bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Antioxidant Effect of Medicago sativa L. (Alfalfa) Ethanolic Extract against Mercury Chloride (HgCl2) Toxicity in Rat Liver and Kidney: An In Vitro and In Vivo Study
Authors: Raeeszadeh M. , Moradi M. , Ayar P. , Akbari Abolfazl
Published: August 2021

Heavy metals such as mercury are some of the environmental pollutants and can induce toxicity by bioaccumulation and oxidative damage. This study aimed to investigate the effect of ethanolic extract of Medicago sativa L. (Alfalfa) on mercury damage in the kidney and liver of rats. Thirty Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups, the control group, S group (2 mg/kg mercury chloride), and T1, T2, and T3 groups that, in addition to mercury, received doses of 250, 500, and 750 mg/kg of the alfalfa extract. On the last day, blood samples were taken, and the serum was separated to measure biochemical and oxidative stress parameters in the kidney and liver. A part of the kidney and liver was also used for histopathological evaluation. Total phenols and flavonoids were 40.45 ± 2.12 and 14.36 ± 0.45 mg/g, respectively, whereas IC50 was 245.18 ± 19.76 μg/ml. The body weight significantly decreased in the S group compared to other groups, while treatment with different doses of alfalfa extract increased the body weight. Mercury concentration in the kidney was higher than that in the liver. The serum levels of urea, creatinine, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) significantly increased in the S group compared to the control group, while treatment with different doses of alfalfa extract increased their levels. Moreover, an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) and a decrease in glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were observed in the S group. The level of these parameters significantly improved in the groups receiving the extract compared to the S group. Furthermore, the histopathological evaluation showed glomerular and tubular damage and hepatic necrosis in the S group and that these conditions improved in the T3 group. The findings of this study showed that the ethanolic extract of alfalfa in a dose-dependent manner has potentially unique protective effects against mercury poisoning in the kidney and liver.
Characterization of Extremal Unicyclic Graphs Using F‐Coindex
Authors: Imran Muhammad , Ali Yasir , Bibi Zainab , Ghafar Muhammad Saad
Published: August 2021

The study of forgotten index and coindex for the molecular structures of some special chemical graphs (compounds and drugs) has proven significant in medical and pharmaceutical drug design fields by making reliable statistical conclusion about biological properties of new chemical compounds and drugs. In mathematical chemistry, finding extreme graphs with respect to topological index is an active area of research. The aim of this paper is to characterize the family of unicyclic graphs with extreme (largest and smallest) F‐coindex. Moreover, the study also contains different other properties of unicyclic graphs. All these results are based upon an alternative form of F‐coindex which is established with the help of special property in the graphs.
The Course of COVID-19 in a Patient with Aplastic Anemia and Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria Clone: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Sasi Sreethish , Yassin Mohamed A. , Nair Arun P. , Fadul Afraa M. , Abukhattab Mohammed A.
Published: August 2021

Introduction: Aplastic anemia (AA) and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) are bone marrow failure syndromes. A 20–40% of patients with AA have a PNH clone at diagnosis. To date, there are little data about the course of COVID-19 in patients with AA and PNH. Case Presentation: A 36-year-old gentleman, who was previously diagnosed as a case of AA with PNH clones off immune-suppressive therapy, presented with fever and cough and was diagnosed with mild pneumonia due to COVID-19 with positive nasopharyngeal swab polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. His clinical course was benign except transient thrombocytopenia. He was asymptomatic after day 4, and viral PCR was negative on day 21. Discussion: Though studies have shown that COVID-19 is associated with lymphopenia, our patient had a normal to high lymphocyte count. The neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was <1 during COVID-19, which correlates with the mild course of the disease. To know whether elevated lymphocyte count, low NLR, and benign course of COVID-19 is a standard feature for all patients with underlying AA, we need more case reports and series. The significance of this case report is that it describes the course of COVID-19 in a patient with AA and PNH clones and, up to our knowledge, is the first report showcasing the association between these rare combinations of diseases.
Impact of Male Patient Information on Quality of Urine Examination (PIQUE Study)
Authors: Spachmann Philipp J. , Rupp Cathrin , Fritsche Hans-Martin , Denzinger Stefan , Burger Maximilian , Breyer Johannes , Otto Wolfgang , Schnabel Marco J.
Published: August 2021

Background: Urine examination has relevance for treatment, and reliability of positive urine culture (UC) is of importance. The technique of urine sampling (US), storage, and transportation is important. The objective of this study was to investigate if detailed patient information for the technique of US and hygiene reduces rates of contaminated UC in screened male patients, as this group was not investigated yet. Methods: All patients independently of complaints were enrolled prospectively and consecutively in an outpatient setting in 2 groups – the first group did not receive detailed information and the second group did. We examined 372 consecutive patients in 2017, 190 not receiving (median age 69 years) and 182 receiving information (median age 70 years), with comparable numbers of patients and age. The result of UC and age was imposed. Results: In all,74.2% of preclarification UC showed a contamination (n = 95) and 75.5% after clarification (n = 83), without significant differences (p = 0.827). This study is limited by the fact that adherence could not be checked. Conclusions: Similar to studies with females, no difference occurred in rates of contaminated UC, so detailed information regarding the US technique does not decrease rates of contaminated UC and vice versa does not increase the quality of midstream-sampled UC in male patients.
Adjuvant Radiotherapy for Extrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: A Quality Assessment-Based Meta-Analysis
Authors: Choi Seo Hee , Rim Chai Hong , Shin In-Soo , Yoon Won Sup , Koom Woong Sub , Seong Jinsil
Published: August 2021

Introduction: The benefits of adjuvant radiotherapy (ART) for extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma are uncertain largely because existing publications lack clear comparisons between ART and non-ART arms. Methods: PubMed, Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane library were systematically searched until December 2020. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). Sensitivity analysis was performed for studies with reliable comparability (i.e., no favorable prognosticators in the ART arm that could skew the data). Results: Twenty-three studies involving 1,731 patients with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma were reviewed. The overall median of all median prescribed doses was 50.4 Gy; brachytherapy or an intraoperative boost of 10–21 Gy was applied in 5 studies. The pooled 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates in the non-ART and ART arms were 69.2% versus 81.0%, p = 0.035; 34.3% versus 44.7%, p = 0.025; 25.6% versus 31.7%, p = 0.115, respectively. The corresponding pooled locoregional recurrence rates were 52.1% versus 34.9% (p = 0.014). The pooled rate of grade ≥3 gastrointestinal complications was 9.8%. Sensitivity analysis performed on 14 eligible studies showed that the ART arms had a lower pooled R0 rate (36.8% vs. 63.2%, p = 0.02) and a higher rate of positive lymph nodes (47.4% vs. 34.9%, p = 0.08). The pooled 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates in the non-ART versus ART arms of the selected studies were 78.2% versus 84.9%, p = 0.143; 38.5% versus 49.2%, p = 0.026; and 27.8% versus 34.5%, p = 0.11, respectively. Conclusions: ART was shown to improve OS in all studies and in those selected for their reliable comparability.
A Systematic Review of Abdominal Imaging Findings in COVID-19 Patients
Authors: Singh Priya , Singh Surya Pratap , Verma Amit Kumar , Raju Sreenivasa Narayana , Parihar Anit
Published: August 2021

Objective: The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate key imaging manifestations of COVID-19 on abdominal imaging by utilizing a comprehensive review of the published literature. Method: A systematic literature search from PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus was performed for studies mentioning abdominal imaging findings in COVID-19 patients. Studies published from inception to 15 March 2021 were included. Results: A total of 116 studies comprising 1,198 patients were included. Abdominal pain was the most common indication for abdominal imaging in 50.2% of the patients. No abnormality was seen in 48.1% of abdominopelvic computed tomography scans. Segmental bowel wall thickening (14.7%) was the most common imaging abnormality, followed by bowel ischemia (7.1%), solid organ infarction (6.7%), vessel thrombosis (6.7%), and fluid-filled colon (6.2%). Other relevant findings were dilated air-filled bowel, pancreatitis, pneumatosis/portal venous gas, bowel perforation, and appendicitis. Other than abdominal findings, COVID-19-related basal lung changes were incidentally detected in many studies. Moreover, the presence of bowel imaging findings was positively correlated with the clinical severity of COVID-19 infection. Conclusion: This review describes the abdominal imaging findings in COVID-19 patients. This is pertinent for the early diagnosis of COVID-19 in patients presenting solely with abdominal symptoms as well as in identifying abdominal complications in a known case of COVID-19.
A new record of the Emerald Striped Spreadwing Lestes viridulus Rambur, 1842 (Zygoptera: Lestidae) from Nepal
Authors: Sharma Manoj
Published: August 2021

A study was carried out in the southern Terai of central Nepal. An odonatological survey was opportunistically conducted in the rice fields and their edges in September 2019. A Zygopteran species, Lestes viridulus is a new record for the country. The Agriocnemis femina and Ischnura nursei are recorded in new distribution ranges in Nepal.
A preliminary checklist of moths (Lepidoptera: Heterocera) from Gangajalghati, Bankura, West Bengal, India
Authors: Nayak Ananya
Published: August 2021

The present study was conducted at Gangajalghati, a village near the forest of Bankura district from West Bengal that has a tropical wet and dry climate where moth diversity has not been explored before. The village was surveyed between January 2016 and December 2018. The present study has recorded a total of 1,328 individual moths belonging to 13 families, 31 subfamilies, 80 genera, and 90 species. Three species—Condylorrhiza diniasalis (Walker, 1859), Argyrocosma inductaria (Guenée, 1858), and Oraesia emarginata (Fabricius, 1794)—are reported for the first time from West Bengal and Eublemma roseonivea (Walker, 1863) shows its westernmost distribution in West Bengal, India. It was earlier reported from India (Assam), China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaya, and Borneo.
Is habitat heterogeneity effective for conservation of butterflies in urban landscapes of Delhi, India?
Authors: Paul Monalisa , Sultana Aisha
Published: August 2021

The present study which was conducted in 2015–16 and 2016–17 emphasizes the nine different types of habitats used by 40 listed butterflies in six different urban landscapes of Delhi. Assessment of flowerbeds, grasses, hedges/crops/bushes, artificial light, wet soil/damp patches/humus, trees, open spaces/grounds, bird droppings, and roads/pavements/concrete spaces in conserving butterfly diversity in highly urbanized landscapes by testing the hypothesis that diversity of butterflies across all the habitats are similar, was the focal point of the study. Except for the artificial light and the paved roads or concrete spaces, all other habitats were natural in surroundings. The families Lycaenidae and Nymphalidae had the largest habitat share (26%), whereas the family Hesperiidae had the minimum share (9%). Aravalli Biodiversity Park, New Delhi maintained the serenity of natural ones. Species richness and diversity was the highest at flowerbeds and lowest at the artificial light. The study highlights the choice of heterogeneous habitats by city butterflies to integrate the concept of the urban green spaces into a wide variety of urban development projects which in turn can help their own sustenance.
On the high bird diversity in the non-protected regions of Trashiyangtse District in Bhutan
Authors: Norbu Lam , Thinley Phuntsho , Wangchuck Tandin , Dechen Ugyen , Dorji Lekey , Choephel Tshering , Dorji Pasang
Published: August 2021

Birds are ecological indicators of ecosystem health. Baseline information on bird diversity are, therefore, important for ecological monitoring. Such information is, however, sorely lacking for many areas outside the protected areas. Here, we explore the avian diversity and present a comprehensive checklist for the non-protected regions of Trashiyangtse District in northeastern Bhutan. We also categorise the bird species by their residency pattern, feeding guilds, abundance, and IUCN Red List status. We conducted an avifauna exploration for a period of four years from 2017 to 2020, mostly through opportunistic encounters coinciding with regular field visits. We recorded a total of 273 bird species belonging to 173 genera, 69 families and 19 orders. Passeriformes was the most dominant order with 41 families and 174 species and Muscicapidae was the most dominant family with 12 genera and 32 species. Most birds were altitudinal migrants (39%), insectivorous (45%), and occasional (44%) in terms of residency pattern, feeding guild, and abundance, respectively. Only one species (Ardea insignis) was listed as Critically Endangered and one (Haliaeetus leucoryphus) as Endangered. Our study identified the non-protected regions of Trashiyangtse District as an important bird diversity area in Bhutan.
Range extension of the Common Slug Snake Pareas monticola (Cantor, 1839) (Reptilia: Squamata: Pareidae): a new family record for Nepal
Authors: Rai Dipa , Pokharel Manoj , Rai Tapil P.
Published: August 2021

In this paper, we present the first evidence of the snake Pareas monticola in Nepal. An individual snake belonging to the species was recorded in eastern Nepal, about 25 km southwest of Darjeeling in India, where the species is known to occur.
Electromagnetic Compatibility Analysis and Optimization Design of Switching Power Supply Printed Circuit Board
Authors: Zhang Wei , Yin Wan-Jun , Qiu Xiao-Bo , He Wei , Yuan Yi-Xue , Wang Jia-Lin , Wen Tao
Published: August 2021

Printed Circuit Board (PCB) is not only an important electrical module of information equipment, but also an important source of electromagnetic radiation. Only when PCB works normally and is compatible with other electrical equipment, the whole information equipment can work normally.
Because of the complexity of PCB structure and the difficulty of modeling, the EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) analysis of PCB is very difficult. For this reason, Taking the widely used full bridge current double rectifier converter as an example, aiming at the electromagnetic compatibility
problems caused by the PCB design of the switching power supply, this paper proposes a simulation method based on the electromagnetic field by establishing the near-field radiation model of the PCB, analyzes the areas with high radiation intensity in the PCB layout, by optimizing the layout
and wiring of the PCB, the electromagnetic compatibility performance of the switching power supply is improved. The simulation results show that the near-field radiation characteristics of PCB can be predicted by introducing the electromagnetic field simulation method in the design stage,
according to the characteristics of the magnetic field, the optimal design is realized, so that the EMC of the switching power supply reaches the standard, and finally the working performance of the switching power supply is improved.
Behaviour of Functionalized Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) as Conductive Nano-Ink in Isopropyl Alcohol Solvent
Authors: Aziz N. H. A. , Jaafar H. , Sidek R. M. , Shafie S. , Hamidon M. N. , Wagiran R.
Published: August 2021

This paper presents the preparation of dispersion solutions for conductive nano-ink for inkjet printers which included filler, vehicle (solvent) and additive. For fillers, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) encounter major problem such as poor dispersion resulting in agglomeration,
sedimentation and unstable solution, causing nozzle clogging. MWCNTs consist of two main functional groups, namely carboxyl (−COOH) and hydroxyl (−OH) groups dispersed in isopropyl alcohol (IPA) solvent. Each functional group showed good performance as a filler after dispersing
in IPA. However, MWCNT-OH has better conductivity with lower resistance of 11.3 kΩ compared to MWCNT-COOH of 15.1 kΩ. It is important for MWCNTs to have good behaviour as a filler to produce stable and high conductivity nano-ink with resistance range in kilo-ohms (kΩ). In addition,
dispersing solvent is also important to ensure dispersion stability as well as maintain the performance of the filler.
Flight Control System Design and Autonomous Flight Control of Small-Scale Unmanned Helicopter Based on Nanosensors
Authors: Yin Xinfan , Peng Xianmin , Zhang Guichuan , Che Binghui , Wang Chang
Published: August 2021

Due to the limitation of the size and power, micro unmanned aerial vehicle (MUAV) usually has a small load capacity. Aiming at the problems of limited installation space and easy being interfered in flight attitude measurement of the small-scale unmanned helicopter (SUH), a low-cost
and lightweight flight control system of the SUH based on ARM Cortex-M4 core microcontroller and Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) sensors is developed in this paper. On this basis, in order to realize the autonomous flight control of SUH, firstly, the mathematical model of the SUH is
given by using the Newton-Euler formulation. Secondly, a cascade flight controller consisting of the attitude controller and the position controller is developed based on linear active disturbance rejection control (LADRC) and proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control. Furthermore, simulations
are conducted to validate the performance of the attitude controller and the position controller in MATLAB/SIMULINK simulation environment. Finally, based on the Align T-REX 470L SUH experimental platform, the hovering experiment and the route flight experiment are also carried out to validate
the performance of the designed flight control system hardware and the proposed control algorithm. The results show that the flight control system designed in this paper has high reliability and strong anti-interference ability, and the control algorithm can effectively and reliably realize
the attitude stabilization control and route control of the SUH, with high control accuracy and small error.
Extratropical Southern Hemisphere Synchronous Pressure Variability in the Early Twentieth Century
Authors: Fogt Ryan L. , Connolly Charlotte J.
Published: August 2021

Because continuous meteorological observations across Antarctica did not start until the middle of the twentieth century, little is known about the full spatial pattern of pressure variability across the extratropical Southern Hemisphere (SH) in the early twentieth century, defined here as the period from 1905 to 1956. To fill this gap, this study analyzes pressure observations across the SH in conjunction with seasonal pressure reconstructions across Antarctica, which are based on observed station-to-station statistical relationships between pressure over Antarctica and the southern midlatitudes. Using this newly generated dataset, it is found that the early twentieth century is characterized by synchronous but opposite-signed pressure relationships between Antarctica and the SH midlatitudes, especially in austral summer and autumn. The synchronous pressure relationships are consistent with the southern annular mode, extending its well-known influence on SH extratropical pressure since 1957 into the early twentieth century. Apart from connections with the southern annular mode, regional and shorter-duration pressure trends are found to be associated with influences from tropical variability and potentially the zonal wavenumber 3 pattern. Although the reduced network of SH observations and Antarctic reconstruction captures the southern annular mode in the early twentieth century, reanalysis products show varying skill in reproducing trends and variability, especially over the oceans and high southern latitudes prior to 1957, which stresses the importance of continual efforts of historical data rescue in data-sparse regions to improve their quality.
Testing Methods of Pattern Extraction for Climate Data Using Synthetic Modes
Authors: Fulton D. James , Hegerl Gabriele C.
Published: August 2021

In this paper we develop a method to quantify the accuracy of different pattern extraction techniques for the additive space–time modes often assumed to be present in climate data. It has previously been shown that the standard technique of principal component analysis (PCA; also known as empirical orthogonal functions) may extract patterns that are not physically meaningful. Here we analyze two modern pattern extraction methods, namely dynamical mode decomposition (DMD) and slow feature analysis (SFA), in comparison with PCA. We develop a Monte Carlo method to generate synthetic additive modes that mimic the properties of climate modes described in the literature. The datasets composed of these generated modes do not satisfy the assumptions of any pattern extraction method presented. We find that both alternative methods significantly outperform PCA in extracting local and global modes in the synthetic data. These techniques had a higher mean accuracy across modes in 60 out of 60 mixed synthetic climates, with SFA slightly outperforming DMD. We show that in the majority of simple cases PCA extracts modes that are not significantly better than a random guess. Finally, when applied to real climate data these alternative techniques extract a more coherent and less noisy global warming signal, as well as an El Niño signal with a clearer spectral peak in the time series, and more a physically plausible spatial pattern.
Christ and Contemplation: Doctrine and Spirituality in the Theology of Rowan Williams
Authors: Resch Dustin
Published: August 2021

This article examines the integration of doctrine and spirituality in selections of the work of Rowan Williams. The contours of this integration are elucidated through attention to the ways that Williams critiques the notion, prevalent in several modern spiritualties, of a stable hidden self that is to be excavated through various forms of therapy. In place of this notion, Williams articulates a view of the self that is always in the process of becoming, and he does so by deploying resources drawn from the Christian theological tradition. Williams's theologically derived convictions about the self mesh nicely with his contemplative spirituality: a posture of silent attentiveness and patient openness to the presence of God and so also to other creatures.
The Sacred Thread Weaving Our Bonds of Affection
Authors: Sanderson Eleanor Ruth
Published: August 2021

In 2014 women from around our Anglican Communion gathered to explore our lives of prayer under the conference banner “Anglican Women at Prayer: Weaving Our Bonds of Affection.” This article is an adaptation of the plenary address for that conference. Using reflections from my own prayer life and the lives of women who have been research partners with me in the Pacific and in Africa, I seek to articulate the sacred thread expressed through our shared stories and prayers. Through this lens I explore, in turn, each of the three central threads of the conference theme: weaving, being bound together, and affection. These reflections seek to prompt and inspire other women to explore and share the sacred thread within their own lives of prayer. In doing so we will increase the richness with which we continue to interweave our loving connection to each other and to the different parts of this world that we call our home.
A Passion for Intercessory Prayer: The Historic Vocation of the Society of the Companions of the Holy Cross
Authors: Thompsett Fredrica Harris
Published: August 2021

At a time when the “bonds of affection” might well be prayerfully strengthened within the Anglican Communion, a relatively unknown and certainly an unheralded group of Episcopal women may be an available resource. The Society of the Companions of the Holy Cross, with its long history, practical theology, structure, and practice of intercessory prayer, continues to embrace its passion for building a community of prayer. As this essay highlights, the Society's history reveals a growing and evolving institution whose members, called Companions, exercise their theological authority and societal awareness in study and discussion of economic, social, industrial, and global concerns leading to informed intercessory prayer. The two founding pillars of the Society—Emily Malbone Morgan and Vida Dutton Scudder—shaped the conscience of the Society and insisted that prayer and action were religious obligations for meeting the social problems of their day. Responding to this vision, the Society was a lead planner and participant in the March 2014 conference “Anglican Women at Prayer: Weaving Our Bonds of Affection.” The success of this conference suggests that the Society, whose membership is located primarily in North America, might extend its vision and passion for intercessory prayer internationally and take on a more public presence within the Anglican Communion. Clearly, women's practices of prayer and evolving practical theology are alive and well, and deserve the further attention this essay seeks to encourage.
Theological Interpretation of Scripture and Its Future
Authors: Fowl Stephen
Published: August 2021

This essay will quickly review some of the recent movements and concerns that led to the reemergence of theological interpretation of scripture. In this light, the essay will present and examine three issues facing theological interpretation as it moves forward into the future. The first issue concerns debates around the self-definition of theological interpretation. The less said here the better. The second concerns the relationship between theological interpretation and the practices of historical criticism. After a great deal of hostility and mutual recrimination, the time is now right to reflect on this relationship in less fevered tones. Finally, theological interpreters of scripture should focus some attention on the formation of future theological interpreters.
Anachronism or Illumination? Genesis 1 and Creation ex nihilo
Authors: Ticciati Susannah
Published: August 2021

The aim of this article is to explore the relation between scriptural interpretation, ambiguity, and truth, with a view to testing the following hypothesis: “Christian doctrine has the role of preserving scripture's generativity by holding open its ambiguity.” The hypothesis is tested by way of a case study focused on the opening of Genesis and the doctrine of creation ex nihilo. The article challenges the assumption that the use of the latter as a hermeneutical rule for the former is anachronistic, arguing that such an assumption involves a category mistake, and offering (by contrast) a semi-otic account of interpretation according to which a text's truth unfolds over time. The article responds to a more specific theological and hermeneutical critique of the doctrine of creation ex nihilo by showing how it generatively holds open the ambiguity of Genesis 1:1–4, making way for life-giving readings of scripture that heal contextually specific sin.
Imaging Nothing: Kierkegaard and the Imago Dei
Authors: Kline Peter
Published: August 2021

When considering what makes the human being uniquely human, or how it “images God” within the created order, Søren Kierkegaard does not turn to Genesis 1:27, the privileged passage of the Western theological tradition. He turns instead to Matthew 6, a passage in which the reader is instructed to “consider the lilies of the field and the birds of the air.” In several rounds of “upbuilding discourses” on this passage, Kierkegaard develops an “apophatic” approach to the imago Dei. The imaging of God that the human being is called to enact does not consist in any self-possessed capability, nor does it set the human being at the top of a hierar chically ordered creation. Rather, the human being images God only when it “becomes nothing” through an unconditional affirmation of existence that lets go of the need to posit a “tomorrow.”
Tending this Fragile Earth, Our Island Home: The Pope's Encyclical in Dialogue with Ecomimesis, a Design Model for Conservation Stewardship
Authors: Woo Lillian C.
Published: August 2021

In the last fifty years, empirical evidence has shown that climate change and environmental degradation are largely the results of increased world population, economic development, and changes in cultural and social norms. Thus far we have been unable to slow or reverse the practices that continue to produce more air and water pollution, soil and ocean degradation, and ecosystem decline. This paper analyzes the negative anthropogenic impact on the ecosystem and proposes a new design solution: ecomimesis, which uses the natural ecosystem as its template to conserve, restore, and improve existing ecosystems. Through its nonintrusive strategies and designs, and its goal of preserving natural ecosystems and the earth, ecomimesis can become an integral part of stabilizing and rehabilitating our natural world at the same time that it addresses the needs of growing economies and populations around the world.
Ecclesia as Gathering Only? Evaluating the use of Scripture in Proposals of the “Knox-Robinson Ecclesiology”
Authors: Fields C. Ryan
Published: August 2021

Broughton Knox and Donald Robinson, Sydney Anglicans serving and writing in the second half of the twentieth century, offered various theological proposals regarding the nature of the church that stressed the priority of the local over the translocal. The interdependence and resonance of their proposals led to an association of their work under the summary banner of the “Knox-Robinson Ecclesiology.” Their dovetailed contribution offers in many ways a compelling understanding of the nature of the ecclesia spoken of in Scripture. In this paper I introduce, summarize, and evaluate the Knox-Robinson ecclesiology with a particular eye to Knox's and Robinson's use of Scripture in authorizing their theological proposals. I argue that while they provide an important corrective to the inflation of the earthly translocal dimension of the church, they are not ultimately persuasive in their claim that the New Testament knows only the church as an earthly/heavenly gathering.
Swimming against the tide? Street-level bureaucrats and the limits to inclusive active labour market programmes in the UK
Authors: Johnson Mathew , Martínez Lucio Miguel , Grimshaw Damian , Watt Laura
Published: August 2021

Through a dynamic analysis of the interplay between structure and agency, this article explores the factors shaping an inclusive approach to labour market activation for clients who experience multiple barriers to work. While previous studies argue that ‘street-level bureaucrats’ (SLBs), such as advisers and job coaches, have minimal agency to shape the services they deliver, the pilot programme that is the focus of this article allowed SLBs greater discretion to support clients and to use their entrepreneurial skills to build relationships with local employers. However, the unresolved tension between personalisation and swift labour market insertion meant that SLBs often reverted to engrained employability interventions that simply prepare clients to compete for low-wage entry-level jobs. We argue that the ‘policy closure’ around a work-first model of activation in the UK constrains social innovation among SLBs, and limits the freedoms of citizens to navigate their own transitions into paid work.
Anxiety and fear related to coronavirus disease 2019 assessment in the Spanish population: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Allande-Cussó Regina , Linares Manrique Marta , Gómez-Salgado Juan , Romero Ruiz Adolfo , Romero-Martín Macarena , García-Iglesias Juan J. , Ruiz-Frutos Carlos
Published: August 2021

Background:

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has affected millions of people worldwide, compromising the responsiveness of governments and states and thus generating anxiety and fear at the population level.

Objective:

To assess the level of anxiety and fear of coronavirus disease 2019 in a Spanish adult population group.

Methods:

A descriptive cross-sectional study, using the anxiety and fear of COVID-19 assessment scale (AMICO, for its acronym in Spanish). The sample was composed of 1038 subjects. Univariate and bivariate statistical analyses were performed, after analysis of normality in the data distribution. Categorical regression analyses were also executed.

Findings:

The total sample size was 1036 subjects, 56.3% was made up of females, with a mean age of 48.11 years (SD = 15.13). The mean score obtained on the AMICO scale was 5.54 points (SD = 1.83), with a score range between 1.22 and 10. Bivariate analysis only demonstrated statistically significant differences in the mean score of the scale and the variables: sex, marital status, work area and academic level. The executed categorical regression analysis revealed an R2 value of 0.75 and a significance of p = 0.00.

Conclusions:

The results obtained show that the Spanish population presents moderate anxiety levels to coronavirus disease 2019. Women, married, with primary and/or secondary education level, and working in the public transport, services and/or hospitality sectors are more likely to have high levels of fear and anxiety.

Application to Practice:

These results could be used for therapeutic and preventive psychological interventions, and also to plan new research under sex perspective and observing the socio-economic environment.
Using Multimedia to Create Explicit and Culturally Responsive Content Area Vocabulary Lessons
Authors: Griendling Lindsay M. , VanUitert Victoria J. , McDonald Sean M. , Kunemund Rachel , Kennedy Michael J.
Published: August 2021

Topics presented in content area courses at the secondary level are often comprised of specialized and/or multiple-meaning vocabulary terms that can challenge students’ understanding. Additionally, gaps in relevant knowledge from prior learning experiences in earlier grade levels may further impede comprehension of content area concepts. This is often the case for students with disabilities and culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students who tend to struggle in secondary content area classes due to learning barriers related to disability, culture, language, or the intersection of these student characteristics. Content Acquisition Podcasts for Students (CAP-S) is a multimedia tool that has been effective in increasing vocabulary knowledge among students with disabilities. However, this article provides a detailed description of how CAP-S embed instructional practices that are effective for students with disabilities from CLD backgrounds, and includes a step-by-step guide to support practitioners in creating and recording their own CAP-S vocabulary lessons to increase success among CLD students with disabilities participating in secondary content area classrooms.
A Robustness Test Protocol for Applied QCA: Theory and R Software Application
Authors: Oana Ioana-Elena , Schneider Carsten Q.
Published: August 2021

The robustness of qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) results features high on the agenda of methodologists and practitioners. This article aims at advancing this debate on several fronts. First, in line with the extant literature, we take a comprehensive view on robustness arguing that decisions on calibration, consistency, and frequency thresholds should all be tested. Second, we introduce the notion of “sensitivity range” as the range of values for any of these parameters within which the solution formula remains unchanged. Third, we argue that interpreting robustness is more intricate than simply checking if solutions remain unchanged. Beyond sensitivity ranges, researchers should assess robustness by evaluating changes in parameters of fit and the classification of cases as robust, shaky, or possible. Fourth, we enable researchers to perform more than one robustness test at a time by proposing the notions of a “test set”: the overlap between conceptually plausible alternative solutions that can be generated; and of a “robust core”: that part of a QCA solution that withstands the robustness checks. Fifth, we present functionalities implemented in the R package SetMethods that enable researchers to put in practice our proposals. These advancements are integrated into a comprehensive QCA Robustness Test Protocol consisting of three main tests: sensitivity ranges, fit-oriented robustness, and case-oriented robustness. We illustrate the protocol’s implementation with an example on high life expectancy across the globe.
Post-traumatic stress disorder among rural widows in Nsukka: risk factors and wellbeing domains
Authors: Ezeh Valentine C
Published: August 2021

Losing a spouse to death is recognized as the most adverse life event that may increase the risk of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other psychopathology with studies demonstrating that widows experienced more post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms than their non-widowed counterparts. Although the adverse effect of post-traumatic stress disorder may be stronger for widows in rural areas, the existing literature has shown the need for greater research on post-traumatic stress disorder experiences among vulnerable Igbo rural widows in Nsukka, South Eastern Nigeria. Against this backdrop, this study examined factors that predict post-traumatic stress disorder and the effect of post-traumatic stress disorder on the wellbeing domains of Igbo rural widows. Among the 177 participants, partner intimacy (β = .300, p < .001), cause of husband’s death (sudden vs. anticipated) (β = .183, p < .01), perceived social support (β = –.300, p < .001), number of surviving children at the time of husband’s death (β = .210, p < .01), and age of last child as at the time of husband’s death (β = .355, p < .01) all significantly predicted post-traumatic stress disorder. Domains of wellbeing most negatively affected by post-traumatic stress disorder included general life satisfaction (66.10%), family relationship (62.71%), and overall functioning (61.02%). The findings suggest that post-traumatic stress disorder among Igbo rural widows is a serious health concern that requires mental health professionals identifying high-risk rural widows early for intervention and developing programs aimed at educating and training rural community members on post-traumatic stress disorder and where to seek help on onset.
Lockdown Lives: A Longitudinal Study of Inter-Relationships Among Feelings of Loneliness, Social Contacts, and Solidarity During the COVID-19 Lockdown in Early 2020
Authors: van Breen Jolien A. , Kutlaca Maja , Koç Yasin , Jeronimus Bertus F. , Reitsema Anne Margit , Jovanović Veljko , Agostini Maximilian , Bélanger Jocelyn J. , Gützkow Ben , Kreienkamp Jannis , Abakoumkin Georgios , Khaiyom Jamilah Hanum Abdul , Ahmedi Vjollca , Akkas Handan , Almenara Carlos A. , Atta Mohsin , Bagci Sabahat Cigdem , Basel Sima , Berisha Kida Edona , Bernardo Allan B. I. , Buttrick Nicholas R. , Chobthamkit Phatthanakit , Choi Hoon-Seok , Cristea Mioara , Csaba Sára , Damnjanovic Kaja , Danyliuk Ivan , Dash Arobindu , Di Santo Daniela , Douglas Karen M. , Enea Violeta , Faller Daiane Gracieli , Fitzsimons Gavan , Gheorghiu Alexandra , Gómez Ángel , Hamaidia Ali , Han Qing , Helmy Mai , Hudiyana Joevarian , Jiang Ding-Yu , Kamenov Željka , Kende Anna , Keng Shian-Ling , Kieu Tra Thi Thanh , Kovyazina Kamila , Kozytska Inna , Krause Joshua , Kruglanski Arie W. , Kurapov Anton , Lantos Nóra Anna , Lemay Edward P. , Lesmana Cokorda Bagus Jaya , Louis Winnifred R. , Lueders Adrian , Malik Najma Iqbal , Martinez Anton , McCabe Kira , Mehulić Jasmina , Milla Mirra Noor , Mohammed Idris , Molinario Erica , Moyano Manuel , Muhammad Hayat , Mula Silvana , Muluk Hamdi , Myroniuk Solomiia , Najafi Reza , Nisa Claudia F. , Nyúl Boglárka , O’Keefe Paul A. , Olivas Osuna Jose Javier , Osin Evgeny N. , Park Joonha , Pica Gennaro , Pierro Antonio , Rees Jonas , Resta Elena , Rullo Marika , Ryan Michelle K. , Samekin Adil , Santtila Pekka , Sasin Edyta , Schumpe Birga Mareen , Selim Heyla A. , Stanton Michael Vicente , Sultana Samiah , Sutton Robbie M. , Tseliou Eleftheria , Utsugi Akira , van Lissa Caspar J. , van Veen Kees , vanDellen Michelle R. , Vázquez Alexandra , Wollast Robin , Wai-Lan Yeung Victoria , Zand Somayeh , Žeželj Iris Lav , Zheng Bang , Zick Andreas , Zúñiga Claudia , Leander N. Pontus
Published: August 2021

We examine how social contacts and feelings of solidarity shape experiences of loneliness during the COVID-19 lockdown in early 2020. From the PsyCorona database, we obtained longitudinal data from 23 countries, collected between March and May 2020. The results demonstrated that although online contacts help to reduce feelings of loneliness, people who feel more lonely are less likely to use that strategy. Solidarity played only a small role in shaping feelings of loneliness during lockdown. Thus, it seems we must look beyond the current focus on online contact and solidarity to help people address feelings of loneliness during lockdown. Finally, online contacts did not function as a substitute for face-to-face contacts outside the home—in fact, more frequent online contact in earlier weeks predicted more frequent face-to-face contacts in later weeks. As such, this work provides relevant insights into how individuals manage the impact of restrictions on their social lives.
#ShamimaBegum: An analysis of social media narratives relating to female terrorist actors
Authors: Evans Carys , da Silva Raquel
Published: August 2021

This study explores the constructions of gender in social media narratives regarding Shamima Begum, a British born woman who travelled to Syria to join Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Using the Twitter hashtag #ShamimaBegum – developed in response to Begum’s expressed interest in returning to the United Kingdom to give birth to her third child – we employ critical discourse analysis to examine social media users’ responses to Begum’s case across a 3-week period. We portray how the vernacular narratives constructing femininity, gender, and their relation to terrorist activity are built on the expectation that the female actor should express remorse for her actions and is judged according to certain perceptions of maternalism, religion, and victimhood. We also explore the absence of considered agency in the narratives about women engaging in and disengaging from violent activities, demonstrating the weight of race, religion, and gender in shaping narratives surrounding perceived violent women.
Carrying the Family in the Body: Family Trajectories of Paraguayan Women in the Paraná Tri-Border Area
Authors: Guizardi Menara , Nazal Esteban , Magalhães Lina
Published: August 2021

This article discusses the results of ethnographic case studies on female cross-border experiences in the Paraná Tri-Border Area (between Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay) conducted in 2018 and 2019. Reclaiming the life histories of thirty Paraguayan women, we will analyze the tensions that lie between family trajectories, female transgenerational acquisition of cultural and social capitals, rural-urban and transborder mobility, and labor insertion. Our analysis will explore more in-depth the impact that productive and reproductive work overloads have on different generations of women who share family bonds, showing how their care responsibilities are intrinsically related to their agency strategies.
Comments on Michael Hudson: Making Capitalism Great Again? A Critique of the “Rentier Takeover” Thesis
Authors: Mason J. W.
Published: August 2021

Michael Hudson argues that a new form of financial capitalism has displaced the industrial capitalism of Marx’s day. Unlike earlier capitalists, whose pursuit of lower costs led to improvements in the organization of production, the typical wealth owner today is a passive rentier who, like a feudal landlord, merely claims the surplus from existing production processes. Some form of this vision of financialization is widely held, but, I argue, misleading. It exaggerates the differences between historical and present-day capitalism, and misses the ways in which “finance” and “industry” form complementary parts of a single process.

JEL classification: B51, E44, N20
Depression in High-Risk Type 2 Diabetes Adults
Authors: Mathur Deepali , Anand Akshay , Srivastava Vinod , Patil Suchitra S. , Singh Amit , Rajesh SK , Nagendra HR , Nagarathna Raghuram
Published: August 2021

Background:

Patients suffering from diabetes mellitus are two to three times more vulnerable to develop depressive symptomatology.

Purpose:

To report the association between depression and high-risk diabetes in India.

Methods:

A total of 1,606 adults were recruited for the study. A patient health questionnaire was used to determine the depression on the basis of score. A statistical analysis was done using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and binary logistic regression to determine the association between diabetes categories and four degrees of depression.

Results:

Out of 1,606 participants, 52.6% were males and 47.4% were females, 56.4% belonged to the urban area and 43.6% to the rural area. However, 19.5% (314) had diabetes; 29.1% of diabetes individuals had minimal depression, 38.7% had mild, 17.2% moderate, 12.0% moderately severe, and 3.1% had severe depression. In the self-reported diabetic participant group ( N = 142), there was a significantly higher degree of severe depression (3.3%) in the uncontrolled group (HbA1c >7%) as compared to the well-controlled diabetes group (HbA1c <7%). ANCOVA in gender differences in the uncontrolled diabetes group showed that male gender had significantly ( P = –.02) higher mean scores of depression.

Conclusion:

This study found that there is a positive association between depression and uncontrolled diabetes in male gender.
Dynamic analysis of high-speed maglev train–bridge system with fuzzy proportional–integral–derivative control
Authors: Wang Bin , Zhang Yankun , Xia Cuipeng , Li Yongle , Gong Junhu
Published: August 2021

Several factors could affect the function of the electromagnet control system when a high-speed maglev train runs over a bridge. To enhance the robustness of the electromagnet control system to the high-speed maglev train running over the bridge, a fuzzy active control rule is introduced into the currently used proportional–integral–derivative (PID) control system. Numerical analyses are then conducted with a high-speed maglev train passing through a series of simply supported beams. The numerical results with the fuzzy PID active control are compared with the maglev train–bridge system with the equivalent linearized electromagnetic forces. The comparative results show that the introduction of the fuzzy PID control system has improved the comfort of the maglev train and that the overall dynamic response of the bridge is reduced. There is an obvious time delay for the maximum dynamic response of the bridge to the high speed of the train.