Common Preference Research Articles

Cognitive Remediation Therapy for People With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder: A Rapid Qualitative Review


 This rapid qualitative review analyzed 8 studies describing the perspectives of people living with schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD) who use cognitive remediation therapy (CRT), and their caregivers and clinicians.
 People living with SSD reported notable improvements in their attention, memory, and problem solving; improvement in their lives when they applied the cognitive strategies acquired from CRT into daily life activities; improvement in communication skills, social engagement, motivation, independence; and a reduction in psychotic symptoms.
 This review found a common preference among people living with SSD and caregivers to provide personalized delivery and treatment of CRT.
 People living with SSD cited several ways to introduce personalized CRT: cognitive trainer or clinician’s support and guidance; the content, design, and implementation of CRT; using technology; and group environment and interacting with peers. The constant presence of a polite, friendly, empathetic, and encouraging clinician contributed to beneficial views of CRT.
 People living with SSD enjoyed the structure of sessions and cognitive tasks, specifically working on tasks at their own pace with gradual increases in difficulty that gave them a sense of accomplishment and mastery. They also enjoyed using technology and playing games to complete tasks; however, some found accessing a computer and a high-quality internet connection difficult.
 While people living with SSD reported several social benefits to group-based CRT, others found group-based CRT to be unconducive for their learning, especially when the group environment was not supportive or encouraging.
 Caregivers and clinicians recognized the importance of matching the type of cognitive exercises and structure of sessions to the cognitive needs of people living with SSD.

Offline or online?: EFL students’ perceptions on working in face-to-face and virtual learning modes

Given the intensified number of online learning activities and having inadequate knowledge to identify the details of how it was organized within increased students’ language learning ability; this study focused on identifying the students’ perceptions of learning in two different situations. This study investigated how students perceived working in a new learning mode (online learning activity) compared to the traditional or face-to-face learning mode (offline learning activity) in regards to the learning frameworks, including the depth and comprehensiveness of learning, appropriate length for learning, comfortability of learning, and flexibility of learning. Ten students were selected to be the participants of the current study; all of whom were sixth and eighth semester students at the Department of English Language Education of Universitas Islam Negeri Ar-Raniry Banda Aceh. They were served by several questions related to their experiences working on two different learning modes. The findings revealed that working in offline learning mode was still the common preference among the students and only a few of them preferred online learning. Even more interesting was the finding of one or two students who perceived no differences between participating in offline and online class learning activities. In addition, the findings also indicated that interaction between the course instructors and students still becomes a prominent element on the students’ satisfaction and comfort of learning. The students also suggested that the keys to their satisfactory learning experiences are access to learning materials and to their class instructors. To conclude, this study also provides new insights on what matters the most to the students’ learning experiences with respect to the current online learning trend.

Analogous laterality in trunk movements in captive African elephants: A pilot study

ABSTRACT Lateralization of hand use in primates has been extensively studied in a variety of contexts, and starts to be investigated in other species and organs in order to understand the evolution of the laterality according to different tasks. In elephants, the orientation of the movements of the trunk has been observed mainly in feeding and social contexts, in free conditions. However, little is known about the influence of task complexity on trunk laterality. In this study, we compared the lateralization of the trunk in two conditions: standardized and free. We offered granules to six African elephants on each side of an opened trapdoor to create a constraining environment and reported the different behaviours employed and their orientation. In addition, we observed the same individuals in free conditions and noted the lateralization of the use of their trunk. We revealed a common right side preference in all our elephants, both in standardized and free conditions. This side bias was stronger in our constraining task, adding evidence for the task complexity theory. We finally described laterality in new behaviours in the literature on elephants, such as pinching, gathering or exploration with the trunk.

The Condorcet Jury Theorem with Information Acquisition

We analyze a committee decision in which individuals with common preferences are uncertain which of two alternatives is better for them. Members can acquire costly information. Private signals and information choice are both continuous. As is consistent with Down’s rational ignorance hypothesis, each member acquires less information in a larger committee and tends to acquire zero information when the committee size goes to infinity. However, with more members, a larger committee can gather more aggregate information in equilibrium. The aggregate information is infinite with the size going to infinity if and only if marginal cost at “zero information acquisition” is zero. When the marginal cost at “zero information acquisition” is positive, the probability of making an appropriate decision tends to be less than one.

Assignment mechanisms: Common preferences and information acquisition

I study costly information acquisition in a two-sided matching problem, such as matching applicants to schools. An applicant's utility is a sum of common and idiosyncratic components. The idiosyncratic component is unknown to the applicant but can be learned at a cost. As applicants learn, their preferences over schools become more heterogeneous, improving match quality. In my stylized environment, too few applicants acquire information in an ordinal strategy-proof mechanism. Subsidies, disclosure of applicants' priorities, and affirmative action-like policies lead to higher information acquisition and Pareto improvements. Learning may also decrease when an ordinal strategy-proof mechanism replaces an Immediate Acceptance mechanism.

A qualitative meta-synthesis of common and unique preferences for supportive services among persons with young onset dementia and their caregivers.

Young onset dementias (young onset dementia) produce a myriad of stressors for persons with young onset dementia and their caregivers, yet there is a critical shortage of supportive services that address their needs. To develop such services, it is necessary to first comprehensively understand persons' with young onset dementia and their caregivers' service preferences. Therefore, we conducted a meta-synthesis to integrate and summarize qualitative data on persons' with young onset dementia and caregivers' preferences for supportive services for young onset dementia, defined as support provided by medical providers, psychosocial interventions, and any other resources/services provided to promote positive adjustment in persons with young onset dementia and their caregivers. We searched five electronic databases for qualitative articles from inception to January 2020. We extracted and synthesized data from eligible articles using thematic analysis. After removal of duplicates, we screened 219 articles identified through database and hand searches. Forty-three studies met our inclusion criteria. We extracted findings from these 43 studies on preferences within three a priori defined domains: 1) general characteristics of supportive services, 2) format and modality of supportive services, and 3) content for supportive services. Persons with young onset dementia and caregivers predominantly expressed common preferences, with some unique preferences based on their specific roles within the partnership. Persons with young onset dementia and their caregivers endorsed largely overlapping preferences, including having direct contact with providers and the ability to participate together in programs that have content and skills relevant to their specific needs and challenges. Findings can directly inform the format, content, and procedures of supportive services for persons with young onset dementia and their caregivers.

New insights in Peer-to-Peer carsharing and ridesharing participation intentions: Evidence from the “provider-user” perspective

Carsharing services (CS) and ridesharing are gaining popularity worldwide through Peer-to-Peer (P2P) platforms, which appear to gradually complement or replace conventional CS business.This empirical study investigates the participation intentions in P2P shared mobility services accounting for different statuses people may adopt: provider and/or user. The analysis of a large car owner survey in three major European capitals indicates that these participation decisions are driven by common latent preferences and, people who are more prone to become a peer provider are more likely to use the P2P shared mobility service (and vice versa). The results also reveal the role of individual values such as possession self-link, individualism, and environmentalism in the decision to join a P2P shared mobility platform. Furthermore, our study shows how provider/user status may affect the participation intentions process in the urban population.

Predictive modeling to study lifestyle politics with Facebook likes

“Lifestyle politics” suggests that political and ideological opinions are strongly connected to our consumption choices, music and food taste, cultural preferences, and other aspects of our daily lives. With the growing political polarization this idea has become all the more relevant to a wide range of social scientists. Empirical research in this domain, however, is confronted with an impractical challenge; this type of detailed information on people’s lifestyle is very difficult to operationalize, and extremely time consuming and costly to query in a survey. A potential valuable alternative data source to capture these values and lifestyle choices is social media data. In this study, we explore the value of Facebook “like” data to complement traditional survey data to study lifestyle politics. We collect a unique dataset of Facebook likes and survey data of more than 6500 participants in Belgium, a fragmented multi-party system. Based on both types of data, we infer the political and ideological preference of our respondents. The results indicate that non-political Facebook likes are indicative of political preference and are useful to describe voters in terms of common interests, cultural preferences, and lifestyle features. This shows that social media data can be a valuable complement to traditional survey data to study lifestyle politics.

Preferences in a Group of Patients with Cancer: A Grounded Theory.

PurposeThis study was conducted to understand the preferences of patients with cancer in Medellin, Colombia.MethodsA qualitative approach based on the theoretical and methodological resources of the grounded theory was conducted. Between June 2020 and March 2021, patients over 18 years old with a confirmed diagnosis of cancer within the past 2 years treated in Medellin, Colombia, were selected. Theoretical saturation sampling was performed. Each participant was interviewed between 2 and 3 times in accordance with the open, axial, and selective coding of the grounded theory.ResultsA common preference set emerged in all patients related to the attributes of healthcare professionals and is a category that unites their scientific and humanistic aspects. On the other hand, very heterogeneous preferences were presented that were associated with the doctor–patient relationship and the therapeutic objectives. In the doctor–patient relationship, there are those who adhere to a paternalistic model and those who opt for an informative model. In therapeutic objectives, two subcategories emerged: those who are inclined to preserve life and those who accord more value to the quality of life.ConclusionThe categories that emerged illustrate the complexity and challenges of the preferences of patients with cancer in theoretical and experiential terms for social studies of medicine, philosophy, and bioethics. From medical social studies, it’s emphasized that the experiences of dehumanization are constant, which generates shared preferences in the patients related to the ideal of the medical professional. From the philosophical perspective, the care received by patients coincides with what was called medicine for slaves in ancient Greece, insofar as patients are not assumed to be free subjects. With respect to bioethics, some ideas are raised contrary to the support of individual autonomy; relational autonomy and the respect for the person above the autonomy itself are advocated.

Distally based hemisoleus flap for soft tissue defect closure following chronic osteomyelitis of the distal tibia: A case report.

Introduction and importanceChronic osteomyelitis often needs extensive debridement that leaves a gap and needs soft tissue reconstruction procedure. The use of pedicled versus free flap to reconstruct soft tissue following surgical debridement has long been debated. Pedicle flap is more favored by many surgeons for the distal third tibia, mainly due to its lower failure rate.Case presentationWe report a 33-year-old man with eight years of chronic osteomyelitis treated with surgical debridement at the distal third tibia, leaving a 5 cm × 6 cm soft tissue defect with exposed bone. Against the common preference, we performed a distally based hemisoleus flap (pedicled flap) covered with a split thickness skin graft. No signs of flap/graft rejection were observed during follow-up, and the patient was able to return to work four months following the surgery. No limitation in patient's daily activity upon two years follow up.Clinical discussionPreservation of critical perforators is essential during the elevation of the flap. The knowledge and application of the vascularity and angiosome principles are crucial in designing this type of flap, as some anatomical variations do exist. Meticulous tissue handling is required to support the basic knowledge of the lower limb vascular system.ConclusionDistally based hemisoleus flap is a reasonable option for soft tissue defect following chronic osteomyelitis of the distal tibia.

Assessing the Care Modality Preferences and Predictors for Digital Mental Health Treatment Seekers in a Technology-Enabled Stepped Care Delivery System: Cross-sectional Study.

BackgroundAccess to mental health services continues to be a systemic problem in the United States and around the world owing to a variety of barriers including the limited availability of skilled providers and lack of mental health literacy among patients. Individuals seeking mental health treatment may not be aware of the multiple modalities of digital mental health care available to address their problems (eg, self-guided and group modalities, or one-to-one care with a provider). In fact, one-to-one, in-person treatment is the dominant care model with a masters- or doctoral-level trained mental health provider, and it may or may not be the appropriate or preferred level of care for an individual. Technology-enabled mental health platforms may be one way to improve access to mental health care by offering stepped care, but more research is needed to understand the care modality preferences of digital mental health care seekers because additional modalities become increasingly validated as effective treatment options.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to describe and evaluate the predictors of care modality preferences among individuals enrolled in a technology-enabled stepped mental health care platform.MethodsThis exploratory, cross-sectional study used employee data from the 2021 Modern Health database, an employer-sponsored mental health benefit that uses a technology-enabled platform to optimize digital mental health care delivery. Chi-square tests and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were conducted to evaluate associations among the categorical and continuous factors of interest and the preferred care modality. Bivariate logistic regression models were constructed to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) of preferring a one-on-one versus self-guided group, or no preference for digital mental health care modalities.ResultsData were analyzed for 3661 employees. The most common modality preference was one-on-one care (1613/3661, 44.06%). Approximately one-fourth of the digital mental health care seekers (881/3661, 24.06%) expressed a preference for pursuing self-guided care, and others (294/3661, 8.03%) expressed a preference for group care. The ORs indicated that individuals aged 45 years and above were significantly more likely to express a preference for self-guided care compared to individuals aged between 18 and 24 years (OR 2.47, 95% CI 1.70-3.59; P<.001). Individuals screening positive for anxiety (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.62-0.86; P<.001) or depression (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.66-0.95; P=.02) were more likely to prefer one-on-one care.ConclusionsOur findings elucidated that care modality preferences vary and are related to clinical severity factors and demographic variables among individuals seeking digital mental health care.

Disposition intentions of elective egg freezers toward their surplus frozen oocytes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

To examine the disposition outcomes and disposition intentions of elective egg freezers (EEFs) toward their surplus frozen oocytes and the psychosocial determinants underlying these. A systematic review and meta-analysis. Not applicable. Actual EEFs (women with oocytes in storage), potential EEFs (women investigating elective oocyte cryopreservation or about to freeze their oocytes), and women of reproductive age (women in the community aged ≥18 years). A systematic review was undertaken and electronically searched MEDLINE, Embase, and PsycINFO on the Ovid platform for conference abstracts and peer-reviewed articles, published in English after January 1, 2010. A search strategy combined synonyms for oocyte, cryopreservation, donation, disposition, elective, and attitude. Eligible studies assessed disposition outcomes (how an oocyte was disposed of) and disposition intentions (how women intend to dispose of an oocyte) and/or the psychosocial determinants underlying disposition outcomes and intentions. The Joanna Briggs Institute Prevalence Tool was used to assess the risk of bias. A meta-analysis using random effects was applied to pool proportions of women with similar disposition intentions toward their oocytes. Disposition outcomes and intentions toward surplus frozen oocytes: donate to research; donate to others; discard; unsure. Psychosocial determinants (beliefs, attitudes, barriers, and facilitators) of disposition outcomes and intentions. A total of 3,560 records were identified, of which 22 (17 studies) met the inclusion criteria (8 studies from Europe, 7 from North America, and 2 from Asia). No studies reported on past oocyte disposition outcomes. Seventeen studies reported on the future disposition intentions of 5,446 women. Only 2 of the 17 studies reported on the psychosocial determinants of oocyte disposition intentions. There was substantial heterogeneity in the pooled results, which was likely a result of the significant variation in methodology. Actual EEFs were included in eight studies (n = 873), of whom 53% (95% confidence interval [CI], 44-63; I2, 87%) would donate surplus oocytes to research, 31% (95% CI, 23-40; I2, 72%) were unsure, 26% (95% CI, 17-38; I2, 92%) would donate to others, and 12% (95% CI, 6-21; I2, 88%) would discard their eggs. Psychosocial determinants: One study reported that 50% of these women were aware of friends and/or family having difficulty conceiving, which may have contributed to their willingness to donate to others. Potential EEFs were included in 4 studies (n = 645), of whom 38% (95% CI, 28-50; I2, 84%) would donate to research, 32% (95% CI, 17-51; I2, 91%) would donate to others, 29% (95% CI, 17-44; I2, 89%) would discard, and 7% (95% CI, 1-27; I2, 77%) were unsure. Psychosocial determinants: No studies. Women of reproductive age were included in 5 studies (n = 3,933), of whom 59% (95% CI, 48-70; I2, 97%) would donate to research and 46% (95% CI, 35-57; I2, 98%) would donate to others. "Unsure" and "discard" were not provided as response options. Psychosocial determinants: One study reported that the facilitators for donation to others included a family member or friend in need, to help others create a family, financial gain, to further science, and control or input over the selection of recipients. Barriers for donation included fear of having a biological child they do not know or who is raised by someone they know. No studies reported on the disposition outcomes of past EEFs. Disposition intentions varied across the three groups; however, "donating to research" was the most common disposition preference. Notably, the second disposition preference for one-third of actual EEFs was "unsure" and for one-third of potential EEFs was "donate to others." There were limited studies for actual and potential EEFs, and only two studies that explored the psychosocial determinants of oocyte disposition intentions. Additionally, these data suggest that disposition decisions change as women progress on their egg freezing journey, highlighting the importance of ongoing contact with the fertility team as intentions may change over time. More research is needed to understand the psychosocial determinants of oocyte disposition decisions so fertility clinics can provide EEFs with the support and information they need to make informed decisions about their stored eggs and reduce the level of uncertainty reported among EEFs and the potential risk of psychological distress and regret. PROSPERO 2020: CRD42020202733.

Consumer expectations and perception of clothing comfort in sports and exercise garments

Purpose Sports garments play an important role in the well-being of an athlete by protecting the wearer from changing environmental conditions and providing a comfortable feel. Clothing requirements have changed in recent years and demand for apparel with a higher comfort performance has been rising. Hence, the purpose of this study is to explore consumers’ expectations and perception of comfort and to examine how different textiles are perceived by consumers to provide useful knowledge that allows to engineer comfort into fabrics and sports garments. Design/methodology/approach This online survey comprised 292 respondents, classified by sex, age, nationality and physical activity. The respondents were asked a total of 18 questions through the Bristol Online Survey tool to explore expectation, perception and preference of clothing comfort, specifically of sportswear. Findings Fit and comfort are closely linked together, both forming part of the clothing comfort concept. When purchasing garments online, the haptics of fabrics were identified as a crucial missing parameter. However, priorities of attributes within the concept varied according to the person’s sex and nationality. Women put more emphasis on garment fit and showed a higher need for tactile input, whereas men prioritised physiological comfort descriptors, i.e. properties which facilitate thermoregulation. Furthermore, there is an increased importance of physiological comfort parameters for people exercising for 10 or more hours per week. Finally, it was possible to identify common associations and preferences for textile materials (cotton, polyester, cotton/polyester blend and wool). However, consideration should be taken concerning sex and nationality. Originality/value Sex and nationality are parameters modulating the clothing comfort concept and the conceptualised feel of materials. Therefore, the sex and nationality of the end-consumer should be considered during the development phase of sports garments and particular attention should be given to the targeted market in which these will be sold.

DEHT is a suitable plasticizer option for phthalate-free storage of irradiated red blood cells.

Due to increasing concerns about possible endocrine-disrupting properties, the use of the plasticizer di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) will be banned in future blood storage. Di(2-ethylhexyl) terephthalate (DEHT) provides sufficient red blood cell (RBC) quality during conventional blood bank storage. It is important that a new plasticizer also maintains acceptable quality during exposure to high cell stress, such as irradiation, which is commonly used to prevent graft-versus-host disease. A total of 59 RBC units were collected and processed in polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-DEHT or PVC-DEHP blood bags combined with either saline-adenine-glucose-mannitol (SAGM) or phosphate-adenine-glucose-guanosine-saline-mannitol (PAGGSM) additive solution. All units were X-ray irradiated on day 2 post-collection. Sampling for assessment of parameters of storage lesion was performed on day 2 pre-irradiation and day 14 and 28 post-irradiation. Though irradiation increased cell stress, DEHT/PAGGSM and current common European preference DEHP/SAGM were equally affected up to 14 days post-irradiation for all measured parameters. At day 28, haemolysis and microvesicle count were slightly increased in DEHT, whereas extracellular potassium ions, glucose, lactate, pH, mean corpuscular volume and microvesicle phosphatidylserine remained unaffected by plasticizer choice throughout storage. No individual unit exceeded 0.8% haemolysis, not even in DEHT/SAGM, the combination overall most affected by irradiation. Of the four combinations, membrane stability was least impacted in DEHP/PAGGSM. We demonstrate that DEHT is a suitable plasticizer for storage of RBCs after X-ray irradiation cell stress. This strengthens the option of DEHT as a viable non-phthalate substitute for DEHP.

What factors influence HIV testing? Modeling preference heterogeneity using latent classes and class-independent random effects

Efforts to eliminate the HIV epidemic will require increased HIV testing rates among high-risk populations. To inform the design of HIV testing interventions, a discrete choice experiment (DCE) with six policy-relevant attributes of HIV testing options elicited the testing preferences of 300 female barworkers and 440 male Kilimanjaro mountain porters in northern Tanzania. Surveys were administered between September 2017 and July 2018. Participants were asked to complete 12 choice tasks, each involving first- and second-best choices from 3 testing options. DCE responses were analyzed using a random effects latent class logit (RELCL) model, in which the latent classes summarize common participant preference profiles, and the random effects capture additional individual-level preference heterogeneity with respect to three attribute domains: (a) privacy and confidentiality (testing venue, pre-test counseling, partner notification); (b) invasiveness and perceived accuracy (method for obtaining the sample for the HIV test); and (c) accessibility and value (testing availability, additional services provided). The Bayesian Information Criterion indicated the best model fit for a model with 8 preference classes, with class sizes ranging from 6% to 19% of participants. Substantial preference heterogeneity was observed, both between and within latent classes, with 12 of 16 attribute levels having positive and negative coefficients across classes, and all three random effects contributing significantly to participants’ choices. The findings may help identify combinations of testing options that match the distribution of HIV testing preferences among high-risk populations; the methods may be used to systematically design heterogeneity-focused interventions using stated preference methods.

A Study of the Conversion of Customers into Growing Open Crowds by Marketing Strategies that Turn Customers into Fans : Centering Around the Representations in Crowds and Power, Written by Elias Canetti

본 연구는 대중문화의 적극적이고 폭넓은 섭렵자로서의 팬덤이 기업의 마케팅 대상으로서 충성도 있는 소비자로 증식해나갈 수 있다는 가능성을 파악하고, 특히 팬덤의 집단적 행동이 기업의 마케팅에 상호영향을 주며 증식군중으로서의 파워를 획득해 나갈수 있는 잠재적 가능성에 관하여 연구하였다. 적극적 수용자이면서 참여자로서의 팬덤은 자발적인 디지털 네트워크를 형성하고 온라인 커뮤니티를 통하여 프로슈머로서의 영향력을 발휘하고 있으며 현대의 기업에게는 새로운 소비층의 주체로 중요하게 인식되고 있다. 또한 팬덤은 그들의 집단적이고 세분화된 취향을 통해 단순히 생산지향이던 일방적인 기업의 마케팅 방식을 다양한 문화적 사업영역으로 확장이 가능하도록 기업과 협력관계의 기반을 형성하려는 능동적인 움직임을 보이고 있다. 그래서 본 연구에서는 이러한 팬덤의 구조적인 특성을 이해하기 위해 팬덤의 개념과 특성, 그리고 역할을 연구하였다. 본 연구의 결과, 잠재적 충성고객으로서의 팬덤의 몰입적인 활동력을 통해 기업의 비즈니스가 팬덤에서 시작할 수 있다는 포지셔닝을 확인 할 수 있었으며, 또한 확장력을 가진 증식군중으로서의 팬덤은 이런 기업의 핵심자원인 브랜드를 돌보고 회복시키는 파트너십을 발휘하며 기업을 그들의 공간으로 끌어들이고 있는 관계를 확인할 수 있었다. 이것을 통해 팬덤은 단순한 문화소비자가 아닌 선택적 몰입을 할 수 있는 힘있는 소비자로서 증식군중으로의 확장에 관한 가능성을 확인할 수 있었다. 즉, 증식군중화된 팬덤은 인바운드마케팅을 통해서 브랜드 가치와 진실한 의미를 맺는 관계를 가능하게 해줄 것이므로, 팬덤의 가치는 잠재적 충성고객으로서의 소비자의 입장을 포함하여 새로운 사회·문화적 취향으로 기업문화를 전환하게 하는 자극으로서 그 역할을 할 수 있을 것이다.This study identified the prospect that fans, active and generous masters of popular culture and the ones that businesses try to reach out to with their marketing strategies, will turn into loyal customers and investigated fans potential to interact with businesses in terms of marketing activities through the implementation of collective actions and to have more power after banding together as growing open crowds. Fans, not only the active customers, but also the participants, have been building digital networks voluntarily, participating in online communities, exercising influence as prosumers, and being recognized by businesses as new, valuable consumers. Moreover, fans have been actively making moves to create a foundation of closer relationship with businesses so that their common and individual preferences can play a role in the transformation of product-oriented marketing and existing marketing that has been a one-way street into the one that can be used in wider areas including diverse, culture-based projects. To further understand the structure of fandom and to explore ways to make fandom grow bigger, this study investigated concepts, definitions, and roles of fandom. This study also investigated activities of committed fans, who have potential to become loyal customers and who band together as growing open crowds, and found that fans protect and repair reputations of their preferred brands which are highly important resources of businesses, thereby making businesses listen to their words. In addition to those findings, the study determined that building fans can open doors for businesses. Such findings of this study support the notion that fans are no longer just consumers for cultural products, but powerful consumers who immerse themselves in brands by choice and who have potential to band together to form growing open crowds. By utilizing sources provided through inbound marketing, fans, who are banded together as growing open crowds, will develop relationships with a company and promote a brand s value. In summary, fans are important to businesses since they have potential to become loyal customers and their social and cultural preferences, which differ from the preferences that consumers used to have, can fuel organizational culture change.

Focus on car Advertising Poster Design : taking car sales Advertising as an example

본 연구는 대중문화의 적극적이고 폭넓은 섭렵자로서의 팬덤이 기업의 마케팅 대상으로서 충성도 있는 소비자로 증식해나갈 수 있다는 가능성을 파악하고, 특히 팬덤의 집단적 행동이 기업의 마케팅에 상호영향을 주며 증식군중으로서의 파워를 획득해 나갈수 있는 잠재적 가능성에 관하여 연구하였다. 적극적 수용자이면서 참여자로서의 팬덤은 자발적인 디지털 네트워크를 형성하고 온라인 커뮤니티를 통하여 프로슈머로서의 영향력을 발휘하고 있으며 현대의 기업에게는 새로운 소비층의 주체로 중요하게 인식되고 있다. 또한 팬덤은 그들의 집단적이고 세분화된 취향을 통해 단순히 생산지향이던 일방적인 기업의 마케팅 방식을 다양한 문화적 사업영역으로 확장이 가능하도록 기업과 협력관계의 기반을 형성하려는 능동적인 움직임을 보이고 있다. 그래서 본 연구에서는 이러한 팬덤의 구조적인 특성을 이해하기 위해 팬덤의 개념과 특성, 그리고 역할을 연구하였다. 본 연구의 결과, 잠재적 충성고객으로서의 팬덤의 몰입적인 활동력을 통해 기업의 비즈니스가 팬덤에서 시작할 수 있다는 포지셔닝을 확인 할 수 있었으며, 또한 확장력을 가진 증식군중으로서의 팬덤은 이런 기업의 핵심자원인 브랜드를 돌보고 회복시키는 파트너십을 발휘하며 기업을 그들의 공간으로 끌어들이고 있는 관계를 확인할 수 있었다. 이것을 통해 팬덤은 단순한 문화소비자가 아닌 선택적 몰입을 할 수 있는 힘있는 소비자로서 증식군중으로의 확장에 관한 가능성을 확인할 수 있었다. 즉, 증식군중화된 팬덤은 인바운드마케팅을 통해서 브랜드 가치와 진실한 의미를 맺는 관계를 가능하게 해줄 것이므로, 팬덤의 가치는 잠재적 충성고객으로서의 소비자의 입장을 포함하여 새로운 사회·문화적 취향으로 기업문화를 전환하게 하는 자극으로서 그 역할을 할 수 있을 것이다.This study identified the prospect that fans, active and generous masters of popular culture and the ones that businesses try to reach out to with their marketing strategies, will turn into loyal customers and investigated fans potential to interact with businesses in terms of marketing activities through the implementation of collective actions and to have more power after banding together as growing open crowds. Fans, not only the active customers, but also the participants, have been building digital networks voluntarily, participating in online communities, exercising influence as prosumers, and being recognized by businesses as new, valuable consumers. Moreover, fans have been actively making moves to create a foundation of closer relationship with businesses so that their common and individual preferences can play a role in the transformation of product-oriented marketing and existing marketing that has been a one-way street into the one that can be used in wider areas including diverse, culture-based projects. To further understand the structure of fandom and to explore ways to make fandom grow bigger, this study investigated concepts, definitions, and roles of fandom. This study also investigated activities of committed fans, who have potential to become loyal customers and who band together as growing open crowds, and found that fans protect and repair reputations of their preferred brands which are highly important resources of businesses, thereby making businesses listen to their words. In addition to those findings, the study determined that building fans can open doors for businesses. Such findings of this study support the notion that fans are no longer just consumers for cultural products, but powerful consumers who immerse themselves in brands by choice and who have potential to band together to form growing open crowds. By utilizing sources provided through inbound marketing, fans, who are banded together as growing open crowds, will develop relationships with a company and promote a brand s value. In summary, fans are important to businesses since they have potential to become loyal customers and their social and cultural preferences, which differ from the preferences that consumers used to have, can fuel organizational culture change.

Impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic on Cardiac Surgical Education in North America.

We report the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on cardiac surgery trainee education in North America. A survey was sent to participating academic adult cardiac surgery centers in North America. Data regarding the effect of COVID-19 on cardiac surgery training were analyzed. Responses were received from 53 academic institutions with diverse geographic distribution. Cardiac surgery trainee re-deployment to alternative clinical duties peaked at the height of the pandemic. We stratified institutions based on high (n = 20) and low burden (n = 33) of patients hospitalized with COVID-19. The majority of institutions have converted didactics (high burden 90% vs low burden 73%) and interviews for jobs/fellowships (high burden 75% vs low burden 73%) from in-person to virtual. Institutions were mixed in preference for administration of the licensing examination, with the most common preference for examinations to be held remotely on normal timeline (high burden 45% vs low burden 30%) or in person with more than 3-month delay (high burden 20% vs low burden 33%). Despite the challenges experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic on trainee clinical experience, re-deployment, and decreased operative volume, institutions expected their trainees to graduate on schedule (high burden 95% vs low burden 91%). Our study demonstrates that actions taken during the COVID-19 pandemic has led to disruptions in cardiac surgery training with transition of didactics and interviews virtually and re-deployment to alternative duties. Despite this, institutions remain optimistic that their trainees will graduate on schedule.

Developing a Problem-Solving Intervention to Address Methods of Self-Management and Transition Challenges in Adolescents with Sickle Cell Disease: A Qualitative Investigation

Introduction: Given recent advances in medical care for children with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), families are now seeing their children survive into adulthood. This presents new challenges around transition from pediatric to adult medical care, with responsibility for self-management shifting from parent to child. Interventions to improve self-management skills, such as problem solving education (PSE), have been used to increase self-efficacy and medication adherence in youth with other chronic diseases. The present study sought to explore common barriers and facilitators of disease management during the transition period and the acceptability of adapting PSE to improve transition readiness in adolescents with SCD.Methods: We purposively sampled adolescents with SCD ages 13 to 18 who received care at either Boston Medical Center (BMC) or Boston Children's Hospital and their primary caregiver to participate in focus groups. Each focus group was audio recorded and transcribed. Data were analyzed through use of grounded theory and coded with NVivo, a qualitative analysis software. Transcripts were double-coded until thematic saturation was achieved.Results: A total of 17 adolescents and 15 adult caregivers participated in five focus groups. Groups initially met together to discuss barriers and facilitators of self-management and then split into separate groups of teens and parents to discuss PSE. Teens and parents identified common methods of disease management includingtaking medication, staying warm and dressing appropriately, maintaining hydration and a healthy diet, and staying rested. Teens identified having a daily routine and sharing responsibility with a caregiver as facilitators of self-management. Caregivers commonly mentioned using a set of reminder techniques to help teens manage their health. Barriers to increasing teens' self-management included wanting to fit in with peers and lacking appropriate knowledge. Parents found it challenging to allow teens more responsibility.Parents and teens unanimously approved the adaption of PSE to SCD management and transition. Though a small number of parents stated low interest in participating either for social reasons or lack of perceived need, many identified the potential benefits of the intervention for both parents and teens. Parents felt that educational support would be most beneficial to them, while teens prioritized the benefits of emotional support during the transition period. Most participants would prefer that parents and teens meet separately in a group setting at the hospital or a comfortable environment outside of the home, then join together for a final session. Groups would be held on a weekly basis for a minimum of two months. However, some participants felt the support was imperative and thus could be effective for a year. Participants favored a mentor-style structure where a knowledgeable, college-aged individual with sickle cell disease would serve as the interventionist. This appeared to be a common preference for both parents and teens as they felt it was important to work with an individual that excelled independently and academically, despite any challenges with SCD.Parents and teens willingly identified specific scenarios where they felt PSE would be most valuable. Common PSE scenarios for teens were related to disclosing the diagnosis to peers, enhancing methods of management, and addressing identified barriers to transitioning. PSE scenarios for parents involved working with healthcare and school systems on select adaption issues and learning to “let go” of their teen.Conclusion: Though parents and teens have adapted management techniques to facilitate their transition from pediatric to adult medical care, barriers still exist across medical, personal and educational environments. Applying PSE as an intervention for both parents and teens of a sickle cell population could improve self-management and transition readiness in this vulnerable population. DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Separating generalizable from source-specific preference heterogeneity in the fusion of revealed and stated preferences

Preference heterogeneity is one of the central behavioral concepts in applied econometrics. Its centrality is particularly evident in the choice modeling literature, notably in its widespread application to environmental and health economics, marketing, and transport. Despite conceptual and empirical advances in modeling preference heterogeneity, the generalizability of preference heterogeneity to different decision contexts and different data generation processes remains an open question. The basic premise of this paper is that latent sources of preference heterogeneity can be decomposed into components general to decision contexts and others specific to them. We study the structure of preference heterogeneity in different data generation processes with the goal of reliably identifying common (presumably generalizable) and specific (presumably not generalizable) sources of preference heterogeneity. The contribution of the paper is both conceptual and methodological, leading to the testing of five rival model specifications which together elucidate the heterogeneity structure present in two preference data sources of the same choice behavior. In the empirical application, we find that the multitrait-multimethod model of preference heterogeneity has the best fit and most sensible interpretations, indicating that while each data source contributes uniquely to certain heterogeneity components, both data sources contribute also to common (generalizable) preference heterogeneity. Recognition of the separability of the common versus source-specific preference heterogeneity will lead to more reliable and accurate demand model forecasts and assessments of welfare impacts.