Analysis of self-employment in prairie Canada from 1987-2006

This paper attempts to provide a basis for future regional entrepreneurship and economic development analysis by studying a particular subset of the labour force in Prairie Canada, self-employed individuals, not employed in agriculture, with employees (SEWE) to test the hypothesis that economies with a higher proportion of entrepreneurs will grow persistently faster than economies with a smaller proportion. The analysis begins by estimating a longitudinal regional participation percentage (or rate) of entrepreneurs for 20 economic regions (ERs) of Prairie Canada from 1987-2006 and examines whether these percentages varied over time. This paper finds the expected regional entrepreneurship percentage to be 5.01%. The SEWE regional participation percentages vary not only from region to region but within regions over time. This paper also analyzes whether there are regions which have consistently had higher entrepreneurship participation percentages and have these regions been rewarded with higher levels of job creation. Various techniques are used to study the critical questions of this paper. These techniques include simple graphs, regression analysis and the development of a new measurement tool which incorporates relative entrepreneurship participation over time and subsequent job creation (employment) numbers. This alternative analysis is executed to further evaluate whether higher entrepreneurship participation percentages are rewarded with more growth as measured by employment figures, while incorporating the time lag of business creation, growth and/or closure on job creation. Although this paper supports the widely held intuitive view that economies with a higher proportion of entrepreneurs in the labour force will grow persistently faster than economies with a smaller proportion the evidence is not definitive nor could a direct causal effect be established as higher proportions of entrepreneurs is no guarantee of higher levels of job creation

Investigating the relationship between obsessive-compulsive symptomatology and executive functions.

This thesis aimed to investigate the relationship between obsessive-compulsive symptoms (particularly obsessive intrusive thoughts) and executive functions (particularly working memory). Previous research had demonstrated executive function (EF) deficits in individuals with OCD. Executive functions are those cognitive mechanisms that help to control and regulate thoughts and behaviour. However, several questions remained unanswered: 1) do individuals with subclinical OCD also demonstrate EF deficits? 2) Are those EF deficits found in individuals with OCD trait in nature, or caused by state factors? 3) Are EFs implicated in OCD-relevant processes, such as thought control strategies? Three studies were conducted to help investigate these questions further. The study presented in chapter two found no difference between individuals with subclinical OCD and nonclinical individuals on a range of executive function tasks. The study presented in chapter three found that an increase in obsessive intrusive thoughts did not lead to impairments in working memory. The study presented in chapter four found no relationship between working memory and an individual’s ability to dismiss obsessive intrusive thoughts. The implications of the results from this thesis are discussed and future directions are suggested

A company's share capital and the aquisition of its own shares : a critical comparison between the relevant provisions of the companies and act 71 of 1973 and the companies act 71 of 2008

The Companies Act 71 of 2008 (“2008 Companies Act”) will have far reaching effects on the manner in which a company is formed and operated under South African company law and in particular entrenches the procedure that must be followed by a company when acquiring its own shares. The radical amendment of the capital maintenance rules by the introduction of the solvency and liquidity tests to the Companies Act 61 of 1973 has been carried forward under the 2008 Companies Act. These tests impose an obligation on a company to ensure that the company is both solvent and liquid at the time of the acquisition of its own shares and for a stated period thereafter. The 2008 Companies Act further brings the duties and liabilities of the directors in line with their current fiduciary duties in terms of common law.Mercantile LawLL

The effectiveness of mindfulness based cognitive therapy for social anxiety symptoms in people living with alopecia areata: a single-group case-series design

Background: Alopecia areata (AA) is an immunological disorder characterised by hair loss. Individuals with AA report high levels of social anxiety. One intervention that holds potential for reducing social anxiety in individuals with AA is mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). Aims: Our key aim was to investigate whether MBCT reduces social anxiety in individuals with AA. The study also investigated whether MBCT reduces depression, general anxiety, and increases quality of life and increases trait mindfulness in individuals with AA. Method: Five participants with AA took part in an 8-session in-person MBCT intervention. A multiple-baseline single-group case series design was adopted. Idiographic measures of social anxiety were measured each day from baseline, through intervention, to follow-up. Standardised questionnaires of trait mindfulness, social anxiety, depression, anxiety, and quality of life were completed at baseline, post-intervention, and at 4-week follow-up. Results: All participants completed the MBCT course, but one participant was excluded from the idiographic analysis due to a high amount of missing data. The remaining four participants demonstrated reductions in idiographic measures of social anxiety from baseline to follow-up. These effects were larger between baseline and follow-up, than between baseline and post-intervention. Two participants demonstrated significant improvement in standardised measures of wellbeing from baseline to follow-up – they also practised mindfulness most regularly at home between sessions. Conclusion: MBCT may be effective in reducing social anxiety and improving wellbeing in individuals with AA, although this might be dependent on the extent to which participants regularly practise mindfulness exercises

Randomized trial of a DVD intervention to improve readiness to self-manage joint pain

Report of a randomized controlled trial of a motivational intervention to promote self-management of joint painA DVD (digital video disk) intervention to increase readiness to self-manage joint pain secondary to hemophilia was informed by a 2-phase, motivational-volitional model of readiness to self-manage pain, and featured the personal experiences of individuals with hemophilia. The DVD was evaluated in a randomized controlled trial in which 108 men with hemophilia completed measures of readiness to self-manage pain (Pain Stages of Change Questionnaire) before and 6 months after receiving the DVD plus information booklet (n = 57) or just the booklet (n = 51). The effect of the DVD was assessed by comparing changes in Pain Stages of Change Questionnaire scores (precontemplation, contemplation, and action/maintenance) between groups. The impact on pain coping, pain acceptance, and health-related quality of life was tested in secondary analyses. Repeated-measures analysis of variance, including all those with complete baseline and follow-up data regardless of use of the intervention, showed a significant, medium- sized, group time effect on precontemplation, with reductions among the DVD group but not the booklet group. Significant use time effects showed that benefits in terms of contemplation and action/maintenance were restricted to those who used the interventions at least once. The results show that low-intensity interventions in DVD format can improve the motivational impact of written information, and could be used to help prepare people with chronic pain for more intensive self-management interventions. The findings are consistent with a 2-phase, motivational-volitional model of pain self-management, and provide the first insights to our knowledge of readiness to self-manage pain in hemophilia.Haemophilia Society, U

Risk factors associated with healthcare utilization for spine pain

OBJECTIVE: This study examined potential risk factors associated with healthcare utilization among patients with spine (i.e., neck and back) pain. METHODS: A two-stage sampling approach examined spine pain episodes of care among veterans with a yearly outpatient visit for six consecutive years. Descriptive and bivariate statistics, followed by logistic regression analyses, examined baseline characteristics of veterans with new episodes of care who either continued or discontinued spine pain care. A multivariable logistic regression model examined correlates associated with seeking continued spine pain care. RESULTS: Among 331,908 veterans without spine pain episodes of care during the two-year baseline observation period, 16.5% (n = 54,852) had a new episode of care during the following two-year observation period. Of those 54,852 veterans, 37,025 had an outpatient visit data during the final two-year follow-up period, with 53.7% (n = 19,865) evidencing continued spine pain care. Those with continued care were more likely to be overweight or obese, non-smokers, Army veterans, have higher education, and had higher rates of diagnoses of all medical and mental health conditions examined at baseline. Among several important findings, women had 13% lower odds of continued care during the final two-year observation period, OR 0.87 (0.81, 0.95). CONCLUSIONS: A number of important demographics and clinical correlates were associated with increased likelihood of seeking new and continued episodes of care for spine pain; however, further examination of risk factors associated with healthcare utilization for spine pain is indicated

Internet‐Based Pain Self‐Management for Veterans: Feasibility and Preliminary Efficacy of the Pain EASE Program

ObjectiveTo develop and test the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a cognitive behavioral therapy–based, internet‐delivered self‐management program for chronic low back pain (cLBP) in veterans.MethodsPhase I included program development, involving expert panel and participant feedback. Phase II was a single‐arm feasibility and preliminary efficacy study of the Pain e‐health for Activity, Skills, and Education (Pain EASE) program. Feasibility (ie, website use, treatment credibility, satisfaction) was measured using descriptive methods. Mixed models were used to assess mean within‐subject changes from baseline to 10 weeks post‐baseline in pain interference (primary outcome, West Haven‐Yale Multidimensional Pain Inventory, scale of 0 to 6), pain intensity, mood, fatigue, sleep, and depression.ResultsPhase I participants (n = 15) suggested modifications including style changes, content reduction, additional “Test Your Knowledge” quizzes, and cognitive behavioral therapy skill practice monitoring form revisions for enhanced usability. In Phase II, participants (n = 58) were mostly male (93%) and White (60%), and had an average age of 55 years (standard deviation [SD] = 12) and moderate pain (mean score 5.9/10); 41 (71%) completed the post‐baseline assessment. Participants (N = 58) logged on 6.1 (SD = 8.6) times over 10 weeks, and 85% reported being very or moderately satisfied with Pain EASE. Pain interference improved from a mean of 3.8 at baseline to 3.3 at 10 weeks (difference 0.5 [95% confidence interval 0.1 to 0.9], P = 0.008). Within‐subject improvement also occurred for some secondary outcomes, including mood and depression symptoms.DiscussionVeterans with cLBP may benefit from technology‐delivered interventions, which may also reduce pain interference. Overall, veterans found that Pain EASE, an internet‐based self‐management program, is feasible and satisfactory for cLBP.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154929/1/papr12861.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154929/2/papr12861_am.pd