bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relative Strain in the Anterior Cruciate Ligament and Medial Collateral Ligament During Simulated Jump Landing and Sidestep Cutting Tasks
Authors: Bates Nathaniel A. , Nesbitt Rebecca J. , Shearn Jason T. , Myer Gregory D. , Hewett Timothy E.
Published: July 2015

Background:

The medial collateral (MCL) and anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL) are, respectively, the primary and secondary ligamentous restraints against knee abduction, which is a component of the valgus collapse often associated with ACL rupture during athletic tasks. Despite this correlation in function, MCL ruptures occur concomitantly in only 20% to 40% of ACL injuries.

Hypothesis/Purpose:

The purpose of this investigation was to determine how athletic tasks load the knee joint in a manner that could lead to ACL failure without concomitant MCL failure. It was hypothesized that (1) the ACL would provide greater overall contribution to intact knee forces than the MCL during simulated motion tasks and (2) the ACL would show greater relative peak strain compared with the MCL during simulated motion tasks.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

A 6-degrees-of-freedom robotic manipulator articulated 18 cadaveric knees through simulations of kinematics recorded from in vivo drop vertical jump and sidestep cutting tasks. Specimens were articulated in the intact-knee and isolated-ligament conditions. After simulation, each ACL and MCL was failed in uniaxial tension along its fiber orientations.

Results:

During a drop vertical jump simulation, the ACL experienced greater peak strain than the MCL (6.1% vs 0.4%; P < .01). The isolated ACL expressed greater peak anterior force (4.8% vs 0.3% body weight; P < .01), medial force (1.6% vs 0.4% body weight; P < .01), flexion torque (8.4 vs 0.4 N·m; P < .01), abduction torque (2.6 vs 0.3 N·m; P < .01), and adduction torque (0.5 vs 0.0 N·m; P = .03) than the isolated MCL. During failure testing, ACL specimens preferentially loaded in the anteromedial bundle failed at 637 N, while MCL failure occurred at 776 N.

Conclusion:

During controlled physiologic athletic tasks, the ACL provides greater contributions to knee restraint than the MCL, which is generally unstrained and minimally loaded.

Clinical Relevance:

Current findings support that multiplanar loading during athletic tasks preferentially loads the ACL over the MCL, leaving the ACL more susceptible to injury. An enhanced understanding of joint loading during in vivo tasks may provide insight that enhances the efficacy of injury prevention protocols.
The Optimum Tension for Bridging Sutures in Transosseous-Equivalent Rotator Cuff Repair
Authors: Park Ji Soon , McGarry Michelle H. , Campbell Sean T. , Seo Hyuk Jun , Lee Yeon Soo , Kim Sae Hoon , Lee Thay Q. , Oh Joo Han
Published: July 2015

Background:

Transosseous-equivalent (TOE) rotator cuff repair can increase contact area and contact pressure between the repaired cuff tendon and bony footprint and can show higher ultimate loads to failure and smaller gap formation compared with other repair techniques. However, it has been suggested that medial rotator cuff failure after TOE repair may result from increased bridging suture tension.

Purpose:

To determine optimum bridging suture tension in TOE repair by evaluating footprint contact and construct failure characteristics at different tensions.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

A total of 18 fresh-frozen cadaveric shoulders, randomly divided into 3 groups, were constructed with a TOE configuration using the same medial suture anchor and placing a Tekscan sensing pad between the repaired rotator cuff tendon and footprint. Nine of the 18 shoulders were used to measure footprint contact characteristics. With use of the Tekscan measurement system, the contact pressure and area between the rotator cuff tendon and greater tuberosity were quantified for bridging suture tensions of 60, 90, and 120 N with glenohumeral abduction angles of 0° and 30° and humeral rotation angles of 30° (internal), 0°, and 30° (external). TOE constructs of all 18 shoulders then underwent construct failure testing (cyclic loading and load to failure) to determine the yield load, ultimate load, stiffness, hysteresis, strain, and failure mode at 60 and 120 N of tension.

Results:

As bridging suture tension increased, contact force, contact pressure, and peak pressure increased significantly at all positions ( P < .05 for all). Regarding contact area, no significant differences were found between 90 and 120 N at all positions, although there were significant differences between 60 and 90 N. The construct failure test demonstrated no significant differences in any parameters according to various tensions ( P > .05 for all).

Conclusion:

Increasing bridging suture tension to over 90 N did not improve contact area but did increase contact force and pressure. Bridging suture tension did not significantly affect ultimate failure loads.

Clinical Relevance:

Considering the risks of overtensioning bridging sutures, it may be clinically more beneficial to keep bridging suture tension below 90 N.
Ice, fire and flood
Authors: Milner Andrew , Burgmann JR , Davidson Rjurik , Cousin Susan
Published: July 2015

Despite the occasional upsurge of climate change scepticism amongst conservative politicians and journalists, there is a near-consensus amongst scientists that current levels of atmospheric greenhouse gas are sufficient to alter global weather patterns to possibly disastrous effect. Like the hole in the ozone layer as described by Bruno Latour, global warming is a ‘hybrid’ natural-social-discursive phenomenon. And science fiction (SF) seems to occupy a critical location within this nature/culture nexus. This paper takes as its subject matter what Daniel Bloom dubs ‘cli-fi’. It seeks to describe how a genre defined in relation to science finds itself obliged to produce fictional responses to problems actually thrown up by contemporary scientific research. It argues against the view that ‘catastrophic’ SF is best understood as a variant of the kind of ‘apocalyptic’ fiction inspired by the Christian Book of Revelation, or Apokalypsis, on the grounds that this tends to downplay the historical novelty of SF as a genre defined primarily in relation to modern science and technology. And it examines the narrative strategies pursued in both print and audio-visual SF texts that deal with anthropogenic climate change.
Examining the Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale at the Item Level With Rasch Measurement Model
Authors: Chang Mei-Lin , Engelhard George
Published: July 2015

The purpose of this study is to examine the psychometric quality of the Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) with data collected from 554 teachers in a U.S. Midwestern state. The many-facet Rasch model was used to examine several potential contextual influences (years of teaching experience, school context, and levels of emotional exhaustion) on item functioning within the TSES. Results suggest that although TSES items are rather easy for teachers to endorse, sufficient variance in the item endorsement hierarchy of the scale exists to support the validity of score interpretations. The items are invariant across years of teaching experience or school locations, but not invariant across levels of emotional exhaustion.
A Study of the Relationship Between the ACT College Mathematics Readiness Standard and College Mathematics Achievement
Authors: Harwell Michael , Moreno Mario , Post Thomas
Published: July 2015

This study examined the relationship between the American College Testing (ACT) college mathematics readiness standard and college mathematics achievement using a sample of students who met or exceeded the minimum 3 years high school mathematics coursework recommended by ACT. According to ACT, a student who scores 22 or higher on the ACT mathematics test has a relatively high probability of earning a passing grade in his or her first college mathematics course. Data from 11,324 students who attended 1 of 27 four-year postsecondary institutions in the upper Midwest were used to study this relationship. Overall, there was evidence that meeting the mathematics readiness standard was related to college mathematics achievement for students who completed at least 3 years of high school mathematics. The results have important implications for school district staff advising college-intending students on mathematics course-taking, college admissions staff evaluating student readiness for college-level mathematics, and researchers studying college readiness.
A dimensional analysis of forest fuel layer ignition model: Application to the ignition of pine needle litters
Authors: Lamorlette Aymeric , Houssami Mohamad El , Thomas Jan C , Simeoni Albert , Morvan Dominique
Published: July 2015

This article deals with the physical modelling of forest fuel layer ignition. A model based on momentum-, fluid- and solid-phase energy equations is written for a fuel layer and a dimensional analysis is performed. This analysis allows to enlighten on two relevant dimensionless groups regarding the dimensionless time to ignition of a fuel layer and also provides a suited scaling for the fluid velocity inside the fuel layer during ignition. A correlation for the time to ignition is then fitted on experimental data obtained using an FM-Global fire propagation apparatus for different pine species with a closed basket. A good agreement is found, emphasizing the relevance of the dimensionless groups and the thermally thick behaviour of the solid particles during the ignition process under incident radiant heat flux as low as [Formula: see text].
Mixed exposure to bacterial lipopolysaccharide and seafood proteases augments inflammatory signalling in an airway epithelial cell model (A549)
Authors: Bhagwat Sampada S , Larsen Anett K , Seternes Ole-Morten , Bang Berit E
Published: July 2015

Seafood industry workers exhibit increased prevalence of respiratory symptoms due to exposure to bioaerosols containing a mixture of bioactive agents. In this study, a human pulmonary epithelial cell model (A549) was exposed to mixtures of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2) agonists H-Ser-Leu-Ile-Gly-Lys-Val-NH2 (SLIGKV-NH2), purified salmon ( Salmo salar) trypsin or purified king crab ( Paralithodes camtschaticus) trypsin. The inflammatory response was measured based on nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activation of transcription in a luciferase reporter gene assay and interleukin 8 (IL-8) secretion in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We observed that mixtures of SLIGKV-NH2 or trypsins with LPS augmented the activation of NF-κB and secretion of IL-8. The effect on IL-8 secretion was synergistic when both trypsins and LPS were used in the lower concentration range. The results demonstrate that exposure to mixtures of agents that are relevant to seafood industry workplaces may lead to increased inflammatory signalling compared with exposure to the individual agents alone. Furthermore, the results indicate that synergism may occur with the combined exposure to seafood trypsins and LPS and is most likely to occur when exposure to either agent is low.
Evaluation of DNA damage and DNA repair capacity in occupationally lead-exposed workers
Authors: Jannuzzi Ayse Tarbin , Alpertunga Buket
Published: July 2015

Occupational lead (Pb) exposure remains a significant concern for workers in Turkey. Health hazards of Pb exposure have been investigated in various test systems, but results regarding its potential genotoxic effects on exposed populations are contradictory. In this study, a control group and an exposed group were studied, each consisting of 25 male subjects. Blood lead levels (BLLs) were estimated by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Genotoxic effects of Pb exposure were studied in leukocytes by comet and challenge assays. The effect of Pb exposure to DNA repair capacity was evaluated following in vitro hydrogen peroxide exposure. Pb-exposed workers had significantly higher BLLs than the control group ( p < 0.01). DNA damage in exposed workers had a significantly higher percentage of DNA in tail than the control group ( p < 0.05). In the challenge assay, it was found that the mean DNA% repair capacity was significantly decreased in Pb-exposed workers ( p < 0.01). The results indicated that occupational Pb exposure is associated with DNA damage and causes decrease in DNA% repair capacity, indicating a potential health concern for occupationally Pb-exposed populations.
Nocturnal Melatonin Profiles in Patients with Delayed Sleep-Wake Phase Disorder and Control Sleepers
Authors: Micic Gorica , Lovato Nicole , Gradisar Michael , Burgess Helen J. , Ferguson Sally A. , Kennaway David J. , Lack Leon
Published: July 2015

A significant delay in the timing of endogenous circadian rhythms has been associated with delayed sleep phase disorder (DSPD). More recently, other mechanisms have also been proposed to account for this disorder. To further explore the etiology of DSPD, the present study compared nocturnal melatonin profiles of 26 DSPD patients (18 males, 8 females; age, 21.73 ± 4.98 years) and 17 normally timed good sleepers (10 males, 7 females; age, 23.82 ± 5.23 years) in a time-free, dim-light (<10 lux) laboratory environment. A 30-h modified constant routine with alternating 20-min sleep opportunities and 40 min of enforced wakefulness was used to measure the endogenous melatonin circadian rhythm. Salivary melatonin was sampled half-hourly from 1820 h to 0020 h and then hourly from 0120 h to 1620 h. DSPD patients had significantly later timed melatonin profiles that were delayed by approximately 3 h compared to normal sleepers, and there were no notable differences in the relative duration of secretion between groups. However, melatonin secretion between dim-light melatonin onset (DLMO) and acrophase was less prominent in DSPD patients compared to good sleepers, who showed a more acute initial surge of melatonin following the DLMO. Although the regulatory role of melatonin is unknown, abnormal melatonin profiles have been linked to psychiatric and neurological disorders (e.g., major depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, Parkinson disease). These results therefore suggest that in addition to a delayed endogenous circadian rhythm, a diminished initial surge of melatonin secretion following DLMO may contribute to the etiology of DSPD.
Electroactive hybrid hydrogel: Toward a smart coating for neural electrodes
Authors: Zhang Danying , Di Feng , Zhu Yinyan , Xiao Yinghong , Che Jianfei
Published: July 2015

Electroactive hybrid hydrogels, composed of single-walled carbon nanotubes, polypyrrole, and poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate–polyacrylamide, were synthesized on titanium-mesh electrodes via interfacial polymerization. The modified electrodes can be used as controlled drug delivery system by applying an external electrical stimulation of cyclic voltammetry. Investigations revealed that single-walled carbon nanotubes acted as nucleators in the hybrid hydrogel and facilitated the formation of a continuous and uniform polypyrrole coating. Simultaneous incorporation of single-walled carbon nanotubes and polypyrrole improved not only the electrochemical performance but also the drug loading capacity of the hydrogel. Study of dexamethasone release triggered by cyclic voltammetry indicated that the hybrid hydrogel exhibited good electrochemical stability, a high drug loading capacity, and a linear and sustaining drug release profile, making the modified electrode a novel high-performance drug delivery device. Moreover, in vitro experiments demonstrated that dexamethasone released from the modified electrodes well retained its bioactivity, having the same effect on reducing lipopolysaccharide-induced macrophage activation as the intact commercially available dexamethasone. More important, the obtained modified electrodes possessed good biocompatibility with neural cells, demonstrated by in vitro cell culture.
Measuring Bystander Behavior in the Context of Sexual Violence Prevention: Lessons Learned and New Directions
Authors: McMahon Sarah , Palmer Jane E. , Banyard Victoria , Murphy Megan , Gidycz Christine A.
Published: July 2015

Bystander intervention is receiving increased attention as a potential sexual violence prevention strategy, especially to address campus sexual assault. Rather than focusing on potential perpetrators or victims, the bystander approach engages all members of a community to take action. A growing body of evaluative work demonstrates that bystander intervention education programs yield increased positive attitudes and behaviors related to sexual violence and greater willingness to intervene in pro-social ways. Future program outcome studies, however, would benefit from more refined measures of bystander action as it is a key variable that prevention education programs attempt to influence. The purpose of the current article is to present key issues, identified by four different research teams, on the measurement of bystander behavior related to sexual violence in the context of college campuses. Comparisons among the methods are made to suggest both lessons learned and new directions for bystander behavior measurement using self-report surveys in program evaluation.
Sleep Disturbance Partially Mediates the Relationship Between Intimate Partner Violence and Physical/Mental Health in Women and Men
Authors: Lalley-Chareczko Linden , Segal Andrea , Perlis Michael L. , Nowakowski Sara , Tal Joshua Z. , Grandner Michael A.
Published: July 2015

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a worldwide health concern and an important risk factor for poor mental/physical health in both women and men. Little is known about whether IPV leads to sleep disturbance. However, sleep problems may be common in the context of IPV and may mediate relationships with mental/physical health. Data from the 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) were used ( N = 34,975). IPV was assessed in female and male participants for any history of being threatened by, physically hurt by, or forced to have sex with an intimate partner (THREAT, HURT, and SEX, respectively), and, further, as being forced to have sex with or physically injured by an intimate partner within the past year (SEXyr and HURTyr, respectively). These survey items were coded yes/no. Sleep disturbance was assessed as difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or sleeping too much at least 6 of the last 14 days. Logistic regression analyses, adjusted for age, sex, race, income, education, and physical/mental health, assessed whether IPV predicted sleep disturbance. Sobel–Goodman tests assessed whether relationships between IPV and physical/mental health were partially mediated by sleep disturbance. All IPV variables were associated with sleep disturbance, even after adjusting for the effects of age, sex, race/ethnicity, income, education, employment, marital status, physical health and mental health. THREAT was associated with sleep disturbance (odds ratio [OR] = 2.798, p < .0001), as was HURT (OR = 2.683, p < .0001), SEX (OR = 3.237, p < .0001), SEXyr (OR = 7.741, p < .0001), and HURTyr (OR = 7.497, p < .0001). In mediation analyses, all IPV variables were associated with mental health ( p < .0001), and all were associated with physical health ( p < .007) except SEXyr. Sleep disturbance partially mediated all relationships (Sobel p < .0005 for all tests). Mediation was around 30%, ranging from 18% (HURTyr and mental health) to 41% (HURT and physical health). IPV was strongly associated with current sleep disturbance above the effect of demographics and overall mental/physical health, even if the IPV happened in the past. Furthermore, sleep disturbance partially mediates the relationship between IPV and mental/physical health. Sleep interventions may potentially mitigate negative effects of IPV.
Health Care Professionals as Victims of Stalking: Characteristics of the Stalking Campaign, Consequences, and Motivation in Italy
Authors: Acquadro Maran Daniela , Varetto Antonella , Zedda Massimo , Franscini Monica
Published: July 2015

Stalking is a phenomenon characterized by a set of repetitive behaviors, intrusive surveillance, control, communication, and search of contact with a victim who is afraid and/or worried and/or annoyed by such unwanted attention. Literature analysis shows that Health Care Professionals (HCPs) are at greater risk of being stalked than the general population. As described by Mullen, Pathé, Purcell, and Stuart, stalkers may have different motives: relational rejection, an infatuation, an inability to express their own emotions and recognize those of others, or a desire for revenge. The aim of this study was to explore stalkers’ motivation as perceived by their victims, characteristics of stalking campaigns, and consequences. A copy of the Italian modified version of The Network for Surviving Stalking (NSS) Questionnaire on Stalking, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the State Trait Inventory (STAI) Y1-Y2 scales were distributed in six Italian state hospitals. Participants included 1,842 HCPs, 256 (13.9%) of which had been victims. The majority of victims reported that stalkers were Rejected (96, 37.5%), Intimacy seekers (41, 16%), Incompetent suitors (60, 23.4%), and/or Resentful (43, 16.8%; χ2 = 163.3, p = .001). Stalking campaigns were characterized by several behaviors, principally contact (by telephone calls, text message) and following. The stalking campaign caused in victims both physical and emotional consequences, the most frequent being weight changes, sleep disorders, weakness, apprehension, anger, and fear. The most used coping strategies were moving away and moving toward, the less used was moving inward. Intervention programs and preventive measures (both individual and organizational) for HCP victims and those who could be considered at risk are also discussed.
Psychometric Properties of the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale among a Multiethnic Population during Pregnancy
Authors: Lau Ying , Htun Tha Pyai , Lim Peng Im , Ho-Lim Sarah Su Tin , Klainin-Yobas Piyanee
Published: July 2015

Background:

The Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS) was developed to measure maternal attitudes toward infant feeding, but a number of validated studies on the IIFAS found that it was subject to methodological limitations.

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the IIFAS among a multiethnic population in Singapore.

Methods:

A cross-sectional research design was used on a sample of 417 antenatal women. The internal consistency and stability of the IIFAS were evaluated using Cronbach’s α and test–retest reliability. Known-group comparisons discriminated certain group differences in a predictable way. A series of exploratory factor analyses (EFAs) was conducted to test the factor structure of the IIFAS using the maximum likelihood and principal axis factoring. The number of factors was selected according to theoretical and statistical considerations. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was further performed to validate the factor structure constructed in the prior EFA.

Results:

The IIFAS had a Cronbach’s α and Pearson correlation of 0.79 and 0.85, respectively. The known-group comparisons among certain groups were supported. The EFA results showed that the 3-factor structure produced the most interpretable and theoretical sense. A second-order CFA was conducted to confirm the construct dimensionality of the 15-item IIFAS, with satisfactory fit indices found.

Conclusion:

The 15-item IIFAS is a psychometrically sound measurement tool that health care professionals can use to understand the diverse infant feeding attitudes and knowledge among different ethnic groups in order to provide breastfeeding interventions that are culturally sensitive.
Social Contexts of Infant Feeding and Infant Feeding Decisions
Authors: Schafer Ellen J. , Williams Natalie A. , Digney Siri , Hare Marion E. , Ashida Sato
Published: July 2015

Background:

Infant feeding takes place within a network of social relationships. However, the social context in which infant feeding advice is received remains underresearched.

Objective:

The objective of this study was to evaluate the social contexts of infant feeding by examining individual and relationship characteristics of mothers and network members associated with advice to exclusively breastfeed, exclusively formula feed, or use a combination of breast milk and formula.

Methods:

Information about 287 network members was reported by 80 low-income mothers during a one-time survey. Characteristics of relationships associated with mothers receiving advice (exclusively breastfeed/formula feed, combination feed) from each network member were identified using 2-level logistic regression analyses.

Results:

Mothers had greater odds of receiving advice to exclusively breastfeed from network members who help make feeding decisions (odds ratio [OR], 2.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.35-4.42), exclusively breastfed their own child or children (OR, 6.99; 95% CI, 2.96-16.51), and were health care providers (OR, 4.82; 95% CI, 1.70-13.67). Mothers had greater odds of receiving advice to breastfeed in combination with formula from network members who provided emotional support (OR, 2.45; 95% CI, 1.31-4.55), combination fed their own child or children (OR, 4.85; 95% CI, 1.80-13.05), and had an opinion that was important to the mother (OR, 2.67; 95% CI, 1.13-6.33). Mothers had greater odds of receiving advice to exclusively formula feed from network members who exclusively formula fed their own child or children (OR, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.07-4.66) than those who did not.

Conclusion:

Social relationship characteristics and network members’ infant feeding experiences may have implications for the advice new mothers receive. Future research should investigate social contexts of infant feeding longitudinally to inform interventions.
The Ability of Posters to Enhance the Comfort Level with Breastfeeding in a Public Venue in Rural Newfoundland and Labrador
Authors: Vieth Alissa , Woodrow Janine , Murphy-Goodridge Janet , O’Neil Courtney , Roebothan Barbara
Published: July 2015

Background:

The acceptance and support of breastfeeding in public venues can influence breastfeeding practices and, ultimately, the health of the population.

Objective:

The primary aim of this study was to investigate whether posters targeted at the general public could improve acceptability of breastfeeding in public places.

Methods:

A convenience sample of 255 participants was surveyed at shopping centers in 2 rural communities of Newfoundland and Labrador. Experimentally, questions were posed to 117 participants pre- and post-exposure to 2 specific posters designed to promote public acceptance of breastfeeding in public.

Results:

Initially, we surveyed that only 51.9% of participants indicated that they were comfortable with a woman breastfeeding anywhere in public. However, context played a role, whereby a doctor’s office (84.5%) or park (81.4%) were the most acceptable public places for breastfeeding, but least acceptable was a business office environment (66.7%). Of participants, 35.4% indicated previously viewing specific posters. We used a visual analog scale to test poster viewing on the acceptability of public breastfeeding in the context of a doctor’s office and a restaurant. Results of pre- versus post-viewing of the promotional posters indicated significant improvements in both scenarios: in a doctor’s office ( P = .035) and in a restaurant ( P = .021).

Conclusion:

Nearly 50% of the surveyed population indicated discomfort with a mother breastfeeding in public. Both cross-sectional and interventional evidence showed that posters significantly improved the reported level of comfort toward seeing breastfeeding in public.
Impacts of Enterprise Zone Policy on Industry Growth
Authors: Zhang Sumei
Published: July 2015

This study evaluates the impacts of the Louisville Enterprise Zone (EZ) program on the growth of different industries, covering a 20-year (1980-2000) time span. The research compares the preprogram (1980-1990) and postprogram (1990-2000) growth. A shift-share analysis first compares the regional competitiveness of EZ and non-EZ areas in 1990 and 2000, and suggests that most industries in EZ areas have been gaining strength. Five regression equations are estimated to quantify the effects of the EZ program on different industries. An instrumental variable approach is developed to deal with the possible issue of endogeneity during the EZ designation process. Results suggest that the Louisville EZ program has significantly increased the growth of manufacturing and service activities, and the program achieved its expected goals in the long run.
Childhood Circumstances and Mid-Life Functional Mobility
Authors: Henretta John C. , McCrory Cathal
Published: July 2015

Objectives: We examine the cumulative long-term role of childhood health and socioeconomic status in affecting functional health at ages 50 to 59. Method: Data on 2,233 respondents to The Irish Longitudinal Study of Aging (TILDA) are used to examine functional health measured by the timed-up-and-go (TUG) test of lower-body mobility. We examine the association of father’s education, childhood rural residence, and childhood self-evaluated health with TUG and examine respondent’s education, adult health behaviors, measured health, and cognition as mediators of the association of childhood characteristics and TUG. Results: Father’s education, rural residence, childhood health, and education are associated with TUG times at ages 50 to 59. While health behaviors mediate most of the rural residence and education associations, the association with childhood self-evaluated health is direct. Discussion: Early life circumstances play substantial direct and indirect roles in molding functional level in late mid-life.
Predictors of Long-Term Care Facility Residents’ Self-Reported Quality of Life With Individual and Facility Characteristics in Canada
Authors: Kehyayan Vahe , Hirdes John P. , Tyas Suzanne L. , Stolee Paul
Published: July 2015

Objective: Identify predictors of long-term care (LTC) facility residents’ self-reported quality of life (QoL). Method: QoL of a convenience sample of 928 residents from 48 volunteer LTC facilities across six Canadian provinces was assessed using the inter–Resident Assessment Instrument (interRAI) Self-Report Nursing Home Quality of Life Survey. Multivariate regression models were used to identify predictors. Results: In logistic regression modeling, residents who were religious and socially engaged, had a positive global disposition, or resided in rural, private, or municipal facilities were less likely to report low QoL. Those with post-secondary education and who were dependent on activities of daily living were more likely to report low QoL. These factors, except for religiosity and residence in municipal facilities, were significant in generalized estimating equation (GEE) modeling. Discussion: QoL is significantly associated with select resident and LTC facility characteristics with implications for improving residents’ QoL and LTC facility programming, and guiding future research and social policy development.
Tertiary qualities, from Galileo to Gestalt psychology
Authors: Sinico Michele
Published: July 2015

Tertiary qualities have been studied primarily by Gestalt psychologists. My aim in this article is to revisit the theoretical assumptions regarding tertiary qualities. I start from the Galilean distinction of the qualities of experience, the Lockean subdivision of qualities, the subjectivist definition in aesthetics and the theoretical contribution of Gestalt theory, to show the theoretical value of ‘tertiary qualities’ in the current context of experimental psychological research. I conclude that tertiary qualities are a crucial keyword for an experimental psychology based on the primacy of perception. Such a perspective is in favour of a neo-Gestalt Experimental Phenomenology.
Ethics and the person-centered approach: A dialogue with radical alterity
Authors: Vieira Emanuel Meireles , Pinheiro Francisco Pablo Huascar Aragão
Published: July 2015

This article examines the relationship between ethics and the Person-Centered Approach (PCA). It discusses the ideas of authors who question the perspective established by Carl Rogers, itself based on Emmanuel Levinas’s Ethics of Radical Alterity. Using the work of Luiz Claudio Figueiredo, this article acknowledges that questions about ethics, which are understood as the human abode, precede epistemological inquiries. Also, according to Figueiredo, the PCA is assumed to be closer to romantic and liberal positions. Using these discussions, this article seeks possibilities for the PCA being open to difference. Based on Levinas, it considers Alterity as a radical difference that establishes the subject and with which it establishes a relationship of insurmountable asymmetry. In light of the Levinasian proposal, notions such as “person,” as well as the conditions that facilitate the therapeutic process, are discussed. The article concludes that the PCA’s concepts are not completely averse to Alterity and that Rogers did encounter it in his practice, despite never recognizing it in his theoretical formulations.
The European Company (SE): Power and participation in the multinational corporation
Authors: Casey Catherine , Fiedler Antje , Fath Benjamin
Published: July 2015

The European Company ( Societas Europaea or SE) is a European multinational corporation, established under European Union regulations, intended to institutionalize transnational participation of employees and management in company decision-making. This article analyses a qualitative empirical investigation of the application of participation in European Companies. The experiences of firms adopting this corporate form show that contestability of participatory power is heightened, but its institutional legitimacy retained and diversely utilized. The data display a continuum of actor orientations, formal agreement regarding participation and effectiveness and transnational diffusion of participation. The utilization of this corporate form by labour and management actors is in general underdeveloped.
Social sorting as ‘social transformation’: Credit scoring and the reproduction of populations as risks in South Africa
Authors: Singh Sachil Flores
Published: July 2015

In this article, I show that credit scoring, although not explicitly designed as a security device, enacts (in)security in South Africa. By paying attention to a brief history of state-implemented social categories, we see how the dawn of political democracy in 1994 marked an embrace of – not opposition to – their inheritance by the African National Congress. The argument is placed within a theoretical framework that dovetails David Lyon’s popularization of ‘social sorting’ with an extension of Harold Wolpe’s understanding of apartheid and capitalism. This bridging between Lyon and Wolpe is developed to advance the view that apartheid is a social condition whose historical social categories of rule have been reproduced since 1994 in the framing of credit legislation, policy and scoring. These categories are framed in the ‘new’ South Africa as indicators of ‘social transformation’. Through the lens of credit scoring, in particular, it is demonstrated that ‘social transformation’ not only influences, shapes and reproduces historical forms of social categories, but also serves the state’s attempt to create and maintain populations as risks.
Experiences of Design-and-Make Interventions with Indian Middle School Students
Authors: Khunyakari Ritesh P.
Published: July 2015

Enabling learning through meaningful classroom experiences has always been a challenge for teachers. Bringing about a balance of the ‘conceptual’ and the ‘hands-on’, along with contextual embeddedness in problem-solving situations, broadly characterises the experience of development and trials of three Design and Technology (D&T) education units reported here. D&T education is a novel contribution to the curriculum and is in alignment with the values and ideas put forward in the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2005 (NCERT, 2005), particularly the need for making appropriate connections across disciplines and fostering meaningful learning. The article describes the outcomes of a systematic effort to develop, implement and theorise D&T education pedagogy along with an emphasis on cognitive and curricular dimensions.
The Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule Women’s Studies Centre
Authors: Chauhan Bhumika
Published: July 2015

The article examines women’s studies as a moment that mediates the conflict between the women’s movement and the university on the question of knowledge and knowledge-production. The starting point is the assertion made by historical–materialist feminists that knowledge is produced in and through political struggle. The article argues that social movements, as much as the science practised in institutional settings, may be studied in terms of practices of knowledge-production. It is with the concept of ‘knowledge-practice’ that the article traces the influence of social movements on the Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule Women’s Studies Centre (KSP-WSC), University of Pune, Maharashtra. The article traces the links between such practices at the Centre and various social movements, so as to understand how the Centre negotiates with the university while also engaging with social movements and activism. This particular women’s studies centre, the article shows, attempts to import the knowledge-practices of movements. This is most distinctively visible in the Centre’s critical research methodologies and critical pedagogies derived from Phule–Ambedkarite–Feminist (PAF) perspectives.
‘Teaching’ the therapeutic alliance Part 2. Treating patients, supporting trainees: towards a broader view of psychotherapy training
Authors: Chazan Lynette
Published: July 2015

Objective:

This is the second of two papers focusing on the need for a broader view of contemporary psychotherapy training.

Conclusion:

Some preliminary suggestions for affective or “right-brain” training, including supervision for psychotherapy with patients with developmental trauma and Balint-style groups are made.
Within-Group Effect-Size Benchmarks for Problem-Solving Therapy for Depression in Adults
Authors: Rubin Allen , Yu Miao
Published: July 2015

This article provides benchmark data on within-group effect sizes from published randomized clinical trials that supported the efficacy of problem-solving therapy (PST) for depression among adults. Benchmarks are broken down by type of depression (major or minor), type of outcome measure (interview or self-report scale), whether PST was provided to elderly participants in poor health, and whether an intent-to-treat analysis was conducted. Practitioners can compare these benchmarks to their effect size in providing PST with depressed clients as a basis for deciding whether the way they are adopting or adapting this intervention is satisfactory or needs to be modified or replaced by a different intervention approach. These benchmarks also have potential utility for future implementation research on PST for depression.
An Overview of the Use of Mechanical Turk in Behavioral Sciences
Authors: Chan Chitat , Holosko Michael J.
Published: July 2015

Crowdsourcing is a process in which a firm parcels out work to a “crowd” and offers payment for anyone within the crowd who completes the task determined by that firm. A growing number of behavioral scientists have begun using the Mechanical Turk (MTurk) to facilitate their research and practice, but there is apparently not one academic study in social work reporting the use of crowdsourcing tools. Social work professionals have the responsibility to use research findings to improve practice, policy, and social service delivery. This article aims to (i) provide an overview of MTurk; (ii) review specific uses of MTurk in business, psychology, health care, and education; and (iii) discuss the possible applications of MTurk for social work.
Predictors of Intention to Refer to Pediatric Palliative or Hospice Care
Authors: Conner Norma E. , Uddin Nizam
Published: July 2015

The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to determine whether nurse characteristics, level of comfort with care of the dying, and spirituality predict intention to refer and timing of referral to pediatric palliative/hospice care. The Behavioral Model of Health Services Use served as the framework for this study. Data were collected from 105 pediatric nurses recruited from 7 patient units of one pediatric hospital. Regression analysis revealed several nurse factors (practice unit, years of experience, age, race/ethnicity) that predicted intent to refer and timing of referral to pediatric palliative/hospice care. The relationship between nurse characteristics and intent to refer was specific to certain medical conditions (HIV, extreme prematurity, brain injuries). Healthcare providers can use these findings to improve care for children with life-limiting illnesses.
Naloxegol
Authors: Jones Rachel , Prommer Eric , Backstedt David
Published: July 2015

Opioid-related bowel dysfunction is a common and potentially severe adverse effect from treatment with opioid analgesics. Its development is not dose related, nor do patients develop tolerance. Opioid-induced constipation (OIC) can lead to fecal impaction, bowel obstruction, and bowel perforation as well as noncompliance with opioid analgesics and poor quality of life. Routine administration of laxatives is necessary to maintain bowel function, and, in refractory cases, other modalities must be pursued. Available options are limited but include peripherally acting μ-opioid receptor antagonists (PAMORAs), including methylnaltrexone. Naloxegol is a newly developed PAMORA that is available through the oral route. At the therapeutic dose of 25 mg daily, naloxegol is effective and safe, with a limited side effect profile and is associated with preservation of centrally mediated analgesia. In this article, we discuss the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, adverse effects, clinical trials, and cost considerations of naloxegol. Finally, we discuss its potential role as a novel key treatment for OIC in palliative medicine patients.
The Nature of the Co-Evolutionary Process
Authors: Liu Gordon , Rong Ke
Published: July 2015

A business ecosystem is a community that consists of various levels of interdependent firms which co-evolve in an ongoing cycle and constantly renew themselves. By undertaking an in-depth, qualitative study of multinational companies in the mobile computing industry based in the Great China region, the United Kingdom, and the United States, we explore the nature of the co-evolutionary process and its influence on complex product development. We find that this process consists of three domains of activity: co-vision, co-design, and co-create. We also find that each domain of activity plays a different but important role in stimulating collaborative innovation for complex product development in the mobile computing industry’s business ecosystem. We also discuss the implications for theory and future research directions.
State-dependent behavioral theory and the evolution of play
Authors: Grunloh Nicholas , Mangel Marc
Published: July 2015

We show how state-dependent behavioral theory, as implemented by stochastic dynamic programming can enhance our understanding of play, assuming that play is an evolutionary adaptation rather than a non-functional consequence of other processes. We first explain in generic terms the components of a state-dependent behavioral model. We then develop a state-dependent life history model on the assumption that social play is adaptive and thus focus on play’s contribution toward the development of skill and how such development affects an individual’s future lifetime expected reproductive success (i.e. fitness that accounts for both survival and reproduction). Although our model is not intended to capture a specific situation, a number of commonly observed phenomena emerge from the model, including that most social play is dyadic and that animals select partners that are of similar age or skill. We discuss ways of increasing the fidelity of the model by allowing injury due to play, the role of energetic reserves, handicapping, and polyadic play.
Back to optimality: a formal framework to express the dynamics of learning optimal behavior
Authors: Alonso Eduardo , Fairbank Michael , Mondragón Esther
Published: July 2015

Whether animals behave optimally is an open question of great importance, both theoretically and in practice. Attempts to answer this question focus on two aspects of the optimization problem, the quantity to be optimized and the optimization process itself. In this paper, we assume the abstract concept of cost as the quantity to be minimized and propose a reinforcement learning algorithm, called Value-Gradient Learning (VGL), as a computational model of behavior optimality. We prove that, unlike standard models of Reinforcement Learning, Temporal Difference in particular, VGL is guaranteed to converge to optimality under certain conditions. The core of the proof is the mathematical equivalence of VGL and Pontryagin’s Minimum Principle, a well-known optimization technique in systems and control theory. Given the similarity between VGL’s formulation and regulatory models of behavior, we argue that our algorithm may provide psychologists with a tool to formulate such models in optimization terms.
Interoperability of product and manufacturing information using ontology
Authors: Ahmed Fahim , Han Soonhung
Published: July 2015

The communication among different computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing/analysis systems usually involves huge amount of information and heterogeneous data formats. Inefficient communication between computer-aided design and computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing/analysis systems leads to information loss, which will lead to design and fabrication errors. Therefore, a bridge is needed to be made between the systems so that models can be transported easily and efficiently from the computer-aided design system to another system. To carry out successful manufacturing operation, not only parametric information and machining information but also non-parametric information is needed to be transported. The non-parametric information are geometric dimensioning and tolerance, notes, and other annotation to three-dimensional models which, altogether, are regarded as product and manufacturing information. Exchange of product and manufacturing information is to be done not only syntactically but also semantically. It is necessary to identify ontology and semantics early in the process so that the system is able to view, understand, and define the concepts relating to parametric and non-parametric information to improve interoperability and overcome data sharing problems. Neutral formats such as STEP, Initial Graphics Exchange Specifications, or prominent interoperability-related research works offer integration of other systems with computer-aided design. However, exchange of non-parametric information or product and manufacturing information has not been considered in these research works. To achieve semantic integration of information between computer-aided design and computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing/analysis systems, this article proposes a data integration method for both—parametric information of a model and non-parametric information (product and manufacturing information)—by constructing a neutral platform using OWL ontology, and also shows a pilot implementation that verifies interoperability between commercial computer-aided design and computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing/analysis systems.