bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP): A Quantitative Nosology Based on Consensus of Evidence
Authors: Kotov Roman , Krueger Robert F. , Watson David , Cicero David C. , Conway Christopher C. , DeYoung Colin G. , Eaton Nicholas R. , Forbes Miriam K. , Hallquist Michael N. , Latzman Robert D. , Mullins-Sweatt Stephanie N. , Ruggero Camilo J. , Simms Leonard J. , Waldman Irwin D. , Waszczuk Monika A. , Wright Aidan G.C.
Published: February 2021

Traditional diagnostic systems went beyond empirical evidence on the structure of mental health. Consequently, these diagnoses do not depict psychopathology accurately, and their validity in research and utility in clinicalpractice are therefore limited. The Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) consortium proposed a model based on structural evidence. It addresses problems of diagnostic heterogeneity, comorbidity, and unreliability. We review the HiTOP model, supporting evidence, and conceptualization of psychopathology in this hierarchical dimensional framework. The system is not yet comprehensive, and we describe the processes for improving and expanding it. We summarize data on the ability of HiTOP to predict and explain etiology (genetic, environmental, and neurobiological), risk factors, outcomes, and treatment response. We describe progress in the development of HiTOP-based measures and in clinical implementation of the system. Finally, we review outstanding challenges and the research agenda. HiTOP is of practical utility already, and its ongoing development will produce a transformative map of psychopathology.
IL-17 in the Pathogenesis of Disease: Good Intentions Gone Awry
Authors: Majumder Saikat , McGeachy Mandy J.
Published: February 2021

The IL-17 family is an evolutionarily old cytokine family consisting of six members (IL-17A through IL-17F). IL-17 family cytokines signal through heterodimeric receptors that include the shared IL-17RA subunit, which is widely expressed throughout the body on both hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic cells. The founding family member, IL-17A, is usually referred to as IL-17 and has received the most attention for proinflammatory roles in autoimmune diseases like psoriasis. However, IL-17 is associated with a wide array of diseases with perhaps surprisingly variable pathologies. This review focuses on recent advances in the roles of IL-17 during health and in disease pathogenesis. To decipher the functions of IL-17 in diverse disease processes it is useful to first consider the physiological functions that IL-17 contributes to health. We then discuss how these beneficial functions can be diverted toward pathogenic amplification of deleterious pathways driving chronic disease.
Cardiovascular Autonomic Modulation during Metronomic Breathing and Stress Exposure in Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder
Authors: Geiss Lennard , Beck Beate , Hitzl Wolfgang , Hillemacher Thomas , Hösl Katharina M.
Published: February 2021

Introduction: Given the growing evidence of reduced heart rate variability in psychiatric diseases associated with emotional instability, we investigated cardiovascular autonomic modulation in patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) during resting state, parasympathetic stimulation (metronomic breathing), and sympathetic stimulation (mental arithmetic stress test). Methods: In 29 BPD outpatients and 30 controls, we recorded RR-intervals (RRI), blood pressure, skin conductance levels, and respiratory frequency during resting state, metronomic breathing, stress anticipation, stress exposure, and stress recovery. We calculated baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) and parameters of heart rate variability, including the root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), an index of cardiovagal modulation. Results: During resting state, BPD patients showed higher blood pressure and shorter RRI, as well as lower RMSSD and BRS than controls. Metronomic breathing increased RMSSD and BRS in BPD patients. During the stress exposure, BRS significantly decreased in controls, but not in BPD patients. Furthermore, BPD patients showed less cardioacceleration in response to stress exposure than controls. During stress recovery, we found increases in RMSSD and BRS in controls, but not in BPD patients. Conclusion: Our data show reduced cardiovascular autonomic modulation in BPD patients during resting state, psychophysiological relaxation, and stress exposure. The results indicate a vagal modulation deficit in this cohort. Breathing techniques, such as metronomic breathing, might be helpful to reduce stress and to increase vagal tone in BPD patients.
Acute Gastric Dilatation: A Cause for Concern
Authors: Shaikh Danial Haris , Jyala Abhilasha , Mehershahi Shehriyar , Sinha Chandni , Chilimuri Sridhar
Published: February 2021

Acute gastric dilatation is the radiological finding of a massively enlarged stomach as seen on plain film X-ray or a computerized tomography scan of the abdomen. It is a rare entity with high mortality if not treated promptly and is often not reported due to a lack of physician awareness. It can occur due to both mechanical obstruction of the gastric outflow tract, or due to nonmechanical causes, such as eating disorders and gastroparesis. Acute hyperglycemia without diagnosed gastroparesis, such as in patients with diabetic ketoacidosis, may also predispose to acute gastric dilatation. Prompt placement of a nasogastric tube can help deter its serious complications of gastric emphysema, ischemia, and/or perforation. We present our experience of 2 patients who presented with severe hyperglycemia and were found to have acute gastric dilation on imaging. Only one of the patients was treated with nasogastric tube placement for decompression and eventually made a full recovery.
IgG4-Related Pseudotumors Mimicking Metastases in Liver and Lungs
Authors: Yueh Hann Ziong , Tung Kuan Kai ,   Wen, Tung Chun Fang
Published: February 2021

A 47-year-old man complained intermittent dull pain at the right upper quadrant abdomen and right neck swelling for 3 months. Blood tests revealed leukocytosis with mild eosinophilia. Computed tomography (CT) showed the presence of multiple nodules in the liver and both lung fields. Positron emission tomography/CT (PET/CT) scans found increased uptake at lymph nodes of the right neck, in the lung, liver, and prostate. The patient was diagnosed with IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) based on the biopsy findings from the right neck lymph nodes, showing enriched IgG4-positive lymphoplasmacytic cells. It is often difficult to distinguish IgG4-RD from malignancy, especially in presentations with multiple pseudotumors. This case serves as a reminder that IgG4-RD should be considered in earlier diagnosis, since pseudotumors in multiple organs may imitate tumor metastases.
In vitro Study of the Role of Human Neutrophil Enzymes on Root Caries Progression
Authors: Zamperini Camila A. , Aydin Berdan , Sroussi Herve Y. , Bedran-Russo Ana Karina
Published: February 2021

The role of the host immune system in caries progression is mainly speculative, and it is believed that it entails the enzymatic degradation of the dentin organic matrix. The aim of this study was to evaluate the proteolytic effect of human neutrophil enzymes on root caries progression. For this, specimens of bovine root dentin were divided into 4 groups (n = 30): caries (C), caries + neutrophils (C + N), no caries (Control), and no caries + neutrophils (Control + N). Streptococcus mutans biofilm (105 CFU/mL) was grown on the root surface to artificially induce root carious lesions (C and C + N groups). Specimens were then exposed to neutrophils (5 × 106 cells/mL) for 48 h (C + N and Control + N groups). Caries development and neutrophil exposures were repeated a 2nd and 3rd time. Caries depth (CD) and dentin demineralization (DD) were assessed by infiltration of rhodamine B using fluorescence microscopy. Collagen fibril ultrastructure was characterized under a polarized microscope with Picrosirius red staining. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) in CD and DD between the C and C + N groups for 1, 2, and 3 caries-neutrophil exposures. Immature collagen was significantly less present in the carious groups (C, p = 0.003; C + N, p = 0.01) than in the noncarious groups in the most superficial 200 µm. We thus concluded that human neutrophil enzymes did not influence short-term root caries progression, and immature collagen fibrils were more susceptible to degradation during S. mutans-induced root caries progression.
Proportion of Patients Eligible for Cardiac Contractility Modulation: Real-Life Data from a Single-Center Heart Failure Clinic
Authors: Pilecky Dávid , Muk Balázs , Majoros Zsuzsanna , Vágány Dénes , Kósa Krisztina , Szabó Márta , Szögi Emese , Dékány Miklós , Kiss Róbert Gábor , Nyolczas Noémi
Published: February 2021

Introduction: Based on recently published randomized controlled trials, cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) seems to be an effective device-based therapeutic option in symptomatic chronic heart failure (HF) (CHF). The aim of the current study was to estimate what proportion of patients with CHF and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <50% could be eligible for CCM based on the inclusion criteria of the FIX-HF-5C trial. Methods: Consecutive patients referred and followed up at our HF clinic due to HF with reduced or mid-range LVEF were retrospectively assessed. After a treatment optimization period of 3–6 months, the inclusion criteria of the FIX-HF-5C trial (New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III/IV, 25% ≤ LVEF ≤45%, QRS <130 ms, and sinus rhythm) were applied to determine the number of patients eligible for CCM. Results: Of the 640 patients who were involved, the proportion of highly symptomatic patients in NYHA class III/IV decreased from 77.0% (n = 493) at baseline to 18.6% (n = 119) after the treatment optimization period (p < 0.001). Mean LVEF increased significantly from 29.0 ± 7.9% to 36.3 ± 9.9% (p < 0.001), while the proportion of patients with 25% ≤ LVEF ≤45% increased from 69.7% (n = 446) to 73.3% (n = 469) (p < 0.001). QRS duration was below 130 ms in 63.1% of patients, while 30.0% of patients had persistent or permanent atrial fibrillation. We found that the eligibility criteria for CCM therapy based on the FIX-HF-5C study were fulfilled for 23.0% (n = 147) of patients at baseline and 5.2% (n = 33) after treatment optimization. Conclusion: This single-center cohort study showed that 5% of patients with CHF and impaired LVEF immediately after treatment optimization fulfilled the inclusion criteria of the FIX-HF-5C study and would be candidates for CCM.
Evaluation of Biomarkers in Myoma Patients: A Prospective Study Investigating the Role of LDH, CA 125, and IGF-1 after Uterus-Preserving Surgical Therapy
Authors: Jacob Michaela , Richter Rolf , Sehouli Jalid , David Matthias
Published: February 2021

Objective: Myomas are one of the most common tumors of the lower abdomen in women. At present, sonography and clinical examination are the prevalent diagnostic standards for these tumors, and no biomarkers have been established yet. The primary aim of this study was to determine if the surgical removal of myomas leads to a drop of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), CA 125, and/or insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) and therefore if these parameters are suitable as potential biomarkers for the presence or recurrence of a myoma. Study Design: The blood levels of LDH, CA 125, and IGF-1 were determined in 83 patients (age 18–50) with a verified diagnosis of myomas and surgical therapy at 3 different timepoints: preoperative (T0), 2 days postoperative (T1), and 6 months postoperative (T2). Vaginal sonography was performed preoperatively and once again at 6 months postoperatively. Results: The median (Q1–Q3) LDH values dropped significantly postoperatively: 239 (217–266) U/L at T0 versus 217 (190–255) U/L at T1, p < 0.001. The median (Q1–Q3) IGF-1 values also dropped: 140.4 (118.6–179.0) ng/mL versus 112.4 (99.5–143.0), p < 0.001. By contrast, the CA 125 values rose slightly but not significantly. At 6 months (n = 34), the LDH values were not significantly different from either the preoperative or the immediate postoperative values. This was observed both in patients with and without a recurrence of myoma. In contrast, the median (Q1–Q3) IGF-1 level at T2 was significantly elevated both in patients with sonographic evidence of new myomas (129.0 [116.0–163.1] ng/mL, p = 0.023) and in patients with sonographic proof of no new myomas (161.0 [130.2–198.5] ng/mL, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Both LDH and IGF-1 dropped significantly in the immediate postoperative days in women with myomas after uterus-preserving surgeries were performed. The postoperative concentration of IGF-1 was correlated with the evidence of new myomas and can be potentially used for further monitoring. Future studies should be able to confirm these results. This study concludes that myomas do influence LDH and IGF-1 and could possibly be suitable as biomarkers.
Evaluation of Renal Fibrosis by Mapping Histology and Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Zhang Jiong , Yu Yuanmeng , Liu Xiaoshuang , Tang Xiong , Xu Feng , Zhang Mingchao , Xie Guotong , Zhang Longjiang , Li Xiang , Liu Zhi-Hong
Published: February 2021

Background: Renal fibrosis is a key driver of progression in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Recent advances in diagnostic imaging techniques have shown promising results for the noninvasive assessment of renal fibrosis. However, the specificity and accuracy of these techniques are controversial because they indirectly assess renal fibrosis. This limits fibrosis assessment by imaging in CKD for clinical practice. To validate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) assessment for fibrosis, we derived representative models by mapping histology-proven renal fibrosis and imaging in CKD. Methods: Ninety-seven adult Chinese CKD participants with histology were studied. The kidney cortex interstitial extracellular matrix volume was calculated by the Aperio ScanScope system using Masson’s trichrome slices. The kidney cortex microcirculation was quantitatively assessed by peritubular capillary density using CD34 staining. The imaging techniques included intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted imaging and magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) imaging. Relevant analyses were performed to evaluate the correlations between MRI parameters and histology variables. Multiple linear regression models were used to describe the relationships between a response variable and other variables. The best-fit lines, which minimize the sum of squared residuals of the multiple linear regression models, were generated. Results: MRE values were negatively associated with the interstitial extracellular matrix volume (Rho = −0.397, p < 0.001). The best mapping model of extracellular matrix volume with the MRE value and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) we obtained was as follows: Interstitial extracellular matrix volume = 218.504 – 14.651 × In(MRE) – 18.499 × In(eGFR). DWI-fraction values were positively associated with peritubular capillary density (Rho = 0.472, p < 0.001). The best mapping model of peritubular capillary density with DWI-fraction value and eGFR was as follows: Peritubular capillaries density = 17.914 + 9.403 × (DWI – fraction) + 0.112 × (eGFR). Conclusions: The study provides histological evidence to support that MRI can effectively evaluate fibrosis in the kidney. These findings picture the graphs of the mapping model from imaging and eGFR into fibrosis, which has significant value for clinical implementation.
The Impact of Fluorescence in situ Hybridization on the Staging of Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma
Authors: Eismann Lennert , Mumm Jan-Niclas , Bohn Lucas , Wülfing Christian , Knüchel-Clarke Ruth , Casuscelli Jozefina , Waidelich Raphaela , Stief Christian G. , Schlenker Boris , Rodler Severin
Published: February 2021

Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) diagnostics on the T stage in final histology specimen of patients undergoing radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) due to upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) at a large tertiary care center. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients who underwent RNU at our center between 2008 and 2020. Inclusion criteria were RNU due to UTUC. Urine cytologies were used for FISH analysis to detect chromosomal abnormalities. Pre-FISH group was defined as patients without access to routine preoperative urinary FISH testing (2008–2014), and FISH group was defined as patients with access to routine FISH testing. Primary outcome was T stage in final histology. Statistical analysis was performed by χ2 test and Mann-Whitney U test. Results: Out of 212 patients who underwent RNU at our center between 2008 and 2020, 155 patients were included into the final analysis. The median age was 71 (range 33–90) years, and 108 (69.7%) patients were male and 47 (30.3%) female. Age and gender were not differently distributed in both groups (age: p = 0.925; gender: p = 0.682). Organ-confined disease was found in 37/72 patients in the pre-FISH cohort and in 48/83 patients in the FISH cohort (p = 0.422). Within organ-confined disease, 18/37 patients revealed a T stage smaller than T1 in the pre-FISH cohort and 35/48 patients in the FISH cohort (p = 0.022). Conclusions: Preoperative FISH diagnostics add important information to preoperative diagnostic workup of patients with UTUC. Within organ-confined disease, a significant shift toward T stages lower than T1 is observed. Further research is required to determine the impact of this shift on survival in UTUC.
Working Memory Impairment as an Endophenotypic Marker in Patients with Schizophrenia: Failures in Encoding or Maintenance?
Authors: Rodríguez-Martínez Ana Elisa , Monroy-Jaramillo Nancy , Rodríguez-Agudelo Yaneth , Solís-Vivanco Rodolfo
Published: February 2021

Introduction: Although working memory (WM) dysfunction has been proposed as a schizophrenia (SZ) endophenotype, the specific impaired component (encoding or maintenance) in patients and unaffected relatives remains inconclusive. We compared auditory-verbal and visuospatial WM in patients with SZ, unaffected siblings (USs), and healthy controls under 2 response conditions: immediate (encoding condition) and delayed (maintenance condition). Methods: We included 22 participants per group, similar in age and gender. Three WM tests (Spatial Span, Backward Digit Span, and Letter-Number Span) were administered under both conditions in a counterbalanced manner to all participants. Results: Poorer performance was found in the SZ group for all tests (p < 0.001). USs showed a better performance than patients, but worse than controls (p < 0.05), except for the Backward Digit Span test, in which their performance was similar to that of the SZ group. The effect of the delayed response in all tasks was not significant in any group. Conclusion: Our results indicate that WM impairment, including auditory-verbal and visuospatial modalities, corresponds to a stable feature of the disease as it is present in USs, thus confirming its potential endophenotypic property in SZ patients. No effect of the delayed response was observed, suggesting failures in encoding in both patients and USs.
Novel Strategies to Target Mast Cells in Disease
Authors: Paivandy Aida , Pejler Gunnar
Published: February 2021

Mast cells (MCs) are versatile effector cells of the immune system, characterized by a large content of secretory granules containing a variety of inflammatory mediators. They are implicated in the host protection toward various external insults, but are mostly well known for their detrimental impact on a variety of pathological conditions, including allergic disorders such as asthma and a range of additional disease settings. Based on this, there is currently a large demand for therapeutic regimens that can dampen the detrimental impact of MCs in these respective pathological conditions. This can be accomplished by several strategies, including targeting of individual mediators released by MCs, blockade of receptors for MC-released compounds, inhibition of MC activation, limiting mast cell growth or by inducing mast cell apoptosis. Here, we review the currently available and emerging regimens to interfere with harmful mast cell activities in asthma and other pathological settings and discuss the advantages and limitations of such strategies.
Delivering Solidarity: Platform Architecture and Collective Contention in China’s Platform Economy
Authors: Lei Ya-Wen
Published: February 2021

This study examines how and when labor control and management leads to collective resistance in China’s food-delivery platform economy. I develop the concept of “platform architecture” to examine the technological, legal, and organizational aspects of control and management in the labor process and the variable relationships between them. Analyzing 68 in-depth interviews, ethnographic data, and 87 cases of strikes and protests, I compare the platform architecture of service and gig platforms and examine the relationship between their respective architecture and labor contention. I argue that specific differences in platform architecture diffuse or heighten collective contention. Within the service platform, technological control and management generates work dissatisfaction, but the legal and organizational dimensions contain grievances and reduce the appeal of, and spaces for, collective contention. Conversely, within the gig platform, all three dimensions of platform architecture reinforce one another, escalating grievances, enhancing the appeal of collective contention, and providing spaces for mobilizing solidarity and collective action. As a result, gig platform couriers are more likely to consider their work relations exploitative and to mobilize contention, despite facing higher barriers to collective action due to the atomization of their work.
Intracoronary Thrombolysis in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Chen Ling , Shi Liye , Tian Wen , Zhao Shijie
Published: February 2021

Background:

The effects of intracoronary (IC) thrombolysis therapy in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) receiving primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) remain unclear.

Methods:

The meta-analysis was conducted according to the PRISMA statement. All relevant studies were identified by searching the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science, with no time or language limitation. The pooled risk ratio (RR) and weighted mean difference (WMD) with a 95% CI were calculated.

Results:

Nine randomized controlled trials involving a total of 1341 patients were included. Compared with the control group, IC thrombolysis in patients with STEMI could reduce the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE; RR 0.632, 95% CI, 0.474-0.843, P = .002) and improve left ventricular ejection fraction (RR 0.343, 95% CI, 0.178-0.509, P < .001) and myocardial microcirculation. However, there was no difference noted in the mortality (RR 0.759, 95% CI, 0.347-1.661, P = .490). The incidence rate of major bleeding and minor bleeding was comparable between the 2 groups.

Conclusions:

Intracoronary thrombolysis was associated with improved MACE and myocardial microcirculation in patients with STEMI having PPCI, though it failed to improve mortality.
L’Église nationale dans l’histoire et la société. Essai dans la perspective de Troeltsch à Schütz
Authors: Turcotte Paul-André
Published: February 2021

Des sociétés font d’une Église, liée à leur destinée culturelle et historique, la religion de préférence. Il s’agit de l’Église nationale, qui se caractérise par une synthèse concentrique de la religion et de la nation, de la culture et de la société sur un territoire circonscrit. Ces formations socioreligieuses chrétiennes se distinguent entre elles par des définitions du croire, des pratiques morales, la liturgie, l’organisation de l’intérieur et les rapports avec l’environnement sociétal. Elles ne partagent pas moins des racines communes se rapportant aux origines du christianisme, à son histoire et à ses médiations. Elles travaillent sur elles-mêmes, entre affirmation identitaire et compromis, du coup composent avec les défis à relever pour assurer leur permanence. L’Église de petite taille se distingue de la grande Église par des relations socioreligieuses tenant tant de la communauté que de l’institution.
"Jesus is a Fine Boy!": Exploring Modern-day Christologies among the Christian Youth in Enugu State, Nigeria
Authors: Uwaegbute Kingsley Ikechukwu
Published: February 2021

This article studies Christological titles as used among the Christian youth in Enugu state, Nigeria. The article adopts both oral interview and participant observation as its methodologies. It aims at discussing these modern-day Christologies among the Christian youth in Enugu state in the context of the reason for such a shift in the categorization of Jesus. Its findings show that, partly, this development among the youth can be located within their desire to key Jesus into modern-day youth language. More broadly, however, the article locates this Christological development among the youth of the state within folk religion, typified by the ever-evolving and contested nature of African Christology determined by changing contexts in which African Christians find themselves.
Decomposition of the Role of Family in Reentry: Family Support, Tension, Gender, and Reentry Outcomes
Authors: Liu Lin , Visher Christy A.
Published: February 2021

A vast body of reentry research has investigated the role of family in facilitating reentry success. However, it is largely unknown whether family can both be a source of support and conflict and if so, whether these impacts are gender-specific. This study explores the heterogeneous elements that family brings to the reintegration process. Findings suggest that released prisoners’ families can bring either crime-inhibitory or criminogenic influences depending on the familial environment. Support from family members protects respondents from criminal recidivism, while strained family relationships are a significant predictor for drug use. Moreover, the detrimental effect of family tension is gender-sensitive: Females released from prison suffer an amplified risk of reentry failure under family tension. Implications for correctional programming are discussed.
Trust and Confidence in Police Officers and the Institution of Policing: The Views of African Americans in the American South
Authors: Pryce Daniel K. , Chenane Joselyne L.
Published: February 2021

The relationship between the police and African Americans has been beset by a lack of trust for decades. Improving this relationship is important to scholars, practitioners, and citizens; as a result, we examine in this study African Americans’ trust and confidence in the police. Using trust questions found in the literature, we interviewed 77 African Americans in Durham, NC, to assess their views about the police. We found that for the police to earn the trust of African Americans, the police should treat African Americans equitably, invest in community policing, and respect African Americans. Although some respondents do not believe that their relationship with the police could be repaired, this is a small percentage of respondents, less than 5%.
How long-distance nationalism shapes ‘us’ preferences of first-generation Taiwanese Americans
Authors: Cheng Julia Y
Published: February 2021

Although researchers have identified conditions for marital formation across and along ethnic lines, few efforts have been made to clarify factors behind in-group rejection. This article looks at one specific aspect of rejection within ‘us’ through the lens of long-distance nationalism. The data were collected from islander-origin first-generation Taiwanese Americans in a transnational community organization in the San Diego area, whose ancestors can be traced to provinces in southeast China. The long-term development of the islanders-led nationalist movement in Taiwan has made these immigrants long-distance nationalists by default. The article finds that although all immigrants identify ‘us’ with Taiwanese American, they have developed two types of transnational attachment (homeland and home) affecting their different ways of transforming ‘us’ into ‘marriageable us.’ While immigrants with homeland attachment have developed a Taiwan-first hyphenated identity that excludes Chinese people from the group of ‘us’ and ‘marriageable us,’ those who have a home attachment apply a symbolic approach to Taiwanese ethnicity resulting in the decoupling of ‘us’ and ‘marriageable us.’ By showing in-group heterogeneity in the transformation of ‘us’ into ‘marriageable us’ in the context of Taiwanese immigration to the United States, this article identifies community organizations as a mechanism for supporting the variance of transnational attachment.
The weight of time and the unemployment experience: Daily life and future prospects
Authors: Carmo Renato Miguel , d’Avelar Maria Madalena
Published: February 2021

In individual terms, unemployment situations cause both a destructuring of daily life practices and a loss of resources and socioeconomic conditions that were previously taken for granted. This is a vulnerable situation that results simultaneously in forms of disaffiliation and social disqualification, with consequences in the rise of poverty and social inequality. Unemployed people live the present in a state of constant uncertainty that makes it hard to construct coherent prospects for the future. Basing itself on a sociological problematisation of social time, this article seeks to operationalise a set of categories and temporal profiles that are derived from unemployment situations and to identify different variants of a lived temporality which the authors call forced downtime. The investigation is the product of an analysis of 46 in-depth interviews of relatively older unemployed persons who live in Portugal and possess low or intermediate levels of schooling. Content analysis shows that there are different ways in which interviewees experience distinct temporal dimensions.
The Career Intentions of Gifted English as a Foreign Language High School Students in Vietnam
Authors: Cao Thuy Hong , Jung Jae Yup , Smith Susen
Published: February 2021

A multiple study mixed methods research design was used to examine how gifted English as a Foreign Language (EFL) high school students in Vietnam form their career intentions. In the first study, interview data collected from 25 participants were analyzed using grounded theory to develop models that describe the formation of career intentions. In the second study, survey data collected from 512 participants were analyzed using structural equation modeling procedures to quantitatively test and refine the qualitative models developed in the first study. In the final third study, structural equation modeling was again used on data collected from 602 participants using a refined survey to quantitatively retest and refine the models developed in both of the earlier two studies. The finally accepted optimal model highlighted the importance of career interest, career self-efficacy, and career prospects in the formation of the career intentions of gifted EFL high school students in Vietnam.
Numerical analysis of multi-scale pressure pulsation on the energy accumulation for submarine-based tracking and pointing systems
Authors: Zongkai Liu , Zhaolie Tang
Published: February 2021

One of the main goals of submarine designers and researchers is to estimate the influence of submarine fluid dynamics for submarine-based optical tracking and pointing systems. In this study, firstly, based on the basic flow governing equation and hierarchical grids, the numerical simulation method of DNS (direct numerical simulation) is adopted to simulate the seawater flow around the submarine at 6° yaw angle and 107 Reynolds number. Secondly, the transformation equations from the earth coordinate system to the optical axis system have been deduced and the ultimate influence of pressure torques on the tracking system is studied. Transfer functions of the coarse channel direct current (DC) torque motor and fine channel fast steering mirror (FSM) also have been modeled and deduced. On this basis, the time domain step responses of both subsystems are analyzed by MATLAB Simulink. Finally, performance analyses have been deduced by comparing the error variation and vortices evolution. It revealed that the frequency characteristics of multi-scale pressure pulsation mainly depended on the lengths of submarine hull or its appendage, as well as the fluid dissipation and random interaction. In general, the coarse channel appears a good compensation performance at low frequency and large amplitude error that caused by the middle-scale pressure pulsation. Contrarily, the FSM fine channel exerts an excellent control effect for higher frequency and small amplitude error caused by small-scale pressure pulsations.
Estimation of aerodynamic noise of diaphragms through IEC 60534-8-3 and CFD
Authors: Fenini Luca , Quaroni Luca Nicola , Malavasi Stefano
Published: February 2021

The aerodynamic noise emitted by a subsonic flow of dry air through an orifice plate is estimated in terms of internal sound power level and external sound pressure level (SPL) by application of the methodology described in the international standard IEC 60534-8-3. A shortcoming of the standard in defining the efficiency of the transformation of the mechanical energy of the flow into acoustic energy is discussed. Experimental evidence of the matter is also described. An alternative model employing the resolution of Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes equations (RANS) by means of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) techniques for the calculation of the acoustic power generated by the turbulent flow through the orifice plate is applied so as to overcome the issue.
Trusting Democracy: The Law Can Work for Refugees, but what the System Needs Is an ‘Injection of Humanity’
Authors: Khan Fatima , Mbatani Siphokazi , Marais Charlotte
Published: February 2021

Newfound hope was seen in South Africa on 27 April 1994, when the country held its first democratic elections. In that spirit, South Africa acceded to the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention and agreed to uphold its promise of protecting the most vulnerable. However, 25 years on, refugees have experienced increased exclusion and rights violations. The last 25 years have brought with them numerous struggles for refugee communities, including violence, institutionalised xenophobia and a lack of political will. How do we get back the momentum and spirit that paved the way for democracy in South Africa? While South Africa has robust legislative measures, a sense of humanity has been lost in their implementation. This article offers an overview of what it means to be a refugee in democratic South Africa, and it asks whether we can trust our democracy to protect the most vulnerable. By exploring the day-to-day obstacles that refugees encounter from the moment they arrive in South Africa, this article aims to highlight the systematic breakdown of the generous laws that are supposed to protect refugees. The law can work, but an ‘injection of humanity’ is needed in public and private life to ensure that the vision of democracy is upheld.
South Africa’s International Relations: A New Dawn?
Authors: Hendricks Cheryl , Majozi Nkululeko
Published: February 2021

Over the last 25 years, South Africa’s regional and global stature has been in flux. Although there is continuity in its foreign policy objectives, there have been changes in emphasis and application. These changes, together with shifts in the domestic political and economic landscape, have impacted negatively on South Africa’s international relations. President Cyril Ramaphosa, in his 2018 State of the Nation Address, boldly proclaimed a ‘new dawn’ for South Africa. A key aspect of the intended new dawn is the repositioning of South Africa regionally and globally. This paper examines the shifts and the continuity in South Africa’s foreign policy, and the reasons for its waning global and regional stature. The paper argues that South Africa is once again in a position to be a norm- and agenda-setter, especially in relation to peace and security, but that this will be a lost opportunity if there is a lack of the necessary reflection, visioning and redress needed for transformation.
Queer at 25: A Critical Perspective on Queerness, Politics and Futures
Authors: Judge Melanie
Published: February 2021

With a focus on contemporary South Africa, and through the lens of queer identity and politics, the article critiques the limitations and possibilities for queerness and its futures in post-apartheid South Africa. From the advent of constitutional democracy and its ushering in of human rights, the article analyses developments in the politics of sexuality in the context of enduring systems of violence, rooted in colonial and apartheid histories. Discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people – at the intersection with other forms of discrimination – has emerged as a focal point for political resistances in the post-apartheid period. These resistances are interrogated, including the paradoxes of rights struggles that they expose, and the contradictions between formal equality gains and present queer realities that they call attention to. With an emphasis on enduring inequalities within post-apartheid society, and on the racialisation of violence against queerness, the article explores various political formations of and for queer freedom. In navigating these dynamics of inequality and difference, the article urges a radical politics – both for relating as equals, and against the violent ends of othering.
Debunking the Apartheid Spatial Grid: Developing a Socially Just Architecture Curriculum at a University of Technology
Authors: Ngoasheng Asanda
Published: February 2021

Traditional universities are often interrogated on their pedagogic underpinnings, while universities of technology are often left unchallenged on knowledge production. Universities of technology are often assumed to be transformed because they are a post-apartheid creation, with a mainly black, working-class student body. This assumption has led to little interrogation of the university of technology and its relationship with knowledge production. This paper explores the nature of curriculum contestation and reform at a university of technology. It outlines the historical context of a university of technology and its approach to curriculum development, which has implications for current curriculum transformation efforts. Using autoethnographic research methodology, the paper tracks a multi-year journey towards the development of a transformative, socially just curriculum intervention in the extended curriculum programme for the Architecture and Interior Design programme at a university of technology. The paper concludes that curriculum change does not happen in a vacuum, that it is political, difficult and emotionally taxing, and that it is best done in collaboration with different education stakeholders.
‘Is Mugabe Also Among the National Deities and Kings?’: Place Renaming and the Appropriation of African Chieftainship Ideals and Spirituality in Mugabe’s Zimbabwe
Authors: Mamvura Zvinashe
Published: February 2021

This article examines the elite construction of cultural landscapes in Harare. Since assuming the reins of power in the Zimbabwe African Nation Union (ZANU) in 1977, Robert Mugabe invented a political culture that conflated him with spirit mediums whom the nationalist movement had elevated to national deities and dead kings. Mugabe continued to cultivate this political culture in the post-colonial era using different discourses of self-presentation. The place-renaming exercise that the Mugabe regime implemented immediately after independence was part of Mugabe’s self-legitimating efforts. This article establishes that the place-renaming system in Harare projected Mugabe as a divine king.
Vulnerability to Natural Disaster and Welfare Effect: A Case Study of Flood Risk in Vietnam’s North Central Region
Authors: Nguyen Manh-Hung , Le Dung P , Vo Thang T
Published: February 2021

This article investigates the impact of flood risk on vulnerability and welfare at the household level in Vietnam. The analytical sample is taken from a household survey conducted in a north central Vietnam community through a three-stage stratified random sampling method. The propensity score matching approach is employed to compare various welfare indicators between flooded and non-flooded households. This study finds that flooding results in significant income losses and imposes higher costs of living, especially housing costs. The two types of households are vulnerable, implying that other natural disasters or socio-economic disadvantages may have adverse effects on households’ livelihoods. The insignificant effect of floods on vulnerability indicates that the flooded households can cope with floods to some extent. However, contrary to family support, formal coping strategies are insufficient or ineffective at reducing household vulnerability to floods.
Effect of Perceived Dyspnea on Attitude Toward Death From the Perspective of COPD Patients
Authors: Bülbüloğlu Semra , Kaplan Serin Emine
Published: February 2021

In this study, it was aimed to examine attitudes toward dyspnea and death from the perspective of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patients and to determine the relationship between them. This descriptive research was carried out in the chest diseases clinic of a public hospital and with the participation of COPD patients (n = 124). The data were obtained from the Personal Information Form, Death Attitude Profile-Revised, and Medical Research Council Scale. The neutral acceptance and approach acceptance subscale is explained as believing that death is an inevitable part of life and a transition to life after death. The escape acceptance subscale is explained as believing that life will save from physical or psychological harms. It was determined that the Neutral Acceptance and Approach Acceptance sub-dimension of the predictors of dyspnea, comorbid diseases, and COPD had a significant effect at a rate of 33% (p = 0.000). Dyspnea, Comorbid diseases, and the predictors of the severity of COPD affect the Escape Acceptance sub-dimension by 57% (p = 0.000). This research has shown that fear of death is high in COPD patients with high perceived dyspnea. The psychological support provided to patients with COPD should be considered to relieve the fear of death. New studies are needed in which these should be reevaluated in the same context.
‘Getting on with the job’: A systematised literature review of secondary trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in policing within the United Kingdom (UK)
Authors: Foley Jim , Hassett Alex , Williams Emma
Published: February 2021

The aim of this review is to identify and critically examine existing research relating to secondary trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) within UK police officers. A systematised literature review was conducted which identified 20 studies in police officers from Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland. These studies comprised of terrorist incidents, mass disasters, general policing duties and officers working in rape and child abuse investigations. Key themes emerged regarding understanding the impact of trauma, the influence of police culture and understanding coping mechanisms. It also found a number of methodological limitations within the studies which are likely to have impacted on the results. This review highlighted that trauma in UK policing is still not understood and there is a stigma associated with officers seeking help. Recognising the impact of trauma on police officers and how trauma has affected them is crucial to ensure an effective and compassionate workforce which delivers a better service to the public. It is hoped that this review will address gaps in existing knowledge within the literature, consider implications for practice, as well as recommendations to be taken forward in this crucial area of research.
Quiet Politics, Trade Unions, and the Political Elite Network: The Case of Denmark
Authors: Ibsen Christian Lyhne , Ellersgaard Christoph Houman , Larsen Anton Grau
Published: February 2021

Pepper Culpepper’s seminal Quiet Politics and Business Power has revitalized the study of when business elites can shape policies away from public scrutiny. This article takes the concept of quiet politics to a new, and surprising, set of actors: trade union leaders. Focusing on the case of Denmark, it argues that quiet politics functions through political elite networks and that this way of doing politics favors a particular kind of corporatist coordination between the state, capital, and labor. Rather than showing macrocorporatist coordination between the two classes and governments, it identifies representatives of business and labor that hold privileged positions in political elite networks. Representatives of segments are found in industries important for the Danish economy, specifically, the exporting manufacturing sector. Being at the core of the network requires not only a key position in the Danish economy but also an understanding that politics is often done best without politicians and voters. The analysis shows that trade union and business association representatives work closely on a wide number of issues through quiet politics, using their extensive network to broker and foster agreement between different stakeholders.
Quiet Politics and the Power of Business: New Perspectives in an Era of Noisy Politics
Authors: Morgan Glenn , Ibsen Christian Lyhne
Published: February 2021

This introduction summarizes the main contributions of this special issue titled “Quiet Politics and the Power of Business: New Perspectives in an Era of Noisy Politics.” The four articles in the issue use and extend Culpepper’s influential concept of “quiet politics” according to which business is able to shape policies and regulations when issues are of low salience to the public and politicians. The issue takes Culpepper’s analysis further in ways that respond to the rise of noisy politics over the last few years, often associated with new strident forms of left- and right-wing populism. Three contributions are made. First, the articles show that salience is not an inherent property of a policy area but is socially constructed. Second, a variety of strategies are described that business uses when trying to keep politics quiet. Third, strategies are affected by the structure of business, which varies across types of capitalism. Future research can use these insights to extend our understanding of the limits, strategies, and dynamics of quiet politics across political economies.