The influence of high contrast acuity and normalised low contrast acuity upon self-reported situation avoidance and driving crashes

The aim of this study was to determine the cues used to signal avoidance of difficult driving situations and to test the hypothesis that drivers with relatively poor high contrast visual acuity (HCVA) have fewer crashes than drivers with relatively poor normalised low contrast visual acuity (NLCVA). This is because those with poorer HCVA are well aware of their difficulties and avoid dangerous driving situations while those poorer NLCVA are often unaware of the extent of their problem. Age, self-reported situation avoidance and HCVA were collected during a practice based study of 690 drivers. Screening was also carried out on 7254 drivers at various venues, mainly motorway sites, throughout the UK. Age, self-reported situation avoidance and prior crash involvement were recorded and Titmus vision screeners were used to measure HCVA and NLCVA. Situation avoidance increased in reduced visibility conditions and was influenced by age and HCVA. Only half of the drivers used visual cues to signal situation avoidance and most of these drivers used high rather than low contrast cues. A statistical model designed to remove confounding interrelationships between variables showed, for drivers that did not report situation avoidance, that crash involvement decreased for drivers with below average HCVA and increased for those with below average NLCVA. These relationships accounted for less than 1% of the crash variance, so the hypothesis was not strongly supported. © 2002 The College of Optometrists.

A comparison of the impact of avoidance cues in hazard avoidance during evaluation of text entry

The research presented in this paper is part of an ongoing investigation into how best to support meaningful lab-based evaluations of mobile technologies. In our previous work, we developed a hazard avoidance system for use during lab evaluations [1]; in the work reported here, we further assess the impact of this system, specifically in terms of the effect of avoidance cue type on speech-based text entry tasks.

Assessing the efficacy of structural merger remedies:choosing between theories of harm?

This paper shows that many structural remedies in a sample of European merger cases result in market structures which would probably not be cleared by the Competition Authority (CA) if they were the result of merger (rather than remedy).This is explained by the fact that the CA’s objective through remedy is to restore premerger competition, but markets are often highly concentrated even before merger. If so, the CA must often choose between clearing an ‘uncompetitive’merger, or applying an unsatisfactory remedy. Here, the CA appears reluctant to intervene against coordinated effects, if doing so enhances a leader’s dominance.

Assessing the efficacy of structural merger remedies:choosing between theories of harm?

Previous empirical assessments of the effectiveness of structural merger remedies have focused mainly on the subsequent viability of the divested assets. Here, we take a different approach by examining how competitive are the market structures which result from the divestments. We employ a tightly specified sample of markets in which the European Commission (EC) has imposed structural merger remedies. It has two key features: (i) it includes all mergers in which the EC appears to have seriously considered, simultaneously, the possibility of collective dominance, as well as single dominance; (ii) in a previous paper, for the same sample, we estimated a model which proved very successful in predicting the Commission’s merger decisions, in terms of the market shares of the leading firms. The former allows us to explore the choices between alternative theories of harm, and the latter provides a yardstick for evaluating whether markets are competitive or not – at least in the eyes of the Commission. Running the hypothetical post-remedy market shares through the model, we can predict whether the EC would have judged the markets concerned to be competitive, had they been the result of a merger rather than a remedy. We find that a significant proportion were not competitive in this sense. One explanation is that the EC has simply been inconsistent – using different criteria for assessing remedies from those for assessing the mergers in the first place. However, a more sympathetic – and in our opinion, more likely – explanation is that the Commission is severely constrained by the pre-merger market structures in many markets. We show that, typically, divestment remedies return the market to the same structure as existed before the proposed merger. Indeed, one can argue that any competition authority should never do more than this. Crucially, however, we find that this pre-merger structure is often itself not competitive. We also observe an analogous picture in a number of markets where the Commission chose not to intervene: while the post-merger structure was not competitive, nor was the pre-merger structure. In those cases, however, the Commission preferred the former to the latter. In effect, in both scenarios, the EC was faced with a no-win decision. This immediately raises a follow-up question: why did the EC intervene for some, but not for others – given that in all these cases, some sort of anticompetitive structure would prevail? We show that, in this sample at least, the answer is often tied to the prospective rank of the merged firm post-merger. In particular, in those markets where the merged firm would not be the largest post-merger, we find a reluctance to intervene even where the resulting market structure is likely to be conducive to collective dominance. We explain this by a willingness to tolerate an outcome which may be conducive to tacit collusion if the alternative is the possibility of an enhanced position of single dominance by the market leader. Finally, because the sample is confined to cases brought under the ‘old’ EC Merger Regulation, we go on to consider how, if at all, these conclusions require qualification following the 2004 revisions, which, amongst other things, made interventions for non-coordinated behaviour possible without requiring that the merged firm be a dominant market leader. Our main conclusions here are that the Commission appears to have been less inclined to intervene in general, but particularly for Collective Dominance (or ‘coordinated effects’ as it is now known in Europe as well as the US.) Moreover, perhaps contrary to expectation, where the merged firm is #2, the Commission has to date rarely made a unilateral effects decision and never made a coordinated effects decision.

Food avoidance in children:the influence of maternal feeding practices and behaviours

The aim of this study was to examine the contribution of a broad range of maternal feeding practices in predicting parental reports of food avoidance eating behaviours in young children, after controlling for child temperament, and maternal dietary restraint which have previously been associated with feeding problems. One hundred and four mothers of children aged between 3 and 6 years completed self report measures of their child's eating behaviour and temperament, maternal dietary restraint and child feeding practices. Maternal reports of food avoidance eating behaviours were associated with an emotional child temperament, high levels of maternal feeding control, using food for behaviour regulation and low encouragement of a balanced and varied food intake. Maternal feeding practices, predominantly pressure to eat, significantly predicted food avoidance eating behaviours after controlling for child emotionality and maternal dietary restraint. The significant contribution of maternal feeding practices, which are potentially modifiable behaviours, suggests that the feeding interactions of parents and their children should be targeted for intervention and the prevention of feeding difficulties during early childhood. Future research should continue to explore how a broader range of feeding practices, particular those that may be more adaptive, might influence child eating behaviour. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.

A comparison of the impact of avoidance cues in hazard avoidance during evaluation of text entry

The research presented in this paper is part of an ongoing investigation into how best to support meaningful lab-based evaluations of mobile technologies. In our previous work, we developed a hazard avoidance system for use during lab evaluations [1]; in the work reported here, we further assess the impact of this system, specifically in terms of the effect of avoidance cue type on speech-based text entry tasks.

The relationship of fear of intimacy, body image avoidance and body mass index

Issues of body image and ability to achieve intimacy are connected to body weight, yet remain largely unexplored and have not been evaluated by gender. The underlying purpose of this research was to determine if avoidant attitudes and perceptions of one's body may hold implications toward its use in intimate interactions, and if an above average body weight would tend to increase this avoidance. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 1999-2002) finds that 64.5% of US adults are overweight, with 61.9% of women and 67.2% of men. The increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity in men and women shows no reverse trend, nor have prevention and treatment proven effective in the long term. The researcher gathered self-reported age, gender, height and weight data from 55 male and 58 female subjects (determined by a prospective power analysis with a desired medium effect size (r=.30) to determine body mass index (BMI), determining a mean age of 21.6 years and mean BMI of 25.6. Survey instruments consisted of two scales that are germane to the variables being examined. They were (1) Descutner and Thelen of the University of Missouri‘s (1991) Fear-of-Intimacy scale; and (2) Rosen, Srebnik, Saltzberg, and Wendt's (1991) Body Image Avoidance Questionnaire. Results indicated that as body mass index increases, fear of intimacy increases (p<0.05) and that as body mass index increases, body image avoidance increases (p<0.05). The relationship that as body image avoidance increases, fear of intimacy increases was not supported, but approached significance at (p<0.07). No differences in these relationships were determined between gender groups. For age, the only observed relationship was that of a difference between scores for age groups [18 to 22 (group 1) and ages 23 to 34 (group 2)] for the relationship of body image avoidance and fear of intimacy (p<0.02). The results suggest that the relationship of body image avoidance and fear of intimacy, as well as age, bear consideration toward the escalating prevalence of overweight and obesity. An integrative approach to body weight that addresses issues of body image and intimacy may prove effective in prevention and treatment.

Efeitos da privação do sono em tarefas cognitivas

Learning and memory are important mechanism for species, since its allows to recognize conspecifics, routes and food place. Sleep is one of behaviors known by facilitate learning, it is a widespread phenomenon, present in most of vertebrates lives and highly investigated in many aspects. It is known that sleep deprivation modifies physiologic behavioral processes in animals, however, sleep function in organism is still debatable. Hypothesis range from energy conservation to memory consolidation, with different roles in animal’s evolution. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) emerg e in the last years as vertebrate model in genetics and developmental biology and quickly become popular in behavioral studies, as learning and memory. Despite the fact that zebrafish is a diurnal animal and have well characterized sleep behavior, zebrafish fish still has advantages due to its small size and low cost of maintenance, whichestablishes this species as interesting model for research on sleep. In this study we aimed to analyze the effects of partial and total sleep deprivation on learning acquisition, as well the concomitant administration of alcohol and melatonin. For this, the research was divided in three phases, each one with a different kind of conditioning: (1) object Recognition, (2) avoidance conditioning and (3) appetitive conditioning. The results showed the fish partially sleep deprived and totally sleep deprived + et hanol could perform the tasks just like the control group, however, fish totally sleep deprived and totally sleep deprived + melatonin showed impairments in attention and memory during the tests. Our results suggest that only one night of sleep deprivation is enough to harm the zebrafish performance in cognitive tasks. In addition, ethanol exposure on the night previously the test seems to suppress the negative effects of sleep deprivation, while the melatonin treatment seems not to be enough to promote sleep state, at least on the protocol applied here.

Efeitos da privação do sono em tarefas cognitivas

Learning and memory are important mechanism for species, since its allows to recognize conspecifics, routes and food place. Sleep is one of behaviors known by facilitate learning, it is a widespread phenomenon, present in most of vertebrates lives and highly investigated in many aspects. It is known that sleep deprivation modifies physiologic behavioral processes in animals, however, sleep function in organism is still debatable. Hypothesis range from energy conservation to memory consolidation, with different roles in animal’s evolution. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) emerg e in the last years as vertebrate model in genetics and developmental biology and quickly become popular in behavioral studies, as learning and memory. Despite the fact that zebrafish is a diurnal animal and have well characterized sleep behavior, zebrafish fish still has advantages due to its small size and low cost of maintenance, whichestablishes this species as interesting model for research on sleep. In this study we aimed to analyze the effects of partial and total sleep deprivation on learning acquisition, as well the concomitant administration of alcohol and melatonin. For this, the research was divided in three phases, each one with a different kind of conditioning: (1) object Recognition, (2) avoidance conditioning and (3) appetitive conditioning. The results showed the fish partially sleep deprived and totally sleep deprived + et hanol could perform the tasks just like the control group, however, fish totally sleep deprived and totally sleep deprived + melatonin showed impairments in attention and memory during the tests. Our results suggest that only one night of sleep deprivation is enough to harm the zebrafish performance in cognitive tasks. In addition, ethanol exposure on the night previously the test seems to suppress the negative effects of sleep deprivation, while the melatonin treatment seems not to be enough to promote sleep state, at least on the protocol applied here.

Student, Teacher, and Administrator Perspectives on Harm: Implications for Implementing Safe and Caring School Initiatives

This article reports on a study that examines student, teacher and administrator perspectives on harm and how their schools address harm. It presents an overview of these perspectives within and across 3 different school environments. In doing so, the study contributes to a better understanding of the often ineffective implementation of safe and caring school initiatives. By drawing on restorative justice and relational theory, the findings illustrate how a focus on well-being and relationship is critical for meeting the needs of those harmed and those causing harm. Such a focus requires interaction rooted in social engagement rather than social control (Morrison 2012) and challenges current recommendations for combining the strengths of several current approaches for a more effective outcome (Osher et al. 2010).

When expectancies harm comprehension : Encoding flexibility in impression formation

Peer reviewed

When expectancies harm comprehension : Encoding flexibility in impression formation

Peer reviewed

Self-cutting and prospective repetition of self-harm: studies of emergency department presentations in Ireland

Background Self-harm places an individual at increased risk of future self-harm and suicide, and indicates distress and maladaptive coping. Those who present to hospital with self-cutting form a significant minority of self-harm patients who are at increased risk of prospective repetition of self-harm and suicide compared with those presenting with intentional overdose. In addition to increased risk, there is emerging evidence of demographic, psychological, clinical, and social differences between those presenting with self-cutting and those presenting with overdose. Aim and Key Objectives The aim of the current doctoral work was to examine in detail the association between presenting with self-cutting and risk of prospective repetition. The objectives were: to identify evidence-based risk factors for repetition of self-harm among those presenting to emergency departments with self-harm; to compare demographic and presentation characteristics and prospective repetition across presentations of self-cutting only, self-cutting plus intentional overdose, and intentional overdose only; to compare prospective repetition and other characteristics within self-cutting presentations based on the type of treatment received; to compare self-cutting and intentional overdose patients on psychological risk and protective factors for repetition; and to examine the lived experience of engaging in repeated overdose and self-cutting. Methods The current doctoral work used a mixed-methods approach and is comprised of one systematic review and four empirical studies. The empirical studies were two registry-based prospective studies of Irish hospital presentations of self-harm, one prospective structured interview study, and one qualitative study using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Results The systematic review identified several consistent and emerging risk factors for repetition of self-harm, compared to which self-cutting had a medium-sized effect. The registry studies demonstrated that the involvement of self-cutting, particularly less medically severe selfcutting, confers an increased risk of 1-month and 12-month repetition among Irish index selfharm presentations. The structured psychological study detected higher hopelessness and lower non-reactivity to inner experience among those presenting with self-cutting, and higher depression among those who repeated self-harm. Repeaters had lower baseline levels of protective psychological factors than non-repeaters and continued to have higher depression and hopelessness at follow-up. Finally, the qualitative study indicated that self-harm is a purposeful action taken in response to an overwhelming situation and is evaluated afterwards in terms of personal and social effects. Chosen method of self-harm seemed to be influenced by the desired outcome of the self-harm act, capability, accessibility and previous experience. Conclusion Despite limitations in terms of recruitment rates, the work presented in this thesis is innovative in examining the issue of the association between self-cutting and repetition from multiple perspectives. No one factor can reliably predict all repetition but self-cutting represents one consistent and easily detected risk factor for repetition. Those who present with self-cutting exhibit significant differences on demographic, clinical, and psychological variables compared with those presenting with intentional overdose, and seem to exhibit a more vulnerable profile. However, those who present with self-cutting do not form a discrete or homogenous group, and self-harm methods and levels of suicidal intent are liable to fluctuate over time.

Factors associated with self-cutting as a method of self-harm: findings from the Irish National Registry of Deliberate Self-Harm

Background: Research suggests that patients presenting to hospital with self-cutting differ from those with intentional overdose in demographic and clinical characteristics. However, large-scale national studies comparing self-cutting patients with those using other self-harm methods are lacking. We aimed to compare hospital-treated self-cutting and intentional overdose, to examine the role of gender in moderating these differences, and examine the characteristics and outcomes of those patients presenting with combined self-cutting and overdose. Methods: Between 2003 and 2010, the Irish National Registry of Deliberate Self-Harm recorded 42,585 self-harm presentations to Irish hospital emergency departments meeting the study inclusion criteria. Data were obtained on demographic and clinical characteristics by independent data registration officers. Results: Compared with overdose only, involvement of self-cutting (with or without overdose) was significantly more common in males than females, with an overrepresentation of males aged <35 years. Independent of gender, involvement of self-cutting (with or without overdose) was significantly associated with younger age, city residence, repetition within 30 days and repetition within a year (females only). Factors associated with self-cutting as the sole method were no fixed abode/living in an institution, presenting outside 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., not consuming alcohol and repetition between 31 days and 1 year (males only). Conclusion: The demographic and clinical differences between self-harm patients underline the presence of different subgroups with implications for service provision and prevention of repeated self-harm. Given the relationship between self-cutting and subsequent repetition, service providers need to ensure that adequate follow-up arrangements and supports are in place for the patient.