bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the biomechanical interaction between the medical compression stocking and human calf using a highly anatomical fidelity three-dimensional finite element model
Authors: Lu Yongtao , Zhang Daxing , Cheng Liangliang , Yang Zhuoyue , Junyan Li
Published: December 2020

The beneficial effects of the medical compression stocking (MCS) in the treatment of venous disorders of the human lower limb have been recognized. However, the effectiveness of the MCS on the internal tissues of the lower limb has not been properly evaluated. The aim of the present study was to shed light on the mechanism of compression therapy using a highly anatomical fidelity three-dimensional finite element (FE) model. A FE calf model of a 40-year-old female was created from magnetic resonance images, in which the bones, the muscle groups, three veins (the great saphenous vein, medial peroneal vein and small saphenous vein), the subcutaneous tissues (fascia) and the skin were reconstructed. The model was validated using experimental data collected in-house, and then the influence of different levels of external compression and the biomechanical effect of the MCS under the pathological conditions were investigated. The results showed that the pressure at the skin–stocking interface was largely influenced by the external compression pressure with an increase of up to 54.98%, while the pressure was neither influenced by the impairment of the muscular tissues nor by the impairment of the calf veins, with the largest change of just 5.63%. The trans-mural pressure was increased more by the impairment of the calf veins than by the impairment of the muscular tissues. The volume reductions in the calf veins were not evenly distributed. The present study provides some guidance on compression therapy.
Explicit Writing Instruction in Synthesis: Combining In-Class Discussion and an Online Tutorial
Authors: Darowski Emily S. , Helder Elizabeth , Patson Nikole D.
Published: December 2020

Identifying effective and time-efficient approaches to teaching students how to write from scholarly sources benefits students and instructors. Students in a general psychology course learned a concrete method to improve this type of synthesis writing. The intervention was brief, consisting of viewing an online tutorial outside of class and spending a single class period on instructor-guided practice with writing samples. Students used this method to write literature reviews for a poster assignment debunking psychological myths. Compared to a previous semester that did not learn this concrete technique, students’ writing scored significantly higher on most measures of synthesis. This suggests that a short tutorial teaching a concrete application, paired with limited in-class instruction, can help improve this important aspect of writing.
Geochemistry and shale gas potential of the lower Permian marine-continental transitional shales in the Eastern Ordos Basin
Authors: Wei Jingyi , Wang Yongli , Wang Gen , Wei Zhifu , He Wei
Published: December 2020

Marine–continental transitional strata were widely developed in the Ordos Basin in Upper Carboniferous - Lower Permian. The Taiyuan - Shanxi Formation possesses promising shale gas exploration layers. Shale samples from two drilling wells of Shanxi-Taiyuan Formation in Shilou and Xixian, Ordos Basin, were investigated to study their carbon–sulfur contents and distribution characteristics of organic components using carbon/sulfur analyzer and gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy. Using results of total organic carbon analyses, Rock-Eval pyrolysis, X-ray diffraction analysis, shale gas desorption experiments, and other relevant experimental data, the shale samples were comprehensively analyzed. The exploitability of the shale in the study area was evaluated. The Shanxi-Taiyuan Shale in the Shilou and Xixian areas was characterized by high total organic carbon contents of 7.1% and 2.1% and high Tmax values of 499 and 505 °C, respectively. The organic matter of the shale is types II2 and III. Moreover, biomarker parameters including n-alkanes, Paq, Pwax, average carbon chain length, and the ternary diagram of C27-C28-C29 steranes show the organic matter constituted terrestrial higher plants and aquatic low biological algae. Multiple n-alkane parameters show the organic matter input in the Shilou area is mainly derived from terrestrial higher plants. The Pr/Ph value and trace element indicators show the deposition environment is dominated by weak oxidation–reduction conditions. A shale gas desorption experiment shows the average desorbed gas contents of the shale samples in the Shilou and Xixian areas were 1.79 and 0.37 m3/t, respectively. The organic matter content determined the differences in shale gas properties between the two areas in Ordos Basin. The composition and content of inorganic minerals affect the reservoir physical properties. According to the analyses, the shale in the Shilou area has good shale gas reservoir characteristics in terms of desorbed gas content and the above-mentioned geochemical parameters. Furthermore, the Shanxi shale has good potential for shale gas industrial exploitation.
Associations of serum uric acid level with diabetic retinopathy and albuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Hou Lin , Shi Yingzhou , Wang Sichao , Chen Qing , Li Qiu , Zhao Meng , Zhou Xinli
Published: December 2020

Objectives

To analyze the associations of serum uric acid (SUA) level with diabetic microvascular complications, including diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic nephropathy (DN), in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).

Methods

Three hundred eighty-nine inpatients with type 2 DM were included in this retrospective analysis. Nonmydriatic fundus cameras were used to identify DR. Urinary albumin creatinine ratio was used to identify DN. Patients were divided into four groups according to SUA quartiles.

Results

The prevalences of DR and albuminuria increased with increasing SUA level. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that, following adjustment for other risk factors, higher levels of SUA (Q3 and Q4) were associated with greater risk for DR, compared with the lower level (Q1) (odds ratio [OR]: 3.056, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.506–6.198; OR: 3.417, 95% CI: 1.635–7.139, respectively). Moreover, higher levels of SUA (Q2, Q3, and Q4) were associated with greater risk for albuminuria (OR: 2.418, 95% CI: 1.059–5.522; OR: 7.233, 95% CI: 3.145–16.635; and OR: 8.911, 95% CI: 3.755–21.147, respectively).

Conclusions

SUA level was independently associated with DR and albuminuria in patients with type 2 DM. Elevated SUA level might be predictive for the occurrence of DR and DN.
Theorising business model innovation: An integrated literature review
Authors: Loon Mark , Quan Xiaohong Iris
Published: December 2020

The aim of this article is to theorise the business model innovation (BMI) phenomenon as we explore why and how BMI occurs, specifically to answer the question, What are the mechanisms involved? We evaluate extant research by adapting the context-intervention-mechanism-output framework, and adopting a mechanism-based theory building approach for synthesising our findings. This study makes three contributions: first, we enrich epistemology by adopting a process view as we show that BMI is a series of interdependent mechanisms. Second, we identify six mechanisms unique to the phenomenon. Third, we offer a prescient outlook of BMI change as a metatheory.

JEL Classifications: M10, O30, O31, O39
Two Rājyas and a Dēvī: State Formation and Religious Processes in Central India (circa Fifth–Sixth Century ce)
Authors: Kumar Ashish
Published: December 2020

This article analyses the formation of state polities in central India, where according to Ashokan edicts, āṭavī tribes had been present in the third century bce. From several of these tribes, āṭavīka-rājās (forest kings) arose by the fourth century ce and the Gupta monarch Samudragupta reduced them to the position of servants. This article argues that the two ruling houses—the Parivrājaka and the Uchchakalpa—rose to power in the second half of the fifth century ce in eastern Madhya Pradesh from āṭavīka background and erected their state apparatus similar to that of their overlord Gupta rulers. In the epigraphs of the Parivrājaka rulers, Ḍāhala region, comprising much of eastern Madhya Pradesh with Tripur ī (near Jabalpur) as its centre, is mentioned as a part of their rājya. The Parivrājaka and the Uchchakalpa rājyas had common boundaries and the epigraphs indicate the presence of some territorial conflict between these two. The article proposes that both of these ruling houses, having being subordinated to the Guptas, made land grants to brahmanas and temples for the integration of their territories. The shrines of a local tribal goddess Piṣṭapurikādēvī received land grants from both the Parivrājaka and the Uchchakalpa rulers, and this paper argues that under the patronage of these same rulers, this goddess was absorbed into brahmanical pantheons as Lakṣmī—the consort of god Viṣṇu, due to the efforts of a non-brahmana individual, Chhōḍugōmika. The state formation, accompanied by cult assimilation in central India, therefore had been a complex and multilayered process.
China’s response to the 2014–2016 Ebola crisis: Enhancing Africa’s soft security under Sino-US competition
Authors: Cabestan Jean-Pierre
Published: December 2020

The 2014–16 Ebola crisis in West Africa was China’s very first opportunity to demonstrate its willingness and ability to play a meaningful role in addressing public health emergencies of international concern. China’s decision to participate in the international response to the outbreak was part of an ambition to enhance its contribution to Africa’s security in general and health security in particular and to exert more influence on global norms. The specific role played by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), especially its Academy of Military Medical Sciences, in Sierra Leone and Liberia is part of an ongoing effort to increase China’s involvement in international humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations. It was the first time that it sent medical military teams to set up and operate infectious disease hospitals overseas. This participation also underscores the PLA’s crucial role in fighting epidemics overseas as well as at home, as the current COVID-19 pandemic illustrates. The Ebola crisis enables us to explore aspects of the PLA’s overseas missions, some of which are humanitarian and others which generally enhance China’s influence as a great power in Africa and in the world in the context of a growing Sino-US strategic competition.
Dualism or solidarity? Conditions for union success in regulating precarious work
Authors: Carver Laura , Doellgast Virginia
Published: December 2020

This article summarizes and reviews research on union responses to precarious work in Europe, based on a systematic coding of 56 case study-based articles published between 2008 and 2019. Analyses of these cases suggest two paths to labour market dualism, with the first involving institutional fragmentation and union division, and the second a combination of weak structural power and partnership-oriented union identities. The authors also identify two paths to solidarity, with the result of reduced precarity for peripheral workers: a conflict-based path and a social partnership-based path. Campaigns to organize migrant workers present distinctive institutional and structural challenges to unions, with studies involving migrants most often finding ‘failed solidarity’, in which inclusive organizing fails to reduce precarity. The article integrates these findings with past frameworks on union responses to precarious work and concludes with recommendations for future research.
Knowledge about the nature of science increases public acceptance of science regardless of identity factors
Authors: Weisberg Deena Skolnick , Landrum Asheley R. , Hamilton Jesse , Weisberg Michael
Published: December 2020

While people’s views about science are related to identity factors (e.g. political orientation) and to knowledge of scientific theories, knowledge about how science works in general also plays an important role. To test this claim, we administered two detailed assessments about the practices of science to a demographically representative sample of the US public ( N = 1500), along with questions about the acceptance of evolution, climate change, and vaccines. Participants’ political and religious views predicted their acceptance of scientific claims, as in prior work. But a greater knowledge of the nature of science and a more mature view of how to mitigate scientific disagreements each related positively to acceptance. Importantly, the positive effect of scientific thinking on acceptance held regardless of participants’ political ideology or religiosity. Increased attention to developing people’s knowledge of how science works could thus help to combat resistance to scientific claims across the political and religious spectrum.
Effects of manual acupuncture and electroacupuncture for lateral epicondylalgia of musculoskeletal origin: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Navarro-Santana Marcos J , Sanchez-Infante Jorge , Gómez-Chiguano Guido F , Cummings Mike , Fernández-de-las-Peñas César , Plaza-Manzano Gustavo
Published: December 2020

Objective:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of acupuncture/electroacupuncture, alone or combined with other interventions, on pain intensity, pain-related disability, and strength in lateral epicondylalgia (LE) of musculoskeletal origin.

Databases and data treatment:

Electronic databases were searched for randomized clinical trials, where at least one group received acupuncture or electroacupuncture for LE of musculoskeletal origin. To be eligible, trials had to include humans and collect outcomes on pain intensity or pain-related disability in LE. Data were extracted by two reviewers. The risk of bias (RoB) of the trials was assessed using the Cochrane RoB tool, methodological quality was assessed with the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) score, and the level of evidence was summarized using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE). Standardized mean differences (SMDs) using random effects were calculated.

Results:

A total of 14 trials (10 acupuncture) were included. The meta-analysis found a moderate effect size of acupuncture (SMD = −0.66, 95% confidence interval (CI) = −1.22 to −0.10), but not electroacupuncture (SMD = −0.08, 95% CI = −0.99 to 0.83), in the reduction of elbow pain as compared to a comparative group. Acupuncture exhibited a significant moderate effect size (SMD = −0.51, 95% CI = −0.91 to −0.11) in the improvement of related-disability. Acupuncture (SMD = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.16 to 0.57), but not electroacupuncture (SMD = 0.34, 95% CI = −0.29 to 0.98), exhibited a significant but small effect size on strength. Most significant effects were in the short term. The RoB was low but the heterogeneity of trial results led to a downgrading of the GRADE evidence level.

Conclusion:

Low-level evidence suggests positive effects of acupuncture, but not electroacupuncture, for pain, related-disability, and strength, in LE of musculoskeletal origin, in the short term.
Does acupuncture combined with antidepressants have a better therapeutic effect on post-stroke depression? A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zhang Kun , Cui Guangwei , Gao Yuan , Shen Weidong
Published: December 2020

Objective:

To evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture combined with antidepressants in the treatment of post-stroke depression (PSD).

Methods:

The following electronic databases were systematically searched: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, Wanfang Data, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Chongqing VIP database. The primary outcome was the Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) score. Two independent investigators screened for eligible clinical trials. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to assess the methodological quality, and RevMan 5.3 was applied for meta-analysis.

Results:

Thirteen randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 904 participants were included in the study. The results of this meta-analysis showed that, compared with antidepressants alone, acupuncture combined with antidepressants led to a significant decrease in the HAMD score (mean difference (MD): −3.60, 95% confidence interval (CI): −4.25 to −2.95, P < 0.001), had a better effective rate (risk ratio (RR): 1.33, 95% CI 1.19 to 1.49, P < 0.001) and lower National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores (MD: −2.39, 95% CI: −3.37 to −1.41, P < 0.001), and led to a significant increase in the Barthel index scores (MD: 8.10, 95% CI: 5.25 to 10.94; P < 0.001).

Conclusions:

Acupuncture combined with antidepressants showed a more favourable effect on the treatment of PSD than antidepressants alone. However, given the limited methodological quality, more high-quality RCTs conducted based on the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) and Standards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture (STRICTA) guidelines are necessary.
Sacral electroacupuncture as a treatment for urge urinary incontinence: a prospective case series
Authors: Chen Shan , Wang Siyou , Xuan Lihua , Xu Fu , Lu Hanti , Lu Jing
Published: December 2020

Objective:

To examine the impact of electroacupuncture (EA) at the ‘four sacral points’ on urge urinary incontinence (UUI).

Methods:

Twenty-five patients diagnosed with UUI or urgency-predominant mixed urinary incontinence (MUI) were treated by EA at the ‘four sacral points’. EA was performed in the sacrococcygeal region using disposable sterile 0.40-mm-diameter acupuncture needles that were either 100 or 125 mm in length. Treatments were delivered once every other day. Before and after treatment, a questionnaire measuring symptom severity and quality of life associated with UUI was administered.

Results:

The median total score (interquartile range) from the severity of symptoms and the quality of life questionnaire (Q-score) of the participants was significantly reduced from 12 (7.5, 15) before treatment to 3 (0, 6) after 6 (6, 12) EA treatments. The Q-score of urgency-predominant MUI and UUI was 8 (5, 14.5) and 12.5 (11, 15), respectively, before treatment; after treatment these were reduced to 2 (0, 7.5) and 4.5 (2, 6), respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the Q-score between urgency-predominant MUI and UUI before and after treatment. Upon treatment completion, seven patients (28%) were ‘cured’ (improvement rate 100%). Treatments were considered ‘markedly effective’ (improvement rate 75% to <100%) in four patients (16%), ‘effective’ (improvement rate 50% to <75%) in eight patients (32%), ‘minimally effective’ (improvement rate 25% to <50%) in three patients (12%), and ‘ineffective’ (improvement rate <25%) in three patients (12%). The overall success rate (comprising ‘cured’, ‘markedly effective’ and ‘effective’ categories) was 76%, and no adverse effects associated with acupuncture treatment were reported.

Conclusion:

EA at the ‘four sacral points’ was associated with statistically significant improvements in UUI.
Validation of the Five-Factor Obsessive–Compulsive Inventory in a Mental Health Sample
Authors: Hall-Jones Miro , Liggett Jacqueline , Sellbom Martin
Published: December 2020

The Five-Factor Obsessive–Compulsive Inventory (FFOCI) is a recently developed measure of obsessive–compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) based on an established dimensional model of general personality, the five-factor model. The present study aimed to evaluate the construct validity of the FFOCI by examining its associations with both traditional and dimensional diagnostic models of OCPD. This study used an archival data set of mental health patients that employed a multimethod design. A total of 214 individuals (and their nominated informants) completed various personality inventories indexing the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders–Fifth edition traditional and Alternative Model of Personality Disorders (AMPD) diagnostic criteria for OCPD, as well as other individual AMPD personality traits deemed conceptually relevant to the FFOCI. The results were generally quite supportive of construct validity. They showed that FFOCI scale scores converged with traditional measures of OCPD and AMPD–OCPD traits and impairment in a conceptually expected manner, with a few exceptions. Overall, it was clear from these findings that the FFOCI takes a broader and more comprehensive approach to the assessment of obsessive–compulsive than traditional Diagnostic and Statistical Manual and AMPD operationalizations.
Application of scaled boundary finite element method for vibration-based structural health monitoring of breathing cracks
Authors: Sepehry Naserodin , Ehsani Mohammad , Zhu Weidong , Bakhtiari-Nejad Firooz
Published: December 2020

The dynamic response of the host structure to a high-frequency actuation is usually used for the detection of tiny damage in structures in the form of breathing crack. The simulation of the microcrack’s effect on the response is essential for several damage identification targets. The conventional finite element method suffers from very small mesh size requirements to address the high-frequency problems, resulting in very large mass and stiffness matrices. In this study, the scaled boundary finite element method was applied to model different schemes of structural health monitoring of a structure with breathing cracks based on high-frequency vibration. The scaled boundary finite element method discretizes only the boundary of the model and thus substantially reduces the size of structural matrices. The node-to-node contact strategy was introduced to the scaled boundary finite element method to capture the contact problem that occurs during the vibration of the breathing crack. As breathing crack vibration results in some nonlinear effects, the simulation of three phenomena was of interest: higher harmonic generation, frequency shift, and vibro-acoustic modulation. A shooting method was used for efficient time integration and description of the frequency response function in the nonlinear regime. According to the results, the scaled boundary finite element method is of great power, efficiency, and accuracy to treat the contact problems, especially in high-frequency regimes. Moreover, the nonlinear methods provide certain advantages over the linear techniques in the early detection of incipient damage.
Characterization of piezoelectric patch material with hysteresis, saturation, creep, and vibration nonlinearity effects and its application to the active vibration suppression for cantilever beam
Authors: Abdul Satar Mohd Hafiz , Murad Ahmad Firdaus , Ahmad Mazlan Ahmad Zhafran
Published: December 2020

This research work aims to investigate the presence of four nonlinear characteristics (i.e., hysteresis, saturation, creep, and uncertainty vibration) when a piezoelectric patch material acts as an actuator and sensor for the active vibration suppression of a cantilever beam. The parameters such as different operating frequencies and voltages are taken into account for the piezoelectric patch material characterization and the vibration before and after activation of a proportional–derivative–integral controller in an active vibration suppression system are measured. The effect of different proportional–derivative–integral controller tuning methods, frequency independent, and frequency dependency excitations are the three main contributions to evaluate the performance of active vibration suppression system. From the results, the piezoelectric actuator posed all the four nonlinearity effects while only three are observed in the sensor characteristics, and these effects increased significantly with the increase of operating frequencies and voltages. For the frequency-independent excitation of the active vibration suppression system, the vibration attenuation of the beam shows an improvement from low to higher excitation frequency, except at 500 Hz because of the saturation effect. In terms of controller performances, the proportional gain step-up method shows the best performance by scoring 3/5 of highest vibration attenuation percentages compared with manual and Ziegler–Nichols methods. For the frequency-dependent excitation, the effective frequency range for the active vibration suppression system is determined between 75 and 245 Hz with the highest vibration attenuation of 79.60% occurred at the second natural frequency of the beam.
Blinatumomab use in pediatric ALL: Taking a BiTE out of preparation, administration and toxicity challenges
Authors: Bernhardt Melanie B , Militano Olga , Honeyford Lisa , Zupanec Sue
Published: December 2020

Blinatumomab is the first in its class bispecific T-cell engager monoclonal antibody, which binds to CD19 expressed on B-cells and CD3 expressed on T-cells, resulting in lysis of CD19-positive cells common in B-cell malignancies. Blinatumomab is Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for the treatment of adults and children with relapsed/refractory or minimal residual disease (MRD) positive precursor B-cell ALL (B-ALL). Despite impressive efficacy for the approved indications and favorable toxicity profile compared to standard-of-care chemotherapy, blinatumomab presents unique health-system challenges related to preparation, administration, toxicity monitoring and medication error prevention. Blinatumomab delivery also offers plethora of opportunities for interdisciplinary planning and collaboration. The purpose of this paper is to discuss practical considerations for safe blinatumomab delivery from the pharmacy and nursing perspectives.
Choriocapillary vascular density changes in choroidal neovascularization associated with choroidal nevus after anti-VEGF injections
Authors: D’andrea Luca , Fossataro Federica , Cennamo Gilda
Published: December 2020

Purpose:

To evaluate choriocapillary vascular density changes in choroidal neovascularization (CNV) type 2 associated with choroidal nevus using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) before and after anti-VEGF treatment.

Methods:

Observational case report.

Results:

A 25-year-old woman, was referred to Eye Clinic and presented a decreased visual acuity in right eye. Fundus examination showed a pigmented lesion located in macular region associated with subretinal hemorrhages adjacent to the mass in right eye. The diagnosis of choroidal nevus-associated with CNV was made and confirmed by spectral domain (SD)-OCT, OCT-A, and ultrasound examination. Two monthly ranibizumab intravitreal injections (IVT) were performed and a regression of the activity of neovascular lesion was noted. OCT-A showed a reduction of choriocapillaris vessel density (VD) before the treatment and an increase of VD after IVT injections.

Conclusion:

OCT-A could be a non-invasive and diagnostic tool to evaluate choriocapillaris vascular changes after IVT injections in CNV associated with choroidal nevus.
Towards relational music teacher professionalism: Exploring intercultural competence through the experiences of two music teacher educators in Finland and Israel
Authors: Miettinen Laura
Published: December 2020

This study explores the complexities that are involved in the development of intercultural competence in music teacher education by examining the accounts of two music teacher educators from Finland and Israel who work extensively in culturally diverse contexts. A semi-structured interview method was used in conducting the interviews. Deardorff’s categorisation of the process model for intercultural competence was used as a starting point for the data analysis. The findings suggest that considering intercultural competence within a broader framework of relational professionalism would deepen the understanding of the essential aspects of intercultural music teaching and learning. Seen from this perspective, it is important to acknowledge and identify both the capabilities of music education professionals and the relational and contextual aspects of culturally diverse educational settings. Both hold lessons when striving for a meaningful intercultural educational relationship. The study suggests that in order to enhance the conceptual and experiential understanding of the development of intercultural competence within relational professionalism in music teacher education, music teacher educators could share and discuss their own experiences of teaching in intercultural contexts with their colleagues and students. This can in turn lead to enhanced intercultural competence. The increased self-reflection through sharing and discussion can also make the development of reflexivity possible.
Social work involvement in the COVID-19 response in China: Interdisciplinary remote networking
Authors: Yu Zhihong , Chen Qiqi , Zheng Guanghuai , Zhu Yuhong
Published: December 2020

Social workers in China have been involved significantly in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This article introduces the innovative interdisciplinary remote networking framework which both provides a guide for medical and community social workers’ involvement during the COVID-19 outbreaks, and also to support interdisciplinary collaboration with the aim of helping individuals and families in need during the pandemic.

Findings

The implementation of interdisciplinary remote networking, developed by Chinese social workers, has effectively addressed the different domains of need experienced by the affected population and has established a new approach for social work in the field of health. The framework also provides an effective model for setting up a targeted and sustained service system that links social workers with psychological and medical resources, which capitalize on social resources to buffer the negative impacts of the disease. Social workers play an essential role during such a public health emergency, providing critical services for patients and families, medical workers, self-quarantined residents, and the general population.

Applications

The service mode of interdisciplinary remote networking, based on the frontline experiences of social work interventions in China, may serve as a framework for combating COVID-19 in other countries. The framework is among the initiatives that provide transferrable skills to social work practitioners working in network-based social work services during public health emergencies. Thus, the framework presents implications for future practice development in both disaster social work and also public health social work.
Neuro-stuffed parenthood? Discursive constructions of good parenthood in relation to neuroDiscourse in Flemish social policy documents addressing parents: a case study
Authors: Leysen Joyce
Published: December 2020

Accounts focusing on the relation between conceptualisations of parenthood and neuroDiscourse are missing within educational philosophy. This lacuna forms the background of this paper, which reports on a case study on the level of social policy documents addressing parents of the Flemish governmental branch office Kind & Gezin (Child & Family). The case’s focus is a critical analysis of discursive constructions of parenthood, and the extent to which results of neuroscience, as they appear in the documents, exert a change in these discursive constructions of good parenthood. The study deploys critical metaphor analysis to explore the conceptualisations of parenthood that are metaphorically constructed, what these constructions convey about good parenthood, and how they relate to neuroDiscourse. The analysis, firstly, points at neuroDiscourse of parenthood being operational in the documents, but operating in a different manner than that described in the literature. Nevertheless, neuroDiscourse of parenthood exerts a narrowing effect on the way parenthood is conceptualised in parenthood Discourse. Secondly, the analysis exposes the assumption that parenthood advice is best grounded in scientific evidence, facilitating the further occurrence of parenting advice based on neuroscience. Thirdly, in relating Kind & Gezin’s mission of optimal preventive family support to neuroDiscourse of parenthood, the possibility of neuro-governance of parents arises.
Optical design of LED high mast lamp based on TIR freeform lens for annular lighting
Authors: Pan D , Zhang YC , Xie XF , Fan MJ , Chen YA , Yan SH , Yang SJ
Published: December 2020

The traditional square spot of street lamp is not suitable for the lighting requirements of the annular road lighting. In this paper, a lens design method for producing annular spot of high mast lamp is proposed. The method mainly contains three optical surfaces, in which the inner surface collimates the energy of the centre part of the light source, the total internal reflection surface collimates the light with large angle and low energy and the outer surface refracts all the collimated light to realise the annular illumination distribution on the target surface. In this design, we can change the diameter of the lighting spot through the variation of the inclination angle of the outer surface from 14° to 19° and the diameter of the spot changes from 10.2 m to 12.3 m at the distance of 30 m. The lighting requirements of high mast lighting are realised based on the TIR lens array, in which the average illuminance is more than 20 lx, the illuminance uniformity is more than 0.7 and the light optical utilisation factor is more than 90%.
Rapid prototyping method for 3D PDMS microfluidic devices using a red femtosecond laser
Authors: Saadat Mozafar , Taylor Marie , Hughes Arran , Hajiyavand Amir M
Published: December 2020

A rapid prototyping technique is demonstrated which uses a red femtosecond laser to produce a metallic mould which is then directly used for the replica moulding of PDMS. The manufacturing process can be completed in less than 6 h making it a viable technique for testing new designs quickly. The technique is validated by creating a microfluidic device with channels of height and depth of 300 µm, with a ramp test structure where the height and width of the channels reduces to 100 µm to demonstrate the techniques 3D capabilities. The resulting PDMS device was easily removed from the metallic mould and closely replicated the shape aside the expected shrinkage during thermal curing. As the technique uses a single replica process, the surface roughness at the base of the channels corresponds to the un-ablated polished metal mould, resulting in a very low surface roughness of 0.361 nm. The ablated metallic mould surface corresponds to the top of the PDMS device, which is bonded to glass and does not affect the flow within the channels, reducing the need for optimisation of laser parameters. Finally, the device is validated by demonstrating laminar flow with the no-slip condition.
‘Just the way my generation reads the news’: News consumption habits of youth in Turkey and the UK
Authors: Yanardağoğlu Eylem
Published: December 2020

Audiences’ media use and news consumption behaviour are constantly shifting. Some scholars note that the growing decline in youth’s news consumption raises concerns about the future of democracy in various media systems. This research explores the factors that influence college students’ news consumption behaviour in the United Kingdom and Turkey through an interpretative approach. The data are based on qualitative in-depth interviews with around 50 students studying in major universities in London and Istanbul. The findings show overarching common trends such as increased mobile news access, incidental exposure to news on social media, irregular snacking and verifying of news that drive youth’s news consumption behaviour. Findings also show that traditional media use for news has almost been replaced by online media and the modality of traditional media do not easily fit in with youth’s daily routine of studies, work and commute.
The subclinical hypothyroid state might predict 30-day readmission in patients admitted with acute heart failure syndrome and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction
Authors: Saad Muhammad , Lacoste Andrisael Garcia , Balar Pooja , Zhang Aiyi , Vittorio Timothy J.
Published: December 2020

Introduction:

Thyroid hormone (TH) has an essential role on the functional capability of cardiac muscle with its gene modulation and induction of vasodilatory effects. There is considerable evidence to suggest the role of TH in patients with acute coronary syndrome, but less is known about its prognostic role in heart failure (HF) patients. We aim to evaluate the association between subclinical hypothyroid state (SCHS) and event rates including 30-day all-cause and HF readmission in patients with an index hospitalization for acute HF syndrome (AHFS).

Methodology:

A retrospective chart review analysis of 2335 patients admitted with the diagnosis of AHFS between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2017 was conducted. SCHS was defined as thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level >4.50 mIU/L with a normal thyroxine (T4) level. Patients with pre-existing thyroid disease or receiving thyroid replacement therapy were excluded. HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) was defined as left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) >40% and HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) was defined as having LVEF ⩽40%. Percentage of 30-day, 3-month and 6-month all-cause readmission and mortality rates were calculated in both cohorts of AHFS (HFpEF and HFrEF) with and without SCHS.

Results:

The mean age of the 2335 AHFS population was 65 (±14.8) years. Of the 2335 patients admitted with AHFS, 1228 (52.6%) patients were found to have HFrEF and 1107 (47.4%) with HFpEF. There were 170 (7.3%) patients with AHFS found to have SCHS. There were more males than females (54% versus 46%). The percentage of hospital readmission within 30 days was higher for patients with SCHS compared with those without SCHS in the HFrEF group (42% versus 30%, p = 0.001). Hospital readmission within 30 days for patients with SCHS compared with those without SCHS in the HFpEF group did not differ (36.5% versus 31%, p = 0.47). Additionally, all-cause mortality was higher among patients with SCHS compared with patients without SCHS in the HFrEF group (18.7% versus 7.0%, p < 0.001). All-cause mortality was found similar in both arms of the HFpEF group (9.5% versus 7.7%, p = 0.73).

Conclusion:

During an index hospital admission for AHFS, SCHS was an independent predictor of readmission in 30 days in patients with HFrEF but not in patients with HFpEF. Additionally, it was related to adverse outcome such as all-cause mortality in HFrEF patients but not in HFpEF patients. Further studies regarding the concept of tissue thyroid and the potential for a therapeutic target are warranted.
In Their Words: What Undergraduate Sociology Students Say about Community-Engaged Learning
Authors: Berard Ashley , Ravelli Bruce
Published: December 2020

Community-engaged learning (CEL) is becoming increasingly popular across university and college campuses and sociology provides an ideal space for this type of learning to occur. While increased faculty workloads and the benefit of CEL for students are well documented, less is known about what individual students say about their CEL course experience. This paper provides a student perspective from an inaugural fourth-year sociology seminar course in CEL at the University of Victoria. The course gave students first-hand experience applying their sociological skills while reflecting on their positionality as students, peers, and researchers. Students cocreated and completed semester-long projects to aid their nonprofit community partners. To assess students’ experiences in the course, reflective journals were analyzed to explore what they said when they left the comfort of the classroom.
Functional Resistance Training to Improve Knee Strength and Function After Acute Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Case Study
Authors: Brown Scott R. , Washabaugh Edward P. , Dutt-Mazumder Aviroop , Wojtys Edward M. , Palmieri-Smith Riann M. , Krishnan Chandramouli
Published: December 2020

Background:

Thigh muscle weakness after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) can persist after returning to activity. While resistance training can improve muscle function, “nonfunctional” training methods are not optimal for inducing transfer of benefits to activities such as walking. Here, we tested the feasibility of a novel functional resistance training (FRT) approach to restore strength and function in an individual with ACLR.

Hypothesis:

FRT would improve knee strength and function after ACLR.

Study Design:

Case report.

Level of Evidence:

Level 5.

Methods:

A 15-year-old male patient volunteered for an 8-week intervention where he performed 30 minutes of treadmill walking, 3 times per week, while wearing a custom-designed knee brace that provided resistance to the thigh muscles of his ACLR leg. Thigh strength, gait mechanics, and corticospinal and spinal excitability were assessed before and immediately after the 8-week intervention. Voluntary muscle activation was evaluated immediately after the intervention.

Results:

Knee extensor and flexor strength increased in the ACLR leg from pre- to posttraining (130 to 225 N·m [+74%] and 44 to 88 N·m [+99%], respectively) and increases in between-limb extensor and flexor strength symmetry (45% to 92% [+74%] and 47% to 72% [+65%], respectively) were also noted. After the intervention, voluntary muscle activation in the ACLR leg was 72%, compared with the non-ACLR leg at 75%. Knee angle and moment during late stance phase decreased (ie, improved) in the ACLR leg and appeared more similar to the non-ACLR leg after FRT training (18° to 14° [−23.4] and 0.07 to −0.02 N·m·kg−1·m−1 [−122.8%], respectively). Corticospinal and spinal excitability in the ACLR leg decreased (3511 to 2511 [−28.5%] and 0.42 to 0.24 [−43.7%], respectively) from pre- to posttraining.

Conclusion:

A full 8 weeks of FRT that targeted both quadriceps and hamstring muscles lead to improvements in strength and gait, suggesting that FRT may constitute a promising and practical alternative to traditional methods of resistance training.

Clinical Relevance:

FRT may serve as a viable approach to improve knee strength and function after ACL reconstruction.
From soft power to sharp power: China’s media image in Hong Kong’s health crises from 2003 to 2020
Authors: Chan Chi Kit , Fung Anthony Ying Him
Published: December 2020

This article examines China’s media image in Hong Kong’s health crises of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in 2003 and the coronavirus disease-19 in 2020. Both diseases were allegedly transmitted from mainland China to Hong Kong, which triggered extensive media coverage and intensive debates over China’s role in epidemic control, reaction, and its trust in Hong Kong and the world. In 2003, China established a relatively positive and constructive media image in Hong Kong during the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome crisis, particularly when Chinese state leaders made themselves visible to the people. However, in the wake of coronavirus disease-19, media and public discourses have speculated about China’s failure to contain the pandemic, questioning China’s informational credibility. Theoretically, we argue that the comparison of China’s media image in Hong Kong during the health crises of severe acute respiratory syndrome and coronavirus disease-19 indicates that China’s international image has shifted from a soft power to a sharp power. While Hong Kong is under Chinese sovereignty as a Special Administrative Region of China and a global financial and business hub, its media discourses continue to indicate how overseas opinion perceives the rise of China and its performance as a global citizen. Our findings show that the scholarly dialogues on soft power and sharp power were manifested in the news frames of severe acute respiratory syndrome and coronavirus disease-19 in Hong Kong. We will conceptualize the shifting media image by revisiting the concepts of soft power, sharp power, and the international debate on the rise of China in recent decades.
Cerumen Impaction Removal in General Practices: A Comparison of Approved Standard Products
Authors: Meyer Fritz , Preuß Rebekka , Angelow Aniela , Chenot Jean-François , Meyer Elisabeth , Kiel Simone
Published: December 2020

Background

Ear irrigation is a commonly used method for removing earwax in general practice. There is no firm evidence if no pre-treatment is as good as pre-treatment with various standard preparations.

Aim

To assess the effectiveness of no pre-treatment compared to pre-treatment with commercially available cerumenolytics and to assess which preparation is best suited for pre-treatment.

Methods

This is a pragmatic observational study of patients with cerumen treated from a single GP with 3 different preparations or no preparation prior to standardized ear irrigation. Generalized linear mixed models with logit link function were performed to assess the effectiveness of pre-treatment with different preparations and no pre-treatment. The models were adjusted for age group (<70, ≥70) and sex.

Results

A total of 168 patients (298 ears, 58 % female, median age 65 years) consulted for obstructive cerumen, some of them several times. The cerumen was successfully removed in 70% (208/298). Comparing any preparation to no preparation (aggregated comparison), the odds ratio for complete clearance was 1.35 (95%confidence interval: 0.69-2.65). Comparing the preparations individually, the odds ratio of the docusate-sodium-based preparation was 1.87 (95% CI: 0.79-4.42) indicating a higher effectiveness. Although, not statistically significant. Ear irrigation was less successful for patients aged ≥ 70 years (OR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.23-0.98).

Conclusions

The aggregated comparison indicates a slight trend toward a higher effectiveness of any pre-treatment compared to no pre-treatment. The effect-size of docusate-sodium-based pre-treatment indicates a higher effectiveness of cerumen impaction removal. Nevertheless, superiority could not be shown conclusively according to the statistical significance given the restricted sample size.
Incidence and Risk Factors for Symptomatic Spinal Epidural Hematoma Following Posterior Thoracic Spinal Surgery in a Single Institute
Authors: Wang Longjie , Wang Hui , Sun Zhuoran , Chen Zhongqiang , Sun Chuiguo , Li Weishi
Published: December 2020

Study Design:

Case-control study.

Objectives:

To investigate the incidence of symptomatic spinal epidural hematoma (SSEH) and recognize its risk factors in a cohort of patients undergoing posterior thoracic surgery in isolation.

Methods:

From January 2010 to December 2019, patients who developed SSEH after posterior thoracic surgery and underwent hematoma evacuation were enrolled. For each SSEH patient, 2 or 3 controls who did not develop SSEH and underwent the same procedures with similar complexity at the same section of the thoracic spine in the same period were collected. The preoperative and intraoperative factors, blood pressure-related factors and radiographic parameters were collected to identify possible risk factors by comparing between the 2 groups.

Results:

A total of 24 of 1612 patients (1.49%) were identified as having SSEH after thoracic spinal surgery. Compared to the control group (53 patients), SSEH patients had significant differences in the APTT (p = 0.028), INR (p = 0.009), ratio of previous spinal surgery (p = 0.012), ratio of cerebrospinal fluid leakage (p = 0.004), thoracic kyphosis (p<0.05), local kyphosis angle (p<0.05), epidural fat ratio at T7 (p = 0.003), occupying ratio of the cross-sectional area (p<0.05) and spinal epidural venous plexus grade (p<0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed 3 risk factors for SSEH: cerebrospinal fluid leakage, the local kyphosis angle (>8.77°) and the occupying ratio of the cross-sectional area (>49.58%).

Conclusions:

The incidence of SSEH was 1.49% in posterior thoracic spinal surgeries. Large local kyphosis angle (>8.77°), high occupying ratio of cross-sectional area (>49.58%) and cerebrospinal fluid leakage were identified as risk factors for SSEH.