bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of IADL interventions to improve functioning in persons with Schizophrenia: A systematic review
Authors: John Annie , Gandhi Sailaxmi , Prasad Muliyala Krishna , Manjula Munivenkatappa
Published: November 2021

Background of the study:

Instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) are activities that are needed to live an independent life. Psychotic disorders are associated with deficits in everyday functioning, causing impairment/disability in activities of daily living. Activities play a crucial role to measure functional health or disability. People with Schizophrenia often present difficulties in social and occupational reintegration that may be associated with problems in performing daily activities, including independent living, education, working, and socializing. Activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living (life skills training) including leisure and social skills training intended to reintegrate the patient into the community to lead an everyday life.

Aim:

The aim of this review was to identify the effect of skill-based interventions on independent functioning in persons with Schizophrenia.

Methods:

The authors conducted database searches of Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, ProQuest, EBSCO from 1st January 1992 to 31st December 2020. The researcher extracted data, and the quality of included studies was rated by two authors independently. We used the Cochrane Risk of Bias (ROB) tool for assessing the quality of selected studies. The search identified nine studies that met the inclusion criteria with 655 participants. The outcome measure was independent functioning skills.

Results:

The interventions in the review were multifaceted with different combinations of psychoeducation, cognitive-behavioral methods, training in social skills, and IADL. The interventions resulted in significant improvement in functioning skills and reduction in relapse rates.

Conclusion:

Results of this review have revealed moderate to strong evidence for skills training, either behavioral or social skills to improve social and independent functioning, reduce caregiver burden, and improve negative symptoms. The review also supported that interventions could be generalized across settings.
A case of primary varicella meningoencephalitis in the absence of cutaneous lesions in a 4-month-old infant
Authors: Palaparthy Vinod Kumar , Tigga Ruth
Published: November 2021

Primary varicella infection has typical cutaneous lesions which aid in clinical diagnosis. Infants with transplacental transfer of varicella antibody can have varied cutaneous lesions. We report a 4-month-old infant with primary varicella meningoencephalitis without cutaneous lesions whose mother had no history of varicella during antenatal or post-natal period. Diagnosis was made possible by CSF DNA PCR. Infants with encephalitis pose diagnostic challenge to clinicians in resource limited settings. Varicella encephalitis is one such aetiology for which definitive therapy with Acyclovir is available. CSF PCR is the definitive and cost-effective test for the diagnosis varicella encephalitis. In children with meningoencephalitis it is prudent to add Acyclovir empirically pending CSF viral PCR results.
Giving and taking: ethical treatment assignment in controlled trials
Authors: Senn Stephen , Chalmers Iain
Published: November 2021

The current version of the Declaration of Helsinki states that ‘the benefits, risks, burdens and effectiveness of a new intervention must be tested against those of the best current proven intervention(s) … ’. This wording implies that it is acceptable for patients to be assigned to receive an unproven new intervention and to be denied a best current proven intervention. We assert that patients being invited to participate in controlled trials cannot, ethically, be expected to forego proven beneficial forms of care. Patients being treated in controlled trials should not knowingly be disadvantaged compared with similar patients being treated in usual clinical care, where they have access to beneficial care. In this article, we have tried to separate for discussion ‘the withholding of effective care from trial participants’, ‘informed consent to treatment’, ‘blinding’ and ‘use of placebos’.
An improved pattern-based prediction model for a class of industrial processes
Authors: Wang Mushu , Lu Yanrong , Pan Weigang
Published: November 2021

For the problem of simplifying pattern-based modeling procedures, an improved pattern-based modeling method is put forward via pattern classification for a class of complex processes. It is a pure data-driven modeling method using statistical attributes of the processes. At the beginning of the paper, a method of system dynamics description based on pattern moving is introduced. Then, an improved method of pattern-moving-based prediction modeling is put forward, and it simplifies the pattern-moving-based modeling method by integrating an initial model and a classification mapping. It consists of two parts: system pattern construction and pattern classification. And a constructive classification neural network (CCNN) is designed to describe system dynamics by classifying the system pattern, and its generalization is discussed. Finally, simulations using data of an actual production process demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed modeling method, and the effectiveness of the CCNN is verified using comparison experiments.
The Role of Witnesses in Humiliation: Why Does the Presence of an Audience Facilitate Humiliation Among Victims of Devaluation?
Authors: Fernández Saulo , Saguy Tamar , Gaviria Elena , Agudo Rut , Halperin Eran
Published: November 2021

We examined the role that witnesses play in triggering humiliation. We hypothesized that witnesses trigger humiliation because they intensify the two core appraisals underlying humiliation: unfairness and internalization of a devaluation of the self. However, we further propose that witnesses are not a defining characteristic of humiliating situations. Results of a preliminary study using an event-recall method confirmed that witnesses were as characteristic of humiliating episodes as of those that elicited shame or anger. In Experiments 1 and 2, we manipulated the presence (vs. absence) of witnesses when a professor devalued participants and the hostile tone of this devaluation. As hypothesized, in both experiments, witnesses indirectly increased humiliation via the appraisal of unfairness. Results of Experiment 2 revealed that the presence of witnesses also interacted with hostility, enhancing humiliation. As expected, this moderating effect occurred via the other key appraisal of humiliation (i.e., internalization).
A collaborative filtering algorithm based on item labels and Hellinger distance for sparse data
Authors: Wang Yong , Zhao Xuhui , Zhang Zhiqiang , Zhang Leo Yu
Published: November 2021

The Neighbourhood-based collaborative filtering (CF) algorithm has been widely used in recommender systems. To enhance the adaptability to the sparse data, a CF with new similarity measure and prediction method is proposed. The new similarity measure is designed based on the Hellinger distance of item labels, which overcomes the problem of depending on common-rated items (co-rated items). In the proposed prediction method, we present a new strategy to solve the problem that the neighbour users do not rate the target item, that is, the most similar item rated by the neighbour user is used to replace the target item. The proposed prediction method can significantly improve the utilisation of neighbours and obviously increase the accuracy of prediction. The experimental results on two benchmark datasets both confirm that the proposed algorithm can effectively alleviate the sparse data problem and improve the recommendation results.
A new perspective on cerebrospinal fluid dynamics after subarachnoid hemorrhage: From normal physiology to pathophysiological changes
Authors: Fang Yuanjian , Huang Lei , Wang Xiaoyu , Si Xiaoli , Lenahan Cameron , Shi Hui , Shao Anwen , Tang Jiping , Chen Sheng , Zhang Jianmin , Zhang John H
Published: November 2021

Knowledge about the dynamic metabolism and function of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) physiology has rapidly progressed in recent decades. It has traditionally been suggested that CSF is produced by the choroid plexus and drains to the arachnoid villi. However, recent findings have revealed that the brain parenchyma produces a large portion of CSF and drains through the perivascular glymphatic system and meningeal lymphatic vessels into the blood. The primary function of CSF is not limited to maintaining physiological CNS homeostasis but also participates in clearing waste products resulting from neurodegenerative diseases and acute brain injury. Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), a disastrous subtype of acute brain injury, is associated with high mortality and morbidity. Post-SAH complications contribute to the poor outcomes associated with SAH. Recently, abnormal CSF flow was suggested to play an essential role in the post-SAH pathophysiological changes, such as increased intracerebral pressure, brain edema formation, hydrocephalus, and delayed blood clearance. An in-depth understanding of CSF dynamics in post-SAH events would shed light on potential development of SAH treatment options. This review summarizes and updates the latest physiological characteristics of CSF dynamics and discusses potential pathophysiological changes and therapeutic targets after SAH.
Reproducibility of cerebrovascular reactivity measurements: A systematic review of neuroimaging techniques*
Authors: Zhao Moss Y , Woodward Amanda , Fan Audrey P , Chen Kevin T , Yu Yannan , Chen David Y , Moseley Michael E , Zaharchuk Greg
Published: November 2021

Cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR), the capacity of the brain to increase cerebral blood flow (CBF) to meet changes in physiological demand, is an important biomarker to evaluate brain health. Typically, this brain “stress test” is performed by using a medical imaging modality to measure the CBF change between two states: at baseline and after vasodilation. However, since there are many imaging modalities and many ways to augment CBF, a wide range of CVR values have been reported. An understanding of CVR reproducibility is critical to determine the most reliable methods to measure CVR as a clinical biomarker. This review focuses on CVR reproducibility studies using neuroimaging techniques in 32 articles comprising 427 total subjects. The literature search was performed in PubMed, Embase, and Scopus. The review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). We identified 5 factors of the experimental subjects (such as sex, blood characteristics, and smoking) and 9 factors of the measuring technique (such as the imaging modality, the type of the vasodilator, and the quantification method) that have strong effects on CVR reproducibility. Based on this review, we recommend several best practices to improve the reproducibility of CVR quantification in neuroimaging studies.
To Have Versus To Have Not: A Cross-City Configurational Analysis of Social Service Contracting
Authors: Chen Bin , Lu Jiahuan , Dong Qiang
Published: November 2021

This study employs a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to explore how combinations of demand- and supply-side factors jointly shape the scale of government-nonprofit contracting in social services across 38 Chinese cities. Our analysis reveals a huge disparity by identifying two pathways to large-scale government contracting for “to-have” (well-resourced cities with low service needs but a well-developed nonprofit sector) versus the other two pathways to small-scale government contracting for “to-have-not” (poorly-resourced cities with an underdeveloped nonprofit sector struggling with meeting high service needs). The study contributes to the literature by highlighting how different demand- and supply-side factors can complement each other to form different combinations in shaping the scale of government contracting with new empirical evidence from an authoritarian context. The rise of government-nonprofit contracting in China is more supply-driven, reflecting the government's active role in cultivating the nonprofit sector development. The findings also raise an important policy issue of accessibility and equity in social service provision.
Mutual aid versus volunteerism: Autonomous PPE production in the Covid-19 pandemic crisis
Authors: Lachowicz Katya , Donaghey Jim
Published: November 2021

The Covid-19 pandemic crisis has confirmed neoliberal capitalism’s inability to meet critical social needs. In the United Kingdom, mutual aid initiatives based on ‘solidarity not charity’ blossomed in a context of state incompetence and private sector negligence – including Scrub Hub, a network of groups that autonomously produced personal protective equipment and provided it directly to health workers. Using a convergence of autonomist and anarchist perspectives, this article examines Scrub Hub as an example of emergent autonomous political economies and considers the challenges of resisting co-optation into volunteerist hierarchies and suppression by the neoliberal state.
The Impact of School-Based Mindfulness Intervention on Bullying Behaviors Among Teenagers: Mediating Effect of Self-Control
Authors: Liu Xianhua , Xiao Rulan , Tang Wei
Published: November 2021

The current study aimed to explore the impact of a school-based mindfulness intervention on bullying behaviors among teenagers. A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted, in which the experimental group ( n = 92) received mindfulness intervention, and the control group ( n = 97) did not. The measured outcomes included: bullying behavior, self-control, and trait mindfulness. The results were as follows: (1) the post-test scores of trait mindfulness and self-control in the experimental group significantly increased ( p < 0.01) while the scores of bullying behavior significantly decreased ( p < 0.01); (2) trait mindfulness was positively associated with self-control (r = 0.13 to 0.63, p < 0.05), whereas trait mindfulness and self-control were both negatively associated with bullying behavior (r = −0.38 to −0.13, p < 0.05); and (3) the mediating effect of self-control accounted for 50% of the overall effect of trait mindfulness on bullying behavior. These findings demonstrated that the school-based mindfulness intervention distinctly improves trait mindfulness and self-control and reduces bullying behavior among teenagers. Moreover, self-control plays a mediating role between trait mindfulness and bullying behavior.
Intimate Partner Violence, Animal Maltreatment, and Animal Safekeeping: Findings From a Public Survey
Authors: Giesbrecht Crystal J.
Published: November 2021

While research on the link between intimate partner violence (IPV), animal maltreatment, and the need for animal safekeeping has increased significantly in recent years, previous research has included samples of victims/survivors and service providers. The present study examined public awareness of the link between IPV, animal abuse, and the need for animal safekeeping. The study also examined awareness of services and supports and inquired about respondents’ experiences with animal safekeeping in situations of IPV through an online survey that was open to the public. The survey included quantitative and qualitative questions and asked about three types of animals: pets, livestock, and service animals. Respondents were 176 residents of Saskatchewan who live in urban, rural, and northern areas of the province. Findings indicate that many respondents knew people who experienced IPV where their animals were also abused. Several respondents had assisted someone in planning for temporary animal safekeeping as part of their plan to exit a relationship when they were experiencing IPV. These results demonstrate the importance of “natural supports,” including family, friends, and neighbors, for providing information, support, and assistance with animal safekeeping in situations of IPV, especially in rural and northern communities that do not have domestic violence and animal welfare agencies nearby. Findings also indicate public support for increasing services and supports for people who experience IPV and own animals, including pet-friendly domestic violence shelters and rental housing, to allow people and animals escaping IPV to remain together.
Performance characterization of powder mixed wire electrical discharge machining technique for processing of Ti6Al4V alloy
Authors: Chakraborty Sadananda , Mitra Souren , Bose Dipankar
Published: November 2021

Precision machining characteristics with high-dimensional accuracy make the material more adaptable towards the applications. The present study employs the powder mixed wire electrical discharge machining process to machine Ti6Al4V alloy material. In spite of limited drawbacks and enhanced output in the powder mixed wire electrical discharge machining process, the present problem has been formulated for improving the machining efficiency of Ti6Al4V. The impact of suspended powder characteristics on responses, that is, material removal rate and surface roughness, is examined throughout the process. The current investigation also focuses on the interaction effect of machining constraints along with Al2O3 abrasive mixed dielectric to achieve economical machining output for the Ti6Al4V material. An effort has been presented to obtain optimal solutions using the different methodologies, namely response surface methodology, grey relation analysis, and particle swarm optimization. The study reveals that discharge energy is deeply influenced by the peak current and pulse off time followed by powder concentration in the powder mixed wire electrical discharge machining process. The maximum material removal rate of 6.628 mm3/min and average surface finish of 1.386 μm are the outcome of the present study for a set of optimal machining settings, that is, pulse off time ( Toff) of 7.247 μs, pulse on time ( Ton) of 30 μs, peak current ( Ip) of 2 A, and powder concentration of 4 g/L. Finally, the proposed model has been verified that the hybrid particle swarm optimization technique has the highest adequate capability to achieve maximum output. Thus, the approach offered an enhancement on performance measures of Ti6Al4V alloy in the powder mixed wire electrical discharge machining process.
Holocene sea-level change and estuary infill in North West Nelson, central New Zealand
Authors: Kennedy David M , Risdon Beth V , Woods Josephine LD
Published: November 2021

The sedimentary sequences found within estuaries in the north west Nelson region of central New Zealand are investigated in order to quantify the timing of the end of the Post Glacial Marine Transgression. This region has been identified as being relatively stable in terms of vertical tectonic movement during the Holocene, but is yet to yield any reconstructions of eustatic sea level. In this study, we investigate the Holocene infill of a barrier estuary (Parapara Inlet) through sedimentological analysis and radiocarbon dating of 18 vibracores up to 4.2 m in length. It is found that the estuary infilled through a combination of lateral flood tide and fluvial delta progradation as well as vertical central basin infill. The central basin infilled at a consistent rate of 0.4 mm/year in both the mid (7.0–6.0 ka) and late-Holocene (2.5–1.5 ka). By the time of early human (Maori) settlement (c. 1 ka), the estuary surface was at low intertidal elevations with sediment being transported from the fluvial to tidal delta. A discernible change in sedimentation rates could not be associated with Maori settlement; however, infill rates increased to at least 12.5 mm/year in the past 150 years due hydraulic sluicing associated with mining. The sedimentary history of Parapara Inlet is compared to nearby Whanganui Inlet, d’Urville Island and Nelson to establish the character of regional Holocene sea level movement. It is found that relative sea level reached modern elevations between 8 and 7 ka in the region. The similarity between sea level curves for the end of the post glacial marine transgression (PMT) to other tectonically stable sites in northern New Zealand suggests that this curve can now be considered a true eustatic signal for the New Zealand archipelago.
Premature rupture of membranes – A cause of foetal complications among lupus: A cohort study, systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: dos Santos Flávia Cunha , Ignacchiti Marcela Lacerda , Rodrigues Bruna , Velarde Luis Guillermo , Levy Roger Abramino , de Jesús Guilherme Ramires , de Jesús Nilson Ramires , de Andrade Carlos Augusto Ferreira , Klumb Evandro Mendes
Published: November 2021

Objective

The present study aimed to analyse the frequency of premature rupture of membranes (PROMs) among 190 women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) followed up at the Hospital Universitário Pedro Ernesto from 2011 to 2018 and to review the literature on PROM in patients with SLE.

Methods

A cohort study of SLE patients was conducted by analysing the following variables: sociodemographic characteristics, clinical manifestations of lupus, modified disease activity index for pregnancy, drugs used during pregnancy, intercurrent maternal infections and obstetric outcomes. Additionally, seven electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Scielo, Scielo Brazil, Virtual Health Library Regional Portal and Google Scholar) were systematically searched. The search was updated on 3 February 2020.

Results

Infections (relative risk (RR): 3.26, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.5–6.7, p = .001), history of serositis (RR: 2.59, 95% CI: 1.31–5.11, p = .006) and anti-RNP positivity (RR: 3.08, 95% CI: 1.39–6.78, p = .005) were associated risk factors for PROM, while anti-RNP positivity (RR: 3.37, 95% CI: 1.35–8.40; p = .009) were associated with premature PROM (PPROM). The prevalence of PROM and PPROM was 28.7% and 12.9%, respectively. In the systematic review, the prevalence of PROM and PPROM was 2.7%–35% (I2 = 87.62%) and 2.8%–20% (I2 = 79.56%), respectively.

Conclusions

PROM, both at term and preterm, occurs more frequently in women with lupus than in the general population. A history of serositis, anti-RN, infections and immunosuppression during pregnancy may increase the susceptibility to PROM. The systematic review did not find any study with the main objective of evaluating PROM/PPROM in women with lupus.
Shared parameter and copula models for analysis of semicontinuous longitudinal data with nonrandom dropout and informative censoring
Authors: Jaffa Miran A. , Gebregziabher Mulugeta , Jaffa Ayad A.
Published: November 2021

Analysis of longitudinal semicontinuous data characterized by subjects’ attrition triggered by nonrandom dropout is complex and requires accounting for the within-subject correlation, and modeling of the dropout process. While methods that address the within-subject correlation and missing data are available, approaches that incorporate the nonrandom dropout, also referred to informative right censoring, in the modeling step are scarce due to the computational intensity and possible intractable integration needed for its implementation. Appreciating the complexity of this problem and the need for a new methodology that is feasible for implementation, we propose to extend a framework of likelihood-based marginalized two-part models to account for informative right censoring. The censoring process is modeled using two approaches: (1) Poisson censoring for the count of visits before dropout and (2) survival time to dropout. Novel consideration was given to the proposed joint modeling approaches for the semicontinuous and censoring components of the likelihood function which included (1) shared parameter, and (2) Clayton copula. The cross-part and within-part correlations were accounted for through a complex random effect structure that models correlated random intercepts and slopes. Feasibility of implementation, and accuracy of these approaches were investigated using extensive simulation studies and clinical application.
Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells Overexpressing CXCR4R334X Revealed Enhanced Migration: A Lesson Learned from the Pathogenesis of WHIM Syndrome
Authors: Bidkhori Hamid Reza , Bahrami Ahmad Reza , Farshchian Moein , Heirani-tabasi Asieh , Mirahmadi Mahdi , Hasanzadeh Halimeh , Ahmadiankia Naghmeh , Faridhosseini Reza , Dastpak Mahtab , Shabgah Arezoo Gowhari , Matin Maryam M.
Published: November 2021

C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4), initially recognized as a co-receptor for HIV, contributes to several disorders, including the WHIM (Warts, Hypogammaglobulinemia, Infections, and Myelokathexis) syndrome. CXCR4 binds to its ligand SDF-1 to make an axis involved in the homing property of stem cells. This study aimed to employ WHIM syndrome pathogenesis as an inspirational approach to reinforce cell therapies. Wild type and WHIM-type variants of the CXCR4 gene were chemically synthesized and cloned in the pCDH-513B-1 lentiviral vector. Molecular cloning of the synthetic genes was confirmed by DNA sequencing, and expression of both types of CXCR4 at the protein level was confirmed by western blotting in HEK293T cells. Human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (Ad-MSCs) were isolated, characterized, and subjected to lentiviral transduction with Wild type and WHIM-type variants of CXCR4. The presence of copGFP-positive MSCs confirmed the high efficiency of transduction. The migration ability of both groups of transduced cells was then assessed by transwell migration assay in the presence or absence of a CXCR4-blocking agent. Our qRT-PCR results showed overexpression of CXCR4 at mRNA level in both groups of transduced MSCs, and expression of WHIM-type CXCR4 was significantly higher than Wild type CXCR4 ( P<0.05). Our results indicated that the migration of genetically modified MSCs expressing WHIM-type CXCR4 had significantly enhanced towards SDF1 in comparison with Wild type CXCR4 ( P<0.05), while it was reduced after treatment with CXCR4 antagonist. These data suggest that overexpression of WHIM-type CXCR4 could lead to enhanced and sustained expression of CXCR4 on human MSCs, which would increase their homing capability; hence it might be an appropriate strategy to improve the efficiency of cell-based therapies.
A biography of Dr Carl Bodon: Pioneer of intracardiac injection of adrenaline
Authors: Bodon Jean , Bodon Theresa C , Ball Christine M , Bodon Eva J
Published: November 2021

This biographical essay will provide historical insights about Dr Carl Bodon who performed one of the first successful intracardiac injections of adrenaline to a patient and made important contributions to the understanding of cardiac diseases and women's health. Dr Bodon's biography reveals the story of a medical doctor who lived during tumultuous times between two world wars and ultimately died in the Holocaust. His story sheds light on forgotten contributors to the medical field and its practices.
Granville Coggs (1925–2019) – WWII pilot, pioneering radiologist, and inspiration to minorities in medicine
Authors: Karlapudi Anish , Gunderman Richard B.
Published: November 2021

Role models play an important role in firing the imagination of medical students and residents, and when it comes to attracting and sustaining under-represented minorities in fields such as medicine, the inspiring stories of minority physicians can make an especially important contribution. One such physician was Granville Coggs, an Arkansas native who overcame a stutter, served among the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II, graduated from Harvard Medical School, became the first black physician at Kaiser Hospital, established the San Antonio Breast Evaluation Center, and won gold medals as a senior track star.
The Euro Group and judicial protection: Has the Court of Justice created a loophole?
Authors: Nicolaides Phedon
Published: November 2021

The Court of Justice made legal history in Ledra Advertising when it found that the EU could incur non-contractual liability even for acts that formally fell within the intergovernmental sphere. In Chrysostomides, however, by ruling that the Euro Group is not an EU ‘institution’, the Court has made it largely impossible for individuals to obtain judicial protection. The decisions of the Council that give effect to agreements in the Euro Group can be drafted in innocuous and general language, minimizing or even expunging any liability. The powers of the Commission to act against such agreements in the Euro Group are also unclear and probably non-existent.
T-cell lymphoma-associated hemophagocytic syndrome in an American Pit Bull Terrier
Authors: Hemmings Dominique A. , Etzioni Athema L. , Akingbade Gbemisola , Tippett Fredrick E.
Published: November 2021

A 3-y-old, intact female, American Pit Bull Terrier was presented because of acute onset of anorexia and a large subcutaneous submandibular mass that had been present for 3 wk. The submandibular mass, 2 engorged black-legged ticks on the dorsum of the neck, pyrexia, and icterus were seen on physical examination. Abnormal laboratory test results included a positive Anaplasma antibody test, severe thrombocytopenia, mild nonregenerative anemia, hyperbilirubinemia, and elevated liver enzyme activities. Cytology of the mass was interpreted as marked septic purulent inflammation with acute hemorrhage. Treatment with doxycycline for anaplasmosis was unsuccessful, and the patient died at an emergency follow-up visit 2 d after the initial presentation. Autopsy and histopathology revealed widespread metastasis of a presumptive histiocytic neoplasm with associated hemophagocytosis seen in lymph nodes (LNs), liver, and spleen. Immunohistochemistry yielded a definitive diagnosis of a CD3+/CD18+ T-cell lymphoma. In this case of canine lymphoma-associated hemophagocytic syndrome, hemophagocytes were observed as >2% of neoplastic cells in the liver, spleen, and LN histologically, a scarce or unreported finding, to our knowledge. The prognosis was grave, with a short survival time after the onset of clinical signs.
Changes in Self-Regulation and the Predictors of Quality of Life 3 Months After Extremity Injury: A Prospective Study
Authors: Tonapa Santo Imanuel , Liu Yi , Mulyadi Mulyadi , Lee Bih-O
Published: November 2021

This prospective study aimed to examine self-regulation’ changes (illness representations and coping strategies) and predictors of quality of life 3 months after hospital discharge. A total of 157 patients with extremity injuries from two hospitals in Indonesia completed the survey 3 months post-discharge. The results showed that patients demonstrated more positive illness representations, better coping strategies, and better quality of life 3 months post-discharge than prior discharge. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that patients’ symptom identity, personal control, and treatment control were significant predictors of quality of life 3 months after extremity injury. Patients with negative perceptions of their injury-related symptoms, personal control, and treatment control at hospital discharge were at higher risk of impaired quality of life 3 months post-discharge than those with positive perceptions. Therefore, clinicians should assess and modify patients’ illness representations before discharge from the hospital to achieve a better prognosis for post-injury quality of life.
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Lysine-Specific Demethylase 1 Expression as a Prognostic Biomarker of Cancer Survival and Disease Progression
Authors: Agboyibor Clement , Dong Jianshu , Effah Clement Y. , Drokow Emmanuel K. , Pervaiz Waqar , Li Dié , Kang Lei , Ma Xinli , Li Jian , Liu Zhenzhen , Liu Hong-Min
Published: November 2021

Background

Numerous studies on the prognostic significance of lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) up-regulation in tumors have different outcomes. The inconsistency originated from various studies looking into the association between LSD1 and tumor cells has prompted the decision of this quantitative systematic review to decipher how up-regulated LSD1 and overall survival (OS) or recurrence-free survival (RFS) or disease-free survival (DFS) are linked in tumor patients.

Methods

Articles were searched from online databases such as Embase, Web of Science Core, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus. The extraction of the hazard ratios (HR) with their 95% confidence intervals ( CIs) was attained and survival data of 3151 tumor patients from 17 pieces of related research were used for this meta-analysis.

Results

To shed light on the link between LSD1 up-regulation and the prognosis of diverse tumors, the pooled hazard ratios (HRs) with their 95% confidence intervals ( CIs) were determined. In this meta-analysis, it was observed that LSD1 up-regulation is linked with poor OS (HR = 2.08, 95% CI: 1.66–2.61, P < .01) and RFS (HR = 3.09, 95% CI: 1.81–5.26, P < .01) in tumor patients. However, LSD1 up-regulation was not linked to DFS (HR = 1.49, 95% CI: .83–2.69, P = .18) in tumor patients. The subcategory examination grouped by tumor type and ethnicity showed that LSD1 up-regulation was linked with a poor outcome in the esophageal tumor and hepatocellular carcinoma and Asian patients, respectively. For clinical-pathological factors, up-regulated LSD1 was significantly linked with Lymph node status.

Conclusion

Despite the shortfall of the present work, this meta-analysis proposes that LSD1 up-regulation may be a prognostic biomarker for patients with tumors including esophageal tumors and hepatocellular carcinoma. We propose that large-scale studies are vital to substantiate these outcomes.
One “Two” Many: An Examination of Solo Perpetrator Versus Team Perpetrator Serial Homicides
Authors: Chai April Miin Miin , Yaksic Enzo , Chopin Julien
Published: November 2021

The current study examines the offender, victim, and crime characteristics between solo perpetrators and team perpetrators of serial homicide. Cases on 1,137 solo perpetrators and 254 team perpetrators were collected from the Consolidated Serial Homicide Offender Database. Results showed team perpetrators were more likely to be older than those who committed serial homicides alone. Offenders who never confessed their crimes were less likely to participate in teams. In terms of victim and crime characteristics, team perpetrators were more likely to target employees or customers, have a lower victim count, and were more likely to exhibit sadistic behaviors compared to solo perpetrators. Theoretical and practical implications from this study are discussed.
Post-Eurocentric grand narratives in critical international theory
Authors: Saramago André
Published: November 2021

Critical international theory is confronted with a fundamental ‘problem of orientation’, whose answer defines its capacity to critically analyse world politics. This problem derives from how the capacity for critique is inherently connected with the need to, at least partially, escape time- and space-bound points of view and attain a more cosmopolitan perspective that permits an assessment of the regressive/progressive tendencies of the human past, present and possible futures. The search for this cosmopolitan standpoint of orientation has frequently led to a reliance on grand narratives of human development from the perspective of which critical orientation can be disclosed. However, grand narratives themselves have frequently relied on metaphysical categories and stadial conceptions of history that reproduce forms of Eurocentrism that ultimately undermine their adequacy as means of orientation. A fundamental suspicion of grand narratives and need for ‘reflexivity’ that discloses forms of exclusion embedded in theoretical perspectives have thus become common topics in the field. However, this growing concern with reflexivity is also associated with a tendency for greater philosophical abstraction and a growing gap between theory and practice. This article considers the role of grand narratives in critical international theory and explores the possibility of post-Eurocentric and post-philosophical grand narratives that provide an alternative answer to the problem of orientation and recover the link between theory and practice. With reference to recent developments in the field, namely, the work of Richard Devetak and Andrew Linklater, the article considers the possibility of a historical–sociological approach to grand narratives.
Trans-Contextual Model Predicting Change in Out-of-School Physical Activity: A One-Year Longitudinal Study
Authors: Kalajas-Tilga Hanna , Hein Vello , Koka Andre , Tilga Henri , Raudsepp Lennart , Hagger Martin S.
Published: November 2021

The aim of the current study was to test the long-term predictive validity of the trans-contextual model in accounting for variance in adolescents’ out-of-school physical activity measured by self-report and accelerometer based-devices over a one-year period. Secondary school students ( N  =  265) aged 11 to 15 years completed a three-wave survey on two occasions in time, spanning a one-year interval, measuring perceived autonomy support in physical education (PE), peer and parent autonomy support in leisure-time, autonomous and controlled motivation in PE and leisure-time, attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, intention, and out-of-school physical activity both by self-report and accelerometer-based devices. A variance-based structural equation model using residualized change scores revealed that perceived autonomy support from PE teachers predicted autonomous motivation in PE, and autonomous motivation in PE predicted autonomous motivation in leisure-time. In addition, peer and parent autonomy support predicted autonomous motivation in leisure-time. Autonomous motivation in leisure-time indirectly predicted physical activity intention mediated by attitude and perceived behavioural control. Intention predicted self-reported physical activity participation, although the effect was in the opposite direction to our prediction, but not physical activity measured by accelerometer-based devices. Results support some tenets of the trans-contextual model over a one-year time period, particularly the determinants of physical activity intentions. The introduction of COVID-19 restrictions may explain the negative relationship between intention and self-reported physical activity. Further longitudinal studies are needed to verify the results of the current study.
The effects of perceived organisational support on expatriate adjustment, assignment completion and job satisfaction
Authors: Sokro Evans , Pillay Soma , Bednall Timothy
Published: November 2021

This study examines the influence of perceived organisational support (POS) on expatriates’ cross-cultural adjustment, assignment completion and job satisfaction in the sub-Saharan African context. While multinationals depend on expatriates to manage their foreign subsidiaries, successful expatriation is influenced by expatriates’ cross-cultural adjustment to their host country’s environment. Survey responses from 229 expatriates were analysed using partial least squares path modelling. The results reveal that support from their organisations relates positively to expatriate adjustment, assignment completion and job satisfaction. The empirical results also demonstrate that expatriate adjustment partially mediates the relationship between POS and assignment completion and job satisfaction. Furthermore, findings suggest that assignment completion positively influences job satisfaction and partially mediates the association between POS and job satisfaction. The findings of this research have important theoretical and practical implications for multinational companies operating in sub-Saharan Africa.
Alteration of Resting Electroencephalography by Acute Caffeine Consumption in Early Phase Psychosis
Authors: N. Bissonnette Jenna , Anderson T-Jay , McKearney Katelyn J. , Tibbo Philip G. , Fisher Derek J.
Published: November 2021

Individuals with schizophrenia use twice as much caffeine on average when compared to healthy controls. Knowing the high rates of consumption, and the potential negative effects of such, it is important we understand the cortical mechanisms that underlie caffeine use, and the consequences of caffeine use on neural circuits in this population. Using a randomized, placebo controlled, double-blind, repeated measures design, the current study examines caffeine's effects on resting electroencephalography (EEG) power in those who have been recently diagnosed with schizophrenia (SZ) compared to regular-using healthy controls (HC). Correlations between average caffeine consumption, withdrawal symptoms, drug related symptoms and clinical psychosis symptoms were measured and significant correlations with neurophysiological data were examined. Results showed caffeine had no effect on alpha asymmetry in the SZ group, although caffeine produced a more global effect on the reduction of alpha2 power in the SZ group. Further, those with more positive symptoms were found to have a greater reduction in alpha2 power following caffeine administration. Caffeine also reduced beta power during eyes closed and eyes open resting in HC, but only during eyes closed resting conditions in the SZ group. These findings provide a descriptive profile of the resting EEG state following caffeine administration in individuals with schizophrenia. The findings ultimately suggest caffeine does not affect alpha or beta power as readily in this population and a higher dose may be needed to achieve the desired effects, which may elucidate motivational factors for high caffeine use.
Preparation and properties of negative ion functional cotton knitted fabric
Authors: Zhang Jishu , Ding Huihui
Published: November 2021

In order to develop negative ion functional cotton knitting products with good performance, tourmaline powder was selected as the anion additive, and the anion functional finishing of cotton knitting products was carried out by the two-dip and two-rolling process. The microstructures of tourmaline powder and anion functional cotton fabric were observed, their anion emissions were measured, and the influences of particle size and amount of anion additive on the finishing effect were discussed. The results showed that, after grinding, the particle size of tourmaline powder decreased to different degrees and its distribution was more uniform. The negative ion emission of tourmaline powder was enhanced compared with that before grinding. The properties of cotton knitted fabric treated with ground negative ion additive were better than those treated with non-ground one. The contents of negative ion additive and modification temperature both have great influence on the amount of anion emission of finished cotton fabric. The anion functional cotton fabric had certain washing durability and needs to be improve.
The institutional development of skills formation in Lithuania and Ukraine: Institutional settings, critical junctures and policy transfer
Authors: Tūtlys Vidmantas , Bukantaitė Daiva , Melnyk Sergii , Anužis Aivaras
Published: November 2021

The paper compares the institutional development of skills formation in Lithuania and Ukraine by focusing on the implications of the post-communist transition and Europeanization and exploring the role of policy transfer. The research follows the theoretical approach of historical institutionalism and skills formation ecosystems. Despite similar critical junctures typical for the institutional development of skills formation in Lithuania and Ukraine within this timeframe, the existing differences of these development pathways can be explained by the different policy choices and different impacts of the institutional legacy. The main implication of integration with the EU for skills formation in Lithuania and Ukraine is related with enabling holistic and strategic institutional development of skills formation institutions. The paper concludes that policy transfer was one of the key driving forces and capacity-building sources in the development of skills formation institutions in both countries.
‘The Blackest Disney Movie of All Time!’: A Goofy Movie and the Production of ‘Film Blackness’
Authors: Dial A. Joseph
Published: November 2021

Disney films have a distinct way of always feeling in-time, a sensation the company understands and monetizes. A Goofy Movie (AGM) was released in 1995, and since its theatrical release, the film has continued to capture the hearts and minds of a cult audience of passionate fans. Among this array of fans is a core of Black millenials who hold the film in high regard due to its R&B soundtrack and relatable narrative. However, the moments of Black representation within the film are less interesting than how a Black reading becomes possible. What are the component parts of the film’s making when arranged in such a way that invokes an essential Black lifeworld? AGM affixes Blackness to its form not through any profound representation of race. Rather, considering its animators as technical performers, the dark history behind the American cartoon, and how Black music is used to not just make Blackness known but believable instantiate what Michael Gillespie terms, ‘film Blackness’ in Film Blackness: American Cinema and the Idea of Black Film (2016).
The Discourse of Independent Animation in the Contemporary Chinese Context
Authors: Man-chi Cheung Terrie
Published: November 2021

Independent animation is a marginal media form in China, and studies describe how both Chinese artists and scholars of film studies have only started to practice or construct this genre and popular cinema since the 1990s, especially after the Shanke (Chinese Flash animators, 閃客) phenomenon. In this article, the existing discourse of independent animation in contemporary China is critically analyzed by studying mainly what is said and written by the local practitioners and scholars in China. The author’s analysis is based on the assumption that animation should be taken ‘as an art form’, which should be able to express itself freely without any external constraints or intervention by others. Hence, the focus should be placed on the ultimate purpose and meaning of art along with the form. Among the various types of discourses constructed by practitioners, the author argues that the discourse constructed by the contemporary Chinese art scene should be encouraged to keep the nature of independent works so as to give voice to true, personal and inner values, and expressions that are outside the institutionalized and dominating discourse or framework.