Multiple Arrangements Research Articles

Beyond an “Either–Or” approach to home- and center-based child care: Comparing children and families who combine care types with those who use just one

Most research focuses on preschoolers’ primary non-parental child care arrangement despite evidence that multiple arrangements are relatively common. Using the nationally-representative Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort, we compare characteristics and outcomes of families whose 4-year olds attend both home- and center-based child care with those who attend either home- or center-based care exclusively or receive no non-parental care at all. We find that about one fifth of 4-year olds attend both home- and center-based child care. Mothers’ priorities for care (getting their child ready for school, matching their families’ cultural background) and perceptions of good local care options predict their combining home- and center-based care. Preschoolers score higher on reading and math assessments, on average, when they attend centers, alone or in combination with home-based child care, than when they are cared for only in homes, either by their parents or by others. Preschoolers’ average socioemotional outcomes generally do not differ between families who do and who do not combine care types. Implications for research and policy are discussed.

Thoughts and experiences from returning to work after stroke

The aim of this study was to increase the understanding of stroke survivors' thoughts and experiences from returning to work after stroke. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with twelve persons, based on a thematic interview guide. A qualitative content analysis was performed. The main theme; Striving for optimal function at work creates mixed feelings of appreciation and frustration, contained three categories: 1) Multiple arrangements and strategies are necessary for returning to work, 2) Work as an activity holds multiple subjective meanings that are important for the motivation to return to work, and 3) The return-to-work process generates many and mixed feelings. The complexity of the process involving many different actors constitutes great challenges for the affected person in addition to general and medical problems. The stroke survivor should be encouraged to be an active participant during the return-to-work process. Our findings can be used for the development of a programme, including a personal mentor, to support the person striving for returning to work. For detailed planning of such a programme further research is needed.

Beyond the research–policy interface. Boundary arrangements at research–stakeholder interfaces in the policy debate on biofuel sustainability in Mozambique

► This paper explores boundary arrangements in policy processes in competing claims contexts. ► Boundary arrangements are analysed at multiple research–stakeholder interfaces. ► Different boundary arrangements at multiple research–stakeholder interfaces can co-emerge and coexist. ► Different boundary arrangements relating to policy content and policy process can coexist. ► The paper raises awareness about the complexities for research (ers) when actively supporting multi-stakeholder policy processes. This paper explores the relationships and division of tasks and responsibilities (boundary arrangements) between research and stakeholders in policy processes in competing claims contexts. The paper starts from the idea that better understanding about the role of research in multi-stakeholder policy processes requires going beyond the research–policy interface, by analysing boundary arrangements at multiple research–stakeholder interfaces. The paper describes five episodes in the policy debate on biofuel sustainability in Mozambique. Within each episode, the boundary arrangements at the different research–stakeholder interfaces in relation to the policy context, research activities and stakeholder dynamics inside and outside the policy arena are described and analysed. The analysis creates awareness about the complexities, pitfalls and opportunities of actively engaging in multi-stakeholder policy processes, as this is likely to result in situations where multiple boundary arrangements at different research–stakeholder interfaces co-emerge and coexist. The direction in which boundary arrangements at a research–stakeholder interface develop over time is affected by the credibility, legitimacy and salience of the research as perceived by the specific stakeholder group, the changing policy context and boundary arrangements at other research–stakeholder interfaces. Different boundary arrangements relating to policy content and policy process can coexist at a research–stakeholder interface. Furthermore, boundary arrangements show patterns of path dependency in terms of their credibility, legitimacy and salience for different stakeholders through time.

Non-contact acoustic trapping in circular cross-section glass capillaries: A numerical study

Ultrasonic particle manipulation has many applications in microfluidic systems. Such manipulation is achievable by establishing an ultrasonic standing wave in fluid filled micromachined chambers. In this work, the focus is on analyzing the trapping potential of water filled capillary tubes actuated ultrasonically. The curved walls necessitate the use of a finite element modeling approach. Multiple arrangements of the piezoelectric transducers were studied along with the effects of changing the capillary and piezoelectric transducer thicknesses. Additionally, different modes of driving the piezoelectric transducers were investigated. It was found that positioning four piezoelectric transducers equally spaced around the capillary tube provided the best force potential field for trapping polystyrene spheres in the center of the capillary.

Multiple child care arrangements and child well being: Early care experiences in Australia

Nearly one quarter of Australian children under the age of 5 experience multiple non-parental child care arrangements. Research focused on the relationship between multiple child care arrangements and child socioemotional development is limited, particularly in Australia. Evidence from the United States and Europe has linked multiple child care arrangements to increases in children's problem behaviors (de Schipper, Tavecchio, van Ijzendoorn, & van Zeijl, 2004; Morrissey, 2009), but there is little corresponding evidence on Australian children's child care experiences. Using a nationally representative sample of Australian children, we examined the associations between concurrent multiple child care arrangements and child socioemotional and behavioral development at age 4.5. We found suggestive evidence that child care multiplicity at age 4.5 is related to higher levels of behavior problems. However, this relationship is moderated by prior child care experiences. We found that prior care multiplicity mitigates the relationship between concurrent multiplicity and children's prosocial skills and conduct problems. In contrast, moving from a single arrangement or no non-parental child care to multiple arrangements appears to be negatively associated with children's concurrent socioemotional skills. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.

Sputtering-pressure dependence of magnetic properties in amorphous Tb40(FeCoV)60 films

The Tb40(Fe49Co49V2)60 films were fabricated by magnetron cosputtering from a multiple target arrangement at different argon pressures. The samples were investigated using X-ray diffraction, magnetic force microscope and vibrating sample magnetometer. A strong perpendicular anisotropy was obtained for the sample prepared at 0.4 Pa. The easy direction of magnetization could be turned from perpendicular to in-plane direction either at high working pressures (PAr>2.0 Pa) or by annealing at temperatures higher than 250 °C. An excellent magnetic softness with coercivity below 3 mT and saturating field of 20 mT in film-plane direction was obtained for the sample prepared at 0.7 Pa and then annealed at 350 °C.

Multiple Childcare Arrangements and Health Outcomes in Early Childhood

This study examined the associations between multiple childcare arrangements and young children's health problems. This study used three waves of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort, collected from a nationally representative sample of children when they were 9 months old, 2 years old, and 4 years old (N = 7,150). 'Multiple childcare arrangements' was defined and measured by the number of non-parental childcare arrangements that occurred on a regular basis. During each wave of the data collection, the mother reported the number of regular childcare arrangements by three types: relative care, non-relative care, and center-based care. These numbers were summed to calculate the total number of arrangements. The mother also reported the incidence of ear infections, gastrointestinal illnesses, asthma diagnosis, and unintentional injuries of the child. Random effects and fixed effects regression models were used to estimate the association between the number of childcare arrangements and measures of early childhood health problems. Increases in the total number of childcare arrangements were associated with an elevated risk of ear infections, gastrointestinal illnesses, and diagnosed asthma in children. Further analysis indicates that increases in both the number of center-based care and non-relative care (but not relative care) arrangements can lead to a greater chance of health problems in young children. Multiple childcare arrangements are associated with communicable illness and diagnosed asthma in early childhood and appear to be a risk factor for health problems in early childhood.

Inverse MDS: Inferring Dissimilarity Structure from Multiple Item Arrangements

The pairwise dissimilarities of a set of items can be intuitively visualized by a 2D arrangement of the items, in which the distances reflect the dissimilarities. Such an arrangement can be obtained by multidimensional scaling (MDS). We propose a method for the inverse process: inferring the pairwise dissimilarities from multiple 2D arrangements of items. Perceptual dissimilarities are classically measured using pairwise dissimilarity judgments. However, alternative methods including free sorting and 2D arrangements have previously been proposed. The present proposal is novel (a) in that the dissimilarity matrix is estimated by “inverse MDS” based on multiple arrangements of item subsets, and (b) in that the subsets are designed by an adaptive algorithm that aims to provide optimal evidence for the dissimilarity estimates. The subject arranges the items (represented as icons on a computer screen) by means of mouse drag-and-drop operations. The multi-arrangement method can be construed as a generalization of simpler methods: It reduces to pairwise dissimilarity judgments if each arrangement contains only two items, and to free sorting if the items are categorically arranged into discrete piles. Multi-arrangement combines the advantages of these methods. It is efficient (because the subject communicates many dissimilarity judgments with each mouse drag), psychologically attractive (because dissimilarities are judged in context), and can characterize continuous high-dimensional dissimilarity structures. We present two procedures for estimating the dissimilarity matrix: a simple weighted-aligned-average of the partial dissimilarity matrices and a computationally intensive algorithm, which estimates the dissimilarity matrix by iteratively minimizing the error of MDS-predictions of the subject’s arrangements. The Matlab code for interactive arrangement and dissimilarity estimation is available from the authors upon request.

PackHelix: a tool for helix-sheet packing during protein structure prediction.

The three-dimensional structure of a protein is organized around the packing of its secondary structure elements. Predicting the topology and constructing the geometry of structural motifs involving α-helices and/or β-strands are therefore key steps for accurate prediction of protein structure. While many efforts have focused on how to pack helices and on how to sample exhaustively the topologies and geometries of multiple strands forming a β-sheet in a protein, there has been little progress on generating native-like packings of helices on sheets. We describe a method that can generate the packing of multiple helices on a given β-sheet for αβα sandwich type protein folds. This method mines the results of a statistical analysis of the conformations of αβ(2) motifs in protein structures to provide input values for the geometric attributes of the packing of a helix on a sheet. It then proceeds with a geometric builder that generates multiple arrangements of the helices on the sheet of interest by sampling through these values and performing consistency checks that guarantee proper loop geometry between the helices and the strands, minimal number of collisions between the helices, and proper formation of a hydrophobic core. The method is implemented as a module of ProteinShop. Our results show that it produces structures that are within 4-6 Å RMSD of the native one, regardless of the number of helices that need to be packed, though this number may increase if the protein has several helices between two consecutive strands in the sequence that pack on the sheet formed by these two strands.

Inconsistency in health care professional work

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of recent outsourcing and public-private partnership (PPPs) arrangements on the consistency of professional employment in health care. A case study methodology is applied. The paper finds that multiple arrangements for employment within the ISTC creates numerous sources for inconsistency in employment: across the workplace, within professional groups and with national frameworks for health care employment. These are identified as having implications for organisational outcomes, threatening the stability of current partnerships, and partially stymieing intended behavioural change. The study is a single case study of an independent sector treatment centre. Future research is required to investigate wider trends of employment in heterogeneous outsourcing and PPP arrangements. The paper informs both managers and clinical professionals of the unanticipated complexities and practical challenges that can arise in partnerships and outsourcing arrangements. The paper presents a unique in-depth investigation of employment within recently established ISTCs, and highlights important employment changes for the core health care workforce and high-status professionals in the evolving health care organisational landscape.

Implementation of case management in long-term conditions in England: Survey and case studies

Our aim was to describe the current provision of case management arrangements in primary care for people with long-term conditions in England and identify the extent and nature of self-care support services within it. Cross-sectional survey of primary care trusts (PCTs) in England and four case studies using semi-structured interviews and focus groups. Services were predominantly nurse-led, typically by community matrons, and delivered on a geographical basis. Often multiple arrangements existed within a PCT but integration of services with local authority adult social care was not widespread. A range of self-care support services were utilized and often tuition was provided by case managers to patients in their own homes. Assessment, care coordination and direct support to patients were the principal tasks. Often care plans were limited to primary care services and did not include service costings. Links with nurse-led services within PCTs were evident but operational links with adult social care were poorly developed. This is consistent with previous research relating to the introduction of care management in social services in England which also resulted in a plethora of organizational arrangements. Case management for patients with long-term conditions is at an early stage of development. Effective links with a range of local services are required if care plans are going to be comprehensive.

Software Datum Design for Cross-Axis Motion Measurement of X-Stage Based on Least Uncertainty Criterion

Cross-axis translational motion of a table on a machine tool is important in ultraprecision processes. Currently, conventional software datums that separate the cross-axismotion fromthe straightness profile of the straightedge by using multiple sensors and/or multiple arrangements are well-known. However, in large sampling numbers, the multiple sensor method tends to propagate random error. In this paper, a novel software datum for cross-axis motion measurement that can reduce the uncertainty due to the datum profile, pitch motion and random error is proposed. The proposed method consists of a weighted addition and inverse filtering. The suitable weight for the weighted addition yielding the least uncertainty is derived by an equation using standard deviations of the datum profile, pitch motion and random error of the sensors.

Promising results for the use of natural stimuli in a multiple schedule reinforcement arrangement to reduce problem behavior and increase functional communication

This review provides a summary and appraisal commentary on the treatment review by Kuhn, D. E., Chirighin, A. E., & Zelenka, K. (2010). Discriminated functional communication: A procedural extension of functional communication training. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 43, 249–264. 2 Source of funding and disclosure of interest: No source of funding reported, and the original authors of this research report no conflicts of interest.

The management of variable pay in European banking

Banking is a major employer in most large European countries, facing common pressures in terms of competition and technological change. Traditional pay systems have been revised in response to changing business objectives and new forms of work organisation. This paper examines variable pay schemes (VPS) in banking in four countries with very different institutional contexts: Austria, Norway, Spain, and the UK. It finds extensive use of VPS in each case and shared managerial objectives in terms of performance management and cost control. Forms of VPS vary, with Norwegian banks in particular favouring collective forms of bonus, but overall there is a common drive towards individual (merit) pay and multiple bonus arrangements providing increased scope for management discretion. In broad terms, what the case of pay-setting in banking suggests is a course of fading path dependency at national level.

Plectolyngbya hodgsonii: a novel filamentous cyanobacterium from Antarctic lakes

A special cluster of filamentous, false-branched cyanobacteria, isolated from littoral mat samples in coastal lakes of the Larsemann Hills region (coll. by D. Hodgson) was studied by a polyphasic approach. This morphotype has several characters corresponding to the traditional genera Leptolyngbya (morphology of trichomes), Pseudophormidium (type of false branching) or Schizothrix (occasional multiple arrangement of trichomes in the sheaths). However, this cluster of strains is distinctly isolated according to its phylogenetic position (based on 16S rRNA gene sequences), and thus, a separate generic classification is justified. The cytomorphology of this generic entity is also characteristic. Therefore, a new genus (Plectolyngbya with the type species P. hodgsonii) was described. The same cyanobacterial morphotype was found in the littoral zone of the partially frozen inland Monolith Lake in the northern, deglaciated area of James Ross Island, in the NW part of the Weddell Sea. Plectolyngbya hodgsonii occurs evidently in more Antarctic lakes of the continental type, under very particular conditions (littoral with average temperature below 3°C during the Antarctic summer season, with periodical drying and freezing for more than 8 months in a year). The valid definition, phenotype documentation and ultrastructural characters of this cyanobacterium are presented in this article. Morphologically (and possibly genetically) similar types are common in other habitats in various regions and represent probably different species.

Interclan Cooperation in a Risky Pastoral Ecology: Some lessons from Eastern Ethiopia

This paper explores institutional arrangements governing reciprocal grazing resource sharing among different pastoral and agropastoral clans in eastern Ethiopia. It describes and compares multiple institutional arrangements that define non-exclusive property rights in order to increase the social and economic efficiency of grazing resource uses in a risky environment. Results indicate that social capital, explained using lineage as a proxy, plays a crucial role in facilitating the establishment of and negotiation for non-exclusive forms of rights to grazing resources. Nonetheless, socio-political factors, such as clan politics and regulations restricting cross-border herd mobility, limit the role of customary institutional arrangements in sustaining interclan cooperation. Increased threat from climate change (rainfall variability) and the absence of insurance for the livestock increase the necessity to sustain interclan cooperation over the reciprocal sharing of the grazing commons. This suggests the need for a policy shift in favor of reinforcing customary systems of resource governance to ameliorate interclan cooperation to respond to these challenges.

Design Assessments of a Refined DC Magnetron Sputter With Multiple Magnetron Arrangements

The DC magnetron sputtering systems (MSS) are widely applied in the microelectronic industries for thin film depositions. With their large installation volume in the related production lines, many efforts have been devoted to explore the possible refinements of the MSS structures that can improve the operational performance and reduce the target material consumption rates. Supported by qualitative and quantitative investigations, this paper describes a general guidance that can be applied to those commercial in-line DC MSS to control the magnetic field affecting the electron trajectories inside the sputterers. Results obtained from detailed studies on the systems with both single cylindrical magnetron and multiple rectangular magnetron structures showed that the proposed refinement scheme can increase the sputtering efficiency by over 25%, and the corresponding enhancements of substrate deposition rates are also to be expected. In addition, compared with those obtained without the refinements, the target erosion profiles with the refinements are more evenly spread out, thus reduction in the target material consumptions can also be expected.

Abstract 1150: A novel preclinical pancreatic cancer radiation platform: Ptential for high-throughput testing of radiation sensitizers

Abstract Introduction Small animal research is integral to the development of preclinical therapies, particularly for terminal diseases such as pancreatic cancer. Unfortunately, application of radiation to such models has been limited to non-conformal, single high dose treatments, which are far removed from the highly conformal, fractionated therapies used in the clinic. To help bridge this translational gap, we have developed a pancreatic cancer small animal radiation research platform (SARRP), which when combined with a mouse orthotopic xenograft model, allows focused, image-guided, fractionated irradiation of pancreatic tumors. We propose that this unique translational mouse model can be used to pre-clinically determine how to optimally combine radiation with novel agents to enhance the treatment of patients with unresectable, resectable, and metastatic pancreatic cancer. Materials and Methods The SARRP uses a constant voltage X-ray source mounted on a gantry. Robotic stages are used to position the animal. Cone-beam computed tomography (CT) is achieved by rotating the animal between the stationary X-ray source and a flat-panel detector. Dosimetry is measured with radiochromic films. Monte Carlo dose calculations are used for treatment planning. The combination of gantry and robotic stage motions facilitate conformal irradiation. Gold fiducials were placed in the mouse pancreas to allow more reliable targeting. Utilizing anesthetized C57BL mice, an incision was made in the left flank and a 1.5 cm film was sewn to a gold fiducial (1.5 mm). Suture was used to attach the film and fiducial to the pancreas and spleen. Mice were placed in the prone position on the SARRP. Five coplanar beams of radiation were delivered to the pancreas. Radiochromic films were removed, scanned and analyzed. Results Cone beam CT planning images with multiple beam arrangement allowed for relative conformality of dose distribution around the pancreas of the C57BL mouse. Spleen and pancreas fiducials were clearly visualized with on-board imaging and analysis of isodose distribution of radiation shows the 70% line (7 Gray) adequately covering the pancreatic fiducial, while effectively sparing the spleen and spinal cord. Analysis of film surrounding the fiducials confirmed that actual dose delivered to pancreas averaged 6.76 Gy (range: 3.91-14.6 Gy, SD 0.40 Gy), while average dose to the spleen was 0.15 Gy (range 0.0-1.39 Gy, SD 0.001 Gy). Mean dose to the pancreas was 21 times greater than that to spleen. Conclusion Our studies confirm the ability to deliver precise, potentially fractionated stereotactic radiation therapy to the mouse pancreas, while avoiding normal tissues. We are hopeful that this platform will allow us to closely mimic contemporary human treatment and test combinations of radiation with novel systemic agents and radiosensitizers, thereby accelerating the transition from bench to bedside. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1150.

Resource Entitlement and Mobility of Pastoralists in the Yerer and Daketa Valleys, Eastern Ethiopia

Literature on the mobility of pastoralists and resource access is widely available, but conceptualization and understanding of the socioeconomic processes expected to affect the outcome are inconsistent. In this article, drawing on research conducted in the Yerer and Daketa Valleys, eastern Ethiopia, we use the notion of entitlements to examine how, under increasing pressure for resource access, various agro-pastoral households manage conflicting interests in common grazing resources. We observed that in times of drought and resource scarcity incumbent agro-pastoralists find peaceful sharing arrangements with intruding pastoralists. Asset-poor agro-pastoralists enter into mutually beneficial arrangements with pastoralists, trading their resource endowments to grazing land for other assets from the pastoralists, whereas wealthier households prefer a reciprocal risk-management strategy. These multiple arrangements have distributional effects because asset-poor agro-pastoralist households can stabilize or enhance their household assets and their capabilities in times of drought, and thus benefit from assisting pastoralist migrants to the common grazing land.

PL-115: A canine model of laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (LAGB) prolapse and the importance of a complete gastrogastric wrap

The most prevalent long-term complications in patients undergoing laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (LAGB) surgery are pouch dilatation and gastric prolapse (slippage). A canine model of LAGB and a setup using a pump and pressure transducer was created to mimic esophageal contractions against a LAGB outlet obstruction. Multiple arrangements of gastro-gastric sutures and gastric wraps were then placed and evaluated for their utility in preventing gastric prolapse.