bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anthracycline-Associated T1 Mapping Characteristics Are Elevated Independent of the Presence of Cardiovascular Comorbidities in Cancer Survivors
Authors: Jordan Jennifer H. , Vasu Sujethra , Morgan Timothy M. , D’Agostino Ralph B. , Meléndez Giselle C. , Hamilton Craig A. , Arai Andrew E. , Liu Songtao , Liu Chia-Ying , Lima João A.C. , Bluemke David A. , Burke Gregory L. , Hundley W. Gregory
Published: August 2016

Background—

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance T1 mapping characteristics are elevated in adult cancer survivors; however, it remains unknown whether these elevations are related to age or presence of coincident cardiovascular comorbidities.

Methods and Results—

We performed blinded cardiovascular magnetic resonance analyses of left ventricular T1 and extracellular volume (ECV) fraction in 327 individuals (65% women, aged 64±12 years). Thirty-seven individuals had breast cancer or a hematologic malignancy but had not yet initiated their treatment, and 54 cancer survivors who received either anthracycline-based (n=37) or nonanthracycline-based (n=17) chemotherapy 2.8±1.3 years earlier were compared with 236 cancer-free participants. Multivariable analyses were performed to determine the association between T1/ECV measures and variables associated with myocardial fibrosis. Age-adjusted native T1 was elevated pre- (1058±7 ms) and post- (1040±7 ms) receipt of anthracycline chemotherapy versus comparators (965±3 ms;
P
<0.0001 for both). Age-adjusted ECV, a marker of myocardial fibrosis, was elevated in anthracycline-treated cancer participants (30.4±0.7%) compared with either pretreatment cancer (27.8±0.7%;
P
<0.01) or cancer-free comparators (26.9±0.2%;
P
<0.0001). T1 and ECV of nonanthracycline survivors were no different than pretreatment survivors (
P
=0.17 and
P
=0.16, respectively). Native T1 and ECV remained elevated in cancer survivors after accounting for demographics (including age), myocardial fibrosis risk factors, and left ventricular ejection fraction or myocardial mass index (
P
<0.0001 for all).

Conclusions—

Three years after anthracycline-based chemotherapy, elevations in myocardial T1 and ECV occur independent of underlying cancer or cardiovascular comorbidities, suggesting that imaging biomarkers of interstitial fibrosis in cancer survivors are related to prior receipt of a potentially cardiotoxic cancer treatment regimen.
Effect of Sampling Frequency for Real-Time Tablet Coating Monitoring Using Near Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Igne Benoît , Arai Hiroaki , Drennen James K. , Anderson Carl A.
Published: August 2016

While the sampling of pharmaceutical products typically follows well-defined protocols, the parameterization of spectroscopic methods and their associated sampling frequency is not standard. Whereas, for blending, the sampling frequency is limited by the nature of the process, in other processes, such as tablet film coating, practitioners must determine the best approach to collecting spectral data. The present article studied how sampling practices affected the interpretation of the results provided by a near-infrared spectroscopy method for the monitoring of tablet moisture and coating weight gain during a pan-coating experiment. Several coating runs were monitored with different sampling frequencies (with or without co-adds (also known as sub-samples)) and with spectral averaging corresponding to processing cycles (1 to 15 pan rotations). Beyond integrating the sensor into the equipment, the present work demonstrated that it is necessary to have a good sense of the underlying phenomena that have the potential to affect the quality of the signal. The effects of co-adds and averaging was significant with respect to the quality of the spectral data. However, the type of output obtained from a sampling method dictated the type of information that one can gain on the dynamics of a process. Thus, different sampling frequencies may be needed at different stages of process development.
A Convict’s Perspective on Hans Toch’s Essay, “Providing Sanctuary in New York State Prisons”
Authors: Baker Tyrone Lamont , Lamphere Renee D.
Published: August 2016

The author responds to Hans Toch’s, “Providing Sanctuary in New York State Prisons,” recommending that “incarcerated thinkers,” already the “informal” counselors and therapists in prisons, receive formal training and be incorporated into treatment teams for mentally disturbed and other disadvantaged inmates.
The Taxonic Latent Structure and Taxometrics in Forensic Mental Health
Authors: Maraun Michael D. , Hart Stephen D.
Published: August 2016

Recently, researchers in the field of forensic mental health have attempted to address the technical, empirical question of whether important clinical problems, such as psychopathy or malingering, constitute taxa (i.e., discrete conditions). In this paper, we provide a detailed elucidation of the foundational logic of the quantitative methods employed to answer this question, focusing on the taxometric procedures developed by Paul Meehl and colleagues. We attempt to demonstrate that research on taxonicity is hampered by (a) researchers’ unfamiliarity with or misunderstanding of the logic underlying latent variable technologies and (b) the fundamental incapacity of Meehlian procedures to provide a test of taxonicity. We conclude by discussing the utility of taxometric procedures to research in forensic mental health and, more broadly, in the field of applied psychological measurement.
Effect of liquid ammonia treatment on the pore structure of mercerized cotton and its uptake of reactive dyes
Authors: Sun Zhongliang , Zhou Xiang , Xing Zhiqi
Published: August 2016

Structural changes in mercerized cotton by liquid ammonia (LA) treatment were investigated and correlated with changes in dyeability of cotton fabrics with reactive dyes. The pore structures of mercerized cotton and mercerized-liquid ammonia (M-LA) treated cotton were characterized by inverse size exclusion chromatography (ISEC). Results showed that when the mercerized cotton was subjected to LA treatment, cumulative accessible volume of smaller pores (e.g., 25.2 Å) increased, whereas that of the larger pores (e.g., 56.7 Å) decreased. These results might be related to the changes in the amorphous region of cotton fiber. The decrease in crystallinity of cotton fiber would increase accessible volume of smaller pores. The larger pores might be compressed by extrusion during swelling of microfibrils or elementary fibrils in water. The change in dyeability of fabrics with reactive dyes of various molecular weights could be rationalized using the observed changes in pore structure. Results also showed that ISEC was more suitable than the method employing Chrastil's diffusion equation for analyzing the pore structure of cotton fiber.
New directions in redaction criticism and women
Authors: Seabourne Che R.
Published: August 2016

Fiorenza’s In Memory of Her is a leading text in feminist theology, utilizing redaction criticism throughout to elucidate key principles regarding early Christian texts and the roles of women. The basis of ‘redaction criticism’ is the treatment of a biblical author as an ‘editor’ of their source material, such that by careful analysis of this editing process we can garner new insights into that author and their context. This brief article analyses three specific New Testament examples to better understand women in the early church: Jesus’s anointing at Bethany as described in the Gospels of Mark, John, and Luke; Priscilla and Aquila in Luke–Acts as compared to the Pauline Epistles; and the responsibilities of widows as discussed by Paul and a different proposed author, ‘pseudo-Paul’.
Linking the Process and Outcomes of Parent Involvement Policy to the Parent Involvement Gap
Authors: Marschall Melissa J. , Shah Paru R.
Published: August 2016

This study compares what schools are doing to engage parents and analyzes the efficacy of these initiatives across predominantly Black, Latino, and White schools. Using the National Center for Education Statistics’s (NCES) Schools and Staffing Surveys (SASS, 1999-2004), we specify a model that accounts both for factors associated with school policies and practices to engage parents in school- and home-based activities and the extent to which these policies affect parent involvement. Findings indicate that predominantly Black and Latino schools achieve significant gains in parent involvement as the number of policies in place to support and encourage participation increases, but that not all programs achieve the same results within or across racial contexts. Furthermore, we find leadership by minority principals, teacher attributes, responsibilities and training, as well as greater shares of Title 1 funding are positively and significantly related to school- and home-based policies across all three racial contexts.
Preserved Gut Microbial Diversity Accompanies Upregulation of TGR5 and Hepatobiliary Transporters in Bile Acid–Treated Animals Receiving Parenteral Nutrition
Authors: Jain Ajay Kumar , Sharma Abhineet , Arora Sumit , Blomenkamp Keith , Jun Ik Chan , Luong Robert , Westrich David John , Mittal Aayush , Buchanan Paula M. , Guzman Miguel A. , Long John , Neuschwander‐Tetri Brent A. , Teckman Jeffery
Published: August 2016

Background:Parenteral nutrition (PN) is a lifesaving therapy but is associated with gut atrophy and cholestasis. While bile acids (BAs) can modulate intestinal growth via gut receptors, the gut microbiome likely influences gut proliferation and inflammation. BAs also regulate the bile salt export pump (BSEP) involved in cholestasis. We hypothesized that the BA receptor agonist oleanolic acid (OA) regulates gut TGR5 receptor and modulates gut microbiota to prevent PN‐associated injury.Materials and Methods:Neonatal piglets were randomized to approximately 2 weeks of isocaloric enteral nutrition (EN), PN, or PN + enteral OA. Serum alanine aminotransferase, bilirubin, BAs, hepatic BSEP, gut TGR5, gut, liver morphology, and fecal microbiome utilizing 16S rRNA sequencing were evaluated. Kruskal‐Wallis test, pairwise Mann‐WhitneyUtest, and multilevel logistic regression analysis were performed.Results:PN support resulted in gut atrophy substantially prevented by OA. The median (interquartile range) for villous/crypt ratio was as follows: EN, 3.37 (2.82–3.80); PN, 1.73 (1.54–2.27); and OA, 2.89 (2.17–3.34;P= .006). Pairwise comparisons yieldedP= .002 (EN vs PN),P= .180 (EN vs OA),P= .026 (PN vs OA). OA upregulated TGR5 and BSEP without significant improvement in serum bilirubin (P= .095). A decreased microbial diversity and shift toward proinflammatory phylum Bacteroidetes were seen with PN, which was prevented by OA.Conclusions:OA prevented PN‐associated gut mucosal injury, Bacterioides expansion, and the decreased microbial diversity noted with PN. This study demonstrates a novel relationship among PN‐associated gut dysfunction, BA treatment, and gut microbial changes.
Glucagon‐Like Peptide 2 Stimulates Postresection Intestinal Adaptation in Preterm Pigs by Affecting Proteins Related to Protein, Carbohydrate, and Sulphur Metabolism
Authors: Jiang Pingping , Vegge Andreas , Thymann Thomas , Wan Jennifer Man‐Fan , Sangild Per Torp
Published: August 2016

Background: Exogenous glucagon‐like peptide 2 (GLP‐2) stimulates intestinal adaptation after resection in animal models of pediatric short bowel syndrome (SBS). It is unknown whether the molecular mechanisms of such GLP‐2 effects are similar to those of postresection spontaneous adaptation. Using preterm pigs as a model, we hypothesized that GLP‐2 treatment would change the intestinal proteome within the first week after resection, relative to individuals not resected or resected without GLP‐2 treatment. Materials and Methods: Two‐day‐old preterm pigs were subjected to resection of 50% distal small intestine and fed total parenteral nutrition without (SBS) or with GLP‐2 infusion (3.5 µg/kg/h, SBS+GLP‐2) for 5 days. The proteome of the remnant proximal intestine was compared among the SBS, SBS+GLP‐2, and unresected pigs, through gel‐based proteomics. Results: Thirty‐two proteins with differential expression were identified. Ten of these proteins were affected by the resection alone (ie, SBS vs unresected pigs). Five of these resection‐responsive proteins and another 22 proteins were affected by GLP‐2 infusion (ie, SBS+GLP‐2 vs SBS or unresected pigs). Resection alone mainly affected cellular structural proteins, while the added GLP‐2 treatment affected proteins involved in protein processing and the metabolism of protein, carbohydrate, and sulphur. Conclusion: In the first days following resection, proteins affected by resection plus GLP‐2 treatment differed markedly from those affected by the spontaneous intestinal adaptation following resection alone. Whether more long‐term GLP‐2 treatment may affect the intestinal proteome following intestinal resection remains unknown.
Magnetic Resonance–Guided Nasogastric Feeding Tube Placement for Neonates: A Preclinical Study
Authors: Daniels Barret , Ireland Christopher , Kraus Steven , Racadio John , Hilvert Nicole , Dunn Richard , Dumoulin Charles
Published: August 2016

Background: Establishing postnatal nutrition delivery is challenging in neonates with immature sucking and swallowing ability. Enteral feeding is the gold standard for such patients, but their small size and fragility present challenges in nasogastric (NG) feeding tube placement. Feeding tubes are typically placed with x‐ray guidance, which provides minimal soft tissue contrast and exposes the baby to ionizing radiation. This research investigates magnetic resonance (MR) guidance of NG feeding tube placement in neonates to provide improved soft tissue visualization without ionizing radiation. Materials and Methods: A novel feeding tube incorporating 3 solenoid coils for real‐time tracking and guidance in the MR environment was developed. The feeding tube was placed 5 times in a rabbit with conventional x‐ray guidance to assess mechanical stability and function. After x‐ray procedures, the rabbit was transferred to a neonatal MR system, and the tube was placed 5 more times. Results: In procedures guided by x‐ray and MR, the feeding tube provided sufficient mechanical strength and functionality to access the esophagus and stomach of the rabbit. MR imaging provided significantly improved soft tissue contrast versus x‐ray, which aided in proper tube guidance. Moreover, MR guidance allowed for real‐time placement of the tube without the use of ionizing radiation. Conclusions: The feasibility and benefits offered by an MR‐guided approach to NG feeding tube placement were demonstrated. The ability to acquire high‐quality MR images of soft tissue without ionizing radiation and a contrast agent, coupled with accurate 3‐dimensional device tracking, promises to have a powerful impact on future neonatal feeding tube placements.
Preparing Special Educators for the K–12 Online Learning Environment
Authors: Smith Sean J. , Basham James , Rice Mary F. , Carter Richard A.
Published: August 2016

Pioneering research studies in teacher preparation in online settings have taken place, yet little to no work has been done specifically focused on teacher preparation for special education and learners with disabilities. In the present study, researchers from the Center on Online Learning and Students with Disabilities conducted a web-based survey of special education teacher preparation faculty to determine the level to which they were attending to online education preparation. The survey was developed with a specific alignment to the International Association for K–12 Online Learning (iNACOL) online teacher standards. The results of this survey pinpoint several areas of need in the preparation of teachers who are will be working in online education and attending to students with disabilities in these settings.
Health risks from environmental degradation in the Niger Delta, Nigeria
Authors: Adekola Josephine , Fischbacher-Smith Moira , Fischbacher-Smith Denis , Adekola Olalekan
Published: August 2016

Local communities within oil producing countries in Africa often face formidable environmental challenges that generate conflicts and concerns around exploitation, environmental impact, and health risks. A key feature of these concerns has been the paucity of effective risk communication mechanisms and the impact this has on the public understanding of risk. Risk communication has been identified as a significant factor in explaining why the health consequences of environmental degradation remain unabated in oil producing communities. This paper evaluates health risk communication in the oil rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The study is based on 69 interviews conducted in the Niger Delta region. The paper argues that the health of the local population is being impaired by risk incidences relating to oil and gas exploration activities, the effects of which are amplified by inadequate communication of health risks to the public. The study argues for and suggests ways in which health risk communication processes can be improved in the Niger Delta. A multi-dimensional framework for public health risk communication is developed as a means of advancing understanding, practice, and policy.
‘It gives them a place to be proud’ – Music and social inclusion. Two diverse cases of young First Nations people diagnosed with autism in British Columbia, Canada
Authors: Lindblom Anne
Published: August 2016

Growing up and becoming an active participant in society can be challenging for young people. Factors such as ethnicity, disability and gender can, separately, pose difficulties. When combined, they can develop into insurmountable obstacles. The use of music interventions and activities to overcome some of these obstacles is explored in this article, using two cases of young First Nations people diagnosed with autism, in British Columbia, Canada. Although there are similarities, the differences in severity of ASD, place of residence and school situation, to mention a few factors, make a huge difference in their daily lives. Their contrasting possibilities to be present and participate in society may have implications for their social inclusion in adulthood. Results show that both traditional and contemporary music interventions can provide foundations for inclusion and they need to be carefully designed for each individual.
The Combined Use of Losartan and Muscle-Derived Stem Cells Significantly Improves the Functional Recovery of Muscle in a Young Mouse Model of Contusion Injuries
Authors: Kobayashi Makoto , Ota Shusuke , Terada Satoshi , Kawakami Yohei , Otsuka Takanobu , Fu Freddie H. , Huard Johnny
Published: August 2016

Background:

Although muscle injuries tend to heal uneventfully in most cases, incomplete functional recovery commonly occurs as a result of scar tissue formation at the site of injury, even after treatment with muscle-derived stem cells (MDSCs).

Hypothesis:

The transplantation of MDSCs in the presence of a transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) antagonist (losartan) would result in decreased scar tissue formation and enhance muscle regeneration after contusion injuries in a mouse model.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

An animal model of muscle contusion was developed using the tibialis anterior muscle in 48 healthy mice at 8 to 10 weeks of age. After sustaining muscle contusion injuries, the mice were divided into 4 groups: (1) saline injection group (control group; n = 15), (2) MDSC transplantation group (MDSC group; n = 15), (3) MDSC transplantation plus oral losartan group (MDSC/losartan group; n = 15), and (4) healthy uninjured group (healthy group; n = 3). Losartan was administrated systemically beginning 3 days after injury and continued until the designated endpoint (1, 2, or 4 weeks after injury). MDSCs were transplanted 4 days after injury. Muscle regeneration and fibrotic scar formation were evaluated by histology, and the expression of follistatin, MyoD, Smad7, and Smad2/3 were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis. Functional recovery was measured via electrical stimulation of the peroneal nerve.

Results:

When compared with MDSC transplantation alone, MDSC/losartan treatment resulted in significantly decreased scar formation, an increase in the number of regenerating myofibers, and improved functional recovery after muscle contusions. In support of these findings, the expression levels of Smad7 and MyoD were significantly increased in the group treated with both MDSCs and losartan.

Conclusion:

When compared with MDSCs alone, the simultaneous treatment of muscle contusions with MDSCs and losartan significantly reduced scar formation, increased the number of regenerating myofibers, and improved the functional recovery of muscle; these effects were caused, at least in part, by the losartan-mediated upregulation of Smad7 and MyoD. Increased levels of Smad7 and MyoD together reduced the deposition of scar tissue (via the inhibition of TGF-β1 by Smad7) and committed the transplanted MDSCs toward a myogenic lineage (via Smad7-regulated MyoD expression).

Clinical Relevance:

The study findings contribute to the development of biological treatments to accelerate and improve the quality of muscle healing after injury.
Lower Limb Length Discrepancy After High Tibial Osteotomy
Authors: Kim Joong Il , Kim Bo Hyun , Lee Ki Woung , Lee Osung , Han Hyuk Soo , Lee Sahnghoon , Lee Myung Chul
Published: August 2016

Background:

High tibial osteotomy (HTO) produces valgus limb alignment, and this change can affect lower limb length.

Purpose:

To compare the change in lower limb length and the discrepancy compared with the contralateral limb after unilateral lateral closing wedge HTO (CWHTO) and medial opening wedge HTO (OWHTO).

Study Design:

Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1.

Methods:

In this study, 30 knees undergoing unilateral CWHTO and 30 knees undergoing unilateral OWHTO for medial compartmental osteoarthritis were analyzed with 1-year follow-up. The tibial length, lower limb length, and lower limb length discrepancy were measured preoperatively and 1 year postoperatively. The patients’ subjective sensation of, and discomfort due to, the lower limb length discrepancy were recorded 1 year postoperatively. Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were conducted to identify predictors related to the change in lower limb length.

Results:

The mean lengths of the tibia and lower limb increased significantly after OWHTO (5.2 ± 3.7 and 7.6 ± 2.1 mm, respectively; P < .001). The mean tibial length decreased significantly after CWHTO (−6.0 ± 2.1 mm; P < .001); however, the mean lower limb length change was not significant (−0.8 ± 2.5 mm; P = .073). The mean lower limb length discrepancy increased significantly after OWHTO (−0.5 ± 0.7 to 7.2 ± 2.1 mm; P < .001) but not after CWHTO (−0.7 ± 0.6 to −1.0 ± 2.5 mm; P = .539). A significantly greater proportion of patients in the OWHTO group were aware of (70% vs 20%, respectively; P = .002), and uncomfortable because of (37% vs 7%, respectively; P = .010), the lower limb length discrepancy compared with those in the CWHTO group. The strongest predictor of a change in lower limb length was the wedge length in the OWHTO group and the preoperative hip-knee-ankle angle in the CWHTO group.

Conclusion:

The lower limb length change and discrepancy were significant after unilateral OWHTO, whereas they were negligible after unilateral CWHTO. CWHTO was more beneficial in cases of unilateral HTO to minimize the discrepancy of lower limb length rather than OWHTO, particularly in knees requiring a large correction.

Registration:

Clinical Trials Registry Platform (protocol number KCT00001684).
The Correlation Between Arterial Lactate and Venous Lactate in Patients With Sepsis and Septic Shock
Authors: Theerawit Pongdhep , Na Petvicharn Chalermpon , Tangsujaritvijit Viratch , Sutherasan Yuda
Published: August 2016

Background:

Applying peripheral venous lactate instead of arterial lactate in clinical practice is questionable because of deviation between both values. We aimed to find the relationship between the arterial lactate and the peripheral venous lactate before reasoned that the venous lactate could be used in substitution to the arterial lactate in sepsis.

Methods:

We conducted a prospective, cross-sectional study at a university hospital. The patients with sepsis in ICU who required lactate level monitoring were enrolled in this research. The correlation and agreement between arterial lactate (A-LACT) and peripheral venous lactate (V-LACT) were the primary outcomes.

Results:

A total of 63 paired samples were collected. The A-LACT and V-LACT were strongly correlated ( r = .934, P < .0001, r2 = .873). The regression equation was A-LACT = (0.934 × V-LACT) − 0.236. The mean difference between V-LACT and A-LACT was 0.66 ± 1.53 mmol/L. The 95% limits of agreement were between −3.66 and 2.33 mmol/L. The V-LACT ≥ 4 mmol/L can predict A-LACT level ≥ 4 mmol/L with 87.5% sensitivity and 91.5% specificity, and the area under receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.948.

Conclusion:

The present study demonstrated a strong correlation between A-LACT and V-LACT, but an agreement between both parameters was poor. We suggest not to use the V-LACT in substitution to the A-LACT in sepsis regarding the absolute value and clearance rate, but the V-LACT ≥ 4.5 mmol/L may be used for predicting the A-LACT ≥ 4 mmol/L.
Wireless Participant Incentives Using Reloadable Bank Cards to Increase Clinical Trial Retention With Abused Women Drinkers: A Natural Experiment
Authors: Rodgers Melissa , Meisel Zachary , Wiebe Douglas , Crits-Christoph Paul , Rhodes Karin V.
Published: August 2016

Retaining participants in longitudinal studies is a unique methodological challenge in many areas of investigation, and specifically for researchers aiming to identify effective interventions for women experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV). Individuals in abusive relationships are often transient and have logistical, confidentiality, and safety concerns that limit future contact. A natural experiment occurred during a large randomized clinical trial enrolling women in abusive relationships who were also heavy drinkers, which allowed for the comparison of two incentive methods to promote longitudinal retention: cash payment versus reloadable wireless bank cards. In all, 600 patients were enrolled in the overall trial, which aimed to incentivize participants using a reloadable bank card system to promote the completion of 11 weekly interactive voice response system (IVRS) phone surveys and 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up phone or in person interviews. The first 145 participants were paid with cash as a result of logistical delays in setting up the bank card system. At 12 weeks, participants receiving the bank card incentive completed significantly more IVRS phone surveys, odds ratio (OR) = 2.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) = [0.01, 1.69]. There were no significant differences between the two groups related to satisfaction or safety and/or privacy. The bank card system delivered lower administrative burden for tracking payments for study staff. Based on these and other results, our large medical research university is implementing reloadable bank card as the preferred method of participant incentive payments.
Association Between Monetary Deposits and Weight Loss in Online Commitment Contracts
Authors: Lesser Lenard I. , Thompson Caroline A. , Luft Harold S.
Published: August 2016

Purpose:

To examine the characteristics of voluntary online commitment contracts that may be associated with greater weight loss.

Design:

Retrospective analysis of weight loss commitment contracts derived from a company that provides web-based support for personal commitment contracts. Using regression, we analyzed whether percentage weight loss differed between participants who incentivized their contract using monetary deposits and those who did not.

Setting:

Online.

Participants:

Users (N = 3857) who voluntarily signed up online in 2013 for a weight loss contract.

Intervention:

Participants specified their own weight loss goal, time period, and self-reported weekly weight. Deposits were available in the following 3 categories: charity, anticharity (a nonprofit one does not like), or donations made to a friend.

Measures:

Percentage weight loss per week.

Analysis:

Multivariable linear regressions.

Results:

Controlling for several participant and contract characteristics, contracts with anticharity, charity, and friend deposits had greater reported weight loss than nonincentivized contracts. Weight change per week relative to those without deposits was −0.33%, −0.28%, and −0.25% for anti-charity, charity, and friend, respectively ( P < 0.001). Contracts without a weight verification method claimed more weight loss than those with verification.

Conclusion:

Voluntary use of commitment contracts may be an effective tool to assist weight loss. Those who choose to use monetary incentives report more weight loss. It is not clear whether this is due to the incentives or higher motivation.
The Economic Contribution of Alabama’s Automotive Industry to Its Regional Economy
Authors: Zhang Lei , Kinnucan Henry , Gao Jing
Published: August 2016

This study focuses on quantifying the economic impact of the automotive industry on Alabama’s economy using a static regional computable general equilibrium model. The findings suggest that the automotive industry has a disproportionate impact across Alabama in terms of a series of indicators including gross state product, employment, and household welfare. Benefits accrue primarily to counties in which the auto plants and their suppliers are located. The spillover effects into nonautomotive-plant counties are modest and about evenly distributed. Middle-income households are the largest gainers, and this is true across all counties, including the Black Belt, a region across the South where rural poverty is concentrated. Despite its rapid growth, the auto industry continues to constitute a small fraction of the state’s economy (less than 3% of gross state product). Thus, overdependence on a cyclical industry is as yet not an issue for policy makers.
Authoritarian Liberalism: From Schmitt via Ordoliberalism to the Euro
Authors: Bonefeld Werner
Published: August 2016

The contribution examines the market liberal veracity of Hayek’s view that a dictatorship may be more liberal in its policies than an unlimited democratic assembly. Hayek’s warning about the potentially illiberal character of democratic government is key to the German ordoliberal thinking that emerged in the context of the crisis of the Weimar Republic. The ordoliberal thinkers were keenly aware of Schmitt’s political theology and argued with him that the state is the predominant power in the relationship between market and state, conceiving of this relationship as free economy and strong state. They maintained that the establishment of social order is the precondition of free economy; law does not apply to disorder and does not create order. The liberal state is the ‘concentrated force’ of that order. The contribution argues that ordoliberalism is best characterized as an authoritarian liberalism and assesses its contemporary veracity in relation to the European Union.
‘Going to school to become good people’: Examining aspirations to respectability and goodness among schoolchildren in urban Ethiopia
Authors: Marshall Lydia
Published: August 2016

This article examines the factors leading children in Hawassa, Ethiopia, to want to go to school in order ‘to become good people’. Drawing on a critical realist understanding of human agency, it argues that children’s motivations for going to school rested both on their ‘ultimate’, moral concerns and ‘ideas of the good’ and on external generative mechanisms that led them to identify participation in formal education as the key to becoming a ‘good’ person.
Negotiating intergenerational relationships and social expectations in childhood in rural and urban Ethiopia
Authors: Kassa Sophia Chanyalew
Published: August 2016

Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork carried out in two socio-economically and geographically contrasting settings, this article reports on (a) how ideologies and valuations on childhood shape intergenerational relationships and (b) the ways in which expectations and responsibilities for children are negotiated between children and families in Ethiopia. Analysis of empirical data suggests that the intersection and implication of improved economic status and formal education are shifting values placed on children and are allowing new forms of child–parent interactions. Although children in urban and rural Ethiopia grow experiencing interdependent and dynamic relationships with parents (family), insights obtained reveal difference in what defines child–parent relationship and how it is negotiated. Affluent families aspire to maximize emotional satisfaction from what children achieve in school, whereas peasant families aim to ensure children contribute most to household well-being. This article argues that the act of being a child in urban affluent households reflects the socio-economic status of parents and the technical and material conditions in which children grow, whereas in rural peasant households, social, cultural and economic values vested on children inextricably shape how children should act. Insights obtained from the research reveal the fluid and complex practices of ‘generationing’ in Ethiopia and can help bridge the gap in understanding of how local familial and community ideologies and expectations of childhood are encountered by children and how children navigate expectations and intergenerational relationships.
My music, my voice: Musicality, culture and childhood in Vhavenda communities
Authors: Emberly Andrea , Davhula Lusani Antoinette
Published: August 2016

The notion of children’s “voices” is a construct used to frame the lack of power and agency that young people yield in their lives. However, representing children as “voiceless” overlooks how they employ tools, such as music, to voice their agency in dynamic, articulate, and meaningful ways. This collaborative article examines how children and young people in Vhavenda communities in South Africa utilize music to straddle their realities between tradition and change. Through this exploration, we will demonstrate how children and young people shape, embody, and challenge the lived and contemporary notions of what it means to be Vhavenda.
From the singular to the plural: Exploring diversities in contemporary childhoods in sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Twum-Danso Imoh Afua
Published: August 2016

The challenges that sub-Saharan Africa has faced in the post-colonial period have come to characterise the way the region is perceived. These narratives are especially evident in the various ways children’s lives are discussed, leading to a particular focus on childhoods in difficult circumstances or at the margins. This has eclipsed the mundanities of everyday life for many children whose lives are not characterised by ‘lacks’. This article seeks to move beyond an overwhelming focus on childhoods defined by what they lack by illustrating the multitude of childhoods which exist in the continent.
Beyond pluralizing African childhoods: Introduction
Authors: Abebe Tatek , Ofosu-Kusi Yaw
Published: August 2016

This Special Issue of Childhood moves beyond stereotypical images of African children to document the complex ways in which contemporary realities and processes of social transformations shape and are shaped by children’s everyday lives. In this editorial, we bring together perspectives that are drawn from 10 articles that report findings from six countries: Zambia, Rwanda, South Africa, Ethiopia, Uganda and Ghana. The insights generated reveal the importance of looking beyond the ‘deficit’ model of childhood to instead theorize how children, through their engagements in social, economic, cultural and political life, contribute to the reconfiguration of social and generational dynamics that unfolds in Africa.
Application of quantitative techniques in decision making by healthcare managers and administrators in Nigerian public tertiary health institutions
Authors: Esan Oluwaseun T , Akanbi Charles T , Esan Oluwadare , Fajobi Olusola , Ikenebomeh Primus I
Published: August 2016

Introduction

The study was aimed at comparing the applicability of quantitative techniques and its relevance in decision making by clinical and non-clinical healthcare managers and administrators.

Methods

A comparative cross-sectional study in design conducted at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife amongst 52 clinical and 50 non-clinically related healthcare managers and administrators. Data collection tool was a semi-structured self-administered questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics of SPSS version 20 with statistical significance determined at p < 0.05.

Results

A higher proportion of the non-clinical healthcare managers and administrators were familiar and had used more quantitative techniques than their clinical counterparts. Experience ranked highest as the current method employed by both groups for most decision needing scenarios presented. There was no statistically significant difference in their perceived effectiveness of the current methods guiding decision making. However, a statistically significant difference was found in the methods preferred by both study population only for ‘reducing waiting lines, p = 0.015’ and in ‘maximising the use of human resources, p = 0.017’.

Conclusions

Approach to decision making in the Nigerian health sector is still largely experiential and more of a personalised bargaining process. Acknowledgement of the relevance of quantitative techniques by clinical and non-clinically related health managers and administrators as found in this study is hoped to accelerate the adoption of these techniques. It is believed that its application will lead to improved health service delivery and health outcomes.
A framework for conceptualizing patient loyalty to healthcare organizations
Authors: Astuti Herni J , Nagase Keisuke
Published: August 2016

This paper develops a framework with which to conceptualize loyalty to healthcare organizations in terms of relationship marketing, patient satisfaction, provider switching, and retention programs. This conceptual framework can be viewed from the perspective of hospitals and clinics using structural equation modeling with a partial least squares approach (Smart PLS 2.0). Respondents received healthcare services, funded by the government and a university health insurance plan, from both types of organizations. The concept of loyalty differed slightly depended on whether data from the hospital and the clinic were analyzed together or separately. Indeed, hospitals and clinics differ with regard to several factors that can affect loyalty.
Street vendors and cities
Authors: Roever Sally , Skinner Caroline
Published: August 2016

This paper synthesizes recent research and evidence on urban policies and local government practices as they relate to street vending, one of the most visible occupations in the informal economy. It presents the latest available evidence on the size, composition and contribution of street vending, and reviews the rich literature on street vending as well as media coverage reflecting the extent of exclusionary policies and practices. While many analyses explore the reasons behind evictions and relocations through case studies, this paper draws on participatory methods and surveys to examine the more “everyday” challenges that street vendors face, even when licensed. The data demonstrate the livelihood impacts of generalized workplace insecurity, harassment and confiscation of merchandise on street vendors’ earnings, assets and time. We briefly explore the models of organizing and policy approaches in Ahmedabad, India and Lima, Peru, where collective action among vendors has resulted in more innovative policy approaches. We argue that legislative reform and greater transparency in the content and implementation of regulations are needed, combined with the political will to challenge the appropriation of strategic urban spaces by more powerful interests.
A sclerochronological archive for Antarctic coastal waters based on the marine bivalve Yoldia eightsi (Jay, 1839) from the South Orkney Islands
Authors: Román-González Alejandro , Scourse James D , Richardson Christopher A , Peck Lloyd S , Bentley Michael J , Butler Paul G
Published: August 2016

The scarcity of long instrumental series from the Southern Ocean limits our understanding of key climate and environmental feedbacks within the Antarctic system. We present an assessment for the Antarctic mollusc bivalve Yoldia eightsi as an Antarctic coastal climatological archive, based on annually-resolved growth pattern of 20 live-collected specimens in 1988 from Factory Cove, Signy Island (South Orkney Islands). Two detrending methods were applied to the growth increment series: negative exponential detrending and regional curve standardization (RCS) detrending. The RCS-chronology showed consistent synchronous growth in the population for a 20 year period (1968-1988; expressed population signal ⩾ 0.85), a negative correlation between the RCS-chronology and the fast-ice duration record (r= -0.41, N= 24, P⩽ 0.05) and winter duration (r= -0.52, N=24, P⩽ 0.01) and positive correlations with mean winter sea surface temperature (SST; r= 0.57, N= 24, P⩽ 0.01), mean summer SST (r= 0.46, N= 24, P⩽ 0.05) and mean annual SST (r= 0.48, N= 24, P⩽ 0.05). The chronology appears to record the environmental conditions generated during the Weddell Polynya event (1973 -1976) as detectable abrupt changes in the annual growth patterns. Over eight years (1973-1980) a negative relationship between shell growth and suspended chlorophyll (i.e. a proxy for surface productivity) is apparent which is likely influenced by the seasonal deposition of organic phytodetritus on the seabed following surface water phytoplankton blooms. Our results form a basis for establishing Y. eightsi as an environmental archive for coastal Antarctic waters.
Imaginaries of nuclear energy in the Portuguese parliament: Between promise, risk, and democracy
Authors: Santos Pereira Tiago , Carvalho António , Fonseca Paulo F.C.
Published: August 2016

This article explores the evolution of the nuclear energy debate and its associated controversies in the Portuguese parliament. The analysis focuses on the dictatorial regime of the New State (from the beginning of the nuclear program in 1951 until the 1974 revolution) and on the democratic period (post-1974). Portugal, as an exporting country of uranium minerals, significantly invested in the development of a national capacity in nuclear research, but never developed an endogenous nuclear power infrastructure. Through the analysis of parliamentary debates, this article characterizes the dynamic evolution of the Portuguese sociotechnical imaginary on nuclear energy and technology interlinked with ambivalent representations, including the promise of nuclear energy as key for the constitution of a technological Nation or as prompting new sociotechnical risks.
Domestic Violence and Poverty
Authors: Slabbert Ilze
Published: August 2016

Purpose:

Domestic violence poses a major challenge to social workers. Low-income families are significantly more likely to have to contend with domestic violence, as poverty can act as a fuelling factor in this type of conflict. The objective of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of low-income abused women.

Method:

A qualitative research approach was followed to explore and describe the phenomenon of low-income abused women. Purposive and snowball sampling were used to obtain 20 participants. Data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews. The data were categorized into four themes.

Results:

Domestic violence and poverty are issues that some women might experience. Low-income abused women are especially more vulnerable to domestic violence and poverty limits choices and resources.

Conclusion:

Domestic violence and poverty should be seen in a serious light. Social workers should recognise the complexity and correlation between domestic violence and poverty.
Relational Fathering
Authors: Watson-Phillips Carol
Published: August 2016

In relational fathering, where relationship is central to parenting practice, fathers of sons grow and develop. The father–son connection provides a liberatory context for relational development in the fathers. By co-identifying with their sons, fathers begin to re-envision their sense of self, redefining a new way of being where masculinity is conceived of as caring and manhood as relational. The co-identification process, or the Myson/Myself dynamic, stirs the cauldron of transformation, fueled by the son’s unconditional love and acceptance. Using Relational-Cultural Theory as a theoretical model for interpretation, this article outlines a father’s growth and process of development in a growth-fostering relationship with his son.
A Typology of Childhood Sibling Subsystems That May Emerge in Abusive Family Systems
Authors: Williams Jennifer S. , Riggs Shelley A. , Kaminski Patricia L.
Published: August 2016

Approximately 90% of the American population has grown up with at least one sibling, and this is often the longest lasting relationship most people will have in their lives ( Milevsky, 2011 ). Yet, the sibling literature is still burgeoning and significant gaps exist regarding ways that the sibling subsystem may be affected by intrafamilial abuse. The current article examines sibling roles, relationships, and functions through the lens of family systems theory and gives an overview of research conducted on siblings, with special focus on studies about siblings in abusive families. We then propose a theoretical typology of sibling subsystems that may develop in an abusive family system. Implications for research, theory, and clinical practice are discussed.
When Do Customers Get What They Expect? Understanding the Ambivalent Effects of Customers’ Service Expectations on Satisfaction
Authors: Habel Johannes , Alavi Sascha , Schmitz Christian , Schneider Janina-Vanessa , Wieseke Jan
Published: August 2016

Extant research established that customers’ expectations play an ambivalent role in the satisfaction formation process: While higher expectations are more difficult to meet and thus cause dissatisfaction, they simultaneously increase satisfaction via customers’ perceived performance owing to a placebo effect. However, to date, knowledge is scarce on the question under which conditions either the positive or negative effect of expectations on satisfaction prevails. Building on information processing theory, the authors hypothesize that an essential contingency of the indirect, placebo-based effect is the degree to which customers are able and motivated to process a service experience. Three studies with a total of over 4,000 customers in different service contexts provide strong evidence for this hypothesis. Thus, managers are well advised to provide a realistic or even understated prospect if the service context favors customers’ ability or motivation to evaluate. Conversely, if customers are neither able nor motivated to evaluate the service, increasing customer expectations represents a viable strategy to enhance satisfaction. Relatedly, if customers hold low service expectations, managers should foster customers’ ability and motivation to evaluate the service. In contrast, if service expectations are high, managers may benefit from reducing the likelihood that customers overly focus on the service performance.