Reid\u27s A dream of miracles (Book Review)

Reid, R. (2016). A dream of miracles. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson. 323 pp. $15.99. ISBN 978140168831

The California gold rush romance collection (Book Review)

A review of Barratt, A., Bell, A., Christner, D., Harris, L. F., Hickey, C., Hillman, P., ... Wright, J. J. (2016). The California gold rush romance collection. Uhrichsville, OH: Barbour Books. 444 pp. $14.99. ISBN 978163409912

Partly Cloudy, Scattered Clients: Cloud Implementation in the Federal Government

Since the issuance of a federal mandate in 2010 requiring federal government agencies in the United States of America to immediately shift to a “Cloud First” policy, agencies have struggled to adopt cloud computing. Previous research has examined hindrances to cloud computing adoption across industries in the private sector (Raza et al., 2015, Park and Ryoo, 2012, and Bhattacherjee and Park, 2012). While this research provides important insights on cloud computing adoption in the private sector, it devotes scant attention to challenges of cloud computing adoption in the federal government. This study seeks to fill this gap by examining the roles of Top Management Support and Information Security Awareness on cloud computing implementation success in the federal government. Institutional theory serves as the theoretical framework for this study

Associations of blood pressure with body composition among Afro-Caribbean children in Barbados

Despite complex presentation of adult hypertension and a concomitant obesity epidemic, little is known about overweight in relation to blood pressure among Caribbean children. We examined blood pressure in relation to body size in a cross-sectional study of 573 Barbadian children aged 9–10 years (2010-2011).The United States normative blood pressure percentiles were used to identify children with high (≥ 95th percentile) or high normal blood pressure (90th – 95th percentile). The World Health Organization body mass index cut-off points were used to assess weight status. Major findings: Thirty percent of children were overweight/obese. Percentage fat mass differed between girls (20.4%) and boys (17.72%) (p< 0.05). Mean systolic blood pressure among girls was 106.11 (95% CI 105.05, 107.17) mmHg and 105.23 (104.09, 106.38) for boys. The percentages with high or high-normal mean systolic blood pressurewere14.38% (10.47, 18.29) for girls and 8.08% (4.74, 11.41) for boys. Height and body mass index were independent correlates of systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Mean systolic blood pressure was related to lean mass but not fat mass, while diastolic blood pressure was associated with fat mass index and overweight. Principal conclusion: One third of 9-10 year old children in Barbados were overweight/obese and 12% had elevated mean systolic blood pressure. BP was related to body size. These findings signal potential adverse trends in weight gain and BP trends for children growing up in the context of a country that has recently undergone rapid economic transition

Beyond Chandra - the X-ray Surveyor

Over the past 16 years, NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has provided an unparalleled means for exploring the universe with its half-arcsecond angular resolution. Chandra studies have deepened our understanding of galaxy clusters, active galactic nuclei, galaxies, supernova remnants, planets, and solar system objects addressing almost all areas of current interest in astronomy and astrophysics. As we look beyond Chandra, it is clear that comparable or even better angular resolution with greatly increased photon throughput is essential to address even more demanding science questions, such as the formation and subsequent growth of black hole seeds at very high redshift; the emergence of the first galaxy groups; and details of feedback over a large range of scales from galaxies to galaxy clusters. Recently, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, together with the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, has initiated a concept study for such a mission named the X-ray Surveyor. This study starts with a baseline payload consisting of a high resolution X-ray telescope and an instrument set which may include an X-ray calorimeter, a wide-field imager and a dispersive grating spectrometer and readout. The telescope would consist of highly nested thin shells, for which a number of technical approaches are currently under development, including adjustable X-ray optics, differential deposition, and modern polishing techniques applied to a variety of substrates. In many areas, the mission requirements would be no more stringent than those of Chandra, and the study takes advantage of similar studies for other large area missions carried out over the past two decades. Initial assessments indicate that such an X-ray mission is scientifically compelling, technically feasible, and worthy of a high rioritization by the next American National Academy of Sciences Decadal Survey for Astronomy and Astrophysics.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, paper 9510-01 presented at SPIE Europe, Prague, April 201

Traversing the Boundaries and Borders of Discharge from Hospital Following First Stage Surgery for Complex Congenital Heart Disease: the Parents’ Experience

Aim: To explore parents’ experiences of the transition from hospital to home with their infant following first stage cardiac surgery for a univentricular heart or systemic shunt dependent cardiac lesion. Background: The process of monitoring a fragile infant at home in between stage 1 and 2 of cardiac surgery, takes the philosophical perspective of holistic care beyond the borders and boundaries normally expected of parents going home for the first time with their new baby. This neo-transition of becoming a medical parent is superimposed upon the multiple transitions already experienced whilst in hospital. Methods: A mixed methods feasibility study. Parents were recruited between August 2013 and February 2015. Parents of 80 infants were eligible; mothers (n=13) & fathers (n=4) of 13 infants consented to participate. Data was collected at four time points (before discharge; 2 weeks after; 8 weeks after; after stage 2 surgery) using self-report tools, semi-structured interviews and daily diaries. Qualitative findings regarding the borders & boundaries of going home are presented here. Results: Numerous physical, emotional & social boundaries & borders were evident during the transition from hospital to home. Traversing the physical boundary of leaving the hospital for the first time with their infant, was loaded with emotionally traumatic experiences that could not be separated from the specific physical transition of going home. For a while parents were in an uncertain place (betwixt and between) where they could not visualise what was ahead & how it would feel; this created anxiety & fear, at the same time as excitement to be going home. Conclusion Liminality as a concept emerged during transition from hospital to home; a crossing point from a comfort zone, safety and security (the ward) into the unknown uncertain place (home). Adjusting to the situation; developing confidence; becoming comfortable with new skills was a threshold concept to mastery of a new normal

Constructive System Use

Information and communication technologies are so embedded in modern society that we have arrived at the point at which learning to use technology constructively may affect our day to day lives as much as does learning to eat properly. While information systems scholars have studied interesting post-adoption constructs such as continuance intentions and IT-appropriation, research explaining and predicting constructive system-use (i.e., system-use that is both fulfilling and productive) has been scarce. Better understanding constructive system-use would benefit both research and practice – scholars’ knowledge of positive outcomes of human computer interactions would expand and practitioners could gain insights toward improving employee productivity in terms of system-use. We pursue this study by developing a theory around user attributes, behaviors, learning styles, and use outcomes

Patterns of Transition Experience for Parents Going Home from Hospital with Their Infant After First Stage Surgery for Complex Congenital Heart Disease

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore parents’ experiences of one specific timepoint in their infant’s journey: the transition from hospital to home, following the first stage of their infant’s cardiac surgery for complex congenital heart disease. Design and Methods: A prospective longitudinal mixed methods study, underpinned with Middle Range Transition Theory (Meleis et al 2000). Face to face and telephone interviews were conducted and self-report forms completed by parents at four-time points: before discharge (T0), 2 weeks after discharge (T1), 8 weeks after discharge (T2) and after stage two surgery (T3). Interviews were transcribed verbatim before inductive thematic analysis Results: Parents were recruited over a 15-month period from 2013-2015. Twelve mothers and 4 fathers took part. The infants had functionally univentricular heart (left n=10, right n=1) and a systemic shunt dependent lesion, tetralogy of Fallot (n=1). Dynamic constructivist and constructionist social processes occurred for all parents, involving physical, physiological, psychological and cognitive elements within four ‘patterns of experience’, two of which ‘safety and security’ and ‘love and support’ are presented in this paper Implications: Parental support is essential; parents need to be engaged in discharge planning process and given the opportunity to express their needs to ensure that discharge care is truly patient and family centred. Conclusions: Transition from hospital to home was complex and multi-faceted, with unanticipated physical and emotional transitions superimposed upon those that were expected

Relational Savoring in Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Attachment-Based Intervention

Relational Savoring in Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Attachment-Based InterventionBy Gerin Elizabeth Gaskin Claremont Graduate University: 2021 Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at risk for higher depressive symptoms and lower subjective well-being compared to parents of neurotypical children or children with other developmental delays. Current treatment approaches to support these parents primarily focus on psychoeducation and skills training, but few focus on strengthening the connection between parent-child dyads. This project included two studies that examined the outcomes associated with a novel intervention, relational savoring, which identifies and amplifies moments of parent-child connection. In Study 1, n = 282 mothers were randomly assigned to an experimental group in which they completed an online intervention (relational savoring; RS) or a control intervention (personal savoring; PS) and provided responses to pre- and post-measures (positive and negative emotions, parenting satisfaction, and feelings of closeness). In Study 2, n = 63 mothers were randomly assigned to in-vivo versions of RS or PS conditions and were assessed at three timepoints: pre-intervention (T1), post-intervention (T2), and 4-week follow-up (T3). In addition to Study 1 measures, mothers completed two sets of questions that were coded for reflective functioning, and mothers’ behaviors from semi-structured play tasks at T1 and T3 were coded for maternal responsiveness and maternal affect. Predictions included that mothers in the RS group would show improved affect as indexed by increases in positive emotions and decreases in negative emotion, greater relational closeness, as indexed by parenting satisfaction and feelings of closeness (Studies 1 and 2); more secure attachment-related behaviors, indexed by RF, maternal responsiveness and affect (Study 2); and that intervention effects would be stronger for parents experiencing greater stress (Study 1). Study 1 demonstrated that both groups experienced decreases in negative emotions, but PS participants significantly decreased in positive emotions. Study 2 demonstrated that both groups exhibited improved affect and maternal responsiveness. No other predicted effects were observed. Overall, there were no specific advantages for the RS mothers, but the decreases in negative emotions across both studies suggest that PS and RS both may be beneficial for mothers of children with ASD. Findings have implications regarding how organizations can support this growing population and the importance of interventions based in developmental theory and research