analysis to Explore Subtypes of Youth Who Have Committed Sexual Offenses
Authors: Brown Adam
Published: December 2018

Attempts to identify typologies of youth who have committed sexual offenses have been challenged by their overlapping characteristics with youth who have committed nonsexual crimes, as well as methodological limitations that make the results difficult to translate into direct practice. In the current study, a technical new way of identifying subtypes of these young people was proposed using latent class analysis, a person-centered approach that allows categorical subtypes to be revealed by the data rather than hypothesized differences based on individual factors. The indicators included in this analysis were sexual behaviors only, thereby eliminating any overlap with general delinquents. In a sample of 573 male youth between the ages of 11 and 20 ( M = 16.75, SD = 1.72), four unique classes were identified. Research implications are offered.
Response Heterogeneity With Exercise Training and Physical Activity Interventions Among Persons With Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Baird Jessica F. , Motl Robert W.
Published: December 2018

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a heterogeneous disease, both in its pathology and symptomology. This poses a challenge for the medical management and rehabilitation of MS; however, physical activity and exercise training are rehabilitation approaches that have demonstrated beneficial effects on many of the burdensome consequences of MS such as mobility impairment and fatigue. Given the heterogeneous course of MS, it is possible that outcomes of physical activity and exercise training interventions demonstrate heterogeneity both in the magnitude and pattern of change, but there has been little focus on response heterogeneity with these interventions among persons with MS. In this narrative review, a search of the existing literature was performed to identify studies that reported individual participant data, which was used to describe the variability in the response to physical activity and exercise training interventions among persons with MS. Inter-individual variability seemingly occurs across outcomes and modalities, which underscores the consideration of factors that might influence response heterogeneity. Factors related to MS disease characteristics, nervous system damage, and the degree of MS-related disability might influence individual responsiveness. Large-scale studies that permit the examination of heterogeneity and its predictors will inform future research on the area of physical activity and exercise training in MS, and lead to the development of individually tailored rehabilitation approaches that will more effectively elicit change.
A Meta-Analysis of Shared Leadership: Antecedents, Consequences, and Moderators
Authors: Wu Qiong , Cormican Kathryn , Chen Guoquan
Published: December 2018

Many organizations are encouraging a shared leadership approach that meets the increased complexity of today’s working environment. It is therefore imperative for researchers to clearly comprehend the mechanism of shared leadership in teams. Contributing to the burgeoning research in the field of shared leadership, this study aims to advance our understanding along the many dimensions of the shared leadership phenomenon: its antecedents, moderators, and consequences. In this article, we provide a critical and comprehensive analysis of the extant literature and generate an integrated framework that presents seven hypotheses and five research questions. We then empirically test this framework via a systematic meta-analysis from 40 studies (team n = 3,019). Significantly, our findings reveal that the internal team environment and team heterogeneity are positively related to the emergence of shared leadership in teams. Moreover, we confirm the positive relationship between shared leadership and team outcomes. Our analysis also highlights how intragroup trust and task interdependence significantly moderate the shared leadership–team outcomes relations, with higher correlations observed in greater levels of intragroup trust, as well as larger levels of task interdependence. We also find the moderating effect of shared leadership measurement methods in such relations. Specifically, there is a stronger relationship when shared leadership is measured with social network analysis, rather than aggregating approaches. Overall, our study brings valuable insights into the shared leadership area and provides clear directions for future research.
Considerations for Evaluation of Fruit and Vegetable Intake in Low-Literate Spanish-Speaking Participants in USDA Food and Nutrition Education Programs
Authors: Banna Jinan
Published: December 2018

Rates of obesity and associated chronic disease are high in Hispanics in the United States. Nutrition education interventions promoting dietary change in underserved populations have been shown to have positive effects on behaviors such as fruit and vegetable (FV) intake, thereby reducing the chronic disease burden. Evaluation tools in the Spanish language to assess the dietary behavior changes made in response to the intervention are important in determining the success of such efforts. Currently, there are no Spanish-language tools focused exclusively on FV intake and behaviors that include features to enhance readability for use in low-literacy participants of US Department of Agriculture (USDA) food assistance and education programs. There is a need for such tools to determine the degree to which programs are able to promote behavior change. In designing these tools, researchers should take into account potential issues that may arise when administered. For example, respondents may have difficulty estimating consumption for mixed dishes and vegetables added to food. To address such issues, researchers should employ strategies to assist respondents to understand what constitutes FV and appropriately identify amount consumed. Addition of images to tools or development of accompanying instruction guides may be helpful. Once developed and tested, such scales may be used with Spanish-speaking participants of USDA food assistance and education programs aimed at improving FV behaviors and ultimately, intake.
Factors Influencing Nutritional Behavior Among Patients With Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Foroumandi Elaheh , Alizadeh Mohammad , Kheirouri Sorayya , Esmaeili Naseh , Tarighat Esfanjani Ali
Published: December 2018

Introduction. Lifestyle modification and adherence to healthy diet is crucial in the prevention and management of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Aim: The aim of the current study was to identify factors affecting healthy nutritional behaviors among patients with MetS. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 322 adults with a mean age of 40.55 ± 5.97 years were included. The diagnosis of MetS was based on the criteria suggested by the International Diabetes Federation. Nutritional attitudes, subjective norms, intention, and nutritional behaviors were assessed through a questionnaire designed by researchers. Results: The finding indicated that nutritional attitude and gender of participants were predicting factors of behavioral intention. Furthermore, nutritional attitude, behavioral intention, gender, and level of education could predict nutritional behavior in patients. However, subjective norm was a weak predictor of behavioral intention and nutritional behavior. Conclusions: The findings suggest that attitude and intention, but not subjective norms, along with some sociodemographic variables were able to predict the nutritional behavior of MetS patients that could be a basis for designing educational interventions for health promotion among them.
Steering-angle computation for the multibody modelling of differential-driving mobile robots with a caster
Authors: Wu Xing , Angeles Jorge , Zou Ting , Xiao Haining , Li Wei , Lou Peihuang
Published: December 2018

Since many off-the-shelf motor drives are supplied with complete control capability in the current, velocity and position loop, the robot model in the navigation control architecture can be oriented either to kinematics, interfaced with the velocity loop, or to dynamics, with the motor-current loop. Moreover, no constraints are imposed by a caster on the mobility of differential-driving mobile robots. Hence, a reduced model, containing only the platform, is sufficient for navigation control based only on the robot kinematics. However, if the multibody system model is used for navigation control based on the robot dynamics, to cope with the demands of high-speed manoeuvres and/or heavy-load operations, then the caster kinematics, especially the knowledge of the steering angle, is required to calculate the inertia matrix and the terms of Coriolis and centrifugal forces. While this angle can be measured by means of dedicated encoders to be installed for casters, the computation technique based on the existing tachometers, already mounted on the motor shafts for the servo control of the two driving wheels, is proved to be sufficient. Both a thorough kinematics model and a multibody dynamics model, including the platform and all different wheels, are formulated here for differential-driving mobile robots. Computational methods based on velocity compatibility and rigid body twists are proposed to estimate the steering angle. Simulation results of the differential-driving mobile robot moving on a smooth trajectory show the feasibility of the steering-angle computational scheme, which obviates the need of installing caster encoders. Moreover, a performance comparison on system modelling is implemented via simulation, between the differential-driving mobile robot model with and without caster dynamics. This further validates the importance of the dynamic effects of casters on the whole system model. Therefore, the multibody modelling approach for casters with the steering-angle computation technique can facilitate the navigation control architecture under dynamics conditions.
Path planning method with obstacle avoidance for manipulators in dynamic environment
Authors: Chen Gang , Liu Dan , Wang Yifan , Jia Qingxuan , Zhang Xiaodong
Published: December 2018

Obstacle avoidance is of great importance for path planning of manipulators in dynamic environment. To help manipulators successfully perform tasks, a method of path planning with obstacle avoidance is proposed in this article. It consists of two consecutive phases, namely, collision detection and obstacle-avoidance path planning. The collision detection is realized by establishing point-cloud model and testing intersection of axis-aligned bounding boxes trees, while obstacle-avoidance path planning is achieved through preplanning a global path and adjusting it in real time. This article has the following contributions. The point-cloud model is of high resolution while the speed of collision detection is improved, and collision points can be found exactly. The preplanned global path is optimized based on the improved D-star algorithm, which reduces inflection points and decreases collision probability. The real-time path adjusting strategy satisfies the requirement of reachability and obstacle avoidance for manipulators in dynamic environment. Simulations and experiments are carried out to evaluate the validity of the proposed method, and the method is available to manipulators of any degree of freedom in dynamic environment.
In search of a genocidal frame: Preliminary evidence from the Holocaust and the Rwandan genocide
Authors: Armoudian Maria
Published: December 2018

Research on genocide has provided a rich background of common structural, ideological and psychological antecedents that culminate in the attempted annihilation of a specific ethnic or religious group. Integrating the literature on framing, genocide, emotions and social psychology, this article first presents the concept of a master ‘genocidal frame’ and preliminary evidence from two modern-day genocides, Rwanda and Nazi Germany, where it located common themes in genocidal communication. Secondly, it suggests that the genocidal frame’s five themes together are used as an effort to persuade the countries’ ‘own’ people that annihilating ‘the others’ is necessary for the ‘greater good’. Finally, the author embeds this framing into three bodies of literature to preliminarily theorize how a genocidal frame, whether communicated interpersonally or institutionally, may interact with other conditions to help shape the psychological antecedents of genocide – negative emotions, cognitions and group psychology.