bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychological and Theological Predictors of Environmental Attitudes among a Sample of UK Churchgoers
Authors: Village Andrew
Published: December 2020

This paper builds on previous studies of UK churchgoers by examining the factors that predict concern for the environment and willingness to make sacrifices to preserve it. A sample of 825 churchgoers from a range of denominations completed a questionnaire that contained items used to assess psychological preferences, biblical literalism, and a range of theological stances toward creation. Psychological variables showed both direct and indirect effects on environmentalism that were in line with previous work by environmental psychologists. Indirect effects were related to the way that some psychological type preferences either shape biblical interpretation or are associated with religious conservatism. Religious affiliation had no direct effects on environmentalism, but did have indirect effects through literalism and religious conservatism. Beliefs about dominion and eschatology directly reduced concern, but dominion was also positively associated with stewardship, which emerged as the main promoter of both concern and sacrifice.
Liberal Judaism and Local Jewish Identity: The Dublin Jewish Progressive Congregation (DJPC), 1946–1967
Authors: Wynn Natalie
Published: December 2020

As a minority within a minority, the Dublin Jewish Progressive Congregation (DJPC) barely features in the history of either Irish Jewry or Britain’s Liberal Judaism (LJ) movement. Any discussions of the congregation have been superficial; it is dismissed as religiously lax in the orthodox-led, largely anecdotal Irish Jewish historiography, but as conservative in the LJ context. This article critically examines the DJPC in its own right and “from within” for the first time, drawing on local memory and a range of material, personal and archival. I begin by querying exactly what the synagogue’s founders were seeking to achieve in establishing an Irish outpost of Jewish reform. The incremental development of a distinctive Irish brand of progressive Judaism is then investigated through the formative influence of the DJPC’s primary institutional relationships: that with the local orthodox community, and that with the Union of Liberal and Progressive Synagogues (ULPS) in London.
Erasing the Fear from the Eyes: A Micro-Narrative on Emotions in Spanish Migration to Cold-War Switzerland
Authors: Prieto Moisés
Published: December 2020

In the summer of 1964, Miguel Soto, a Spanish immigrant to Switzerland, was arrested and imprisoned during his summer vacation in Spain, due to his participation in an anti-Francoist demonstration in Switzerland. This incident is the starting point for an inquiry into the problems – denunciation, political surveillance, xenophobia and anti-communism – that politically committed foreigners were confronted with in their home country and in Switzerland, and into the strategies they used to overcome them. Soto’s experience, including an oral history interview with him and archival material, reveals the regime of fear under which such immigrants lived, and questions the quality of democracy in post-war Switzerland.
Visionary Masculinities: Emotion and the Experience of the Miraculous in Latin Narratives of the First Crusade
Authors: Spacey Beth C.
Published: December 2020

The Latin narratives of the First Crusade produced in the first decades of the twelfth century contain many stories of emotionally charged, affective instances of human interaction with the divine in the form of visions and miracles. Examination of these episodes reveals that the masculine ideas and ideals reflected in the narratives allow some scope for legitimate fearful responses to the miraculous. Such formulations constitute a pious fear that is indicative of the love of God, as opposed to worldly fear that represents a symptom of the prioritisation of the mundane. Such pious, fearful masculinities offer further nuance to the idea that fear was typically seen as the antithesis of the idealised courageous crusader.
Labours of Love: Gender, Work and Devotion in Medieval Chartres
Authors: Randles Sarah
Published: December 2020

The medieval cathedral of Notre-Dame of Chartres is famous for the depictions of artisans in its thirteenth-century stained-glass windows. Using gender as a lens through which to view these images makes clear that the work they depict is overwhelmingly undertaken by men. In contrast, women’s work, in the form of preparing textile fibres, is depicted in a series of stone carvings on the exterior northern portal of the cathedral. Here physical labour is juxtaposed with acts of reading and prayerful contemplation. Miracle tales from Chartres emphasise connections between gendered work and devotion to the Virgin Mary. This article considers these visual and literary depictions of labour at Chartres in the contexts of historical gendering of work, medieval ideas of divine cosmic order, and the role of work as religious devotional practice within a prevailing emotional regime.
The State of the Art of the Genetic Relationship of Japonic: non-Altaic Comparisons and the Fate of Linguistic Isolates
Authors: Orlandi Giorgio (Georg)
Published: December 2020

Some lesser-known long range theories besides Altaic are discussed in the present article, before special attention is given to the two non-distant hypotheses which purport to substantiate the genetic relationship between Japonic and Ainu as well as between Japonic and Korean. Other assumptions about Japonic, such as Japanese as a ‘mixed language’, are also evaluated and critically assessed. Furthermore, the reasons why Japanese was linked to such a panoply of linguistic families are also taken in consideration, and a discussion about the fate of “linguistic isolates” is also offered.
Measuring Racial Status Beliefs with Implicit Associations
Authors: Melamed David , Barry Leanne , Montgomery Bradley , Okuwobi Oneya F.
Published: December 2020

Status distinctions have important consequences for most aspects of life, including inequalities in wealth, segregation, and interaction patterns in small groups. Much work documents such inequalities, but the mechanisms producing them are less understood. In our 2019 ASR article, “Status Characteristics, Implicit Bias, and the Production of Racial Inequality,” we showed that a novel measure of implicit status beliefs explained some of the effect of race on social influence. The measure is based on an implicit association test (IAT) assessing the association between status and racial categories. In their comment, Bursell and Olsson (2020) assert that the IAT may be capturing evaluative bias, not status beliefs. Furthermore, Bursell and Olsson suggest our measure may work better for white compared to black participants. In this response, we review work in the sociology of culture and social psychology establishing the multidimensionality of cultural beliefs, and we present results from a new experiment, showing status and evaluations load on distinct underlying constructs. Results also show no racial differences in these measurement properties. We conclude with a discussion of ways to further refine the racial status IAT and the broader implications of this exchange.
The School-to-Gang Pipeline: Examining the Impact of School Suspension on Joining a Gang for the First Time
Authors: Widdowson Alex O. , Garduno L. Sergio , Fisher Benjamin W.
Published: December 2020

This study draws on labeling and routine activity theory to examine whether being suspended from school is associated with subsequent gang membership onset. With data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97), we estimated discrete time models that predict gang membership onset from ages 12 to 19. The results revealed that being suspended from school at one wave was associated with an increased hazard on gang membership onset at the next wave. The results also revealed that although being suspended from school during one wave increased the hazard of gang membership onset, youth who are suspended during multiple waves tended to have an even higher hazard of gang membership onset.
Numerical evaluation of planar compression performances of composite sandwich panel with X-, Y-, and A-shaped core
Authors: Ren Yiru , Wang Ningcong , Jiang Hongyong , Liu Zhihui
Published: December 2020

To understand the crucial effect of core, the mechanical performances of composite sandwich panel (CSP) with different core configurations are numerically evaluated under the planar compression loading. The failure behavior of metal core and fiber face-sheets are modeled with the ductile damage model and linear damage evolution model respectively. The numerical evaluation model validated with W-shaped core CSP is used to predict the mechanical behaviors and failure mechanisms of CSP with X-, Y- and A-shaped cores. The damage deformation, energy-absorption (EA) and energy absorption efficiency (EAE) are revealed to understand the compression performances, and effects of core thickness are further studied. Results show that the evaluation model is proved to be accurate due to a consistent match between simulated and available experimental results. It is found that compared to traditional W-shaped core, the CSPs with these three cores have higher resistance to deformation and energy absorption properties. Increasing the thickness of each core, the peak load, average load and EAE obviously increase but the stability decreases. The A-shaped core with enough thickness is recommended as the most potential core applied in composite sandwich structures.
Beliefs on COVID-19 Among Electronic Cigarette Users: Behavioral Responses and Implications for COVID Prevention and E-Cigarette Interventions
Authors: Kelly Brian C. , Pawson Mark , Vuolo Mike
Published: December 2020

E-cigarette users’ beliefs about COVID-19 may shape their responses to the pandemic and their e-cigarette consumption. A U.S. national cross-sectional survey of 562 e-cigarette users was conducted in April 2020. Participants self-reported nicotine consumption, COVID-19 beliefs, beliefs about e-cigarettes, social distancing, COVID-19 disruptions, cessation considerations, and individual characteristics. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression provided unstandardized, and standardized coefficients. Frequency of e-cigarette use is inversely associated with beliefs COVID-19 is relevant (β = −0.215). Beliefs e-cigarettes are addictive, harmful, or pose a risk to future health were positively associated with beliefs COVID-19 is relevant (β = 0.171; β = 0.164; β = 0.203), beliefs the media are truthful on COVID-19 (β = 0.133; β = 0.136; β = 0.137), and beliefs e-cigarette users are at greater risk (β = 0.279; β = 0.411; β = 0.447). All three COVID-19 beliefs (COVID relevant; media truthful; and greater risk) were positively associated with social distancing (β = 0.307; β = 0.259; β = 0.115), work disruptions (β = 0.134; β = 0.135; β = 0.130), family disruptions (β = 0.232; β = 0.131; β = 0.164), friendship disruptions (β = 0.214; β = 0.139; β = 0.133), and considerations of quitting (β = 0.250; β = 0.222; β = 0.620). Strong associations between e-cigarette beliefs and COVID-19 beliefs exist. COVID-19 beliefs are associated with behavioral responses, such as social distancing and considerations of e-cigarette cessation. Interventions may be able to leverage COVID-19 beliefs to reduce e-cigarette consumption or promote cessation during the pandemic.
Development of an experimental model of septic knee arthritis in rats through intra-articular inoculation of Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Achaerandio-de Nova Ainara , Gómez-Juárez Sango Mónica , Escudero-Jiménez Ángel , Losa-Palacios Sergio , Berenguer-Romero María Dolores , Gerónimo-Pardo Manuel
Published: December 2020

Haematogenous models of septic arthritis have some inherent disadvantages, such as the manifestation of arthritis relies on chance, the size of the inoculum is unknown and the number of animals to be studied cannot be reduced because the animals cannot serve as their own controls. This study aimed to develop a rat model of knee septic arthritis by injecting a known inoculum of Staphylococcus aureus into the joint. The left knees of 27 Sprague Dawley rats were injected with four different inoculum concentrations of a sensitive strain of S. aureus (30,000 colony-forming units (CFUs), n = 3; 18,550 CFUs, n = 6; 15,500 CFUs, n = 9; and 7700 CFUs, n = 9); the right knees served as controls. Clinical, microbiological and histological variables were assessed two and seven days later. The main criterion for diagnosing septic arthritis was a positive culture of synovial fluid. The rate of microbiologically confirmed septic arthritis was high for all inoculum concentrations (3/3, 6/6, 8/9 and 7/9, respectively), and the rate of bacteraemia was also high. Animal welfare was better for the two lowest inoculum concentrations. No animal reached the pre-established humane end points. Overall, the third inoculum was considered the most suitable. Thus, acute septic arthritis can be caused in rats by inoculating 15,000 CFUs of an ATCC strain of S. aureus directly into the knee joint. Overall, the model seems to be useful for studying the effectiveness of drugs for the treatment of acute septic arthritis.
An unusual case of coma related to glutamate receptor 3 (GluR3) auto-antibodies after a traumatic spinal cord injury: Clinical and pathological aspects
Authors: Caputo Fiorella , Barranco Rosario , Ricci Pietrantonio , Gratteri Santo , Castelletti Lara , Ravetti Gian Luigi , Ventura Francesco
Published: December 2020

We report the case of a 28-year-old patient with a history of post-traumatic epilepsy who, following a spinal cord injury and the onset of nosocomial infection, went into a deep coma. A brain MRI revealed non-specific findings, anti-Glutamate Receptor 3 (GluR3) auto-antibodies were detected in the liquor, and the patient's serum and immunomodulatory therapy proved ineffective. Autopsy and histological investigations led to the diagnosis of autoimmune encephalitis. This case highlights the diagnostic difficulties of a rare and still poorly researched disease and the possible role that traumatic and infectious episodes may play in the progression or acceleration of an immune response. As for patients with unexplained encephalitis, tests for autoantibodies against GluR3 in cerebrospinal fluid and serum should be considered. Forensic pathologists should be aware of encephalitis and epilepsies and that complete post-mortem investigations are required in such cases.
The Serious Suicide Attempts Approach for Understanding Suicide: Review of the Psychological Evidence
Authors: Levi-Belz Yossi , Gvion Yari , Apter Alan
Published: December 2020

The study of survivors of a serious suicide attempt (SSA)––an attempt that would have been fatal had it not been for the provision of rapid and effective emergency treatment––can help researchers understand the suicidal mind. Serious suicide attempters are epidemiologically very similar to those who died by suicide, and thus can serve as valid proxies for studying suicides. In this paper, our objective was to briefly review the main risk factors that may facilitate more dangerous suicide behavior with high levels of intent. Our review highlights several dimensions of risk factors for SSAs, including psychopathology, mental pain, communication difficulties, decision-making impulsivity, and aggression. Several studies have indicated that the interaction between some of these dimensions, especially between mental pain and interpersonal difficulties, may serve as major catalysts for SSAs. Suicidal risk assessment should incorporate a designated evaluation of these risk factors as part of suicide prevention models.
Short Form of Depression Inventory: Cross-Validation
Authors: Beck Aaron T. , Rial William Y. , Rickels Karl
Published: December 2020

Summary.–-The short form of the Depression Inventory was administered to a variety of patient samples totalling 431 Ss. The correlation between test scores and clinicians’ ratings ranged from .55 for a hospitalized depressed sample to .67 for Ss in a general medical outpatient practice. The correlation between test scores on the two forms ranged from .89 to .97. When speed of administration is an important factor, the short form can serve as a satisfactory substitute for the long form of the inventory and is especially suited for screening medical outpatients for the presence of depression.
Bringing the State Back into the Sociology of Nationalism: The Persona Ficta Is Political
Authors: Leddy-Owen Charles
Published: December 2020

This article re-examines two key questions from the sociology of nationalism – why nationalism resonates emotionally and to what extent nations are socially salient – and the implications of these for a sense of peoplehood and collective political agency. The particular focus is on the state. Instead of conflating statehood with nationhood, or seeking to expose it as illusory, sociologists should consider how the state – imagined and experienced as a permanent, trans-historical fixture structuring public power and authority – has crucial conditioning effects on society and politics. It will be posited that statehood is a more useful concept than nationhood for explaining the resonance and salience ascribed to nationalism and nations. Whether we favour reinvigorating or abolishing nationalism, the implications of this argument are profound, with contemporary cosmopolitan sociology in particular suffering analytically and prescriptively from a failure to recognise its tacit methodological statism.
The Rise of Indigenous (Pluri-)Nationalism: The Case of the Sámi People
Authors: Oksanen Aslak-Antti
Published: December 2020

Indigenous peoples have found the nationalist language of peoples’ inherent right to self-determination helpful in articulating their political demands. Gerald Taiaiake Alfred’s model of indigenous nationalism explains the emergence of this form of indigenous self-assertion as a reaction to settler-colonial incursions. However, it cannot account for the timing of its recent successes in unsettling the status quo of indigenous–settler-state relations. This article addresses this limitation by incorporating Michael Keating’s concept of post-sovereignty, which highlights the supranational plane constraining states’ freedom of action, while providing indigenous peoples with laws and norms above state level to appeal to. Additionally, Keating’s concept of plurinationalism is drawn upon to capture the emerging reconfiguration of indigenous–settler-state relations. This combined conceptual framework is used to illuminate the Sámi people’s relations to the Nordic states as expressive of emergent indigenous nationalism, formed in reaction to settler-colonialism and enabled by international norms, laws and global indigenous peoples’ networks.
The Legacy of Busing and Brown: How School Desegregation Experiences Shape Public Perceptions and Communities’ School Diversity Priorities in the Resegregation Era
Authors: Honey Ngaire , Smrekar Claire
Published: December 2020

In a context that privileges neighborhood zoning and school choice over within-district busing, we examine urban residents’ perceptions of the benefits of racial diversity. We analyze public opinion trends by race and residents’ experience as a student in a district under court-ordered desegregation—Nashville, TN. We find racial differences regarding the values of proximity and school diversity that are moderated by experience as a school-age resident in a city under mandatory desegregation. We build upon literature showing long-term impacts of attending integrated schools, underscoring the influence of time, place, and experience in shaping perceptions of school diversity policies.
How to Facilitate Innovative Behavior and Organizational Citizenship Behavior: Evidence From Public Employees in Korea
Authors: Cho Yoon Jik , Song Hyun Jin
Published: December 2020

For decades, scholars and practitioners have paid serious attention to how to facilitate extra-role behaviors of employees. While many studies have been conducted, it is not yet clear what factors facilitate or suppress those behaviors within organizations and how those factors interact with each other. The current research focuses on two extra-role behaviors of employees: innovative behavior and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Both behaviors have been discussed as determinants of individual and organizational performance. Filling the gap of the existing studies, the current research comprehensively considers organizational characteristics, task characteristics, and motivational factors in explaining those behaviors. Integrating two data sets, the 2015 and 2016 Perception of Public Officials Surveys administered by the Korea Institute of Public Administration (KIPA), we conducted a hierarchical linear model (HLM) analysis to examine the effects of determinants in the Korean context. Based on the multi-level analysis, this research demonstrates the positive influence of autonomy and PSM on both behaviors. Among organizational-level variables, cooperative culture increases the innovative behavior, whereas the lack of organizational support decreases it. We provide several managerial implications based on the findings.
Evaluation of alexithymia in individuals with chronic pain in a Mexican population: Alexithymia in a Mexican population
Authors: Fresán Ana , González-Castro Thelma Beatriz , Pool-García Sherezada , Tovilla-Zárate Carlos Alfonso , Castellanos-Narvaéz Eduardo , Cruz Juan Pablo Sánchez de la , Juárez-Rojop Isela Esther , López-Narváez María Lilia , Lopez Alejandro Molina
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Alexithymia is the difficulty in identifying and describing feelings. Several studies have suggested that chronic pain can be linked to alexithymia. The aims of this study were to determine the presence of alexithymia in a sample of Mexican individuals who attended public health services, to assess if alexithymia is higher in medically ill individuals with pain than in those without pain, and to determine which alexithymia dimensions are more affected by the presence of pain.

Methods

Demographic and clinical features were evaluated in 250 Mexican outpatients of the General Hospital of Comalcalco, Tabasco. Pain was evaluated using the Visual Analogue Scale for Pain Assessment (VAS-P) and alexithymia was evaluated using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20).

Results

38.8% of the sample was identified with probable/definite alexithymia and up to 61.2% of individuals were currently experiencing pain. Individuals with pain exhibited higher scores in the TAS-20 dimensions: difficulty describing feelings (p = 0.02), difficulty identifying feelings (p < 0.001) and higher total TAS-20 score (p < 0.001). Also, Probable/definite alexithymia was more frequently reported in individuals with pain (49% vs. 21.6%, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Our results show that a large proportion of individuals who attend public health services in a Mexican population present pain. We also identified that pain could be associated with alexithymia, in particular with a difficulty in describing and identifying feelings. An early identification and treatment of alexithymia could help in reducing the clinical burden of chronic pain in Mexican outpatients.
Risk factors for ADHD and comorbid psychiatric, academic and behavior problems among primary school students in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Al Zaben F , Sehlo M , Alghamdi W , Tayeb H , Khalifa D , Altowaireb A , Nughays R , Jawa H , Bashrahil K , Alnemary F , Koenig H
Published: December 2020

Risk factors for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), psychiatric, and classroom academic/behavioral problems were examined in 929 students grades 1–6 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Teachers identified ADHD by completing the Vanderbilt ADHD scale. Compared to controls without ADHD, students with ADHD were more likely to have early parental loss, head trauma, motor/language delay, family psychiatric problems, and high family stress. Among those with ADHD, risk factors for psychiatric comorbidity were older age, family psychiatric history, and motor/language delay. Risk factors for impaired academic/behavioral performance were high family stress, family psychiatric problems, and chronic illness. Identifying risk factors for ADHD and common comorbidities associated with this disorder may help parents, teachers and clinicians detect this condition, increasing effective management.
Examining Psychosociocultural Influences as Predictors of Black College Students’ Academic Self-Concept and Achievement
Authors: Beasley Samuel T. , McClain Shannon
Published: December 2020

Using the psychosociocultural framework, this study concurrently examined the influence of psychological (academic self-concept and academic engagement attitudes), social (caring student-faculty relationships), and cultural variables (racial centrality and perceived university environment) on the academic achievement of Black college students. Participants were 247 Black collegians recruited from a large, Southwestern predominately White institution. Results of structural equation modeling largely supported hypothesized relationships between variables, accounting for 16% of the variance in grade point average (GPA), 75% of the variance in academic engagement, and 29% of the variance in academic self-concept. Results revealed two positive direct paths to GPA: (a) racial centrality and (b) academic self-concept; academic self-concept had a key role in facilitating indirect effects on academic engagement and GPA. Findings highlight multiple noncognitive predictors that can facilitate Black students’ academic functioning. Research and practice implications of these findings are outlined.
Evaluation of a Lower-Resource-Dependent Tutoring Program Designed to Improve Introductory Psychology Performance
Authors: Pennington John T. , Davis Teresa L. , Schmidt Greg W.
Published: December 2020

Supplemental Instruction (SI) is a peer tutoring system shown to increase course grades and reduce dropout, particularly for courses with significant failure/dropout rates. Unfortunately, such systems can place significant time and resource demands on faculty, SI personnel, and higher education institutions, all of which pose impediments to their adoption. Given this concern, an assessment of a less resource-taxing version of SI is presented. Across three sections of Introductory Psychology, 30%–42% of enrolled students attended at least one lower-resource group tutorial session. These students performed significantly better on course exams than did non-attendees, by as much as a letter grade. Further, those who attended more sessions earned higher final course grades. These performance differences do not appear to be due to selection bias; session attendance predicted grades on four of the five course exams, even after controlling for students’ academic ability and motivation. Students who did not participate cited time constraints as the primary reason. Those who did participate perceived most session activities as highly beneficial, especially completing a pre-session study guide and reviewing the answers in-session. Thus, the present tutoring program appears to represent an effective, efficient method of achieving desirable academic outcomes that students regard as worthwhile.
To Buy Green or Not to Buy Green: Do Structural Dependencies Block Ecological Responsiveness?
Authors: Schillebeeckx Simon J. D. , Kautonen Teemu , Hakala Henri
Published: December 2020

Despite the significant increase in interest in sustainable business practices, decisions on switching to more environmentally friendly input materials are understudied. In a conjoint experiment, we presented 267 Finnish manufacturing firms with an opportunity to acquire an alternative, more ecological input material and investigated their willingness to switch to that material. We find that in general, firms are willing to substitute their current principal input with a more ecological alternative under conditions of functional parity. However, such willingness is contingent on the firm’s value creation structures. Specifically, if the products and processes driving the firm’s value creation rely more on tangible materials (high materiality), firms anticipate higher input-switching costs, which leads to inertia and slows the adoption of alternative, environmentally friendlier inputs. However, if a firm’s value creation is driven more by intangible assets, like intellectual property and amortizable development costs, input-switching costs appear lower. Such firms not only find it easier to adopt ecological inputs but may also derive greater benefit from leveraging the positive reputation effects associated with ecological improvements. By exploring how willingness to switch to an alternative input material is constrained by organizational structures, our findings contribute to research on input substitution and theories of external influence, like demand-side research, stakeholder theory, and ecological responsiveness.
Speech Recognition Technology for Writing: Usage Patterns and Perceptions of Students with High Incidence Disabilities
Authors: Ok Min Wook , Rao Kavita , Pennington Jon , Ulloa Paula R.
Published: December 2020

This exploratory study examined the usage of speech recognition (SR) technology by students with high incidence disabilities in grades 4–8 and student and teacher perceptions of using SR as part of the writing process. The study also examined factors contributing to students' use of SR and barriers to using this technology. Results indicated that students across all grades had positive perceptions about using SR, but younger students tended to use it more often. SR was especially helpful for students who struggled with spelling and supported some, but not all, students with drafting text. The study illustrated the importance of taking student variability into account in relation to affinity for SR usage. By integrating opportunities for using SR as part of writing instruction and guiding students to reflect on whether the technology is useful for their individual needs and preferences, teachers can help students with disabilities make choices to use SR in ways that are the most useful for their individual needs.
The Inconvenient Truth About Convenience and Purposive Samples
Authors: Andrade Chittaranjan
Published: December 2020

Most research is conducted on convenience and purposive samples that may be randomly or nonrandomly drawn. A convenience sample is the one that is drawn from a source that is conveniently accessible to the researcher. A purposive sample is the one whose characteristics are defined for a purpose that is relevant to the study. The findings of a study based on convenience and purposive sampling can only be generalized to the (sub)population from which the sample is drawn and not to the entire population. This article explains the concepts involved with the help of examples of both good and bad sampling practice. Database studies and studies with enriched designs are cited as special examples of convenience and purposive sampling. Issues related to the internal and external validity of convenience and purposive samples are explained. The importance of good sampling techniques in the design and interpretation of research is understated; this must change.
Organised lying and professional legitimacy: Public relations’ accountability in the disinformation debate
Authors: Edwards Lee
Published: December 2020

The role of the public relations industry in the disinformation debate has been largely overlooked, while an emphasis has been put on the responsibilities of platforms, media organisations and audiences to monitor content and eliminate fake news. In contrast, this article argues that disinformation and fake news are well-established tools in public relations work and are implicated in the current crisis. Drawing on an exploratory study of UK industry publications about fake news and disinformation, the article shows that public relations has addressed disinformation as a commercial opportunity and a platform for demonstrating professional legitimacy. Industry narratives position professional practice as ethical, trustworthy and true, while simultaneously ‘othering’ dubious practices and normalising ‘organised lying’. The article concludes by arguing that the fight against disinformation must take seriously the impact of public relations, if it is to be effective.
Life, death or drugs: Actor framing power on the news media coverage of health care policy
Authors: Fredheim Nanna Alida G
Published: December 2020

The media are central arenas for actors challenging government practice, as those who succeed in publicly defining issues can influence public perceptions and policy outcomes. Taking into account the widespread civic participation in health media coverage, this study explores actor influence on the media framing of a contentious health policy issue, before and after a policy change. By means of media texts analysis, it analyses the relation between actor frames and the dominant media frames on the issue of priority setting of innovative pharmaceuticals. While confirming that actors vary in their ability to influence the media, the findings contend traditional conceptions that representation equates media influence and shed light on factors that affect frame influence.
What do people learn from following the news? A diary study on the influence of media use on knowledge of current news stories
Authors: Beckers Kathleen , Van Aelst Peter , Verhoest Pascal , d’Haenens Leen
Published: December 2020

One of the main functions of news media in democracies is informing the citizenry on day-to-day affairs. However, the way in which citizens gather news has changed as nowadays people have more opportunities than ever before to adapt their media consumption based on their preferences. One of the major game changers was the introduction of social media. This raises the question to what extent traditional media still contribute to people’s knowledge of current affairs. Using a time-diary study in the Flemish media context, we investigate the influence of different forms of news consumption on current news knowledge. We conclude that traditional (print and audiovisual) media, including popular outlets, continue to be the major contributors to people’s knowledge about current affairs and that social media hardly contribute at all.
T2 relaxation time of the normal-appearing white matter is related to the cognitive status in cerebral small vessel disease
Authors: Brandhofe Annemarie , Stratmann Christoph , Schüre Jan-Rüdiger , Pilatus Ulrich , Hattingen Elke , Deichmann Ralf , Nöth Ulrike , Wagner Marlies , Gracien René-Maxime , Seiler Alexander
Published: December 2020

Previous diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies indicate that impaired microstructural integrity of the normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) is related to cognitive impairment in cerebral small vessel disease (SVD). This study aimed to investigate whether quantitative T2 relaxometry is a suitable imaging biomarker for the assessment of tissue changes related to cognitive abnormalities in patients with SVD. 39 patients and 18 age-matched healthy control subjects underwent 3 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with T2-weighted multiple spin echo sequences for T2 relaxometry and DTI sequences, as well as comprehensive cognitive assessment. Averaged quantitative T2, fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) were determined in the NAWM and related to cognitive parameters controlling for age, normalized brain volume, white matter hyperintensity volume and other conventional SVD markers. In SVD patients, quantitative T2 values were significantly increased compared to controls (p = 0.002) and significantly negatively correlated with the global cognitive performance (r= –0.410, p = 0.014) and executive function (r= –0.399, p = 0.016). DTI parameters did not correlate with cognitive function. T2 relaxometry of the NAWM seems to be sensitive to microstructural tissue damage associated with cognitive impairment in SVD and might be a promising imaging biomarker for evaluation of disease progression and possible effects of therapeutic interventions.
Adolescents’ Attribution and Outcome Expectancies Regarding Relational Aggression: A Cross-Cultural Comparison and Cultural Value Associations
Authors: Li Yan , Wright Michelle F. , Rollet Danae
Published: December 2020

This study compares 477 Chinese and 342 American adolescents’ responses to open-ended questions regarding attribution and outcome expectancies of relational aggression, and investigates how cultural values were related to these social cognitive processes. Results revealed cross-cultural similarities and differences. In particular, American adolescents attributed romantic relationship competition, which was absent in Chinese adolescents’ responses. Furthermore, American adolescents demonstrated a stronger instrumental orientation in their social cognition (e.g., gain status), whereas Chinese adolescents tended to hold the blaming the victim attribution, and the socially harm the victim outcome expectancy. Finally, this study revealed that in both cultural groups, higher collectivism was linked to the blaming the aggressor attribution, as well as escalated peer conflict and aggression as outcome expectancies, whereas individualism was linked to the blaming the victim attribution. Findings of this study enriched our knowledge about the cultural construal of adolescents’ attribution and outcome expectancy regarding relational aggression.
Combining real-time elastography with fine-needle aspiration biopsy to identify malignant thyroid nodules
Authors: Zhu Lei , Chen Yanyan , Ai Huijun , Gong Wei , Zhou Bin , Xu Yonghong , Chen Shuzheng , Cheng Feng
Published: December 2020

Objectives

To evaluate the diagnostic performance of real-time elastography (RTE) combined with fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy in identifying malignant thyroid nodules.

Methods

This was a single-centre, retrospective study and involved patients who had underogone partial or total thyroidectomy from 01 January 2014 to 31 December 2018 at our centre. Eligible patients were at least18 years of age, had reliable grayscale ultrasound imaging results, a RTE evaluation and had undergone a FNA biopsy.

Results

Data were available from 437 patients. A high RTE score was a significant independent risk factors for malignancy. RTE plus FNA biopsy increased diagnostic accuracy compared with either method alone and the sensitivity and specificity of the combined model were 86% and 78%, respectively.

Conclusions

The combination of RTE imaging with FNA biopsy improves the diagnostic performance in differentiating benign and malignant thyroid nodules.
Contesting the financialisation of remittances: Repertoires of reluctance, refusal and dissent in Ghana and Senegal
Authors: Guermond Vincent
Published: December 2020

This article engages with a global migration-development agenda that aims to harness the development potential of remittances by incorporating remittance flows and households into global finance. Drawing upon 10 months of fieldwork research with remittance recipients in Ghana and Senegal, this paper shows that any attempts to financialise and channel remittances away from so-called ‘informal’ financial circuits face differentiated forms of contestation, namely reluctance, refusal, and dissent. To explain how and why variegated financial practices and subjectivities – that differ from the neoliberal self-disciplined subject – emerge and endure, the paper draws together analyses on everyday financialisation with discussions on the central role of ‘informal’ finance and the concept of relational value in processes of social reproduction and strategies of future-making. In doing so, it contributes to a growing body of work that aims to decentre research on everyday financialisation beyond Anglo-American economies, and the Global North more generally.
The Effect of Platelet-Rich Plasma Leukocyte Concentration on Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: A Network Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Hurley Eoghan T. , Colasanti Christopher A. , Anil Utkarsh , Luthringer Tyler A. , Alaia Michael J. , Campbell Kirk A. , Jazrawi Laith M. , Strauss Eric J.
Published: December 2020

Background:

It is unclear whether leukocyte-poor (LP) or leukocyte-rich (LR) varieties of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) as an adjuvant to arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) result in improved tendon healing rates.

Purpose:

To perform a network meta-analysis of the randomized controlled trials in the literature to ascertain whether there is evidence to support the use of LP- or LR-PRP as an adjunct to ARCR.

Methods:

The literature search was based on the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Randomized controlled trials comparing LP- or LR-PRP with a control alongside ARCR were included. Clinical outcomes, including retears and functional outcomes, were compared using a frequentist approach to network meta-analysis, with statistical analysis performed using R. The treatment options were ranked using the P-score.

Results:

There were 13 studies (868 patients) included, with 9 studies comparing LP-PRP with a control and 4 studies comparing LR-PRP with a control. LP-PRP was found to significantly reduce the rate of retear and/or incomplete tendon healing after fixation, even among medium-large tears; it also improved outcomes on the visual analog scale for pain, Constant score, and University of California Los Angeles score. LP-PRP had the highest P-score for all treatment groups. LR-PRP did not result in any significant improvements over the control group, except for visual analog scale score for pain. However, post hoc analysis revealed that LP-PRP did not lead to significant improvements over LR-PRP in any category.

Conclusion:

The current study demonstrates that LP-PRP reduces the rate of retear and/or incomplete tendon healing after ARCR and improves patient-reported outcomes as compared with a control. However, it is still unclear whether LP-PRP improves the tendon healing rate when compared with LR-PRP.
Unplanned Emergency Visits and Admissions After Orthopaedic Ambulatory Surgery in the First 2 Years of Operation of a University Ambulatory Surgery Center
Authors: Brown Chelsea R. , Ghenbot Sennay , Magnussen Robert A. , Harangody Sarah , Flanigan David C. , Miller Timothy L.
Published: December 2020

Background:

Ambulatory surgeries have increased in recent decades to help improve efficiency and cost; however, there is a potential need for unplanned postoperative admission, clinic visits, or evaluation in the emergency department (ED).

Purpose/Hypothesis:

The purpose was to determine the frequency, reasons, and factors influencing hospitalizations, return to clinic, and/or ED encounters within 24 hours of ambulatory surgery. The time frame for data collection was the first 2 years of operation of a university sports medicine ambulatory surgery center (ASC). We hypothesized that the percentage of encounters would be low and primarily because of pain or postoperative complication.

Study design:

Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A retrospective review was performed of all patients undergoing ambulatory surgery at an ASC during the first 2 years of its operation (November 2016 to October 2018). Data including age, sex, Current Procedural Terminology code, procedure performed, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, body mass index, medical history, and tobacco use were collected. Patients seeking care in the ED, inpatient, or outpatient setting within the first 24 hours after surgery were identified and the reasons for these encounters were categorized into 1 of 3 groups: (1) medical complication, (2) postoperative pain, or (3) other postoperative complication. Logistic regression models were used to assess risk factors for these encounters.

Results:

A total of 4650 sports medicine procedures were performed at the university ASC during the study period. A total of 35 patients (0.75%) sought additional care within 24 hours of surgery. Medical complications were the primary reason for seeking care (n = 16; 45.7%). Patients who sought treatment within 24 hours of surgery tended to be older, had more medical comorbidities, and were more likely to have undergone upper extremity (particularly shoulder) procedures. In the multivariable analysis, patients with higher ASA scores were more likely to seek additional care ( P < .005) and there was a trend toward increased risk of seeking additional care with upper extremity surgery ( P = .077).

Conclusion:

Orthopaedic procedures performed in an ASC result in a relatively low percentage of patients seeking additional care within the first 24 hours after surgery, consistent with other reports in the literature. Upper extremity procedures, particularly those of the shoulder, may carry an increased risk of requiring medical treatment within 24 hours of surgery. Even in the first 2 years of operation of a university-based ASC, low rates of postoperative complications and unplanned admissions can be maintained.
Single-Stage Revision Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Experience With 91 Patients (40 Elite Athletes) Using an Algorithm
Authors: White Nathan P. , Borque Kyle A. , Jones Mary H. , Williams Andy
Published: December 2020

Background:

The increased prevalence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction has led to an increased need for revision ACL reconstructions. Despite the growing body of literature indicating that single-stage revision ACL reconstruction can yield good outcomes, there is a lack of data for determining when and how to safely perform a single-stage revision.

Purpose:

To assess the outcomes, graft failure rates, and return-to-play rates of a decision-making algorithm for single-stage revision ACL reconstruction.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

We reviewed a consecutive series of revision ACL reconstructions performed by the senior author between September 2009 and July 2016 with minimum 2-year follow-up. All patients were assessed, and decision making was undertaken according to the algorithm. Outcomes measured were further surgery, graft rerupture, re-revision, Tegner score, and Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS). For the elite athlete population, return-to-play time, duration, and level of play after surgery as compared with preinjury were also determined.

Results:

During this period, 93 procedures were performed in 92 patients (40 elite athletes). Two 2-stage procedures were undertaken, leaving 91 single-stage procedures (91 patients) to form the basis for further study. At a mean 4.3 years (SD, 2.2 years) after surgery, there had been 2 re-revisions (2.2%) and 2 further instances of graft failure that had not been re-revised (total graft failure rate, 4.4%). There were 17 subsequent procedures, including 6 arthroscopic partial meniscectomies, 5 removals of prominent implants, and 1 total knee arthroplasty. The mean Tegner score was 8.02 before graft rerupture and 7.1 at follow-up. At follow-up, the mean KOOS outcomes were 79.3 for Symptoms, 88.0 for Pain, 94.2 for Activities of Daily Living, 73.6 for Sport, and 68.9 for Quality of Life. Of 40 elite athletes, 35 returned to play at a mean 11.2 months (SD, 3.6 months) after surgery.

Conclusion:

Single-stage revision ACL reconstructions can be performed reliably in the majority of patients, with good clinical outcomes, low rerupture rates, and high-return-to play rates, even in the elite athlete population.