bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spatial Analysis of the Sociodemographic Characteristics, Comorbidities, Hospitalization, Signs, and Symptoms Among Hospitalized Coronavirus Disease 2019 Cases in the State of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Authors: Alves André T. J. , Raposo Letícia M. , Nobre Flávio F.
Published: October 2021

After more than 1 year from the beginning of the pandemic, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has reached all continents. The number of infected people is still increasing, and Brazil is among the countries with the highest number of registered cases in the world. In this study, we investigated the profile of hospitalized COVID-19 cases and the eventual clusters of similar areas, using geographic information systems. The study was conducted using secondary data. Variables such as sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidities, hospitalization, signs, and symptoms among confirmed cases were considered for each microregion/city of the state of Rio de Janeiro. These proportions were used when calculating the Global Moran's I. The local indicator of spatial association was used to identify local clusters. A significant global spatial auto correlation was found in 28% of the variables. The presence of spatial autocorrelation indicates that the proportions of patients with COVID-19 according to these characteristics are spatially oriented. Moran maps reveal 2 clusters, 1 of high proportions and 1 of low proportions. Understanding the geographic patterns of COVID-19 may assist public health investigators, contributing to actions to prevent and control the pandemic in the state.
Structured peer group supervision: Systematic case reflection for constructing new perspectives and solutions
Authors: Toros Karmen , Falch-Eriksen Asgeir
Published: October 2021

This article reflects on the experiences of Estonian social work undergraduate students with a five-phased structured peer group supervision model, consisting of information, clarification, analysis, feedback and reflection phases. This kind of systematic case reflection enables the generation and critical exploration of new perspectives and solutions among those seeking to become professional social workers. Students emphasised that this model is a useful method for case supervision and that it is feasible to apply it after one-time or short training/experience.
Effect of intra-tow flow on plain woven fabric permeability using virtual fiber-voxel element method
Authors: Liu Junling , Xie Junbo , Chen Li
Published: October 2021

A geometric modeling platform based on the virtual fiber-voxel element is proposed to characterize textile reinforcement in a cost-effective way, which could reflect the systemic local changes of the tow path and tow cross-section. The finite volume method is used to solve the governing equation of the boundary value problem, and the permeability of the fabric is calculated by using the flow field data obtained from the model. The flow field analysis and pressure drop in flow direction of different thickness unit cells suggest that the size of inter-tow channels play a vital role in determining the overall in-plane permeability values. The flow channels of the inter tow in warp direction were found to be greater than in the weft direction, which causes the overall permeability to be anisotropic.
The effects of preloading on tensile properties of braided polyarylate fiber ropes
Authors: Ding Xu , Sun Ying , Dong Chunhui , Guo Mengwei , Chen Li
Published: October 2021

In the present work, the effects of preloading on the tensile properties of braided polyarylate fiber ropes were investigated experimentally. Four kinds of samples with different pitch lengths were tested with designed preload levels. The deformation responses of the ropes were captured using digital image correlation (DIC) and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). It is shown that the nonlinearity in the mechanical behavior of the ropes can be almost eliminated post-preloading with one cyclic loading, and the transverse strains are much greater than the longitudinal strains due to the compaction of rope structure because of the spiral interlaced path of braid yarns. The rope with shorter pitch length (larger braid angle) has larger longitudinal strain and smaller transverse strain due to the higher yarn crimp rate and tighter yarns, respectively. The preload level is the most important parameter for preloading. The chord modulus of the ropes reached an optimum level at the preload level of 40% break load, and the tensile strength can be increased by 15% at the preload level of 50% break load. Moreover, the stability of the tensile properties could be accelerated at the higher preload level. Consequently, preloading is vital to improve the tensile properties of braided polyarylate fiber ropes, with a preload level at least of 40% break load and 10 cyclic loadings.
Changes in the economic status of neighbourhoods in US metropolitan areas from 1980 to 2010: Stability, growth and polarisation
Authors: Kang Wei , Knaap Elijah , Rey Sergio
Published: October 2021

In this paper we move away from a static view of neighbourhood inequality and investigate the dynamics of neighbourhood economic status, which ties together spatial income inequality at different moments in time. Using census data from three decades (1980–2010) in 294 metropolitan statistical areas, we use a statistical decomposition method to unpack the aggregate spatiotemporal income dynamic into its contributing components: stability, growth and polarisation, providing a new look at the economic fortunes of diverse neighbourhoods. We examine the relative strength of each component in driving the overall pattern, in addition to whether, how, and why these forces wax and wane across space and over time. Our results show that over the long run, growth is a dominant form of change across all metros, but there is a very clear decline in its prominence over time. Further, we find a growing positive relationship between the components of dispersion and growth, in a reversal of prior trends. Looking across metro areas, we find temporal heterogeneity has been driven by different socioeconomic factors over time (such as sectoral growth in certain decades), and that these relationships vary enormously with geography and time. Together these findings suggest a high level of temporal heterogeneity in neighbourhood income dynamics, a phenomenon which remains largely unexplored in the current literature. There is no universal law governing the changing economic status of neighbourhoods in the US over the last 40 years, and our work demonstrates the importance of considering shifting dynamics over multiple spatial and temporal scales.
The Rich Kids of Instagram: Luxury Travel, Transport Modes, and Desire
Authors: Cohen Scott , Liu Hongbo , Hanna Paul , Hopkins Debbie , Higham James , Gössling Stefan
Published: October 2021

The Rich Kids of Instagram (RKOI) portray luxury lifestyles on social media. The potential roles of travel and transport within these online displays of affluence have not yet been examined. This paper’s purpose is to analyse how transport modes and luxury travel are depicted and interrelated through RKOI images. Co-occurrence analyses were conducted using a data set of Instagram posts with RKOI as a hashtag (2012–2018) to visualize the roles of transport modes and luxury travel in RKOI image construction. The findings demonstrate that both energy-intensive transport modes and luxury travel, whether through air/watercraft or luxury cars, play a vital role in signaling RKOI’s self-image on Instagram, with gendered differences. The article contributes an original conceptual model of how RKOI construct their image using transport modes and luxury travel. Implications for the social normalization of carbon-intensive transport choices, coupled with luxury destinations as a backdrop, are discussed.
Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire: Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance Among Portuguese Male Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence
Authors: Cunha Olga , Peixoto Manuela , Cruz Ana Rita , Gonçalves Rui Abrunhosa
Published: October 2021

This study aimed to analyze the fit of the four-factor model of the 29-item and 12-item Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ) on a sample of Portuguese male perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV; N = 279) and to test the measurement invariance between sample type (forensic and non-forensic) and sentence type (prison and community). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) did not support the four-factor model of the BPAQ 29-item version. The four-factor model of the BPAQ–short form (BPAQ-SF) showed a good fit. Sufferable values for internal consistency and good values for convergent and discriminant validity were found. Cross-sentence measurement invariance using the present sample and cross-sample measurement invariance of the BPAQ-SF using a previously collected sample of students was established. Overall, our results support BPAQ-SF as a valuable brief and psychometrically reliable measure of aggression for use with both individuals from the community and IPV perpetrators with different sentences.
Remodeling Street-Level Workers With Quasi-Markets: Comparing Ireland’s Mixed Economy of Welfare-to-Work
Authors: McGann Michael
Published: October 2021

Quasi-markets in employment services often follow social policy turns toward activation. Critics see this as no accident, arguing that marketization is intended to raise the odds that workfare policies will be implemented. Drawing on surveys of Irish frontline activation workers, this study harnesses a natural policy experiment whereby Ireland introduced a Payment-by-Results quasi-market alongside a parallel program contracted without outcomes-based contracting. Although the demandingness of activation remains modest in Ireland, the study finds that regulatory approaches are more common under market governance conditions, which in turn has been associated with significant workforce changes and stronger systems of performance monitoring.
Observer-based robust controller design for fractional-order systems with stochastic perturbations: A diffusive representation approach
Authors: Parvizian Majid , Khandani Khosro
Published: October 2021

We investigate the fractional-order systems that are perturbed by stochastic input to achieve stabilization via sliding mode control (SMC) approach. It is assumed that the system states are unknown and there is uncertainty and time-delay in the system. We utilize the diffusive representation of the stochastic fractional-order dynamics to transform the system into an integer-order system perturbed by Brownian motion. Provided that some linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) are feasible, it is proven that the estimation error system is stochastically stabilized and the overall closed-loop system is stable in probability. A numerical simulation shows the effectiveness of the results.
Neural network-aided sparse convex optimization algorithm for fast DOA estimation
Authors: Cong Jingyu , Wang Xianpeng , Wan Liangtian , Huang Mengxing
Published: October 2021

In this paper, a fast sparse convex optimization algorithm based on a neural network is proposed to improve the direction of arrival estimation. First, a fast [Formula: see text]-sparse representation of the array covariance vector model based on the Hermitian Toeplitz structure of array covariance is established to reduce computational complexity in data dimension and variable number. Then, the estimation error upper bound problem is investigated, and a neural network-aided coefficient selection method is developed. The direction of arrival estimation problem is solved through spectral peak search. Finally, the algorithm is extended to the case of off-grid error. The algorithm’s advantages in accuracy, calculation speed and robustness is verified by the simulations.
Authentic Leadership and Team Members’ Outcomes: A Cross-level and Multi-level Analysis
Authors: Nair Beena Prakash , Prasad T. , Nair Shreekumar K.
Published: October 2021

This study considers the multi-level research design to build on the Conservation of Resource (COR) theory to help develop a model that links authentic leadership to followers’ outcomes. Though previous studies have examined the direct effect of leadership and followers’ outcome at the individual level, findings of the impact of authentic leadership at the cross-level and multi-level are limited. Consistent with our hypotheses, the findings of the study, from a sample of 547 dyads from the financial sector in India, revealed that authentic leadership has a significant impact on authentic followership and team-level work engagement. The cross-level analysis indicated that 8.4 per cent of the variance in authentic followership is attributable to authentic leadership at the team level. Likewise, the multi-level analysis revealed that 9.4 per cent of the variance at work engagement between the teams is attributable to authentic leadership. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed further

JEL: M12
Reliability and validity of the mean flow index (Mx) for assessing cerebral autoregulation in humans: A systematic review of the methodology
Authors: Olsen Markus Harboe , Riberholt Christian Gunge , Mehlsen Jesper , Berg Ronan MG , Møller Kirsten
Published: October 2021

Cerebral autoregulation is a complex mechanism that serves to keep cerebral blood flow relatively constant within a wide range of cerebral perfusion pressures. The mean flow index (Mx) is one of several methods to assess dynamic cerebral autoregulation, but its reliability and validity have never been assessed systematically. The purpose of the present systematic review was to evaluate the methodology, reliability and validity of Mx.

Based on 128 studies, we found inconsistency in the pre-processing of the recordings and the methods for calculation of Mx. The reliability in terms of repeatability and reproducibility ranged from poor to excellent, with optimal repeatability when comparing overlapping recordings. The discriminatory ability varied depending on the patient populations; in general, those with acute brain injury exhibited a higher Mx than healthy volunteers. The prognostic ability in terms of functional outcome and mortality ranged from chance result to moderate accuracy.

Since the methodology was inconsistent between studies, resulting in varying reliability and validity estimates, the results were difficult to compare. The optimal method for deriving Mx is currently unknown.
MRI Signal Intensity of Quadriceps Tendon Autograft and Hamstring Tendon Autograft 1 Year After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in Adolescent Athletes
Authors: Aitchison Alexandra H. , Alcoloumbre David , Mintz Douglas N. , Hidalgo Perea Sofia , Nguyen Joseph T. , Cordasco Frank A. , Green Daniel W.
Published: October 2021

Background:

Hamstring tendon autograft (HTA) is a common graft choice for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (ACLR) in skeletally immature patients. Recently, the use of quadriceps tendon autograft (QTA) has shown superior preliminary outcomes in this population.

Purpose:

To evaluate graft maturity by comparing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signal intensity of HTA versus QTA used in primary ACLR.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

All patients under the age of 18 years who underwent a primary ACLR by the senior authors using either an HTA or a QTA were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 70 skeletally immature patients (37 in the HTA group and 33 in the QTA group) with an available MRI at 6 and 12 months postoperatively were included. Signal intensity ratio (SIR) was measured on sagittal MRI by averaging the signal at 3 regions of interest along the ACL graft and dividing by the signal of the tibial footprint of the posterior cruciate ligament. Statistical analysis was performed to determine interrater reliability and differences between time points and groups.

Results:

Age, sex, and type of surgery were not associated with any differences in SIR. There was no significant difference in SIR between groups on the 6-month MRI. However, the SIR of the QTA group was significantly less than in the HTA group on the 12-month MRI (2.33 vs 2.72, respectively; P = .028). Within the HTA group, there was no significant difference in SIR at either MRI time point. In the QTA group, there was a significant decrease in SIR between the 6-month and 12-month postoperative MRI (2.70 vs 2.33, respectively; P = .045).

Conclusion:

These findings suggest improved graft maturation, remodeling, and structural integrity of the QTA compared with the HTA between 6 and 12 months postoperatively. This provides evidence that, at 1 year postoperatively, QTA may have a superior rate of incorporation and synovialization as compared with the HTA.
The effects of two different antioxidant combinations on sperm parameters
Authors: Yaris Mehmet , Akdogan Nebil , Öztürk Murat , Bozkurt Aliseydi , Karabakan Mehmet
Published: October 2021

Background:

Studies demonstrate that getting antioxidants in the course of treatment has a positive impact beneficial effect on fertility, especially on the quality of sperm. Because of that reason antioxidants are recommended as a potentially influential treatment for infertility in men. However, it is argued that this treatment is not based on sufficient evidence and has no effect on the rate of healthy pregnancy.

Objective:

In this study, two different antioxidant combinations with different doses and contents were evaluated in terms of their effect on sperm parameters.

Materials/methods:

A total of 122 patients diagnosed with idiopathic infertility were enrolled in our multicenter study. The patients were divided into two different groups: The first group used a combination 2 × 1 sachet form (l-carnitine 1 g, acetyl-l-carnitine 0.5 g, fructose 1 g, citric acid 0.50 mg, selenium 50 µg, coenzyme Q10 20 mg, vitamin C 90 mg, zinc 10 mg, folic acid 200 µg, and vitamin B12 1.5 µg) and the second group used a combination tablets form 2 × 1 (l-carnitine 500 mg, selenium 50 µg, coenzyme Q10 20 mg, vitamin C 60 mg, zinc 15 mg, folic acid 400 µg, vitamin E, and ginseng 15 µg) for 6 months. The total semen volume, the total sperm number, sperm concentration, sperm motility, and lastly morphological findings of the patients were compared at the end of 6 months.

Results:

The mean age of the patients participating in the study was 30.8 ± 6.05 years. No significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of baseline sperm count. There was a significant difference between the baseline and sixth-month values of the patients using both combinations. However, no significant statistical difference was found between the groups according to the sixth-month data. The combinations of both antioxidants had a positive effect on sperm parameters, and the use of different doses and contents had a similar effect.

Conclusion:

Both antioxidants respectively had a positive effect on sperm parameters and also the use of different doses and contents had a similar effect.
Rethinking the Formation of Public Distribution System: A Class-Focused Approach
Authors: Sarkar Soumik , Chakrabarti Anjan
Published: October 2021

Using the methodology of overdetermination, class process of surplus labor as the entry point and socially determined need of food security, we deliver an alternative class-focused rendition of the public distribution system (PDS) in India. We first surmise our theoretical framework to infer that the overdetermined and contradictory relation of class and social needs matter for PDS. Beyond the reasoning of being pro-poor, fair, or wasteful, we deploy this framework to reinterpret the formation of Indian PDS in the 1960s. Its demonstration requires revisiting the historical condition that shaped capital’s passive revolution through the post-independence Indian state and its subsequent crisis arising out of the contradictions and conflicts in the class-need space. We argue that PDS signals a case of success and not failure of capitalism.

JEL Classification: B41, B51, N45
Design and development of a fuzzy credibility-based reverse logistics network with buyback offers: A case study
Authors: Amirdadi Masoud , Dehghanian Farzad , Nahofti Kohneh Jamal
Published: October 2021

The ever-growing stream of waste production has become a critical issue for many metropolitan areas. An effective strategy to address this problem has been the concept of reverse logistics (RL). This paper seeks to develop an appropriate product recovery approach for electronic waste generated in an urban area. Consequently, we have proposed an integrated fuzzy RL model with buyback (BB) offers based on the condition of used-products (UPs) at the time of return. However, this strategy contains a significant challenge, which derives from unpredictability surrounding the return rate of UPs due to its dependency on multiple external factors. Hence, a novel fuzzy probability function is developed to approximate UPs’ chance of return. Besides that, the mathematical RL network’s inherent uncertainty prompted us to employ the fuzzy credibility-based method in the model. Afterward, the model’s objectives are locating and allocating collection centres to customer zones, determining flow between facilities and finding the optimal amount of gathered UPs and BB offers. Finally, we applied the model to a case study concerning product recovery in Mashhad city, Iran, and the results have proven its validity and utility.
Performance optimization of thin fire blankets by varying their radiative properties
Authors: Brent Kevin M , T’ien James S
Published: October 2021

In using thin fire blankets to protect structures in wildfires, heat rejections by radiation (reflection and emission) are essential for good performance. By varying the radiative properties of the front and back surfaces of the blankets, this article offers an optimization study of several scenarios of incident heat flux including pure convection, pure radiation, and combinations of the two. Two types of blanket heat-blocking efficiencies are studied in the optimization scheme. An overall efficiency is defined as the amount of incident heat blocked to the total amount of incident heat in specified wildfire scenarios. An instantaneous heat-blocking efficiency is defined as the instantaneous heat flux blocked to the instantaneous incident total heat flux which provides good understanding of the physics of heat-blocking mechanisms of fire blanket under quasi-steady conditions. In addition to maximizing these heat-blocking efficiencies, there are other optimization objectives, including the minimization of the blanket backside temperature. A genetic algorithm is used for the multi-objective optimization schemes. For the transient heat incidence, the optimization for the entire time sequence is performed with the possibility of a change of blanket radiative properties during the fire sequence, accounting for changes to the fire-facing surface caused by the incident heat.
Pressure-compacted and spider silk–reinforced fibrin demonstrates sufficient biomechanical stability as cardiac patch in vitro
Authors: Bobylev Dmitry , Wilhelmi Mathias , Lau Skadi , Klingenberg Melanie , Mlinaric Markus , Petená Elena , Helms Florian , Hassel Thomas , Haverich Axel , Horke Alexander , Böer Ulrike
Published: October 2021

Objective: The generation of bio-/hemocompatible cardiovascular patches with sufficient stability and regenerative potential remains an unmet goal. Thus, the aim of this study was the generation and in vitro biomechanical evaluation of a novel cardiovascular patch composed of pressure-compacted fibrin with embedded spider silk cocoons. Methods: Fibrin-based patches were cast in a customized circular mold. One cocoon of Nephila odulis spider silk was embedded per patch during the casting process. After polymerization, the fibrin clot was compacted by 2 kg weight for 30 min resulting in thickness reduction from up to 2 cm to <1 mm. Tensile strength and burst pressure was determined after 0 weeks and 14 weeks of storage. A sewing strength test and a long-term load test were performed using a customized device to exert physiological pulsatile stretching of a silicon surface on which the patch had been sutured. Results: Fibrin patches resisted supraphysiological pressures of well over 2000 mmHg. Embedding of spider silk increased tensile force 1.8-fold and tensile strength 1.45-fold ( p < .001), resulting in a final strength of 1.07 MPa and increased sewing strength. Storage for 14 weeks decreased tensile strength, but not significantly and suturing properties of the spider silk patches were satisfactory. The long-term load test indicated that the patches were stable for 4 weeks although slight reduction in patch material was observed. Conclusion: The combination of compacted fibrin matrices and spider silk cocoons may represent a feasible concept to generate stable and biocompatible cardiovascular patches with regenerative potential.
The slanted beam: A critical discourse analysis of anti-Islam and anti-Muslim discourse in China
Authors: Lan Tian Xiang , Navera Gene Segarra
Published: October 2021

Adopting the Critical Discourse Analysis perspective, this study investigates the ideology reflected by the anti-Islam and anti-Muslim discourse in China, the power dynamics revealed by such discourse and how social media discourse differs from and utilises the government discourse. Four ways to disguise the anti-Muslims, anti-Islam prejudice are investigated: appealing to patriotism to demand cultural assimilation; claiming to defend secularism; framing Islam as incompatible with mainstream culture; appealing to consumer rights to reject halal food. Non-Muslims and assimilated Muslims (especially the elites) are found to have the prerogative to dictate who belong to the ingroup, what dietary restrictions are legitimate and whom to blame when undesirable situations arise, while Muslim non-elites are at the receiving end of such dictates. This study also argues that social media discourse expresses antagonism of higher intensity than the government discourse does, and may misappropriate the official narratives to express the interlocutor’s hatred towards Muslims.
Heavy Lifters, India: Towards a Circular Economy Era
Authors: Prashar Anupama
Published: October 2021

The case helps students to understand the emerging concept of linear and circular economies. It facilitates to examine the implications of circular business models such as remanufacturing on operations management decisions. It also introduces them to the concept of total cost of ownership and impact of remanufacturing on reducing total cost of ownership. The cases help students to evaluate the challenges and opportunities of remanufacturing business in emerging economy like India. This case is among the first few cases on the application of circular economy principles in context of heavy-duty and off-road sector and the impact of these principles on product design and production planning and control decisions.
Emerging Prospects of Shareholder Engagement in India
Authors: S Preetha
Published: October 2021

The need for strengthening engagement between companies and its shareholders is being increasingly recognised over the past few years. Various authors have discussed about the role of shareholder engagement in enhancing corporate governance standards. The literatures discussing these aspects are focusing on developed countries. This study seeks to make a contribution to the debate by discussing the scope and challenges for shareholder engagement in India. Many reforms were introduced to enhance shareholder participation and engagement in India. The study explains the significance of shareholder engagement and the strategies adopted by shareholders to influence corporate policy. The study gives a brief overview of scheme of division of power between board of directors and the company in general meeting in India. It examines the statutory reforms introduced in India for promoting shareholder engagement in corporate governance processes. It also discusses some incidents in Indian corporate sector to examine the growth of shareholder engagement in India.
Survey of beef bulls in Brazil to assess their role as source of infectious agents related to cow infertility
Authors: Carli Silvia D. , Dias Maria E. , da Silva Maria E. R. J. , Breyer Gabriela M. , Siqueira Franciele M.
Published: October 2021

Poor reproductive performance in beef cattle caused by infectious agents results in major financial losses as a result of reduced pregnancy rates and extended calving intervals. Bulls can be subclinical chronic carriers of bacterial and protozoal agents involved in cow infertility, such as Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis, Ureaplasma diversum, Mycoplasma bovigenitalium, Mycoplasma bovis, and Tritrichomonas foetus. Bulls harbor these microorganisms in their preputial crypts and transmit the agents to cows during natural mating. To obtain an overview of the etiologic agents in the preputial mucus of bulls, we aimed to identify, by PCR assay, C. fetus subsp. venerealis, M. bovis, U. diversum, M. bovigenitalium, and T. foetus in Brazilian bulls from farms with high infertility rates. We collected preputial mucus from 210 bulls on 18 beef cattle farms in Brazil between 2019 and 2020. We found at least one of the infectious agents that we were studying in bulls on 16 of the 18 beef cattle farms tested. We detected at least one infectious agent from 159 of 210 (76%) bulls tested, namely C. fetus subsp. venerealis, M. bovis, U. diversum, M. bovigenitalium, and T. foetus in 87 (55%), 84 (53%), 45 (28%), 28 (18%), and 1 (0.6%) animal, respectively. We found 95 bulls (60%) positive for only 1 etiologic agent (single infection) and 64 bulls (40%) carried multiple agents. Our results demonstrate the occurrence of bacterial and protozoal infectious agents that may be related to infertility in Brazilian beef cattle herds.
Domestic Violence During a Global Pandemic: Lockdown Policies and Their Impacts Across Guatemala
Authors: Iesue Laura , Casanova Felicia O. , Piquero Alex R.
Published: October 2021

This study uses official data from Guatemala’s Departamento de Atencion a la Victima (Victim Attention Department), a specialized unit in Guatemala’s National Civil Police, to assess the long-term impacts of a government mandated lockdown and reopening on domestic violence. It also considers how the lockdown and reopening impacted domestic violence across administrative departments in the country. Our findings suggest that combined, daily cases of domestic violence were already decreasing prior to the pandemic lockdown and that both the shutdown and the reopening altered the patterning of domestic violence, first to increase domestic violence and then to decrease it, respectively. When assessing this trend across departments, not every department exhibited the same, national-level trend, but instead domestic violence trends varied. This study provides a starting point in analyzing long-term pandemic-related policy responses and their impacts on domestic violence in international contexts.
Acute Appendicitis with Neuronal Hyperplasia and Swelling: A Novel Histologic Mimic of Appendiceal Goblet Cell Adenocarcinoma and Signet-Ring Cell Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Mitra Anupam , Lee Han S. , Matsukuma Karen
Published: October 2021

Goblet cell adenocarcinoma and signet-ring cell adenocarcinoma are well-known diagnostic pitfalls of routine appendectomy specimens. Here we present a case of acute appendicitis with prominent neuronal (ganglion cell) hyperplasia and swelling which histologically mimics goblet cell adenocarcinoma and signet-ring cell adenocarcinoma. Attention to the cytologic features of the lesional cells (absence of atypia, mitotic activity) and their close association with nerves and classic ganglion cells, along with the use of a limited panel of immunostains, ensures proper classification of this rare but striking benign process.
Effect of Statin Therapy on Diabetes Retinopathy in People With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Liu Jun , Wu Yi-Ping , Qi Jun-Juan , Yue Zeng-Ping , Hu Cheng-Dong
Published: October 2021

Objective: We tried to find the relationship between statin and diabetes retinopathy (DR) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: We searched the databases of PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library for eligible studies reporting on the relationships between statin use and DR, from inception to September 25, 2020. The terms searched including Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors, and Diabetic Retinopathy. We expressed the results as the odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) which were calculated using a random-effects model. Results: A total of 6 eligible studies, including 43 826 patients, were included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis showed that statin was not associated with elevated risk of DR [OR = 0.96 (95% CI: 0.80-1.16), P = .68]. Similarly, no differences were found between statin and placebo in participants ≥500 [OR = 0.98 (95% CI: 0.80-1.21)] or participants <500 [OR = 0.90 (95% CI: 0.49-1.66)]. Further, we conducted a meta-analysis to study the effect of statin therapy on DR in people with type 2 diabetes according to age and found that statin use was associated with a decreased risk of DR in patients with type 2 diabetes 40 years of age or older [OR = 0.87 (95% CI: 0.82-0.92)]. Conclusion: Our meta-analysis revealed that statin was not associated with elevated risk of DR in patients with T2DM. Moreover, statin use was associated with a lower incidence of DR in patients with type 2 diabetes 40 years of age or older.
Optimal dynamic output feedback control of Lipschitz nonlinear systems under input saturation
Authors: Shahbazzadeh Majid , Salehifar Homa , Sadati S Jalil
Published: October 2021

In this study, the problem of optimal guaranteed cost control (OGCC) for nonlinear systems under input saturation is investigated. The purpose is to design a dynamic output feedback controller such that the closed-loop system is asymptotically stable and the upper bound of the cost function is minimized. Moreover, the designed controller ensures that the control signals do not exceed their permissible values. This leads to an optimization problem with bilinear matrix inequality (BMI) constraints. The BMI conditions are converted into the linear matrix inequality conditions by using some technical lemmas for straightforward computation of the controller matrices. The simulation results show the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed theoretical results.
Baladna Goes Global
Authors: Allagui Ilhem
Published: October 2021

Baladna is a dairy company in Qatar. It has thrived despite an ongoing political and economic blockade, helping the country to become self-sufficient in terms of its dairy needs. In a short time and with substantial investment, the brand became a market leader. Baladna’s growth plan banks on globalization, but the marketing director and the VP of marketing disagree on the strategy: one argues for standardization and the other for adaptation. The case study discusses brand name issues as well as brand identity approaches in the context of a multicultural environment.
Pediatric choroidal neovascularization: Etiology and treatment outcomes with anti-vascular endothelial growth factors
Authors: Ranjan Ratnesh , Salian Romit , Verghese Shishir , Manayath George J , D’Souza Palmeera , Kanakath Anuradha V , Shah Parag K , Saravanan Veerappan R , Venkatapathy Narendran
Published: October 2021

Purpose:

To describe the etiology and treatment outcomes of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in a pediatric population with intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF)

Methods:

Retrospective single center interventional case series. A total of 26 eyes of 23 consecutive pediatric patients with CNV of various etiologies were treated with intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF agents.

Results:

There were 15 males (65.2%) and eight females (34.8%), diagnosed with CNV during the study period. The mean age at presentation with CNV was 11.7 ± 3.3 years, (range 4–16 years) and the mean follow was 28.1 ± 18 months, (range 8–72 months). Inflammatory CNV was the most common etiology. The mean best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and mean central macular thickness (CMT) at presentation, were logMAR 0.8 ± 0.3 and 367.6 ± 134.8 µm respectively. At the final visit, CNV in all eyes remained regressed with significant improvement in mean BCVA to logMAR 0.4 ± 0.4 ( p < 0.0001) and mean CMT to 242.5 ± 82.4 µm ( p < 0.0001). A mean of two intravitreal injections per eye was required for CNV regression.

Conclusion:

Intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy for pediatric CNV is an effective treatment in majority of affected eyes.
Determinants of Healthcare Utilisation for Foodborne Illness Among Students in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: AL-Mohaithef Mohammed
Published: October 2021

Background:

Understanding of healthcare utilisation during foodborne illness is vital for public health practice, and healthcare planning. Present study aims to identify patterns and determinants of healthcare-seeking behaviour in response to foodborne illness among students of Saudi Arabia.

Methods:

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 252 students of Saudi Electronic University located in four major cities (Riyadh, Abha, Dammam and Jeddah) of Saudi Arabia. Study participants were students who reported a foodborne illness within 1 month prior to the survey. A multivariate logistic regression models were used to analyse association of healthcare-seeking behaviour with knowledge and attitude about food poisoning of participants.

Results:

Of the 252 participants who experienced foodborne illness symptoms, 69.8% visited doctor for seeking care, while 7.5% visited pharmacy, 9.1% got treated by the family and peers and 13.4% did not do anything. Healthcare-seeking behaviour of participant showed association with knowledge of the cause of food poisoning (AOR: 1.98; 95% CI 1.04-3.78, P = .036); and attitude of participant that food poisoning illnesses is a serious health problem and may lead to death (AOR: 2.15; 95% CI 1.33-2.71, P = .014).

Conclusions:

In this study, majority of the participants used healthcare for treatment during the food poisoning episode, and healthcare-seeking behaviour depended on perceived severity of the disease consequences. Knowledge on food poisoning was found to be an important determinant in utilisation of healthcare services. Health promotion and educational programmes are recommended to further increase the healthcare utilisation for foodborne illness.
Gender-sensitive Portrayal in Cartoon Shows for Preschoolers: A Critical Analysis of Masha and the Bear
Authors: Laskar Kaifia Ancer
Published: October 2021

Most of the studies on children’s programming conducted in America or India, indicating an unbalanced and stereotypical gender representation, remain limited to those on older children. The present study explores if cartoon shows for preschoolers resort to the counter-hegemonic portrayal of male/female characters, and if thereby have any scope for representation of gender fluidity within it. Consequently, it also attempts to discern the ways in which interpersonal relationships between the protagonists, and between the protagonist(s) and the secondary character(s) portray any ‘dominant/submissive’ dichotomies. Drawing on Bandura’s ‘Social Learning Theory’ and de Beauvoir’s notion of the social construction of women as the ‘other’, this study presents the results of textual analysis and Critical Discourse Analysis of a popular Russian cartoon show ‘Masha and the Bear’ (M&TB) telecast on Nick Jr. The study findings indicate more gender-sensitive representation in the show for preschoolers than those for the older children. Bearing the tropes of Soviet Russian egalitarian and cultural traits, the characters of M&TB portray non-binary gender roles compared to their American or Indian counterparts.
The ambivalent presence of economics in the work of Stuart Cunningham
Authors: Flew Terry
Published: October 2021

In this short paper, I want to consider the ways in which Stuart Cunningham's focus on work that was policy-relevant and could speak to industry led him to an ambivalent relationship with the discipline of economics. Rejecting the binary opposition between alleged ‘neoliberal’ economics and the cultural sphere as a site of unbridled moral good, Cunningham sought to both engage with and critique the dominant paradigms of economics, and their influence in Australian public policy. In doing so, his work is strongly influenced by Ian Hunter's argument that scholarly work motivated by civically minded engagements with matters of public concern needed to go beyond moral grandstanding and engage critically with the institutional complexities of social and cultural governance.
Understanding the industry/state interface in creative industries studies
Authors: Aufderheide Patricia
Published: October 2021

It is time to transcend the cultural studies vs. media industries debate in media industries studies. To take advantage of the exemplary focus on real-world behavior of media industries that Stuart Cunningham brought to the field, scholars need to articulate the normative values informing their media industries research. This is necessary in order to preserve academics’ intellectual autonomy, and to maintain scholarly rigor.
Toward a pedagogy of connection: A critical view of being relational in listening
Authors: Hinz Jessi , Stephens John Paul , Van Oosten Ellen B
Published: October 2021

Positive Organizational Scholarship (POS) perspectives define interpersonal work experiences such as positive work relationships and high-quality connections by the mutual growth and empowerment experienced by relationship or connection partners. Listening has been implicated as a key mechanism for building such positive interpersonal work experiences, but it is unclear how listening spurs on mutual, rather than one-sided growth, in relationship and connection partners. In this paper, we argue that management education currently focuses on the intrapersonal capability of listeners to execute key verbal and non-verbal behaviors. Less emphasis is placed on the mutual experience co-created between speaker and listener and, thus, on the potential for mutual growth and empowerment. We articulate what “being relational” in the listening experience means, and use experiential learning theory to articulate how educators might create learning spaces for “being relational” through conversations between listener and speaker. Throughout the paper we contend with issues of individual and structural power asymmetries inherent in understanding listening as a relational process.
Hotels’ occupancy rates and convergence: Empirical evidence from the first pandemic wave
Authors: Polemis Michael L , Tzeremes Panayiotis , Tzeremes Nickolaos G
Published: October 2021

The scope of this study is to unravel possible convergence clubs regarding the occupancy rates of the hotel industry in the US states in the aftermath of the first COVID-19 pandemic wave. For this reason, the underlying paper resorts to the application of the generic convergence algorithm developed in Phillips and Sul (2007) for a sample of 50 US states over the daily period ranging from 01.12.2019 to 26.07.2020. The empirical analysis supports the identification of two primary convergence clubs consisting of an equally distributed number of regions (states). However, the two clubs can be merged into one after the implementation of the Phillips and Sul (2009) methodology, revealing that the first pandemic wave has eliminated any distinct (economic) characteristic between the different US states.

JEL codes:L10, L80, R10 .
Economic evaluations of videoconference and telephone consultations in primary care: A systematic review
Authors: De Guzman Keshia R , Snoswell Centaine L , Caffery Liam J , Smith Anthony C
Published: October 2021

Introduction

Telehealth services using videoconference and telephone modalities have been increasing exponentially in primary care since the coronavirus pandemic. The challenge now is ensuring that these services remain sustainable. This review investigates the cost-effectiveness of videoconference and telephone consultations in primary care settings, by summarizing the available published evidence.

Methods

A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and CINAHL databases was used to identify articles published from January 2000 to July 2020, using keyword synonyms for telehealth, primary care, and economic evaluation. Databases were searched, and title, abstract, and full-text reviews were conducted. Article reporting quality was assessed using the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards checklist.

Results

Twenty articles were selected for inclusion, with 12 describing telephone triage services, seven describing telehealth substitution services, and one describing another telehealth service in primary care. These services were delivered by nurses, doctors, and allied health clinicians. Of the 20 included studies, 11 used cost analyses, five used cost-minimization analyses, and four used one or more methods, including either a cost–consequence analysis, a cost–utility analysis, or a cost-effectiveness analysis.

Conclusions

Telephone and videoconference consultations in primary care were cost-effective to the health system when deemed clinically appropriate, clinician when time was used efficiently, and when overall demand on health services was reduced. The societal benefits of telehealth consultations should be considered an important part of telehealth planning and should influence funding reform decisions for telehealth services in primary care.
Parameter identification and dynamic response analysis of a modified Prandtl–Ishlinskii asymmetric hysteresis model via least-mean square algorithm and particle swarm optimization
Authors: Wang Tianyu , Noori Mohammad , Altabey Wael A , Farrokh Mojtaba , Ghiasi Ramin
Published: October 2021

Hysteresis is a nonlinear phenomenon observed in the dynamic response behavior of numerous structural systems under high intensity cyclic or random loading, as well as in numerous mechanical and electromagnetic systems. For several decades, hysteretic response analysis of structural systems has been widely studied and numerous hysteresis models have been proposed and utilized in order to reproduce and better understand the complex hysteretically degrading behavior of structural systems. An important area of research in this regard has been the parameter identification of hysteretic systems. In this paper, we propose a modified Prandtl–Ishlinskii model to simulate the asymmetric hysteresis, which is the complex behavior in structural systems. In addition, a new approach based on particle swarm optimization and least-mean square algorithm is utilized for parameter identification of this hysteresis model. Finally, the model is applied in structural dynamic response analysis of a base isolated structural model under seismic load.