Low-Fare Flights Across the Atlantic: Impact of Low-Cost, Long-Haul, Trans-Atlantic Flights on Passenger Choice of Carrier

Full-service carriers (FSCs) have long ruled the trans-Atlantic market, due to the absence of low fare competition, which has kept airfares high. However, renewed interest in lowcost, long-haul (LCLH) flights was prompted by efficient aircraft, low fuel prices, liberalization of air markets, and low-cost carriers’ growth opportunities. Since 2013, multiple LCLH carriers have commenced trans-Atlantic operations, and their market share has grown to 8%. In response, FSCs are establishing their own LCLH subsidiaries and/or introducing basic economy airfares to more effectively compete in the trans-Atlantic market. The purpose of this dissertation was to further the understanding of LCLH and FSC passengers in the trans-Atlantic market by determining what demographics and airline service attributes affected their choice of carrier type, and also what impacted their willingness to switch carrier type and the amount they were willing to pay to do so. A total of 1,412 trans-Atlantic economy and premium economy passengers were surveyed at Los Angeles (LAX) and Seattle–Tacoma (SEA) Airports, which included those who had flown an LCLH (n = 787) or an FSC (n = 625). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to develop a factor structure for passenger travel experience attributes, which were identified as: Operations, Comfort, Onboarding, Service, and Flight Schedule, along with a variable, Airfare. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the variables/factors that affected passenger choice of LCLH or FSC. Younger passengers preferred LCLH carriers, whereas older passengers preferred FSCs. Airfare was the most important predictor of choice of carrier type, followed by Comfort, Service, and Flight Schedule. Satisfaction with Airfare and Comfort were associated with choice of an LCLH carrier, whereas satisfaction with Service and Flight Schedule were associated with choice of an FSC. Willingness to switch from an LCLH to an FSC was evaluated, with 55% of respondents indicating they would remain loyal, and 45% of them being willing to switch to an FSC. Decision tree analyses were utilized to show the relationships between variables/factors that were relevant for passenger switching decisions. The variables/factors that affected an LCLH passenger’s willingness to switch to an FSC were: Airfare, Income, Education, Age, Gender, Comfort, and Operations. Binary logistic regression was utilized to determine that Age, Education, and Cabin Class affected willingness to pay more to switch to an FSC. Willingness to switch from an FSC to an LCLH was evaluated, with 76% of respondents indicating they would remain loyal, and 24% being willing to switch to an LCLH carrier; with a decision tree showing that Gender, Service, Airfare, and Onboarding affected this decision. Binary logistic regression was utilized to determine that Airfare, Nonstop Flights, and Courtesy and Responsiveness affected willingness to pay less to switch to an LCLH carrier. This research has demonstrated that often overlooked aspects of air travel, such as comfort and service, are vitally important to long-haul passengers. Furthermore, both LCLH and FSCs have a place in the trans-Atlantic market, as some passengers prefer a no frills LCLH offering; whereas other passengers prefer an all-inclusive FSC offering

“Everything new is happening all at once”: a qualitative study of early career obstetrician and gynaecologists’ preparedness for independent practice

Background: The transition from residency training into practice is associated with increasing risks of litigation, burnout, and stress. Yet, we know very little about how best to prepare graduates for the full scope of independent practice, beyond ensuring clinical competence. Thus, we explored the transition to independent practice (TTP) experiences of recent Obstetrics and Gynaecology graduates to understand potential gaps in their perceived readiness for practice. Methods: Using constructivist grounded theory, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 Obstetricians/Gynaecologists who graduated from nine Canadian residency programs within the last five years. Iterative data collection and analysis led to the development of key themes. Results: Five key themes encompassed different practice gaps experienced by participants throughout their transition. These practice gaps fit into five competency domains: providing clinical care, such as managing unfamiliar low-risk ambulatory presentations; navigating logistics, such as triaging referrals; managing administration, such as hiring or firing support staff; reclaiming personhood, such as boundary-setting between work and home; and bearing ultimate responsibility, such as navigating patient complaints. Mitigating factors were found to widen or narrow the extent to which new graduates experienced a practice gap. There was a shared sense among participants that some practice gaps were impossible to resolve during training. Conclusions: Existing practice gaps are multi-dimensional and perhaps not realistically addressed during residency. Instead, TTP mentorship and training opportunities must extend beyond residency to ensure that new graduates are equipped for the full breadth of independent practice

Information Literacy of Online Health Consumers in Minnesota

In the United States 72% of Internet users look online to find health information, with some being high quality and other information dangerous. The University of Minnesota is a land grant institution, and the Health Sciences Libraries have a strong outreach role, educating health information consumers across Minnesota about high quality resources. In 2016, we conducted a study at the Minnesota State Fair to identify where Minnesotans find online health information, how they use it, their confidence in assessing it, and what they think is missing. Convenience sampling yielded a total of 255 participants who valued the ability to access online health information and used it for a variety of purposes. A high percentage of participants thought they had the knowledge, skills, and confidence to navigate online health information, yet were uncertain about indicators of quality. They felt that current resources lacked personalization and evidence-based information. Our study recommendations on further educational outreach around online health information include promotion of interactive educational websites, partnerships with public libraries to host large-scale education sessions on the topic, and skill building around assessment of health websites

Investigating the Comprehensive Inventory of Thriving (CIT) as a rehabilitation outcome measure

Reliable and valid outcome measures are needed in community rehabilitation settings following acquired neurological injury. The Comprehensive Inventory of Thriving (CIT) (Su, Tay and Diener, 2013) was investigated for this purpose. The CIT is a 54 item self-report measure that provides 18 subscales and seven main scales of thriving: Relationships, Engagement, Mastery, Autonomy, Meaning, Optimism and Subjective Well-being. Participants (n=76) were administered the CIT on admission to a community rehabilitation service. The mean age of participants was 54.8 (SD = 17.7), with 43% being male. The main diagnostic groups were cerebrovascular disease (28%), traumatic brain injury (17%) and Parkinson's disease (12%). Internal consistency was moderate to high (α =.6 to .9) for all subscales with the exception of Support (Relationships) and Skills (Mastery); and high (α=.79-.93) for all indexes with the exception of Subjective Wellbeing. Correlational analyses supported the scale groupings. However, the subscales of Support (Relationships) and Skills (Mastery) did not correlate significantly with any subscales. Additionally the Subjective Well-being scale should not be calculated, but instead its three subscales (Negative Feelings, Life Satisfaction, Positive Feelings) used individually. In terms of demographic variables, there were no significant gender differences on CIT scales. Age had low correlations with two Relationships subscales only (Trust r=.23, p=.04; Loneliness r=-.25, p=.03). Diagnostic group minimally influenced CIT scores. Significant between-group differences were only found for Accomplishment (Mastery), with post-hoc analyses indicating higher levels for the cerebrovascular group. The CIT shows considerable promise in rehabilitation outcomes as a reliable and valid multi-component measure of wellbeing

Comic Book Villain's Body: Deviant Sexuality and Gender-Transgression

Oftentimes, superheroes are recognized in the fields of visual rhetoric, popular culture, and literature as means for persuading and influencing masculine identity. With the explosive popularity of comic books and the presence of them in varying media, comic books necessitate the exploration and investigation in regards to how they affect a mass consumerist audience and society. Despite this new found attention to comic books as viable scholarly material, supervillains remain largely dismissed from the academic discourse regarding their influence on gender and sexuality under the umbrella of masculine identity and performance. By examining the first explicitly homosexual character in a comic book and his portrayal, along with a supervillain that has amassed considerable popularity and has changed drastically overtime, this paper intends to set the groundwork for future academic scholarship over identity, gender, sexuality, and comic books. Ultimately, it appears that comic books, whether explicitly or unintentionally, reiterate and reinforce a heteronormative agenda and social framework by having the supervillains embody gender-transgressive characteristics and deviant sexuality.Englis

Social Determinants of Health and the Prevalence of Overweight Status and Mental Health Conditions Among Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic Children in the United States

Purpose: A growing concern in the United States has been the rise of anxiety and depression and its relation to excessive weight status among non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic children, racial groups with higher-than-average rates of overweight status and obesity. This study explored this prevalence by analyzing individual, interpersonal, and community factors among this population. The study also sought to determine if a correlation exists between elevated weight and mental health issues in the study population. Methods: Using data from the 2017’s National Survey of Children Health (NSCH), the prevalence of anxiety and depression was investigated among Black and Hispanic children ages 10-17 years old with a BMI greater than the 85th percentile, defined by the CDC as being overweight/obese (N=10,839). Results: Two-way chi square tests were conducted in SPSS, determining that statistically significant correlates (p \u3c 0.05) existed between the prevalence of overweight/obesity in children and individual, interpersonal, and community factors, with the most significant correlates being individual factors. A significant correlate was found to exist between overweight/obesity and the prevalence of anxiety and depression (p \u3c 0.05, for both); however, when categorized by either race, no significant correlate was observed (p = 0.40, 0.26). Using a simple linear regression model, the most significant variables that correlated with overweight/obese were age, Mental Health Index, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) score, and Family Received Assistance in 31 Last 12 Months. Family Received Assistance in Last 12 Months was indicated as a question on the NCSH. Conclusion: The results of the study found the most significant correlates to be between individual factors and overweight/obesity in children. The multiple logistic regression model demonstrated that only three variables were significant predictors of overweight/obesity in children after running stepwise selection. Additional studies investigating mental health (MH) and behavioral health factors among children who are overweight or obese (o/o) is recommended

Adapting to Rising Sea Levels in Seaview Gracefield, New Zealand

Seaview Gracefield is an industrial hub, located in a low-lying coastal area at the confluence of the Waiwhetu stream and the Hutt River near Wellington, New Zealand. Hoping to mitigate the area’s flood risk exacerbated by sea-level rise, the Greater Wellington Regional Council plans to develop an adaptive pathways land-use plan. We created an informative climate scenario for businesses during interviews. We gathered various perspectives of business leaders to gauge the level of awareness and planning regarding future sea-level rise in the area. We encountered a large spectrum of perspectives. In order to generate community engagement, we developed a serious game called the Seaview Sea-level “Sea-narios” game to communicate climate risks to businesses

IL-6 as a Biomarker for Therapeutic Resistance in Metastatic HR+, HER2- Breast Cancers

https://openworks.mdanderson.org/sumexp21/1184/thumbnail.jp

Influenza research database: an integrated bioinformatics resource for influenza research and surveillance.

BackgroundThe recent emergence of the 2009 pandemic influenza A/H1N1 virus has highlighted the value of free and open access to influenza virus genome sequence data integrated with information about other important virus characteristics.DesignThe Influenza Research Database (IRD, http://www.fludb.org) is a free, open, publicly-accessible resource funded by the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases through the Bioinformatics Resource Centers program. IRD provides a comprehensive, integrated database and analysis resource for influenza sequence, surveillance, and research data, including user-friendly interfaces for data retrieval, visualization and comparative genomics analysis, together with personal log in-protected 'workbench' spaces for saving data sets and analysis results. IRD integrates genomic, proteomic, immune epitope, and surveillance data from a variety of sources, including public databases, computational algorithms, external research groups, and the scientific literature.ResultsTo demonstrate the utility of the data and analysis tools available in IRD, two scientific use cases are presented. A comparison of hemagglutinin sequence conservation and epitope coverage information revealed highly conserved protein regions that can be recognized by the human adaptive immune system as possible targets for inducing cross-protective immunity. Phylogenetic and geospatial analysis of sequences from wild bird surveillance samples revealed a possible evolutionary connection between influenza virus from Delaware Bay shorebirds and Alberta ducks.ConclusionsThe IRD provides a wealth of integrated data and information about influenza virus to support research of the genetic determinants dictating virus pathogenicity, host range restriction and transmission, and to facilitate development of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics