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An enumerative review and a meta‐analysis of grimed goal effects on organizational behavior
No full textDrawing on results from 32 published and 20 unpublished laboratory and field experiments, we conducted an enumerative review of the primed goal effects on performance and need for achievement, two dependent variables of organizational relevance. The enumerative review suggests that goal setting theory is as applicable for subconscious goals as it is for consciously set goals. A meta‐analysis of 23 of the experiments (n = 4,543, k = 61) revealed that priming an achievement goal, relative to a no‐prime control condition, significantly improves task/job performance (d = 0.45) and the need for achievement (d = 0.62). Three moderators of the primed goal‐performance relationship were identified: (1) context‐specific vs. a general prime, (2) prime modality (i.e., visual vs. linguistic), and (3) experimental setting (i.e., field vs. laboratory). Significantly stronger primed goal effects were obtained for context‐specific primes, visual stimuli, and field experiments. Theoretical and managerial implications of and future directions for goal priming are discussed
Failed utopias and practical chemistry: the Priestleys, the Du Ponts, and the transmission of transatlantic science, 1770–1820
No full textEighteenth-century events, replete with Dickensian dualities, brought two Enlightenment families to America. Pierre-Samuel du Pont and Joseph Priestley contemplated relocating their families decades before immigrating. After arriving, they discovered deficiencies in education and chemistry. Their experiences were indicative of the challenges in transmitting transatlantic chemistry. The Priestleys were primed to found an American chemical legacy. Science connected Priestley to British manufacturers, Continental chemists, and American statesmen. Priestley's marriage into the Wilkinson ironmaster dynasty, and Lunar Society membership, helped his sons apprentice, and befriend manufacturer-chemist Thomas Cooper. However, ideological persecution forced them from England. Priestley's plans for his sons to inherit Wilkinson's ironworks evaporated; in America, efforts to establish manufactories, colonies, farms, and a college miscarried. Cooper taught college chemistry, but his materialism provoked dismissals. The Du Ponts were unlikely founders of an industrial-chemistry empire. Du Pont's philosophy promulgated that agriculture, not industry, produced wealth. Eleuthère-Irénée apprenticed in France's gunpowder administration, however, plans for his succession died and director Antoine Lavoisier, a family friend, was executed. E.-I. and Du Pont's arrest precipitated relocation to America. Du Pont's utopian colony and schemes proved unrealistic. Nevertheless, E.-I.'s gunpowder manufactory—utilizing transatlantic contacts and privileged knowledge of advanced French chemistry—succeeded through practical application
Climate change and human security in small island developing states: The case of Papua New Guinea and its UN-REDD/REDD+ Program
No full textThe current era of human activity has seen the rise of global environmental change (GEC) and its related hazards including climate change, biodiversity loss, ozone depletion, ecosystem and land degradation. These processes are a developing threat to the human security and the economic and islandness of small island developing states, especially due to the threat multiplier nature of climate change.
In the context of the South Pacific, scholars have viewed the convergence of these GEC influenced hazards as evoking a coastal and water level effect with damaging socioeconomic and environmental consequences. Here securitization theory is applied to yield insight into the re-conceptualization of climate change as a security threat. Utilizing securitization theory to assess climate change as a human security threat, it is demonstrated that although it currently poses a limited existential threat for small island developing states, climate change may impact the economic and political stability necessary for effective governance in small island states.
Although it does not fit neatly into the description of a SIDS, Papua New Guinea, as a case study, encapsulates the convergence of climate change mitigation and adaptation policy as a deterrent to counter and reduce human insecurity. It is home to 6-7 percent of the world’s biodiversity, with over 80 percent of the populace relying on staple crops such as taro and copra for economic trade. The linchpin of PNG’s strategy to counter climate change is the UN-REDD+ program which initially ensures a process of multilevel stakeholder engagement in climate change mitigation and adaptation. Success in this strategy could mean increased human security (food and environmental security). Examination of the implementation of the program and its impact of islandness on the land tenure, ownership, and effective governance in PNG is studied
Anxiety, depression, and symptom experience in concussed children and youth
No full textPurpose
To describe and explore the relationship between baseline anxiety, depression and symptom experience in children and youth assessed at a concussion clinic.
Design and Methods
A retrospective chart review of concussed children and youth referred to a pediatric teaching hospital concussion clinic over a 15‐month period was completed. Kutcher Adolescent Depression Scale (KAD‐6), General Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD‐7), and the Post‐Concussion Symptom Inventory (PCSI) scores were extracted.
Results
A total of 155 patients were included. The most common symptoms (PCSI) at baseline were headache, fatigue, and feelings of head pressure. Symptoms were rated as mild to moderate in intensity. Overall, mean depression and anxiety scores were low. The mean anxiety scores, as measured by the GAD‐7 (n = 108), was 7.4 (range, 0–24). The mean depression score, as measured by the KAD‐6 (n = 94), was 4.7 (range, 0–18). A statistically significant, moderate positive correlation between PCSI scores with KAD‐6 scores for male (r = .64, p < .001) and female (r = .61, p < .001) participants was identified. Similarly, a statistically significant, moderate positive correlation between PCSI scores with GAD‐7 scores for male (r = .68, p < .001) and female (r = .60, p < .001) participants was identified.
Practice Implications
Concussed children may experience a wide array of symptoms, including emotional challenges such as anxiety and depression. Feelings of anxiety and depression may contribute to overall post concussive symptoms in concussed children. The electronic health record can be leveraged to provide important patient data. Clinicians should systematically assess symptoms at each visit in concussed children and youth so that appropriate interventions can be implemented and monitored
How can potatoes be smartly cultivated with biochar as a soil nutrient amendment technique in Atlantic Canada?
No full textThe question if biochar is a suitable soil nutrient amendment for potato cultivation in the Atlantic Canada is yet to be answered. The objective of this study was to answer this question. Three replicates of twelve lysimeters, each 8000 cm2, were packed with an Atlantic Canada representative soil to cultivate potatoes with four treatments of soil amendments (T1 = control [no added nutrients], T2 = B [biochar], T3 = F [synthetic fertilizer @ recommended NPK], and T4 = B + F [biochar + recommended NPK]) under a completely randomized block design with factorial arrangements. Chemical analyses of soils were conducted for physical, hydrological, and chemical (including concentration of macro- and micro-nutrients) prior to and after the completion experiments to evaluate soil fertility and its resulting effects on crop yield. The biochar amendment improved soil micro- and macro-nutrients. Soil organic matter, pH, and cation exchange capacity (ECE) significantly increased by application of biochar. The maximum potato yield of 30,467.4 kg h−1 was achieved by the combined application of biochar and synthetic fertilizer as this combination resulted in the maximum net benefit (– 2621.49 ha−1. It is therefore concluded that biochar amendment of soils resembling to that of the Atlantic Canada representative soil used in this study, with a mix of recommended NPK for, can formulate a smart precision farming nutrient management technique for this region subject to the field trials and replicate experimental treatments for more than three times
Epidemiology of musculoskeletal injuries in Standardbred racehorses on PEI
No full textMusculoskeletal injuries are an important contributor to poor performance and wastage in Standardbred horses used in harness racing and a source of pain and discomfort. The purpose of the study was to determine associations between risk factors and musculoskeletal injuries. A longitudinal epidemiological study of musculoskeletal injuries in a population of Standardbred racehorses on PEI was designed. A total of 10 trainers were recruited and their horses were followed over one year from May 2017 to May 2018.
Monthly information was collected from 153 Standardbred horses during the study period. On average, each horse was followed for 4.4 months. Most of the horses (85%) included in the study were between two and four years of age, and there were 73 females, 66 geldings and 12 males (intact) in the study population. Horses were in good body condition, 98% of horses scored between 4 and 6 for Body Condition Score (BCS) out of a 1-9 scale.
Forty-five injury events were recorded over a total of 799 visits. This included new injuries, horses that were still classified as injured and repeated injuries recorded during each visit (visit prevalence=5.6%). The incidence rate of injury was 2.19 per horse-month at risk. Seventeen new injuries occurred in pacers (none in trotters) over the 12-month study period, representing a horse level incidence risk of 23%. Forty-one percent of injuries occurred during a race, with 53% occurring during training and 6% during jogging. Fourteen horses had experienced a previous injury prior to enrolment and three of these horses experienced a new injury during the study period.
Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) models were built to investigate associations of horse, track and trainer factors with the probability of injury. An exchangeable correlation structure was used to account for the repeated measurements on each horse. Unconditional associations between selected variables and the outcome were completed to screen for potential associations. Due to the low sample size and the low number of injuries recorded during the study period, only predictors that had an unconditional association with a p-value ≤0.2 were included in the results and discussion.
The 17 new injuries consisted of seven bone, eight soft tissue, and two cases of synovitis that occurred while the horses were in training or racing. There were mild to severe injuries for bone and soft tissue injuries, and one mild and one severe joint injury. The severe injuries included pastern and sesamoid fractures, damage to the suspensory ligament, and injury to the middle carpal joint. Horses with mild to moderate injuries had between three and 90 days off from training. Horses with more severe injuries required up to eight months to recover or left the study.
Significant risk factors identified included: speed at which the horse is trained, previous injury, and conformational faults of offset knees and pelvic asymmetry. The observed number of injuries was much lower than expected therefore the study might have a lack of power to detect significant associations. However, the main risk factors identified provide useful information for improving and guiding management practices. The training time has the potential to be modified to minimize the risk of injury. Training at times greater than 2:15 min/mile was associated with a risk of injury. Therefore, modifying training, perhaps introducing a better balance of slow and fast training may help to reduce the risk of injury. Previous studies have detected that increased speed in training was a significant risk factor for injury. The results from this study provide new information for trainers and owners and can be used to improve management practices. As the present study was completed in one province with a small study population, further studies are required to continue to identify risk factors for injury in Standardbred racehorses
Flinders sensitive line rats are resistant to infarction following transient occlusion of the middle cerebral artery
No full textBackground
Depression is a common complication of stroke and increases the risk of mortality and disability. Pre-stroke depression is a possible risk factor for stroke and has also been linked to adverse outcomes. The underlying mechanisms linking depression and stroke remain unclear. Preclinical models may provide novel insights, but models reflecting both conditions are lacking.
Methods
In this study, we investigated the effects of a 45-min transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) on infarct size in male adult Flinders Sensitive Line rats, a genetic animal model of depression, and their control strains Flinders Resistant Line and Sprague-Dawley rats. Infarct size was assessed by tetrazolium chloride (TTC) and microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) staining after 48 h of reperfusion. Angiograms of the vascular structure of naïve animals were produced with a µ-CT scanner.
Results
Both Flinders strains had significantly smaller infarcts following MCAo compared to Sprague-Dawley rats. This effect does not appear to be due to changes in cerebrovascular architecture, as indicated by an initial exploration of vascular organization using angiograms, or body temperature regulation.
Conclusions
Our study suggests that the rat strain does not influence infarct volumes following MCAo
Effects of employer management on employee recruitment, satisfaction, engagement, and retention on large US dairy farms
No full textLack of employee engagement and satisfaction and high turnover rate of employees are major problems on some US dairy farms. Farm adoption of human resource management (HRM) practices varies widely. Using feedback from 168 employees from 12 large dairy farms, our objectives were to understand employee perceptions of HRM strengths and weaknesses and their influence on (1) employee satisfaction, (2) retention of employees, (3) willingness of employees to recommend the farm as a place to work, and (4) level of employee engagement on the farm. Employees who rated their employers higher for almost any management-related question (MRQ) were more satisfied in their jobs and more likely to recommend their place of work to other potential employees. Employees reported a higher intention to stay on the farm when employers scored higher on MRQs connected to employer–employee relationships. Employees who rated “Relationships” (a component consisting of 5 MRQs) higher were more likely to have a higher rate of satisfaction, were more likely to intend to stay at their job, and were more likely to recommend their place of work to others. No single management question was positively related to employee engagement (as measured by employees having and sharing ideas to improve the business); however, ethnicity, gender, job role, duration of employment, and employee's self-appraisal of their desire to learn and commitment to the farm were each associated with engagement. Female employees were less likely to provide ideas to their employers (compared with male employees), as were Spanish-speaking employees (compared with English-speaking employees). Differences between Spanish- and English-speaking employees were also present in measures such as intention to stay (shorter) and willingness to recommend the farm as a place to work (higher). Employees who rated themselves higher on their desire to learn and commitment to the farm were more likely to provide ideas to their employers, as were longer-term employees. In conclusion, we inferred that dairy farm management can improve employee retention and engagement through improved use of HRM practices
Multisystemic therapy compared with management as usual for adolescents at risk of offending: the START II RCT
No full textAbstract
Background
The Systemic Therapy for At Risk Teens (START) trial is a randomised controlled trial of multisystemic therapy (MST) compared with management as usual (MAU). The present study reports on long-term follow-up of the trial (to 60 months).
Objectives
The primary objective was to compare MST and MAU for the proportion of young people in each group with criminal convictions up to 60 months post baseline. Secondary outcomes included group comparisons of psychological and behavioural factors. An economic analysis was carried out to determine the cost-effectiveness of MST compared with MAU. Two qualitative studies were conducted to better understand the subjective experiences of the participants.
Design
Primary outcomes (collected up to 60 months) were collected using a centralised police database. Secondary outcomes were evaluated using self-report questionnaires completed by both young people and parents or carers at the 24-, 36- and 48-month follow-ups. Research assistants were blind to treatment allocation.
Setting
Participants were recruited from participating MST sites in nine areas of England. Secondary outcomes were typically collected within the family home.
Participants
A total of 684 families were recruited into the START trial and allocated randomly to a treatment group. Of these, 487 remained in the second phase of the trial. Young people were aged, on average, 13.8 years at baseline, with 63% male and 37% female.
Interventions
MST is a manualised programme for young people exhibiting antisocial behaviour and their families that uses principles from cognitive–behavioural and family therapy to provide an individualised approach. MAU content was not prespecified, but consisted of the standard care offered to young people who met eligibility for the trial.
Main outcome measures
Young people’s offending was evaluated using the Police National Computer. Secondary measures included validated self-report measures completed by both the young person and their parent or carer. The economic evaluation took a broad perspective and outcomes were assessed in terms of quality-adjusted life-years and offending.
Results
No significant differences were found in the proportion of offending between the groups (hazard ratio 1.03, 95% confidence interval 0.84 to 1.26; p = 0.78). No differences were found between the groups on secondary outcome measures, with a few exceptions that did not hold up consistently across the follow-up period. The economic analysis did not find evidence to support the cost-effectiveness of MST compared with MAU. Outcomes from the qualitative studies suggest that families mostly felt positive about MST, and that MST was associated with greater maturity in young men.
Limitations
Some intended evaluations were not possible to deliver. Selective attrition may have influenced the nature of the sample size. It is also unclear how representative the MAU services were of reality.
Future research
Recommendations are made for the evaluation of MST in populations with more severe behavioural problems, as well as for identifying and testing new moderators.
Conclusions
The results of the second phase of the START trial do not support the long-term superiority of MST to MAU, but elements of the intervention may be adapted successfully.
Trial registration
Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN77132214 and London South-East REC registration number 09/H1102/55.
Funding
This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Services and Delivery Research programme and will be published in full in Health Services and Delivery Research; Vol. 8, No. 23. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information
Shifts in ribosome engagement impact key gene sets in neurodevelopment and ubiquitination in Rett Syndrome
No full textRegulation of translation during human development is poorly understood, and its dysregulation is associated with Rett syndrome (RTT). To discover shifts in mRNA ribosomal engagement (RE) during human neurodevelopment, we use parallel translating ribosome affinity purification sequencing (TRAP-seq) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) on control and RTT human induced pluripotent stem cells, neural progenitor cells, and cortical neurons. We find that 30% of transcribed genes are translationally regulated, including key gene sets (neurodevelopment, transcription and translation factors, and glycolysis). Approximately 35% of abundant intergenic long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are ribosome engaged. Neurons translate mRNAs more efficiently and have longer 3ʹ UTRs, and RE correlates with elements for RNA-binding proteins. RTT neurons have reduced global translation and compromised mTOR signaling, and >2,100 genes are translationally dysregulated. NEDD4L E3-ubiquitin ligase is translationally impaired, ubiquitinated protein levels are reduced, and protein targets accumulate in RTT neurons. Overall, the dynamic translatome in neurodevelopment is disturbed in RTT and provides insight into altered ubiquitination that may have therapeutic implications