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From the seclusion of monastic life to the noise of Silicon Valley, the ancient practice of mindfulness has ‘come out of the cloister.’ As an antidote to mindless cognition and behavior, the practice of mindfulness—with its principle of grounding attention in the present moment—has been shown to have powerful and positive effects at both the individual and the collective level and in fields as wide-ranging as medicine, schooling, prison programs, law and negotiation, business, and even the army. This installment of Marketing & Technology introduces mindfulness to managers and explores its potential for enhancing the service encounter. We begin by reviewing the two main conceptualizations of mindfulness: the cognitive and the contemplative. We then explore the service encounter from the perspective of emotional labor and show how mindfulness can change surface acting into deep acting, thereby significantly improving the service encounter for both the consumer and provider. We also explore the other benefits of mindfulness and their application to the service encounter: adaptability, flexibility, and creativity. We conclude by sharing resources for managers interested in implementing mindfulness training.

The present study, a part of researcher's Ph.D. project, aimed at exploring the reading trends of young Pakistani students (i.e., Generation Y: born during the 1980s and early 1990s, also known as internet generation), and the impact of digital media on their reading behavior. It was conducted as a pilot study on final year's master level students of the University of the Punjab. Quantitative research design, based on a survey was used. Convenient sampling technique was used to collect data from 50 students through questionnaire survey. It revealed that the students' reading behavior has been significantly changed during the last five years. Their overall reading time and digital reading time has been increased due to the availability of digital devices and digital reading material. The findings of this study are helpful in identifying the trends of reading behavior as well as in planning and designing library services with regard to the considering of the behavior of the students.

Motivated by the ongoing debate on the costs and benefits of corporate social responsibility (CSR), we explore how talented managers view CSR investments. Based on nearly 20,000 observations across 17 years, our evidence reveals a nonmonotonic effect of managerial talent on CSR. Exploiting a novel measure of managerial ability, we find that talented managers view CSR investments favorably. However, only those with especially strong talent are in favor of CSR investments. For executives ranked above the 75th percentile in terms of managerial talent, an increase in managerial ability leads to more CSR investments, suggesting that these strongly talented managers perceive CSR as enhancing firm performance. In contrast, for those with weaker talent, CSR investments are negatively associated with managerial ability, implying that these weakly talented managers view CSR as a wasteful deployment of resources. Further evidence shows that our conclusion is unlikely confounded by endogeneity.

Background The purpose of this study was to examine weight loss, physical activity, fitness and diet changes in response to a standard behavioral weight loss intervention in adults with self-reported juvenile onset (n = 61) or adult onset (n = 116) obesity. Methods Participants (n = 177; 43.0 ± 8.6 years; body mass index [BMI] = 33.0 ± 3.4 kg m−2) engaged in an 18-month standard behavioral weight loss intervention. Participants were randomized into three different intervention groups as part of the larger parent trial. BMI, physical activity, fitness and diet were assessed at baseline, 6, 12 and 18 months. Separate adjusted mixed models were constructed using SAS version 9.4 (SAS Institute, Cary, NC). Results There was significant weight loss, increased physical activity, improved fitness and reduced caloric intake over time (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in these outcome variables by obesity onset group. However, there was a significant group by time interaction for fitness (p = 0.001), with the adult onset making significantly greater gains in fitness from baseline to 6 months (p < 0.001); however, this difference was no longer present at 12 or 18 months. Conclusions With the exception of fitness at 6 months, weight loss, physical activity and diet did not differ between juvenile onset and adult onset participants, suggesting that those with juvenile onset obesity are equally responsive to a standard behavioral weight loss intervention in adulthood.

The impact of legal status on romantic relationships has not been adequately explored in the literature. Based on video and phone interviews with 25 undocumented activists from the ages of 18 to 28 years old, this research examines how legal status affects the romantic relationships of undocumented women and men. The hegemony of traditional dating scripts made it difficult for those without legal status to participate. Gender roles were consistent with stereotypical male and female roles in dating, which often attribute more power and responsibility to men. As such, women experienced a slight advantage because traditional notions of courtship did not require them to provide the resources required for dating, such as money or transportation, which in contrast were commonly expected of the men. In contrast, women noted the difficulties of disclosing their legal status and depending on their partners for everyday activities. Additionally, both men and women faced exclusion that inhibited their dating lives, as a direct result of their legal status. This suggests that the impact of legal status may be salient at all stages of family formation and that undocumented young adults are experiencing a distinct phenomenon compared to their documented and native-born peers.

Goalball, a sport designed for those with visual impairments, is a competitive and recreational sport enjoyed by athletes around the world. Students with and without visual impairments can experience positive outcomes when teachers appropriately include a goalball unit as part of their inclusive secondary physical education curriculum. This article aims to help teachers identify these outcomes through strategies that encourage student success and appreciation for the sport. A framework to implement a goalball unit is provided along with strategies to target skill, tactical and game-play development.

The social communication and interaction deficits associated with the autism phenotype can have serious emotional consequences for individuals on the autism spectrum. This can be particularly true during young-adulthood, a period of increased social demands and expectations. The current study investigated the specific role of social problem-solving deficits as a mediator in the relationship between autism phenotype severity and depressive symptomology in young-adults. A sample of 230 university students (48% male) ranging in age from 18 to 30 (M=21.30, SD=2.48) were assessed on autism phenotype expression (Autism-Spectrum Quotient), social problem-solving ability (Social Problem-Solving Inventory, Revised) and depressive symptomology (Beck’s Depression Inventory). Results indicated that deficient social problem-solving skills account for a significant portion of the depressive symptomology associated with increased autism phenotype expression. Path model analysis output suggested that increased expression of the social components of the autism phenotype are associated with both ineffective social problem-solving styles and attitudes, while increased detail orientation discourages the use of an impulsive problem-solving style. The findings of this investigation provide preliminary evidence suggesting that programs designed to improve social problem-solving skills could be beneficial in the reduction of depressive vulnerability for young-adults on the autism spectrum.

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are one of the main sources of pharmaceuticals and endocrine disrupting compounds in freshwater ecosystems, and several studies have reported bioaccumulation of these compounds in different organisms in those ecosystems. River biofilms are exceptional indicators of pollution, but very few studies have focused on the accumulation of these emerging contaminants. The objectives of this study were first to develop an efficient analytical methodology for the simultaneous analysis of 44 pharmaceuticals and 13 endocrine disrupting compounds in biofilm, and second, to assess persistence, distribution, and bioaccumulation of these contaminants in natural biofilms inhabiting a WWTP-impacted river. The method is based on pressurized liquid extraction, purification by solid-phase extraction, and analysis by ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometer (UPLC–MS/MS) in tandem. Recoveries for pharmaceuticals were 31–137%, and for endocrine disruptors 32–93%. Method detection limits for endocrine disruptors were in the range of 0.2–2.4ngg−1, and for pharmaceuticals, 0.07–6.7ngg−1. A total of five endocrine disruptors and seven pharmaceuticals were detected in field samples at concentrations up to 100ngg−1.

Increasing evidence exists that emerging pollutants such as pharmaceuticals (PhACs) and endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) can be bioaccumulated by aquatic organisms. However, the relative role of trophic transfers in the acquisition of emerging pollutants by aquatic organisms remains largely unexplored. In freshwater ecosystems, wastewater treatment plants are a major source of PhACs and EDCs. Here we studied the entrance of emerging pollutants and their flow through riverine food webs in an effluent-influenced river. To this end we assembled a data set on the composition and concentrations of a broad spectrum of PhACs (25 compounds) and EDCs (12 compounds) in water, biofilm, and three aquatic macroinvertebrate taxa with different trophic positions and feeding strategies (Ancylus fluviatilis, Hydropsyche sp., Phagocata vitta). We tested for similarities in pollutant levels among these compartments, and we compared observed bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) to those predicted by a previously-developed empirical model based on octanol–water distribution coefficients (Dow). Despite a high variation in composition and levels of emerging pollutants across food web compartments, observed BAFs in Hydropsyche and Phagocata matched, on average, those already predicted. Three compounds (the anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac, the lipid regulator gemfibrozil, and the flame retardant TBEP) were detected in water, biofilm and (at least) one macroinvertebrate taxa. TBEP was the only compound present in all taxa and showed magnification across trophic levels. This suggests that prey consumption may be, in some cases, a significant exposure route. This study advances the notion that both waterborne exposure and trophic interactions need to be taken into account when assessing the potential ecological risks of emerging pollutants in aquatic ecosystems.

The bioaccumulation of 20 pharmaceuticals in cockle (Cerastodema glaucum), noble pen shell (Pinna nobilis), sea snail (Murex trunculus), golden grey mullet (Liza aurata) and black goby (Gobius niger) was evaluated, considering their distribution throughout the Mar Menor lagoon and their variations in spring and autumn 2010. The analytical procedure was adapted for the different matrices as being sensitive and reproducible. Eighteen out of the 20 compounds analysed were found at low ngg−1 in these species throughout the lagoon. Hydrochlorothiazide and carbamazepine were detected in all species considered. The bioaccumulation of pharmaceuticals was heterogeneous in the lagoon, with a higher number of pharmaceuticals being detected in fish (18) than in wild molluscs (8), particularly in golden grey mullet muscle (16). В-blockers and psychiatric drugs were preferentially bioccumulated in fish and hydrochlorothiazide was also confirmed in caged clams. The higher detection frequency and concentrations found in golden grey mullet suggested that mugilids could be used as an indicator of contamination by pharmaceuticals in coastal areas. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that shows data about hydrochlorothiazide, levamisole and codeine in wild marine biota.

The Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework represents a valuable conceptual tool to systematically integrate existing toxicological knowledge from a mechanistic perspective to facilitate predictions of chemical-induced effects across species. However, its application for decision-making requires the transition from qualitative to quantitative AOP (qAOP). Here we used a fish model and the synthetic glucocorticoid beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) to investigate the role of chemical-specific properties, pharmacokinetics, and internal exposure dynamics in the development of qAOPs. We generated a qAOP network based on drug plasma concentrations and focused on immunodepression, skin androgenisation, disruption of gluconeogenesis and reproductive performance. We showed that internal exposure dynamics and chemical-specific properties influence the development of qAOPs and their predictive power. Comparing the effects of two different glucocorticoids, we highlight how relatively similar in vitro hazard-based indicators can lead to different in vivo risk. This discrepancy can be predicted by their different uptake potential, pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) profiles. We recommend that the development phase of qAOPs should include the application of species-specific uptake and physiologically-based PK/PD models. This integration will significantly enhance the predictive power, enabling a more accurate assessment of the risk and the reliable transferability of qAOPs across chemicals.

There is a growing interest in evaluating the presence of pharmaceutical residues and their metabolites in aquatic biota. In this study, twenty pharmaceuticals, including carbamazepine (CBZ) and two metabolites, were analyzed in homogenates of two fish species (Gambusia affinis and Jenynsia multidentata) captured in polluted areas of the Suquía River (Córdoba, Argentina). The twenty target pharmaceuticals were found in G. affinis, while only fifteen were detected in J. multidentata. We observed a noticeable difference in the accumulation pattern of both fish species, suggesting different pathways for the bioaccumulation of polar pharmaceuticals in each fish. In order to investigate uptake and tissue distribution of pharmaceuticals, a detailed study was performed under controlled laboratory conditions in J. multidentata, exposed to CBZ. CBZ and two of its metabolites (carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide – CBZ-EP and 2-hydroxycarbamazepine – 2-OH-CBZ) were monitored in five organs of fish under laboratory exposure. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the presence of CBZ and its metabolite 2-OH-CBZ in gills, intestine, liver, brain and muscle of fish, while the metabolite carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide (CBZ-EP) was detected in gills and muscle. A ratio CBZ-EP/CBZ close to 0.1 suggests that gills and muscle of J. multidentata could metabolize CBZ through the CBZ-EP pathway. Our results reinforce the need of analyzing multiple species to account for the environmental impact of pollutants, negating the simplification of a single, “representative model” during ecotoxicological biomonitoring. To our knowledge, the biotransformation of CBZ to its metabolites (CBZ-EP, 2-OH-CBZ) in fish, under controlled laboratory in vivo exposures, is reported for the first time.

Psychoactive drugs are frequently detected in the aquatic environment. The evolutionary conservation of the molecular targets of these drugs in fish suggests that they may elicit mode of action–mediated effects in fish as they do in humans, and the key open question is at what exposure concentrations these effects might occur. In the present study, the authors investigated the uptake and tissue distribution of the benzodiazepine oxazepam in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) after 28 d of waterborne exposure to 0.8 μg L−1, 4.7 μg L−1, and 30.6 μg L−1. Successively, they explored the relationship between the internal concentrations of oxazepam and the effects on fish exploratory behavior quantified by performing 2 types of behavioral tests, the novel tank diving test and the shelter‐seeking test. The highest internal concentrations of oxazepam were found in brain, followed by plasma and liver, whereas muscle presented the lowest values. Average concentrations measured in the plasma of fish from the 3 exposure groups were, respectively, 8.7 ± 5.7 μg L−1, 30.3 ± 16.1 μg L−1, and 98.8 ± 72.9 μg L−1. Significant correlations between plasma and tissue concentrations of oxazepam were found in all 3 groups. Exposure of fish to 30.6 µg L−1 in water produced plasma concentrations within or just below the human therapeutic plasma concentration (HTPC) range in many individuals. Statistically significant behavioral effects in the novel tank diving test were observed in fish exposed to 4.7 μg L−1. In this group, plasma concentrations of oxazepam were approximately one‐third of the lowest HTPC value. No significant effects were observed in fish exposed to the lowest and highest concentrations. The significance of these results is discussed in the context of the species‐specific behavior of fathead minnow and existing knowledge of oxazepam pharmacology. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:2782–2790. © 2016 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.

We used a short-term microcosm approach to investigate the influence of two different subinhibitory concentrations of ciprofloxacin (0.01 and 0.1 μg/ml) on both the abundance of a plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance determinant (qnrS) and the structure and composition of bacterial communities from impaired and pristine water supply reservoirs. The results showed that the abundance of the qnrS gene increases in water samples exposed to both subinhibitory concentrations of ciprofloxacin, especially in water samples from La Llosa del Cavall, which represents the pristine system. Subinhibitory ciprofloxacin concentrations also induced changes in bacterial community composition as indicated by the relative abundances of each operational taxonomic unit (OTU) across treatments. Therefore, our findings may be of significant importance because subinhibitory ciprofloxacin concentrations may promote antibiotic resistance and affect bacterial community composition in environmental settings.

This study investigated the effects of long-term incubation to near-future combined warming (+2 °C) and ocean acidification (−0.3 and −0.5 pH units) stressors, relative to current conditions (−0.3 °C and pH 8.0), on the energetics of food processing in the Antarctic sea urchin, Sterechinus neumayeri. After an extended incubation of 40 months, energy absorbed, energy lost through respiration and lost as waste were monitored through two feeding cycles. Growth parameters (mass of somatic and gonad tissues and the CHN content of gonad) were also measured. There were no significant effects of combined ocean acidification (OA) and temperature stressors on the growth of somatic or reproductive tissue. Despite more food being consumed in the low temperature control, once food processing and maintenance costs were subtracted, there were no significant effects of treatment on the scope for growth. The biggest significant differences were between amounts of food consumed during the two feeding cycles. More food was consumed by the low temperature (0 °C) control animals, indicating a potential effect of the changed conditions on digestive efficiency. Also, in November, more food was consumed, with a higher absorption efficiency, which resulted in a higher scope for growth in November than September and may reflect increased energetic needs associated with a switch to summer physiology. The effect of endogenous seasonal cycles and environmental variability on organism capacity is discussed.

Surface seawaters are becoming more acidic due to the absorption of rising anthropogenic CO2. Marine calcifiers are considered to be the most vulnerable organisms to ocean acidification due to the reduction in the availability of carbonate ions for shell or skeletal production. Rhychonelliform brachiopods are potentially one of the most calcium carbonate-dependent groups of marine organisms because of their large skeletal content. Little is known, however, about the effects of lowered pH on these taxa. A CO2 perturbation experiment was performed on the New Zealand terebratulide brachiopod Calloria inconspicua to investigate the effects of pH conditions predicted for 2050 and 2100 on the growth rate and ability to repair shell. Three treatments were used: an ambient pH control (pH 8.16), a mid-century scenario (pH 7.79), and an end-century scenario (pH 7.62). The ability to repair shell was not affected by acidified conditions with &gt;80% of all damaged individuals at the start of the experiment completing shell repair after 12 weeks. Growth rates in undamaged individuals &gt;3 mm in length were also not affected by lowered pH conditions, whereas undamaged individuals &lt;3 mm grew faster at pH 7.62 than the control. The capability of C. inconspicua to continue shell production and repair under acidified conditions suggests that this species has a robust control over the calcification process, where suitable conditions at the site of calcification can be generated across a range of pH conditions.

Focus groups were used to explore the most appropriate ways to conduct survey research about men’s relationships with women and their sexual assault behaviors that result in high response rates and decrease socially desirable answers. A racially diverse group of 24 English-speaking heterosexual men, aged 18 years or older, were recruited for participation in 3 focus groups. The men were asked to review a survey instrument used in a previous study and the results from that study. Analysis of the focus group transcripts indicates that the men responded to the survey instrument from 3 distinct perspectives: (a) perpetrators, (b) victims, and (c) respondents. From these perspectives, the men also commented on participant anonymity, survey construction and delivery method, question wording, and potential pitfalls in asking men about sexual assault.

In this article, we use qualitative methods to understand the ways in which community involvement in a community-based mental health promotion conference encourages mental health care in an African-American community. We collected data through key informant interviews, focus groups, and participant observations at conference planning meetings and conferences, as well as archival documents related to the conference. We identify community partnerships and shared commitment as drivers of the outreach to people in the community, creators of a culturally relevant and supportive environment for mental health education, and, consequently, promoters of mental health care in the African-American community.

Worldwide labor migration has transformed and reshaped various fields of government policy and professional practices. Labor migration is associated with the non-economic social phenomena that scholars have increasingly paid attention to in both sending and receiving destinations. For practitioners in the field of education, medicine, nursing, social work, mental health, public health, and other professional practices, the human face of labor migration migrant workers and their families daily challenges often reveals the human cost of migration behind the image of economic gain and benefits. Migrant workers and their families are facing vexing challenges ranging from basic needs to psychosocial well-being, despite who they are and where they come from. Traditional ways of thinking and knowing cannot address these challenges adequately; rather, established divisions of professions, systems, disciplines, and/or areas of practice might just be the factor that constrains the ability to clearly articulate compelling problems and adds an additional layer of complexity to problem solving. This book focuses on country policies and practices, and draws on theoretical ideas that provide the intellectual basis. In addition, it offers vivid examples of how migrant workers manage to work, pursue economic security, strive and adjust in new communities, define and negotiate self and identity, and seek health and well-being. While the book illuminates shared challenges and experiences for each group of migrant workers (i.e. low-skilled workers, internal migrants and other types of migrating laborers), it also synthesises the intersectionality across all migrant workers, as they remain committed to bettering the lives of their families and communities in their origin countries as well as new host countries and communities. This volume reflects the efforts of interdisciplinary research and collaboration