bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aider les consommateurs à changer de comportement financier : Les apports d’un modèle de changement multiphases
Authors: Salerno Francis , Berriche Amira , Crié Dominique , Martin Annabel
Published: April 2015

De nombreux acteurs sont de plus en plus attentifs aux comportements budgétaires et financiers problématiques des consommateurs. Les modèles de changement de comportement peuvent aider à la mise en œuvre d’actions de marketing social dans ce domaine. Cette recherche montre que les stratégies de changement utilisées par le consommateur sont fondamentalement des stratégies d’approche et d’évitement et propose un modèle définissant le rôle de la balance décisionnelle dans l’utilisation de ces stratégies. Ce modèle est appliqué à des groupes constitués de consommateurs en situations similaires sur la trajectoire du changement. Les dimensions de changement du modèle transthéorique (précontemplation, contemplation, action, maintien) ont servi de base à la construction de ces groupes, dans la lignée des recherches qui adoptent cette orientation plutôt que celle de la succession d’une série de phases distinctes dans le processus de changement. Les résultats ont des implications directes pour la connaissance des modifications des comportements et pour les actions de marketing social dans le domaine étudié.
Utilization of Nutrition‐Focused Physical Assessment in Identifying Micronutrient Deficiencies
Authors: Esper Dema Halasa
Published: April 2015

Heightened interest in and utilization of parts of the nutrition‐focused physical assessment (NFPA) have increased with recent guidelines in defining malnutrition and the call to awareness among healthcare practitioners to recognize, document, and intervene in malnourished patients. Furthermore, an increased prevalence of nutrient deficiencies has been reported in surgical weight loss patients, those with various acute and chronic diseases, and the elderly requiring physical assessment and examination skills to identify these deficiencies. The registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) can use the NFPA to note physical findings to use along with the other domains in the nutrition assessment to determine the nutrition‐related diagnosis, while other nutrition professionals can use the NFPA findings to determine a differential diagnosis. This article outlines the NFPA and how to determine physical findings related to micronutrient deficiencies, which can have a profound impact on overall nutrition status.
Changes in Breastfeeding Attitudes in a Metropolitan Community in Tennessee
Authors: Nouer Simonne S. , Ware Julie L. , Baldwin Katherine M. , Hare Marion E.
Published: April 2015

Background:

The Southern United States has low breastfeeding rates, particularly among African Americans. Breastfeeding rates are influenced by community attitudes and norms.

Objective:

This study aimed to examine changes in breastfeeding attitudes and demographic factors related to these attitudes.

Methods:

Cross-sectional data from a community-based survey, repeated annually from 2004 to 2008, were analyzed. Univariable analysis examined trends over time and log binomial regression estimated the strength of the association between year of the survey, demographic factors, and outcome responses related to the survey questions.

Results:

After adjusting for sex, race, marital status, age, and education, compared to 2004, 2008 respondents were 26% more likely to rate breastfeeding as extremely important compared to formula feeding (prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10-1.43). Similarly, 2008 respondents were 29% more likely to rate the importance of breastfeeding for long-term health as extremely important (PR = 1.29; 95% CI, 1.14-1.46). Comfort levels with breastfeeding outside the home also increased. Respondents to the 2008 survey were more likely to report that they were comfortable with a mother breastfeeding in their workplace (PR = 1.20; 95% CI, 1.11-1.31) and in a mall or restaurant (PR = 1.15; 95% CI, 1.06-1.26). After controlling for demographic factors, there were no significant differences in responses between African Americans and other races.

Conclusion:

Despite significantly lower breastfeeding rates among African Americans, this analysis revealed significant positive changes in attitudes regarding breastfeeding between 2004 and 2008, regardless of race. These changes in attitude coincided with increased breastfeeding initiation rates, suggesting that federal, state, and local breastfeeding promotion efforts had an effect.
A Comparison of Four Probability-Based Online and Mixed-Mode Panels in Europe
Authors: Blom Annelies G. , Bosnjak Michael , Cornilleau Anne , Cousteaux Anne-Sophie , Das Marcel , Douhou Salima , Krieger Ulrich
Published: April 2015

Inferential statistics teach us that we need a random probability sample to infer from a sample to the general population. In online survey research, however, volunteer access panels, in which respondents self-select themselves into the sample, dominate the landscape. Such panels are attractive due to their low costs. Nevertheless, recent years have seen increasing numbers of debates about the quality, in particular about errors in the representativeness and measurement, of such panels. In this article, we describe four probability-based online and mixed-mode panels for the general population, namely, the Longitudinal Internet Studies for the Social Sciences (LISS) Panel in the Netherlands, the German Internet Panel (GIP) and the GESIS Panel in Germany, and the Longitudinal Study by Internet for the Social Sciences (ELIPSS) Panel in France. We compare them in terms of sampling strategies, offline recruitment procedures, and panel characteristics. Our aim is to provide an overview to the scientific community of the availability of such data sources to demonstrate the potential strategies for recruiting and maintaining probability-based online panels to practitioners and to direct analysts of the comparative data collected across these panels to methodological differences that may affect comparative estimates.
Bio-based silica-reinforced caprolactam-toughened epoxy nanocomposites
Authors: Kanimozhi K , Prabunathan P , Selvaraj V , Alagar M
Published: April 2015

In this work, industrially valuable and versatile nylon 6 precursor material caprolactam has been used as a toughener for diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A epoxy resin (caprolactam epoxy (CPE)) along with glycidyl-functionalized bio silica (GRS) derived from rice husk, which was used as a reinforcement to obtain hybrid nanocomposites with improved properties. Caprolactam (20 wt%) and epoxy (80 wt%) have been reinforced with varying weight percentages (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 wt%) of GRS cured with diaminodiphenylmethane and characterized using different analytical techniques. Data obtained from mechanical studies indicate that the value of tensile strength, flexural strength and impact strength of 1.5 wt% GRS-reinforced caprolactam-toughened epoxy blend composites were enhanced to 135, 77 and 162%, respectively, compared with those of neat epoxy matrix. Similarly, the values of glass transition temperature and char yield were enhanced to 21 and 22%, respectively, whilst retaining inherent surface and insulating behaviour. Data from morphological studies infer the homogenous and uniform distribution of GRS in the CPE hybrid nanocomposites. From the data obtained from different studies, it is suggested that the hybrid composite materials developed in this work have potential use as coatings, adhesives, sealants, matrices and composites for different industrial and engineering applications in the place of conventional epoxy composites for improved performance and enhanced longevity.
Catalytic effect of trifluoroacetamido group on thermally induced ring-opening polymerization of 1,3-benzoxazine and formation of arylamine Mannich bridge structure
Authors: Situ Yue , Zhu Zuwei , Huang Hong
Published: April 2015

The autocatalytic ring-opening polymerization behavior of trifluoroacetamido group containing benzoxazine (FBA) is reported and its curing process was monitored by in situ proton nuclear magnetic resonance and Fourier transform infrared spectra analysis. The ring-opening polymerization temperature of FBA is significantly lower than that of typical 1,3-benzoxazine (BA), which can be attributed to higher stability of benzoxazine zwitterionic ion intermediate due to strong electron-withdrawing effect of trifluoroacetamido substituent. Arylamine Mannich bridge structure is found to form during polymerization, thereby enhancing the thermal stability of FBA homopolymer (poly-FBA). Differential scanning calorimetric analysis indicates that FBA effectively catalyzes the copolymerization of FBA and BA monomers at a temperature even lower than the polymerization temperature of pure FBA monomer, and the resultant copolymer exhibits higher glass transition temperature than either FBA or BA homopolymer, indicating promising possibility of FBA as reactive comonomer of polybenzoxazine systems for curing acceleration and performance improvement.
Surface modification of titanium hydride with epoxy resin by ultrasonic wave-assisted ball milling
Authors: Chen Ding , Zhang Qianxia , Ning Rong , Bian Zhibing , Dai Haixiong , Zhang Chi
Published: April 2015

Surface modification of titanium hydride (TiH2) with epoxy resin was carried out by ultrasonic wave-assisted ball milling. The product was characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The sedimentation test was conducted to investigate the compatibility of TiH2 nanoparticles with epoxy resin. The results show that epoxy resin is grafted on the nanoparticles’ surface after the ultrasonic wave-assisted ball milling process, which improves the compatibility of TiH2 nanoparticles with epoxy resin. The different results of ultrasonic wave irradiation, ball milling (without ultrasonic wave assistance) and ultrasonic wave-assisted ball milling indicate that the coupling effect of ultrasonic wave and mechanical force plays an important role in the grafting process. In addition, the anticorrosion property of epoxy resin coating containing modified nanoparticles was investigated.
Parameter optimization and experimental study on wire electrical discharge machining of porous Ni40Ti60 alloy
Authors: Sharma Neeraj , Raj Tilak , Jangra Kamal Kumar
Published: April 2015

NiTi is a shape memory alloy, mostly employed in cardiovascular stents, orthopedic implants, orthodontic wires, micro-electromechanical systems and so on. The effective and net shape machining of NiTi is very critical for excellent response of this material in medical and other applications. The present experimental work on wire electrical discharge machining process identifies the influence of process parameters that affect the cutting rate, dimensional shift and surface roughness while machining of porous nickel–titanium (Ni40Ti60) alloy. Porous Ni40Ti60 alloy was produced in-house using powder metallurgy technique. Response surface methodology–based central composite rotatable design has been used for the planning of experiments on wire electrical discharge machining. Empirical relations have been developed between the process parameters (pulse on-time, pulse off-time, servo voltage and peak current) and response variables. Desirability approach has been used for optimizing the three response variables simultaneously. Confirmation experiments were also performed at the optimized settings and reflect a close agreement between the predicted and experimental values (percentage error varies from −6.13% to +6.85%). Using wire electrical discharge machining, NiTi alloy can be machined easily and successfully in single-cutting operation, but after the first cut in wire electrical discharge machining, a surface projection appears on work surface which is the unmachined material on work surface.
Fatigue life of tapered roller bearing subject to angular misalignment
Authors: Tong Van-Canh , Hong Seong-Wook
Published: April 2015

Angular misalignment, defined as the tilted angle between the outer ring and inner ring, is unavoidable in most applications of tapered roller bearings (TBRs) due to many potential causes such as shaft deflection, initial mounting error, bearing geometry inaccuracy, etc. The occurrence of TRB misalignment introduces considerable changes into the contact load and the pressure between rolling elements and the raceways and, thus, greatly influences the bearing life. However, few research results are available on the effects of angular misalignment in TRBs. This paper presents the fatigue life analysis for TRBs with consideration for angular misalignment effects. To this end, a mathematical TRB model is developed to provide a comprehensive fatigue life analysis for TRBs subjected to angular misalignment. The presented model is verified by comparing the estimated fatigue lives under several loading conditions with those from a reference program. Then, the effects of angular misalignment on the fatigue life of TRBs are evaluated systematically. The simulation results show the importance of TRB alignment for the investigated TRB by demonstrating that small amount of angular misalignment leads to a substantial reduction in the fatigue life of the TRB regardless of loading conditions. The results address the necessity of misalignment effects analysis for TRBs.
Systematic design of robust controller for electro-hydraulic system with model uncertainties
Authors: Yim Jongguk , Choi Youngjin
Published: April 2015

A systematic method is developed to design new robust tracking control for an electro-hydraulic system. In this article, the model dynamics is represented in strict feedback form to be linearly parameterized with regard to model parameters to consider its uncertainties and the separate error dynamics are derived for the tracking of states. The proposed method is intuitively similar to a previously developed integrator backstepping approach since it designs fictitious controls as desired states for recursive procedures. However, unlike previous works that have relied exclusively on Lyapunov analysis using the sum of the squares of state errors, this work utilizes a passivity approach with an energy function for stability. The advantage of the proposed method is that the fictitious control can be designed in a decoupled form and an L2-gain analysis can be applied to guarantee the robustness to model uncertainties. For the separate error dynamics, one part of the fictitious control is designed using stability analysis with a strict passivity formulation for error convergence; this leads to a separation of the other fictitious control design for robustness from the effects of other equations of dynamics. Hence, this method makes it possible to treat the terms caused by the model uncertainties as disturbance and to design the fictitious robust control using the L2-gain analysis for the disturbance attenuation, which does not require the bound function of the disturbance to be known. The validity of the proposed method is shown through simulations.
Track loading limits and cross-acceptance of vehicle approvals
Authors: Eickhoff Bridget , Mazzola Laura , Bezin Yann , Tucker Gareth , Stradtmann Hinnerk , Haigermoser Andreas , Chollet Hugues , Landais Jeremy
Published: April 2015

The requirements for track loading limits are one of the main barriers to simple cross-acceptance of vehicles where rolling stock that is already operating successfully in one (or more) networks has to be retested before it can be approved for operation on another network. DynoTRAIN Work Package 4 studied this area in order to determine whether the additional requirements were justified, or if the process could be made much cheaper and simpler without increasing the risk of track deterioration for the networks. The review of national requirements identified modified criteria and limit values for track forces in some member states; however, these can be obtained from additional analysis of the normal test results with no new tests required. The influence of design rail inclination has also been found not to be significant, provided a realistic range of wheel–rail contact conditions are included in the tests. For line speeds greater than or equal to 160 km/h, the current standards for track construction across the member states appear to be similar. On lower speed lines in some countries, a ‘weaker’ track condition may require a lower limit on one of the vehicle assessment parameters. Track dynamics modelling has shown that the vehicle assessment parameters used in international standards are suitable for use in cross-acceptance for track forces. The use of multiple regression analysis allows the estimated maximum value for relevant parameters to be evaluated for different target conditions and then compared with the appropriate limit value, or with values for existing, comparable vehicles. Guidance has also been provided on the relevant parameters to consider when developing operating controls for different types of track deterioration.
Mechanics of pericardial effusion: A simulation study
Authors: Scardulla Francesco , Rinaudo Antonino , Pasta Salvatore , Scardulla Cesare
Published: April 2015

Pericardial effusion is a pathological accumulation of fluid within pericardial cavity, which may compress heart chambers with hemodynamic impairment. We sought to determine the mechanics underlying the physiology of the hemodynamic impairment due to pericardial effusion using patient-specific computational modeling. Computational models of left ventricle and right ventricle were based on magnetic resonance images obtained from patients with pericardial effusion and controls. Myocardial material parameters were adjusted, so that volumes of ventricular chambers and pericardial effusion agreed with magnetic resonance imaging data. End-diastolic and end-systolic pressure–volume relationships as well as stroke volume were determined to evaluate impaired cardiac function of biventricular model. Distributions of myocardial fiber stresses and their regional variation along left ventricular wall were compared between patient groups. Both end-diastolic and end-systolic pressure–volume relationships shifted to the left for patients with pericardial effusion, with right ventricle diastolic filling particularly restricted. Left ventricle function as estimated by Starling curve was reduced by pericardial effusion. End-systolic fiber stress of left ventricle was significantly reduced as compared to that found for healthy patients. Myocardial stress was found increased at interventricular septum when compared to that exerted at lateral wall of left ventricle. Right ventricular myocardial stress was reduced as a consequence of the pressure equalization between right ventricle and pericardial effusion. Diastolic right ventricle collapse in patients with pericardial effusion is related to higher myocardial fiber stress on interventricular septum and to an extensible pericardium reducing motion of ventricular chambers, with right ventricle particularly restrained. These findings likely portend progression of pericardial effusion to cardiac tamponade.
Wear of PEEK-OPTIMA® and PEEK-OPTIMA®-Wear Performance articulating against highly cross-linked polyethylene
Authors: East Rebecca H , Briscoe Adam , Unsworth Anthony
Published: April 2015

The idea of all polymer artificial joints, particularly for the knee and finger, has been raised several times in the past 20 years. This is partly because of weight but also to reduce stress shielding in the bone when stiffer materials such as metals or ceramics are used. With this in mind, pin-on-plate studies of various polyetheretherketone preparations against highly cross-linked polyethylene were conducted to investigate the possibility of using such a combination in the design of a new generation of artificial joints. PEEK-OPTIMA® (no fibre) against highly cross-linked polyethylene gave very low wear factors of 0.0384 × 10−6 mm3/N m for the polyetheretherketone pins and −0.025 × 10−6 mm3/N m for the highly cross-linked polyethylene plates. The carbon-fibre-reinforced polyetheretherketone (PEEK-OPTIMA®-Wear Performance) also produced very low wear rates in the polyetheretherketone pins but produced very high wear in the highly cross-linked polyethylene, as might have been predicted since the carbon fibres are quite abrasive. When the fibres were predominantly tangential to the sliding plane, the mean wear factor was 0.052 × 10−6 mm3/N m for the pins and 49.3 × 10−6 mm3/N m for the highly cross-linked polyethylene plates; a half of that when the fibres ran axially in the pins (0.138 × 10−6 mm3/N m for the pins and 97.5 × 10−6 mm/ N m for the cross-linked polyethylene plates). PEEK-OPTIMA® against highly cross-linked polyethylene merits further investigation.
A novel computational model for the hemodynamics of bileaflet mechanical valves in the opening phase
Authors: Jahandardoost Mehdi , Fradet Guy , Mohammadi Hadi
Published: April 2015

A powerful alternative means to study the hemodynamics of bileaflet mechanical heart valves is the computational fluid dynamics method. It is well recognized that computational fluid dynamics allows reliable physiological blood flow simulation and measurements of flow parameters. To date, in almost all of the modeling studies on the hemodynamics of bileaflet mechanical heart valves, a velocity (mass flow)-based boundary condition and an axisymmetric geometry for the aortic root have been assigned, which, to some extent, are erroneous. Also, there have been contradictory reports of the profile of velocity in downstream of leaflets, that is, in some studies, it is suggested that the maximum blood velocity occurs in the lateral orifice, and in some other studies, it is postulated that the maximum velocities in the main and lateral orifices are identical. The reported values for the peak velocities range from 1 to 3 m/s, which highly depend on the model assumptions. The objective of this study is to demonstrate the importance of the exact anatomical model of the aortic root and the realistic boundary conditions in the hemodynamics of the bileaflet mechanical heart valves. The model considered in this study is based on the St Jude Medical valve in a novel modeling platform. Through a more realistic geometrical model for the aortic root and the St Jude Medical valve, we have developed a new set of boundary conditions in order to be used for the assessment of the hemodynamics of aortic bileaflet mechanical heart valves. The results of this study are significant for the design improvement of conventional bileaflet mechanical heart valves and for the design of the next generation of prosthetic valves.
Shape memory alloy–based biopsy device for active locomotive intestinal capsule endoscope
Authors: Le Viet Ha , Hernando Leon-Rodriguez , Lee Cheong , Choi Hyunchul , Jin Zhen , Nguyen Kim Tien , Go Gwangjun , Ko Seong-Young , Park Jong-Oh , Park Sukho
Published: April 2015

Recently, capsule endoscopes have been used for diagnosis in digestive organs. However, because a capsule endoscope does not have a locomotive function, its use has been limited to small tubular digestive organs, such as small intestine and esophagus. To address this problem, researchers have begun studying an active locomotive intestine capsule endoscope as a medical instrument for the whole gastrointestinal tract. We have developed a capsule endoscope with a small permanent magnet that is actuated by an electromagnetic actuation system, allowing active and flexible movement in the patient’s gut environment. In addition, researchers have noted the need for a biopsy function in capsule endoscope for the definitive diagnosis of digestive diseases. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel robotic biopsy device for active locomotive intestine capsule endoscope. The proposed biopsy device has a sharp blade connected with a shape memory alloy actuator. The biopsy device measuring 12mm in diameter and 3mm in length was integrated into our capsule endoscope prototype, where the device’s sharp blade was activated and exposed by the shape memory alloy actuator. Then the electromagnetic actuation system generated a specific motion of the capsule endoscope to extract the tissue sample from the intestines. The final biopsy sample tissue had a volume of about 6mm3, which is a sufficient amount for a histological analysis. Consequently, we proposed the working principle of the biopsy device and conducted an in-vitro biopsy test to verify the feasibility of the biopsy device integrated into the capsule endoscope prototype using the electro-magnetic actuation system.
Management of recalcitrant Trichomonas vaginalis in pregnancy: a case report
Authors: Tayal Sarup
Published: April 2015

A case report of a pregnant woman with recalcitrant Trichomonas vaginalis is described. This case was managed with suppressive treatment with metronidazole during pregnancy and cleared with paromomycin vaginal treatment after delivery.
“You Can’t Touch Me, You Can’t Touch Me”: Inter-gender violence and aggression in the PG era of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) programming
Authors: Barrett Betty Jo , Levin Dana S.
Published: April 2015

Cultivation theory posits that media sources may contribute to the development and subsequent internalization of distorted beliefs about violence by viewers. The present study examined representations of inter-gender violence and aggression in one form of violent media, World Wrestling Entertainment, from the period of 1 January to 1 July 2011 to assess narratives conveyed about violence between men and women. A total of 105 hours of televised episodes of World Wrestling Entertainment’s two highest rated shows were data sources for this analysis. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Three core themes pertaining to male–female violence were identified: (a) females as perpetrators of retaliatory physical violence against males, (b) males as perpetrators of physical, sexual, and verbal aggression to intimidate females, and (c) justifications for female violence against men behaving badly. Findings are considered in light of feminist and gender symmetry perspectives on male–female violence.
Magnetic properties of tidal flat sediments on the Yangtze coast, China: Early diagenetic alteration and implications
Authors: Chen Ting , Wang Zhanghua , Wu Xuxu , Gao Xiaoqin , Li Lin , Zhan Qing
Published: April 2015

Measurements of magnetic properties, total organic carbon (TOC) and total sulphur (TS) were performed on recent tidal flat sediments from the Feng-Xian (FX) and Bei-Bu-Gang (BBG) areas of the Yangtze coast and on Holocene tidal flat sediments from core SL67 from the southern Yangtze delta plain, China. The results indicate that greigite has likely formed in the recent upper and middle tidal flat sediments of cores FX and BBG, which are enriched in TOC and TS. Greigite is also present in association with pyrite in the early to middle Holocene saltmarsh and tidal flat sediments of SL67. The abundance of greigite in the early Holocene basal saltmarsh sediments of core SL67, along with the extremely low values of TS/TOC, suggest the presence of either a limited sulphate supply from seawater or a major terrestrial source of organic matter that decomposed slowly. The presence of greigite in mid-Holocene lower tidal flat sediments that contained low amounts of TOC indicates an upward diffusion of CH4 and H2S from the underlying upper tidal flat sediments. A comparison between the sediments of core SL67 and those of the modern tidal flat suggests that early diagenesis (including selective dissolution and pyritisation) continued after the sediments were buried during the Holocene, resulting in the depletion of soil-derived superparamagnetic (SP) particles and the enhanced magnetic properties because of authigenic greigite. However, antiferromagnetic magnetic minerals have not been altered by early diagenesis. Thus, magnetic parameter hard isothermal remanent magnetisation (HIRM) which preserved the primary magnetic signals reflects fluctuations in the detrital mineral input to the core site and records a two-stage 8.2 ka cooling event.
Working on something else for a while: Pacing in creative design projects
Authors: Van Eerde Wendelien , Beeftink Flora , Rutte Christel G
Published: April 2015

In an interview study among 25 architects we investigated how activities were allocated over time in the design phase of an architectural project. Specifically, linking the literatures about pacing behavior and incubation, we set out to identify patterns related to how the interviewees paced their activity before a deadline. We used two types of materials to stimulate the answers in the interview: 1) standard graphs, developed in previous research; 2) a timeline. Five main themes emerged, that were termed pacing; milestones; multiple projects; deadlines; and quality–time trade-offs. Based upon the results we propose a model that includes overlapping U-shapes of activity, that is, most activity at the start of a project and right before a deadline. A second study provided a comparison of the pacing patterns among 85 respondents in jobs that required different levels of creativity. Not only U-shape pacing, but also deadline pacing was more common in creative jobs, whereas early starting patterns were less common. The two studies provide insight into how professionals in creative jobs deliberately use pacing that allows for incubation.
Pathways to Mental Health Care in Bangladesh, India, Japan, Mongolia, and Nepal
Authors: Hashimoto Naoki , Fujisawa Daisuke , Giasuddin Noor Ahmed , Kenchaiah Basanth Kumar , Narmandakh Altanzul , Dugerragchaa Khongorzul , Tamrakar Sharad Man , Adhikari Shailendra Raj , Sartorius Norman
Published: April 2015

Introduction: As mental health systems are still developing in many Asian countries, knowledge of the pathways to mental health care (MHC) in this region would be very important. Aims: To clarify the pathways to MHC in 5 Asian countries. Method: A total of 50 new subjects attending each institution were interviewed. Pathway diagrams, the patterns and duration of care seeking, and the previous treatment were compared. Results: Four major pathways were direct access, referrals from private practitioners, referrals from general hospitals, and referrals from native or religious healers. General practitioners did not play a pivotal role in any of the areas, whereas native or religious healers had an important place in all areas except for Yokohama, Japan. Family members had a significant impact on the decision to seek MHC. Conclusions: Studies of pathways to MHC in Asian countries are feasible and can provide data of interest in the organization of care.
Factors Influencing the Hospitalization Costs of Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Cao Ping , Wang Kaixiu , Zhang Hua , Zhao Rongzhi , Li Chenglong
Published: April 2015

This study aims to research the factors influencing the hospitalization costs of patients with type 2 diabetes, so as to provide some references for reducing their economic burden. Based on the Hospital Information System of a 3A grade hospital in China, we analyzed 2970 cases with type 2 diabetes during 2005-2012. Both the number of inpatients and the hospitalization costs had increased in the study period. Using multiple linear regression analysis, we found that patients in Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance had higher costs than those in New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme. We also found hospitalization costs to be higher in male patients and older patients, patients who stayed more days at hospital and who had surgeries, patients who had at least 1 complication, and patients whose admission status was emergency. After standardizing the regression coefficients, we found that the hospital stay, the forms of payment, and presence of complications were the first 3 factors influencing hospitalization costs in our study. In conclusion, the hospitalization costs of patients with type 2 diabetes could be influenced by age, gender, forms of payment, hospital stay, admission status, complications, and surgery. Medical workers in the studied region should take actions to reduce the duration of hospital stay for diabetic patients and prevent relevant complications. What is more, medical insurance needs further improvement.
Reference List Accuracy in Social Work Journals: A Follow-Up Analysis
Authors: Mitchell-Williams Missy T. , Skipper Antonius D. , Alexander Marvin C. , Wilks Scott E.
Published: April 2015

Purpose:

Following up an Research on Social Work Practice article published a decade ago, this study aimed to examine reference error rates among five, widely circulated social work journals.

Methods:

A stratified random sample of references was selected from the year 2013 ( N = 500, 100/journal). Each was verified against the original work to detect errors among author name(s), publication year, article title, journal title, volume number, and page numbers. Interrater consistency was 0.88.

Results:

In the sample, 163 (33%) references contained at least 1 error, producing 258 total errors. Author names held the highest error rate (0.26) and the volume number held the lowest (0.04). The highest error rate was found in Social Service Review (0.48), statistically significantly higher than the remaining journals.

Discussion:

Reference accuracy in social work journal articles has increased marginally. Substantial reference errors in articles among widely circulated journals may portray an aggregate lack of polished, scholarly writing/editing skills within the profession.
Developing and Modeling Complex Social Interventions
Authors: Webber Martin , Reidy Hannah , Ansari David , Stevens Martin , Morris David
Published: April 2015

Objectives:

Modeling the processes involved in complex social interventions is important in social work practice, as it facilitates their implementation and translation into different contexts. This article reports the process of developing and modeling the connecting people intervention (CPI), a model of practice that supports people with mental health problems to enhance their social networks.

Method:

The CPI model was developed through an iterative process of focus group discussions with practitioners and service users and a two-stage Delphi consultation with relevant experts.

Results:

We discuss the intervention model and the processes it articulates to provide an example of the benefits of intervention modeling.

Conclusions:

Intervention modeling provides a visual representation of the process and outcomes of an intervention, which can assist practice development and lead to improved outcomes for service users.
On the Brink of Genuinely Collaborative Care
Authors: Larkin Michael , Boden Zoë V. R. , Newton Elizabeth
Published: April 2015

Inpatient mental health services in the United Kingdom are currently dissatisfactory for service-users and staff. For young people with psychosis, being hospitalized is often distressing, and can lead to disengagement with mental health services. This article describes how we took three qualitative research studies about hospitalization in early psychosis (exploring the perspectives of service-users, parents, and staff) and translated them into service improvements developed in collaboration with a range of stakeholders, including service-users, carers, community and inpatient staff, and management. We used an adapted form of experience-based co-design (EBCD), a participatory action-research method for collaboratively improving health care services. The use of EBCD is still relatively novel in mental health settings, and we discuss how we adapted the methodology, and some of the implications of using EBCD with vulnerable populations in complex services. We reflect on both the disappointments and successes and give some recommendations for future research and methodological development.
Shame Experiences Underlying Depression of Adult Turkish Women
Authors: Sarı Sevda , Gençöz Faruk
Published: April 2015

Shame is a major component of many mental health problems and affects symptoms, coping styles, remission, and therapeutic ruptures. There are few qualitative studies aimed at understanding shame and its role for patients diagnosed with depression. In this research, we explored the origins of shame, and the coping strategies that patients diagnosed with depression employ to cope with shame. This qualitative research aimed at an in-depth analysis of shame experiences of adult women who had been diagnosed with depression and treated with cognitive behavioral psychotherapy in a Women Health Center in Turkey. Purposive sampling yielded nine high shame prone adult women who were married and had children. Four semi-structured interviews were conducted with each of the nine participants, and 36 semi-structured interviews were analyzed by Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. According to the results of the analysis, four themes emerged. These were “substitution of rage for the feeling of shame and unworthiness,” “perfection struggle to overcompensate the belief of being inadequate,” “feeling shame for their own body and sexual acts,” and “need for individuation.” The results were interpreted by considering the social context and culture of Turkey, and the clinical implications were discussed.
Viewing Focus Groups Through a Critical Incident Lens
Authors: Getrich Christina M. , Bennett Anzia M. , Sussman Andrew L. , Solares Angélica , Helitzer Deborah L.
Published: April 2015

Scholars often do not describe in detail the complex process of conducting focus groups, including what happens when they take unexpected turns. A critical incident lens provides a framework for better analyzing and understanding what actually happens during focus group sessions. Using a critical incident approach, we examine our experiences of carrying out focus groups about the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine with vaccine-eligible adolescent girls and parents/caregivers of vaccine-eligible adolescent girls in New Mexico. The critical incident lens allowed us to productively explore the context and interactional dynamics of our focus groups and ultimately pushed us to talk through the challenges of conducting and analyzing them. We hope this serves as a call to qualitative researchers to be attentive to the critical incidents in your own research to enrich your analysis and contribute to a broader discussion of the realities of focus group conduct.
The Complex Experience of Learning to Do Research
Authors: Emo Kenneth , Emo Wendy , Kimn Jung-Han , Gent Stephen
Published: April 2015

This article examines how student learning is a product of the experiential interaction between person and environment. We draw from the theoretical perspective of complexity to shed light on the emergent, adaptive, and unpredictable nature of students’ learning experiences. To understand the relationship between the environment and the student learning experience, we followed undergraduate college students while they conducted independent, original research during an 8-week U.S. National Science Foundation–funded Research Experience for Undergraduates. As we examined the scholars’ actions and interactions—through their daily journals and regular face-to-face interviews—we utilized the theoretical lens of complexity to understand their experiences. The students’ frustrations, challenges, failures, and successes revealed that their learning was an unpredictable and emergent experience rather than one that could be described as step-by-step and mechanistic.
Race, Trust, and Return Migration
Authors: Reinhardt Gina Yannitell
Published: April 2015

After several disasters in the United States, the return-migration rate of blacks to post-disaster areas has been lower than that of other races. Does this pattern have a political explanation? I investigate political trust as the causal mechanism through which race affects people’s decisions of where to live after forced evacuation. After accounting for economic, demographic, and sociological influences on return migration, I use mediation analysis to find that political trust acts as a mediator between race and return migration. I am thus able to explain the salience of race to the return-migration decision: race does not have a direct effect on return migration but rather works through the causal mechanism of political trust to determine return-migration decisions. As blacks are more likely to have low levels of political trust, and those with lower political trust are less likely to return, blacks are less likely to return to post-disaster areas.
Constituency, Ideology, and Economic Interests in U.S. Congressional Voting
Authors: Choi Youngmi
Published: April 2015

Scholarly studies of U.S. legislators’ voting behavior have concluded that constituent interests exercise only limited influence, but these conclusions may result from inadequate measurement. I develop new measures of economic interests that emphasize import/export (sectoral) cleavages in addition to business/labor (factoral) cleavages and, in the process, transcend geographic boundaries. Results of logistic regression analysis suggest that the interests of economic and nongeographic constituencies, as reflected in campaign contributions, were highly significant predictors of voting in the U.S. Congress on the U.S.–Korea Free Trade Agreement and that the import/export cleavage was more salient than the business/labor cleavage. In addition, legislators’ ideological positions with respect to national security were more significant than their partisan affiliations and more significant than their positions on other dimensions of ideology.
Candidate Race, Partisanship, and Political Participation
Authors: Fairdosi Amir Shawn , Rogowski Jon C.
Published: April 2015

A sizable literature in American politics documents increased levels of voter turnout among black citizens when coracial candidates are on the ballot or hold office. However, due to a paucity of black Republican candidates, existing research has been unable to identify whether increased participation occurs irrespective of the candidate’s partisanship. Using data from the 2010 Cooperative Congressional Election Study, we find that, while the presence of a black Democratic House candidate was associated with increased black voter turnout, there was no association between black Republican candidates and black turnout. These results are robust to model specification, issues of statistical power, and contextual differences across districts. We report further evidence that black citizens’ perceptions of black candidates’ ideologies and character traits differed substantially based on the candidate’s party. Our results have implications for understanding how citizens engage in politics when salient political identities come into conflict. The results further suggest that Republican efforts to recruit black candidates are unlikely to mobilize black voters.
The Impact of IMF and World Bank Programs on Labor Rights
Authors: Blanton Robert G. , Blanton Shannon Lindsey , Peksen Dursun
Published: April 2015

What effect do International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank programs have on collective labor rights? Labor rights advocacy networks and organized labor groups have long been critical of neoliberal policy prescriptions attached to loans by international financial institutions (IFIs), claiming that they harm the interests of workers. IFIs dispute these claims, noting that they work with relevant labor organizations and that many of their arrangements call for compliance with core labor standards. Yet very little research has been devoted to whether IFI programs affect labor laws and the actual labor practices of recipient countries. We argue that IFI programs undermine collective labor rights. Specifically, recommended policy reforms, as well as the broader signals connoted by participation in the programs, undermine labor organizations and the adoption of protective laws. To substantiate these claims, we use time-series cross-national data for a sample of 123 low- and middle-income countries for the years 1985 to 2002. Our findings suggest that programs from both IFIs are negatively and significantly related to labor rights, including laws designed to guarantee basic collective labor rights as well as the protection of these rights in practice.
Axillary Lymphadenopathy
Authors: Tardío Juan C. , Granados Rosario
Published: April 2015

Till date, there is only one reported case of breast implant–associated ALK-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) with an axillary presentation that followed an aggressive behavior. We report the case of a 50-year-old female presenting with an axillary lymphadenopathy 8 years after breast prostheses implantation. Clinical examination, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging detected no mammary lesions. The lymph node showed intrasinusoidal infiltration by large pleomorphic cells expressing CD30 and lacking ALK-immunoreactivity. Tumor staging was negative. Cells with identical features were found in the ipsilateral periprosthetic capsule. The patient was treated with CHOP and radiotherapy, and she is alive without evidence of disease after a 30-month follow-up. The diagnosis of an ALK-negative ALCL in an axillary lymph node of a patient with ipsilateral breast prosthesis and negative staging should prompt removal of the implant with capsulectomy, since the pathological study of this specimen allows the correct diagnosis with important prognostic implications.
Silent Synapses Speak Up
Authors: Huang Yanhua H. , Schlüter Oliver M. , Dong Yan
Published: April 2015

A transient but prominent increase in the level of “silent synapses”—a signature of immature glutamatergic synapses that contain only NMDA receptors without stably expressed AMPA receptors—has been identified in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) following exposure to cocaine. As the NAc is a critical forebrain region implicated in forming addiction-associated behaviors, the initial discoveries have raised speculations about whether and how these drug-induced synapses mature and potentially contribute to addiction-related behaviors. Here, we summarize recent progress in recognizing the pathway-specific regulations of silent synapse maturation, and its diverse impacts on behavior. We provide an update of the guiding hypothesis—the “neural rejuvenation hypothesis”—with recently emerged evidence of silent synapses in cocaine craving and relapse.
Periprocedural Management of New Oral Anticoagulants in Atrial Fibrillation Ablation
Authors: Zak Martin , Castiblanco Saramaria Afanador , Garg Jalaj , Palaniswamy Chandrasekar , Jacobs Larry E.
Published: April 2015

Background:

Patients who undergo catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) are at increased risk of developing thromboembolic and bleeding complications periprocedurally. Many patients are now on newer oral anticoagulants (NOACs), but data regarding their safety and efficacy during AF ablation are limited.

Methods and Results:

This article reviews the literature in PubMed from 1998 to 2014 and includes clinical trials and meta-analysis that analyzed the safety and efficacy of NOACs during AF catheter ablation. Dabigatran seems to be as effective and safe as warfarin, although most data are from single-center studies, with small samples and very low overall bleeding and thromboembolic complications. Periprocedural anticoagulation protocols also vary greatly between studies. Some recent meta-analysis has shown that warfarin could still be a safer and more effective alternative. There are fewer studies with rivaroxaban in AF ablation, and there have been no meta-analysis yet comparing rivaroxaban to warfarin or dabigatran. There seems to be no significant differences in safety or efficacy of rivaroxaban compared to warfarin. Interestingly, there are no available data for apixaban in AF ablation yet.

Discussion:

There are no consensus guidelines regarding the use of NOACs during AF ablation. Dabigatran and rivaroxaban seem as safe and effective as warfarin, although larger studies with standardized protocols are needed, as available studies may be underpowered to detect small differences in bleeding and thromboembolic rates.