bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Relationships, learning and team working in UK services for children
Authors: Collins Fiona , McCray Janet 
Published: February 2012

PurposeThis paper seeks to report on education, health, and social care practitioners' experiences of working across traditional boundaries and establishing new relationships in the context of the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) in UK children's services.Design/methodology/approachSemi‐structured interviews were conducted with a total of 20 education, health and social care practitioners, and operational managers using the qualitative methodology of interpretative phenomenological analysis.FindingsThe article highlights how change in the composition of teams has provided stimulus for new relationships, learning, and ways of working.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is based upon a relatively small number of interviews conducted within one county.Originality/valueConsideration of relationships and learning within multi‐agency practice contexts is underdeveloped within the literature. As new forms of partnership may result from ongoing reconfiguration of services, this research into partnership working around the CAF offers insights and learning for future interprofessional teamworking.
Working together – learning through sharing
Authors: McEvoy Charlotte , Nosowska Gerry 
Published: February 2012

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the barriers and enablers to working together in social care, focusing on the experiences of carers and practitioners.Design/methodology/approachThe project employed a change project method which brings research and practice together to identify a problem, seek ways to resolve it, and develop resources to implement the learning in practice.FindingsThe main findings substantiate much of the existing evidence in this area: the way people are treated by practitioners and services is as important as the outcomes they seek; there is a need to improve understanding and recognition of carer expertise; and there is a tension, for practitioners, between working within resource‐bound systems and implementing a needs‐led and person‐centred cultural service. It demonstrates that when shared learning is focused on action, i.e. learning through doing, relationship‐building becomes an intrinsic part of the process.Research limitations/implicationsThe project involved a limited number of participants, and this article shares interim findings only.Originality/valueThe project has used an action‐research approach.
Interview with Charles Jennings
Authors: by William Strange Interview 
Published: February 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to provide an interview with Charles Jennings.Design/methodology/approachThe interview is conducted by an independent interviewer.FindingsCharles Jennings is the director of Duntroon Associates, a leading learning and performance consultancy practice focused on helping organizations build their ability to deliver maximum business benefit from their workforce. He is also a principal of The Internet Time Alliance, a think‐tank of leading learning and business performance practitioners helping organizations exploit emerging practice and informal and social learning to “work smarter”. From 2001 until the end of 2008 he was the chief learning officer for Reuters and Thomson Reuters.Practical implicationsCharles Jennings explores the concept of governance in learning and development and how learning and development professionals need to become involved with business strategy.Originality/valueThe paper reveals that learning and development professionals need to develop core consultancy skills in order to communicate and deal effectively with key stakeholders and thus help define company strategies.
What's in a number? Counting the African population of Portland, Oregon: methods, issues and implications for community health collaborations
Authors: Tuepker Anais , Boise Linda , Onadeko Folashade , Gipson Teresa 
Published: February 2012

PurposeAware that “those who aren't counted don't count” in health program planning, a community coalition, called African Partnership for Health, attempts a current estimate of the African community living in Portland, Oregon, USA. This paper seeks to describe the findings.Design/methodology/approachThe paper's definition of the “African community” was crucially informed by community participation in the research process. The authors drew on existing publicly available data sources to estimate the size of the target population and identified the strengths and weaknesses of each source.FindingsConservative estimations are of a 2010 African community population of 11,500‐15,500 for the Portland metropolitan area. No data source on its own would have resulted in this estimate.Research limitations/implicationsAreas for further research include creating practical systems to collect data on country of origin and to address an existing data bias towards refugees over immigrants. In the USA, more robust data collection systems are needed to estimate the impact of secondary migration on the size and characteristics of refugee and immigrant communities.Practical implicationsHealth program planners should be aware that existing data may include more information about some groups (refugees as opposed to immigrants) and emphasize some characteristics (race as opposed to country of origin).Originality/valueIncluding immigrant and refugee community members in the research process can result in more relevant definition of that community, which may lead to more effective program targeting and design.
Family therapy with Eastern European immigrants: recommendations for practice
Authors: Robila Mihaela , Sandberg Jonathan 
Published: February 2012

PurposeThe increased number of Eastern European immigrants provides many opportunities to work with these immigrants and issues related to immigration. The purpose of this article is to examine Eastern European immigrants' adaptation patterns and provide recommendations for family therapy working with the group.Design/methodology/approachSemi‐structured interviews were conducted with 120 Eastern European immigrants. Data analysis was conducted using constant comparisons.FindingsCommon immigration experiences illustrating the need for services have been identified, along with barriers that might prevent the use of social services. The results indicate similarities and differences among the different groups regarding their immigration experience and adaptation to the host society.Originality/valueRecommendations for overcoming the service‐use barriers and conducting family therapy with these immigrants are provided.
Improving parents' child‐feeding practices: a social marketing challenge
Authors: Pettigrew Simone , Pescud Melanie 
Published: February 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate the ability of a social marketing intervention to provide families with specific nutrition information, stimulate family discussions on the topic of nutrition, and encourage parents to make changes in their child‐feeding practices.Design/methodology/approachA postcard intervention was administered to families with children aged five to 12 years at three primary schools in Western Australia. Approximately two months later, an evaluation questionnaire was administered to the three intervention schools and a control school.FindingsIn total, 229 usable questionnaires were returned, representing a 22 percent response rate. In the intervention schools, almost half of the respondents reported discussing the contents of the postcards with their children and a third reported giving the cards to their children to read. The intervention was successful in encouraging a majority (60 percent) of respondents to make at least one favourable change to their child‐feeding practices, in line with the recommendations provided.Originality/valueThe study demonstrated that a simple and cost‐effective social marketing intervention can encourage family discussions on the topic of nutrition and favourably influence parents' child‐feeding practices.
A strategy for advancing social marketing
Authors: McKay‐Nesbitt Jane , DeMoranville Carol W. , McNally Dan 
Published: February 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to contend that one way to advance the social marketing discipline is by introducing students to social marketing concepts during the early stages of their marketing education. Thus, it describes an interdisciplinary group Social Marketing Plan (SMP) project that was included as a class project in an introductory marketing course. An analysis of the SMP's impact on student learning is presented.Design/methodology/approachFoundations of Marketing (Foundations) students at a US university completed an SMP project as a course requirement. Project impact was assessed with post‐project measures of students' ability to apply social marketing concepts in a SMP. Project impact was also assessed with post‐project measures of attitudes toward working on interdisciplinary teams and pre‐ and post‐project comparisons of declarative marketing knowledge, environmental awareness, environmental attitudes, and environmental intentions. A post hoc comparison of the commercial marketing knowledge of a control group and Foundations students was also conducted.FindingsEnd of semester surveys showed that Foundations students understood and were able to apply social marketing concepts, enjoyed the SMP project, appreciated the value of working in interdisciplinary teams, and believed that future SMP projects should include students from other disciplines. Foundations students also reported significant increases in environmental awareness, attitudes, and intentions, and commercial marketing knowledge. Contrasts with a control group revealed that adding social marketing concepts to an introductory marketing course did not impede Foundations students' learning of commercial marketing concepts.Originality/valueThe paper provides evidence that incorporating a social marketing project into an introductory marketing course is an effective method for introducing students to social marketing concepts, therefore advancing the social marketing discipline. Changes in student environmental attitudes and intentions to act to preserve the environment also suggest that a SMP project can be an effective method of doing social marketing.
Parenting stress among US Army spouses during combat‐related deployments: the role of sense of coherence
Authors: Everson Ronald Blaine , Darling Carol Anderson , Herzog Joseph R. 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACTThe present study seeks to model the effects of parenting stress on contentment experienced by spouses of soldiers deployed to Iraq for long periods of time (n= 200). Using the ABC‐X model from family stress and resiliency theory, a path analysis determined that, in addition to parenting stress, the length of deployment and the ethnic background of the Army spouse also acted as contributing stress factors influencing not only contentment, but perception of family coping and the sense of coherence experienced by the spouse during long‐term deployments (mean = 4.6 months). The mean age of children in the home was found to have significant effect on sense of coherence in this particular sample of women. The influence of the stressors in the statistical model on life contentment was mostly ameliorated by sense of coherence (i.e. perception of comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness in daily life). In other words, spouses with higher sense of coherence experienced better contentment with their lives during deployments. The study also captures qualitative responses and provides several themes associated with daily experiences of Army spouses. Implications for both military and civilian social workers are discussed.
Ethnic differences in reported unmet needs among male inpatients with severe mental illness
Authors: BRUCE M. , GWASPARI M. , COBB D. , NDEGWA D. 
Published: February 2012

Accessible summary
Literature suggests that ethnic minority groups are disadvantaged within current health care services in the UK. This study attempts to identify the rates and nature of unmet health and social needs across three ethnic groups.
Inpatients of African ethnicity reported significantly less unmet needs than their White British counterparts.
Unmet needs in the domains of psychotic symptoms, alcohol use and safety to self differed significantly across the three ethnic groups.
Inpatients of White British heritage appeared to have more unmet needs and/or were more willing to disclose these compared to other ethnic groups.
The ability to meet health and social needs is complicated by the presence of antisocial personality disorder and alcohol dependence.
AbstractHealth services are failing to meet the needs of ethnic minority groups with severe mental illness in the UK. Understanding these unmet social and health needs will assist service providers in developing culturally sensitive and responsive care pathways. Using a cross‐sectional design, 165 service users were recruited from 10 acute inpatient wards across four South London boroughs. Needs were assessed using the Camberwell Assessment of Need Short Assessment Schedule and substance dependence and antisocial personality disorder were measured using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, Drug Use Disorders Identification Test and the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders. African, but not African–Caribbean, heritage continued to predict lower rates of reported unmet needs compared to White British (P < 0.001) following multivariate analysis. Different patterns of unmet needs were observed across ethnic heritage groups. Antisocial personality disorder and alcohol dependence were also independently associated with unmet needs. Consideration of a patient's ethnic identity and comorbidities is essential for effective needs assessment within psychiatric and mental health nursing.
Role of distension on duodenal and colonic contractility in mice: a novel myograph for intestines
Authors: Lu X. , Zhang Z. , Choy J. S. , Kassab G. S. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractBackground  The role of mechanical distension (stretch and tension) on intestinal contractility is poorly understood.Methods  We introduce a novel isovolumic myograph to quantify the intestinal contractility in response to mechanical stimulation. To evaluate the role of distension on contractility, an external restraint was used to restrict intestinal distension or stretch induced by inflation pressure. The amplitude of intraluminal pressure at isovolumic condition was defined as an index of intestinal contractility.Key Results  The in situ maximal contraction (1.42 ± 0.39 mmHg) of duodenum in response to inflation pressure was similar to the in vitro maximal contraction (1.39 ± 0.37 mmHg). As the pressure was increased, the in situ duodenal contraction attenuated faster than the in vitro one. The in situ maximal contraction (4.86 ± 1.32 mmHg) of distal colon in response to inflation pressure was significantly larger than the in vitro maximal contraction (2.31 ± 0.67 mmHg). With increase of pressure, the in situ colonic contractility (1.82 ± 0.87 mmHg) became similar to the in vitro counterpart (1.61  ± 0.98 mmHg). With restraint, the maximal contraction of duodenum and distal colon decreased from 4.86 ± 1.32 and 1.42  ± 0.39 mmHg to 2.91 ± 0.87 and 0.97 ± 0.29 mmHg, respectively. Finally, a significant linear relation was found between strain and amplitude of contraction for both duodenum and colon which became non‐significant with restraint.Conclusions & Inferences  Our results suggest that distension is an important stimulus for intestinal contractility and nervous regulation is implicated in the intestinal contractility response to mechanical stimulus.
A NAC transcription factor NTL4 promotes reactive oxygen species production during drought‐induced leaf senescence in Arabidopsis
Authors: Lee Sangmin , Seo Pil Joon , Lee Hyo‐Jun , Park Chung‐Mo 
Published: February 2012

SummaryReactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced in plant cells primarily as by‐products of aerobic energy metabolism. They are also generated during plant adaptation responses to environmental stresses, such as drought and high salinity. Therefore, plants have evolved ROS‐detoxifying enzymes and antioxidants to cope with ROS accumulation. However, if stress conditions are prolonged, the level of ROS will surpass the capacity of the detoxifying machinery, causing oxidative damage to cellular constituents. It is known that ROS act in abscisic acid‐mediated stress responses to sustain plant survival under adverse growth conditions. However, it is largely unknown how ROS metabolism is linked to stress responses. Here, we show that a drought‐responsive NAC transcription factor NTL4 promotes ROS production by binding directly to the promoters of genes encoding ROS biosynthetic enzymes during drought‐induced leaf senescence. Leaf senescence was accelerated in 35S:4ΔCtransgenic plants over‐expressing an active form of NTL4 under drought conditions. The 35S:4ΔCtransgenic plants were hypersensitive to drought, and ROS accumulated in the leaves. In contrast, ROS levels were reduced inNTL4‐deficientntl4mutants, which exhibited delayed leaf senescence and enhanced drought resistance. These observations indicate that NTL4 acts as a molecular switch that couples ROS metabolism to drought‐induced leaf senescence in Arabidopsis.
Effects of dietary protein levels on digestibility of nutrients and growth rate in young female mink (Mustela vison)
Authors: Zhang T.‐T. , Zhang Z.‐Q. , Gao X.‐H. , Yang F.‐H. , Xing X.‐M. 
Published: February 2012

SummaryThis study investigated digestibilities of nutrients and feed efficiency in female mink at the different dietary protein levels during the mink growth period. Effects of dietary protein on growth performance of minks were also measured. Sixty 45‐day‐old healthy female minks were randomly assigned to 6 treatment groups with 10 animals in each group. Animals were fed diets varying in protein levels: 28% (Group I), 30% (Group II), 32% (Group III), 34% (Group IV), 36% (Group V) and 38% (Group VI), respectively. The digestibilities of key nutrients were determined on Day 14 after initiating the experiment and the last 3 days. From the beginning of the study, body weight and feed intake were weighed and recorded every other week in order to calculate the average daily bodyweight gain and the feed efficiency. The trial had demonstrated that nitrogen intake was greatly significantly different, which was affected by dietary protein levels (p < 0.001). Growth performance of minks was impaired when dietary protein level was at 28%. When dietary protein level was at 34%, minks had the best daily gains, feed efficiency, and digestibilities of some key nutrients.
Comparison of FEV3, FEV6, FEV1/FEV3 and FEV1/FEV6 with usual spirometric indices
Authors: MEHRPARVAR AMIR HOUSHANG , RAHIMIAN MASOUD , MIRMOHAMMADI SEYYED JALIL , GHEIDI AFSHIN , MOSTAGHACI MEHRDAD , LOTFI MOHAMMAD HASSAN 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACTBackground and objective:  Pulmonary function tests play an important role in the management of pulmonary diseases. One of the tests that are widely used is spirometry. Performing an acceptable spirometry manoeuvre according to the standards set by the American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society is difficult. The aim of this study was to compare forced expiratory volume in 3 s (FEV3) and forced expiratory volume in 6 s (FEV6) with forced vital capacity (FVC), and forced expiratory volume in 1 s FEV1/FEV3 and FEV1/FEV6 with FEV1/FVC, in order to substitute the usual spirometric manoeuvres with manoeuvres that are easier to perform.Methods:  In a cross‐sectional study, spirometry was performed for 588 subjects who were referred for occupational health evaluations. The accuracy of FEV3, FEV6, FEV1/FEV3 and FEV1/FEV6 was compared with that of FVC and FEV1/FVC. Chi‐square tests and kappa tests were used to analyse the data.Results:  Individuals with normal (n = 297) and abnormal spirometry (n = 291) were evaluated. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of FEV1/FEV6, as compared with that of FEV1/FVC for detecting obstruction, were 93.56, 99.32, 98.95 and 96.09, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of FEV6, as compared with that of FVC for detecting restriction, were 96.68, 98.65, 96.68 and 98.65, respectively.Conclusions:  FEV6 and FEV1/FEV6 can be used as surrogates for FVC and FEV1/FVC, respectively, and these parameters showed acceptable sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value for occupational health evaluations.
Problem based learning in mental health nursing: The students' experience
Authors: Cooper Carol , Carver Neil 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACTProblem based learning (PBL) is well established within the field of health‐care education for professionals worldwide, although little has been done to explore the experiences of students undertaking a PBL course in mental health nursing. Without firm evidence of the benefits of PBL, educationalists in mental health might be reluctant to view it as an option in curricula design. This UK study examined the experiences of pre‐registration post‐graduate mental health student nurses undertaking a 2‐year educational course in which all teaching and assessment followed a PBL philosophy. Focus groups were used throughout the course to elicit in‐depth qualitative data that was analysed by applying a constant comparative method. The analysis of the data uncovered the following broad themes: ‘moves to autonomy, ’surviving the groups' and ‘the impact of PBL’. The findings show that participants had mainly positive experiences and gained a range of study and interpersonal skills central to mental health nursing. Participants described initial anxieties resulting from engagement in PBL. However, they increasingly gained confidence in this approach, exercising increasing control over the PBL process. Despite this increased autonomy, participants continued to value the input of skilled facilitators. A recurring issue centred on the potential for interpersonal conflict within the student group and its impact on their learning. It is suggested that more research is needed examining the use of PBL in mental health nursing.