bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sabellariids (Annelida: Sedentaria: Sabellariidae) from shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, including three new species
Authors: CHÁVEZ-LÓPEZ YESSICA
Published: October 2021

The Sabellariidae has been scarcely studied in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, and there are 18 species recorded out of 140 species known in the world. This work aims to improve the knowledge of the sabellariids in the northwestern tropical Atlantic region, provide standardized descriptions, and generate taxonomic identification keys. Sabellariids from three scientific collections were revised: Reference Collection of Laboratorio de Poliquetos, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), Chetumal, Collection of Laboratorio de Biodiversidad y Cambio Climático, ECOSUR, Campeche and Invertebrate Zoology Collection of Florida Natural History Museum, University of Florida, Gainesville. Three new species are described: Idanthyrsus bastidai n. sp. and I. mikeli n. sp. from Venezuela, and Sabellaria salazari n. sp. from the Yucatán Peninsula. In addition, new records of S. floridensis Hartman, 1944, S. vulgaris Verrill, 1873, and Phragmatopoma caudata Krøyer in Mörch, 1863 are provided.
Does the Garra population (Teleostei: Cyprinidae: Labeoninae) from the Kol River drainage, Persian Gulf basin merit formal description?
Authors: SAYYADZADEH GOLNAZ , ESMAEILI HAMID REZA
Published: October 2021

Recognizing and defining a species has been a controversial concern for a long time. To define the variation and the limitation between different species, especially closely related taxa in a complex species group, several concepts have been proposed which may lead to different taxonomic decisions. When a taxonomist studies a specific taxon, she/he should adopt a species concept and provide a species limitation to define the studied taxa. Garra population from the Kol River drainage, Persian Gulf basin has already been considered as Garra sp., based on molecular data, and to date no taxonomic decision has been made to provide a specific name for it. The Kol population presents several morphological characters that distinguish it from congeners: fully scaled breast; 7–8 ½ branched dorsal-fin rays; caudal fin with 16–17 branched rays and well-developed mental disc with free lateral and posterior margins. It is also distinguished from all other congeners in the Garra rufa group in Iran, by having two fixed, diagnostic nucleotide substitutions in the mtDNA COI barcode region. Furthermore, the Kol population demonstrates some distinct osteological characteristics in comparison to its closest species G. mondica. Based on the integrative molecular phylogenetic and species delimitation analyses, and morphological, osteological and distribution range data presented here, we think that the Kol River population merits formal description and can be considered as a distinct taxonomic unit (species).
Investigating the ability of multiple reanalysis datasets to simulate snow depth variability over mainland China from 1981 to 2018
Authors: Zhang Hongbo , Zhang Fan , Che Tao , Yan Wei , Ye Ming
Published: October 2021

Though the use of reanalysis datasets to analyze snow changes is increasingly popular, the snow depth variability in China simulated by multiple reanalysis datasets has not been well evaluated. Also, the extent of regional snow depth variability and its driving mechanisms are still unknown. In this study, monthly snow depth observations from 325 stations during the period of 1981–2018 were taken to evaluate the ability of five reanalysis datasets (JRA55, MERRA2, GLDAS2, ERA5, and ERA5L) to simulate the spatial and temporal variability of snow depth in China. The evaluation results indicate that MERRA2 has the lowest root-mean-square deviation of snow depth and a high spatial correlation coefficient with observations. This may be partly related to the high accuracy of precipitation and temperature in MERRA2. Also, the 31 combinations of the five reanalysis datasets do not yield better accuracy in snow depth than MERRA2 alone. This is because the other four datasets have larger uncertainty. Based on MERRA2, four hotspot regions with significant snow depth changes from 1981–2018 were identified, including the central Xinjiang (XJ-C), the southern part of the Northeastern Plain and Mountain (NPM-S), and the southwestern (TP-SW) and southeastern (TP-SE) of the Tibetan Plateau. Snow depth changes mostly occurred in spring in TP-SW and winter in XJ-C, NPM-S, and TP-SE. The snow depth increase in XJ-C, NPM-S, and TP-SW is mainly caused by increased seasonal precipitation, while the snow depth decrease in TP-SE is attributed to the combined effects of decreased precipitation and warming temperature in winter.
The micro-politics of collective bargaining: The case of gender equality
Authors: Bourguignon Rémi , Coron Clotilde
Published: October 2021

What are the drivers of collective bargaining to achieve gender equality in companies? Although much research has been done on this question, answers tend to focus exclusively on the institutional perspective and to neglect the social and power relations at work. We address this deficiency in this article by taking a micro-political perspective. We trace the trajectory of a collectively bargained gender equality policy in a French company over 14 years and examine how management and unions contribute to the process. Our results show that the construction of a coalition between management and unions around gender equality, as well as the form taken by the bargained policy, are closely linked to the capabilities that these actors possess and mobilise. This study contributes to the understanding of gender equality bargaining and, more generally, to the micro-politics of collective bargaining. In doing so, it aims to connect organisation studies and industrial relations.
The doctor, development and (un)sociable monkey: An autoethnography of a social worker
Authors: Yadav Raj
Published: October 2021

This article is a critical autoethnographic investigation in which I explore development and social work vis-à-vis my own life episodes. I examine various tensions, for example, (1) becoming and being a colonial development subject; (2) encountering social work and compliance to it; (3) a U-turn, in disagreement with social work; and (4) a doctoral journey, reinvigorating my ‘social worker self’ through conceptualisation of a model of ‘decolonised, developmental social work’. This autoethnography leads me to critical discourses not only to question development and social work but also to uncover the ‘sense of (my) becoming and being’ regarding those two.
Strategies for Support: Black Women Faculty Career Advancement at Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Authors: Del Priore Andrea
Published: October 2021

Although there is an abundance of scholarship about the challenges presented to Black women faculty at Predominantly White Institutions, the career advancement of Black women faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities has gone largely unnoticed. Considering Historically Black Colleges and Universities are where Black women faculty achieve tenure in the highest percentages, this study took a non-deficit perspective and investigated what supports are used by Black women faculty both internal to the institution and externally. The sites of this study were 43 HBCUs with 25% or more of tenured faculty comprised of Black women. Faculty rank and discipline were considered when comparing the survey data. Some supports include networks, family, religion, collaboration, and other strategies. This study provides a preliminary step in studying what supports Black women find most useful in navigating their faculty careers.
Perceived Chronic Social Adversity and Suicidal Ideation Among Chinese College Students: The Moderating Role of Hope
Authors: Jin Tonglin , Lei Zeyu , Zhang Lu , Wu Yuntena
Published: October 2021

This study aimed to investigate the relations among perceived chronic social adversity, hope and suicidal ideation among Chinese college students. 535 college students completed the Perceived Chronic Social Adversity Questionnaire (PCSAQ), the Suicidal Ideation Scale (SIS), and the Revised Adult Dispositional Hope Scale (RADHS). The results showed that perceived chronic social adversity was positively associated with suicidal ideation, and hope was negatively associated with suicidal ideation. The results also confirmed that hope negatively moderated the relationship between perceived chronic social adversity and suicidal ideation. Further study showed that there was a significant positive relation between perceived chronic social adversity and suicidal ideation under the low hope level, however, there was a non-significant relation between perceived chronic social adversity and suicidal ideation under the high hope level.
Are Populists Politically Intolerant? Citizens’ Populist Attitudes and Tolerance of Various Political Antagonists
Authors: Bos Linda , Wichgers Lisanne , van Spanje Joost
Published: October 2021

Political tolerance—the willingness to extend civil rights to political antagonists—is a key democratic norm. We argue that because voters with populist attitudes have an ambiguous relationship with democracy and keep a narrow definition of the people, they are more likely to be politically intolerant. We study the Netherlands, a less likely case to find political intolerance. Using data from a representative household panel survey ( n = 1999), we investigate the extent to which populist attitudes translate into general intolerant attitudes and specific intolerance toward political antagonists. Our analyses show that voters with stronger populist attitudes are less supportive of democratic norms, more intolerant of opposing views online, and of specific political opponents. However, they are not explicitly intolerant by limiting individual civil rights or supporting intolerant measures toward political antagonists. These findings show that even in a system engrained with compromise, populist citizens show signs of political intolerance.
Adherence to antiretroviral therapy mediates the link between posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and health-related quality of life
Authors: Onu Desmond Uchechukwu
Published: October 2021

Human immunodeficiency virus is one of the trauma-inducing chronic illnesses with attendant-negative impact on health-related quality of life. Substantial literature exists on the association of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and health-related quality of life among people living with human immunodeficiency virus, but little is known about the pathways explaining this link. This study therefore examined the mediating role of adherence to antiretroviral therapy in the association between posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and health-related quality of life among people living with human immunodeficiency virus. Nine hundred and sixty-nine people living with human immunodeficiency virus in Nigeria who were on antiretroviral therapy completed measures of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, adherence to antiretroviral therapy, and health-related quality of life. Hayes PROCESS macro for SPSS was used to analyse the data. Adherence to antiretroviral therapy mediated the association between posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and health-related quality of life in the relationship and treatment impact domains, implying that poor adherence to antiretroviral therapy is a pathway through which posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms exert negative influence on health-related quality of life of people living with human immunodeficiency virus. Interventions aimed at reducing the impact of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms on quality of life of people living with human immunodeficiency virus should focus on improving clients’ level of adherence to antiretroviral therapy treatment.
Clinical significance of serum S100A10 in lung cancer
Authors: Hou Yu-Lei , Zhang Jian-Hong , Guo Jin-Bao , Chen Hui
Published: October 2021

Objective

To investigate the clinical significance of serum S100 calcium-binding protein A10 (S100A10) levels in lung cancer.

Methods

This prospective study enrolled patients with lung cancer, patients with benign lung nodules and healthy control subjects. Serum S100A10 levels and three biomarkers were measured and compared between the groups. Associations between serum S100A10 and clinical characteristics in patients with lung cancer were investigated. The diagnostic efficacy of serum S100A10 and carcinoembryonic antigen for lung cancer was calculated.

Results

The study enrolled 82 patients with lung cancer, 21 with benign lung nodules and 50 healthy controls. Serum S100A10 levels were significantly higher in patients with lung cancer compared with patients with benign lung nodules and healthy control subjects. Serum S100A10 levels of patients with advanced lung cancer were significantly higher than those with early stage disease. Patients with lymph node metastases had significantly higher serum S100A10 levels than patients without lymph node metastases. The cut-off serum S100A10 value for lung cancer detection was 1.34 ng/ml, which had a sensitivity of 48.2%, a specificity of 76.2% and an area under the curve of 0.63.

Conclusion

Serum S100A10 was significantly correlated with disease stage and lymph node metastasis. It has the potential to be a tumour biomarker for lung cancer.
Low Self-Control and Perceptions of Procedural Justice Among Urban-Born Youth: The Moderating Role of Officer Intrusiveness
Authors: Jackson Dylan B. , Boccio Cashen M. , Testa Alexander , Vaughn Michael G.
Published: October 2021

The current study examines whether the link between low self-control and perceptions of procedural justice among urban-born youth is contingent on acts of officer intrusiveness. Data come from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study and are restricted to youth reporting lifetime police stops at Year 15 ( N = 918). Findings reveal that the association between low self-control and diminished perceptions of procedural justice is significantly moderated by officer intrusiveness. To be precise, low self-control became more relevant in diminished perceptions of procedural justice as officer intrusiveness decreased. The findings carry implications for police-citizen interactions, including the training of police officers in developmental science and how low self-control may shape youth perceptions of police encounters.
Time-dependent response of thermoplastic matrix composite material under the cyclic loadings
Authors: Pagore Ismael Figapka , Kol Guy Richard , Betchewe Jean Gambo
Published: October 2021

Under the service conditions, steel pipelines coated with the thermal protection system are subjected to cyclic loadings of axial tension and hydrostatic pressure. The finite element method generally used to simulate the behavior of composite structures under these loadings allows us to estimate the stresses generated in the system and to conclude on several origins of damage. However, for the framework of displacement or deformation analyses in such multilayer systems, these calculations do not allow a better prediction of their behavior. The methods used do not take sufficiently into account the characteristics of the different coating materials to predict their response in service conditions under cyclic loading. In this paper, we consider the viscosity of the thermoplastic materials used for the five layers coating system. Finite element calculations allow us to observe the areas of highest stress concentration at the interface with the steel pipe. Simulations allowed us to observe that the applied loads lead to increases in residual deformation in the thermoplastic matrix composite material. Cyclic tensile loading causes cracks in the matrix of the syntactic foam material. The study carried out here makes it possible to justify the origin of the failure mechanism in the composite material at the time of the installation of the pipelines which could limit the duration of their use in an offshore environment. The tensile failure of the syntactic foam considered as the polypropylene matrix composite material on which cyclic loads have been applied, is due to the stress level at a given temperature.
An NHS Doctor’s Lived Experience of Burnout during the First Wave of Covid-19
Authors: Chaudhry Sara , Yarrow Emily , Aldossari Maryam , Waterson Elizabeth
Published: October 2021

This article offers the lived experiences of an NHS doctor working on the front line in an English NHS Trust during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. The overall aim of the article is to offer a context-specific perspective on the employee experience of burnout by drawing out the interplay of organisational and external/socio-political factors during an atypical time. The narrative also highlights an as yet unexplored pattern of burnout with active maintenance of professional efficacy as the starting point which then interacts with high levels of work intensification prevalent in the NHS, leading to the coping mechanisms of depersonalisation and detachment. Existing research has predominantly focused on how/why employees experience burnout at the organisational level of analysis, leaving a gap in the literature on how external/socio-political and time contexts may impact employee burnout.
Effects of interface conditions on heat and mass transfer during modeling of laser dissimilar welding
Authors: Li Zhiyong , Yu Gang , He Xiuli , Li Shaoxia , Wang Xu , Li Zixun , Li Haiming
Published: October 2021

An improved 3 D heat and mass transfer model was developed to study the effects of interface conditions during modelling of laser dissimilar welding. In detail, the interface conditions consist of the physical processes at gas/liquid surface (e.g. free surface deformation and optical absorptance), substrate interface (e.g. mixture properties in liquid phase and thermal contact condition) and solid/liquid interface (e.g. fusion line). Their effects on heat and mass transfer are numerically and experimentally analyzed, which are all non-negligible in the welding modelling. In conclusion, free surface deformation influences convection flow and should be considered in the situation of micro-welding and high energy-input welding. Besides, the energy transfer between laser and substrate is more reasonably described by the optical absorptance expressed in polynomial function. The mass transfer induced variation of mixture properties is well described by the method based on time-dependent mixture fraction. Thermal resistance between clamp and substrate should be considered in the modelling of temperature field on macroscale. The joint conductance at substrate interface could be neglected when modelling heat and mass transfer inside the melt pool, while it should be calculated in the simulation of temperature distribution based on the mechanism of heat conduction. The obtained results in this paper provide a vital insight into the interface conditions in laser dissimilar welding process.
Research on probability statistics of train running safety indices based on pseudo-excitation method
Authors: Zi-ji Zhou , Nan Zhang , Qi-kai Sun
Published: October 2021

In order to explore the random nature of high-speed railway train operation safety indices, the pseudo-excitation method, extreme value theory, and non-stationary harmonic superposition theory are used in this paper to study the statistics of train operation safety indices. The pseudo-excitation load formulation for track irregularity is obtained by the pseudo-excitation method, and the resulting non-stationary random vibration problem is transformed into a deterministic time history problem. The pseudo-excitation method is used to establish the dynamic equations of motion, and the separation iteration method is used to solve the equations, so as to obtain the power spectral density of the wheel-rail interaction forces. The wheel-rail interaction forces are obtained by using a modulation function and the harmonic superposition method. By fitting an extreme value distribution, the maximum values of the train running safety indices are explored. The proposed numerical approach is validated experimentally using the data from a 24.6 m long simply supported concrete bridge by studying the extreme value distributions of driving safety indices. Additional numerical simulation are conducted for varying train speeds and bridge spans. The results show that the Gumbel distribution can fit the extreme value of driving safety parameters for different speeds and different bridge span lengths. It is observed that the higher the speed, the sharper the extreme value distribution of train running safety indices, and the larger the train running safety index values corresponding to 99.87% confidence level. The corresponding extreme values at the 99.87% confidence level are greater than the maximum value of each time-domain sample.
Design and testing of energy-efficient heat exchangers for Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids – A review
Authors: P Jayesh , Y Mukkamala , John Bibin
Published: October 2021

Heat transfer enhancement, pumping power and weight minimization in enhanced heat exchangers has long been achieved by deploying tubes with internal surface modifications like microgrooves, ribs, fins, knurls, and dimples with and without tube inserts. This article presents a very extensive review of experimental and computational studies on heat transfer enhancement, which covers convectional and unconventional working fluids under different fluid flow conditions. Compound augmentation with tube surface modifications and inserts has yielded enhancements in the overall heat transfer coefficient of over 116% in the fully developed turbulent flow regime. Exotic fluids like nano-coolants deployed in spiral grooved mircofin tubes yielded 196% enhancement in tube side heat transfer rate for concentrations as low as 0.5% by volume, while the thermal efficiency index measuring the overall enhancement in relation to the pumping power was 75%. However, reviews that address the combined effect of unconventional fluids, surface modifications and tube inserts on the overall thermo-hydraulic performance of annular heat exchangers seem to be limited. Further, nano-coolants aren’t frequently used in the process industry. The goal of this study is to document and evaluate the impact of cost-effective and energy-saving passive enhancement techniques such as tube surface modifications, tube inserts, and annular enhancement techniques on annular heat exchangers used in the process industries with Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids. This review should be useful to engineers, academics and medical professionals working with non-Newtonian fluids and enhanced heat exchangers.
Determinants of Consumer Perceptions of the Ethics of Online Retailers: An Investigation Using Confirmatory Factor Analysis
Authors: Bhattacharya Saptarshi , Sharma Rajendra Prasad , Gupta Ashish
Published: October 2021

Though the online retailing ethics literature has been growing steadily, no research has attempted to examine the myriad aspects and concerns about the online retailers’ unethical practices and behaviours. The study aims to extend the research and re-validate the consumer perception of ethics of online retailers (CPEOR) scale in the Indian context. The methodology involves an exploratory factor analysis on a sample of 261 online shopper responses on a 7-point Likert scale. The obtained scale was then validated on a new sample of 416 users using confirmatory factor analysis. The research identifies and validates 10 factors that influence CPEOR, that is, privacy, security, non-deception, fulfilment, customer service, service recovery, fairness concerns, environmental concerns, corporate social responsibility and ethical policies. The study offers valuable insights to the managers and researchers. The study offers best practices in the different dimensions of CPEOR along with future research directions. The study provides unified and comprehensive insights on CPEOR by examining all possible dimensions of CPEOR.
Intrinsic fluorescence–based label-free detection of bovine amyloid A amyloidosis
Authors: Ujike Naoki , Iwaide Susumu , Ono Yuki , Okano Takayuki , Murakami Tomoaki
Published: October 2021

Amyloidosis is diagnosed by the histologic detection of amyloid deposits; however, this method has limitations such as a prolonged diagnosis time and the need for histologic proficiency. We aimed to develop a rapid and simple method for diagnosing amyloidosis by targeting amyloid-specific endogenous fluorescence, which has not been reported previously, to our knowledge. Fluorescence fingerprint analysis of amyloid extracts and tissue homogenates derived from amyloid A (AA) amyloidosis-affected cattle exhibited a specific intrinsic fluorescence pattern. Furthermore, principal component analysis using analytical data revealed that AA could be identified by peaks near λex 350 nm and λem 430 nm. Fluorescence spectrometry analysis using tissue homogenates, which does not require special histochemical staining, enables the rapid detection of bovine AA.
Rapid and sustained B-cell depletion with subcutaneous ofatumumab in relapsing multiple sclerosis: APLIOS, a randomized phase-2 study
Authors: Bar-Or Amit , Wiendl Heinz , Montalban Xavier , Alvarez Enrique , Davydovskaya Maria , Delgado Silvia R , Evdoshenko Evgeniy P , Giedraitiene Natasa , Gross-Paju Katrin , Haldre Sulev , Herrman Craig E , Izquierdo Guillermo , Karelis Guntis , Leutmezer Fritz , Mares Miroslav , Meca-Lallana Jose E , Mickeviciene Dalia , Nicholas Jacqueline , Robertson Derrick S , Sazonov Denis V , Sharlin Kenneth , Sundaram Bharathy , Totolyan Natalia , Vachova Marta , Valis Martin , Bagger Morten , Häring Dieter A , Ludwig Inga , Willi Roman , Zalesak Martin , Su Wendy , Merschhemke Martin , Fox Edward J
Published: October 2021

Background:

Ofatumumab, the first fully human anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, is approved in several countries for relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS).

Objective:

To demonstrate the bioequivalence of ofatumumab administered by an autoinjector versus a pre-filled syringe (PFS) and to explore the effect of ofatumumab on B-cell depletion.

Methods:

APLIOS (NCT03560739) is a 12-week, open-label, parallel-group, phase-2 study in patients with RMS receiving subcutaneous ofatumumab 20 mg every 4 weeks (q4w) (from Week 4, after initial doses on Days 1, 7, and 14). Patients were randomized 10:10:1:1 to autoinjector or PFS in the abdomen, or autoinjector or PFS in the thigh, respectively. Bioequivalence was determined by area under the curve (AUC τ) and maximum plasma concentration ( Cmax) for Weeks 8–12. B-cell depletion and safety/tolerability were assessed.

Results:

A total of 256 patients contributed to the bioequivalence analyses (autoinjector-abdomen, n = 128; PFS-abdomen, n = 128). Abdominal ofatumumab pharmacokinetic exposure was bioequivalent for autoinjector and PFS (geometric mean AUC τ, 487.7 vs 474.1 h × µg/mL (ratio 1.03); Cmax, 1.409 vs 1.409 µg/mL (ratio 1.00)). B-cell counts (median cells/µL) depleted rapidly in all groups from 214.0 (baseline) to 2.0 (Day 14). Ofatumumab was well tolerated.

Conclusion:

Ofatumumab 20 mg q4w self-administered subcutaneously via autoinjector is bioequivalent to PFS administration and provides rapid B-cell depletion.
Witness Statements for Employment Tribunals in England and Wales: What are the ‘Issues’?
Authors: Mattison Michelle , Cooper Penny
Published: October 2021

In England and Wales, Employment Tribunals (ETs) hear claims from persons who believe that an employer, or potential employer, has treated them unlawfully. Witness statements form part of the evidence considered by ETs, but research is lacking with regard to the methods used to produce ET witness statements. This study presents the findings from 40 semi-structured interviews with ET judges, panel members, employment lawyers (solicitors, barristers, advisers) and litigants. Our data revealed six themes: professional processes, enabling through case management, presentation preferences, challenges for litigants in person, availability and quality of resources, and lack of training. Participants felt that the quality of witness statements varied amongst those prepared by professional advisors and by litigants in person. Our interviews revealed almost no evidence of practitioner training on how best to prepare a witness statement. We make recommendations about guidance and training for those tasked with drafting witness statements.
Does the suddenness matter? Antidepressant use before and after a spouse dies suddenly or expectedly of stroke
Authors: Einiö Elina , Metsä-Simola Niina , Peltonen Riina , Martikainen Pekka
Published: October 2021

Aims: Changes in mental health at the time of widowhood may depend on the expectedness of spousal death, but scant evidence is available for spousal deaths attributable to stroke. Methods: Using register-linkage data for Finland, we assessed changes in antidepressant use before and after spousal death for those whose spouses died suddenly of stroke between 1998 and 2003 ( N=1820) and for those whose spouses died expectedly of stroke, with prior hospitalisation for cerebrovascular disease ( N=1636). We used both population-averaged logit models and individual fixed-effects linear probability models. The latter models control for unobserved time-invariant heterogeneity between the individuals. Results: Our study indicates that the suddenness of a spouse’s death from stroke plays a role in the well-being of the surviving spouse. Increases in antidepressant use appeared larger following widowhood for those whose spouses died suddenly of stroke relative to those whose spouses had a medical history of cerebrovascular disease. Conclusions: The suddenness of a spouse’s death from stroke plays a role for the surviving spouse. The results suggest multifaceted timings of distress surrounding spousal death, depending on the suddenness of a spouse’s death from stroke.
randregret: A command for fitting random regret minimization models using Stata
Authors: Gutiérrez-Vargas Álvaro A. , Meulders Michel , Vandebroek Martina
Published: October 2021

In this article, we describe the randregret command, which implements a variety of random regret minimization (RRM) models. The command allows the user to apply the classic RRM model introduced in Chorus (2010, European Journal of Transport and Infrastructure Research 10: 181–196), the generalized RRM model introduced in Chorus (2014, Transportation Research, Part B 68: 224–238), and also the µRRM and pure RRM models, both introduced in van Cranenburgh, Guevara, and Chorus (2015, Transportation Research, Part A 74: 91–109). We illustrate the use of the randregret command by using stated choice data on route preferences. The command offers robust and cluster standarderror correction using analytical expressions of the score functions. It also offers likelihood-ratio tests that can be used to assess the relevance of a given model specification. Finally, users can obtain the predicted probabilities from each model by using the randregretpred command.
Instrumental-variable estimation of large-T panel-data models with common factors
Authors: Kripfganz Sebastian , Sarafidis Vasilis
Published: October 2021

In this article, we introduce the xtivdfreg command, which implements a general instrumental-variables (IV) approach for fitting panel-data models with many time-series observations, T, and unobserved common factors or interactive effects, as developed by Norkute et al. (2021, Journal of Econometrics 220: 416–446) and Cui et al. (2020a , ISER Discussion Paper 1101). The underlying idea of this approach is to project out the common factors from exogenous covariates using principal-components analysis and to run IV regression in both of two stages, using defactored covariates as instruments. The resulting two-stage IV estimator is valid for models with homogeneous or heterogeneous slope coefficients and has several advantages relative to existing popular approaches.

In addition, the xtivdfreg command extends the two-stage IV approach in two major ways. First, the algorithm accommodates estimation of unbalanced panels. Second, the algorithm permits a flexible specification of instruments.

We show that when one imposes zero factors, the xtivdfreg command can replicate the results of the popular Stata ivregress command. Notably, unlike ivregress, xtivdfreg permits estimation of the two-way error-components paneldata model with heterogeneous slope coefficients.
Estimating long-run effects and the exponent of cross-sectional dependence: An update to xtdcce2
Authors: Ditzen Jan
Published: October 2021

In this article, I describe several updates to xtdcce2 (Ditzen, 2018, Stata Journal 18: 585–617). First, I explain how to estimate long-run effects in models with cross-sectional dependence. I review three methods to estimate the long-run effects and discuss their implementation into Stata using xtdcce2. Two of the estimation methods build on Chudik et al. (2016, Advances in Econometrics: Vol. 36—Essays in Honor of Aman Ullah, 85–135): the cross-sectionally augmented distributed lag and the cross-sectionally augmented autoregressive distributed lag estimator. As a third alternative, I review an error-correction model in the presence of cross-sectional dependence. Second, I explain how to estimate the exponent of cross-sectional dependence using xtcse2 following Bailey, Kapetanios, and Pesaran (2016, Journal of Applied Econometrics 31: 929–960; 2019, Sankhyā 81: 46–102).
Test scores’ robustness to scaling: The scale_transformation command
Authors: Chang Andres Yi
Published: October 2021

Social scientists frequently rely on the cardinal comparability of test scores to assess achievement gaps between population subgroups and their evolution over time. This approach has been criticized because of the ordinal nature of test scores and the sensitivity of results to order-preserving transformations that are theoretically plausible. Bond and Lang (2013, Review of Economics and Statistics 95: 1468–1479) document the sensitivity of measured ability to scaling choices and develop a method to assess the robustness of changes in ability over time to scaling choices. In this article, I present the scale_transformation command, which expands the Bond and Lang (2013) method to more general cases and optimizes their algorithm to work with large datasets. The command assesses the robustness of an achievement gap between two subgroups to any arbitrary choice of scale by finding bounds for the original gap estimation. Additionally, it finds scale transformations that are very likely and unlikely to benchmark against the results obtained. Finally, it also allows the user to measure how much gap growth coefficients change when including controls in their specifications.
Doing a Hermeneutic Phenomenology Research Underpinned by Gadamer’s Philosophy: A Framework to Facilitate Data Analysis
Authors: Alsaigh Rasha , Coyne Imelda
Published: October 2021

Phenomenology is an umbrella term that refers to both a philosophical movement and a variety of research approaches. Hermeneutic phenomenology is a methodology, which is not rigidly set or prescribed. Hence, students and researchers using a hermeneutic phenomenology approach underpinned by Gadamer’s philosophy may struggle to apply his concepts while analysing data. This article describes a new framework that provides guidance on how to analyse data in a research study while remaining faithful to the major tenets of Gadamer’s work (pre-understandings, hermeneutic circle and fusion of horizons) and closely adhering to the central tenets. The framework provides a step-by-step strategy to ensure rigour while maintaining trustworthiness. This may serve as a useful guide for neophyte students and researchers using or considering Gadamer’s version of hermeneutic phenomenology in their studies.
The Diversity Gap: When Diversity Matters for Knowledge
Authors: Sulik Justin , Bahrami Bahador , Deroy Ophelia
Published: October 2021

Can diversity make for better science? Although diversity has ethical and political value, arguments for its epistemic value require a bridge between normative and mechanistic considerations, demonstrating why and how diversity beneﬁts collective intelligence. However, a major hurdle is that the beneﬁts themselves are rather mixed: Quantitative evidence from psychology and behavioral sciences sometimes shows a positive epistemic effect of diversity, but often shows a null effect, or even a negative effect. Here we argue that to make progress with these why and how questions, we need ﬁrst to rethink when one ought to expect a beneﬁt of cognitive diversity. In doing so, we highlight that the beneﬁts of cognitive diversity are not equally distributed about collective intelligence tasks and are best seen for complex, multistage, creative problem solving, during problem posing and hypothesis generation. Throughout, we additionally outline a series of mechanisms relating diversity and problem complexity, and show how this perspective can inform metascience questions.
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank: A Qualified Success for Beijing's Economic Statecraft
Authors: Haga Kai Yin Allison
Published: October 2021

In 2013, China's growing economic capacities motivated Beijing to launch a multilateral bank to advance its diplomatic agenda. Scholars are still debating precisely what Beijing seeks to accomplish through the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). This article surveys the key literature on the AIIB, identifying twenty scholarly interpretations of Beijing's strategic goals. The purpose of this research is to understand Beijing's initial design for this bank and evaluate whether this new multilateral development bank can function as an effective instrument for Beijing's economic statecraft. Over its first five years, as an economic tool for Beijing, the AIIB has performed quite remarkably well. The bank not only operates smoothly, generating a reasonable amount in net income for its shareholders, but also serves Beijing's strategic purposes in expanding China's regional influence, enhancing its international status, and ascending toward global leadership.
Continuous Ketone Monitoring Consensus Report 2021
Authors: Nguyen Kevin T. , Xu Nicole Y. , Zhang Jennifer Y. , Shang Trisha , Basu Ananda , Bergenstal Richard M. , Castorino Kristin , Chen Kong Y. , Kerr David , Koliwad Suneil K. , Laffel Lori M. , Mathioudakis Nestoras , Midyett L. Kurt , Miller Joshua D. , Nichols James H. , Pasquel Francisco J. , Prahalad Priya , Prausnitz Mark R. , Seley Jane Jeffrie , Sherr Jennifer L. , Spanakis Elias K. , Umpierrez Guillermo E. , Wallia Amisha , Klonoff David C.
Published: October 2021

This article is the work product of the Continuous Ketone Monitoring Consensus Panel, which was organized by Diabetes Technology Society and met virtually on April 20, 2021. The panel consisted of 20 US-based experts in the use of diabetes technology, representing adult endocrinology, pediatric endocrinology, advanced practice nursing, diabetes care and education, clinical chemistry, and bioengineering. The panelists were from universities, hospitals, freestanding research institutes, government, and private practice. Panelists reviewed the medical literature pertaining to ten topics: (1) physiology of ketone production, (2) measurement of ketones, (3) performance of the first continuous ketone monitor (CKM) reported to be used in human trials, (4) demographics and epidemiology of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), (5) atypical hyperketonemia, (6) prevention of DKA, (7) non-DKA states of fasting ketonemia and ketonuria, (8) potential integration of CKMs with pumps and automated insulin delivery systems to prevent DKA, (9) clinical trials of CKMs, and (10) the future of CKMs. The panelists summarized the medical literature for each of the ten topics in this report. They also developed 30 conclusions (amounting to three conclusions for each topic) about CKMs and voted unanimously to adopt the 30 conclusions. This report is intended to support the development of safe and effective continuous ketone monitoring and to apply this technology in ways that will benefit people with diabetes.
Safai Karamchari (Sanitary Workers)/Scavenger Community and Risk of Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic in India
Authors: Kumar Krishan , Shetty Deepalatha R.
Published: October 2021

Being a developing country with a large population with high density, India was on high alert for the COVID-19 pandemic. India overcame much difficulty from the first wave, but was soon after smacked by the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to its contiguous nature, people were advised to stay in their home, but some people have to continue their work to maintain public health, law and order and provide necessary services. Sanitary workers are one of them; they maintain cleanliness and sanitise public places, communities, towns and cities to control the COVID-19 spread. It is essential to know and understand their situation in such a problematic condition of the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper will elaborate on their social, occupational, and living conditions and possible relation with COVID-19. The author collected quantitative data through a cross-sectional study in four towns (Ladwa, Indri, Thanesar and Radaur) of Haryana in 2017. Quantitative and qualitative data had collected from sanitary workers through structured interview and observation. During fieldwork, the researcher lived with the community and observed closely. Results show that their working conditions are risky, working timings and duration also risky, alcohol and tobacco use is high, protective gears are not available to them, job status primarily contractual, no or low educational standard, health conditions are down and the standard of living is low & living situation are congested. The results indicate that they are at high risk of COVID-19 infection, to develop severe acute illness from COVID-19 and community spread. While their sanitary workers come into contact with different kinds of waste and surfaces, so their chance of infection is high because COVID-19 can survive on any surface. Their occupational, educational, social, health, living standards and living conditions make them vulnerable to developing a severe acute illness, leading to a high death rate and community spread. Therefore we need to take some essential steps in this regard.
Cost-effectiveness of diagnostic strategies for venous thromboembolism: a systematic review
Authors: Zhang Yuan , Begum Housne A. , Grewal Himmat , Etxeandia-Ikobaltzeta Itziar , Morgano Gian Paolo , Khatib Rasha , Nieuwlaat Robby , Ding Chengyi , Wiercioch Wojtek , Mustafa Reem A. , Lim Wendy , Schünemann Holger J.
Published: October 2021

Guideline developers consider cost-effectiveness evidence in decision making to determine value for money. This consideration in the guideline development process can be informed either by formal and dedicated economic evaluations or by systematic reviews of existing studies. To inform the American Society of Hematology guideline on the diagnosis of venous thromboembolism (VTE), we conducted a systematic review focused on the cost-effectiveness of diagnostic strategies for VTE within the guideline scope. We systematically searched Medline (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database, and the Cost-effectiveness Analysis Registry; summarized; and critically appraised the economic evidence on diagnostic strategies for VTE. We identified 49 studies that met our inclusion criteria, with 26 on pulmonary embolism (PE) and 24 on deep vein thrombosis (DVT). For the diagnosis of PE, strategies including d-dimer to exclude PE were cost-effective compared with strategies without d-dimer testing. The cost-effectiveness of computed tomography pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) in relation to ventilation-perfusion (V/Q) scan was inconclusive. CTPA or V/Q scan following ultrasound or d-dimer results could be cost-effective or even cost saving. For DVT, studies supporting strategies with d-dimer and/or ultrasound were cost-effective, supporting the recommendation that for patients at low (unlikely) VTE risk, using d-dimer as the initial test reduces the need for diagnostic imaging. Our systematic review informed the American Society of Hematology guideline recommendations about d-dimer, V/Q scan and CTPA for PE diagnosis, and d-dimer and ultrasound for DVT diagnosis.
Spotlight on eltrombopag in pediatric ITP in China: a long-term observational study in real-world practice
Authors: Cheng Xiaoling , Fu LingLing , Ma Jingyao , Gu Hao , Chen Zhenping , Zhao Libo , Wang Xiaoling , Wu Runhui
Published: October 2021

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune bleeding disorder with isolated thrombocytopenia and risk of hemorrhage. Treatment with eltrombopag increases and maintains hemostatic platelet counts; however, to date, long-term data are lacking on the outcome of children with ITP who are treated with eltrombopag. This prospective, observational, longitudinal cohort study evaluated the efficacy and safety of eltrombopag in pediatric patients with persistent or chronic ITP. For the 116 pediatric patients enrolled, duration of eltrombopag treatment was at least 3 months. Median effective dose was 25 mg/day, 50 mg/day, and 50 mg/day, respectively, for children age 5 years or younger, 6 to 11 years, or 12 years or older. In all, 89 patients (76.7%) achieved overall response, 53 (45.7%) achieved complete response, and 36 (31.0%) achieved response. Median platelet counts increased by week 1 and were sustained throughout the treatment period. During treatment with eltrombopag, the proportion of patients with grade 1 to 4 bleeding symptoms decreased from 83.61% at baseline to 9.88% at 6 months when only grade 1 was reported. Forty-three patients (37.1%) reported using concomitant medications at study entry, which was reduced to 1 patient (2.5%) who needed concomitant medications at 12 months. All adverse events were grade 1 or 2 according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. No serious adverse events, cataracts, malignancies, or thromboses were reported during the study. Long-term treatment with eltrombopag was generally safe, well tolerated, and effective in maintaining platelet counts and reducing bleeding in most pediatric patients with persistent or chronic ITP. Combined with future studies, these findings will help establish how eltrombopag should best be used in the management of pediatric patients with East Asian ancestry.