Surprising Outcome Research Articles

Welfare Reform at 15 and the State of Policy Analysis

This article offers a review of welfare reform evaluation studies, summarizing research that has generated a consensus among mainstream policy analysts that the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) has had few effects beyond caseload reductions and increases in employment. Given that supporters and opponents alike expected the law to have profound consequences, the article considers two ways to explain this surprising outcome, showing that (1) quantitative policy analysis has been ill equipped to capture the PRWORA's effects and (2) expectations were nonetheless wrong because they failed to appreciate how thoroughly Aid to Families with Dependent Children had already been eroded in the decades prior to its reform. Welfare reform was not the beginning of a process of policy change; it was the end of one. In response to these findings, the article describes how a more critical perspective on reform matters for social work researchers, advocates, and practitioners.

Methods for environmental change; an exploratory study

BackgroundWhile the interest of health promotion researchers in change methods directed at the target population has a long tradition, interest in change methods directed at the environment is still developing. In this survey, the focus is on methods for environmental change; especially about how these are composed of methods for individual change (‘Bundling’) and how within one environmental level, organizations, methods differ when directed at the management (‘At’) or applied by the management (‘From’).MethodsThe first part of this online survey dealt with examining the ‘bundling’ of individual level methods to methods at the environmental level. The question asked was to what extent the use of an environmental level method would involve the use of certain individual level methods. In the second part of the survey the question was whether there are differences between applying methods directed ‘at’ an organization (for instance, by a health promoter) versus ‘from’ within an organization itself. All of the 20 respondents are experts in the field of health promotion.ResultsMethods at the individual level are frequently bundled together as part of a method at a higher ecological level. A number of individual level methods are popular as part of most of the environmental level methods, while others are not chosen very often. Interventions directed at environmental agents often have a strong focus on the motivational part of behavior change.There are different approaches targeting a level or being targeted from a level. The health promoter will use combinations of motivation and facilitation. The manager will use individual level change methods focusing on self-efficacy and skills. Respondents think that any method may be used under the right circumstances, although few endorsed coercive methods.ConclusionsTaxonomies of theoretical change methods for environmental change should include combinations of individual level methods that may be bundled and separate suggestions for methods targeting a level or being targeted from a level. Future research needs to cover more methods to rate and to be rated. Qualitative data may explain some of the surprising outcomes, such as the lack of large differences and the avoidance of coercion. Taxonomies should include the theoretical parameters that limit the effectiveness of the method.

Surprising outcome of ommaya reservoir in treating cystic craniopharyngioma: a retrospective study

Background. Surgical removal (gross total or partial removal), radiotherapy and cyst evacuation have all been used individually or in combination to treat cystic craniopharyngioma, although it is unclear which is the best method. Objective. To report the results of treating cystic craniopharyngioma by insertion of an Ommaya reservoir system (ORS) and aspiration of the cyst. Patients and methods. As from 1990, patients admitted to the neurosurgical department at Assiut University Hospital, Egypt, with grossly cystic craniopharyngioma and who had a single cyst and did not have previous surgery were treated by insertion of an ORS and drainage of the cyst. By 2010, 52 patients had received this treatment with the cystic fluid aspirated completely on the day of surgery. The main presenting symptoms were raised intracranial pressure and visual changes with hormonal changes observed in some patients. The minimal follow-up period was 7 years. Results. To our surprise, 38 (73%) patients did not develop any recollection of the cyst and showed significant clinical improvement. The only possible explanation is that the part of the catheter of the ORS, with holes in, has established communication between the cyst and the CSF spaces around it after the collapse of the cyst with no adverse effect on the patient at any time. Ten (19%) patients needed reaspiration every 6 months and four (8%) patients showed rapid recollection of cystic fluid and were treated with intracystic bleomycin. Conclusion. Treatment of cystic craniopharyngioma by drainage through an ORS is very effective. The majority of patients do not need any further treatment. Those who develop re-accumulation of cystic fluid are easily treated by simple aspiration of the fluid through the reservoir. It is a simple and safe method, which lacks the risks associated with surgery or chemotherapy.

Structures from MnX 2 and proline: isomorphous racemic compounds and a series of chiral non-isomorphous chain polymers

Reactions of manganese(II) chloride, bromide and iodide with proline as an enantiopure and racemic ligand result in six crystalline solids for which diffraction experiments have been performed at 100 K. For two of these compounds, crystal structures at ambient temperature had been reported previously. The most surprising outcome of our systematic comparison lies in the role of chirality: with enantiopure proline three different coordination polymers have been obtained, whereas racemic proline yields isomorphous mononuclear complexes under the same reaction conditions.

Sitting on Two Asses?: Second Thoughts on the Two-Animal Interpretation of Matthew 21:7

The main thesis of this article is that the ‘two-animal’ interpretation of Matthew 21:7, according to which Matthew speaks of Jesus as sitting on two animals, can be shown to be more probable than the ‘multiple-garments’ interpretation, according to which Jesus is understood to be sitting on multiple garments on a single animal. Prior to my analysis of Matthew 21:7 I discuss the related question of why Matthew’s account of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem involves two animals rather than one, arguing that the ‘history conformed to Scripture interpretation’ is more probable than the ‘Scripture conformed to history’ interpretation. Following it, I advance a more tentative interpretation of the surprising outcome of Matthew’s interaction with Scripture.

A Survey on *-Group Identities on Units of Group Rings

Let F be an infinite field of characteristic different from 2 and G a torsion group. Let the group ring FG have an involution induced from an involution on G. We survey recent results establishing the conditions under which the unit group of FG satisfies a *-group identity. The surprising outcome is that the unit group satisfies a *-group identity if and only if the symmetric units of FG satisfy a group identity.

A Proteasome Inhibitor-stimulated Nrf1 Protein-dependent Compensatory Increase in Proteasome Subunit Gene Expression Reduces Polycomb Group Protein Level

The polycomb group (PcG) proteins, Bmi-1 and Ezh2, are important epigenetic regulators that enhance skin cancer cell survival. We recently showed that Bmi-1 and Ezh2 protein level is reduced by treatment with the dietary chemopreventive agents, sulforaphane and green tea polyphenol, and that this reduction involves ubiquitination of Bmi-1 and Ezh2, suggesting a key role of the proteasome. In the present study, we observe a surprising outcome that Bmi-1 and Ezh2 levels are reduced by treatment with the proteasome inhibitor, MG132. We show that this is associated with a compensatory increase in the level of mRNA encoding proteasome protein subunits in response to MG132 treatment and an increase in proteasome activity. The increase in proteasome subunit level is associated with increased Nrf1 and Nrf2 level. Moreover, knockdown of Nrf1 attenuates the MG132-dependent increase in proteasome subunit expression and restores Bmi-1 and Ezh2 expression. The MG132-dependent loss of Bmi-1 and Ezh2 is associated with reduced cell proliferation, accumulation of cells in G(2), and increased apoptosis. These effects are attenuated by forced expression of Bmi-1, suggesting that PcG proteins, consistent with a prosurvival action, may antagonize the action of MG132. These studies describe a compensatory Nrf1-dependent, and to a lesser extent Nrf2-dependent, increase in proteasome subunit level in proteasome inhibitor-treated cells and confirm that PcG protein levels are regulated by proteasome activity.

Surprising outcomes facilitate young children's false belief understanding

Surprising outcomes facilitate young children's false belief understanding

King Arthur's Very Great Grandson (review)

Reviewed by: King Arthur's Very Great Grandson Jeannette Hulick Kraegel, Kenneth . King Arthur's Very Great Grandson; written and illus. by Kenneth Kraegel. Candlewick, 2012. 34p. ISBN 978-0-7636-5311-8 $15.99 R 5-8 yrs. "Henry Alfred Grummorson was the great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandson of King Arthur," and in true Arthurian style he arises on his sixth birthday, saddles up Knuckles (his "trusty donkey"), and heads for the hills to face the resident dragon. The dragon tries to challenge Henry with his impressive smoke rings, but Henry wants a proper fight, dagnabbit, so the dragon refers him to the Cyclops in the mountains. Unfortunately, the Cyclops is equally unimpressive, as are the griffin and the leviathan that Henry subsequently searches out. One would think the boy would be disappointed to come up empty on his first quest for glory, but in fact, Henry kind of likes his new friends and he figures he's actually done pretty well just to face the monsters at all: "To his knowledge, not even the great King Arthur had accomplished as much in his first two days as a six-year-old." There's an appropriately folkloric pattern to Henry's quest, and the surprising outcome of his search for a battle partner is humorously satisfying. Henry's dashingly defiant, archaic dialogue is equally comical, making this a pleasure to read aloud. Kraegel's line and watercolor illustrations feature a diminutive, helmet-clad Henry relentlessly [End Page 27] pressing onward, sword extended, against the four not-so-fearsome creatures. While the figures are generally rendered with an almost naïve simplicity, details of the monsters' appearance (the feathers and fur of the griffin, the scales of the dragon) and the geographical backgrounds are intricately detailed; the sea is particularly arresting as the multiple currents and waves look like a thorny tangle of branches in subtly varying hues of blue. Pair this with any number of amusing tales about knights (such as Wojtowycz's Elephant Joe, Brave Knight!, reviewed below), or with a more traditional chivalrous tale for an interesting literary contrast. Copyright © 2012 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

Tin relief on thirteenth-century Cypriot wall painting: Technology and conservation

The church of Agios Herakleidios, in the monastery of Agios Ioannis Lampadistis, a World Heritage site in the Troodos Mountains, preserves one of Cyprus's very few thirteenth-century wall painting schemes. Stylistically and technically, these paintings are distinct both from earlier, well-known twelfth-century painting schemes as well as from abundant later Cypriot painting. During the recently completed conservation programme, one of the most surprising outcomes of the related technical investigations was the identification of two types of tin foil applications, which had not been previously recorded: flat foil and cast raised work. As these are exceedingly rare in Cypriot painting, and as there are controversies surrounding the dating and origin of this technology, the findings are of particular interest. Indeed, they provide further evidence for the theory that the transmission of these technologies was from west to east, not east to west, as has often been stated.

Smoothing innovations and data association with IPDA

Surveillance sensors return detections from targets as well as the clutter measurements. Data association algorithms often use innovations to discriminate between the target and the clutter measurements. Reducing the covariance of innovations reduces the surveillance area from which measurements are used, reducing the number of clutter measurements. This paper introduces smoothing innovations which reduce innovation covariance, and improve the data association performance. This concept is applied to the Integrated Probabilistic Data Association (IPDA) to produce a Smoothing IPDA (sIPDA). sIPDA trajectory estimation errors are reduced with a smoothing delay. A surprising outcome is that sIPDA improves the false track discrimination in real time (without the smoothing delay).

Ecological Implications of Extreme Events: Footprints of the 2010 Earthquake along the Chilean Coast

Deciphering ecological effects of major catastrophic events such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, storms and fires, requires rapid interdisciplinary efforts often hampered by a lack of pre-event data. Using results of intertidal surveys conducted shortly before and immediately after Chile's 2010 M w 8.8 earthquake along the entire rupture zone (ca. 34–38°S), we provide the first quantification of earthquake and tsunami effects on sandy beach ecosystems. Our study incorporated anthropogenic coastal development as a key design factor. Ecological responses of beach ecosystems were strongly affected by the magnitude of land-level change. Subsidence along the northern rupture segment combined with tsunami-associated disturbance and drowned beaches. In contrast, along the co-seismically uplifted southern rupture, beaches widened and flattened increasing habitat availability. Post-event changes in abundance and distribution of mobile intertidal invertebrates were not uniform, varying with land-level change, tsunami height and coastal development. On beaches where subsidence occurred, intertidal zones and their associated species disappeared. On some beaches, uplift of rocky sub-tidal substrate eliminated low intertidal sand beach habitat for ecologically important species. On others, unexpected interactions of uplift with man-made coastal armouring included restoration of upper and mid-intertidal habitat seaward of armouring followed by rapid colonization of mobile crustaceans typical of these zones formerly excluded by constraints imposed by the armouring structures. Responses of coastal ecosystems to major earthquakes appear to vary strongly with land-level change, the mobility of the biota and shore type. Our results show that interactions of extreme events with human-altered shorelines can produce surprising ecological outcomes, and suggest these complex responses to landscape alteration can leave lasting footprints in coastal ecosystems.

Surprising intersectionalities of inequality and privilege: the case of the arts and cultural sector

PurposeThis paper seeks to explore the difficult territory of intersectionality as it relates to inequality and disadvantage in the labour market of the arts and cultural sector. It aims to first examine the way Acker's concept of inequality regimes is located in the extant literature. Then, it aims to study the dynamics of intersectionality in the arts and cultural sector, which offers an ideal setting with interesting and counter‐intuitive outcomes of intersectionality.Design/methodology/approachThe paper draws on a qualitative study which generated interviews with students, employers and higher education institutions which are involved in industrial placements (internships) in the arts and cultural sector in Britain.FindingsIn line with Acker, the paper also disputes a‐contextual and cumulative formulations of intersecting inequalities that rely on multiplying the unequal outcomes on the basis of traditional categories of disadvantage. Instead, it argues that multiplicity of identities and forms of disadvantage introduce complexity and contextual depth into the analysis of inequality if we are to understand interplay between different forms of disadvantage. In addition, the paper maintains that intersectionality produces surprising outcomes which vary across industrial contexts, in particular across different sectors of employment. It uses the case of work undergraduate and postgraduate placement practices in the arts and cultural sector, in order to demonstrate the unexpected nature of intersectionality in producing disadvantage.Research limitations/implicationsThe study draws on a selection of students, employers and higher education staff from London. A larger selection of institutions outside London could reveal differences between London and other cities and regions in Britain.Practical implicationsIntersectionality is an important concern for diversity and human resources management professionals. This paper provides an assessment of it in an unusual sectoral context.Social implicationsThere is need to develop an emic understanding of intersectionality in each sector.Originality/valueIn the literature, intersectionality is problematised at workplace and individual levels. This paper's view of intersectionality is original in the sense that it explores how intersectionality operates at a sectoral level. In doing so, it demonstrates that salience of a strand of inequality in terms of producing intersectional disadvantage depends on the context.

Fire in Our Bellies, Fear in Our Arts

The case of David Wojnarowicz’s video installation, A Fire in My Belly, shows how controversies in the art world can lead to surprising outcomes. From attention generation to the promotion of democratic discourse, controversy is not necessarily a wholly negative experience.

“I will fix only my own mistakes”: An ERP study investigating error processing in a joint choice-RT task

The current study investigated error monitoring and subsequent control adjustments in a joint choice RT task. External feedback relating to the combined performance of both actors was provided. Participants slowed down only after their own but not after the co-actor's mistakes. In order to investigate the neural correlates of interpersonal error monitoring, ERPs associated with error processing (Ne/ERN, Pe) and feedback-related processing (FRN, f-P300) were analysed. The Ne/ERN and Pe were only affected by own but not the co-actor's actions. Conversely, at the feedback stage both the FRN and the f-P300 were larger when external feedback indicated a co-actor's error, yet despite this finding, co-actor errors did not affect the actor's subsequent performance. These findings are in line with previous research suggesting that we monitor not only our own but also others’ errors. Importantly, however, monitoring others’ performance seems insufficient to trigger subsequent behavioural adjustment in the form of post-error slowing, but might only occur when a surprising outcome is evaluated as negative.

Non-linear coding and decoding strategies exploiting spatial correlation in wireless sensor networks

The authors consider the acquisition of measurements from a source, representing a physical phenomenon, by means of sensors deployed at different distances, and measuring random variables (r.v.'s) that are correlated with the source output. The acquired values are transmitted over a wireless channel to a sink, where an estimation of the source has to be constructed, according to a given distortion criterion. In the presence of Gaussian random variables (r.v.'s) and a Gaussian vector channel, the authors are seeking optimum real-time joint source-channel encoder–decoder pairs that achieve a distortion sufficiently close to the theoretically optimal one, under a global resource constraint, by activating only a subset of the sensors. The problem is posed in a team decision theoretic framework, and the optimal strategies are approximated by means of neural networks. The analysis investigates the generalisation capabilities of the proposed approach, by showing insights into the structure of the problem. The surprising outcome is that a quasi-static application of the approach reveals to be sufficient to maintain quasi-optimal performance under a dynamic environment (e.g. with respect to nodes' positions).

Demonstrating Transgression by Building Up the Faith: Argumentation in Galatians 2:17–18

Abstract Readings of Gal 2:17–18 vary significantly in their approach to the two conditional sentences, in their understanding of the scenario Paul is addressing in 2:17, in their assessment of their relationship of the two verses, and in their conclusion as to the contribution these verses make to Paul's argument in 2:15–21. On the other hand, scholars are in virtual unanimity that 2:18 indirectly accuses Peter of rebuilding the law as a means of justification. This study considers the interpretive options and suggests that contextual, grammatical and rhetorical considerations all point toward a surprising outcome. Paul and other Jewish believers, in seeking justification in Christ, are found ironically to be sinners like the Gentiles. Christ did not make them sinners, but Paul's actions in building up the faith paradoxically demonstrate his acknowledgment that he was a sinner just like the Gentiles, because he was a transgressor of the law.

Sofort–Effekte durch präzisierte Nadelung therapeutischer Punkte

BackgroundThrough the surprising outcome of “sham“ acupuncture in the German GERAC trials, physicians concluded that acupuncture of a neurological segment has benefits similar to the needling of traditional TCM points. Nevertheless, practical experiences with precise and specific needling in microsystems and the traditional meridian system teach us that precise needling on the activated `very point´ results in additional benefit, such as immediate alleviation of acute pain. What implications does this observation have regarding our theories of the mechanisms behind acupuncture? AimDescription and discussion of the benefit of precise needling and its scientific implications. MethodExamples for and accounts of precise acupuncture in literature and experience are documented, and implications are discussed. ResultsMultiple examples taken from literature and own observations suggest that precise needling in microsystems as well as in the acupuncture points of the traditional meridian system produce an additional benefit by immediate alleviation of acute pain. DiscussionAlthough the German GERAC trials reported a significant benefit of needling in the neurological segment, many questions regarding the specifity and effect of acupuncture points have not yet been answered sufficiently. In consequence, the well-known effect of treatment of the neurological segment is discussed for acupuncture therapy. The additional benefit of precise needling in microsystems and traditional Chinese acupuncture with immediate alleviation of acute pain indicate, on the other hand, that we must hypothesize further mechanisms and ways of the effect of acupuncture.

Response of double‐crested cormorants to a large‐scale egg oiling experiment on Lake Huron

AbstractWe report on a management experiment examining the effects of large‐scale egg oiling on double‐crested cormorant nest abundance and measures of seasonal cormorant density (bird‐days/km2) from 2000 to 2005. We employed the staircase design to distinguish transient responses to management treatments from site and year effects that generally contribute to variation in populations. The response to egg oiling in Georgian Bay was as expected with a decline in nest abundance attributable to egg oiling. In the North Channel, nest abundance did not decline because of egg oiling but increased, reflecting either retention of nesting adults or recruitment to colonies. This surprising outcome may stem from fish escapement from pen rearing facilities in the vicinity of the oiling experiment in the North Channel. We observed no effect of egg oiling on the July–August seasonal density of cormorants. The strongest effect size was associated with site effects followed by year effects for nest abundance and seasonal density. The effect size of egg oiling on variation in nest abundance did not exceed 5% for any year in both the North Channel and Georgian Bay. Fish pen culture appears to affect coastal distribution of cormorants. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.

Dimensional crossover and the magnetic transition in electron-doped manganites

We introduce a microscopic model for electron doped manganites that explains the mechanism of the observed transition from $G$-type antiferromagnetic ($G$-AF) to $C$-type antiferromagnetic ($C$-AF) order under increasing doping by double exchange mechanism. The model unravels the crucial role played by $e_g$ orbital degrees of freedom and explains the observed metal-to-insulator transition by a dimensional crossover at the magnetic phase transition. The specific heat and the spin canting angle found for the $G$-AF phase agree with the experimental findings. As a surprising outcome of the theory we find that spin canting is suppressed in the $C$-AF phase, in agreement with the experiment, due to the Fermi surface topology.