bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The intertwined relationship between patient education, hospital waiting times and hospital utilization
Authors: Schulz Maike
Published: August 2017

Background

Hospital waiting times are established instruments to ration healthcare when resources are scarce. However, higher educated patients may be better able to influence access to, and exit from, hospital care when waiting times are long.

Methods

Based on a representative sample of 11 European countries from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) collected in 2004/2005, this paper investigates whether the relationship between individual educational background and hospital utilization depends on the prevalent hospital waiting times in a country. Logistic regression with interaction effects between individual education and average waiting times per country are conducted.

Results

Primary education is significantly associated with a lower probability of visiting a hospital overnight (OR = 0.88) compared to secondary and tertiary education. Patients in countries with long waiting times had shorter stays (OR = 0.92), and the significant interaction effect indicates that lower educated patients have longer hospital stays than higher educated patients in countries where waiting times tend to be long (OR = 1.06).

Conclusions

While the findings imply that educational differences exist with regard to hospital care, future research should investigate potential underlying mechanisms, i.e. patients' perceived access barriers and the perceived quality of hospital treatment.
Significant rates of risky sexual behaviours among HIV-infected patients failing first-line ART: A sub-study of the Europe–Africa Research Network for the Evaluation of Second-line Therapy trial
Authors: Wanyama Jane N , Nabaggala Maria S , Wandera Bonnie , Kiragga Agnes N , Castelnuovo Barbara , Mambule Ivan K , Nakajubi Josephine , Kambugu Andrew D , Paton Nicholas I , Wanyenze Rhoda K , Colebunders Robert , Easterbrook Philippa
Published: August 2017

There are limited data on the prevalence of risky sexual behaviours in individuals failing first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) and changes in sexual behaviour after switch to second-line ART. We undertook a sexual behaviour sub-study of Ugandan adults enrolled in the Europe–Africa Research Network for the Evaluation of Second-line Therapy trial. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect sexual behaviour data and, in particular, risky sexual behaviours (defined as additional sexual partners to main sexual partner, inconsistent use of condoms, non-disclosure to sexual partners, and exchange of money for sex). Of the 79 participants enrolled in the sub-study, 62% were female, median age (IQR) was 37 (32–42) years, median CD4 cell count (IQR) was 79 (50–153) cells/µl, and median HIV viral load log was 4.9 copies/ml (IQR: 4.5–5.3) at enrolment. The majority were in long-term stable relationships; 69.6% had a main sexual partner and 87.3% of these had been sexually active in the preceding six months. At enrolment, around 20% reported other sexual partners, but this was higher among men than women (36% versus 6.7 %, p < 0.001). In 50% there was inconsistent condom use with their main sexual partner and a similar proportion with other sexual partners, both at baseline and follow-up. Forty-three per cent of participants had not disclosed their HIV status to their main sexual partner (73% with other sexual partners) at enrolment, which was similar in men and women. Overall, there was no significant change in these sexual behaviours over the 96 weeks following switch to second-line ART, but rate of non-disclosure of HIV status declined significantly (43.6% versus 19.6%, p <0.05). Among persons failing first-line ART, risky sexual behaviours were prevalent, which has implications for potential onward transmission of drug-resistant virus. There is need to intensify sexual risk reduction counselling and promotion of partner testing and disclosure, especially at diagnosis of treatment failure and following switch to second- or third-line ART.
Attitudes towards science among Spanish citizens: The case of critical engagers
Authors: Cámara Montaña , Muñoz van den Eynde Ana , López Cerezo José A.
Published: August 2017

Using data obtained from Spanish surveys on the public perception of science, this article presents a critical review of current practices of population profile segmentation, including the one-dimensional representation of perceived risks and benefits and of the systematic underestimation of critical attitudes to the social impact of science and technology. We use discriminant analysis to detect a somewhat hidden cluster in the Spanish population which we call ‘critical engagers’. These individuals are critically and socially responsible and are not reticent about expressing concern regarding scientific-technological change. While they hold an overall positive attitude towards change of this kind, they are at the same time well aware of the risks posed by particular fields of application. We highlight the academic interest and political value of these individuals, attributing to this population a mature and intelligent stance which may well be employed in enhancing the relationship between science and society.
Ethical sensitivity, burnout, and job satisfaction in emergency nurses
Authors: Palazoğlu Cansu Atmaca , Koç Zeliha
Published: August 2017

Background:

Rising levels of burnout and decreasing job satisfaction can inhibit healthcare professionals from providing high-quality care due to a corresponding decrease in their ethical sensitivity.

Aim:

This study aimed to determine the relationship between the level of ethical sensitivity in emergency service nurses and their levels of burnout and job satisfaction.

Research design:

This research employed a descriptive and cross-sectional design.

Participants and research context:

This study was conducted with a sample of 236 nurses, all of whom worked in emergency service between 24 July 2015 and 28 April 2016. Data were collected using the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire, Maslach Burnout Inventory, and Minnesota Job Satisfaction Scale.

Ethical considerations:

This study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Review Board of Ondokuz Mayıs University.

Findings:

There was a weak and negative correlation (r = –0.158, p = 0.015) between Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire and Maslach Burnout Inventory scores. There was also a weak and negative correlation (r = –0.335, p < 0.001) between the Maslach Burnout Inventory and Minnesota Job Satisfaction Scale scores.

Discussion and conclusion:

Decreased job satisfaction and increased burnout levels among emergency service nurses might result in them indulging in improper practices, frequently facing ethical problems, and a decrease in the overall quality of service in hospitals. In order for emergency service nurses to recognize ethical problems and make the most accurate decisions, a high level of ethical sensitivity is critical. In this respect, it is suggested that continuing education after graduation and training programs should be organized.
Validation of a Brazilian version of the moral sensitivity questionnaire
Authors: Dalla Nora Carlise R , Zoboli Elma LCP , Vieira Margarida M
Published: August 2017

Background:

Moral sensitivity has been identified as a foundational component of ethical action. Diminished or absent moral sensitivity can result in deficient care. In this context, assessing moral sensitivity is imperative for designing interventions to facilitate ethical practice and ensure that nurses make appropriate decisions.

Objective:

The main purpose of this study was to validate a scale for examining the moral sensitivity of Brazilian nurses.

Research design:

A pre-existing scale, the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire, which was developed by Lützén, was used after the deletion of three items. The reliability and validity of the scale were examined using Cronbach’s alpha and factor analysis, respectively.

Participants and research context:

Overall, 316 nurses from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, participated in the study.

Ethical considerations:

This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Research of the Nursing School of the University of São Paulo.

Findings:

The Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire contained 27 items that were distributed across four dimensions: interpersonal orientation, professional knowledge, moral conflict and moral meaning. The questionnaire accounted for 55.8% of the total variance, with Cronbach’s alpha of 0.82. The mean score for moral sensitivity was 4.45 (out of 7).

Discussion and conclusion:

The results of this study were compared with studies from other countries to examine the structure and implications of the moral sensitivity of nurses in Brazil. The Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire is an appropriate tool for examining the moral sensitivity of Brazilian nurses.
Finnish nurses’ attitudes towards their role in the euthanasia process
Authors: Terkamo-Moisio Anja , Gastmans Chris , Ryynänen Olli-Pekka , Pietilä Anna-Maija
Published: August 2017

Background:

Nurses’ voices remain unheard in most debates about euthanasia, although their crucial role in the euthanasia process is widely acknowledged. Moreover, in Canadian euthanasia law, nurses have a more active role, which further highlights the need for knowledge about nurses’ attitudes towards their role in the euthanasia process.

Research questions:

What are Finnish nurses’ attitudes towards their potential role in the euthanasia process? Which characteristics are associated with those attitudes?

Research design:

Cross-sectional web-based survey.

Participants and research context:

1003 nurses, recruited via social media and the members’ bulletin of the Finnish Nurses Association.

Ethical considerations:

Ethical approval was obtained from the Committee on Research Ethics of the university to which the first author was affiliated.

Findings:

The great majority (85.2%) of nurses felt that their perspective should be considered in decision-making related to euthanasia. Furthermore, most of the participants (74.7%) reported willingness to participate in the euthanasia process if it were legal, and 88.6% agreed that a nurse should be present when euthanasia is performed if the patient wishes so. Furthermore, over half agreed that some of the preparatory tasks were part of their job description. However, a minority (32.9%) agreed with a possible obligation to participate based on their profession. Nurses’ age, religiosity and educational level influenced their attitudes in the current results.

Discussion:

Despite the strong agreement on decision-making concerning euthanasia and participation in the euthanasia process, obligation to participate based on the profession was rejected by most participants. Nurses regarded themselves as consultants in the decision-making process, which may indicate their unwillingness to share the responsibility for the decision itself.

Conclusion:

Specific safety mechanisms should be considered to protect nurses who refuse to be involved in the euthanasia process due to harm that involuntary participation might cause.
Law Enforcement Officers’ Perceptions of Florida’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
Authors: Perez Nicholas M. , Jennings Wesley G. , Wang Yanning , Delcher Chris
Published: August 2017

Prescription pain medication misuse and abuse is a considerable criminal justice and public health problem in the United States. As a result, prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) have been developed and implemented across the country to monitor patients with high abuse potential and to detect abnormalities in the prescribing of controlled substances. The current study relies on a sample of 87 Florida law enforcement officers to gauge their perceptions of, use of, and perceived effectiveness of Florida’s PDMP. Results indicate that most of the law enforcement officers considered themselves moderate-to-frequent users of the PDMP and considered the PDMP to be an effective system. In addition, many of the officers reported that their communication had increased with prescribers and pharmacists because of the PDMP. These findings notwithstanding, some officers noted a few barriers/limitations of the PDMP such as “false negatives” and an inability to check another state’s PDMP as areas for improvement. Study limitations and implications are also discussed.
Protecting Pregnant Workers while Fighting Sexism: Work–Pregnancy Balance and Pregnant Nurses’ Resistance in Québec Hospitals: Protéger les travailleuses enceintes en luttant contre le sexisme: équilibre travail-grossesse et résistance d'infirmières enceintes dans des hôpitaux québécois
Authors: Gravel Anne Renée , Riel Jessica , Messing Karen
Published: August 2017

Women’s workplaces should guarantee healthy pregnancies while supporting pregnant women as workers. In Québec (Canada), a pregnant worker exposed to a “danger” for herself or her fetus may ask her employer to be reassigned to other work appropriate to her skills. This approach differs from other regulatory contexts in North America in that protection of fetal and maternal health is embedded in the health and safety legislation. The advantage is that the pregnant worker is guaranteed access to her full salary, but some may question whether specific provisions for pregnant women single out such women and produce risks for their careers or, conversely, pregnancy should receive even more special consideration. These questions are discussed using the results of a qualitative analysis of interviews with pregnant nurses, their supervisors, and their union representatives in ten hospitals in Québec. We think that the management of pregnancy under this legislation generally protects health, but that, in the absence of true employer commitment to the health of all workers, undue burdens may be placed upon other members of the work team.

Résumé

Les lieux de travail des femmes devraient garantir des grossesses saines tout en soutenant les femmes enceintes en tant que travailleurs. Au Québec (Canada), une travailleuse enceinte exposée à un danger pour elle-même ou son ftus peut demander à son employeur d'être réaffectée à d'autres tãches sans danger et adaptéches à ses compétences. Cette approche diffère des autres contextes réglementaires en Amérique du Nord en ce sens que la protection de la santé foetale et maternelle est intégrée dans la législation sur la santé et la sécurité. Certains peuvent se demander si des dispositions spécifiques pour les femmes enceintes singularisent ces travailleuses et contribuent à la précarisation de leur emploi. Ou, à l'inverse, si la grossesse devrait recevoir une considération encore plus spéciale. Ces questions sont discutées à la lumière du récit d infirmières enceintes, de gestionnaires et de représentants syndicaux responsables des dossiers de conciliation travail-grossesse dans dix hôpitaux du Québec. Nous constatons que la gestion de la grossesse en vertu de cette législation est généralement protectrice de la santé, mais qu'en l'absence d'un véritable engagement de l'employeur envers la santé de tous les travailleurs, des charges excessives peuvent être imposées aux autres membres de l'équipe de travail.
Surviving Surveillance: How Pregnant Women and Mothers Living With HIV Respond to Medical and Social Surveillance
Authors: Greene Saara , Ion Allyson , Kwaramba Gladys , Lazarus Lisa , Loutfy Mona
Published: August 2017

Pregnant women and mothers living with HIV are under surveillance of service providers, family members, and the community at large. Surveillance occurs throughout the medical management of their HIV during pregnancy, preventing HIV transmission to their baby, infant feeding practices, and as part of assessments related to their ability to mother. Enacted and anticipatory HIV-related stigma can exacerbate the negative impact that being under surveillance has on mothers living with HIV as they move through their pregnancy, birthing, and mothering experiences. In response, women living with HIV find ways to manage their experiences of surveillance through engaging in acts of distancing, planning, and resisting at different points in time, and sometimes enacting all three practices at once. Positioning the narratives of pregnant women and mothers living with HIV in relation to their experiences of surveillance illuminates the relationship between the surveillance of mothers living with HIV and HIV-related stigma.
The Professionalization of Human Resource Management: Examining Undergraduate Curricula and the Influence of Professional Organizations
Authors: Parks-Leduc Laura , Rutherford Matthew A. , Becker Karen L. , Shahzad Ali M.
Published: August 2017

This study explores the state of undergraduate human resource management (HRM) curricula worldwide in an effort to understand the extent to which there is an agreed-upon body of knowledge underpinning the field of HRM. We reviewed the undergraduate curricula for all business schools that were accredited by either the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business or European Quality Improvement System in 2014-2015. Of the 281 HR programs that we identified, programs require an average of 3.4 HR classes. The most common required courses were Human Resource Management (239 schools), Compensation (or Compensation & Benefits; 123 schools), and Staffing (or Recruitment & Selection; 113 schools). Although we did find similarities between programs, we also find that there are significant differences in the required courses of HRM programs worldwide. We additionally examine institutional pressures from major professional HRM associations, and find evidence that these organizations do influence HRM curricula toward greater similarity. In particular, schools in regions with a major professional HRM organization are more similar than schools in other regions. Additionally, schools in the United States that are aligned with Society for Human Resource Management curriculum guidelines are more similar than schools that are not Society for Human Resource Management aligned.
Demonstrating the Relationship Between School Nurse Workload and Student Outcomes
Authors: Daughtry Donna , Engelke Martha Keehner
Published: August 2017

This article describes how one very large, diverse school district developed a Student Acuity Tool for School Nurse Assignment and used a logic model to successfully advocate for additional school nurse positions. The logic model included three student outcomes that were evaluated: provide medications and procedures safely and accurately, increase the number of students with a medical home, and increase the number of students with chronic illness that receive case management. Pairing a staffing formula with an evaluation plan that focuses on student outcomes and the priorities of the school district provides a strong case that school nurses are essential and that they contribute to student success.
How the Unorganized Mass Public (Sometimes) Gets Represented in Regulatory Politics
Authors: Miller Susan M. , Witko Christopher , Woods Neal D.
Published: August 2017

Many scholars have argued that because consumers are poorly organized, regulatory enforcement will tend to be lax and serve the interests of industry. Considering, however, that elections are one of the main mechanisms by which the public exerts control over policy, surprisingly few studies have examined how electoral incentives may spur the government to regulate vigorously on behalf of consumers. We argue that when the threat of electoral accountability is greater, regulatory activities will serve the interests of the public, even if they impose costs on industry. We test this theoretical expectation by analyzing state regulatory activity in the wake of exogenous storms and natural disasters, which provide us with important theoretical and causal leverage. We find that a more “pro-regulation” electorate and elected chief regulators acting in close proximity to elections are associated with pro-consumer regulatory action.
Ankle Block vs Single-Shot Popliteal Fossa Block as Primary Anesthesia for Forefoot Operative Procedures: Prospective, Randomized Comparison
Authors: Schipper Oliver N. , Hunt Kenneth J. , Anderson Robert B. , Davis W. Hodges , Jones Carroll P. , Cohen Bruce E.
Published: August 2017

Background:

Postoperative pain is often difficult to control with oral medications, requiring large doses of opioid analgesia. Regional anesthesia may be used for primary anesthesia, reducing the need for general anesthetic and postoperative pain medication requirements in the immediate postoperative period. The purpose of this study was to compare the analgesic effects of an ankle block (AB) to a single-shot popliteal fossa block (PFB) for patients undergoing orthopedic forefoot procedures.

Methods:

All patients having elective outpatient orthopedic forefoot procedures were invited to participate in the study. Patients were prospectively randomized to receive either an ultrasound-guided AB or PFB by a board-certified anesthesiologist prior to their procedure. Intraoperative conversion to general anesthesia and postanesthesia care unit (PACU) opioid requirements were recorded. Postoperative pain was assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS) at regular time intervals until 8 am on postoperative day (POD) 2. Patients rated the effectiveness of the block on a 1 to 5 scale, with 5 being very effective. A total of 167 patients participated in the study with 88 patients (53%) receiving an AB and 79 (47%) receiving a single-shot PFB.

Results:

There was no significant difference in the rate of conversion to general anesthesia between the 2 groups (13.6% [12/88] AB vs 12.7% [10/79] PFB). PACU morphine requirements and doses were significantly reduced in the PFB group ( P = .004) when compared to the AB group. The VAS was also significantly lower for the PFB patients at 10 pm on POD 0 (4.6 vs 1.6, P < .001), 8 am on POD 1 (5.9 vs 4.2, P = .003), and 12 pm on POD 1 (5.4 vs 4.1, P = .01). Overall complication rates were similar between the groups (AB 9% vs PFB 10.1%, P = .51) and there were no significant differences in residual sensory paresthesias (AB 2.3% [2/88] vs PFB 5.1% [4/79], P = .29), motor loss (0% vs 0%), or block site pain and/or erythema (AB 6.9% [6/88] vs PFB 5.1% [4/79], P = .44). The analgesic effect of the PFB lasted significantly longer when compared to the ankle block (AB 14.5 hours vs PFB 20.9 hours, P < .001). There was no significant difference in patient-perceived effectiveness of the block between the 2 groups, with both blocks being highly effective (AB 4.79/5 vs PFB 4.82/5, P = .68).

Conclusion:

Regional anesthesia was a safe and reliable adjunct to perioperative pain management and highly effective in patients undergoing elective orthopedic forefoot procedures. However, patients who received a PFB had significantly better pain management and decreased opioid requirements in the immediate perioperative period than patients who received an ankle block.

Level of Evidence:

Level I, prospective randomized study.
Uses of Population Health Rankings in Local Policy Contexts: A Multisite Case Study
Authors: Purtle Jonathan , Peters Rachel , Kolker Jennifer , Diez Roux Ana V.
Published: August 2017

Population health rankings are a common strategy to spur evidence-informed health policy making, but little is known about their uses or impacts. The study aims were to (1) understand how and why the County Health Rankings (CH-Rankings) are used in local policy contexts, (2) identify factors that influence CH-Rankings utilization, and (3) explore potentially negative impacts of the CH-Rankings. Forty-four interviews were conducted with health organization officials and public policy makers in 15 purposively selected counties. The CH-Rankings were used instrumentally to inform internal planning decisions, conceptually to educate the public and policy makers about determinants of population health, and politically to advance organizational agendas. Factors related to organizational capacity, county political ideology, and county rank influenced if, how, and why the CH-Rankings were used. The CH-Rankings sometimes had the negative impacts of promoting potentially ineffective interventions in politically conservative counties and prompting negative media coverage in some counties with poor rank.
TSCC and TSCYC Screening Forms in a Clinical Sample: Reliability, Validity, and Creating Local Clinical Norms
Authors: Wherry Jeffrey N. , Dunlop Catherine E.
Published: August 2017

Clinical norms were developed for two screening tools recently developed by Briere and published by Psychological Assessment Resources. The screening measures were derived from the most predictive items of the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC) and the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Young Children (TSCYC). Both screening measures (TSCC–Screening Form and TSCYC–Screening Form) have a total of 20 items measuring general trauma (12 items) and sexual concerns (8 items). Briere and Wherry report on the reliability and validity of the instrument when used with a normative group of children who are not identified as abused. This clinical sample of abused children seeking services from a child advocacy center was comprised of 86.1% females and 55.4% Hispanic children. Data were collected for 177 TSCYCs and 261 TSCCs. Internal consistencies ranged from an α of .74 to .85, and correlation coefficients indicating validity with the longer scales ranging from an r = .563 to .807. T score norms were calculated for this clinical sample. The measure has promise as a tool for screening multiple domains with child and caregiver informants; and in addition to its psychometric properties, it assesses sexualized behavior, suicidal thoughts, and trauma.
Is This the Best Philosophy Can Do? Henry R. Luce and A Free and Responsible Press
Authors: Bates Stephen
Published: August 2017

Why did Time Inc. editor-in-chief Henry R. Luce spend US$200,000 on the Commission on Freedom of the Press and then denounce its conclusions? Scholars have surmised that he wanted to quell criticism and to forestall regulation of his media properties. But internal documents from Time Inc. suggest that Luce was dismayed over what he considered major gaps in the report’s philosophical argument, perhaps exacerbated by personal pique over having been excluded from Commission meetings. This is the first study of the Commission to use Time Inc.’s company files.
Insights on the Intersection of Health Equity and School Nutrition Policy Implementation: An Exploratory Qualitative Secondary Analysis
Authors: Asada Yuka , Hughes Alejandro , Chriqui Jamie
Published: August 2017

Background. Recent federal policies aimed to ensure that all children have equitable access to healthy school nutrition environments. However, historically, disparities have persisted in the quality of school nutrition environments across geographic and socioeconomic groups. There is limited literature addressing if and how recent efforts to reform the school nutrition environment have influenced such disparities. The main objective of this study was to explore stakeholders’ insights on how school nutrition reform intersected with issues of inequity. Method. Qualitative secondary analysis (QSA) offers a unique method to examine existing data with a related but distinct inquiry. This QSA analyzed three primary studies, including stakeholder interviews and focus group data with school professionals and students (total 60 transcripts). Two trained analysts iteratively coded all transcripts in Atlas.ti Version 7 and followed principles of constant comparative analysis. Measures to enhance “trustworthiness” were built into the primary studies and the QSA. Results. Broadly, stakeholders’ complex insights about the school food environments’ ability to compensate for healthy dietary options and “whole child” education that were perceived to be lacking in home environments. Despite the majority of respondents’ positive perceptions of reforms, they also noted the challenges of addressing disparities due to family home environments and complex socioeconomic conditions. Overall, respondents reported that school food reform and nutrition education had the potential for long-term impacts on students’ health, including the potential to improve disparities through enhanced academic achievement for disadvantaged populations. Discussion and Conclusion. QSA allowed for inquiry into frontline stakeholders’ understandings of how school nutrition reform may affect health inequities. Qualitative methods allowed for the examination of complex motivations and perspectives involved in policy implementation. Understanding frontline stakeholders’ perspectives is key to advance school nutrition reform in a sustainable manner, especially in light of the federal local school wellness policy final rule.
Hypoglycemic episodes in cats with diabetes mellitus: 30 cases (2013–2015)
Authors: Viebrock Kayla A , Dennis Jeff
Published: August 2017

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to review the characteristics of diabetic cats presenting to a specialty and emergency center for signs attributed to hypoglycemia and to identify the factors that may have contributed to the hypoglycemic episode, the patient’s clinical signs and laboratory findings, and the response of hypoglycemic cats to therapy.

Methods

Twenty-eight cats were presented a total of 30 times for symptomatic hypoglycemia. Data were collected from cat owners at the time of presentation and from subsequent patient records.

Results

The majority of cats presented for neurologic signs attributed to the reduced ingestion or subsequent vomiting of a meal after insulin had been administered or the accidental double-dosing of insulin. Concurrent illnesses that may have affected insulin requirements were also common.

Conclusions and relevance

Cats that demonstrated clinical improvement within 12 h of treatment were more likely to recover despite their mental status and glucose level on presentation.
Conduit for Engagement? School Curriculum and Youth Political Participation in Hong Kong
Authors: Lee Trevor Tsz-lok , Chiu Stephen Wing-kai
Published: August 2017

Learning about political issues through the new core subject of Liberal Studies (LS) in senior secondary education in Hong Kong has become ‘socially problematic’ amid mounting concern of politicians and pundits who see a link between such learning and the recent waves of student protests. Using data from in-depth interviews with senior secondary students in Hong Kong, we explore how politically disengaged and engaged youth experienced their LS learning and how they perceived and made sense of the relationship between LS learning and political participation or its absence. Our findings indicate that while there appear to be circumstances that give rise to diversified learning experiences, LS has little bearing on youth political participation or otherwise.
Identical applicant but different outcomes: The impact of gender versus race salience in hiring
Authors: Rattan Aneeta , Steele Jennifer , Ambady Nalini
Published: August 2017

People belong to multiple social groups, which may have conflicting stereotypic associations. A manager evaluating an Asian woman for a computer programming job could be influenced by negative gender stereotypes or by positive racial stereotypes. We hypothesized that evaluations of job candidates can depend upon what social group is more salient, even when both are apparent. In three studies, using student (Study 1) and nonstudent (Studies 2 and 3) samples, we compared ratings of an Asian American female applicant after subtly making her race or gender salient in stereotypically male employment contexts. Consistent with our predictions, we found evidence that men rated her as more skilled (Studies 1 and 3), more hirable (Studies 1–3), and offered her more pay (Study 2) in science and technology-related positions when her race, rather than gender, was salient. The theoretical implications for person perception and practical implications in employment contexts are discussed.
Coping with noise in social dilemmas: Group representatives fare worse than individuals because they lack trust in others’ benign intentions
Authors: Reinders Folmer Christopher P. , Wildschut Tim , De Cremer David , van Lange Paul A. M.
Published: August 2017

Research on interindividual–intergroup discontinuity has illuminated distinct patterns of cognition, motivation, and behavior in interindividual versus intergroup contexts. However, it has examined these processes in laboratory environments with perfect transparency, whereas real-life interactions are often characterized by noise (i.e., misperceptions and unintended errors). This research compared interindividual and intergroup interactions in the presence or absence of noise. In a laboratory experiment, participants played 35 rounds of a dyadic give-some dilemma, in which they acted as individuals or group representatives. Noise was manipulated, such that players’ intentions either were perfectly translated into behavior or could deviate from their intentions in certain rounds (resulting in less cooperative behavior). Noise was more detrimental to cooperation in intergroup contexts than in interindividual contexts, because (a) participants who formed benign impressions of the other player coped better with noise, and (b) participants were less likely to form such benign impressions in intergroup than interindividual interactions.
Young people’s attitudes towards illicit drugs: A population-based study
Authors: Friis Karina , Østergaard Jeanette , Reese Sidsel , Lasgaard Mathias
Published: August 2017

Aims: Previous studies indicate that young people who have positive attitudes towards illicit drugs are more inclined to experiment with them. The first aim of our study was to identify the sociodemographic and risk behaviour characteristics of young people (16–24 years) with positive attitudes towards illicit drug use. The second aim was to identify the characteristics of young people with positive attitudes towards illicit drugs among those who had never tried drugs, those who had tried cannabis but no other illicit drugs, and those who regularly used cannabis and/or had tried other illicit drugs. Methods: The analysis was based on a population-based survey from 2013 ( N = 3812). Multiple logistic regression was used to analyse the association between sociodemographic and risk behaviour characteristics and positive attitudes towards illicit drugs. Results: Young men had twice the odds of having positive attitudes towards illicit drug use compared with young women (AOR = 2.1). Also, young age, being single, being employed, smoking tobacco, practising unprotected sex, and experimental cannabis use were associated with positive attitudes towards illicit drug use. Finally, use of cannabis at least 10 times during the previous year and/or use of other illicit drugs had the strongest association with positive attitudes to illicit drug use (AOR = 6.0). Conclusions: Young people who have positive attitudes towards illicit drug use are characterized by a broad range of risky behaviours. These findings may help to identify young people at risk of initiating illicit drug use and thereby support the development and implementation of prevention programmes.
Mobile three-dimensional visualisation technologies for clinician-led fall prevention assessments
Authors: Hamm Julian , Money Arthur G , Atwal Anita , Ghinea Gheorghita
Published: August 2017

The assistive equipment provision process is routinely carried out with patients to mitigate fall risk factors via the fitment of assistive equipment within the home. However, currently, over 50% of assistive equipment is abandoned by the patients due to poor fit between the patient and the assistive equipment. This paper explores clinician perceptions of an early stage three-dimensional measurement aid prototype, which provides enhanced assistive equipment provision process guidance to clinicians. Ten occupational therapists trialled the three-dimensional measurement aid prototype application; think-aloud and semi-structured interview data was collected. Usability was measured with the System Usability Scale. Participants scored three-dimensional measurement aid prototype as ‘excellent’ and agreed strongly with items relating to the usability and learnability of the application. The qualitative analysis identified opportunities for improving existing practice, including, improved interpretation/recording measurements; enhanced collaborative practice within the assistive equipment provision process. Future research is needed to determine the clinical utility of this application compared with two-dimensional counterpart paper-based guidance leaflets.
Tactical urbanism as a means of testing relational processes in space: A complex systems perspective
Authors: Wohl Sharon
Published: August 2017

Too often, master planning strategies have failed to produce spaces responding to the social, cultural, and economic needs of their inhabitants. Accordingly, many planners have turned to relational strategies to redefine their practices. These tend toward methodologies that explore relational forces preceding design interventions rather than unfolding by means of design interventions. This article considers an alternative mode of understanding relational processes: one that considers tactical urban strategies theorized through the lens of complexity theory. This article argues that tactical approaches harness relational junctures in situ, effectively exploring relational configurations of cohesive urban environments. A design competition entry provides an illustrative example of this approach: one that channels and choreographs relational urban processes.
From pedagogy to quality: the Europeanised experience of higher education in post-Soviet Armenia
Authors: Balasanyan SA
Published: August 2017

The article reports on a study of everyday university life and the academic life-world of professionals in education management in Armenia, focusing on the impact of Europeanisation on their professional identity construction. It also examines the impact of broader ideologies associated with quality assurance on the higher education provision in the country. The need for European funding, together with pressures for quality enhancement, create a shared sense of obligation to meet the perceived goals of Europeanisation and, in the specific context of Armenia, construct the identity of ‘imitator’ among education managers. These managers also turn away from pedagogy, in the mistaken belief that it is contaminated by the Soviet legacy. Consequently, students experience national higher education as a newly emergent space preoccupied with articulating ‘quality assurance’, rather than an environment supportive of teaching and learning.
Students as co-researchers to inform student learning: Findings from a poverty simulation
Authors: Roll Susan , Browne Laurie
Published: August 2017

Survey data reveal that poverty simulations are an effective tool in changing student attitudes about poverty. What is not well documented in the literature is exactly how students learn through this type of experiential education. Using students as co-researchers in an action research model, this study sought to better understand how students learn about poverty through a poverty simulation, which is a pedagogical tool known to impact students’ attitudes and understandings of poverty. Results map closely with transformational learning theory, including that personal background and previous learning experiences shaped students openness and willingness to engage in a new learning opportunity. Students reflected how the climate of the learning environment, in this case the poverty simulation, was as a significant factor that impacted the learning process. Finally, findings from this study indicate that students had both an increased interest in issues of social justice and felt less judgmental of people experiencing poverty following the simulation. Additionally, the student research team itself had a learning opportunity which resulted in an increased interest and appreciation for participatory research.
Violence Against Young Women in Non-urban Areas of Australia: A Scoping Review
Authors: Hooker Leesa , Theobald Jacqui , Anderson Karen , Billet Paulina , Baron Paula
Published: August 2017

Violence against women is globally prevalent and harmful to women’s health and well-being. Younger women are at higher risk of abuse, especially those from non-urban areas who may face specific barriers to disclosure and support. The aim of this review was to map the breadth and nature of the “violence against women” literature particular to young non-urban Australian women and identify research gaps to inform future research with young people. A comprehensive scoping review methodology, as outlined by Arksey and O’Malley, was adopted. English language, peer-reviewed articles were identified from five databases between January 2000 and July 2015. Grey literature was also examined. Inclusion criteria for the review included young women (15–24 years) from non-urban areas of Australia. Twenty-four full-text articles were included in this review. Themes identified include prevalence and type of abuse, experiences and response to violence, and the consequences of abuse. Recommendations from the review which are relevant to a global audience include the need for improved service access, improved data collection on the prevalence of violence, and a focus on more research with young women in non-urban areas. There is limited research on violence against young women living in non-urban areas of Australia. Evidence to date consists of predominantly quantitative data generated from general population surveys. There is a lack of qualitative research on this topic, and we argue that more is needed to gain a better understanding of the violence that young women experience.
A Novel Reverse Branch Technique for Reconstruction of a Renal Artery Perfused by the False Lumen After Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair
Authors: Jin Jie , Bai Jun , Wu Yongfa , Zhi Kangkang , Wang Xiaomin , Wen Xingzhu , Wu Jianjin , Qu Lefeng
Published: August 2017

Purpose: To describe an innovative endovascular technique that successfully reconstructs a renal artery completely perfused by the false lumen after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). Case Report: A 65-year-old patient diagnosed with acute Stanford type B aortic dissection underwent successful TEVAR 4 years ago. Regular follow-up found that the thoracic aorta was well repaired, but the false lumen in the abdominal aorta had enlarged year by year. The left renal artery was supplied entirely by the false lumen, which caused kidney hypoperfusion. The abdominal aorta was successfully remodeled using endovascular aneurysm repair with reconstruction of the left renal artery using Viabahn stent-grafts inserted through the patent false lumen. At 6 months, computed tomography showed false lumen thrombosis and patent Viabahn stent-grafts in the false lumen. Conclusion: The false lumen reverse branch technique was feasible in our case, which provides a new idea for dealing with distal dissection involving the renovisceral arteries after TEVAR.
A Feasibility Study of Off-the-Shelf Scalloped Stent-Grafts in Acute Type B Aortic Dissection
Authors: van der Weijde Emma , Bakker Olaf J. , Kamman Arnoud V. , van Herwaarden Joost A. , Trimarchi Santi , Vos Jan Albert , Heijmen Robin H.
Published: August 2017

Purpose: To evaluate the applicability of an off-the-shelf scalloped stent-graft to preserve left subclavian artery (LSA) flow in thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for acute type B aortic dissection. Methods: The computed tomography angiograms (CTA) of 70 consecutive patients (median age 64 years; 44 men) with acute Stanford type B aortic dissection were retrospectively analyzed to identify patients in whom a short proximal landing zone (<15 mm from the retrogradely dissected wall layers) would require LSA overstenting during TEVAR. A scalloped stent-graft was deemed possible in those patients with the intimal entry tear located at least 20 mm distant from the LSA ostium. Results: The LSA needed to be covered in 56 (80%) patients. Of these, an off-the-shelf scalloped stent-graft would have been applicable in 23 (41%) patients. In the latter group, the median aortic diameter was 31 mm (range 26–37), the median length of the LSA ostium was 13 mm (range 10–20), and the median width of the LSA ostium was 15 mm (range 11–24). Three differently sized off-the-shelf stent-grafts with the largest scallop possible could have adequately treated 20 (36%) of the 56 patients in the acute phase. Conclusion: In this single-center imaging-based study, involvement of the LSA in the setting of acute type B aortic dissection was seen in 80% of patients treated with TEVAR. Three off-the-shelf stent-grafts would suffice to treat one-third of these acute type B aortic dissections and may offer a relatively simple solution to preserve LSA flow, thereby lowering the risk of malperfusion of the (posterior) cerebrum, spinal cord, and left arm in an urgent/emergent setting.
Clustering-based energy-aware virtual network embedding
Authors: Liu Xu , Zhang Zhongbao , Li Junning , Su Sen
Published: August 2017

Virtual network embedding has received a lot of attention from researchers. In this problem, it needs to map a sequence of virtual networks onto the physical network. Generally, the virtual networks have topology, node, and link constraints. Prior studies mainly focus on designing a solution to maximize the revenue by accepting more virtual networks while ignoring the energy cost for the physical network. In this article, to bridge this gap, we design a heuristic energy-aware virtual network embedding algorithm called EA-VNE-C, to coordinate the dynamic electricity price and energy consumption to further optimize the energy cost. Extensive simulations demonstrate that this algorithm significantly reduces the energy cost by up to 14% over the state-of-the-art algorithm while maintaining similar revenue.
Analgesia by deletion of spinal neurokinin 1 receptor expressing neurons using a bioengineered substance P-Pseudomonas exotoxin conjugate
Authors: Iadarola Michael J , Sapio Matthew R , Wang Xunde , Carrero Hector , Virata-Theimer Maria Luisa , Sarnovsky Robert , Mannes Andrew J , FitzGerald David J
Published: August 2017

Cell deletion approaches to pain directed at either the primary nociceptive afferents or second-order neurons are highly effective analgesic manipulations. Second-order spinal neurons expressing the neurokinin 1 (NK1) receptor are required for the perception of many types of pain. To delete NK1+ neurons for the purpose of pain control, we generated a toxin–peptide conjugate using DTNB-derivatized (Cys0) substance P (SP) and a N-terminally truncated Pseudomonas exotoxin (PE35) that retains the endosome-release and ADP-ribosylation enzymatic domains but with only one free sulfhydryl side chain for conjugation. This allowed generation of a one-to-one product linked by a disulfide bond (SP-PE35). In vitro, Chinese hamster ovary cells stably transfected with the NK1 receptor exhibited specific cytotoxicity when exposed to SP-PE35 (IC50 = 5 × 10−11 M), whereas the conjugate was nontoxic to NK2 and NK3 receptor-bearing cell lines. In vivo studies showed that, after infusion into the spinal subarachnoid space, the toxin was extremely effective in deleting NK1 receptor-expressing cells from the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. The specific cell deletion robustly attenuated thermal and mechanical pain sensations and inflammatory hyperalgesia but did not affect motoric capabilities. NK1 receptor cell deletion and antinociception occurred without obvious lesion of non–receptor-expressing cells or apparent reorganization of primary afferent innervation. These data demonstrate the extraordinary selectivity and broad-spectrum antinociceptive efficacy of this ligand-directed protein therapeutic acting via receptor-mediated endocytosis. The loss of multiple pain modalities including heat and mechanical pinch, transduced by different populations of primary afferents, shows that spinal NK1 receptor-expressing neurons are critical points of convergence in the nociceptive transmission circuit. We further suggest that therapeutic end points can be effectively and safely achieved when SP-PE35 is locally infused, thereby producing a regionally defined analgesia.