bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perceived Characteristics of Life Events—Short-Term Changes in Prosociality and Empathy?
Authors: Fassbender Ina , Haehner Peter , Buecker Susanne , Luhmann Maike
Published: July 2021

Post-traumatic growth can be understood as positive change in desirable personality traits after adverse life events. However, recent research questioned whether adversity is a relevant, necessary, and sufficient condition for change in desirable personality traits. Using five-wave longitudinal data, this study explored changes in the desirable personality traits prosociality and empathy before and after life events. We included all life events participants had experienced between the second and third assessment, that is, adverse, ambiguous, and positive events. Participants rated their life events on the Event Characteristics Questionnaire which assesses the individual perception of life events on nine continuous dimensions: challenge, emotional significance, extraordinariness, external control, impact, valence, social status change, predictability, and change in world views. We used multilevel growth curve models to explore changes in prosociality and empathy as a function of these event characteristics. Prosociality and empathy remained stable in the assessment period of 6 to 9 months after the reported life event, independently of whether the event had been perceived as adverse or not. We discuss our findings with respect to the inclusion of positive and ambiguous events as predictors of personality change and with respect to its theoretical implications for post-traumatic growth and personality development more broadly.
Predicting Question Difficulty in Web Surveys: A Machine Learning Approach Based on Mouse Movement Features
Authors: Fernández-Fontelo Amanda , Kieslich Pascal J. , Henninger Felix , Kreuter Frauke , Greven Sonja
Published: July 2021

Survey research aims to collect robust and reliable data from respondents. However, despite researchers’ efforts in designing questionnaires, survey instruments may be imperfect, and question structure not as clear as could be, thus creating a burden for respondents. If it were possible to detect such problems, this knowledge could be used to predict problems in a questionnaire during pretesting, inform real-time interventions through responsive questionnaire design, or to indicate and correct measurement error after the fact. Previous research has used paradata, specifically response times, to detect difficulties and help improve user experience and data quality. Today, richer data sources are available, for example, movements respondents make with their mouse, as an additional detailed indicator for the respondent–survey interaction. This article uses machine learning techniques to explore the predictive value of mouse-tracking data regarding a question’s difficulty. We use data from a survey on respondents’ employment history and demographic information, in which we experimentally manipulate the difficulty of several questions. Using measures derived from mouse movements, we predict whether respondents have answered the easy or difficult version of a question, using and comparing several state-of-the-art supervised learning methods. We have also developed a personalization method that adjusts for respondents’ baseline mouse behavior and evaluate its performance. For all three manipulated survey questions, we find that including the full set of mouse movement measures and accounting for individual differences in these measures improve prediction performance over response-time-only models.
Reinforcing Criticisms of Civil Resistance: A Response to Onken, Shemia-Goeke, and Martin
Authors: Anisin Alexei
Published: July 2021

This article reinforces the criticisms I cast on civil resistance literature in my study “Debunking the Myths Behind Nonviolent Civil Resistance” through addressing issues on how scholars code violence, unarmed violence, and nonviolence. It justifies studying unarmed violence as a sole category and explicates the pathways through which unarmed violence can lead oppositional campaigns toward success. In responding to Onken, Shemia-Goeke, and Martin, the article demonstrates that the dichotomization of nonviolence and violence is not premised on analytical equivalency and should be avoided if the study of resistance strategies is to progress onward and step away from the literature's intrinsic ideological bias. There is nothing idealistic about seeking to improve how we operationalize concepts to study resistance strategies, but if scholars in the civil resistance literature fail to move away from universalistic assumptions about nonviolence and social change, they will continue to misinterpret historical processes and produce policy suggestions that are neo-colonial in nature.
Place Attachment and Alienation from Place: Cultural Displacement in Gentrifying Ethnic Enclaves
Authors: Tuttle Steven
Published: July 2021

Commercial gentrification often accompanies residential gentrification. Both processes contribute to the real or perceived threat of displacement for longtime residents of ethnic enclaves experiencing gentrification. Cultural displacement is a related concern among residents who may experience a declining sense of ownership, control, or belonging as newer residents and commercial establishments move into their communities. Yet, other longtime residents experience an increased sense of safety as their neighborhoods gentrify and they may appreciate the new amenities gentrification brings. I highlight the symbolic significance of local businesses in gentrifying neighborhoods and identify two different patterns of longtime residents experiencing their communities as something alien to them—a phenomenon I call alienation from place. Alienation from place may be a product of social and cultural displacement or may be alleviated by changes to a neighborhood accompanying gentrification processes, a posteriori alienation from place and a priori alienation from place, respectively.
On the origins of the concept of ‘latent schizophrenia’ in Russian psychiatry
Authors: Engmann Birk
Published: July 2021

In the mid-twentieth century in the Soviet Union, latent schizophrenia became an important concept and a matter of research and also of punitive psychiatry. This article investigates precursor concepts in early Russian psychiatry of the nineteenth century, and examines whether – as claimed in recent literature – Russian and Soviet research on latent schizophrenia was mainly influenced by the work of Eugen Bleuler.
Book review: Reena Marwah, Reimagining India–Thailand Relations: A Multilateral and Bilateral Perspective
Authors: Yasmin Lailufar
Published: July 2021

Reena Marwah, Reimagining India–Thailand Relations: A Multilateral and Bilateral Perspective. Singapore: WSPC, 2020, pp. 318, ISBN: 978-981-121-203-1 (hardcover) USD 108.00 & ISBN: 978-981-121-205-5 (ebook) USD 86.00.
Study on long-term uniaxial compression creep mechanical behavior of rocksalt-mudstone combined body
Authors: Lyu Cheng , Liu Jianfeng , Ren Yi , Liang Chao , Zhang Qiangxing
Published: July 2021

Rocksalt and mudstone are usually under common stress in salt storage caverns, resulting in different mechanical properties from pure rocksalt and mudstone. To accurately obtain the creep mechanical characteristics of rocksalt-mudstone combined body, we have made three different combinations. The long-term creep experiment of bedded rocks can more closely reflect the long-term mechanical behavior of surrounding rock of salt storage caverns. The experimental results indicated that the long-term creep curve of the combined body includes initial and steady creep stages, and even includes accelerated creep stage. The strain of mudstone layer in the combined body was lower than that of rocksalt because of the higher strength. With the increase of the height ratio of mudstone, the creep strain of the combined body and each rock layer decreased, but the creep rate increased. A new nonlinear creep-damage constitutive model was proposed, which can well describe the creep evolution characteristics of the experiment. Compared with the fitting curves of classical Burgers and Nishihara creep constitutive models, it is revealed that the proposed model is most consistent with the experimental data. The duration of the long-term creep experiment under lower stress has a highly significant effect on the accuracy of predicting rock creep results. This research will contribute to a deeper understanding of the long-term creep characteristics of bedded rocks in salt storage caverns.
Failure mechanism of Ω-shape 3D orthogonal woven composite component under transverse low-velocity impact and subsequent axial compression load
Authors: Pan Zhongxiang , Wang Mingling , Ying Zhiping , Cheng Xiaoying , Wu Zhenyu
Published: July 2021

Failure mechanism of complex profile component is always different from that of conventional plate counterpart due to the coupling effect of material and structure. In this work, the low-velocity impact (LVI) and compression after impact (CAI) behaviors of Ω-shape hybrid carbon/Kevlar 3 D orthogonal woven (3DOW) composite made for vehicle B-pillar were comprehensively studied by mechanical tests and mesoscale finite element (FE) analysis at component level, high-speed infrared (IR) thermal imaging, acoustic emission (AE) detection, and microscopic damage morphology characterization. It is found that a through-thickness stress concentration ring leads to high stress state and damage zone penetrating from the impact side to non-impact side along the ring path instead of at the lowest impactor position. The slope effect can not only help the stress conduction downward, but also inhibit the damage propagation from the impact side to the slope. Impact-induced cracks are concentrated around the R corners and extended along the axial direction of the specimen, forming the strip-shaped damage concentration zone along the upper eave of the slope. The Progressive Top-Down Crushing (PTDC) mode of compression after impact is due to the complex deformation process of each yarn such as squeezing, folding and eversion in the crushing process from the top of specimen. And the Middle Indentation Fracture (MIF) mode is the result of bending instability and abrupt fracture. This work presents a reference significance for the further development of composite strengthening components in vehicle bodywork.
Investigating the Impact of Different Religions on Corporate Social Responsibility Practices: A Cross-National Evidence
Authors: Rodríguez-Domínguez Luis , Gallego-Alvarez Isabel
Published: July 2021

The growing interest in the impact that organizations have on society has made Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) a matter of extraordinary relevance. Religions are among the factors that may drive the adoption of more CSR practices and, as such, may play a significant role in their promotion. The aim here is to discover whether religions contribute to the development of a broader range of CSR initiatives on the basis of Stakeholder, and Legitimacy theories. We studied the impact of different religions on an index made up of 122 CSR practices that include social and environmental issues. We tested the hypothesis proposed through panel data models for a sample composed of 13,884 firm-year observations from 30 countries. Our findings suggest that certain religions, such as Christianity, Judaism, and Buddhism, have a positive influence on the adoption of CSR practices. Companies operating in countries with a high percentage of adherents to these religions are more prone to undertake CSR activities. However, Islam, Hinduism, and Folk religions record an inverse trend that evidences a negative link.

JEL codes: M14, M16
Dynamic modeling and simulation of a flexible-rotor ball bearing system
Authors: Liu Jing , Tang Changke , Pan Guang
Published: July 2021

This work proposes a comprehensive numerical dynamic model of a flexible-rotor bearing system based on the Hertzian and cubic polynomial nonlinear contact force methods. The model can consider the influences of the nonlinear bearing contact forces and unbalanced force caused by the rotor offset. The displacements and spectrums of the flexible-rotor bearing system from the Hertzian and cubic polynomial nonlinear contact force methods are discussed. The influences of the radial clearance, eccentricity, mass, and deformation of the rotor on the frequency–amplitude characteristics of the flexible-rotor bearing system considering a large speed range are analyzed. The results show that the dynamic and vibration characteristics of the flexible-rotor bearing system from the Hertzian and cubic polynomial nonlinear contact force methods are different. The differences of the frequency–amplitude characteristics between the flexible- and rigid-rotor bearing system are small in a lower speed stage; however, their differences are very large in a higher speed stage. This method can be applied to the nonlinear dynamic modeling and simulation of the flexible-rotor bearing system, which can predict the dynamics and prevent the system failures during the design processing of rotor system.
Excavator driver seat occupational comfort assessment with Lumbar Support Cushion
Authors: Ramar Kaviraj , Kumaraswamidhas LA
Published: July 2021

The operators of excavators often suffer from dreadful Whole-Body Vibration. Besides, the operators are subject to postural instability which is considered to be a serious occupational health hazard. The main objective of this study is to investigate the role of Lumbar Support Cushion in mitigation of Whole-Body Vibration and postural instability under three different operating conditions such as Front-Manipulator Motion, Swing Motion and Propel-Drive Motion. The obtained Vibration Dose Value reveals a significant difference between the operation cycle ( p < 0.001). Moreover, across the operation cycle with Lumbar Support Cushion a significant decrease in Vibration Dose Value (8) is observed on the operator seat-pan and backrest ( p < 0.05). Further, the effect of Whole-Body Vibration on physiological stress factors, a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure by 1.26%, pulse rate by 2.75% and Rate Pressure Product by 4%, is observed with the use of Lumbar Support Cushion ( p < 0.05) during the operation. The Lumbar Support Cushion helps in promoting a symmetric seating posture, and using Lumbar Support Cushion could help the excavator operator to increase in productivity during shift hour.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Local Primary Care Incentive Scheme: A Difference-in-Differences Study
Authors: Khedmati Morasae Esmaeil , Rose Tanith C. , Gabbay Mark , Buckels Laura , Morris Colette , Poll Sharon , Goodall Mark , Barnett Rob , Barr Ben
Published: July 2021

National financial incentive schemes for improving the quality of primary care have come under criticism in the United Kingdom, leading to calls for localized alternatives. This study investigated whether a local general practice incentive-based quality improvement scheme launched in 2011 in a city in the North West of England was associated with a reduction in all-cause emergency hospital admissions. Difference-in-differences analysis was used to compare the change in emergency admission rates in the intervention city, to the change in a matched comparison population. Emergency admissions rates fell by 19 per 1,000 people in the years following the intervention (95% confidence interval [17, 21]) in the intervention city, relative to the comparison population. This effect was greater among more disadvantaged populations, narrowing socioeconomic inequalities in emergency admissions. The findings suggest that similar approaches could be an effective component of strategies to reduce unplanned hospital admissions elsewhere.
Long-term efficacy and safety of imiquimod 5% and fluorouracil 1% creams in medical monotherapy of complex eyelid basal cell carcinomas
Authors: Singh Manpreet , Mehta Grewal Aditi , Singh Himanshi , Sharma Manjula , Kaur Manpreet , Gupta Pankaj , Zadeng Zoramthara
Published: July 2021

Purpose:

To study the long-term efficacy and safety of local application of imiquimod 5% and fluorouracil 1% creams in complex eyelid basal cell carcinomas (BCCs).

Methods:

A retrospective, non-comparative study in biopsy-proven, complex (involving canthi or >50% of eyelid length) eyelid BCC patients who were medically unfit for surgical procedures. All patients were medically treated with either of the creams using fixed-dose regimens for a minimum of 3 months. All received oral vitamin C 500 mg QID for 3 months as an adjunct for collagen healing. A minimum of “post-treatment” follow-up of 12 months was observed.

Results:

Of total 30 patients, imiquimod 5% and fluorouracil 1% were used in 16 and 14 patients, respectively. The mean age of our patients was 70.5 years. The co-morbidities included – severe coronary artery disease using blood-thinners ( n = 19), poorly controlled diabetes ( n = 12), poorly controlled hypertension ( n = 6), on nebulization ( n = 3), and tuberculosis with pulmonary fibrosis ( n = 2). Complete clinical tumor resolution was noted in 10 and 8 patients over 12 and 16.5 weeks, respectively, in imiquimod and fluorouracil groups. Periocular skin erythema, chemical conjunctivitis, and skin depigmentation were seen in all the patients of imiquimod group. On the other hand, the local side-effect profile in fluorouracil patients was limited.

Conclusion:

The medical treatment of complex eyelid BCC is a useful alternative to surgery in the elderly with significant co-morbidities. It provides a promising long-term relief with a tolerable side-effect profile. A prospective, randomized, double-blinded trial would provide stronger evidence for the efficacy of these drugs.
Gender uncoupled: Asexual people making sense of high school sex talk
Authors: Yang Yuchen
Published: July 2021

Sociologists have documented sex talk as a crucial mechanism in the reproduction of heteronormativity in schools. In this highly sexualized context, how did asexual people make sense of sex talk? Drawing upon 21 retrospective interviews with asexual adults (between 18 and 31 years of age), I examined their accounts of sex talk in high school. Contrary to expectation, most of my respondents did not link sex talk to issues of masculinity/femininity, but instead framed it as about discovery of asexual identity, friendship, immaturity and inappropriate conduct, and/or simply meaningless noise. I suggest that the diverse range of gender ideologies and abundance of gender-coded symbols in our society enabled many respondents to assert asexuality-compatible femininities/masculinities, foreclose potential gender dilemmas, and retain a sense of security in their gender subjectivity. While the diverse narratives of sex talk encounters remind sociologists to appreciate asexual people’s heterogenous experiences, the possibility of subjectively degendering sex talk and desexualizing gender challenges sociologists to adopt a multidimensional approach to understand gendered sexuality.
Book review: Potts, Deborah. 2020: Broken Cities: Inside the Global Housing Crisis
Authors: Luger Jason
Published: July 2021

Potts, Deborah. 2020: Broken Cities: Inside the Global Housing Crisis. Zed Press. 319 pp. £70.00 hardcover, £18.99 paperback. ISBN: 1786990547.
Book review: Spriggs, J., Chambers, B. and Kayrooz. C. 2019: Towards Collaborative Research in International Development: The Central Role of Social Science
Authors: Okali Christine
Published: July 2021

Spriggs, J., Chambers, B. and Kayrooz. C. 2019: Towards Collaborative Research in International Development: The Central Role of Social Science. Edward Elgar Publishing. 244 pp. £75. ISBN: 978 1 78990 368 3 (hardcover).
Factors Influencing Choices for Early Marriage in Urban Informal Settlements of Bangladesh
Authors: Azmi Raia , Chowdhury Md Uzzal , Sara Hasna Hena , Biswas Subas Chandra , Ahsan Sairana , Mowri Syeda Seama , Sultana Rafia , Hasan Tanvir , Rashid Sabina Faiz
Published: July 2021

This study explores factors that shape parents’ decisions as to whether or not to arrange an early marriage of a girl child in the context of urban informal settlements in Bangladesh. The article draws on data from a larger mixed methods study conducted in two informal urban settlements of Bangladesh, and the analysis was guided by the theory of social exchange. The study found the following factors leading to early marriage: endemic poverty, high dowry costs for older girls, parents’ lack of wider social networks, adolescents dropping out of school, crime and insecurity, love affairs between adolescents and community pressure. Collaboration between government and non-government programmes to improve education, implementation of supportive laws, and greater formal economic opportunities for residents, including adolescents, in urban informal settlements, are critical to prevent early marriage in these environments.
Impact of COVID-19: A Text Mining Analysis of Twitter Data in Spanish Language
Authors: Osakwe Zainab Toteh , Cortés Yamnia I.
Published: July 2021

Background:

Latino communities in the United States and Latin America are disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We analyzed information shared on Twitter in Spanish language for insights into the public’s communication and information needs about the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods:

We performed a mixed-methods analysis using a text mining approach. We used SAS Text Miner, an algorithmic-driven statistical program to capture 10,000 tweets posted between June 3, 2020, and June 10, 2020. We used the following search terms to capture relevant Twitter messages in Spanish language: “coronavirus,” “covid-19,” “corona,” and the hash tags “#COVID19” and “#Coronavirus.” Key text topics were identified and categorized into themes using an emergent content analysis.

Results:

We identified 12 text topics and six themes: (1) prevention measures, (2) epidemiology/surveillance, (3) economic impact, (4) optimizing nursing workforce, (5) access to reliable information, and (6) call for a response from the local government. Top trending hashtags from our search included #COVID19 ( n = 7,098), #Coronavirus ( n = 6,394), and #SNTESALUD ( n = 2,598).

Conclusions:

Spanish-language Tweets related to the COVID-19 pandemic contained information from health departments and labor unions on the surveillance, prevention, and impact of COVID-19. Public health officials should consider increasing their use of Twitter to ensure a wide dissemination of messages about COVID-19 in Spanish outlets.
Treatment of acute distal biceps tendon ruptures – A survey of the British Elbow and Shoulder Society surgical membership
Authors: Baldwin MJ , Watts AC , Peach CA , Phadnis J , Singh H , Gwilym SE
Published: July 2021

Background

Acute distal biceps tendon ruptures result in weakness and deformity. While in other jurisdictions the rate of surgical repair has outpaced rises in incidence, UK practice for distal biceps tendon ruptures is unknown. The aim of this survey was to characterise current UK clinical practice.

Methods

An online survey was sent to the surgeon members of the British Elbow and Shoulder Society. Questions covered respondent demographics, clinical decision making, surgical experience and willingness to be involved in future research.

Results

A total of 242 surgeons responded; 99% undertook acute distal biceps tendon repairs with 83% repairing at least half of all distal biceps tendon ruptures, and 84% of surgeons would have their own, hypothetical, acute distal biceps tendon rupture repaired in their dominant arm and 67% for their non-dominant arm. Patient age, occupation and restoration of strength were the commonest factors underpinning a recommendation of surgical fixation. Most surgeons (87%) supported a national trial to study operative and non-operative treatments.

Conclusions

UK upper limb surgeons currently advise surgical repair of acute distal biceps tendon ruptures for the majority of their patients. This is despite a paucity of evidence to support improved outcomes following surgical, rather than non-operative, management. There is a clear need for robust clinical evaluation in this area.
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) Patient Room Design: Identifying Safety Risks in Mirrored Rooms Through a Graphical Systems Analysis
Authors: Joseph Anjali , Joshi Rutali , Mihandoust Sahar , Goel Swati , Hebbar Kiran , Colman Nora
Published: July 2021

Objective:

The objectives of this study are to graphically depict specific clinical challenges encountered in a mirrored pediatric intensive care unit patient room and to represent potential solutions to address these challenges using a systems approach.

Background:

The intensive care unit (ICU) patient room is a highly complex patient care environment where the design of the room must support patient care delivery safely and efficiently. There is a lack of research examining how ICU design elements interact with other system components to impact patient care.

Methods:

An observational case study method utilizing a systems approach was used to observe and graphically depict clinical challenges with mirrored room configurations and to identify potential solutions. Video recordings of the three clinical scenarios were analyzed in detail in conjunction with three rounds of interviews with a clinical expert.

Results:

Equipment or task characteristics that require orienting to a specific side of a patient create challenges in a mirrored room. In order to deliver care safely and efficiently in the mirrored room, adaptations would be required including changing boom, equipment and team member locations, purchasing new equipment, staff training, and inventory management. Some procedures such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation would be difficult to conduct safely in the mirrored room, even with significant adaptations.

Conclusion:

Solutions to the challenges presented in mirrored room configurations are multifaceted and require simultaneous and ongoing changes to multiple systems elements, while others can be addressed relatively easily, for example, purchasing new equipment.
Future of Nursing 2030: The Future Is Bright for School Nursing
Authors: Maughan Erin D. , Bergren Martha Dewey
Published: July 2021

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recently released The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a path to achieve health equity. The 2021 report emphasized the role of nursing in addressing social determinants of health and inequities, as well as the need for nurses at all levels to work to their full scope of practice. The report harmonizes with the scope of practice outlined in the National Association of School Nurses’ Framework for 21st Century School Nursing Practice. This article outlines how frontline school nurses, state affiliates, and school nurse leaders will adopt the recommendations in their practice and in the schools and communities they serve.
microRNA-129-5p shuttled by mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles alleviates intervertebral disc degeneration via blockade of LRG1-mediated p38 MAPK activation
Authors: Cui Shaoqian , Zhang Lei
Published: July 2021

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been reported to deliver exogenous microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) to reduce the progression of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). The purpose of the current study was to investigate the therapeutic potential of MSC-derived EVs delivering miR-129-5p in IDD. First, miR-129-5p expression levels were quantified in nucleus pulposus (NP) tissues of IDD patients. An IL-1β-induced NP cell model with IDD was then established, and co-cultured with EVs derived from MSCs that had been transfected with miR-129-5p mimic or inhibitor to elucidate the effects of miR-129-5p on cell viability, apoptosis, and ECM degradation. In addition, RAW264.7 cells were treated with the conditioned medium (CM) of NP cells. Next, the expression patterns of polarization markers and those of inflammatory factors in macrophages were detected using flow cytometry and ELISA, respectively. Lastly, rat models of IDD were established to validate the in vitro findings. It was found that miR-129-5p was poorly-expressed in NP tissues following IDD. Delivery of miR-129-5p to NP cells by MSC-derived EVs brought about a decrease in NP cell apoptosis, ECM degradation and M1 polarization of macrophages. Moreover, miR-129-5p directly-targeted LRG1, which subsequently promoted the activation of p38 MAPK signaling pathway, thus polarizing macrophages toward the M1 phenotype. Furthermore, MSC-derived EVs transferring miR-129-5p relieved IDD via inhibition of the LRG1/p38 MAPK signaling in vivo. Altogether, our findings indicated that MSC-derived EVs carrying miR-129-5p confer protection against IDD by targeting LRG1 and suppressing the p38 MAPK signaling pathway, offering a novel theranostic marker in IDD.
How to Fit In? Acculturation and Risk of Overweight and Obesity. Experiences of Australian Immigrant Mothers From South Asia and Their 8- to 11-Year-Old Children
Authors: Zulfiqar Tehzeeb , Strazdins Lyndall , Banwell Cathy
Published: July 2021

This study of 14 Australian immigrant mothers from Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan and their 12 children aged 8 to 11 years aims to explore the interplay of cultural and social processes that might elevate the risk of obesity. Mothers and their children were asked in semi-structured, face-to-face interviews about changes in their diet and physical activities after immigration to Australia. Thematic analysis of these interviews showed a transformation in immigrant families’ diets and physical activities as they transitioned from their traditional lifestyles to an Australian pattern. Both mothers and their children recognized the problem—and causes—of obesity. However, different frames of reference—origin countries for mothers and Australian peers for children—resulted in generational disjuncture about healthy bodyweight and the strategies to achieve it. Mothers’ cultural values and high social status associated with overweight and obesity in origin countries led them to struggle to adapt to new health behaviors in Australia. In contrast, their children preferred to eat Australian foods and have high physical activities to fit in with their Australian peers. Children with higher body weights were commonly ridiculed and were unpopular among their peers. Our findings reveal that the social status of food and physical activity reflects cultural meanings from both origin and host countries, creating contradictions and tensions for immigrants that public health campaigns will need to help them navigate.
An Exploration of Motivations for Women Mine Workers to Work Underground
Authors: Ledwaba Sally , Nkomo Thobeka S.
Published: July 2021

Women have previously been discouraged from pursuing careers in the mining industry given the intense nature of the work in the field and societal norms. However, with the attainment of democracy in South Africa, new legislative frameworks were introduced which advocated for women to not be discriminated against working underground. This article, therefore, focused on exploring the motivations of 10 underground woman mine workers to pursue careers in the mining industry despite the masculine work culture which is deemed exclusionary to women. The article used semi-structured interviews to collect data. Data collected from participants were analyzed using thematic analysis, in conjunction with the literature reviewed. The article unraveled that although the new democratic dispensation has tried to make the mining industry attractive to women, many of them went into the industry as a result of their economic and social circumstances.
How Much Are “Many People” on Facebook? Interpretations of Vague Quantifiers in Online and Offline Contexts
Authors: Moll Ricarda , Lücke Anna Jori , Bromme Rainer
Published: July 2021

In an increasingly interconnected world, many people handle large parts of their communication online, often via social networking sites (SNS). In contrast to face-to-face communication, messages on SNS are accessible by potentially unknown and large audiences. However, it is an open question what users actually perceive as a large audience, or else as many people in SNS contexts. Exploring this question from a psycholinguistic perspective, we investigated the meaning of vague quantifiers such as “few” or “many” with regard to audiences in different contexts in two experiments. In Experiment 1, participants assigned numbers to quantifiers describing audiences in online versus offline and private versus public contexts. In Experiment 2, including the same items as Experiment 1, participants rated the appropriateness of specific numbers of people that were described by a quantifier. Our results show, for example, that people assigned larger numbers to quantifiers for online than for offline contexts. This was also true when access to the information was supposed to be restricted which implies a (scalar) change of privacy expectations.
Dental Visits during Pregnancy: Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System Analysis 2012–2015
Authors: Lee H. , Tranby E. , Shi L.
Published: July 2021

Objectives:

This study aimed to update dental service utilization during pregnancy and to evaluate whether there are persistent disparities in dental care during pregnancy by race/ethnicity and Medicaid status.

Methods:

This retrospective secondary data analysis examined dental service utilization during and prior to pregnancy and met dental or oral health needs using the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) data sets on 75,876 women between 2012 and 2015.

Results:

Only about half of the women (51.7%) reported that they had at least 1 dental visit for cleaning during their most recent pregnancy. One of 5 women (19.7%) experienced dental problems during pregnancy, and 34.4% of these women did not visit dentists to address the problems. Non-Hispanic Black women had 14% lower odds of visiting dentists for cleaning during pregnancy compared to non-Hispanic White women (odds ratio [OR], 0.86; 95% CI confidence interval [CI], 0.80–0.92). There was no difference in dental visits prior to pregnancy between non-Hispanic Black and White women. Women enrolled in Medicaid showed significantly lower odds of visiting dentists for cleaning during pregnancy compared to women covered by private health insurance (OR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.52–0.58).

Conclusion for Practice:

Oral health, as an integral part of primary care, needs to be included in the standard prenatal care through oral health education and timely dental care during pregnancy. With mounting evidence of persisting disparities in dental service utilization during pregnancy, both public and private prenatal programs and policies should address specific barriers in accessing and using dental care during pregnancy, especially for women from socially disadvantaged backgrounds.

Knowledge Transfer Statement:

The current study updated the previous findings with more recent multiyear PRAMS data (2012–2015) and found the Black-White disparity and disparity among Medicaid-enrolled women in visiting dentists during pregnancy persist. The results of this study can be used by policymakers and practitioners to integrate oral health into prenatal care for pregnant women from marginalized backgrounds to achieve oral health parity.
Requirements for operational cure in multiple myeloma
Authors: Mohty Mohamad , Avet-Loiseau Hervé , Harousseau Jean-Luc
Published: July 2021

Multiple myeloma is usually considered an incurable disease. However, with the therapeutic improvement observed in the past few years, achievement of an operational cure is increasingly becoming a realistic goal. The advent of novel agents, with or without high-dose chemotherapy or autologous transplantation, revealed a correlation between depth of response to treatment and outcome. Of note, minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity has been shown to be associated with improved progression-free survival (PFS), and MRD status is becoming a well-established and strong prognostic factor. Here, we discuss the impact of MRD negativity on PFS and long-term disease control, as a surrogate for potential cure in a significant proportion of patients. MRD value and impact should be examined by focusing on different parameters: (1) sensitivity or lower limit of detection level (method used), (2) timing of assessment and sustainability, (3) type and duration of treatment, (4) initial prognostic factors (most importantly cytogenetics), and (5) patient age. Currently, the highest probability of operational cure is in younger patients receiving the most active drugs, in combination with autologous transplantation followed by maintenance therapy. Older patients are also likely to achieve operational cure, especially if they are treated upfront with anti-CD38 antibody–based therapy but also with novel immunotherapies in future protocols. Incorporation of MRD as a surrogate end point in clinical trials would enable shorter trials, leading to more personalized management and achievement of long-term cure.
Simulation studies to optimize genomic selection in honey bees
Authors: Bernstein Richard , Du Manuel , Hoppe Andreas , Bienefeld Kaspar
Published: July 2021

Background

With the completion of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) chip for honey bees, the technical basis of genomic selection is laid. However, for its application in practice, methods to estimate genomic breeding values need to be adapted to the specificities of the genetics and breeding infrastructure of this species. Drone-producing queens (DPQ) are used for mating control, and usually, they head non-phenotyped colonies that will be placed on mating stations. Breeding queens (BQ) head colonies that are intended to be phenotyped and used to produce new queens. Our aim was to evaluate different breeding program designs for the initiation of genomic selection in honey bees.

Methods

Stochastic simulations were conducted to evaluate the quality of the estimated breeding values. We developed a variation of the genomic relationship matrix to include genotypes of DPQ and tested different sizes of the reference population. The results were used to estimate genetic gain in the initial selection cycle of a genomic breeding program. This program was run over six years, and different numbers of genotyped queens per year were considered. Resources could be allocated to increase the reference population, or to perform genomic preselection of BQ and/or DPQ.

Results

Including the genotypes of 5000 phenotyped BQ increased the accuracy of predictions of breeding values by up to 173%, depending on the size of the reference population and the trait considered. To initiate a breeding program, genotyping a minimum number of 1000 queens per year is required. In this case, genetic gain was highest when genomic preselection of DPQ was coupled with the genotyping of 10–20% of the phenotyped BQ. For maximum genetic gain per used genotype, more than 2500 genotyped queens per year and preselection of all BQ and DPQ are required.

Conclusions

This study shows that the first priority in a breeding program is to genotype phenotyped BQ to obtain a sufficiently large reference population, which allows successful genomic preselection of queens. To maximize genetic gain, DPQ should be preselected, and their genotypes included in the genomic relationship matrix. We suggest, that the developed methods for genomic prediction are suitable for implementation in genomic honey bee breeding programs.
Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals regulatory network and regulators associated with proanthocyanidin accumulation in persimmon
Authors: Zheng Qingyou , Chen Wenxing , Luo Man , Xu Liqing , Zhang Qinglin , Luo Zhengrong
Published: July 2021

Background

Proanthocyanidins (PAs) are important plant secondary metabolites that confer flavor, nutritional value, and resistance to pathogens. Persimmon is one of the PA richest crops. Mature fruits can be inedible because of the astringency caused by high PA levels and need to go through a de-astringency treatment before consumption. The molecular basis for PA accumulation is poorly known, particularly transcriptional regulators. We characterised three genotypes (‘Luotiantianshi’ (LT), ‘Mopanshi’ (MP), and ‘Youhou’ (YH)) with different PA accumulation patterns using an approach that combined PacBio full-length sequencing and Illumina-based RNA sequencing to build high-quality full-length transcriptomes. Additionally, we analysed transcriptome dynamics of the three genotypes (LT, MP, and YH) at four key fruit developmental stages.

Results

A total of 96,463 transcripts were obtained. We identified 80,075 protein-coding sequences (CDSs), 71,137 simple sequence repeats (SSRs), and 27,845 long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC), principal component analysis (PCA), and differentially expressed transcripts (DETs) analyses indicated that the four different developmental stages within a genotype exhibited similar transcriptome activities. A total of 2,164 transcripts specific to each fruit developmental stage were detected. The transcripts specific to early stages were attributed to phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis. Co-expression network analyses revealed MEbrown and MEblue modules were strongly associated to PA accumulation. From these two modules, 20 hub TFs are potential regulators for PA accumulation. Among them, Cluster_78388 (SBP protein), Cluster_63454 (bZIP protein), and Cluster_66595 (MYB protein) appear to involve in the PA biosynthesis in Chinese genotypes.

Conclusions

This is the first high-quality reference transcriptome for commercial persimmon. Our work provides insights into the molecular pathways underlying PA accumulation and enhances our global understanding of transcriptome dynamics throughout fruit development.
Liver injury caused by fenofibrate within 48 h after first administration: a case report
Authors: He Yu , Qin Ming-zhao , Chen Yi-wen
Published: July 2021

Background

Fenofibrate is commonly used in the treatment of dyslipidemia. Fenofibrate is related to mild aminotransferase elevations and in some cases severe chronic injury such as fibrosis or cirrhosis, resulting in liver transplantation or death. The latency of disease has been reported to range between weeks to years.

Case presentation

A 63 years old male with hypertriglyceridemia developed symptoms of fatigue and anorexia 48 h after taking fenofibrate for the first time. The patient’s aminotransferase level was more than 10 times ULN. Immediately, fenofibrate was discontinued and aminotransferase level returned to normal 23 days later. To assess causality between the drug and liver damage, the standardized Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method (RUCAM) was used. The patient's RUCAM score was 7, which fell in the group of “probable”. Eight months later, follow-up examination suggested the liver function was normal.

Conclusions

Weakness, fatigue and abnormal liver function during fenofibrate therapy should be closely monitored and trigger prompt withdrawal if these symptoms occur.
Role of handgrip strength in predicting new-onset diabetes: findings from the survey of health, ageing and retirement in Europe
Authors: Li Guochen , Qiao Yanan , Lu Yanqiang , Liu Siyuan , Ding Yi , Chen Xing , Ke Chaofu
Published: July 2021

Background

Diabetes is a major concern for the global health burden. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between handgrip strength (HGS) and the risk of new-onset diabetes and to compare the predictive abilities between relative HGS and dominant HGS.

Methods

This longitudinal study used data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), including 66,100 European participants aged 50 years or older free of diabetes at baseline. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to analyze the relationship between HGS and diabetes, and the Harrell’s C index, net reclassification index (NRI), and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) were calculated to evaluate the predictive abilities of different HGS expressions.

Results

There were 5,661 diabetes events occurred during follow-up. Compared with individuals with lowest quartiles, the hazard ratios (95 % confidence intervals) of the 2nd-4th quartiles were 0.88 (0.81–0.94), 0.82 (0.76–0.89) and 0.85 (0.78–0.93) for dominant HGS, and 0.95 (0.88–1.02), 0.82 (0.76–0.89) and 0.60 (0.54–0.67) for relative HGS. After adding dominant HGS to an office-based risk score (including age, gender, body mass index, smoking, and hypertension), the incremental values of the Harrell’s C index, NRI, IDI of relative HGS were all slightly higher than those of dominant HGS in both training and validation sets.

Conclusions

Our findings supported that HGS was an independent predictor of new-onset diabetes in the middle-aged and older European population. Moreover, relative HGS exhibited a slightly higher predictive ability than dominant HGS.
Achieved blood pressure post-acute kidney injury and risk of adverse outcomes after AKI: A prospective parallel cohort study
Authors: McCoy Ian , Brar Sandeep , Liu Kathleen D. , Go Alan S. , Hsu Raymond K. , Chinchilli Vernon M. , Coca Steven G. , Garg Amit X. , Himmelfarb Jonathan , Ikizler T. Alp , Kaufman James , Kimmel Paul L. , Lewis Julie B. , Parikh Chirag R. , Siew Edward D. , Ware Lorraine B. , Zeng Hui , Hsu Chi-yuan ,   for the Assessment, Serial Evaluation, and Subsequent Sequelae in Acute Kidney Injury (ASSESS-AKI) study investigators
Published: July 2021

Background

There has recently been considerable interest in better understanding how blood pressure should be managed after an episode of hospitalized AKI, but there are scant data regarding the associations between blood pressure measured after AKI and subsequent adverse outcomes. We hypothesized that among AKI survivors, higher blood pressure measured three months after hospital discharge would be associated with worse outcomes. We also hypothesized these associations between blood pressure and outcomes would be similar among those who survived non-AKI hospitalizations.

Methods

We quantified how systolic blood pressure (SBP) observed three months after hospital discharge was associated with risks of subsequent hospitalized AKI, loss of kidney function, mortality, and heart failure events among 769 patients in the prospective ASSESS-AKI cohort study who had hospitalized AKI. We repeated this analysis among the 769 matched non-AKI ASSESS-AKI enrollees. We then formally tested for AKI interaction in the full cohort of 1538 patients to determine if these associations differed among those who did and did not experience AKI during the index hospitalization.

Results

Among 769 patients with AKI, 42 % had subsequent AKI, 13 % had loss of kidney function, 27 % died, and 18 % had heart failure events. SBP 3 months post-hospitalization did not have a stepwise association with the risk of subsequent AKI, loss of kidney function, mortality, or heart failure events. Among the 769 without AKI, there was also no stepwise association with these risks. In formal interaction testing using the full cohort of 1538 patients, hospitalized AKI did not modify the association between post-discharge SBP and subsequent risks of adverse clinical outcomes.

Conclusions

Contrary to our first hypothesis, we did not observe that higher stepwise blood pressure measured three months after hospital discharge with AKI was associated with worse outcomes. Our data were consistent with our second hypothesis that the association between blood pressure measured three months after hospital discharge and outcomes among AKI survivors is similar to that observed among those who survived non-AKI hospitalizations.