bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Intracranial Electrophysiology Study of Visual Language Encoding: The Contribution of the Precentral Gyrus to Silent Reading
Authors: Kaestner Erik , Thesen Thomas , Devinsky Orrin , Doyle Werner , Carlson Chad , Halgren Eric
Published: August 2021

Models of reading emphasize that visual (orthographic) processing provides input to phonological as well as lexical–semantic processing. Neurobiological models of reading have mapped these processes to distributed regions across occipital–temporal, temporal–parietal, and frontal cortices. However, the role of the precentral gyrus in these models is ambiguous. Articulatory phonemic representations in the precentral gyrus are obviously involved in reading aloud, but it is unclear if the precentral gyrus is recruited during reading silently in a time window consistent with participation in phonological processing contributions. Here, we recorded intracranial electrophysiology during a speeded semantic decision task from 24 patients to map the spatio-temporal flow of information across the cortex during silent reading. Patients selected animate nouns from a stream of nonanimate words, letter strings, and false-font stimuli. We characterized the distribution and timing of evoked high-gamma power (70–170 Hz) as well as phase-locking between electrodes. The precentral gyrus showed a proportion of electrodes responsive to linguistic stimuli (27%) that was at least as high as those of surrounding peri-sylvian regions. These precentral gyrus electrodes had significantly greater high-gamma power for words compared to both false-font and letter-string stimuli. In a patient with word-selective effects in the fusiform, superior temporal, and precentral gyri, there was significant phase-locking between the fusiform and precentral gyri starting at ∼180 msec and between the precentral and superior temporal gyri starting at ∼220 msec. Finally, our large patient cohort allowed exploratory analyses of the spatio-temporal reading network underlying silent reading. The distribution, timing, and connectivity results place the precentral gyrus as an important hub in the silent reading network.
Nomenclature and typification of Rhynchosia suaveolens (L.f.) DC. (Leguminosae) and its associated synonyms
Authors: MISHRA AJAY , HURRAH IMTIYAZ A. , WAGH VIJAY V.
Published: August 2021

As part of the ongoing revision of Rhynchosia Lour. lectotype of Rhynchosia suaveolens and its basionym viz. Glycine suaveolens is designated. Another two heterotypic synonym Hedysarum venosum and Cajanus suaveolens are also lectotypified.
The influence of the wind field and stratification on the nocturnal surface air temperature over modest topography
Authors: Mahrt L. , Fernando H. J. S , Acevedo O.
Published: August 2021

Our study examines the horizontal variation of the nocturnal surface air temperature by analyzing measurements from four contrasting networks of stations with generally modest topography. The horizontal extent of the networks ranges from 1 to 23 km. For each network, we investigate the general relationship of the horizontal variation of temperature to the wind speed, wind direction, near-surface stratification, and turbulence. As an example, the horizontal variation of temperature generally increases with increasing stratification and decreases with increasing wind speed. However, quantitative details vary significantly between the networks. Needed changes of the observational strategy are discussed.
Probing the Bovine Hemoglobin Adsorption Process and its Influence on Interfacial Water Structure at the Air–Water Interface
Authors: Chaudhary Shilpi , Kaur Harsharan , Kaur Harpreet , Rana Bhawna , Tomar Deepak , Jena Kailash C.
Published: August 2021

* These authors contributed equally to this work. The molecular-level insight of protein adsorption and its kinetics at interfaces is crucial because of its multifold role in diverse fundamental biological processes and applications. In the present study, the sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy has been employed to demonstrate the adsorption process of bovine hemoglobin (BHb) protein molecules at the air–water interface at interfacial isoelectric point of the protein. It has been observed that surface coverage of BHb molecules significantly influences the arrangement of the protein molecules at the interface. The time-dependent SFG studies at two different frequencies in the fingerprint region elucidate the kinetics of protein denaturation process and its influence on the hydrogen-bonding network of interfacial water molecules at the air–water interface. The initial growth kinetics suggests the synchronized behavior of protein adsorption process with the structural changes in the interfacial water molecules. Interestingly, both the events carry similar characteristic time constants. However, the conformational changes in the protein structure due to the denaturation process stay for a long time, whereas the changes in water structure reconcile quickly. It is revealed that the protein denaturation process is followed by the advent of strongly hydrogen-bonded water molecules at the interface. In addition, we have also carried out the surface tension kinetics measurements to complement the findings of our SFG spectroscopic results.
Eviction and Crime: A Neighborhood Analysis in Philadelphia
Authors: Semenza Daniel C. , Stansfield Richard , Grosholz Jessica M. , Link Nathan W.
Published: August 2021

In this study, we use generalized estimating equation (GEE) models to analyze how rates of eviction correspond to homicide, robbery, and burglary rates across all residential neighborhoods in Philadelphia from 2006 through 2016. We assess the moderating role of neighborhood poverty accounting for residential mobility, economic disadvantage, and community composition. We find that eviction is associated with all three types of crime in fully controlled models. Additionally, neighborhood poverty significantly moderates this relationship for robbery and burglary, but not homicide. We discuss the implications of these results with attention to policy opportunities to reduce eviction and suggestions for future research.
Determinants of Organ Donation Registration Among University Students in Hong Kong
Authors: Wong Shui Hung , Chow Amy Yin Man
Published: August 2021

The present study explored the determinants of registration to facilitate the promotion of posthumous organ donation based on the theory of reasoned actions. A total of 211 university students participated in the study. Logistic regression, multiple regressions, and path analysis were conducted. The logistic regression model correctly predicted nearly 80% of registration status, and a good fit model of registration for posthumous organ donation (MRPOD) was proposed. Findings suggested that affective attitude, subjective norm of family, self-rated knowledge, distance from death, and age were predictors of registration. Worries about organ removal and postmortem mutilation anxiety were also mediated through bodily integrity, which had an indirect effect on the registration through affective attitude. Policymakers are suggested to address the negative emotions associated with challenges towards bodily integrity, encourage parents to initiate discussions with children, instill correct knowledge of brain death, and intervene the bystander effect on organ donation.
“In the Moment I Wanted to Kill Myself, and Then After I Didn’t”: A Qualitative Investigation of Suicide Planning, Method Choice, and Method Substitution Among Adolescents Hospitalized Following a Suicide Attempt
Authors: Almeida Joanna , Barber Catherine , Rosen Rochelle K. , Nicolopoulos Alexandra , O’Brien Kimberly H. McManama
Published: August 2021

Research on planning, method choice, and method substitution in adolescents’ suicide attempts is limited. We conducted in-depth interviews with 20 adolescents following their suicide attempt to learn the extent to which the attempt was planned, why they used the method they did, and whether they would have substituted another method if the one they used had been unavailable. Applied Thematic Analysis was used to identify codes and develop themes. Attempts were largely unplanned, and planned attempts were often haphazard, as urgency to escape immediate pain was a main impetus for the attempt. Method choice was driven by easy access. Half of participants said they would not have attempted suicide if the method they used were inaccessible, but 7 of 20 said they would have, and 3 were unsure. Not all suicide attempts would be prevented by blocking access to methods that adolescent attempters would otherwise use. To understand whether restricting access to low-lethality methods could harm some attempters, future research should examine in-the-moment method substitution.
China’s challenge to the global commons: compliance, contestation, and subversion in the maritime and cyber domains
Authors: Govella Kristi
Published: August 2021

It is often predicted that rising powers such as China will seek to reshape the international order as they gain influence. Drawing on comparative analysis of the maritime and cyber domains, this article argues that China poses a challenge to the global commons because its actions reflect a pragmatic focus on national interest that that disrupts more collaborative conceptions of their governance. However, instead of directly rejecting existing regimes, China has pursued a mixed strategy of complying when these regimes confer benefits and employing contestation or subversion when they conflict with its strategic aims. In particular, China has used contestation and subversion to push for the enclosure of the maritime and cyber domains, extending ideas of sovereignty and territoriality to them to varying extents. While the relatively well-institutionalized nature of maritime governance has limited China’s focus to the application of specific rules in areas where it prioritizes sovereign control, the embryonic status of the cyber regime has enabled China to call into question the fundamental definition of cyberspace as a global common. Subversion has also allowed China to accomplish strategic goals through ‘gray zone’ tactics, resulting in increased conflict below the level of war in both domains.
Book review: Nisha Agrawal (Ed.), Her Right to Equality: From Promise to Power
Authors: Borker Hem
Published: August 2021

Nisha Agrawal (Ed.), Her Right to Equality: From Promise to Power. Penguin Random House, 2021, 256 pp., ₹699. ISBN: 9780670092994 (Hardcover).
Auras of Detection: Power and Knowledge in Drug Prohibition
Authors: Carroll Jennifer J.
Published: August 2021

Drug checking is an evidence-based strategy for overdose prevention that continues to operate (where it operates) in a legal “gray zone” due to the legal classification of some drug checking tools as drug paraphernalia—the purview of law enforcement, not public health. This article takes the emergence of fentanyl in the U.S. drug supply as a starting point for examining two closely related questions about drug checking and drug market expertise. First, how is the epistemic authority of law enforcement over the material realities of the drug market produced? Second, in the context of that authority, what are the socio-political implications of technologically advanced drug checking instruments in the hands of people who use drugs? The expertise that people who use drugs maintain about the nature of illicit drug market and how to navigate the illicit drug supply has long been discounted as untrustworthy, irrational, or otherwise invalid. Yet, increased access to drug checking tools has the potential to afford the knowledge produced by people who use drugs a technological validity it has never before enjoyed. In this article, I engage with theories of knowledge production and ontological standpoint from the field of science, technology, and society studies to examine how law enforcement produces and maintains epistemic authority over the illicit drug market and to explore how drug checking technologies enable new forms of knowledge production. I argue that drug checking be viewed as a form of social resistance against law enforcement’s epistemological authority and as a refuge against the harms produced by drug criminalization.
Founders’ Prior Shared International Experience, Time to First Foreign Market Entry, and New Venture Performance
Authors: Criaco Giuseppe , Naldi Lucia , Zahra Shaker A.
Published: August 2021

We examine the influence of founders’ prior shared international experience on the timing of their new ventures’ first entry into foreign markets. We propose that this experience, which is gained by founders working concurrently for the same international firm prior to the founding of the current company, provides them with shared knowledge and routines that they can use to enter foreign markets for the first time earlier in the venture’s life. Further, we propose that founders’ diversity strengthens this relationship, because diverse groups of founders have a broader range of knowledge, skills, and perspectives, which facilitates the adaptation of their prior shared international experience to their new venture setting. This is likely to further reduce the time it takes them to enter foreign markets for the first time. We also argue that industry dynamism weakens the relationship between founders’ prior shared international experience and the time to first foreign market entry, because this type of experience is likely to become obsolete in a rapidly changing environment. Finally, we hypothesize that early internationalizers enjoy higher performance than late internationalizers. We test these predictions using a sample of Swedish new ventures. Our results contribute to the literatures on founders’ shared experience and early internationalization.
Demographic Variables, Delay Discounting Models and Dysfunctional Personality Traits as Predictors of Financial Risk-Tolerance Among Community-Dwelling Italian Adults
Authors: Somma Antonella , Sergi Rebecca , Pagliara Chiara , Di Serio Clelia , Fossati Andrea
Published: August 2021

To evaluate the effect of demographic variables, delay discounting and dysfunctional personality traits on financial risk tolerance (FRT), 281 community-dwelling adults were administered the Italian translations of the Risk-Tolerance Scale (RTS), Monetary Choice Questionnaire, Probability Discounting Questionnaire, and Personality Inventory for DSM-5-Short Form (PID-5-SF) self-report questionnaires through an online platform. Hierarchical robust regression results showed that the linear combination of demographic variables (gender and active worker status), delay discounting measures and selected PID-5-SF trait scale scores (i.e., Attention Seeking and Risk Taking) explained roughly 39% of the RTS total score. As a whole, our findings underscore the role of demographic characteristics, dysfunctional personality traits and delay discounting in FRT expression. As a result, FRT is likely to represent the linear combination of several factors that should be assessed in order to understand FRT and prevent erroneous choices among lay investors.
Over the counter low-dose cannabidiol: A viewpoint from the ACRE Capacity Building Group
Authors: Hallinan Christine Mary , Eden Edward , Graham Myfanwy , Greenwood Lisa-Marie , Mills Jessica , Popat Amirali , Truong Linda , Bonomo Yvonne
Published: August 2021

Amidst growing global acceptance of medicinal cannabinoids as a potential therapeutic interest in cannabidiol (CBD) is increasing. In Australia in 2020, a government inquiry examined the barriers that the public are experiencing in accessing medicinal cannabis. A number of recommendations to improve access were made. In response to these recommendations, the Australian therapeutics regulatory authority down-scheduled CBD from Prescription Only (Schedule 4) to Pharmacist Only (Schedule 3). As a group of early to mid-career researchers of the Australian Centre for Cannabinoid Clinical and Research Excellence (ACRE), we propose some considerations in relation to over-the-counter availability of CBD and opportunities to improve knowledge about its potential therapeutic benefits alongside its increased uptake.
Effect of individualized medical nutrition guidance on pregnancy outcomes in older pregnant women
Authors: Li Chun-Ling , Wang Ying-Hua , Wang Jun-Li , Zhang Ping , Sun Yan
Published: August 2021

Objective

We aimed to explore the effect of individualized medical nutrition guidance on pregnancy outcomes among older pregnant women.

Methods

This was a prospective study using a randomized controlled trial design. We selected 820 older pregnant women and randomly divided them into a study group and control group (410 women each). The control group was given routine health education and nutrition guidance; the study group was provided individualized medical nutrition guidance. Gestational diabetes mellitus, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, vaginal delivery rate, postpartum hemorrhage rate, gestational body weight, neonatal birth weight, and neonate transfer to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) were compared between the groups.

Results

The incidence of gestational diabetes in the study group was significantly lower and the rate of vaginal delivery was significantly higher than those in the control group. The incidence of macrosomia, rate of neonatal transfer to the NICU, and rate of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia were significantly lower in the study group than those in the control group.

Conclusions

Individualized nutritional intervention for older pregnant women can effectively reduce the incidence of complications during pregnancy and childbirth and improve maternal and child outcomes.
HCV RNA in serum and liver samples of patients undergoing living donor liver transplantation
Authors: Lin Shu-Hsien , Wu Kun-Ta , Wang Chih-Chi , Huang Kuang-Tzu , Chen Kuang-Den , Lin Chih-Che , Hsu Li-Wen , Chiu King-Wah
Published: August 2021

Objective

To compare hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA levels from serum and explanted native liver samples from patients undergoing living donor liver transplantation (LDLT).

Methods

This was a prospective observational study. Serum and liver samples were collected from consecutive serum anti-HCV-positive transplant recipients between February 2016 to August 2019. HCV RNA was extracted from liver samples and subjected to one-step reverse-transcription qPCR. using the TopScript One Step qRT-PCR Probe Kit with HCV qPCR probe assay and human GAPDH qPCR probe assay on a ViiA7 Real-Time PCR System.

Results

Among the 80 patients, 36% (29/80) were HCV RNA positive in serum and 85% (68/80) had positive hepatic HCV RNA. Post-liver transplantation, 4% (3/80) patients were serum positive.

Conclusions

Our study suggests that pre-transplant serum HCV RNA levels may give an underestimate of the number of positive HCV RNA cases and that hepatic HCV RNA data may be more accurate.
Providing Treatment in a Prison-Based Therapeutic Community for Those Who Have Committed Sexual Offences
Authors: Akerman Geraldine
Published: August 2021

This article explores some of the difficulties inherent in managing risk in those who have committed sexual or other violent offences and how this may impact on their ability to re-integrate into the community. It discusses the work undertaken at HMP Grendon, a prison-based therapeutic community (TC), to address these difficulties and help residents develop a pro-social lifestyle starting in custody and continuing on release. The article aims to describe how the TC model offers a containing and adaptive environment, and how this can provide opportunities to address offence-related behaviour, which is not always possible in other prison settings. Furthermore, it describes some of the difficulties inherent in undertaking work of this nature, in the need for an accurate understanding of the relevant areas of risk, and the tensions developing a therapeutic relationship with individuals with complex needs. Methods of assessment of risk and need are discussed, and how they are used in a collaborative manner to have the most accurate picture of what will help residents to maintain their pro-social lifestyle on release.
What Works (or Does Not) in Community Risk Management for Persons Convicted of Sexual Offenses? A Contemporary Perspective
Authors: Wilson Robin J. , Sandler Jeffrey C.
Published: August 2021

Contemporary data from the United States show that rates of sexual offending and reoffending have been in steady decline for decades. Nonetheless, nonprofessionals continue to view sexual violence as a community safety issue fraught with risk and uncertainty. The past 30 years have been witness to considerable research and practice in the assessment, treatment, and risk management of persons who have sexually offended. Gains have also been made in regard to prevention and citizen education. Modern day technologies include actuarial risk assessment instruments, measures of criminogenic need and treatment progress, refinements to treatment processes, and the establishment of evidence-based models. Legislative authorities in the United States and elsewhere have also attempted to affect risk in the community with, perhaps, lesser degrees of success. This article reviews current policies and practices, with a specific focus on what happens when offenders are released to the community (e.g., how public policies intended to track offenders and/or restrict their movements can negatively affect community reintegration). Comprehensive approaches to community sexual offender management are examined in addition to suggestions of unique approaches intended to ensure citizen buy-in and engagement.
Novel Algorithm for Mutual Alignment of Railway Track Geometry Measurements
Authors: Eklöf Kristin , Nwichi-Holdsworth Andrew , Eklöf Johan
Published: August 2021

Track geometry measurements are regularly collected to monitor the condition of a railway network. To detect deterioration patterns and enable predictive maintenance, sequential measurement runs must be mutually aligned which has been proven a serious challenge. This paper presents a novel algorithm for mutual alignment of track geometry signal data. It resolves several previously intractable alignment problems: highly segmented data with variable sample rate, spatially correlated and uncorrelated measurement errors, convergence to true locations, and consistency over time. The algorithm adjusts spatial measurement errors by splitting signals in continuous segments. Re-sampled, error-corrected signals are mutually aligned using cross correlation, and this process is repeated until the mutual alignment meets a pre-defined precision threshold. Missing measurement values are handled by imputing an interpolated offset from nearby segments, ensuring that the signals remain continuous. By using weighted average offsets over all aligned signals, the law of large numbers guarantees convergence and consistency. The practical feasibility of the algorithm is demonstrated on empirical track geometry measurement data from the British railway network, owned and operated by Network Rail.
Combination of AST to ALT and neutrophils to lymphocytes ratios as predictors of locally advanced disease in patients with bladder cancer subjected to radical cystectomy: Results from a single-institutional series
Authors: Uleri Alessandro , Hurle Rodolfo , Contieri Roberto , Diana Pietro , Buffi Nicolòmaria , Lazzeri Massimo , Saita Alberto , Casale Paolo , Guazzoni Giorgio , Lughezzani Giovanni
Published: August 2021

Background:

Bladder cancer (BC) staging is challenging. There is an important need for available and affordable predictors to assess, in combination with imaging, the presence of locally-advanced disease.

Objective:

To determine the role of the De Ritis ratio (DRR) and neutrophils to lymphocytes ratio (NLR) in the prediction of locally-advanced disease defined as the presence of extravescical extension (pT ⩾ 3) and/or lymph node metastases (LNM) in patients with BC treated with radical cystectomy (RC).

Methods:

We retrospectively analyzed clinical and pathological data of 139 consecutive patients who underwent RC at our institution. Logistic regression models (LRMs) were fitted to test the above-mentioned outcomes.

Results:

A total of 139 consecutive patients underwent RC at our institution. Eighty-six (61.9%) patients had a locally-advanced disease. NLR (2.53 and 3.07; p = 0.005) and DRR (1 and 1.17; p = 0.01) were significantly higher in patients with locally-advanced disease as compared to organ-confined disease. In multivariable LRMs, an increasing DRR was an independent predictor of locally-advanced disease (OR = 3.91; 95% CI: 1.282–11.916; p = 0.017). Similarly, an increasing NLR was independently related to presence of locally-advanced disease (OR = 1.28; 95% CI: 1.027–1.591; p = 0.028). In univariate LRMs, patients with DRR > 1.21 had a higher risk of locally advanced disease (OR = 2.83; 95% CI: 1.312–6.128; p = 0.008). Similarly, in patients with NLR > 3.47 there was an increased risk of locally advanced disease (OR = 3.02; 95% CI: 1.374–6.651; p = 0.006). In multivariable LRMs, a DRR > 1.21 was an independent predictor of locally advanced disease (OR = 2.66; 95% CI: 1.12–6.35; p = 0.027). Similarly, an NLR > 3.47 was independently related to presence of locally advanced disease (OR = 2.24; 95% CI: 0.95–5.25; p = 0.065). No other covariates such as gender, BMI, neoadjuvant chemotherapy or diabetes reached statistical significance. The AUC of the multivariate LRM to assess the risk of locally advanced disease was 0.707 (95% CI: 0.623–0.795). Limitations include the retrospective nature of the study and the relatively small sample size.
Symptomatic kidney stones in an anuric patient on dialysis: A case report
Authors: Dialameh Hossein , Namdari Farshad , Mahalleh Mehrdad , Lotfi Mohammad , Ali Zoha
Published: August 2021

Introduction:

Renal colic is a colicky-type of flank pain that can commonly be presented in patients undergoing dialysis especially if they are anuric considering the fact that there are multiple controversies and little published experience on this topic, we found it very important to report this case. We also aimed to increase awareness and emphasize the importance of renal colic in anuric patients on dialysis.

Case description:

We herein report a case of a 42-year old man with a chief complaint of bilateral colic flank pain, He had developed end stage renal disease due to ADPKD and was on hemodialysis since the past 5 years. Previously, he went through a series of workup but was left undiagnosed. Abdomen-pelvic and chest CT scan without contrast was performed showing bilateral renal pelvic stones and some nephrocalcinosis in both kidneys. bilateral ureteroscopy was performed and bilateral DJ was installed for a total of 6 weeks and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy was done. With prompt diagnosis, the patient was pain free and stone free before discharge. The patient is also reported to be stone free 6 months after the procedure.

Conclusion:

Patients on dialysis are still capable of forming symptomatic renal tract stones even if they are anuric.
Living Through the Pandemic: The Voices of Persons With Dementia and Their Caregivers
Authors: Rising Kristin L. , Salcedo Venise J. , Amadio Grace , Casten Robin , Chang AnnaMarie , Gentsch Alexzandra , O’Hayer C. Virginia , Sarpoulaki Nazanin , Worster Brooke , Gerolamo Angela M.
Published: August 2021

Social-distancing guidelines from the COVID-19 pandemic have potential to compound morbidity in persons with dementia (PwD) and increase caregiver burden. This qualitative study utilized semi-structured interviews between August-November 2020 to explore the impact of COVID-19 on PwD and caregivers. Conventional qualitative content analysis was used. Inter-coder reliability was confirmed using the kappa coefficient. Twenty-five interviews were completed with four themes emerging: disruption of socialization, fear and risk mitigation, coping strategies, and caregiver burden. Participants described how lack of socialization and confinement led to feelings of loneliness, depression, and worsening memory problems. Caregivers reported increased burden and heightened feelings of responsibility for their loved one. Increased isolation imposed by the pandemic has a detrimental impact on PwD. Further work is needed to develop interventions to support PwD and other cognitive impairments and caregivers during the pandemic and when in-person socialization is not possible.
‘They’re you know, their audience’: How women are (ab)used to cement the heterosexual bonds between men
Authors: Bolton Robert , Edwards Claire , Leane Máire , Ó Súilleabháin Fiachra , Fennell Caroline
Published: August 2021

This paper explores how young people (aged 18–24 years) in Ireland attribute young men's sexual harassment and violence against women both to the situational demands of what we call ‘heteromasculine homosociality’ and young men's negotiation of role taking with women. Interpreting young people's explanations for sexual violence, the paper argues that through different forms of sexual harassment and violence, women are (ab)used to cement the heterosexual bonds between men. The argument is explored by drawing on young people's explanations of three forms of sexual harassment and violence: verbal violence, unwanted sexual touching and assault and image-based sexual abuse. The data comes from 28 interviews with young people as part of a European-funded research study that aims to explore both the discourses that young people use in their understandings of gender and violence against women and how young men may be supported in combatting violence against women. Among other implications, we suggest that as well as deconstructing attitudes towards women, prevention work and interventions with men must also focus on men's beliefs about the normative basis for masculine status and belonging between men.
IPV Perpetrator Groups: Client Engagement, and the Role of Facilitators
Authors: Hamel John , Buttell Fred , Ferreira Regardt , Roy Valerie
Published: August 2021

Based on the emerging literature being developed in Motivational Interviewing that suggests certain group process factors and facilitator attributes predict treatment outcomes, this study sought to investigate the relationship between both client and facilitator ratings of the batterer intervention group experience. This study presents data from 16 group facilitators drawn from five agencies and 175 clients being served by these facilitators. The data gathered included both facilitator ratings of clients (i.e., Group Engagement Measure-GEM) and client ratings of facilitators and the group experience (i.e., Client Rating of Facilitator-CRF, Client Perceived Benefits of Group-CPBG). Results indicate that facilitators rated clients as being engaged in the group process across all the domains assessed by the GEM and that clients viewed the facilitators and group experiences favorably as assessed by the CRF and CPBG. There was no significant correlation between the GEM and CRF or the GEM and CPBG, but there was a strong, positive correlation between the CRF and CPBG. The results here support previous research findings suggesting a strong correlation between client engagement in the therapeutic process, based on their perception of the facilitator, and their perceived benefits of the group experience. Implications of the findings for improving empirical investigations of the batterer intervention group experience were explored and discussed.
Childhood Experiences and Attitudes toward Corporal Punishment: The Mediating Role of Perceived Efficacy of Alternative Discipline Strategies among Low-income Black, Hispanic, and White Parents
Authors: Duong Hue Trong
Published: August 2021

Corporal punishment (CP) is associated with harmful outcomes to child development. Favorable attitudes toward CP are a major predictor of CP use. Thus, identifying and changing factors influencing such attitudes help to prevent CP. Although research has confirmed the effect of childhood experiences of CP on attitudes toward CP, few studies have examined mechanisms underpinning this association. To fill this gap, this study investigated the role of perceived efficacy of alternative discipline strategies in mediating the association between childhood experiences of CP and attitudes toward CP among low-income Black, Hispanic, and White parents. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with 230 parents ( Mage = 31; Black = 62, Hispanic = 62; White = 106). Structural equation modeling results revealed that more positive childhood experiences of CP were associated with lower perceived efficacy of alternative discipline strategies. In turn, lower perceived efficacy of alternative discipline strategies was associated with more favorable attitudes toward CP. Mediation analysis performed by the bootstrapping methods confirmed the mediating effect of perceived efficacy of alternative discipline strategies. When race was considered, this mediation pathway was held for Hispanic and White parent groups. These results suggested that future research should pay more attention to the role of perceived efficacy of alternative discipline strategies. Additionally, public education campaigns should consider incorporating efficacy messages to effectively reduce positive attitudes toward CP among low-income parents.
Enhanced hydrophilicity and antifouling performance of PES-C/emodin ultrafiltration membrane
Authors: Li Jinjing , Wu Yiban , Li Baining , Hu Ming , Zhang Jie
Published: August 2021

In this article, an ultrafiltration membrane was fabricated from phenolphthalein polyethersulfone (PES-C) modified with emodin using a phase-inversion method. ATR-FTIR and UV-vis analysis showed that emodin had good compatibility with the PES-C ultrafiltration membrane. SEM showed that the prepared ultrafiltration membranes consisted of a porous skin layer and a macroporous support sublayer. The contact angle value of the pure PES-C ultrafiltration membrane was 77.71° and that of the PES-C ultrafiltration membrane blended with 0.105 wt.% emodin decreased to 65.71°, which explained the fact why its pure water flux significantly increased from 190 L/m2·h to 387 L/m2·h. The antifouling properties of the obtained ultrafiltration membranes were assessed by static protein adsorption, bacterial adhesion, antibacterial tests, and filtration experiments with BSA. The PES-C (13.895 wt.%)/emodin (0.105 wt.%) ultrafiltration membrane presented the lowest protein adsorption rate (1.44%), the highest flux recovery ratio (57%), and the largest inhibition zone diameter (3.0 ± 0.06 mm). Compared with that of the pure PES-C ultrafiltration membrane, the bacterial adhesion effect of the PES-C/emodin (0.105 wt.%) ultrafiltration membrane was significantly reduced. In addition, PES-C incorporated into the emodin ultrafiltration membrane had excellent stability in a deionized water system.
Do no harm in due process – a historical analysis of social determinates of institutionalization in the USA
Authors: Durns Tyler
Published: August 2021

Involuntary hospitalization has been a fundamental function of psychiatric care for mentally ill persons in the USA for centuries. Procedural and judicial practices of inpatient psychiatric treatment and civil commitment in the USA have served as a by-product of socio-political pressures that demanded constant reform throughout history. The origin of modern commitment laws can best be understood through the lens of cultural paradigms that led to their creation and these suggest caution for future legislative amendments.
Spouses of Student Mothers in the United Arab Emirates: Enablers or Constraints to Their Pursuit of Higher Education?
Authors: Dickson Martina , Tennant Lilly
Published: August 2021

The educational status of Emirati women in the United Arab Emirates has developed rapidly over the last five decades, with females now outnumbering males in higher education institutions. Marriage and motherhood often take place during the years of undergraduate study for women, particularly for those from families who retain Emirati cultural traditions of relatively early marriage and childbearing. This study analyses the role which spouses play in their wives’ pursuit of education, using the theoretical gender and development lens to explore whether a transformation of power relations within the marriage takes place for the growth in female participation in higher education to occur. Spousal behaviours are identified and categorised through the gender and development lens as either enablers or constraints to women’s empowerment and participation in higher education, and potential reasons for these behaviours surrounding gender relations are discussed.
Novel genotyping assay for the nt230 (del4) ABCB1 gene mutation and its allele frequency in Border Collie dogs in Mexico
Authors: Galindo Jorge , Ayala Miguel A. , Sánchez David R. , Hernández Cecilia , Duifhuis Theodor
Published: August 2021

A 4-bp deletion in the ATP-binding cassette subfamily B member 1 ( ABCB1) gene, also referred to as the multidrug resistance gene ( MDR1), produces stop codons that cause premature termination of P-glycoprotein 1 (P-gp) synthesis. Dogs with the homozygous mutation do not express functional P-gp, which increases their sensitivity markedly to many common veterinary drugs. We detected the nt230 (del4) ABCB1 mutation in Border Collie dogs in western Mexico with a simple and affordable primer-introduced restriction analysis PCR (PIRA-PCR). PIRA-PCR clearly identified all genotypes in our sample of 104 dogs. Genotype frequencies were 0.952 (wild/wild), 0.029 (wild/mut) and 0.019 (mut/mut). Allele frequencies were 0.033 (mutant alleles) and 0.966 (wild-type alleles). In this small subset of the Mexican dog population, we found a higher prevalence of the nt230 (del4) MDR1/ABCB1 gene mutation than reported in other countries.
The Role of Extended Family Relations and Rituals in Family Resilience Following Loss of Mother to Cancer: A Case Study in Turkey
Authors: Tanacıoğlu-Aydın Betül , Akmehmet-Şekerler Sibel , Albayrak-Kaymak Deniz , Zara Ayten
Published: August 2021

The loss of the mother leads to many changes in the family. The loss might have negative effects on the ones that are left behind. However, some family members do not show pathological symptoms; rather, they have healthy functioning despite their sad loss. Guided by the resilience perspective, this study illuminates the case of a Turkish family after the mother dies due to stomach cancer. The whole picture of a family after this loss was examined through using various data sources. Transcribed interviews with family members and teachers of two children in the family were investigated through thematic analysis, and five major themes were identified. Extended family relations and rituals, such as funeral services, meals after the funeral, or visiting the grave of the lost one, were found to be helpful toward positive grief experiences and resilience of the family members in the aftermath of the loss. This study was important in the sense that it gave an in-depth perspective of a Muslim family who lost the maternal parent, which is considered a person's most important attachment figure.
Development of and Preliminary Evidence for a Psychological Service Barriers Measure Among College Sexual Assault Survivors
Authors: Holland Kathryn J. , Wheeler Lorey A. , Tyler Kimberly A. , Cipriano Allison E.
Published: August 2021

Sexual assault is a widespread problem on college campuses, and survivors rarely use campus supports. However, there is no established measure of service barriers for this population. This study develops and provides preliminary evidence for a measure of psychological service barriers. Data were collected from 100 college sexual assault survivors. Results provide evidence for three factors: social-emotional barriers, negative treatment barriers, and minimization barriers. Additional tests offer evidence for consistency and reliability in these factors over time and across campus supports. This work offers preliminary evidence for the psychometric properties of this measure and lays the groundwork for future validation research.
Working Against the Clock: A Model for Rural STEMI Triage
Authors: Carpenter Rob , McWhorter Rochell , Donaldson Shirl , Silberman Dave , Maffei Steve
Published: August 2021

Residents in rural communities have a higher incidence of cardiac death and risk factors associated with cardiac disease. Living in a rural region can add precious time that amplifies cardiac death during an ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) episode. The consensus is that improved efficiencies can increase myocardial salvage and decrease STEMI mortality rates. This article identifies issues that may impact pre-hospital STEMI triage of patients in a rural region of the United States (U.S.). A qualitative research design was chosen to gain insight into emergency personnel perceptions of pre-hospital STEMI triage. The participants (n = 18) were obtained from a convenience sample in rural Northeast Texas, U.S. Data were gathered by individual and group semi-structured interviews. Themes were identified, synthesized, and oriented to offer a basis for understanding opportunities to improve the delivery of rural STEMI care. This study demonstrated that quality improvement initiatives aimed at achieving pre-hospital STEMI triage efficiencies have dependencies on teamwork, technology, and training in the context of 3 stages (a) pre-transport, (b) door-to-door, and (c) post-transport. A pre-hospital STEMI triage model is offered based on the findings. By incorporating this model, emergency medical coordinators in rural communities have a better opportunity to facilitate timely reperfusion therapy for this high-risk population.
Electoral competition and the party politics of public investments
Authors: Jacques Olivier
Published: August 2021

When do political parties propose long-term investments? Electoral competitiveness should be a key variable explaining parties’ investment priorities: parties can be less responsive to voters’ short-term priorities and overcome time inconsistencies when they are more likely to win the next election. The article distinguishes the characteristics of three types of investments in education, environmental protection and technology and infrastructure, gathered from the Comparative Manifesto Project. It finds a linear positive relationship between parties’ probability of entering office and the proportion of manifestoes allocated to statements about technology and infrastructure. In contrast, statements about education are highest at high levels of electoral competitiveness, as parties propose more education to attract voters, while statements about the environment are affected by parties’ ideology on the left-right axis rather than by electoral competitiveness. Power-sharing institutions help parties to overcome time inconsistency problems, reducing the impact of electoral competition on investments.
Police attitudes toward the use of inappropriate force in China
Authors: Liu Shelley , Zhang Lening
Published: August 2021

The purpose of this study is to explore police attitudes toward the use of inappropriate force in China. Using original data from a survey of over 900 police officers in China, this study investigated patterns of officers’ attitudes toward the use of force and correlates of officer attitudes supportive of the use of inappropriate force. This study shows that a significant number of officers hold attitudes supportive of the use of inappropriate force. Regression analysis demonstrates complex relationship between police role-orientation and officers’ attitudes toward the use of inappropriate force. This study also found that police training on the use of force was not as effective as expected in shaping officers’ attitudes toward the use of force. The implication for police training is discussed in relation to findings of this study.
Long-term guided wave structural health monitoring in an uncontrolled environment through long short-term principal component analysis
Authors: Yang Kang , Kim Sungwon , Yue Rongting , Yue Haotian , Harley Joel B.
Published: August 2021

Environmental effects are a significant challenge in guided wave structural health monitoring systems. These effects distort signals and increase the likelihood of false alarms. Many research papers have studied mitigation strategies for common variations in guided wave datasets reproducible in a lab, such as temperature and stress. There are fewer studies and strategies for detecting damage under more unpredictable outdoor conditions. This article proposes a long short-term principal component analysis reconstruction method to detect synthetic damage under highly variational environments, like precipitation, freeze, and other conditions. The method does not require any temperature or other compensation methods and is tested by approximately seven million guided wave measurements collected over 2 years. Results show that our method achieves an area under curve score of near 0.95 when detecting synthetic damage under highly variable environmental conditions.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights: An argument for higher education to prohibit workplace bullying
Authors: Hollis Leah P
Published: August 2021

This policy brief offers a short discussion on how workplace bullying is a human rights violation when the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is considered. Workplace bullying as an international issue should be prohibited. Higher education is particularly important in this context because there is a higher frequency of workplace bullying in higher education and higher education plausibly is in a viable position to end the lack of dignity experienced by those dealing with workplace bullying.
Cognitive Political Economy: A Growing Partisan Divide in Economic Perceptions
Authors: Brady David W. , Ferejohn John A. , Parker Brett
Published: August 2021

Research suggests that American partisans are increasingly distinct in their beliefs. These strengthened partisan feelings extend to economic perceptions—as numerous scholars have shown, there is a substantial gap between the proportion of Democrats and the proportion of Republicans that believe the economy is improving. Here, we examine the extent to which these perceptions have polarized over the past two decades and the degree to which they still respond to objective economic indicators. Exploiting a Gallup time-series, we show that the gap in economic perceptions approximately doubled between 1999 and 2020, and that partisan economic perceptions no longer seem to converge during economic crises. We further demonstrate that the economic perceptions of Democrats and Republicans have polarized relative to Independents and that this polarization is not asymmetric in magnitude. Collectively, these results document the extraordinary rise of perceptual polarization and illustrate that neither Democrats nor Republicans are immune to its effects.
Russia’s rising military and communication power: From Chechnya to Crimea
Authors: Rodgers James , Lanoszka Alexander
Published: August 2021

Most scholars working on Russia’s use of strategic narratives recognize the importance of the Russian state. Nevertheless, the authors argue that much of the attention on strategic narratives has given insufficient appreciation for how Russia has developed its military and media policies in a coordinated manner: learning from its mistakes and failures as it went along, and becoming more efficient each time. In making their case, they examine three theatres of Russian military activity and their accompanying media coverage: the wars in Chechnya in 1994–1995 and 1999–2000; war with Georgia in 2008 over the separatist territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia; and Ukraine, especially Crimea, since 2014. The Russian leadership addressed the shortcomings on each occasion, with the news media being increasingly weaponized as time went on. The authors argue that scholars should see Russia’s evolving uses of those military and media power resources as part of a single strategic process. How the Russian state goes about its media policy can accentuate the military intervention for better or for worse as far as its image is concerned.