On strategy-proof social choice correspondences: a comment

In a recent paper, Sato (Soc Choice Welf doi:) has provided two alternative definitions of strategy-proofness for social choice correspondences and proved that they are incompatible with the joint requirements of anonymity, neutrality, and a minimal range condition. In this note, we use the results in Rodríguez-álvarez (Soc Choice Welf 29:175–199, 2007) to directly prove stronger versions of Sato’s theorems. The author wishes to thank Shin Sato and John Weymark for their comments and suggestions. Financial support from the Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia through the Programa Ramón y Cajal 2006 and grant SEJ-2005-04805, the Consejería de Innovación, Ciencia y Empresa, Junta de Andalucía through grant SEJ-01645, and the Fundación Ramón Areces is gratefully acknowledged.     

Effects of Pilates method in physical fitness on older adults. A systematic review

Pilates method is employed for physical and mental conditioning. Elderly people could be benefited from a patterned and regulated conditioning work based on Pilates method. We performed a systematic review to assess the evidence on the effects of Pilates method in physical fitness on older adults. Our search included the following databases: MEDLINE-PubMed, Scopus and CINAHL Plus with Full Text via EBSCO and SPORTDiscus databases (up to April 2014). A summary of the results was performed using a best evidence synthesis and was reported according to the systematic review method proposed by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. The Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale was used to assess the methodology quality of selected studies. Seventeen experimental studies were included in this review. Fourteen were randomized controlled trials (RCT) and three clinical controlled trials (CCT). Quality scores according to PEDro indicate low quality of the included studies (range 1–6, mean 3.8?±?1.2). The most studied components related to physical fitness were neuromotor fitness (n?=?11), muscle strength (n?=?8), cardiorespiratory endurance (n?=?4), body composition (n?=?4) and flexibility (n?=?4). Results indicate that Pilates method seems to present positive effects in neuromotor fitness, especially in static and dynamic balance. Related to the other components of physical fitness (cardiorespiratory endurance, muscle strength, body composition and flexibility), contradictory results were observed. The Pilates method indicates to be an appropriate exercise modality in order to improve balance on older adults. Nevertheless, more intervention research is needed to build a solid knowledge base about the health benefits of Pilates method on older people, especially regarding the other components of physical fitness.     

Violent behaviour,victimization, self-esteem and physical activity of Spanish adolescents according to place of residence: a structural equation model / Conducta violenta,victimización,autoestima y actividad física de adolescentes españoles en función del lugar de residencia: un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales

This study aims to establish and verify an explanatory model for aggressive behaviour, self-esteem, victimization and physical activity in adolescents, and to use this explanatory model to analyse the association of place of residence with these variables. This research analysed 2,273 adolescents from the province of Granada (Spain) using the questionnaires Violent Behaviour at Schools, School Victimization Scale and Global Self-Esteem Scale. An analysis was carried out using structural equations. Results showed that relational and overt aggressiveness are related to self-esteem, victimization and physical activity. Furthermore, relational aggressiveness showed a stronger association with victimization and low self-esteem in adolescents who live in residential care. In addition, overt aggressiveness showed a stronger association with self-esteem in adolescents who live in family homes. Thus, exclusion and social rejection among peers have a greater impact on the victimization of young people who live outside of the family context.     

A herstory of public relations: Teresa Dorn,from Scott Cutlip to Burson-Marsteller Europe (1974–1995)

ABSTRACT

This research concentrates on Teresa Dorn’s contributions to the history/herstory of public relations through the analysis of her first 20 years in the profession, 15 of which were devoted to making Burson-Marsteller a prominent multinational company in Spain and Europe. The study explores the process of how Burson-Marsteller became one of the top consultancies in a country with a newly established democracy through the report of a life history. This methodology leads to a better understanding of when, why, and how the first international consultancy was settled in Spain and succeeded under the guidance of an American female practitioner.     

Psychological abuse in Spanish same-sex couples: prevalence and relationship between victims and perpetrators

This study investigates the prevalence of psychological abuse victimization in same-sex couples and the relationship between being a victim and a perpetrator of these negative behaviours. The final sample consisted of 107 adults residing in Spain who identified themselves as lesbian women and gay men, and who had been involved in a conflictive same-sex relationship. Participants were asked how frequently they would label their experience of psychological abuse and three different estimation methods were used. Furthermore, the relationship between being a victim and being a perpetrator of psychological abuse behaviours was calculated through the behavioural estimation method using a questionnaire. The results showed that the prevalence rates varied from 11.3% to 56.6%, depending on the estimation method, and they revealed that there was no correlation between receiving and enacting psychological abuse behaviours. The variation in prevalence rates highlights methodological differences that limit the extent to which comparisons can be made across studies. Three estimation methods are introduced to stimulate future research on this issue.     

The eIFL.net Initiative: Access and Management of Electronic Resources by Library Consortia in Developing and Transition Countries

eIFL.net is an umbrella organization of library consortia in fifty transition and developing countries. Its main purpose is to negotiate, encourage, and advocate for the wide availability of scholarly electronic information by library users from the education and research sectors, professional communities, governmental organizations, and civil society.The paper presents the beginnings, goals, and development of eIFL.net in its five years of existence. The authors outline what it has achieved so far and provide an overview of the main challenges that developing countries face in accessing quality e-resources. Some success stories will demonstrate concrete accomplishments of the organization and its participating countries.     

Evaluation and Treatment of Pathological Gambling

The aim of this article was to describe a model for evaluating and implementing cognitive-behavioral treatment for pathological gambling. The model takes into account the fact that pathological gamblers form a heterogeneous group with varied biopsychosocial characteristics.     

Ownership Structure,Corporate Value and Firm Investment: A Simultaneous Equations Analysis of Spanish Companies

This paper is concerned with the set of mutualrelationships between firm valuation andinvestment, and with the possible endogeneityof ownership structure. In order to deal withthem properly, we aim to test the mutual impactof investment, corporate value and ownership bybroadening the usual framework with asimultaneous equations approach. Using a sampleof 140 Spanish listed companies for the1991–1997 period, we have found that,consistent with previous research, thealignment and entrenchment hypotheses seem tobe confirmed by the estimation of aone-equation model. However, when analyzed bymeans of a system of simultaneous equations inwhich a set of mutual relationships isintroduced, quite different results wereobtained. Although valuation and investment offirms are determined by managerial ownership,we have found that ownership structure may alsobe influenced both by investment and value.Consequently, it is not completely right toinfer that ownership structure determines firmvalue unidirectionally; however the benchmarkshould be broadened so as to take an explicitaccount of the mutual links between firm value,investment and ownership.     

Beyond Assessment: Social Work Intervention in Family Court Enquiries

Most parents or carers who separate or divorce are able to makearrangements themselves about where their children will resideand how the children’s contact with the non-resident parentwill be managed. A further group of parents or carers are ableto come to agreement with the assistance of community- or court-baseddispute resolution/ mediation services. There are times, however,when disputes cannot be resolved without recourse to the courtsand, when this happens, the court will normally request thata welfare report be prepared by a CAFCASS (Children and FamilyCourt Advisory and Support Service) practitioner. While theboundary between assessment and intervention in social workis often less than clear, the commissioning of a court welfarereport in family proceedings strongly suggests an assessmentfocus and appears to carry little expectation that the practitionershould intervene in order to meet the needs of the childrenor adults involved. This article presents recent research findingsthat illustrate ways in which CAFCASS practitioners do go beyondthe assessment role expected of them in the course of the enquiriesthey undertake. Implications for policy and practice in thisarea of social work are then discussed.