Introduction There is a need for innovation in both the enrollment of pregnant smokers in smoking cessation treatment programs and in the type of treatment programs offered. The study tests whether an interactive and intensive text messaging program, Quit4baby, can promote smoking cessation for pregnant women already enrolled in a health text messaging program, Text4baby. Methods Between July 2015 and February 2016, a total of 35,957 recruitment text messages were sent to Text4baby subscribers. Eligible pregnant smokers were enrolled and randomized to receive Text4baby (control) or Text4baby and Quit4baby (intervention; N=497). Participants were surveyed at 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months post-enrollment, and saliva samples were collected at 3 months for biochemical verification of smoking status. Data were collected from 2015 to 2016 and analyzed in 2016. Results Using an Intention-to-Treat analysis, 28.80% of the intervention group and 15.79% of control group reported not smoking in the past 7 days at 1 month (p<0.01), and 35.20% of the intervention group and 22.67% of the control group reported not smoking in the past 7 days at 3 months (p<0.01). Biochemical verification of smoking status at 3 months indicated no significant differences between groups (15.60% in the intervention group and 10.93% in the control group [p=0.13]), although significant differences favoring the intervention were found for older smokers (p<0.05) and for those who enrolled in their second or third trimester of pregnancy (p<0.05). Self-report of late pregnancy 7- and 30-day point prevalence abstinence favored the intervention group (p<0.001, p<0.01). No significant differences were observed at the 6-month follow-up or in the postpartum period. Conclusions Results provide limited support of the efficacy of the Quit4baby text messaging program in the short term and late in pregnancy, but not in the postpartum period.

Office rudeness is on the rise. Catcalls, disparaging remarks whispered behind closed doors, and raging e-mails are testaments to the fact that many of us are overworked and stressed out. While much has been written about violence in the workplace, it is often the small and subtle egregious acts, the little incivilities, that take the largest toll. Rudeness is at the low end of the continuum of workplace abuse; workplace rudeness isn't violence or harassment or even open conflict, although it can build up to any of those things. Links between the work environment and indicators of employee loyalty, commitment, and productivity show this is not a “fluff” issue. In addition, a recent study on workplace incivility reveals that rude employees and managers can cost a company millions of dollars a year. This paper will give some background on rudeness at work, identify the kinds and causes of poor behavior, enumerate the costs to organizations, and discuss what employers can do to reduce rudeness at work.

Obnoxious behaviour has become endemic in the workplace. Some of the worst offences are: not turning off mobile phones in meetings; leaving a jammed printer, gossiping, and snapping at coworkers. Yet, it is this small stuff that relentlessly grinds down collegial working relationships. Incivility is at the low end of the continuum of workplace abuse. Workplace incivility is not violence or harassment or even open conflict, although it can build up to any of those things. Links between the work environment and indicators of employee loyalty, commitment, and productivity show this is not a “fluff” issue. In addition, a recent study on workplace incivility reveals that rude employees and managers can cost a company millions of dollars a year. This paper will look at a definition of incivility in the workplace, the causes of poor behaviour, the costs to organizations, and what employers can do to help.

Text4baby is the first free national health text messaging service in the United States that aims to provide timely information to pregnant women and new mothers to help them improve their health and the health of their babies. Here we describe the development of the text messages and the large public-private partnership that led to the national launch of the service in 2010. Promotion at the local, state, and national levels produced rapid uptake across the United States. More than 320,000 people enrolled with text4baby between February 2010 and March 2012. Further evaluations of the effectiveness of the service are ongoing; however, important lessons can be learned from its development and uptake.

Virtual reality, virtual space, virtual organizations, virtual teams; the word``virtual'' is today's organizational buzzword. One of the fastest-growing, high-tech office trends today is``virtual teams''. These teams cross time, space, and cultural boundaries and do so effectively with the use of technology. This paper will look at the changing nature of work, give a definition of virtual teams, discuss the qualities needed for successful virtual team membership, and view the communication challenges existing for virtual teams in the twenty-first century.