Κυριακή 23 Ιουνίου 2019

Child's Nervous System

Pseudo-spontaneous third ventriculostomy


Twenty-three years follow-up after low-dose Gamma Knife surgery of a brainstem juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma: a case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma (JPA) is a World Health Organization (WHO) grade I tumor that is the commonest to occur in the 0–19 age group, with an excellent prognosis of 96% 10-year survival in pediatric patients. Complete resection is the treatment of choice for JPAs. However, this is not always feasible due to the location of certain tumors, and the management following subtotal resection is controversial. Fractionated radiotherapy, chemotherapy, radiosurgery, and observation have all been used to treat tumor remnants. We report a young patient with good tumor control 23 years following low-dose Gamma Knife surgery (GKS) of a subtotally resected brainstem JPA and recommend that GKS may be a feasible treatment option to achieve long-term tumor control when subtotal resection cannot be achieved, even if the GKS prescription dose must be significantly reduced due to large tumor volume or proximity to critical structures sensitive to radiation.



Topical instillation of vancomycin lowers the rate of CSF shunt infections in children

Abstract

Introduction

Shunt surgery in pediatric patients still bears a significant risk of infection, in addition to mechanical complications of the shunt system. Antibiotic-impregnated systems and perioperative antibiotics have been extensively studied for their potential to reduce shunt infections. We examined the effectiveness of intrawound application of vancomycin powder during shunt surgery.

Patients and methods

Patient records of 78 primary shunt implantations at a mean age of 40 months were reviewed. In total, 52 patients (mean age 50 months) had been treated according to standard surgical and perioperative procedures (Std), whereas 26 patients (mean age 20 months) additionally had received topical application of vancomycin powder before wound closure (Vmc). Overall infection rate was 3.8%, in Std patients 5.8%, and in Vmc patients 0%. The rates of CSF fistula and revision surgery were similar in both groups (5.8% vs 8% and 23.1% vs. 30%, respectively).

Conclusion

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on topical vancomycin instillation, indicating its efficacy for the prevention of shunt infection in pediatric patients. Further studies with a higher number of patients are needed to verify this finding.



Letter to the editor regarding the cover editorial: "Şânîzâde Mehmed Atâullah Efendi (1771?–1826), who is the author of the first modern anatomy book Mir'âtü'l-Ebdân fî Teşrîhi Âzâü'l-İnsân in the Ottoman Empire"


Drug refractory epilepsy in children: many concerns!


A reply to the letter to the editor by Ortug with regard to the paper "Şânîzâde Mehmed Atâullah Efendi (1771?–1826), who is the author of the first modern anatomy book Mir ' âtü ' l - Ebdân fî Teşrîhi Âzâü ' l - İnsân in the Ottoman Empire"


Microvascular decompression with partial occipital condylectomy in a case of pediatric spasmodic torticollis

Abstract

Spasmodic torticollis is a rare, neurologic disorder that is caused by abnormal nerve compression of the 11th cranial nerve by blood vessels or bony protrusions. It is typically treated pharmacologically and, if necessary, with surgical intervention. We report a unique case of spasmodic torticollis in a 15-year-old female that involved abnormal compression of the left 11th cranial nerve (CN) by the left vertebral artery, displaced by a hypertrophic left occipital condyle. After treatment with Botox was unsuccessful, the patient was treated with microvascular decompression and occipital condylectomy that adequately relieved the abnormal compression of CN XI. Mild symptoms persisted, and the patient underwent a partial section of the sternocleidomastoid muscle 1 year later, after which torticollis symptoms resolved.



A child with a stroke, drug-refractory epilepsy and congenital heart disease: can a hemispherectomy be safely performed between staged cardiac procedures?

Abstract

Background

The safety of hemispherectomy between staged cardiac procedures is unknown and not previously reported.

Method

Retrospective review of a case with drug-resistant epilepsy due to stroke following bidirectional cavopulmonary connection (BDCPC).

Results

This report describes the first case of a successful pediatric peri-insular functional hemispherectomy in the setting of a BDCPC. A discussion of the complex preoperative planning from both a cardiac and neurological perspective is presented. Considerations regarding hemispherectomy and its effects on the cardiac physiology, and perioperative considerations are emphasized in clinical decision making.

Conclusions

A multidisciplinary approach was critical in this child which led to a successful outcome.



A case of central nervous system vasculitis presenting as a mass-like lesion

Abstract

Vasculitis of the central nervous system presenting as a mass lesion is a relatively uncommon occurrence. Even more uncommon is a vasculitis mimicking a demyelinating lesion. We present here an interesting case of a 15-year-old boy who was found to have a mass-like lesion on neuroimaging involving the left subcortical white matter and deep gray matter. The differential diagnosis for this lesion was primary demyelination versus a glial tumor, the former being more favored over the latter. Biopsy of this lesion however revealed findings compatible with a vasculitis, which was unexpected given the neuroimaging findings. To the authors' knowledge, case reports in the English literature of a vasculitic lesion mimicking demyelination are scarce. This case also serves as a reminder of the diagnostic difficulty that arises in a pediatric patient with an initial presentation of mass-like lesion.



Enhancing nodular lesions in Chiari II malformations in the setting of persistent hindbrain herniation: case report and literature review

Abstract

Background

Chiari II malformation includes concomitant cerebellar tonsillar herniation, hydrocephalus, and myelomeningocele. Rarely, pediatric patients with persistent hindbrain herniation develop a new enhancing nodule at the cervicomedullary junction as adults. These new lesions may be suspicious for neoplastic growth, but it remains unclear if neurosurgical intervention is necessary.

Case Report

A 27-year-old female patient with history of Chiari II malformation and persistent hindbrain herniation presented with a 3-month history of headache and upper extremity weakness and numbness. Neuroimaging revealed a new enhancing nodule near the cervicomedullary junction suspicious for neoplasm. Following posterior fossa decompression and excision of the enhancing lesion, pathological analysis demonstrated only benign glioneural heterotopia.

Results

New enhancing nodules at the cervicomedullary junction in Chiari II malformation are exceedingly rare and are likely benign, reactive changes rather than a neoplastic process. Biopsy or surgical excision of these lesions is likely unnecessary for asymptomatic patients.



Alexandros Sfakianakis
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182
6948891480

Needs and Solutions

I Paid More than You (Before)?! The Effects of Self-Construal and Comparison Target on Price Unfairness Perceptions

Abstract

Previous research suggests that when consumers encounter discrepant prices due to dynamic pricing, a social comparison evokes stronger unfairness perceptions than a temporal comparison does. In this paper, the authors show how this effect may vary depending on consumers' self-construal. Two experiments find that while independent consumers perceive stronger price unfairness when paying more than other consumers, interdependent consumers perceive stronger price unfairness when paying more than what they did in the past. These effects occur because consumers are differentially sensitive, as a function of their self-construal, to social versus temporal comparisons in their self-appraisal. Our results show that self-construal affects consumers' means for maintaining their self-appraisal and alters the relevance of different comparison targets in price unfairness perceptions.



Advertising Originality Decisions in Competition

Abstract

Originality is a critical determinant of advertising success. However, firms frequently opt to launch unoriginal advertising campaigns. Why would firms opt for unoriginal ads when originality is considered as the "pinnacle"? In this paper, the authors investigate advertising originality decisions for market leaders and followers. They first establish empirically that unoriginal advertising, and more specifically copycat advertising, is a common option across diverse markets even for leading brands. Then, they develop an analytical framework to investigate the optimality of originality decisions. They model creative advertising themes as a "best-shot" type of public good, where a firm's originality decision is influenced by market structure as well as market growth. The authors then examine whether a firm creates an original ad or opts for an unoriginal one, either by copycatting a competitor or by remaking an existing ad theme. The findings suggest that there is no oversupply of original ads. An original ad can be created by either the leading firm or its follower to boost the valuation of its loyal consumers and profit from higher prices or to attract switchers.



Using the Double Transparency of Autonomous Vehicles to Increase Fairness and Social Welfare

Abstract

Fully autonomous vehicles (AVs) create double transparency regarding human driving decisions. Opaque decision rules in the human mind have become transparent in AVs, and in turn, can be made transparent to third parties. This double transparency is creating an unprecedented opportunity to regulate driving decision rules to eliminate unreasonable selfishness and increase fairness and social welfare because AVs can be programmed to follow regulations 100% of the time. In this experimental ethics study, we performed an incentive aligned online experiment to examine humans' willingness to sacrifice other people's lives to protect their own in five different accident scenarios and to investigate the potential for AV regulation to curb unreasonable selfishness, thereby increasing fairness and social welfare. Our results reveal the need to regulate rules governing AV driving decisions; yet, a full transparency policy for decision algorithms may not necessarily lead to desired social effects. Thus, regulations should be tailored to different scenarios.



Coordinating Marketing and Production with Asymmetric Costs: Theory and Estimation

Abstract

This paper proposes a theoretical framework for decision making when the firm needs to make marketing and production/order decisions simultaneously before demand uncertainty is resolved. We discuss the theoretical properties of the framework for single and multi-product firms; in addition, we show that the framework can be extended to allow for competitive reaction in a duopoly setting. We propose an empirical method to operationalize the model and compare the results to those from extant methods. The empirical results for both single and multi-product firms show that the proposed method outperforms decision making using standard econometric methods. In particular, depending on customer lifetime value (CLV) and other error costs and price elasticities, the loss in potential profits by using the standard regression-based methodology or quantile regression can be considerable.



Examining Brand Strength of Political Candidates: a Performance Premium Approach

Abstract

Despite the growth of research on political marketing, fundamental questions concerning brand value of political candidates and its relationship with marketing mix activities remain unanswered. This research extends premium-based brand valuation methods to the political context by presenting a performance premium approach to assessing the strength of politicians' brands and exploring the relationship between politician brand strength and political advertising. We develop a joint hierarchical Bayesian model of brand performance and marketing activity and estimate our model using data on the election performance and advertising expenditures of political candidates from US House of Representatives elections. Our findings suggest that politicians who possess a strong brand—those that perform better than expected given the partisan leanings of their districts, advertising spending, and other model controls—face a consequence for their brand strength in which political advertising by their opponents has a stronger negative impact on their performance compared to the effect of political advertising against politicians with weaker brands. We discuss the implications of our findings for political marketing.



Marketing Scholars and Political Marketing: the Pragmatic and Principled Reasons for Why Marketing Academics Should Research the Use of Marketing in the Political Arena

Abstract

The marketing discipline needs to pay more attention to political marketing. Marketing has permeated deeply into the heart of elections and government. Numerous political players, including presidents and prime ministers, politicians, and parties, as well as government departments and councils turn to marketing in their pursuit of political goals. While media coverage of recent issues, such the Trump campaign's use of big data, has shone a spotlight on commercial marketing techniques in the political and governmental arena, scholars from multiple disciplines (marketing, political science, and communication) have been exploring cross-disciplinary research on political marketing for several decades. This article argues that it is time for the marketing discipline to embrace political marketing more openly than before. This article will make the case by outlining the broad scope of political marketing in practice and research, providing examples of political marketing, and then discussing the significant ethical implications of marketing politics. Finally, it will provide reasons for why marketing scholars should research this dynamic and profoundly impactful area.



A Factorial Hidden Markov Model for the Analysis of Temporal Change in Choice Models

Abstract

Consumers' preferences for various product attributes change over time. Modeling such temporal changes through a single process assumes that all the attributes' preferences change together with the same dynamics; however, this assumption is not appropriate when there are several processes with distinct characteristics. We propose a new non-homogeneous factorial hidden Markov model (FHMM) for choice models to dynamically segment consumers into distinct states while each preference parameter may follow a distinct Markov process. The transition probabilities are modeled as time-varying at the individual level, affected by covariates of a feedback term of the consumer's previous purchase decision, specific to each Markov process. We motivate the proposed approach by an application to a scanner panel choice dataset and find two processes with entirely different characteristics governing the shifts in two preference attributes. Model fit and prediction power based on Brier scores show the superiority of the proposed non-homogeneous FHMM in capturing temporal changes in preferences compared to a traditional hidden Markov model as well as a benchmark comparison model.



Social-Spatial Effects in Pricing: When and How Vertical Orientations Shape Processing of Price Comparisons

Abstract

Marketers frequently compare a product's sale price against its regular price to accentuate perceptions of value. The effectiveness of these price comparisons is predicated on consumers sufficiently processing the deal's depth (i.e., the regular price − sale price differential). Although research indicates consumers can generally make such assessments, we document an exception when price comparisons are presented in a format that aligns with the vertical orientation of consumers. The correspondence between vertical price comparisons and the mindsets of individuals who value social hierarchies (i.e., who are vertically oriented) induces a sense of "fit" that reduces processing and leads to similar responses to the offer regardless of deal depth. This effect manifests regardless of whether vertical orientations are measured as a chronic state or temporarily primed. Supporting our theorizing, vertically oriented participants report paying less attention and being less motivated to process price comparisons. Theoretical implications of these findings are discussed as are suggestions for future research examining how social views may shape consumer processing of product attribute and point-of-purchase information.



Understanding Influence of Marketing Thought on Practice: an Analysis of Business Journals Using Textual and Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) Analysis

Abstract

Several calls have been made to understand the influence of marketing thought on practice (Rust et al. J Mark 68:76–89, 11). Practice includes practitioners who mostly use concepts and frameworks (general practice) and who mostly use quantitative models (quantitative practice). This paper compares the relative influence of marketing thought compared to other disciplines and uncovers seminal marketing thoughts that have influenced both general and quantitative practice. Using topic modeling procedures on 94 years of Harvard Business Review, 46 years of Sloan Management Review, and 47 years of Management Science, this paper illuminates the evolution of the influence of marketing thought over time. Despite marketing's slow start, it has an increasing influence on both general and quantitative practice. Foundational topics in marketing such as productpromotionplaceconsumers, and marketing research methods have influenced both general and quantitative practice. Surprisingly, price has not influenced practice. Marketing Communications is increasingly influential while Channel ManagementProduct/Service Management, and surprisingly Customer Relationships have lost their early influence to practice. General practitioners find Marketing Environment and Business Models increasingly influential while quantitative practitioners find Social Influence and Metrics increasingly influential. Quantitative practice has kept up to speed with marketing thought that influence general practice.



Introduction to the Special Issue: 2016 Choice Symposium


Alexandros Sfakianakis
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182
6948891480

Ethics

Erratum to: Abusive Supervision and Subordinate Proactive Behavior: Joint Moderating Roles of Organizational Identification and Positive Affectivity

The original version of this article was corrected: Figures 5 and 6 were updated.



Normative Underpinnings of Direct Employee Participation Studies and Implications for Developing Ethical Reflexivity: A Multidisciplinary Review

Abstract

This paper seeks to join studies which have drawn attention to the ethical reflexivity of research and the research enterprise in the organisational studies' field. Towards this end, we review OB, HRM, and IR studies on direct employee participation in organisations post-1990s to examine their normative underpinnings. Using Fox's (Industrial sociology and industrial relations. Research Paper 3, Royal Commission on Trade Unions and Employers' Associations, HMSO, London, 1966, Beyond contract: Work, power and trust relations. Faber and Faber, London, 1974) three frames—unitarist, pluralist, and radical—we compare the underpinnings within and across the chosen disciplines to bring ethical reflexivity to studies in this area of inquiry. Implications are drawn out to take forward the quest for more ethically reflexive employee participation research.



Abusive Supervision and Subordinate Proactive Behavior: Joint Moderating Roles of Organizational Identification and Positive Affectivity

Abstract

Drawing on the transactional model of stress, we propose that organizational identification and positive affectivity moderate the relationship between abusive supervision and proactive behavior. In Study 1, we collected data from a sample of 165 dentists and 41 supervisors in two Chinese hospitals. In Study 2, we used a sample of 226 employee-supervisor dyads from a large Chinese transportation company. The results of two studies showed that the interaction between abusive supervision and organizational identification on proactive behavior (personal initiative in Study 1 and organizational proactive behavior in Study 2) occurred only when positive affectivity was high. We discuss theoretical and managerial implications and indicate future research directions.



Dealing with the Full-of-Self-Boss: Interactive Effects of Supervisor Narcissism and Subordinate Resource Management Ability on Work Outcomes

Abstract

Extensive research has documented the harmful effects associated with working for a narcissistic supervisor. However, little effort has been made to investigate ways for victims to alleviate the burdens associated with exposure to such aversive persons. Building on the tenets of conservation of resources theory and the documented efficacy of functional assets to combat job-related stress, we hypothesized that subordinates' resource management ability would buffer the detrimental impact of narcissistic supervisors on affective, cognitive, and behavioral work outcomes for subordinates. We found support for our hypotheses across three independent samples of US workers (N = 187; 199; 136). Specifically, higher levels of subordinate resource management ability attenuated the harmful effects of supervisor narcissism on employee-reported emotional exhaustion, job tension, depressed mood, task performance, and citizenship behavior. Conversely, these relationships further deteriorated for subordinates with lower levels of resource management ability. Overall, our research contributes to the literature that, although extensively documenting the harmful ramifications of narcissism in organizations, has neglected to investigate potentially mitigating factors.



Legitimacy, Particularism and Employee Commitment and Justice

Abstract

Research on the effects of particularistic human resource practices (i.e., favoritism and nepotism) on organizational outcomes has concentrated on direct negative attitudinal and behavioral responses. By integrating legitimacy and social exchange theories, this paper proposes and tests the idea that legitimacy of particularistic practices might moderate their negative effects on employee attitudes at work. Through a survey of 415 employees across multiple organizational types, we show that the legitimacy of particularism mitigates its negative effects on affective commitment and perceived distributive and procedural justice in non-family-owned businesses only. We discuss implications for theory and practice.



Bystander Responses to Bullying at Work: The Role of Mode, Type and Relationship to Target

Abstract

Framed within theories of fairness and stress, the current paper examines bystanders' intervention intention to workplace bullying across two studies based on international employee samples (N = 578). Using a vignette-based design, we examined the role of bullying mode (offline vs. online), bullying type (personal vs. work-related) and target closeness (friend vs. work colleague) on bystanders' behavioural intentions to respond, to sympathise with the victim (defender role), to reinforce the perpetrator (prosecutor role) or to be ambivalent (commuter role). Results illustrated a pattern of the influence of mode and type on bystander intentions. Bystanders were least likely to support the victim and more likely to agree with perpetrator actions for cyberbullying and work-related acts. Tentatively, support emerged for the effect of target closeness on bystander intentions. Although effect sizes were small, when the target was a friend, bystanders tended to be more likely to act and defend the victim and less likely to reinforce the perpetrator. Implications for research and the potential for bystander education are discussed.



The Unwitting Accomplice: How Organizations Enable Motivated Reasoning and Self-Serving Behavior

Abstract

In this article, we demonstrate that individuals use motivated reasoning to convince themselves that their self-serving behavior is justified, which in turn affects the distribution of resources in business situations. Specifically, we explore how ambiguous contextual cues and individual beliefs can jointly form motivated reasoning. Across two experimental studies, we find that whereas individual ideologies that endorse status hierarchies (i.e., social dominance orientation) can strengthen the relationship between contextual ambiguity and motivated reasoning, individual beliefs rooted in fairness and equality (i.e., moral identity) can weaken it. Our findings contribute to person–situation theories of business ethics and provide evidence that two ubiquitous factors in business organizations—contextual ambiguity and social dominance orientation—give rise to motivated reasoning, enabling decision makers to engage in self-serving distributions of resources.



Do Victims of Supervisor Bullying Suffer from Poor Creativity? Social Cognitive and Social Comparison Perspectives

Abstract

This study explores the dark side of leadership, treats creative self-efficacy as a mediator, and frames supervisor bullying and employee creativity in the context of social cognition and social comparison. We theorize that with a high social comparison orientation, the combination of high supervisory abuse toward themselves (own abusive supervision) and low supervisory abuse toward other team members (peer abusive supervision) leads to a double whammy effect: When employees are "singled out" for abuse, these victims suffer from not only low creative self-efficacy due to supervisory abuse but also low supervisory creativity ratings. Results based on our two-wave data collected from multiple sources—253 employees and their 77 immediate supervisors—support our theory. The significant three-way interaction effect reveals that when social comparison orientation is high and peer abusive supervision is low (Time 1), own abusive supervision (Time 1) creates the strongest negative impact on creative self-efficacy (Time 2), which is significantly related to supervisory low creativity rating (Time 2). Our discoveries of egregious bullying offer provocative theoretical, empirical, and practical implications to the fields of leadership, abusive supervision, creativity, and business ethics.



The UN Framework on Business and Human Rights: A Workers' Rights Critique

Abstract

The "Protect, Respect, Remedy" Framework along with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights is the current global standard regarding corporate conduct. This article analyses the UN Framework from the vantage point of labour rights in India by looking at the garment supply chain. It argues that it can do little to induce states and businesses to bring substantive improvements to working conditions in a largely informal economy like India. Without the state performing its duty to protect human rights, the secondary responsibility of corporations can do very little in realising the rights of workers. Nonetheless, its tallest contribution is that it has given a platform for civil society to push for better conduct from all businesses and marks the beginning of a unified international business and human rights agenda.



Will Creative Employees Always Make Trouble? Investigating the Roles of Moral Identity and Moral Disengagement

Abstract

Recent research has uncovered the dark side of creativity by finding that creative individuals are more likely to engage in unethical behavior. However, we argue that not all creative individuals make trouble. Using moral self-regulation theory as our overarching theoretical framework, we examine individuals' moral identity as a boundary condition and moral disengagement as a mediating mechanism to explain when and how individual creativity is associated with workplace deviant behavior. We conducted two field studies using multi-source data to test our hypotheses. In Study 1, the results indicated that creativity positively predicted moral disengagement for those low in moral identity. In Study 2 with multi-wave data, we replicated the finding that moral identity moderated the effect of creativity on moral disengagement in Study 1 and further revealed that moral disengagement mediated the interactive effects of creativity and moral identity on workplace deviant behavior. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.



Alexandros Sfakianakis
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182
6948891480

Synthese

Artifacts and affordances

Abstract

What are the affordances of artifacts? One view is that the affordances of artifacts, just as the affordances of natural objects, pertain to possible ways in which they can be manipulated (e.g., a computer keyboard affords grasping). Another view maintains that, given that artifacts are sociocultural objects, their affordances pertain primarily to their culturally-derived function (e.g., a computer keyboard affords typing). Whereas some have tried to provide a unifying notion of affordance to capture both aspects, here I argue that they should be kept separate. In this paper, I introduce a distinction between standard affordances, which concern the function of artifacts, and ad-hoc affordances, which refer to how artifacts are manipulated. I then argue for the neuropsychological plausibility of such a distinction, linking it to the dissociation between function knowledge and manipulation knowledge. Finally, I defend the equal status of these forms of knowledge and, hence, of standard and ad-hoc affordances, and I show that this has some implications for the debate on the role of motor processes in the conceptual knowledge of artifacts.



No work for a theory of epistemic dispositions

Abstract

Externalists about epistemic justification have long emphasized the connection between truth and justification, with this coupling finding explicit expression in process reliabilism. Process reliabilism, however, faces a number of severe difficulties, leading disenchanted process reliabilists to find a new theoretical home. The conceptual flag under which such epistemologists have preferred to gather is that of dispositions. Just as reliabilism is determined by the frequency of a particular outcome, making it possible to characterize justification in terms of a particular relationship to truth, dispositions are accompanied by concrete, worldly manifestations. By taking true beliefs as the result, not of certain processes but of particular dispositions, these epistemologists have attempted to respond to the numerous obstacles to reliabilism. Yet all this work has proceeded without regard to the wealth of contemporary work on the metaphysics of dispositions, making the new hope premature at best, ill-founded at worst. Combining contemporary dispositional accounts of justification with extant analyses of dispositions reveals that the latter is the case. The structural differences between epistemic justification and dispositions make it clear that not only should process reliabilism be abandoned, but the subsequent appeal to dispositions along with it.



Affective representation and affective attitudes

Abstract

Many philosophers have understood the representational dimension of affective states along the model of perceptual experiences. This paper argues affective experiences involve a kind of personal level affective representation disanalogous from the representational character of perceptual experiences. The positive thesis is that affective representation is a non-transparent, non-sensory form of evaluative representation, whereby a felt valenced attitude represents the object of the experience as minimally good or bad, and one experiences that evaluative standing as having the power to causally motivate the relevant attitude. I show how this view can make sense of distinctive features of affective experiences, such as their valence and connection to value in a way which moves beyond current evaluativist views of affect.



Correction to: Happily entangled: prediction, emotion, and the embodied mind

In the original publication, funding information was missing: Andy Clark was supported by ERC Advanced Grant 692739 (XSPECT—Expecting Ourselves—Embodied Prediction and the Construction of Conscious Experience).



Linguistics and the explanatory economy

Abstract

I present a novel, collaborative, methodology for linguistics: what I call the 'explanatory economy'. According to this picture, multiple models/theories are evaluated based on the extent to which they complement one another with respect to data coverage. I show how this model can resolve a long-standing worry about the methodology of generative linguistics: that by creating too much distance between data and theory, the empirical credentials of this research program are tarnished. I provide justifications of such methodologically central distinctions as the competence/performance and core/periphery distinction, and then show how we can understand the push for simplicity in the history of generative grammar in this light.



In the quagmire of quibbles: a dialectical exploration

Abstract

Criticism may degenerate into quibbling or nitpicking. How can discussants keep quibblers under control? In the paper we investigate cases in which a battle about words replaces a discussion of the matters that are actually at issue as well as cases in which a battle about minor objections replaces a discussion of the major issues. We survey some lines of discussion dealing with these situations in profiles of dialogue.



Can Church's thesis be viewed as a Carnapian explication?

Abstract

Turing and Church formulated two different formal accounts of computability that turned out to be extensionally equivalent. Since the accounts refer to different properties they cannot both be adequate conceptual analysesof the concept of computability. This insight has led to a discussion concerning which account is adequate. Some authors have suggested that this philosophical debate—which shows few signs of converging on one view—can be circumvented by regarding Church's and Turing's theses as explications. This move opens up the possibility that both accounts could be adequate, albeit in their own different ways. In this paper, I focus on the question of whether Church's thesis can be seen as an explication in the precise Carnapian sense. Most importantly, I address an additional constraint that Carnap puts on the explicative power of axiomatic systems—an axiomatisation explicates when it is clear which mathematical entities form the theory's intended model—and that implicitly applies to axiomatisations of recursion theory used in Church's account of computability. To overcome this difficulty, I propose two possible clarifications of the pre-systematic concept of "computability" that can both be captured in recursion theory, and I show how both clarifications avoid an objection arising from Carnap's constraint.



Word choice in mathematical practice: a case study in polyhedra

Abstract

We examine the influence of word choices on mathematical practice, i.e. in developing definitions, theorems, and proofs. As a case study, we consider Euclid's and Euler's word choices in their influential developments of geometry and, in particular, their use of the term 'polyhedron'. Then, jumping to the twentieth century, we look at word choices surrounding the use of the term 'polyhedron' in the work of Coxeter and of Grünbaum. We also consider a recent and explicit conflict of approach between Grünbaum and Shephard on the one hand and that of Hilton and Pedersen on the other, elucidating that the conflict was engendered by disagreement over the proper conceptualization, and so also the appropriate word choices, in the study of polyhedra.



Ground-theoretic equivalence

Abstract

Say that two sentences are ground-theoretically equivalent iff they are interchangeable salva veritate in grounding contexts. Notoriously, ground-theoretic equivalence is a hyperintensional matter: even logically equivalent sentences may fail to be interchangeable in grounding contexts. Still, there seem to be some substantive, general principles of ground-theoretic equivalence. For example, it seems plausible that any sentences of the form \(A \wedge B\) and \(B \wedge A\) are ground-theoretically equivalent. What, then, are in general the conditions for two sentences to stand in the relation of ground-theoretic equivalence, and what are the logical features of that relation? This paper develops and defends an answer to these questions based on the mode-ified truthmaker theory of content presented in my recent paper 'Towards a theory of ground-theoretic content' (Krämer in Synthese 195(2):785–814, 2018).



On radical solutions in the philosophy of biology: What does "individuals thinking" actually solve?

Abstract

The philosophy of biology is witnessing an increasing enthusiasm for what can be called "individuals thinking". Individuals thinking is a perspective on the metaphysics of biological entities according to which conceiving of them as individuals rather than kinds enables us to expose ongoing metaphysical debates as focusing on the wrong question, and to achieve better accounts of the metaphysics of biological entities. In this paper, I examine two cases of individuals thinking, the claim that species are individuals and the claim that life on Earth is an individual. I argue that these claims fail to do the metaphysical work that one would want them to do. I highlight problems with the specific claims as well as with the general notion of 'individual', and argue that naturalistic metaphysicians of biology should think of the metaphysical status of theoretical entities, such as species and life, as fundamentally theory-dependent. This implies a metaphysical pluralism, that allows that in some theories species, life, and other such entities may feature as individuals, whereas in others they may feature as kinds.



Alexandros Sfakianakis
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182
6948891480

Clinical Pharmacokinetics

Authors' Reply to Nicolas: "Levothyrox ® New and Old Formulations: Are they Switchable for Millions of Patients?"


Authors' Reply to Castello-Bridoux et al.: "Comment on Levothyrox ® New and Old Formulations: Are they Switchable for Millions of Patients?"


Comment on: "Levothyrox ® New and Old Formulations: Are they Switchable for Millions of Patients?"


Comment on: Levothyrox ® New and Old Formulations: Are They Switchable for Millions of Patients?


Comment on "Target-Controlled Continuous Infusion for Antibiotic Dosing: Proof-of-Principle in an In-silico Vancomycin Trial in Intensive Care Unit Patients"


Author's Reply to Trechot: "Comment on Levothyrox ® New and Old Formulations: Are they Switchable for Millions of Patients?"


Comment on: "Levothyrox ® New and Old Formulations: Are they Switchable for Millions of Patients?"


Authors' Reply to Coste et al.: "Levothyrox ® New and Old Formulations: Are they Switchable for Millions of Patients?"


Comment on "Levothyrox ® New and Old Formulations: Are They Switchable for Millions of Patients?"


Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling for Trimethoprim and Sulfamethoxazole in Children

Abstract

Objective

The aims of this study were to (1) determine whether opportunistically collected data can be used to develop physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models in pediatric patients; and (2) characterize age-related maturational changes in drug disposition for the renally eliminated and hepatically metabolized antibiotic trimethoprim (TMP)–sulfamethoxazole (SMX).

Methods

We developed separate population PBPK models for TMP and SMX in children after oral administration of the combined TMP–SMX product and used sparse and opportunistically collected plasma concentration samples to validate our pediatric model. We evaluated predictability of the pediatric PBPK model based on the number of observed pediatric data out of the 90% prediction interval. We performed dosing simulations to target organ and tissue (skin) concentrations greater than the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) minimum inhibitory concentration (TMP 2 mg/L; SMX 9.5 mg/L) for at least 50% of the dosing interval.

Results

We found 67–87% and 71–91% of the observed data for TMP and SMX, respectively, were captured within the 90% prediction interval across five age groups, suggesting adequate fit of our model. Our model-rederived optimal dosing of TMP at the target tissue was in the range of recommended dosing for TMP–SMX in children in all age groups by current guidelines for the treatment of MRSA.

Conclusion

We successfully developed a pediatric PBPK model of the combination antibiotic TMP–SMX using sparse and opportunistic pediatric pharmacokinetic samples. This novel and efficient approach has the potential to expand the use of PBPK modeling in pediatric drug development.



Alexandros Sfakianakis
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182
6948891480

Environmental

Review of The story of White Hall Centre: Outdoor education across the decades by Pete McDonald


Review of Ontology and closeness in human-nature relationships: Beyond dualisms, materialism and posthumanism by Neil H. Kessler


Teacher and student perceptions of an outdoor classroom

Abstract

A six-week study was conducted with two kindergarten teachers and 37 kindergarten students aged five and six to determine their perceptions of teaching and learning in a traditional indoor classroom compared to a newly constructed outdoor classroom. This mix-methods study took place in a charter school located in the southeast region of the United States. Observational data was collected in both the outdoor and indoor learning environments during the literacy block called "LMNOP time" as well as during recess or "free time." The teachers and children were also surveyed and interviewed. Of the 37 children who participated in the study, five of the children had special needs. Quantitative observations and qualitative interview records were analyzed to compare the impact of the learning environments on children with and without disabilities. The data revealed that both the teachers and the students reported an increased perception of wellbeing, pleasure, and interest when teaching and learning in the outdoor classroom. In addition, research assistants noted that the children with disabilities were less distracted and more on-task when working in the outdoor classroom.



Influence of adventure education instructor education on the perspectives and practices of preservice adventure educators

Abstract

The research described in this paper built on the embryonic work on the occupational socialization of adventure educators (AEs). Its purpose was to determine the influence of one adventure education instructor education (AEIE) program on the perspectives and practices of preservice AEs (PAEs). Fifteen PAEs and their instructor were participants. Data were collected with six qualitative techniques and analyzed by employing analytic induction and constant comparison. Results revealed that PAEs entered the AEIE program with one of three broad orientations to their subject matter: a leisure orientation, an outdoor pursuits orientation, and an unsophisticated adventure orientation. In addition, they revealed how these orientations were shaped by the differing acculturation the PAEs experienced. The study's findings also suggested that well-taught AEIE had helped those PAEs near to completing the program acquire a relatively sophisticated adventure orientation regardless of the orientations with which they commenced their training. Keys to the success of the AEIE program were the blend of personal and pedagogical skill displayed by the instructor and the nature and sequencing of the coursework in which the PAEs engaged.



Ecological education via "islands of discourse": teacher education at the intersection of culture and environment

Abstract

In this paper I share my understandings of an elective outdoor environmental education course, a significant component of which was a field school. I helped develop this course at the Canadian university where I work as an academic, with the field school conducted on the island of Kaua'i in Hawaii. The paper describes the university field school and aspects of the underpinning ideas which cohere the course, particularly the model of an ecology of home. The model highlights how technical, socio-cultural and ecological influences all shape interpretations relevant to environmental education. The course involved educational experiences across three botanical gardens in Kaua'i: each of these places contributed uniquely to the development of prospective teachers through the pedagogical idea of "islands of discourse."



Acknowledging the agency of a more-than-human world: material relations on a Snowy River journey

Abstract

In this article we describe our attempt to challenge our anthropocentric gaze during an outdoor environmental education (OEE) research project involving a 10-day journey with high school students on the Snowy River in south-eastern Australia. Although much contemporary OEE research explores place responsive methodologies that provide possibilities for expanding beyond human centered practices, such movements can be difficult to make. We attempt, through this project, to shift our gaze away from a human-centered viewpoint to understand ways in which new perspectives of journeys, place(s) and learning might be available. To do this we adopt a posthuman/relational materialist approach to explore how the material world is creative of places, people and learning opportunities beyond human centered ways of seeing. We argue for a focus on the more-than-human aspects of places and engage posthuman concepts that allow us to challenge traditional ways of researching. In doing so we seek to uncover and acknowledge the agency of the more-than-human world, and how material places and their elements are valuable in the creation of emergent learning possibilities on an OEE journey. Rather than exact findings, this article is an exploratory journey of thinking OEE in different ways, to explore new opportunities for place and context responsive learning and environmental understanding.



Review of preventing fatal incidents in school and youth group camps and excursions: understanding the unthinkable by Andrew Brookes


Mindful adventures: a pilot study of the outward bound mindfulness program

Abstract

Mindfulness can be successfully combined with adventure education but the area is understudied. This longitudinal quasi-experimental study investigated whether an 8-day Outward Bound Mindfulness Program in nature would increase levels of positive affect, savouring, and mindfulness. Results indicate the experimental group experienced a statistically significant increase in mindfulness, positive affect and savouring compared to the control group post-intervention, and that the increase was maintained at 3-months post-intervention. These results illuminate the lasting impact of an intervention which combines mindfulness with adventure education, and highlight the potential which natural environments may play in educational and therapeutic processes. Study limitations and need for further research are shared.



Flourishing in the forest: looking at Forest School through a self-determination theory lens

Abstract

Forest School offers opportunities for children and young adults to come into regular contact with nature. Although, in relevant literature, Forest School is seen as highly conducive to participants' motivation to learn, there is no theoretical framework that examines how this motivation can be optimized in relation to Forest School pedagogy. Self-Determination Theory offers a broad perspective for motivational processes and will be used as a guide in this article to advance such a framework. Self-Determination Theory proposes that well-being, which has been identified as an aim of Forest School, is promoted through the support of three basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness. In this conceptual article, we make links between Forest School pedagogical practices and Self-Determination Theory, mainly focusing on the support of children's basic psychological needs. Furthermore, we make suggestions for ways in which to enhance practice through explicit links with need-supportive teaching practices, as these are identified in the Self-Determination Theory literature.



A qualitative exploration of the barriers and bridges to accessing community-based K-12 outdoor environmental education programming

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore factors impeding or enabling 4th grade access to a community-based outdoor environmental education (OEE) organization located in the pacific northwest United States called the Children's Forest, an initiative of the United States Forest Service. Qualitative findings indicated that teachers and administrators face significant dilemmas when having to make OEE curricular decisions in the context of broader educational mandates. Key findings suggest that OEE program staff can utilize policy-driven mandates to facilitate OEE participation and that savvy individual teachers can potentially help schools overcome policy-related, institutional, and interpersonal barriers to OEE participation. Further research is needed to corroborate and identify additional bridges and barriers that might impact diverse K-12 educator access to community-based OEE. Nonetheless, key learnings emerged from this study echoing past research and providing additional implications for future OEE practice and research.



Alexandros Sfakianakis
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182
6948891480

Child & Adolescent Trauma

Mentalization-Based Training Program for Child Care Workers in Residential Settings

Abstract

Most of the children placed in child welfare residential care have experienced complex traumas linked to various forms of abuse and neglect, which have many important developmental impacts. Research shows that maltreatment is associated with increased aggression and disruptive behavior, internalizing difficulties, violence towards self and others, sexualized behaviors, academic difficulties, and early drug abuse. These experiences also negatively affect the attachment system and the mentalization process of the child. Consequently, working with this population represents a challenge for child care workers. This article describes a mentalization-based training program for child care workers who care for children aged six to 12 years old. First, the general framework of the training program is presented. Then, some of the therapeutic strategies used to improve the children's mentalizing capacity are described. Those strategies are adapted to the psychic functioning level of the child. Finally, a summary of a preliminary study of the program's efficacy are presented. This work suggests that mentalization-based interventions might represent a valuable approach in child welfare residential care.



The Effect of Interventions on Functional Impairment in Youth Exposed to Mass Trauma: a Meta-Analysis

Abstract

This study examined the benefit of psychosocial interventions on functional impairment in youth exposed to mass trauma. A random effects meta-analysis was used to estimate the overall effect in 15 intervention trials identified through a literature review. The moderator analysis examined how the effect of intervention differed across types of populations receiving the intervention (targeted or non-targeted samples), characteristics of intervention delivery (individual or group application and number of sessions), and the context of intervention administration (country income level). The results revealed a significant small effect on functional impairment (Hedges' g = 0.33; 95%CI = (0.16; 0.50); p = 0.0011). None of the moderators explained the heterogeneity in intervention effect, perhaps due to the small number of trials. The effect of the interventions on functional impairment and on posttraumatic stress were positively correlated. The current analysis provides preliminary evidence that interventions can improve functioning in youth exposed to mass trauma, but the mechanisms, moderators, and duration of benefit are yet unknown.



Using the PAI-A to Classify Juvenile Offenders by Adjudicated Offenses

Abstract

To improve understanding and treatment of criminal behavior, researchers have developed typologies of juvenile offenders, primarily focusing on personality traits and criminal history to classify according to type of offense committed. Existing literature has examined underlying personality characteristics found in different subcategories of criminal offenses in juveniles; however, few studies have employed the Personality Assessment Inventory-Adolescent (PAI-A), instead choosing the MMPI-A. A typical classification model of juvenile offenses categorizes offenses into: Interpersonal, Property, and Drug/Alcohol-related charges, to further study within-group differences. The current study examines how personality profiles, examined by the PAI-A, can classify offenders into these offense-type groups. Personality profiles of participants were obtained through pre-sentencing psychological evaluations of 142 juvenile offenders ages 14 to 17. Binary logistic regressions were conducted using PAI-A Clinical, Treatment Consideration, and Interpersonal scales to predict offense-type group classifications. Results yielded statistically significant full models for all offense-type groups, with an average overall accuracy rate of 76.3%. Overall, results suggest that the PAI-A has good predictive power to classify juvenile offender types, and may be more effective in classifying certain types of offenders than the MMPI-A. Notably, Interpersonal and Treatment consideration scales were stronger predictors of offense-type than Clinical scales. This model of juvenile offender classification holds promise for more effective treatment, management, and prediction of behavior for juvenile offenders.



An Exploratory Trial of Cognitive-Behavioral vs Client-Centered Therapies for Child-Mother Dyads Bereaved from Terrorism

Abstract

The study was an evaluation of Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT; Cohen et al. 2017) with child-caregiver dyads who experienced the death of a loved one from terrorism, using a hybrid efficacy/effectiveness design in which there were no required minimum symptom levels. Forty children ages 4–17 years old whose fathers died in the line of duty on 9/11/2001 and their mothers participated in an RCT comparing TF-CBT and Client-Centered Therapy (CCT). At baseline, mothers' PTSD, depression, and prolonged grief symptoms were highly elevated, whereas children's were at normative levels. Using intent-to-treat analysis, condition-by-time interactions showed significantly greater symptom reduction for mothers receiving CBT than those receiving CCT. For the children, both treatments led to significant symptom improvements.



Contemporary Risk Assessment Tools: Should We Use Them for Sexually Abusive Children Ages 4 to 12 Years?

Abstract

Empirical findings are reported on an age group of sexually abusive youth (4–12 years) not commonly studied. Findings are from major studies employing the ecologically framed MEGA risk assessment tool: MEGACombined Samples Studies (N = 3901 [1979–2017] (Miccio-Fonseca Journal of Child Sexual Abuse: Special Issue on Risk Assessment of Sexually Abusive Youth2018aJournal of Child and Adolescent Trauma2018b) and MEGACombined Cross Validation Studies (N = 2717). Samples consisted of male, female, and transgender-female, ages 4–19 with coarse sexual improprieties and/or sexually abusive youth, including youth with low intellectual functioning. Findings provided normative data, with cut-off scores according to age and gender, establishing four (calibrated) risk levels: Low, Moderate, High, and Very-High. The fourth risk level, Very-High Risk, sets MEGA apart from other risk assessment tools by the ability to assess those few most seriously concerning and/or dangerous youth, whereas other risk tools (with three risk levels) do not make this differentiation.



Nightmares in Treatment-Seeking Youth: the Role of Cumulative Trauma Exposure

Abstract

Although nightmares are frequently endorsed symptoms in children who have experienced trauma, limited research has been conducted on how nightmares vary with different forms of trauma exposure. Our goal was to assess the relationship between nightmares, trauma exposure, and symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in youth. A total of 4440 trauma exposed treatment-seeking youth (ages 7 to 18) were administered the UCLA PTSD Reaction Index. Different trauma types, total traumas experienced, and PTSD symptoms were analyzed with correlations and a logistic regression in relation to nightmare frequency. Overall, 33.1% of participants reported experiencing clinically-significant nightmares. 79.1% of the sample experienced more than one trauma type, with an average of 3.06 trauma types endorsed. A binary logistic regression demonstrated the odds of reporting clinically-significant nightmares increased by 1.3 times for every additional type of trauma experienced. Lastly, nightmares were positively correlated with all PTSD criterion. The current study provides prevalence rates of trauma exposure and nightmares in a large, statewide sample of treatment-seeking youth. Each new trauma type experienced resulted in a greater likelihood of endorsing clinically-significant nightmares. This study provides useful information related to assessing and addressing nightmares in youth who have experienced trauma.



What Are We Missing? How Language Impacts Trauma Narratives

Abstract

The potential for the development of psychopathology in aolescent refugees and asylees is high due to the trauma inherent in their experience. Yet, psychopathology rooted in trauma has proven amenable to treatment. Nonetheless, as most clinicians are monolingual, the language difference between clinician and client may be a barrier of desensitization and processing typically characteristic of trauma therapy. Thus, this study aimed to describe qualitative differences in speech production among native and non-native narratives using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) processing software (Pennebaker et al. 2015) to understand if the current best practice will function similarly in these populations. We compared 10 adolescent immigrants (50% male) who narrated events that provoked their migration to the U.S. in their second language (L2; i.e., English) to 10 age- and gender-matched adolescents narrating in their first language (L1; i.e., Spanish). Results revealed L1 narratives were significantly higher in their use of/talk about anger, cognitive processes, discrepancy, tentativeness, perceptual processes, ingestion, relativity, time, work, and home. L2 narratives were higher in their use of/talk about positive emotions, death, causation, health, motion, space, and fillers. Findings have implications for the efficacy of treatments using discourse to ameliorate symptoms related to trauma in non-native languages.



Erratum to: Family Enrichment Adventure Therapy: A Mixed Methods Study Examining the Impact of Trauma-Informed Adventure Therapy on Children and Families Affected by Abuse


Meeting Complex Needs Through Community Collaboration: a Case Study

Abstract

This case study focuses on complex trauma in a refugee family. It explores the barriers faced while supporting a family presenting with complex and multifaceted needs. It reviews the roles, processes and participation of practitioners from Service Coordination (case management) and Treatment (therapeutic intervention) perspectives. This case study also examines the gaps in existing services for new immigrant and refugee populations within a community and provides recommendations for closing these gaps.



Correlates of Adolescent Ambiguity in Defining their Experience of Sexual Victimization in Two Large-Scale Croatian Samples

Abstract

Adolescents are at increased risk for sexual victimization compared to other age groups and sexual abuse in adolescence is associated with negative health outcomes in adulthood. Sexual experiences are often conceptualized as either consensual or coercive so little is known about adolescents who are unsure whether their negative experience constitutes sexual abuse. The present study used two samples (n = 2235, n = 1253) of Croatian adolescents to explore the psychosocial characteristics and sexualized behaviors associated with difficulty in defining negative sexual experiences. Multivariate findings suggested that, when compared to non-victimized peers, adolescents who reported sexual victimization were characterized by a higher probability of sexualized behaviors. This was not true when comparing individuals who reported an ambiguous sexual experience to non-victimized peers. However, both groups differed from non-victimized participants in reporting hostile/aggressive family environment. More research on the mechanisms underlying adolescents' difficulty in labeling sexual victimization is needed for sexual abuse education and prevention.



Alexandros Sfakianakis
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182
6948891480