bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A 20-Year Comparison of Football-Related Injuries in American and Canadian Youth Aged 6 to 17 Years
Authors: Keays Glenn , Friedman Debbie , Gagnon Isabelle
Published: August 2015

Introduction. Little is known about Canadian youth football injuries. The objectives of this study were ( a) to contrast the injuries in Canadian and American football players aged 6 to 17 years and ( b) compare the injuries sustained during organized football with those in nonorganized football. Methods. Using a retrospective cohort design based on data from the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program and the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System a comparison of injuries was made. Results. Trends in injuries were comparable. Proportions and odds of injuries were similar, except for a few exceptions. In Canada, more girls were injured and fractures were more prevalent. Compared with nonorganized football, organized football players were older, involved more males, and suffered more traumatic brain injuries and injuries to their lower extremities. Conclusion. Canadian and American youth football injuries were similar. The type of football, be it organized or nonorganized, has an impact on injuries.
The Chronic Detrimental Impact of Interruptions in a Simulated Submarine Track Management Task
Authors: Loft Shayne , Sadler Andreas , Braithwaite Janelle , Huf Samuel
Published: August 2015

Objective:

The objective of this article is to examine the extent to which interruptions negatively impact situation awareness and long-term performance in a submarine track management task where pre- and postinterruption display scenes remained essentially identical.

Background:

Interruptions in command and control task environments can degrade performance well beyond the first postinterruption action typically measured for sequential static tasks, because individuals need to recover their situation awareness for multiple unfolding display events. Participants in the current study returned to an unchanged display scene following interruption and therefore could be more immune to such long-term performance deficits.

Method:

The task required participants to monitor a display to detect contact heading changes and to make enemy engagement decisions. Situation awareness (Situation Present Assessment Method) and subjective workload (NASA–Task Load Index) were measured. The interruption replaced the display for 20 s with a blank screen, during which participants completed a classification task.

Results:

Situation awareness after returning from interruption was degraded. Participants were slower to make correct engagement decisions and slower and less accurate in detecting heading changes, despite these task decisions being made at least 40 s following the interruption.

Conclusion:

Interruptions negatively impacted situation awareness and long-term performance because participants needed to redetermine the location and spatial relationship between the displayed contacts when returning from interruption, either because their situation awareness for the preinterruption scene decayed or because they did not encode the preinterruption scene.

Application:

Interruption in work contexts such as submarines is unavoidable, and further understanding of how operators are affected is required to improve work design and training.
Synergistic effect of polyaniline, nanosilver, and carbon nanotube mixtures on the structure and properties of polyacrylonitrile composite nanofiber
Authors: Eren Olcay , Ucar Nuray , Onen Aysen , Kizildag Nuray , Karacan Ismail
Published: August 2015

In this study, various amounts of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), nanosilver (AgNPs), and polyaniline (PANI) were incorporated at the same pot into the structure of composite polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers, which were produced by electrospinning process in order to see synergistic effect of the additives on the final properties of the composite materials. Performance and characteristic properties of composite nanofibers were analyzed by tensile tester, electrical conductivity meter, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and antimicrobial activity test. Statistical analysis (analysis of variance) was performed to see whether the differences were statistically significant or not. It was seen that samples with AgNPs had higher breaking strength and electrical conductivity than the samples with CNTs. Generally, PANI improved the crystallinity of the composite material more than the nanoparticles (CNTs and AgNPs). Even though each of the nanoparticles was used in low concentrations, the composite materials (PAN–1CNT–1AgNO3–R and PAN–PANI–1AgNO3–R) gained antimicrobial properties due to the synergistic effect of additives. The results suggested that PAN composite nanofibers with 3 wt% PANI and 1 wt% AgNO3 generally presented better performance than the other samples in terms of electrical conductivity, antimicrobial activity, mechanical strength, crystallization, and thermal stability.
Estimation of sound transmission loss of polymer/hollow microsphere composites
Authors: Liang Ji-Zhao , Zhu Bo
Published: August 2015

The sound insulation behavior of inorganic hollow microsphere-filled polymer composites was analyzed by means of acoustics theory to reveal the sound insulation mechanisms in the present paper. On the basis of it, a physical model of the sound wave transfer in the composite system was established, and a corresponding sound transmission loss equation was derived. The sound transmission loss ([Formula: see text]) of the hollow glass bead-filled polypropylene composites was estimated by using this equation. The results showed that the calculated sound transmission loss increased linearly with increasing the filler volume fraction, and the values of the [Formula: see text] increased nonlinearly with increasing sound frequency. The sensitivity of the sound transmission loss to sound frequency was significant at low sound frequency. The predicted [Formula: see text] was compared with the measured data from the composites and found that both the estimated [Formula: see text] and the measured data have a similar variation with increasing sound frequency or the filler volume fraction. This study would provide a basis for further development of sound insulation polymer composites.
Ten Years of a National Oral Health Policy in Brazil
Authors: Pucca G.A. , Gabriel M. , de Araujo M.E. , de Almeida F.C.S.
Published: August 2015

Brazil is the only country in the world to propose a universal health care system with the aim of guaranteeing delivery of all levels of health care, free of charge, to a population of over 200 million inhabitants by means of a unified health system (“Sistema Único de Saúde” [SUS]). The national policy of oral health, also known as Smiling Brazil (“Brasil Sorridente”), was implemented in 2004. Oral health was designated as 1 of the 4 priority areas of the SUS, transforming oral health care in Brazil, with the objective that the SUS achieve the integrality of care envisaged at its creation. The aim of this article is to share part of this experience in order to prompt reflection about the inclusion of oral health care in other health care systems around the world. The most significant results of Smiling Brazil can be seen in 3 areas: 1) oral health epidemiological indicators, 2) financial investment and professional development, and 3) the building of an oral health care network throughout the 10 y of the policy. The “Discovery!” article presented here portrays 10 y of evolution; however, it is important to point out that this is a process undergoing construction and that the oral health care network needs to be further expanded, refined, and solidified so that over time and through changes in the political parties in power, Smiling Brazil prevails as a perennial policy and not merely an action by a single government.
An institutional analysis of the growth of executive remuneration
Authors: Peetz David
Published: August 2015

This article develops a framework for understanding growth in executive remuneration and its increasing divergence from average earnings since a 1980s turning point, drawing on studies from a range of countries but with a special focus on Australian evidence. This framework emphasises the central roles played by company size, to which power is intrinsically related; the distinct, asymmetric nature of the ‘bargaining’ relationship in executive labour markets; and institutions that reflect seven rules. A corporation’s status depends in part on its chief executive officer’s status and pay. Chief executive officers’ ability to extract rents is influenced by their social capital. Chief executive officer pay is heavily influenced by relative pay deprivation. Institutions emerge to facilitate dual-asymmetric pattern bargaining. The incentive structure of executive pay adjusts over time to minimise downside risk, justify high growth and deflect shareholder concerns. Different norms shape pay in different segments, though cross-segment references will be made to justify increases. Finally, chief executive officers’ ability to ratchet pay upwards is contested, leading to cycles of asymmetries reflecting the social, political and economic climate and balance of power.
Extending employment entitlements to non-standard workers: Alternative models for long service leave portability
Authors: Markey Ray , Ferris Shauna , McIvor Joseph , Thornthwaite Louise , Wright Chris F , Muhidin Salut , O’Neill Sharron , Parr Nick
Published: August 2015

This article contributes to the emerging scholarship on institutional and regulatory innovations to extend core employment protections to workers on non-standard contracts by examining different policy models that could potentially improve access to statutory long service leave entitlements in Australia. With the growth of casual, contract and short-term employment reducing access to this entitlement for many workers, there have been calls for the creation of a national long service leave scheme that would be portable between employers, so that the benefit is more generally available to workers over the course of their working life. The article proposes three possible models for implementing a portable long service leave scheme. These are evaluated with regard to the relative costs and benefits for employers and workers and implementation issues for governments. We find that the three models distribute risks, costs and benefits differently between the stakeholders, and any model adopted will involve trade-offs.
Generating a Networked Improvement Community to Improve Secondary Mathematics Teacher Preparation
Authors: Martin W. Gary , Gobstein Howard
Published: August 2015

The Mathematics Teacher Education Partnership (MTE-Partnership) was formed to address the undersupply of new secondary mathematics teachers who are well prepared to help their students attain the goals of the Common Core State Standards and other college- and career-ready standards. This national consortium of more than 90 universities and 100 school systems has been organized as a Networked Improvement Community (NIC), which combines the disciplined inquiry of improvement science with the power of networking to accelerate improvement by engaging a broad set of participants. Initiating a NIC involves a number of challenges described in the NIC Initiation Framework. This case study analyzes the MTE-Partnership’s progress in one domain of that framework: network leadership, organization, and operation. Areas of discussion include convening the network, establishing a membership framework and participation structures, building leadership and hub functions, developing a communications infrastructure, and finding necessary resources.
Supporting Music Teacher Mentors
Authors: Zaffini Erin Dineen
Published: August 2015

While much discussion and research is focused on the importance of music teacher mentors for preservice teachers and novice in-service music educators, little discussion has been devoted to the topic of how we, as members of the music education profession, can support the role of music teacher mentors. This article explores some of the benefits and challenges of serving as a mentor to other music teachers as well as provides suggestions for how to better support music teacher mentors within their roles.
Philosophy in the Music Classroom
Authors: Richerme Lauren Kapalka
Published: August 2015

This article introduces some of the practices in which various poststructuralist authors engage and suggests applications for music education. First, an explanation of how some poststructuralist authors embrace exclusions and how music educators might draw on such thinking and action is offered. Second, the article articulates various poststructuralist authors’ distinction between difference between identities and difference as open variation, noting how music educators might emphasize the latter. Finally, poststructuralist writings related to the roles of teachers and students are examined and applied to music education. Throughout the article, The Lego Movie serves as a metaphor for aspects of poststructuralism. Music educators might draw on various poststructuralist writings to engage with questions related to embracing excluded practices and people, emphasizing difference, and considering how they might differ with students along divergent paths.
Satis Coleman—A Spiritual Philosophy for Music Education
Authors: Shevock Daniel J.
Published: August 2015

Satis Coleman (1878–1961) was a pioneering but underacknowledged teacher in the history of American music education. Hers was a voice of teaching creativity in the twentieth century, which occurred at the progressive Lincoln Lab School and Teachers College, Columbia University, in New York City. This article considers Coleman’s music education philosophy, which contained a distinctly spiritual characteristic. Parker Palmer’s definition of spirituality, “the eternal human yearning to be connected with something larger than our own egos,” offers a lens for examining Coleman’s spirituality, which included a distinctive view of God, living simply, wholesome humility, emotions, and silence in nature. Our profession can benefit from deeper understanding of the work of creative teachers, such as Coleman.
The Origins of the Fanga Dance
Authors: Damm Robert J.
Published: August 2015

The fanga is a dance taught throughout the United States to children in elementary music classes, students in African dance classes, teachers in multicultural workshops, and professional dancers in touring ensembles. Although the history of the fanga is a path overgrown with myth, this article offers information about the dance’s origin, development, and dissemination. Also included is an introduction to Asadata Dafora, the first dancer to stage the fanga in the United States; an extensive examination of Pearl Primus and her role in adapting and popularizing the fanga; and a commentary on the period when the fanga moved into the elementary school classroom.
Trust in and legitimacy of the police among American college students
Authors: Lee Heeuk D , Boateng Francis D , Marenin Otwin
Published: August 2015

The purpose of this study is to assess whether police fairness, effectiveness, assistance and fear of crime variables help explain trust in the police among university students. Five hundred questionnaires were distributed to all students in randomly selected summer courses offered by the university in 2012; 414 questionnaires were filled and returned, yielding a response rate of about 83%. Ordinary least square regression was used to estimate the effects of our independent variables on college students’ trust in the police. The results show that police fairness and police assistance were significantly related to trust in the police after accounting for respondents’ demographic characteristics. However, fear of crime and police effectiveness did not predict students’ trust in the police.

This study was carried out on a sample of college students in one Carnegie 1 institution, thus findings have limited generalisability and need to be interpreted with caution. Our research and findings add another small piece to the theoretical confusion, and inconsistent findings, on the topics of factors supporting trust in the police which now characterises the literature, but do not undermine the basic policy value of procedural justice. This study can provide useful references for policing scholars, policy makers and police practitioners.
The Use of Cohesive Devices in News Language: Overuse, Underuse or Misuse?
Authors: Yin Zihan
Published: August 2015

Many studies have found EFL/ESL learners over/under/misuse linking adverbials. Because their use is specific to genre and register (Biber et al., 1999), and news writing is a compulsory course for EFL journalism majors at many Chinese universities, this study investigates their usage patterns in news and suggests teaching material design for the ESP classroom. By qualitatively coding data from the Wellington Corpora of Spoken and Written New Zealand English and analyzing the results statistically, this study gives a detailed account of the usage patterns of the form, meaning and position of linking adverbials in news, which informs ESP English syllabus and teaching materials design. Suggestions for journalism teachers, as well as students and learners of English for general purposes in an EFL context, were made. An example of teaching materials design based on the corpus findings is also given.
The role of intergovernmental aid in defining fiscal sustainability at the sub-national level
Authors: Ji Hyunjung , Ahn Jeong , Chapman Jeffrey
Published: August 2015

The concept of fiscal sustainability has become increasingly used over the last 20 years. However, much of the literature on fiscal sustainability at the sub-national level ignores the role of intergovernmental fiscal relations. To address this gap, this paper discusses a sufficient condition for sub-national fiscal sustainability and examines the importance of intergovernmental aid in determining that sustainability. Using panel data of counties and municipalities in the US, and using unit root and cointegration analytic techniques, this paper finds different levels of fiscal sustainability between counties and municipalities. We also find that intergovernmental aid plays an important role for fiscal sustainability for both counties and municipalities.
Psychosocial Correlates of AUDIT-C Hazardous Drinking Risk Status
Authors: Wahesh Edward , Lewis Todd F.
Published: August 2015

The current study identified psychosocial variables associated with AUDIT-C hazardous drinking risk status for male and female college students. Logistic regression analysis revealed that AUDIT-C risk status was associated with alcohol-related negative consequences, injunctive norms, and descriptive norms for both male and female participants. Sociability and self-perception outcome expectancies predicted risk status for females. Cognitive and behavioral impairment expectancies predicted risk status for men in the sample. Implications for screening and brief intervention programming efforts are discussed.
South African Generation Y students’ self-disclosure on Facebook
Authors: Bevan-Dye Ayesha L , Akpojivi Ufuoma
Published: August 2015

The advent of online social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Bebo, MXit, and the like have revolutionised communication. Facebook, in particular, has witnessed phenomenal growth and in South Africa, the site is especially popular among the youth aged between 18 and 24 years who form part of the Generation Y cohort (individuals born between 1986 and 2005). Unfortunately, the ease at which information may be disclosed and shared on Facebook has raised serious privacy and security concerns among scholars and social critics. Consequently, this study seeks to explore information disclosure on Facebook by Generation Y students in South Africa by ascertaining the kind of information they disclose, and the likely factors that will influence their self-disclosures on Facebook. Following a descriptive research design, self-administered questionnaires were completed by a non-probability convenience sample of 281 students registered at the campuses of two registered public higher education institutions in the Gauteng province of South Africa – one from a traditional university and one from a university of technology. The captured data were analysed using correlation analysis and structural equation modelling. The findings suggest that site trust and access concerns predict member trust, which, in turn, predicts the level of self-disclosure on Facebook among Generation Y students in South Africa.
Between the “Culture of Poverty” and the Cultural Revolution
Authors: Das Joanna Dee
Published: August 2015

In 1967, the world-renowned African American choreographer Katherine Dunham moved to East St. Louis to open the Performing Arts Training Center (PATC), which offered free classes in dance, music, theater, and other art forms. This article examines why Dunham’s center flourished during the late 1960s and early 1970s and argues that her success lay in forging a middle path between liberal policymakers, who funded the PATC, and the city’s Black Power youth, who were her primary constituents. She understood the language of both the “culture of poverty” and the cultural revolution; she found common ground between the two by championing African diasporic performing arts education as a means of individual and community improvement. Although Dunham’s middle-ground approach had its limitations, the PATC bettered the lives of many East St. Louis residents and can serve as a model for urban arts programs today.
A Comparison of Two Methods for Computing IRT Scores From the Number-Correct Score
Authors: Nicewander W. Alan , Schulz E. Matthew
Published: August 2015

Two estimates for item response theory latent trait scores (θ) based on the summed, number-correct score, X, were compared: (a) the so-called test characteristic curve (TCC) estimates, [Formula: see text], in which the TCC is inverted so that a value of θ can be estimated directly from X and (b) the expected a posteriori—or Bayesian posterior mean—estimates, [Formula: see text]. Using data from Tenth-Grade English and Math Tests, the conditional, expected values for [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] (using both normal N(0, 1) and N(0, 10) priors), along with their conditional standard errors, were computed and plotted against a grid of actual θs. Under a normal N(0, 1) prior, it was found that the Bayesian [Formula: see text]s showed considerably smaller standard errors of measurement compared with the [Formula: see text]s—especially in the tails of the θ-distribution. However, the bias of the [Formula: see text]s based on the N(0, 1) prior was substantial in the extremes of the distribution of θ. The normal N(0, 10) prior for computing the [Formula: see text]s reduced their bias but increased their standard error—These were not unexpected statistical results, given the nearly universal trade-off between bias and standard error. The choice among the three summed-score θ-estimates examined here depends largely on which of the two major sources of distortion—bias versus standard error—is the more harmful.
Attending to the role of identity exploration in self-esteem
Authors: Soenens Bart , Berzonsky Michael D. , Papini Dennis R.
Published: August 2015

Although research suggests an interplay between identity development and self-esteem, most studies focused on the role of identity commitment and measured only level of self-esteem. This study examined longitudinal associations between Berzonsky’s (2011) styles of identity exploration and two distinct features of self-esteem: level of self-esteem and contingent self-esteem. Participants were 167 college students (mean age = 19 years; 66% female) who completed questionnaires tapping into identity styles and features of self-esteem at two measurement waves separated by a 4-month interval. Both information-oriented and normative styles were found to be predicted by contingent self-esteem. Follow-up analyses demonstrated that the content of contingent self-esteem predicting both identity styles was different. A diffuse-avoidant identity style was predicted mainly by low levels of self-esteem. Although we also observed some effects of identity styles on the self-esteem variables, the self-esteem variables had overall a more consistent influence on the identity styles than the other way around.
Abating contingency
Authors: Kim Sungmoon
Published: August 2015

This article investigates the liberal political implications of Michael Oakeshott’s political theory of civility and civil association by focusing on his judicious attempts to abate contingency. It argues that Oakeshott’s political theory can be best understood as ‘political pluralism’, aimed at the maximalist accommodation of abundant and fluctuating human pluralities, individual and associational. By reinterpreting Oakeshott as a defender of civil society, composed of numerous purposive associations, against state-imposed monism, it argues that in Oakeshott’s theory civil association is devised to protect associational freedom, thereby keeping civil society as free as possible. It then discusses the distinctiveness of Oakeshott’s characteristically ‘liberal’ political theory by critically engaging it with two dominant strands of liberalism, namely, liberal pluralism and political liberalism.
Can emerging regional innovation strategies in less developed European regions bridge the main gaps in the innovation process?
Authors: Blažek Jiří , Csank Pavel
Published: August 2015

This article considers key barriers to the process of innovation, as identified in a survey of firms and research institutions in the Czech region of South Moravia, which has been trying for more than a decade to spur innovation via successive regional innovation strategies. The article makes particular reference to the nature of newly emerging regional innovation systems in postcommunist countries and contributes to debates concerning the significance of localized processes of knowledge creation and dissemination for the competitiveness of a region. The article is based upon 188 in-depth interviews with representatives of firms and 90 interviews with leaders of prominent research teams in the region. The in-depth interviews allowed the identification of a wide array of barriers to the innovation process, which proved to be systematically related to the level of a firm’s entrepreneurial ambition. The level of ambition of firm’s strategy also translates into differing extent, to which analytical knowledge is being employed. The analysis identifies factors that are not yet adequately reflected in national or regional innovation policies and strategies, and several associated policy recommendations are set out in the concluding section of the paper.
The politics of evidence-based policy: A comparative analysis of climate adaptation in Australia and the UK
Authors: Tangney Peter , Howes Michael
Published: August 2015

This paper presents a comparative analysis of the use of climate science for adaptation policy in Queensland, Australia and the UK. We examine policy players’ perceptions of climate science alongside prevailing political influences on evidence-based policy making. In Queensland, the evidence-based mandate has been weakened by partisan politics so that the political acceptability of evidence is a foremost concern for policy makers. In the UK, the evidence-based mandate is enshrined in the Climate Change Act (2008), yet here too political forces have sought to limit the acceptable use of climate science for policy making. Both cases reveal normative and political tensions in the interpretation and use of climate science, suggesting that important political challenges must be overcome by the scientific community to ensure the ongoing utility of climate science for policy making.
Group therapy task training versus individual task training during inpatient stroke rehabilitation: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Renner Caroline IE , Outermans Jacqueline , Ludwig Ricarda , Brendel Christiane , Kwakkel Gert , Hummelsheim Horst
Published: August 2015

Objective:

To compare the efficacy of intensive daily applied progressive group therapy task training with equally dosed individual progressive task training on self-reported mobility for patients with moderate to severe stroke during inpatient rehabilitation.

Design:

Randomized controlled clinical trial.

Setting:

In-patient rehabilitation center.

Subjects:

A total of 73 subacute patients with stroke who were not able to walk without physical assistance at randomisation.

Interventions:

Patients were allocated to group therapy task training (GT) or individual task training (IT). Both interventions were intended to improve walking competency and comprised 30 sessions of 90 minutes over six weeks.

Main measures:

Primary outcome was the mobility domain of the Stroke Impact Scale (SIS-3.0). Secondary outcomes were the other domains of SIS-3.0, standing balance, gait speed, walking distance, stair climbing, fatigue, anxiety and depression.

Results:

No adverse events were reported in either arm of the trial. There were no significant differences between groups for the SIS mobility domain at the end of the intervention (Z= −0.26, P = 0.79). No significant differences between groups were found in gait speed improvements (GT:0.38 ±0.23; IT:0.26±0.35), any other gait related parameters, or in non-physical outcomes such as depression and fatigue.

Conclusion:

Inpatient group therapy task training for patients with moderate to severe stroke is safe and equally effective as a dose-matched individual task training therapy. Group therapy task training may be delivered as an alternative to individual therapy or as valuable adjunct to increase time spent in gait-related activities.
The effect of Kinesio taping application for acute non-specific low back pain: a randomized controlled clinical trial
Authors: Kelle Bayram , Güzel Rengin , Sakallı Hakan
Published: August 2015

Objective:

To investigate the effect of Kinesio taping application in acute non-specific low back pain.

Design:

A randomized controlled clinical trial.

Setting:

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic.

Participants:

A total of 109 patients with acute low back pain were randomized into either Kinesio taping ( n = 54) or control ( n = 55) groups.

Intervention:

The intervention group was treated with information and reassurance plus Kinesio taping, while the control group received merely information and reassurance. All participants were allowed to use as-needed doses of paracetamol. Kinesio tape was applied to the most painful area of the low back for a total of 12 days.

Main outcome measures:

Worst pain and disability were assessed at baseline, after the 12-day intervention, and at four weeks follow-up. During the first 12 days, participants filled in a pain diary consisting of a numeric rating scale and recorded the number of paracetamol tablets consumed daily. Disability was assessed with the Oswestry Disability Index.

Results:

After 12 days of intervention, pain intensity and the Oswestry Disability Index improved significantly in both groups; the improvements were significantly superior in the Kinesio taping group ( p = 0.003, p = 0.011). The Kinesio taping group reached pain control earlier (sixth day vs. 12th day) and consumed less paracetamol. At the fourth week, although pain intensity was significantly more reduced in the Kinesio taping group ( p = 0.015), there were no differences with regard to disability.

Conclusions:

Kinesio taping provided significant improvements in pain and disability; thus, it can be used as a complementary method in acute non-specific low back pain.
Health Condition Impacts in a Nationally Representative Cross-Sectional Survey Vary Substantially by Preference-Based Health Index
Authors: Hanmer Janel , Cherepanov Dasha , Palta Mari , Kaplan Robert M. , Feeny David , Fryback Dennis G.
Published: August 2015

Importance: Many cost-utility analyses rely on generic utility measures for estimates of disease impact. Commonly used generic preference-based indexes may generate different absolute estimates of disease burden despite sharing anchors of dead at 0 and full health at 1.0. Objective: We compare the impact of 16 prevalent chronic health conditions using 6 utility-based indexes of health and a visual analog scale. Design: Data were from the National Health Measurement Study (NHMS), a cross-sectional telephone survey of 3844 adults aged 35 to 89 years in the United States. Main Outcome Measures: The NHMS included the EuroQol-5D-3L, Health and Activities Limitation Index (HALex), Health Utilities Index Mark 2 (HUI2) and Mark 3 (HUI3), preference-based scoring for the SF-36v2 (SF-6D), Quality of Well-Being Scale, and visual analog scale. Respondents self-reported 16 chronic conditions. Survey-weighted regression analyses for each index with all health conditions, age, and sex were used to estimate health condition impact estimates in terms of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) lost over 10 years. All analyses were stratified by ages 35 to 69 and 70 to 89 years. Results: There were significant differences between the indexes for estimates of the absolute impact of most conditions. On average, condition impacts were the smallest with the SF-6D and EQ-5D-3L and the largest with the HALex and HUI3. Likewise, the estimated loss of QALYs varied across indexes. Condition impact estimates for EQ-5D-3L, HUI2, HUI3, and SF-6D generally had strong Spearman correlations across conditions (i.e., >0.69). Limitations: This analysis uses cross-sectional data and lacks health condition severity information. Conclusions: Health condition impact estimates vary substantially across the indexes. These results imply that it is difficult to standardize results across cost-utility analyses that use different utility measures.
Implementation of Patient Decision Support Interventions in Primary Care
Authors: Tietbohl Caroline K. , Rendle Katharine A. S. , Halley Meghan C. , May Suepattra G. , Lin Grace A. , Frosch Dominick L.
Published: August 2015

Background. The benefits of patient decision support interventions (DESIs) have been well documented. However, DESIs remain difficult to incorporate into clinical practice. Relational coordination (RC) has been shown to improve performance and quality of care in health care settings. This study aims to demonstrate how applying RC theory to DESI implementation could elucidate underlying issues limiting widespread uptake. Methods. Five primary care clinics in Northern California participated in a DESI implementation project. We used a deductive thematic approach guided by behaviors outlined in RC theory to analyze qualitative data collected from ethnographic field notes documenting the implementation process and focus groups with health care professionals. We then systematically compared the qualitative findings with quantitative DESI distribution data. Results. Based on DESI distribution rates, clinics were placed into 3 performance categories: high, middle, and low. Qualitative data illustrated how each clinic’s performance related to RC behaviors. Consistent with RC theory, the high-performing clinic exhibited frequent, timely, and accurate communication and positive working relationships. The 3 middle-performing clinics exhibited high-quality communication within physician-staff teams but limited communication regarding DESI implementation across the clinic. The lowest-performing clinic was characterized by contentious relationships and inadequate communication. Limitations. Limitations of the study include nonrandom selection of clinics and limited geographic diversity. In addition, ethnographic data collected documented only DESI implementation practices and not larger staff interactions contributing to RC. Conclusions. These findings suggest that a high level of RC within clinical settings may be a key component and facilitator of successful DESI implementation. Future attempts to integrate DESIs into clinical practice should consider incorporating interventions designed to increase positive RC behaviors as a potential means to improve uptake.
Cognitive and Imagery Attributes of Parasocial Relationships
Authors: Madison T. Phillip , Porter Lance V.
Published: August 2015

In today’s rapidly changing “TV everywhere” environment of ubiquitous and always-connected screens, and instant social media interaction around and with complex and compelling television storylines and characters, perhaps it is time to take another look at media effects from a more social perspective. In this study, we provide that social perspective by examining imagined interactions, parasocial interactions (PSIs), and parasocial relationships (PSRs) as manifestations of intrapersonal communication. In the past decade, parasocial phenomena have become a hot topic in entertainment studies; yet, few researchers have worked to establish a strong theoretical foundation for this phenomenon. This study provides significant contributions to the literature by exploring and describing the attributes of imaginative processes revolving around parasocial contact with mediated personae. Specifically, we borrow from imagined interaction theory and identify the most salient relationships among attributes of the PSRs and PSIs with television personae that take place in our imaginations. We also isolate the attributes of PSRs with the greatest power to predict the frequency with which one imagines interacting with a television persona: retroactivity and variety.
Susceptibility-weighted magnetic resonance imaging for the evaluation of deep infiltrating endometriosis: preliminary results
Authors: Cimsit Canan , Yoldemir Tevfik , Guclu Mehmet , Akpinar Ihsan Nuri
Published: August 2015

Background

Knowledge of the precise sites of deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) lesions is essential for preoperative workup and treatment. Susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) has high sensitivity for blood products and have recently been applied in abdominal imaging.

Purpose

To determine the value of SWI in the diagnosis of DIE.

Material and Methods

Forty-three clinically suspected DIE patients with sonographically diagnosed ovarian endometriomas who had tenderness or palpable nodule(s) on rectovaginal examination were referred to pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) including SWI. Two patients were excluded from the study because of low quality of SWI series. Twenty-eight patients who were offered laparoscopic endometriosis surgery (LES) preferred medical treatment over surgical approach. Thirteen out of 41 participants had LES. Lesions were evaluated for their locations, signal intensities on T1-weighted (T1W) and T2-weighted (T2W) images, and presence of signal voids on SWI using 3T MRI and correlated with LES findings.

Results

A total of 18 endometriosis foci were laparoscopically removed from 13 patients. DIE lesions removed at laparoscopy were located at the uterosacral ligament (9/18), rectovaginal region (4/18), retrocervical region (2/18), and fallopian tubes (3/18). Eleven out of 18 (61%) DIE foci were detected by their high-signal intensities on T1W images whereas 16 out of 18 (89%) DIE foci were detected by signal voids on SWI.

Conclusion

SWI imaging with its high sensitivity to blood products, contributes to the diagnosis of DIE by depicting different phases of hemorrhage not seen by conventional MRI sequences.
Variation in Photos of the Same Face Drives Improvements in Identity Verification
Authors: Menon Nadia , White David , Kemp Richard I.
Published: August 2015

People are poor at matching the identity of unfamiliar faces, but very good at identifying familiar faces. Theoretical accounts suggest that representations derived from exposure to variation are instrumental in driving this familiarity based improvement. In support of this, recent work shows that providing multiple photographs of an unfamiliar face improves identity verification accuracy. Here, we test whether the extent of variation is critical to this improvement, by manipulating the degree of within-identity variation that participants are exposed to in a sequential matching test. Participants were more accurate and adopted more liberal response criteria, when matching high-variability pairs to probe images, compared with either low-variability pairs or single images. Importantly, benefits of variation are not explained by independent contributions of single images, suggesting that people extrapolate information across images to produce gains in identification accuracy. These results suggest that photo-ID can be improved by incorporating broader ranges of variation in facial appearance.
Early Cultural Orientations and Ancient International Thought
Authors: Zhang Yongjin
Published: August 2015

A short commentary on Martin Wight’s ‘The Disunity of Mankind’, a short and unfinished piece in which Wight focuses almost exclusively on the Western tradition of thought, from Plato and Aristotle, to the Stoics and to Augustine.
Harmful Workplace Experiences and Women’s Occupational Well-Being
Authors: Sojo Victor E. , Wood Robert E. , Genat Anna E.
Published: August 2015

We report a meta-analytic review of studies examining the relations among harmful workplace experiences and women’s occupational well-being. Based on previous research, a classification of harmful workplace experiences affecting women is proposed and then used in the analysis of 88 studies with 93 independent samples, containing 73,877 working women. We compare the associations of different harmful workplace experiences and job stressors with women’s work attitudes and health. Random-effects meta-analysis and path analysis showed that more intense yet less frequent harmful experiences (e.g., sexual coercion and unwanted sexual attention) and less intense but more frequent harmful experiences (e.g., sexist organizational climate and gender harassment) had similar negative effects on women’s well-being. Harmful workplace experiences were independent from and as negative as job stressors in their impact on women’s occupational well-being. The power imbalance between the target and the perpetrator appeared as a potential factor to explain the type and impact of harmful workplace experiences affecting women’s occupational well-being. In the discussion, we identify several gaps in the literature, suggest directions for future research, and suggest organizational policy changes and interventions that could be effective at reducing the incidence of harmful workplace experiences. Additional online materials for this article are available to PWQ subscribers on PWQ's website at http://pwq.sagepub.com/supplemental .
Constructing Families
Authors: Malay Jessica L.
Published: August 2015

Wills and other evidence related to the married Mary Hampson and her sister-in-law the never married Katherine Hampson place each within associative networks and detail their financial and emotional situations throughout their lives. Mary Hampson’s printed autobiography and legal documents detailing years of marital abuse reveal the loss of her small fortune and her financial destitution that contributed to her inability to maintain her familial and class associations. In contrast, her sister-in-law the never married Katherine Hampson died possessed of wealth that increased dramatically under her financial management. Katherine Hampson’s detailed will illustrates a complex associative network that reveals her familial connectedness and emotional well-being throughout her life. The cases of these two women challenge normative conceptions of the relationship between marital status and financial, social, and emotional stability in early modern England.
Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato
Authors: Jenkins Mica , Byker Shanks Carmen , Houghtaling Bailey
Published: August 2015

Background:

Chronic vitamin A deficiency affects both women and children in Mozambique and populations worldwide and cannot be addressed through supplementation alone. Food-based approaches encouraging the consumption of vitamin A-rich foods, such as the orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP), have the potential to positively affect vitamin A status. A range of OFSP varieties have been introduced in sub-Saharan Africa in rural and urban environments and emergency and nonemergency contexts.

Objective:

To highlight the successes to date and remaining challenges of the introduction of OFSP to increase vitamin A consumption in Mozambique, collating a time line of key events.

Methods:

A systematic review of literature using The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses.

Results:

The systematic search resulted in 20 studies that met inclusion criteria. Data extracted include author and year, study location and duration, project partners, project title, sample size and characteristics, objectives, methods and measures, and outcomes.

Conclusions:

Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes are widely accepted by Mozambican farmers and consumers, and various studies show a positive impact on vitamin A status due to the introduction of this nutritionally superior staple crop. Remaining challenges include vine preservation, pest and disease management, market development, and storage and processing.
Inflammation and Vitamin A
Authors: Thurnham David I.
Published: August 2015

Background:

Serum retinol concentrations are homeostatically controlled and only fall when liver stores of vitamin A are very low. Nevertheless, low concentrations of serum retinol occur in apparently healthy people where there is no evidence of vitamin A deficiency (VAD).

Objective:

To determine the reason for low serum vitamin A concentrations where there is no VAD.

Methods:

We observed that elevated acute-phase protein (APP) concentrations often accompanied low retinol concentrations, and we developed a model of the inflammatory response to categorize 4 groups of participants termed reference (no raised APP), incubation (raised acute APP only), early convalescence (both acute and chronic APP raised), and late convalescence (raised chronic APP only). We identified 7 studies with participants who could be allocated to the 4 groups, and using meta-analysis methods we calculated correction (ie, multiplication) factors 1.13, 1.24, and 1.11 to remove the influence of inflammation from the incubation, early, and late convalescent groups, respectively.

Conclusion:

In nutrition surveys or intervention studies to measure vitamin A status, workers should measure APP and correct retinol concentrations using the multiplication factors where inflammation is found.
Middle-Aged and Older Adult Health Care Selection
Authors: Sanders Scott R. , Erickson Lance D. , Call Vaughn R. A. , McKnight Matthew L.
Published: August 2015

This study assesses the prevalence of primary-care physician (PCP) bypass among rural middle-aged and older adults. Bypass is a behavior where people travel beyond local providers to obtain health care. This article applies a precise Geographic Information System (GIS)-based measure of bypass and examines the role of community and non-health-care-related characteristics on bypass. Our results indicate that bypass behavior among rural middle-aged and older adults is multifaceted. In addition to the perceived quality of local primary care, dissatisfaction with local services, such as shopping, creates an effect that increases the likelihood of bypass, whereas strong community ties decrease the likelihood of bypass. The results suggest that the “outshopping theory,” where respondents select services in larger regional economic centers rather than local “mom and pop” providers, now extends to older adult health care selection.