Determinants of reduced walking speed in people with musculoskeletal pain

OBJECTIVE: Maintenance of good walking speed is essential to independent living. People with musculoskeletal disease often have reduced walking speed. We investigated determinants of slower walking, other than musculoskeletal disease, that might provide valuable additional targets for therapy. METHODS: We analyzed data from the Somerset and Avon Survey of Health, a community based survey of people aged over 35 years. A total of 2703 participants who reported hip or knee pain at baseline (1994/1995) were studied, and reassessed in 2002-2003; 1696 were available for followup, and walking speed was tested in 1074. Walking speed (m/s) was used as outcome measure. Baseline characteristics, including comorbidities and socioeconomic factors, were tested for their ability to predict reduced walking speed using multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: Age, female sex, and immobility at baseline were predictive of slower walking speed. Other independent risk factors included the presence of cataract, low socioeconomic status, intermittent claudication, and other cardiovascular conditions. Having a cataract was associated with a decrease of 0.10 m/s (95% CI 0.03, 0.16). Those in social class V had a walking speed 0.22 m/s (95% CI 0.126, 0.31) slower than those in social class I. CONCLUSION: Comorbidities, age, female sex, and lower socioeconomic position determine walking speed in people with joint pain. Issues such as poor vision and social-economic disadvantage may add to the effect of musculoskeletal disease, suggesting the need for a holistic approach to management of these patients.

Target difficulty, intra-year target revisions and firm performance: evidence from business units' targets

Target difficulty is often argued to increase performance. While this association is well established in experimental research, empirical evidence in field research is rather mixed. We attempt to explain this inconsistency by analyzing the importance of intra-year target revisions, which are especially prevalent in real-world field settings. Using survey and archival data from 97 firms, we find that firms with more challenging business unit targets revise targets more often, in line with asymmetric, downward target revisions. Results further show that the degree to which targets are revised during a period results in negative effects on firm performance, as the anticipation of revision negatively affects the business unit management’s performance incentives. Additionally, we find that using targets predominantly for either decision-making or control influences the overall performance effects of target revisions. Our findings may partially explain the mixed field study evidence regarding the effects of target difficulty.

Social Factors Associated with Readiness for Sexual Activity in Adolescents: A Population-Based Cohort Study

Various factors are associated with sexual activity in adolescence and it is important to identify those that promote healthy and adaptive romantic and sexual development. The objectives of this study were to describe rates of early sexual intercourse (before 16 years) and sexual readiness in adolescence and to assess the extent to which these were social patterned. We prospectively studied nearly 5,000 15-year-olds from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, a UK birth cohort. Between 2006 and 2008, female and male participants answered a computer assisted interview about romantic and sexual behaviors in the last year. Predictors of sexual intercourse and readiness for sexual intercourse were examined across a range of sociodemographic measures. Overall, 17.7 % (95 % CI 16.7 %, 18.9 %) of participants reported having had sexual intercourse in the last year, with more girls than boys reporting sexual experience (risk ratio 1.30, 95 % CI 1.15, 1.47). Of these, one-third of both male and female were classed as unready because they were unwilling, lacking in autonomy, felt regret or had not used contraception. There was strong evidence of social patterning for sexual activity with higher rates for young people from poorer homes, with lower social class, and with younger, less educated mothers. In contrast, among 860 young people who had had sexual intercourse, there was no clear evidence of associations between social factors and sexual readiness. The lack of social patterning in sexual readiness supports the provision of comprehensive education to develop life skills for adolescents across all social groups.

Association of radiographic osteoarthritis, pain on passive movement and knee range of motion: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND Knee pain is associated with radiographic knee osteoarthritis, but the relationships between physical examination, pain and radiographic features are unclear. OBJECTIVE To examine whether deficits in knee extension or flexion were associated with radiographic severity and pain during clinical examination in persons with knee pain or radiographic features of osteoarthritis. DESIGN Cross-sectional data of the Somerset and Avon Survey of Health (SASH) cohort study. METHODS Participants with knee pain or radiographic features of osteoarthritis were included. We assessed the range of passive knee flexion and extension, pain on movement and Kellgren and Lawrence (K/L) grades. Odds ratios were calculated for the association between range of motion and pain as well as radiographic severity. RESULTS/FINDINGS Of 1117 participants with a clinical assessment, 805 participants and 1530 knees had complete data and were used for this analysis. Pain and radiographic changes were associated with limited range of motion. In knees with pain on passive movement, extension and flexion were reduced per one grade of K/L by -1.4° (95% CI -2.2 to -0.5) and -1.6° (95% CI -2.8 to -0.4), while in knees without pain the reduction was -0.3° (95% CI -0.6 to -0.1) (extension) and -1.1° (-1.8 to -0.3) (flexion). The interaction of pain with K/L was significant (p = 0.021) for extension but not for flexion (p = 0.333). CONCLUSIONS Pain during passive movement, which may be an indicator of reversible soft-tissue changes, e.g., reversible through physical therapy, is independently associated with reduced flexion and extension of the knee.

La estrategia de valorización de una multinacional de cosméticos : Explotación sexuada del trabajo y Responsabilidad Social Empresaria (RSE)

Este artículo se propone analizar el modo a través del cual en la empresa de cosméticos Avon se articulan explotación sexuada del trabajo con responsabilidad social empresaria, para configurar una estrategia de valorización singular. Adentrándose en los mundos de las revendedoras y las operarias de Avon -la mayor empresa multinacional dedicada a la producción y venta de cosméticos a través del sistema de "venta directa"- se indaga cómo la empresa capitaliza en su beneficio las ventajas de la utilización de fuerza de trabajo femenina. Si bien las políticas empresarias de Avon se presentan como inconexas entre sí, pueden ser leídas como una estrategia de valorización particular, pasible de ser desagregada analíticamente en dos elementos que se encuentran articulados. El primero, que denominamos explotación sexuada del trabajo, consiste en la utilización intensiva de fuerza de trabajo femenina tanto para la producción (en la fábrica) como para la comercialización de los productos (a través del sistema de venta directa). El segundo se basa en la implementación de políticas de RSE como elemento crucial de la valorización, tanto en la esfera productiva como en la esfera de la comercialización.

La estrategia de valorización de una multinacional de cosméticos : explotación sexuada del trabajo y Responsabilidad Social Empresaria (RSE)

Este artículo se propone analizar el modo a través del cual en la empresa de cosméticos Avon se articulan explotación sexuada del trabajo con responsabilidad social empresaria, para configurar una estrategia de valorización singular. Adentrándose en los mundos de las revendedoras y las operarias de Avon -la mayor empresa multinacional dedicada a la producción y venta de cosméticos a través del sistema de "venta directa"- se indaga cómo la empresa capitaliza en su beneficio las ventajas de la utilización de fuerza de trabajo femenina. Si bien las políticas empresarias de Avon se presentan como inconexas entre sí, pueden ser leídas como una estrategia de valorización particular, pasible de ser desagregada analíticamente en dos elementos que se encuentran articulados. El primero, que denominamos explotación sexuada del trabajo, consiste en la utilización intensiva de fuerza de trabajo femenina tanto para la producción (en la fábrica) como para la comercialización de los productos (a través del sistema de venta directa). El segundo se basa en la implementación de políticas de RSE como elemento crucial de la valorización, tanto en la esfera productiva como en la esfera de la comercialización.

La estrategia de valorización de una multinacional de cosméticos : Explotación sexuada del trabajo y Responsabilidad Social Empresaria (RSE)

Este artículo se propone analizar el modo a través del cual en la empresa de cosméticos Avon se articulan explotación sexuada del trabajo con responsabilidad social empresaria, para configurar una estrategia de valorización singular. Adentrándose en los mundos de las revendedoras y las operarias de Avon -la mayor empresa multinacional dedicada a la producción y venta de cosméticos a través del sistema de "venta directa"- se indaga cómo la empresa capitaliza en su beneficio las ventajas de la utilización de fuerza de trabajo femenina. Si bien las políticas empresarias de Avon se presentan como inconexas entre sí, pueden ser leídas como una estrategia de valorización particular, pasible de ser desagregada analíticamente en dos elementos que se encuentran articulados. El primero, que denominamos explotación sexuada del trabajo, consiste en la utilización intensiva de fuerza de trabajo femenina tanto para la producción (en la fábrica) como para la comercialización de los productos (a través del sistema de venta directa). El segundo se basa en la implementación de políticas de RSE como elemento crucial de la valorización, tanto en la esfera productiva como en la esfera de la comercialización.

La estrategia de valorización de una multinacional de cosméticos : Explotación sexuada del trabajo y Responsabilidad Social Empresaria (RSE)

Este artículo se propone analizar el modo a través del cual en la empresa de cosméticos Avon se articulan explotación sexuada del trabajo con responsabilidad social empresaria, para configurar una estrategia de valorización singular. Adentrándose en los mundos de las revendedoras y las operarias de Avon -la mayor empresa multinacional dedicada a la producción y venta de cosméticos a través del sistema de "venta directa"- se indaga cómo la empresa capitaliza en su beneficio las ventajas de la utilización de fuerza de trabajo femenina. Si bien las políticas empresarias de Avon se presentan como inconexas entre sí, pueden ser leídas como una estrategia de valorización particular, pasible de ser desagregada analíticamente en dos elementos que se encuentran articulados. El primero, que denominamos explotación sexuada del trabajo, consiste en la utilización intensiva de fuerza de trabajo femenina tanto para la producción (en la fábrica) como para la comercialización de los productos (a través del sistema de venta directa). El segundo se basa en la implementación de políticas de RSE como elemento crucial de la valorización, tanto en la esfera productiva como en la esfera de la comercialización.

Relationship between the oxidation potential and electron spin density of the primary electron donor in reaction centers from Rhodobacter sphaeroides

The primary electron donor in bacterial reaction centers is a dimer of bacteriochlorophyll a molecules, labeled L or M based on their proximity to the symmetry-related protein subunits. The electronic structure of the bacteriochlorophyll dimer was probed by introducing small systematic variations in the bacteriochlorophyll–protein interactions by a series of site-directed mutations that replaced residue Leu M160 with histidine, tyrosine, glutamic acid, glutamine, aspartic acid, asparagine, lysine, and serine. The midpoint potentials for oxidation of the dimer in the mutants showed an almost continuous increase up to ≈60 mV compared with wild type. The spin density distribution of the unpaired electron in the cation radical state of the dimer was determined by electron–nuclear–nuclear triple resonance spectroscopy in solution. The ratio of the spin density on the L side of the dimer to the M side varied from ≈2:1 to ≈5:1 in the mutants compared with ≈2:1 for wild type. The correlation between the midpoint potential and spin density distribution was described using a simple molecular orbital model, in which the major effect of the mutations is assumed to be a change in the energy of the M half of the dimer, providing estimates for the coupling and energy levels of the orbitals in the dimer. These results demonstrate that the midpoint potential can be fine-tuned by electrostatic interactions with amino acids near the dimer and show that the properties of the electronic structure of a donor or acceptor in a protein complex can be directly related to functional properties such as the oxidation–reduction midpoint potential.

Norfolk County, Massachusetts, 1858 (Image 4 of 4) (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: Map of the county of Norfolk, Massachusetts, based upon the details of the trigonometrical survey of the state; the details from actual surveys under the direction of Henry F. Walling. Supt. of the state map. It was published by Smith & Bumstead in 1858. Scale [ca. 1:40,000]. This layer is image 4 of 4 total images, representing the northeast portion of the four sheet source map.The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the Massachusetts State Plane Coordinate System, Mainland Zone (in Feet) (Fipszone 2001). All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, index maps, legends, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows features such as roads, railroads, drainage, public buildings, schools, churches, cemeteries, industry locations (e.g. mills, factories, mines, etc.), private buildings with names of property owners, town and school district boundaries, and more. Relief shown by hachures. It includes many cadastral insets of individual county towns and villages. It also includes illustrations, business directories, and tables of statistics and distances.This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps of Massachusetts from the Harvard Map Collection. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features. The selection represents a range of regions, originators, ground condition dates (1755-1922), scales, and purposes. The digitized selection includes maps of: the state, Massachusetts counties, town surveys, coastal features, real property, parks, cemeteries, railroads, roads, public works projects, etc.

Pittsburgh and Vicinity, Pennsylvania, 1962 (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic, topographic paper map entitled: Pittsburgh and vicinity, Pennsylvania, mapped, edited, and published by the Geological Survey. It was published by The Survey in 1962. Scale 1:24,000. Compiled from 1:24,000-scale maps of New Kensington West, Glenshaw, Emsworth, Ambridge, Oakdale, Pittsburgh West, Pittsburgh East, Braddock McKeesport, Glassport, Bridgeville, and Canonsburg 1960 7.5 minute quadrangles. The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the Pennsylvania South State Plane NAD 1927 coordinate projection (in Feet) (Fipszone 3702). All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, index maps, legends, or other information associated with the principal map. This is a typical topographic map portraying both natural and manmade features. It shows and names works of nature, such as mountains, valleys, lakes, rivers, vegetation, etc. It also identify the principal works of humans, such as roads, railroads, boundaries, transmission lines, major buildings, etc. Relief is shown with spot heights and standard contour intervals of 20 feet. This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps from The Harvard Map Collection as part of the Imaging the Urban Environment project. Maps selected for this project represent major urban areas and cities of the world, at various time periods. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features at a large scale. The selection represents a range of regions, originators, ground condition dates, scales, and purposes.

Boston and vicinity, Massachusetts, 1776 (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: An accurate map of the country round Boston in New England. It was originally published by Archibald Hamilton in Town and country magazine (London), Jan. 16, 1776. Scale [ca. 1:362,500]. The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the Massachusetts State Plane Coordinate System, Mainland Zone (in Feet) (Fipszone 2001). All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows features such as roads, drainage, selected public buildings, town boundaries and more. Relief is shown by hachures. Includes ancillary map: A plan of Boston and Charlestown, from a drawing made in 1771, with index to points of interest. This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps of Massachusetts from the Harvard Map Collection. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features. The selection represents a range of regions, originators, ground condition dates (1755-1922), scales, and purposes. The digitized selection includes maps of: the state, Massachusetts counties, town surveys, coastal features, real property, parks, cemeteries, railroads, roads, public works projects, etc.