Edge lifting and total domination in graphs

Let u and v be vertices of a graph G, such that the distance between u and v is two and x is a common neighbor of u and v. We define the edge lift of uv off x as the process of removing edges ux and vx while adding the edge uv to G. In this paper, we investigate the effect that edge lifting has on the total domination number of a graph. Among other results, we show that there are no trees for which every possible edge lift decreases the total domination number and that there are no trees for which every possible edge lift leaves the total domination number unchanged. Trees for which every possible edge lift increases the total domination number are characterized.     

Crowdfunding and Diaspora Philanthropy: An Integration of the Literature and Major Concepts

Crowdfunding and diaspora philanthropy are two emerging areas of research that are generating excitement in the field of philanthropic studies. However, little if any research examines the shared characteristics and advantages of these two phenomena, and if and how crowdfunding might serve to strengthen efforts in the practice of diaspora philanthropy. This article reviews relevant literature on crowdfunding and diaspora philanthropy, and then analyzes overlapping characteristics, strengths, and limitations of these practices. The article then considers the potential of crowdfunding to contribute toward diaspora philanthropy, giving particular attention to the contexts and challenges faced in philanthropy in the global South.     

Childbearing within Marriage and Consensual Union in Latin America, 1980–2010

This article compares the fertility patterns of women in consensual union and marriage in 13 Latin American countries, using census microdata from the four most recent census rounds and a methodological approach that combines the own‐children method and Poisson regression. Results show that in all these countries, fertility is slightly higher within consensual union than marriage and that the age pattern of fertility is very similar in marital and non‐marital unions. Further analyses show that over the period considered, childbearing within a consensual union has changed from rare to increasingly common, although not yet mainstream, for highly educated women in most countries examined. Results show that in Latin America, at least since the 1980s, women's childbearing patterns depend on their age and on their being in a conjugal relationship, but not on the legal nature of this relationship. The similarities in reproductive behavior between marital and non‐marital unions are not confined to the socially disadvantaged groups, but apply as well to the better off.     

Out in the country: rural sexual minority mothers

Rural and urban sexual minority mothers' parenting experiences related to sexual orientation were compared. Participants were 414 mothers in same-sex relationships with at least one child under the age of 18 years living in their home who was planned with their current partner. Rural mothers were more likely to be biological parents and not adoptive parents. Rural mothers reported higher rates of discrimination from strangers and people in service or helping professions. Although outness for rural and urban mothers did not differ, for children, classmates' parents and neighbors were less likely to know the family's status in rural areas. Rural and urban mothers did not differ on internalized homophobia, social support, or stigma consciousness. Clinical and policy implications are discussed.     

Construction of a Frailty Indicator with Partially Ordered Sets: A Multiple-Outcome Proposal Based on Administrative Healthcare Data

Social Indicators Research - Given the progressive aging of Italian and European populations, the number of cases with chronic diseases is steeply increasing. This calls for new strategies for...     

Sex Differences in Infants' Ability to Represent Complex Event Sequences

Prior research suggests that when very simple event sequences are used, 4.5‐month‐olds demonstrate the ability to individuate objects based on the continuity or disruption of their speed of motion (Wilcox & Schweinle, 2003). However, infants demonstrate their ability to individuate objects in an event‐monitoring task (i.e., infants must keep track of an ongoing event) at a younger age than in an event‐mapping task (i.e., infants must compare information from 2 different events). The research presented here built on these findings by examining infants' capacity to succeed on an event‐mapping task with a more complex event sequence to determine if the complexity of the event interferes with their ability to form summary representations of the event, and, in short, individuate the objects. Three experiments were conducted with infants 4.5 to 9.5 months of age. The results indicated that (a) increasing the complexity of the objects' trajectories adversely affected infants' performance on the task, and (b) boys were more likely to succeed than girls. These findings shed light on how representational capacities change during the first year of life and are discussed in terms of information processing and representational capabilities as well as neuro‐anatomical development.     

Reliability,Validity and Classification Accuracy of the South Oaks Gambling Screen in a Brazilian Sample

The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability, validity and classification accuracy of the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) in a sample of the Brazilian population. Participants in this study were drawn from three sources: 71 men and women from the general population interviewed at a metropolitan train station; 116 men and women encountered at a bingo venue; and 54 men and women undergoing treatment for gambling. The SOGS and a DSM-IV-based instrument were applied by trained researchers. The internal consistency of the SOGS was 0.75 according to the Cronbach’s alpha model, and construct validity was good. A significant difference among groups was demonstrated by ANOVA (F _(2.238) = 221.3, P < 0.001). The SOGS items and DSM-IV symptoms were highly correlated (r = 0.854, P < 0.01). The SOGS also presented satisfactory psychometric properties: sensitivity (100), specificity (74.7), positive predictive rate (60.7), negative predictive rate (100) and misclassification rate (0.18). However, a cut-off score of eight improved classification accuracy and reduced the rate of false positives: sensitivity (95.4), specificity (89.8), positive predictive rate (78.5), negative predictive rate (98) and misclassification rate (0.09). Thus, the SOGS was found to be reliable and valid in the Brazilian population.