bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Seriously Mentally Ill Case Management Clients with and without Arrest Histories
Authors: Draine Jeffrey , Solomon Phyllis
Published: February 2018

In the process of exploring the efficacy of a forensic case management program intended to support the community integration and adjustment of homeless seriously mentally disabled persons leaving jail, a question emerged as to the extent that forensic clients differ from other public mental health service clients. Among 96 clients entering another intensive case management study, 42% had criminal arrest histories. A logistic regression analysis found gender and living arrangement to be the strongest variables in explaining arrest status, with males and persons living in congregate, mental-health-service-intensive environments more likely to have arrest histories. Possible program strategies and further research efforts are discussed. Further longitudinal research is encouraged to establish the extent and nature of relationships among demographic factors, community living arrangements and risk for jail detention for persons with serious mental illness.
The Relationship between Pornography and Sex Crimes
Authors: Nemes Irene
Published: February 2018

This article examines the available research literature aimed at discovering the nature of any existing relationship between pornography and sex crimes. Theoretical models underpinning such a relationship are also briefly examined. Apart from laboratory evidence of a reasonably strong causal connection between violent pornography and antisocial attitudes in males, the available research data is, at best, equivocal. It may be that limitations imposed by methodology, ethics and sample bias preclude definitive findings. Various approaches to investigating this question are also discussed.
New passivity results for the realization of interfered digital filters utilizing saturation overflow nonlinearities
Authors: Parthipan CG , Arockiaraj Xavier S , Kokil Priyanka
Published: February 2018

This paper considers the passivity performance analysis of fixed-point state-space digital filters with saturation nonlinearities in the presence of external interference. The purpose is to establish new stability criteria in terms of linear matrix inequality (LMI) such that fixed-point state-space digital filters with saturation nonlinearities in the existence of external interference ensure passivity performance with its storage function. The presented results not only ensure state strict and input state strict passivity in the presence of external interference but also confirm asymptotic stability without external interference. The obtained conditions for fixed-point state-space digital filters are based on passivity properties and, hence, are quite novel to previously proposed criteria. Finally, simulation results are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed work.
The transmuted generalized inverse Weibull distribution in acceptance sampling plans based on life tests
Authors: Al-Omari Amer Ibrahim
Published: February 2018

In this paper, designing of acceptance sampling plans for the truncated life test is suggested by assuming that the product lifetime follows transmuted generalized inverse Weibull distribution (TGIWD). For various values of the TGIWD parameters, the minimum sample sizes required to ensure the specified mean life are obtained, as well as the operating characteristic function values and producer’s risk of the suggested sampling plan are calculated. The results are explained by numerical examples and an application of real data is considered for illustration.
An intelligent visual servo control system for quadrotors
Authors: Yüksel Tolga
Published: February 2018

While quadrotors are becoming more popular, control of these unmanned air vehicles should be improved. In this study, a new intelligent image-based visual servo control system is proposed for the flight guidance control of quadrotors. Features are essential for visual servoing and the proposed system utilizes the features of a shape that provide a clear sight of the landing site instead of point features. Furthermore, the system focuses on three problems of visual servo control: finding an appropriate gain value under velocity limits, keeping the shape features in the field of view and tracking a moving target. As a solution to the first problem, a fuzzy logic unit that uses feature error and error derivative norms as inputs are deployed to assign the gain, adaptively. The second problem is solved by defining safe and risky regions in the image plane to take precautions before field of view missing. Another fuzzy logic unit is activated when the shape passes through a risky region to provide counter velocity in x or y direction and to drag the shape through the safe region. As the last stage, Kalman filtering with Potter’s square root update is added to the proposed system to increase the feature tracking performance. This update also promises divergence avoidance. To show the performance of the proposed system, simulation results for fixed and moving targets under feature disturbance are presented for a quadrotor. The results verify that the proposed system is capable of handling visual servoing problems.
How television moved a nation: media, change and Indigenous rights
Authors: Waller Lisa , McCallum Kerry
Published: February 2018

This article examines the role of television in Australia’s 1967 referendum, which is widely believed to have given rights to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It presents an analysis of archival television footage to identify five stories that moved the nation: Australia’s shame, civil rights and global connections, admirable activists, ‘a fair go’ and consensus. It argues that television shaped the wider culture and opened a channel of communication that allowed Indigenous activists and everyday people to speak directly to non-Indigenous people and other First Nations people throughout the land for the first time. The referendum narrative that television did so much to craft and promote marks the shift from an older form of settler nationalism that simply excluded Indigenous people, to an ongoing project that seeks to recognise, respect and ‘reaccredit’ the nation-state through incorporation of Indigenous narratives. We conclude that whereas television is understood to have ‘united’ the nation in 1967, 50 years later seismic shifts in media and society have made the quest for further constitutional reform on Indigenous rights and recognition more sophisticated, diffuse, complex and challenging.
Correlates of Child Marriage in Zimbabwe
Authors: Sayi Takudzwa S. , Sibanda Amson
Published: February 2018

In countries where child marriage remains widespread, concerted efforts are underway to eliminate it, but overall progress remains uneven and slow. One in three Zimbabwean girls marries by age 18. To inform the country’s efforts to reduce child marriage, data from 5,542 women aged 20 to 24 years in the 2005-2006, 2010-2011, and 2015 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Surveys are used to examine individual-, household-, and cluster-level correlates. Cumulative incidence functions first document changes over time, and multilevel models are used to explore correlates. Although prevalence is high, younger cohorts were less likely to marry young. A woman’s education, wealth quintile, religion, and provincial residence correlated with marrying as a child. Cluster-level female schooling, number of children ever born, and proportions using contraceptives were also correlated with child marriage. Efforts should promote socioeconomic well-being and target cultural practices promoting the practice. Interventions targeting at-risk women should complement universal approaches to combating child marriage.
Pathophysiology of telangiectasias of the lower legs and its therapeutic implication: A systematic review
Authors: Kern P
Published: February 2018

Objective

Telangiectasias of the lower legs are intradermal dilatations of the subpapillary venous plexus, but their pathophysiology and risk factors are still largely unknown. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current knowledge on the pathophysiology and risk factors for telangiectasias.

Methods

A systematic review of the literature indexed in Medline completed with textbooks and European phlebology journals from the French, Swiss, and German phlebology societies was performed.

Results

A multitude of risk factors and several pathophysiological hypotheses, such as reflux, arterio-venous micro-shunts, parietal, and connective tissue abnormalities, are described in the literature. The different hypotheses are discussed and put in a clinical perspective, in particular their therapeutic implications for phlebologists.

Conclusion

In conclusion, pathophysiology and risk factors of telangiectasias are still largely unknown, and a better understanding could improve treatment results and reduce recurrence.
Power balances, transnational elites, and local economic governance: The political economy of development in Medellín
Authors: Franz Tobias
Published: February 2018

Applying a non-linear political economy analysis of power balances, institutional mechanisms, and elite structures, this study sheds light on the characteristics of Medellín’s economic development since the early 2000s. Elites with minimal technological capabilities and interests in promoting the advancement of transnational capitalism have successfully secured access to sources of power. These conditions (re)produce neoliberal logics of local governance that focus on economic growth in sectors with perceived global comparative advantages and on sustaining the particular power balances in Medellín’s political settlement. This has led to failures of generating positive forward and backward linkages for productivity growth of local firms, a local labour market marked by low wages and high employment elasticities, and large income inequalities. The local governance model that perpetuates productivity and inequality problems of the city is adopted as an opportunistic discourse of Medellín’s transnationalised capitalist elite in the larger neoliberal context of Colombia’s polity and economic policy agenda. In the absence of structural reforms targeting low wages and incentivising firms to develop technological capabilities, Medellín’s low productivity and high inequality problems are likely to persist.
The Evolution and Future of Retailing and Retailing Education
Authors: Grewal Dhruv , Motyka Scott , Levy Michael
Published: February 2018

The pace of retail evolution has increased dramatically, with the spread of the Internet and as consumers have become more empowered by mobile phones and smart devices. This article outlines significant retail innovations that reveal how retailers and retailing have evolved in the past several decades. In the same spirit, the authors discuss how the topics covered in retail education have shifted. This article further details the roles of current technologies, including social media and retailing analytics, and emerging areas, such as the Internet of things, machine learning, artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, and robotics, all of which are likely to change the retail landscape in the future. Educators thus should incorporate these technologies into their classroom discussions through various means, from experiential exercises to interactive discussions to the reviews of recent articles.
Tensile properties, void contents, dispersion and fracture behaviour of 3D printed carbon nanofiber reinforced composites
Authors: Papon Easir Arafat , Haque Anwarul
Published: February 2018

In this paper, additive manufacturing technology has been used in processing carbon nanofiber (CNF) reinforced thermoplastic composites through fused deposition modeling (FDM). The effects of nanofiber concentrations, nozzle geometries on void contents, and tensile properties of FDM printed nanocomposites have been studied. The contact angles and void geometries have been characterized as a function of bead spreading orientations. Such measurements were carried out using micrographs of optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examinations. The dispersion and orientation of nanofiber in polylactic acid (PLA) matrix have been studied using transmission electron microscopy observations. Finally, the fracture surfaces of both neat PLA and CNF/PLA nanocomposites have been investigated in order to understand the failure mechanism. The results show improved modulus, strength, and strain up to elastic limit in CNF/PLA nanocomposites in comparison to neat PLA matrix. The square nozzle geometry shows increased tensile strength and reduced void geometry in comparison to circular shaped nozzle. Three types of voids such as inter-bead, intra-bead, and interfacial bead were observed with total voids ranging from 24% to 30% with circular nozzle. The level of void content is reduced to about 7% for square nozzle. Contact angles and bead orientation play an important role in forming void contents. CNF/PLA nanocomposites exhibit decreased contact angle and higher void contents in comparison to neat PLA resin. Transmission electron microscopy study of CNF/PLA nanocomposites show uniform dispersion of carbon nanofibers with aligned orientation in both composite filament and three-dimensional printed specimen. Fractured surfaces of CNF/PLA nanocomposites show fiber pullout mechanism and comparatively coarse surface topography indicating higher fractured energy than neat polylactic acid resin.
Risk, networks and privateering in Liverpool during the Seven Years’ War, 1756–1763
Authors: Haggerty Sheryllynne
Published: February 2018

Privateering has often been portrayed as a particularly risky business. Some historians have posited that it was undertaken only by disreputable merchants, whilst others have argued that profits would not have been made if systems of control had been absent, and that merchants were in fact rational when they invested in privateering. So far, however, no one has sought to gauge or measure the perceived riskiness of privateering by the merchants themselves, and the rationality of those who participated in it. Using the Seven Years’ War as a case study, this article seeks to measure the extent to which Liverpool merchants perceived privateering to be a risky proposition. As a measurement of the perception of risk, the network size in Liverpool’s privateering voyages is compared to those in the Liverpool slave trade, another trade known to be risky, but one in which Liverpool merchants excelled. In the case of ‘private men of war’, the network size was usually at least as large as those in the slave trade, and often larger. Therefore, the analysis presented here demonstrates that Liverpool’s merchants did perceive privateering – especially its ‘deep-water’ variant – as a particularly risky activity during the Seven Years’ War. By their use of their networks, however, through which they both spread risk, and brought in wider financial and human capital, they were essentially rational in their pursuit of this particular business.
‘Scows, and barges, or other vessels of box model’: Comparative capital investment in the sailing scows of the Great Lakes of North America and in New Zealand
Authors: Martin Jay C.
Published: February 2018

Boxy and with ‘unseaworthy form’, the sailing scow was not the most aesthetically pleasing of watercraft. Yet the durable hull design based upon European predecessors found a new home in North America where it proliferated on the Atlantic, Gulf, Pacific and Great Lakes coasts because of its practicality for largely unimproved waterways. Scows were widely used on the Great Lakes in the nineteenth century, moving beyond shallow waters and gaining a reputation for reliability in long-distance trade. Late in the century, the technology arrived in New Zealand, where it prospered in a niche market that combined open water voyages and shallow river, port, or beach loading and unloading. The Great Lakes scows presented an alternative for entry into ship ownership on the North American frontier. The development of the New Zealand scow confirmed these findings comparatively in an international context during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Diversity, Pay Equity, and Pay in Social Work and Other Professions
Authors: Lewis Gregory B.
Published: February 2018

Does the social work labor force reflect the field’s commitment to social and economic justice? Using individual-level census data for 1980–2014 on self-identified social workers and on other college graduates in college-majority occupations, this article finds three key patterns. First, representation of women, blacks, and Latinx in social work is high and growing, greatly exceeding that in most of these other occupations. Second, white men continue to earn more than comparable women, blacks, and Latinx, but gender/racial/ethnic pay disparities in social work have dropped by half or more since 1980 and are far smaller than in most other occupations. Third, social workers earn substantially less than comparable employees in other occupations, and the pay disadvantage is growing. That low pay, however, may contribute to both the diversity and relative pay equity in social work.
Effects of temperature-dependent thermo-physical properties on hydrodynamic swirl decay in microtubes
Authors: Pati Sukumar , Kumar Vishwanath
Published: February 2018

In this paper, the influence of temperature-dependent thermo-physical properties is investigated on the decay of swirl in a laminar swirling flow of liquid through a heated microtube. The conservation equations for mass, momentum, and energy are numerically solved to obtain the velocity and temperature fields. The decay of swirl is quantified by the variation of the ratio of swirl number at a section to that at the inlet ( S/ S0) along the flow. The results reveal that constant property simulations result in faster swirl decay as compared to the variable-property simulations. Further, the implications of slip length, inlet swirl number, inlet swirl velocity profile, and Reynolds number on the swirl decay are presented. The results of the present analysis bear significant technological consequences in the design of micro-heat exchangers with intrinsic rotationalities.
Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1) in systemic lupus erythematosus: relation to disease activity, organ damage and immunological findings
Authors: Waldron J , Raymond W , Ostli-Eilertsen G , Nossent J
Published: February 2018

Background

Insulin growth factor-1 (IGF1) activates cell proliferation pathways and inhibits apoptosis. IGF1 is involved in tumour growth and required for T-cell independent activation of B cells. Activated B cells and autoantibody production are a hallmark of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). To investigate the possible role of IGF1 in SLE, we studied IGF1 across clinical characteristics, immunological biomarkers, disease activity and organ damage in SLE patients.

Method

In a cross-sectional study, we collected clinical characteristics, medication, disease activity (SLEDAI-2K) and organ damage (SDI) for 94 SLE patients. Autoantibodies and cytokines were measured by ELISA, and levels of IGF1 and IGF binding protein 3 (IGFBP3) by chemiluminescence. Free IGF1 was estimated by the IGF1:IGFBP3 ratio. Healthy controls served as a comparator group.

Results

There was a significant age-related decline in IGF1, IGFBP3 and free IGF1 (IGF1:IGFBP3 ratio) that was similar in SLE patients and controls with very few outliers. Free IGF1 was inversely related to blood pressure (Rs −0.327, p < 0.01) and HbA1c (Rs −0.31, p < 0.01). Free IGF1 was higher in disease-modifying antirheumatic drug-treated patients ( p < 0.01), but there was no significant association between the IGF1 axis and autoantibody profiles, cytokine levels or SLEDAI-2K or SDI categories. IGF1 correlated inversely with BAFF level and B, natural killer and CD8 + cell counts.

Conclusion

Free IGF1 levels in SLE patients declined appropriately with age. IGF1 levels were not associated with disease activity, severity or autoantibody levels in SLE. Free IGF1 had positive metabolic effects in SLE and may play an indirect role in dampening the cellular immune response by downregulating B- and T-cell activity.
Enhanced imaging of piezoresistive nanocomposites through the incorporation of nonlocal conductivity changes in electrical impedance tomography
Authors: Hassan Hashim , Semperlotti Fabio , Wang Kon-Well , Tallman Tyler N
Published: February 2018

Electrical impedance tomography is a method of noninvasively imaging the internal conductivity distribution of a domain. Because many materials exhibit piezoresistivity, electrical impedance tomography has considerable potential for application in structural health monitoring. Despite its numerous benefits such as being low cost, providing continuous sensing, and having the ability to be employed in real time, electrical impedance tomography is limited by several important factors such as the ill-posed nature of the inverse problem and the requirement for large electrode arrays to produce quality images. Unfortunately, current methods of mitigating these limitations impose upon the benefits of electrical impedance tomography. Herein, we propose a multi-physics approach of enhancing electrical impedance tomography without sacrificing any of its benefits. This approach is predicated on coupling global conductivity changes with the electrical impedance tomography inversion process thereby adding additional constraints and rendering the problem less ill-posed. Additionally, we leverage physically motivated global conductivity changes in the context of piezoresistive nanocomposites. We demonstrate this proof of concept with numerical simulations and demonstrate that by incorporating multiple conductivity changes, the rank of the sensitivity matrix can be improved and the quality of electrical impedance tomography reconstructions can be enhanced. The proposed method, therefore, has the potential of easing the implementation burden of electrical impedance tomography while concurrently enabling high-quality images to be produced without imposing on the major advantages of electrical impedance tomography.
Effective Governance and Hospital Boards Revisited: Reflections on 25 Years of Research
Authors: Erwin Cathleen O. , Landry Amy Yarbrough , Livingston Avery C. , Dias Ashley
Published: February 2018

This study reviews and synthesizes empirical research literature focusing on the relationship between boards of directors and organizational effectiveness of U.S. hospitals. The study examines literature published in scholarly journals during the period of 1991-2017. Fifty-one empirical articles were identified that met the study’s inclusion criteria. A framework from the corporate governance and nonprofit governance literature is used to classify the articles according to level of analysis (individual actors, governing bodies, organizations, and networks, alliances and multiorganizational initiatives) and focus of research (formal structure and behavioral dynamics—including informal structures and processes). Results are discussed, emerging trends are identified, and recommendations are made for future research.
Numerical analysis of textured piston compression ring conjunction using two-dimensional-computational fluid dynamics and Reynolds methods
Authors: Wen Chengwei , Meng Xianghui , Li Wenxiang
Published: February 2018

The Reynolds equation, in which some items have been omitted, is a simplified form of the Navier–Stokes equations. When surface texturing exists, it may unreasonably reveal the tribological effects in some cases. In this paper, both the two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics method, which is based on the Navier–Stokes equations, and the corresponding one-dimensional Reynolds method are adopted to analyze the performance of the textured piston compression ring conjunction. To conduct a comparison between these two methods, the modified Elrod algorithm for Jakobsson–Floberg–Olsson cavitation model is chosen to solve the Reynolds equation. The results show that the Reynolds method is somewhat different from the computational fluid dynamics method in the minimum oil film thickness, pressure distribution, and cavitation at given operating conditions. Moreover, for a low ratio of texture depth to length, the Reynolds equation is still suitable to predict the overall effects of the designed groove textures. The simulation results also reveal that it is not always beneficial for the tribological performance and sometimes may increase the total friction force when the ring is textured.
Measurement of Overall and Disease-Specific Health Status: Does the Order of Questionnaires Make a Difference?
Authors: Barry Michael J. , Walker-Corkery Elizabeth , Chang YuChiao , Tyll Lynda T. , Cherkin Daniel C. , Fowler Floyd J.
Published: February 2018

Objectives:

This study was designed to detect any effect of order when modules on disease-specific and overall health status are combined in an outcomes research questionnaire.

Methods:

Men with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) were prospectively enrolled in a clinical trial of an educational intervention in Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound, a prepaid group practice. Within the trial, 392 consecutive men were randomized to one of two versions of a baseline questionnaire. One had a 38-item module on BPH-specific health status first, followed by a 30-item module on overall health status; the other had the modules in reverse order. Scores were compared for three BPH-specific scales and eight scales measuring overall health. Data were collected in the form of self-administered questionnaires.

Results:

Comparing the groups assigned the two versions of the questionnaire, no significant differences in scores on any of the health status scales were found.

Conclusions:

In this dataset, we could find no evidence of an order effect when modules on BPH-specific and overall health status were combined in different sequences.
Where Do Internal Markets Come from and Can They Work?
Authors: McGuire Alistair
Published: February 2018

The basis for the argument in favour of the internal market as a means of allocating resources within the health care sector has never been made fully explicit. In particular, the link between the economic theory of market allocation and the specific pricing rules adopted by a number of health care sectors to allocate resources is rarely a focus of attention. Health sector objectives are rarely specified. The mechanisms which remedy failure in the exchange process are not explicitly defined. In short, the optimal structural conditions for the operation of internal markets are not known.

The central argument pursued here is that, as this is the case, and using the UK as an example, there are no criteria to which purchasers or providers can turn to assess the operation of exchange within the internal market. Not surprisingly, the internal market dissolves into a number of individual bilateral agreements between purchasers and providers which may or may not increase efficiency in allocating health sector resources.
Problems with Recruitment in a Randomized Controlled Trial of Counselling in General Practice: Causes and Implications
Authors: Fairhurst Karen , Dowrick Christopher
Published: February 2018

Objectives:

To evaluate the effectiveness of counselling in the management of minor psychiatric morbidity in general practice, and to explore the reasons for difficulties in recruiting patients to such an evaluation.

Methods:

We attempted to conduct a randomized controlled trial of counselling in eight general practices in one NHS family health services authority area in England. Having experienced significant problems recruiting patients, we conducted semi-structured telephone interviews ( n = 8) with participating GPs to explore the reasons for these difficulties.

Results:

Five months after the start of the study only one patient had been recruited. The main reasons identified as contributing to the recruitment problems were: General practitioners' motivation for involvement in the study; their ethical doubts about the randomization process; the perceived lack of a viable non-counselling intervention; and their existing practical commitment to counselling.

Conclusion:

Although methodological modification might enhance the potential for success in future studies of this sort, more fundamental difficulties concerning general practitioners' attitudes to research and their professional responsibilities lie at the heart of our recruitment problems.
A Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Health Service Interventions Aimed at Reducing Inequalities in Health
Authors: Arblaster Lorna , Lambert Mark , Entwistle Vikki , Forster Martin , Fullerton Deirdre , Sheldon Trevor , Watt Ian
Published: February 2018

Objective:

To review the available evidence in order to identify effective interventions which health services alone or in collaboration with other agencies could use to reduce inequalities in health.

Methods:

A search of the literature was undertaken using a number of databases including Medlin (from 1990), Applied Social Science Index and Abstracts (1987–1994), and the System for Information on Grey Literature in Europe (1984–1994), on a large range of key words. Studies were included if they assessed interventions designed to reduce inequalities in health or improve the health of a population group relevant to the review, and could be carried out by a health service alone or in collaboration with other agencies. Only studies evaluating interventions using an experimental design were included. Papers in any language were considered. In addition, systematic reviews of the research on the effectiveness of health promotion and the treatment of conditions where there are significant health inequalities were identified in order to illustrate the potential for reducing inequalities in health.

Results:

94 studies were identified which satisfied all the inclusion criteria and 21 reviews were included. A number of interventions have been shown to improve the health of groups who are disadvantaged by socio-economic class, ethnicity or age and, if properly targeted, could be expected to reduce health inequalities. If a health intervention is being used, there should be evidence that it has an impact on health status. Attention should then be given to the way in which the intervention is delivered and the characteristics of a programme to promote implementation. Characteristics of successful interventions specifically aimed at reducing health differentials include: Systematic and intensive approaches to delivering effective health care; improvement in access and prompts to encourage the use of services; strategies employing a combination of interventions and those involving a multi-disciplinary approach; ensuring interventions address the expressed or identified needs of the target population; and the involvement of peers in the delivery of interventions. However, these characteristics alone are not sufficient for success, nor are they universally necessary.

Conclusions:

Although it is likely that the most significant contributions to reducing health inequalities will be in improving economic and social conditions and the physical environment, there are interventions which health services, either alone or in collaboration with other agencies, can use to reduce inequalities in health.
Programme Budgeting and Marginal Analysis: An Approach to Priority Setting in Need of Refinement
Authors: Posnett John , Street Andrew
Published: February 2018

Programme budgeting is enjoying a revival in the British National Health Service primarily because of its recent coupling with marginal analysis. As well as providing a means of mapping activity and expenditure from the institutions providing care to the population receiving it, programme budgeting and marginal analysis aim to assist strategic planning by indicating where net benefits might be increased by reallocating spending within programmes. However, the method to achieve this is not yet sufficiently refined and results to date have been mixed. In particular, the approach to identifying options for evaluation is flawed because of the importance attached to the role of ‘expert’ groups. A more systematic technique is suggested to overcome present methodological deficiencies.
The Iterative Use of Economic Evaluation as Part of the Process of Health Technology Assessment
Authors: Sculpher Mark , Drummond Michael , Buxton Martin
Published: February 2018

The Economic evaluation of health care technologies has a key role within the new National Health Service health technology assessment process. There has, however, been little discussion of the best way of combining economic and clinical research. Economic evaluation should be iterative, generating progressively firmer estimates of cost-effectiveness and helping to maximise the efficiency of health care R&D. Here, four stages of economic analysis are suggested, starting with stage I when the basic clinical science is complete, and finishing with stage IV analysis to generalise the results of earlier studies to routine clinical practice.
Large-Scale Organizational and Managerial Change in Health Care: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Ferlie Ewan
Published: February 2018

This paper takes an overview of the organizational and managerial literature on recent large-scale change efforts within health care organizations. Such literature refers to issues of enhanced policy significance, as a succession of such changes has swept through health care, at an international level.

Interpretive and case study method have been widely employed in this field. While the literature is emergent, key empirical concerns can be identified: (1) Changing roles and relationships, with the rise of management and the challenge to clinical domination; some argue that radical deprofessionalization now is evident, while others take a more nuanced view. (2) The impact of marketization, with health care becoming more of a commodity; various models of a health care ‘quasi market’ have been formulated. (3) Understanding the process of change in health care organizations, such as the development of a management of change literature.

New theoretical frameworks have been developed, notably ‘the reform cycle’ as a way of understanding progressive cycles of organizational reform, the impact on health care of the rise of the new public management, and examining the demedicalization thesis through the more generic literature on professions. The paper concludes with a discussion of what this research base could contribute to policy-making.
Nursing, Knowledge and Practice
Authors: Allen Davina
Published: February 2018

Recent commentators have suggested that academic knowledge is irrelevant to nursing practice and may actually undermine nursing's traditional caring ethos. Furthermore, by making nursing more academic, it is claimed that ‘natural’ but non-academic carers are prevented from pursuing a career in nursing.

Debates about the relationship between nursing, knowledge and practice have a long history and have to be understood in terms of wider political and economic issues relating to nursing, its status within society and the changing role of nurses within the health services division of labour. One crucial issue is nursing's status as women's work. Critics of developments in nurse education draw an ideological equation between nursing work and the traditional female role. From this perspective the qualities that make a good nurse cannot be taught, rather they are founded on ‘natural’ feminine skills. Irrespective of whether caring is ‘natural’ or not, it is questionable as to whether, for today's nurses, being caring is sufficient. The shape of nursing jurisdiction is a long way removed from its origins in the Victorian middle-class household. In addition to their traditional caring role, contemporary nurses may also have complex clinical, management and research responsibilities, as well as being crucial co-ordinators of service provision. It is suggested that these and future developments in health services make the need for an educated nursing workforce even more pressing. In order to adequately prepare nurses for practice, however, it is vital that nurse education reflects the reality of service provision.
Distributional Dilemmas in Health Policy: Large Benefits for a Few or Smaller Benefits for Many?
Authors: Choudhry Niteesh , Slaughter Pamela , Sykora Kathy , Naylor C. David
Published: February 2018

Objectives:

To examine funding priorities assigned by health ministry officials when choosing between clinical programs that offer similar overall benefits distributed in different ways (e.g. large gains for a few versus small gains for many), and to compare the relative magnitude of any distributional bias to age biases.

Methods:

A survey consisting of paired hypothetical health care programs was mailed to the 135 most senior officials of the Health Ministry in Ontario, Canada (population 11.5 million). Respondents were asked to assume they were members of a panel allocating a fixed sum of money to one of two programs in each pair. All program descriptions included the number of persons affected each year by a given disease and the average survival gains from the hypothetical programs. Some scenarios also mentioned the side-effects associated with programs and/or the average age of the beneficiaries.

Results:

Four respondents had retired/died. Of 131 eligible respondents, 80/131 (61%) provided usable responses. Asked to choose between providing large benefits to a few citizens and small benefits to a great many, 23% (95% CI: 14%, 33%) of respondents were unable to decide, but 55.8% (95% CI: 47%, 70%) favored providing large benefits to fewer patients. Eliminating the 23% unable to decide, 47/62 or 76% (CI: 63%, 86%) expressed a distributional preference. With a smaller distributional discrepancy, indecision increased, with 35% of respondents having no preference and the remainder split almost evenly between the two programs. Other scenarios showed that health officials' pro-youth biases were only slightly larger than their distributional preferences and that distributional preferences were magnified when combined with minor differences in average ages of beneficiaries.

Conclusions:

A substantial minority of health care decision-makers had difficulty choosing between programs with similar overall gains and distributional differences — a result consistent with the utilitarian assumptions of cost-effectiveness analysis. However, when distributional differences were large, decision-makers clearly favored large gains for a few beneficiaries rather than small gains for many. Policy analysts should explicitly weigh distributional issues along with aggregate health gains when addressing resource allocation problems.
Contributive Injustice and Unequal Division of Labour in the Voluntary Sector
Authors: Sanghera Balihar
Published: February 2018

This article examines how the unequal division of unpaid labour within voluntary organisations can produce contributive injustice. Contributive injustice occurs when people are denied the opportunity to have meaningful work and the recognition associated with it. The unequal social division of labour affects people’s opportunities to access complex and routine tasks, shaping their capacity to develop their own abilities, respect, and self-esteem, and hence the meaningfulness of their work. The study uses the moral economy of labour perspective to understand and evaluate how the unequal division of labour can shape people’s capabilities and well-being. While the article is sympathetic to Eliasoph’s symbolic interactionist approach to volunteering, which seeks to focus on the quality of civic engagement and public dialogue, it reveals this framework to have some shortcomings. This empirical study is based upon an analysis of 41 participants’ volunteering activities.
Prediction of the critical stress intensity factor of single-lap adhesive joints using a coupled ratio method and an analytical model
Authors: Rastegar S , Ayatollahi MR , Akhavan-Safar A , da Silva LFM
Published: February 2018

The ratio method coupled with the analytical Volkersen model is proposed for the prediction of critical stress intensity factor ( H c) in adhesively bonded single-lap joints. Based on the ratio method, it was shown that despite the singularity of the stress intensity factor ( H) near the bonding end, the ratio of H ( H c) for two single-lap joints with different substrate thicknesses is almost equal at singular and nonsingular regions. It was also found that for joints with different substrate thicknesses, the ratio of H based on the interface shear stress obtained by finite element method is almost equal to the ratio of H obtained using the Volkersen model based on the shear stress along the adhesive mid-plane. The proposed method was applied on single-lap joints with different substrate thicknesses and bonding lengths. According to the experimental results, it was shown that, despite the considerable errors which exist in the stress prediction using the Volkersen model, a combination of Volkersen model and the ratio method could predict the H c of the tested single-lap joints very well. Also using the obtained H c, failure loads of the tested joints were predicted. A good correlation was found between the experimental data and the theoretical predictions.
Heuristics and Political Elites’ Judgment and Decision-Making
Authors: Vis Barbara
Published: February 2018

It is broadly assumed that political elites (e.g. party leaders) regularly rely on heuristics in their judgments or decision-making. In this article, I aim to bring together and discuss the scattered literature on this topic. To address the current conceptual unclarity, I discuss two traditions on heuristics: (1) the heuristics and biases (H&B) tradition pioneered by Kahneman and Tversky and (2) the fast and frugal heuristics (F&F) tradition pioneered by Gigerenzer et al. I propose to concentrate on two well-defined heuristics from the H&B tradition— availability and representativeness—to empirically assess when political elites rely on heuristics and thereby understand better their judgments and decisions. My review of existing studies supports the notion that political elites use the availability heuristic and possibly the representativeness one for making complex decisions under uncertainty. It also reveals that besides this, we still know relatively little about when political elites use which heuristic and with what effect(s). Therefore, I end by proposing an agenda for future research.
Training Moral Sensitivity Through Video Games: A Review of Suitable Game Mechanisms
Authors: Katsarov Johannes , Christen Markus , Mauerhofer Ralf , Schmocker David , Tanner Carmen
Published: February 2018

The goal of this study is to support game designers in the selection and implementation of game mechanisms to promote players’ moral sensitivity (MS). A lack of MS may lead people to behave unethically, without awareness for their actions’ moral implications. In this study, we conduct a theory-based evaluation of 20 distinct game mechanisms in view of their potential to promote MS. MS is thereby operationalized in terms of three learning outcomes (LOs): empathic concern for relevant groups, alertness to values/principles, and awareness for one’s vulnerability to biases. This study suggests that MS is best promoted through a careful combination of game mechanisms, addressing all three LOs.
A Sense of Belonging: Pokémon GO and Social Connectedness
Authors: Vella Kellie , Johnson Daniel , Cheng Vanessa Wan Sze , Davenport Tracey , Mitchell Jo , Klarkowski Madison , Phillips Cody
Published: February 2018

The free-to-play mobile game Pokémon GO’s (PGO) use of real-world mapping encourages play in public spaces, opening up the possibility of greater engagement with other players, local communities, and surrounds. This study conducted a series of interviews ( N = 15) and collected online social forum reports of gameplay ( N = 880), in order to determine what the social outcomes of play may be and what mechanisms might be facilitating the social connectedness. Thematic analysis revealed that playing PGO produced a sense of belonging, linked to a sense of place, as well as facilitating conversations with strangers and strengthening social ties. This was due to the use of accessible technology able to be integrated into daily routines, shared passion for the game, and mechanics that encouraged players out of their homes. “Shared passion” was tied to the nostalgic connection many players felt for the franchise. This study shows how gameplay can build social connectedness through real-world engagement.
Friends and Console-Gaming Aggression: The Role of Friendship Quality, Anger, and Revenge Planning
Authors: Wright Michelle F.
Published: February 2018

In the context of the actor–partner interdependence model, this study examined the influence of friendship quality on console-gaming aggression (i.e., verbal aggression, camping, trolling) and how such associations might be mediated by anger and revenge planning. These associations were examined among 51 pairs of friends in eighth grade, who regularly play online first-person shooters together. Results indicated that poor friendship quality was related positively to verbal aggression, trolling, and camping. In addition, these relationships were mediated by anger and revenge planning. These findings suggest that friendship quality, anger, and revenge planning are important in adolescents’ aggressive behaviors through first-person shooters.
Rhetorical Strategy and Creative Methodology: Revisiting Homo Ludens
Authors: Daniel-Wariya Joshua
Published: February 2018

This article revisits Johan Huizinga’s theory of play in Homo Ludens by considering his rhetorical and methodological choices. The essay examines particular concepts that have been subject to hermeneutical debate and suggests they might be understood through an appreciation of how Huizinga deliberately cultivated clashing points of view in his work as an embodiment of his poetic methodology. This methodology is, in turn, reflected by particular rhetorical practices evident in his writing style. The essay discusses three specific rhetorical devices used by Huizinga in Homo Ludens to make knowledge about play. With these realizations about Huizinga’s rhetoric and methodology in mind, the essay then contextualizes his use of the term magic circle within the political agenda of Huizinga’s writing in general as a philosophical response to logical positivism. The essay concludes by reflecting upon how an appreciation of Huizinga’s rhetoric, methodology, and politics might be helpful for student-researchers.
The Case of This War of Mine: A Production Studies Perspective on Moral Game Design
Authors: de Smale Stephanie , Kors Martijn J. L. , Sandovar Alyea M.
Published: February 2018

This article reports on a study with 11 bit studios and their game, This War of Mine. Rather than a formal analysis of the game, our objective was to situate the research in game production studies by documenting the design context (gamework) and designer perceptions about the game that inform morally complex gameplay. The research was conducted with four team members of 11 bit studios: a senior game designer, a writer, a senior writer (with stakes in marketing), and a quality assurance lead. We employed reflective interviewing techniques and visual methods to better understand how moral gameplay was designed. Our analysis illustrates the roles underlying narratives in the design process and balancing everyday work negotiations play in the design of moral gameplay, how a designer’s research informs the vision to create emotional realism in the game, and the importance of a player-centered iterative design process to produce morally engaging gameplay.