bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phenotypic and Genotypic Identification of Ureolytic Bacteria Isolated from Coastal Sites
Authors: Al Makishah Naief H.
Published: July 2021

Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) is widespread compound in the aquatic and terrestrial environment, and used mainly as an ingredient in cement in the construction industry. Innovative ‘natural cement’ has been proposed as a green building material for use in many applications.
Chemical cement has contains chemicals with environmentally detrimental effects, such as acids and sulphates. Thus, microbial Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP) using urea hydrolysis applications has emerged as a promising process, due to its low cost, high quality, energy saving benefits,
and environmentally protective properties. However, the limited understanding and low number of ureolytic bacterial strains impedes application. Therefore, this study examines several aspects of urease, employing ureolytic bacteria isolated from coastal soil from different locations in Jeddah,
Saudi Arabia. Characterisation of the isolates, is described by growth pattern and next-generation sequencing of 16S rDNA. Ureolytic strains isolated are Staphylococcus sp., Bacillus sp., Brevibacillus sp, and Micrococcus luteus 2030. These strains show fundamentally
different abilities for producing urease with rapid increases in pH. In this study, additional environmental bacteria were screened for their ability to produce urease, which is employed for (MICP) and provides further knowledge on the role of bacterial strains and their applications in the
environmental fields.
Physicochemical Changes and Mechanical Improvement of Ni Coating Layers Using High Energy Beam Treatment
Authors: Park Suyoung , Kim Sangwoo , Gil Na Han , Jin Changhyun
Published: July 2021

In this study, the improvement of mechanical properties by physicochemical changes of Ni coating layer after irradiation of high energy beam (HEB) was reported through spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray photoelectron
spectroscopy (XPS), and nanoindenter. This surface heating method of the irradiation of HEB has advantages of short heating time, uniform temperature distribution, and high heat efficiency by selectively heating desired parts, compared to other post-heat treatment methods. The main reason
for this is that irradiation of a irradiation of HEB on the Ni coating layer causes a change in the energy amplitude of the dipole formed in the material. Therefore, the intermolecular friction caused the Ni coating layer to be oxidized to NiO even in a short time, improving the mechanical
properties of the surface. In order to understand the diffusion effect of the irradiation of HEB, the indentation hardness, and the skin depth of the Ni coating layer was experimentally performed and theoretically predicted simultaneously.
Preparation of Nano Materials Fe@Fe3O4 and Its Application in Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Liver Functions
Authors: Duan Wenjuan , Liu Guifang , Guo Cheng , Qu Yunhui
Published: July 2021

The strengths of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lied in the strong penetrability, high resolution, no radiation, and non-invasion, while the sensitivity of MRI was too weak to distinguish the normal physiological tissue and pathological tissue. The contrast agent (CAs) was used to
enhance the contrast ration of normal tissue and pathological tissue, and raise the precision of the diagnosis. The Ferric oxide with higher magnetic moment has been extensively applied in T2-weighted MRI contrast agents. In the study, the oil soluble nano materials (Fe@Fe3O4)
was prepared, and its surface was modified using the large and small molecule ligands, and it was connected to F56 peptide, so as to construct the MRI-specific bimodal contrast agent (Fe–Fe NPs/HYA/F56). While the material was characterized, it can be used in clinical evaluation of liver
functions. In the test, as the clad material was growing, the saturation magnetization of the material encountered a drop. The nano particle (Fe@Fe3O4) was modified with functional groups, and no obvious variation occurred to its structure and particle size. The morphology
and potential were analyzed to confirm whether F56 peptide was connected to the nano particle (Fe@Fe3O4). The analysis of cell showed that the nano particle (Fe–Fe NPs/HYA/F56) had lower cytotoxicity, and the materials had better targeted performance, which had
been verified in the mouse tumor model. The preparation materials were applied in evaluation of clinical studies on liver function. The quantitative analysis of the absolute enhancement value (AEV) and contrast enhancement rate (CER) of liver around the MRI-enhanced cancer was conducted. The
results showed, the pathology grade of liver functions (pathological tissue and cirrhotic tissue) was related to the above indicators. The MRI contrast agent can be used to predict the pathology grade.
Forecasting excessive rainfall with random forests and a deterministic convection-allowing model
Authors: Hill Aaron J. , Schumacher Russ S.
Published: July 2021

Approximately seven years of daily initializations from the convection-allowing National Severe Storms Laboratory Weather Research and Forecasting model are used as inputs to train random forest (RF) machine learning models to probabilistically predict instances of excessive rainfall. Unlike other hazards, excessive rainfall does not have an accepted definition, so multiple definitions of excessive rainfall and flash flooding – including flash flood reports and 24-hr average recurrence intervals (ARIs) – are used to explore RF configuration forecast sensitivities. RF forecasts are analogous to operational Weather Prediction Center (WPC) day-1 Excessive Rainfall Outlooks (EROs) and their resolution, reliability, and skill are strongly influenced by rainfall definitions and how inputs are assembled for training. Models trained with 1-y ARI exceedances defined by the Stage-IV (ST4) precipitation analysis perform poorly in the northern Great Plains and southwest U.S., in part due to a high bias in the number of training events in these regions. Increasing the ARI threshold to 2 years or removing ST4 data from training, optimizing forecast skill geographically, and spatially averaging meteorological inputs for training generally results in improved CONUS-wide RF forecast skill. Both EROs and RF forecasts have seasonal skill – poor forecasts in the late fall and winter and skillful forecasts in the summer and early fall. However, the EROs are consistently and significantly better than their RF counterparts, regardless of RF configuration, particularly in the summer months. The results suggest careful consideration should be made when developing ML-based probabilistic precipitation forecasts with convection-allowing model inputs, and further development is necessary to consider these forecast products for operational implementation.
The Response Vector for Mastery Method of Standard Setting
Authors: Dimitrov Dimiter M.
Published: July 2021

Proposed is a new method of standard setting referred to as response vector for mastery (RVM) method. Under the RVM method, the task of panelists that participate in the standard setting process does not involve conceptualization of a borderline examinee and probability judgments as it is the case with the Angoff and bookmark methods. Also, the RVM-based computation of a cut-score is not based on a single item (e.g., marked in an ordered item booklet) but, instead, on a response vector (1/0 scores) on items and their parameters calibrated in item response theory or under the recently developed D-scoring method. Illustrations with hypothetical and real-data scenarios of standard setting are provided and methodological aspects of the RVM method are discussed.
Criminalising privacy in the digital age: The reasonable expectation of not being digitally monitored
Authors: Wang Xiaoxiao , Baker Dennis J.
Published: July 2021

In this essay, we try to present a case for having a general privacy offence. Privacy is about much more than voyeurism involving sexual exploitation. The recent offence of upskirting is too narrow to protect the broader set of privacy interests that exist in plural societies. Current technology means it is all too easy for the masses not only to spy, but to keep digital records of information that belongs to others including their images, voices and correspondence. We shall try to demonstrate that private acts and information that are revealed in an ephemeral sense in a public place should not be put in permanent form and a fortiori should not be published online or in hardcopy. It will be argued that publishing such information without consent or lawful justification is sufficiently harmful to justify making it a crime. It shall be submitted that while human rights law, data protection law and tort law recognise the wrongful harm in privacy violations, the protection offered by these bodies of laws is limited, because they rely on expensive civil litigation that is out of the reach of most. Billionaires can pay for nondisclosure agreements to keep misconduct (such as bullying and sexual harassment) out of the news, but many people with genuine privacy claims cannot afford to seek compensation.
Emotional Expressions and Brand Status
Authors: Lee Jeffrey K.
Published: July 2021

This project investigates emotionality by brands on social media. First, a field data set of over 200,000 text and images posts by brands across two major platforms is analyzed. Using recent automated text analysis (Study 1a) and computer vision methods (Studies 1b and 1c), the author provides initial documentation of a negative relationship between brand emotionality and status. Exploring this relationship further, in Studies 2, 3, and 4, the author finds that brands can leverage this association, reducing emotionality in brand communications to increase perceived brand status. This strategy is effective because reduced emotionality is associated with high-status communication norms, which evoke high-status reference groups. This finding is moderated by the status context of the brand (Study 2) and the product type (Study 4).
Bold Women, Bad Assets: Honour, Property and Techno-Promiscuities
Authors: Shroff Sara
Published: July 2021

In June 2016, Qandeel Baloch, a 26-year-old Pakistani social media star, was murdered. Her death sparked both public outrage and a policy debate around ‘honour killing’, digital rights and sex-positive sexuality across Pakistan and its diasporas. Qandeel challenged what constitutes a proper Pakistani woman, an authentic Baloch and a respectable digital citizen. As a national sex symbol, she failed at the gendered workings of respectable heterosexuality, and during her short lifetime she optimised this failure and public fetish as a technologically mediated social currency (clicks, hashtags, comments, likes, reposts) to build a transnational celebrity brand. I centre Qandeel Baloch’s life and afterlives to think through the economic entanglements of honour, racialised ethnicity, coloniality, sexual violence and social media at the intersections of globalised anti-Blackness and honourable brownness as a matter of global capital. Within these complex registers of coloniality, Qandeel’s life and brutal murder necessitate a rethinking of categories of racialised ethnicity (Baloch), sexual labour (racial capital) and social media (digitality) as vectors of value for capitalism and nationalism. By centring Qandeel, I define honour as a form of racialised property relations. This rereading of honour, as an economic metric of heteropatriarchy, shifts my lens of honour killing from a crime of culture to a crime of property. Women’s honour functions as a necrocapitalist technology that constructs female and feminine bodies as the debris of heterosexual empire through racialised, gendered and sexualised property relations. These relations and registers of honour get further complicated by social media currency and discussions around digital rights, privacy and freedom of expression. Honour is, therefore, the economic management of sexual morality produced through race, religion and imperialism.
Middle Ear Adenomatous Neuroendocrine Tumor: A Rare Entity
Authors: Marini Katerina , Garefis Konstantinos , Skliris James Philip , Anna Astreinidou , Hajiioannou Jiannis , Florou Vasiliki
Published: July 2021

Middle ear adenomatous neuroendocrine tumors (MEANT) are rare, mainly benign neoplasms and account for less than 2% of the middle and inner ear neoplasms. There are no specific radiological or clinical findings; therefore, the diagnosis is often difficult. Biopsy prior to surgery is often proposed. The definite treatment is the complete surgical resection. We present an uncommon clinical report of a MEANT, which was treated successfully with surgical excision.
The impacts of a reduction in British meat and dairy consumption on Northern Ireland’s agri-food sector
Authors: Greig Alastair , Wu Ziping
Published: July 2021

In 2020, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) recommended that British consumers reduce their beef, lamb and dairy consumption by 20% for both environmental and health reasons. For a region like Northern Ireland, this presents a significant challenge. Northern Ireland, considered to be performing poorly local economy within the United Kingdom and Ireland, has an export-orientated agri-food sector with an extensive domestic supply chain. This study shows the likely trade-offs required for a small regional economy with a large, established cattle herd to sustainably transition from one agri-food system to another. In so doing, the study uses the most comprehensive agricultural data collections to rebalance Northern Irish input–output tables, to better account for the nature of NI intermediate consumption within an agri-food system. The results show that a large-scale transition from beef, lamb and dairy to fruit and vegetable production would create a more emission efficient agricultural sector. The worst economic effects could be offset within current NI policy parameters, although there would still likely be some economic costs.
Acculturation of Migrant Latinos in a Positive Psychology Framework
Authors: Dryjanska Laura , Zlotnick Cheryl
Published: July 2021

This article features a positive psychology perspective on migration, using hope theory as a conceptual framework to explain life satisfaction of Hispanic migrants in the United States. The cross-sectional study considers the association of acculturation and social support on wellbeing while accounting for the demographic and personal characteristics of Latino migrants ( N = 169) in California and Florida. The final regression model (with the demographic variables of gender, health, realized expectations, the main effect of country, and the interaction variable of realized expectations by country), resulted in significant associations between life satisfaction and the variables of gender and health status. The study demonstrates that expectations (among other factors) significantly predict life satisfaction of Hispanic migrants, which implies that contextualizing migration experience in the positive light (rather than looking at stressors) may impact their quality of life.
The Perceived Effectiveness of Full-Day Kindergarten for Children with ADHD
Authors: Miklas Erica P. , Jaber Lindsey S. , Starr Elizabeth
Published: July 2021

ADHD is one of the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders, and the numbers only continue to rise. Ontario has implemented play-based FDK in the last decade, thus it is imperative that the perceived effectiveness of the program for children with ADHD is studied. In conducting this study, the researchers present and interprets educators’ perceptions of the FDK program and the perceived effectiveness of FDK for children with ADHD. Using an Ecological Systems Theory lens, semi-structured interviews were conducted with kindergarten teachers and early childhood educators from multiple cities throughout Southwestern Ontario to obtain their perceptions of Play-Based FDK and ADHD. The data were analyzed using Thematic Analysis (TA) and three themes emerged: (1) Knowledge and Understanding, (2) Benefits and Challenges of Play-Based FDK for Children with ADHD, and (3) Strategies Used to Promote Success. These themes encompassed the general lived experiences and knowledge that educators have on the effectiveness of the FDK program for children with ADHD. Limitations of the study and future areas of research are discussed.
Preferences Toward COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Features: Results From a National Cross-Sectional Survey
Authors: Katare Bhagyashree , Zhao Shuoli , Cuffey Joel , Marshall Maria I. , Valdivia Corinne
Published: July 2021

Purpose:

Describe preferences toward COVID-19 testing features (method, location, hypothetical monetary incentive) and simulate the effect of monetary incentives on willingness to test.

Design:

Online cross-sectional survey administered in July 2020.

Subjects:

1,505 nationally representative U.S. respondents.

Measures:

Choice of preferred COVID-19 testing options in discrete choice experiment. Options differed by method (nasal-swab, saliva), location (hospital/clinic, drive-through, at-home), and monetary incentive ($0, $10, $20).

Analysis:

Latent class conditional logit model to classify preferences, mixed logit model to simulate incentive effectiveness.

Results:

Preferences were categorized into 4 groups: 34% (n = 517) considered testing comfort (saliva versus nasal swab) most important, 27% (n = 408) were willing to trade comfort for monetary incentives, 19% (n = 287) would only test at convenient locations, 20% (n = 293) avoided testing altogether. Relative to no monetary incentives, incentives of $100 increased the percent of testing avoiders (16%) and convenience seekers (70%) that were willing to test.

Conclusion:

Preferences toward different COVID-19 testing features vary, highlighting the need to match testing features with individuals to monitor the spread of COVID-19.
The Economic Development Potential of Minority-Owned Businesses
Authors: Bates Timothy , Farhat Joseph , Casey Colleen
Published: July 2021

The consensus view that discriminatory barriers limit the size and scope of America’s minority-business community is factually well-grounded. Rarely examined, however, is the question of why these firms are flourishing. The authors examine the scope of this growth and its causes. The process of selectively reducing discriminatory barriers inhibiting minority entrepreneurship’s development began in the 1960s, moved forward in the 1970s, and continues presently. This path-dependent process of lowering barriers has altered the incentive structures, previously making the entrepreneurial choice an unattractive one for most minorities. This, in turn, has drawn into business ownership a younger generation of highly educated and experienced minorities, many of whom have successfully obtained bank loans. Spatially, minority neighborhoods as well have successfully attracted talented, experienced African American and Latino owners and financing for their firms. Those with abundant expertise have driven the substantial gains in numbers of workers employed by minority-owned businesses.
Therapeutic Affordances of Social Media and Associated Quality of Life Outcomes in Young Adults
Authors: Dodemaide Paul , Merolli Mark , Hill Nicole , Joubert Lynette
Published: July 2021

There is a growing body of literature exploring the general population’s use of social media for assistance in dealing with stigmatized health issues. This study presents novel research examining the relationship between social media use and young adults. It utilizes a therapeutic affordance (TA) framework. Quantitative results from this study are complemented by qualitative data. The relationships between distinct social media and their TA (a–b) are presented to highlight their potential to impact positively on social and emotional well-being outcomes. Evidence includes broad support for “connection,” “narration,” and “collaboration” TAs in this context and the relationship between the use of distinct social media and perceived quality of life (QOL) outcomes (a–c). TA provides an appropriate and valuable theoretical framework which is useful for the development of an evidence-base from the analysis of young adult’s social media usage. An analysis of the association between social media and their QOL outcomes is presented according to the TA relationship pathway (a–c–b). The adoption of a TA framework enables a nuanced analysis of significant associations between specific social media, TA, and improved QOL outcomes. This study demonstrates the significant association between social media and perceived QOL outcomes in young adults.
When ‘street-level bureaucrats’ act as cultural brokers: The normative dilemmas and personal commitment of government officials in southern Ethiopia
Authors: Epple Susanne
Published: July 2021

Following the implementation of ethnic federalism in 1995, for the first time, government officials have been appointed from among the various ethnic groups rather than being only drawn from the central Ethiopian highlands. As such, they carry the responsibility of mediating and translating between two rather different worlds and value systems: those of the state and state law and those of the local population, many of whom continue to widely apply customary law. Many of these native government officials find themselves in a normative dilemma, as they have to balance the, often contradictory, expectations of the government and the local population.
Ground manoeuvres of aircrafts in narrow spaces by all-wheel-steering
Authors: Sorge Francesco
Published: July 2021

The present analysis deals with the ground taxiing of aircrafts and considers, in particular, their turning at rather low speed with very small path radii among obstacles that may be very close to each other, for example inside the hangars or on the flight decks of the aircraft carriers where other planes stand stationary. To succeed in this operation, it is crucial to optimize the path and avoid dangerous collisions or, more generally, the interference in the ground projection between the obstacles and the band enclosing all the point trajectories of the plane. The essential innovation here proposed for this purpose consists in making all the wheels of the undercarriage steerable, assuming electrically motorized struts, and in searching for the best correlation among the steering angles in order to optimize the path. The geometrical and dynamical nonlinearities due to the relatively large steering angles, to the changes of the cornering stiffness with the vertical loads on the wheels and to the inertial and the aerodynamic forces will be included in the analysis. The rollover critical speeds will be calculated on varying the path radius.
Nonsymbolic-Magnitude Deficit in Adults With Developmental Dyscalculia: Evidence of Impaired Size Discrimination but Intact Size Constancy
Authors: Fooks Nirit , Hadad Bat-Sheva , Rubinsten Orly
Published: July 2021

Although researchers have debated whether a core deficit of nonsymbolic representation of magnitude underlies developmental dyscalculia (DD), research has mostly focused on numerosity processing. We probed the possibility of a general magnitude deficit in individuals with DD and asked whether sensitivity to size varied in contexts of depth ordering and size constancy. We measured full psychometric functions in size-discrimination tasks in 12 participants with DD and 13 control participants. Results showed that although people with DD exhibited veridical perceived magnitude, their sensitivity to size was clearly impaired. In contrast, when objects were embedded in depth cues allowing size-constancy computations, participants with DD demonstrated typical sensitivity to size. These results demonstrate a deficit in the perceptual resolutions of magnitude in DD. At the same time, the finding of an intact size constancy suggests that when magnitude perception is facilitated by implicit mandatory computations of size constancy, this deficit is no longer evident.
Late-Holocene forest resilience in the central Pyrenean highlands as deduced from pollen analysis of Lake Sant Maurici sediments
Authors: Rull Valentí , Cañellas-Boltà Núria , Vegas-Vilarrúbia Teresa
Published: July 2021

Palynological analysis of the last ca. 4300 cal year BP using a sediment core taken from high mountain (ca. 1900 m elevation) Lake Sant Maurici sediments (southern-central Pyrenees) showed remarkable vegetation constancy during the Bronze Age and the Middle Ages. Records of the Iron Age and the Roman period were missing due to a major sedimentary gap. During the studied periods, the vegetation around the lake was largely dominated by pine ( Pinus) forests with birch ( Betula), oak ( Quercus) and hazel ( Corylus) trees, as is the case today. The composition of these forests and the abundance of their components remained quite stable, despite the occurrence of temperature and moisture shifts. The degree of human disturbance, notably that of pastoralism and cereal cultivation by scattered and temporary settlements, was very low and had little or no effect on the dominant forests. This situation contrasts with most high-elevation (subalpine and alpine) environments of the central Pyrenees that were massively anthropized during the Middle Ages. Further research should be aimed at finding sediments corresponding to the Iron Age and the Roman period to verify whether the vegetation constancy can be extended throughout the Late-Holocene. Past records of this type may allow the estimation of natural and anthropogenic thresholds for irreversible forest changes, which would be useful for conservation purposes.
Impact of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic on systemic lupus erythematosus patients: Results from a multi-center prospective cohort
Authors: Kasturi Shanthini , Price Lori Lyn , Paushkin Vasilissa , Salmon Jane E , McAlindon Timothy E , Mandl Lisa A
Published: July 2021

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate the initial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods

Patients with SLE participating in a multi-center longitudinal cohort study in New York and Boston were invited to complete a supplemental web-based questionnaire in the summer of 2020. Participants completed standardized patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures and a combination of Likert scale and open-ended questions exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their health and access to health care. Changes in PROs were evaluated with paired t-tests and frequencies of worsened symptoms were calculated. A thematic qualitative analysis was conducted on free text responses.

Results

Of 97 patients invited, 63 (65%) completed a supplemental questionnaire. Nearly 50% of respondents exhibited increases in anxiety (47.5%) and depression (48.3%) and over 40% scored worse in measures of pain interference, fatigue, and cognitive abilities. Respondents with pre-existing diagnoses of anxiety did not differ from other participants in PRO scores, but were more than three times as likely to report worsened health status. Patients denied difficulties accessing medications (85%) or medical care (84%) and over 50% participated in telehealth visits. Anxiety and increased health risks due to immunosuppression were recurring themes in free text responses.

Conclusions

SLE patients experienced a significant physical and emotional toll in the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Comprehensive patient-centered care, including monitoring and addressing anxiety and health-related quality of life, is critical to improving health outcomes in this population during the ongoing health crisis.
Inequalities in access to cross-border resources? An analysis based on spatio-temporal behaviours in the cross-border area of Greater Geneva
Authors: Gumy Alexis , Drevon Guillaume , Kaufmann Vincent
Published: July 2021

With an activity-based approach, this article offers a new reading of cross-border integration by exploring the social and spatial conditions that predispose specific populations of Greater Geneva to cross its borders. Five different daily cross-border patterns were identified showing that travelling to the neighbouring country is still uncommon among the least qualified populations and women, and that this trend now extends beyond the mere cross-border labour market. Logistic regressions show that Greater Geneva is witnessing a functionalisation of its cross-border integration, revealing mechanisms where the increase of particular mobility may foster segregation and inequalities. This article argues for an approach where cross-border integration is not an objective but rather is a consequence of obligations and constraints that individuals face in their daily behaviours.
‘Intended’ and ‘unintended’ consequences of the privatisation of health and social care systems in Italy in light of the pandemic
Authors: Ciarini Andrea , Neri Stefano
Published: July 2021

This article analyses the long-term effects of privatisation and marketisation on the Italian regional health and social care systems. The research focuses on three Italian regions – Lombardy, Veneto and Lazio – which are representative of three different models of governance in these sectors. We examine the effects of privatisation and marketisation on the health and social care system by discussing how the regional health-care systems have managed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. We also shed light on the dramatic consequences of the pandemic crisis on employment levels and working conditions.
Is Involvement Effective? A Case Study of Exchange Programs’ Influence on Mainland Chinese Communications Major Exchange Students’ Support for Taiwan
Authors: Wang Yu-Li , Lin Luc Chia-Shin
Published: July 2021

This study aims to explore the effectiveness of exchange programs between Taiwan and mainland China in terms of shaping participants’ support for Taiwan, given that the cross-strait relationship has reached a deadlock. Academic and social involvement, social contact, social identity, patriotism, animosity, and political familiarity were integrated into a theoretical framework. The participants, who have joined an exchange program commissioned by the Mainland Affairs Council in Taiwan, were invited. The results showed that the level of involvement can either positively influence patriotism and support for Taiwan, or negatively influence animosity, whereas patriotism can positively influence animosity. This seemingly contradicting result indicates that exchange students who went back to mainland China have developed a coping mechanism in which patriotism does not dominate their support for Taiwan. Hence, the exchange programs, to some extent, were effective in promoting support for Taiwan.
Using Functional Communication Training to Reduce Problem Behavior
Authors: Wu Jiaju , Kopelman Todd G. , Miller Kenzie
Published: July 2021

Functional communication training (FCT) is an evidence-based intervention that has been widely used and implemented to reduce problem behavior and teach replacement behavior in a variety of settings. Specific procedures have been researched and documented to ensure correct implementation. Functional communication training can be broken into three steps: (a) identifying the function of the problem behavior through a functional behavior assessment (FBA); (b) selecting an appropriate replacement communicative response; and (c) building new skills acquisition through teaching and rehearsal while using reinforcements and extinction.
Medication Adherence and Patients’ Characteristics in Chronic Diseases: A National Multi-Center Study
Authors: Al-Noumani Huda , Al-Harrasi Maryam , Jose Jimmy , Al-Naamani Zakariya , Panchatcharam Sathiya M.
Published: July 2021

Chronic diseases constitute a significant threat to health. Worldwide, medication adherence in chronic diseases remains unsatisfactory. Understanding factors affecting adherence is essential. This study examined medication adherence by characteristics of patients with chronic diseases. This cross-sectional study included 800 patients. The Adherence to Chronic Diseases Scale was used to measure adherence. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression was used to examine factors influencing medication adherence. Low adherence was found in 19.5% of the patients, 45% had medium adherence, and 35.5% had high adherence. Logistic regression showed that retired ( OR 0.496, 95% CI [0.33–0.75]), having COPD ( OR 0.460, 95% CI [0.32–0.67]) and duration of disease ≤5 years ( OR 1.554, 95% CI [1.11–2.17]) remain independent predictors for high adherence. Mixed findings regarding the relationship between medication adherence and patients’ characteristics were noticed. Patients’ characteristics should be examined with the individual population when examining and attempting to improve medication adherence in clinical practice.
Neuro-Oncological Symptoms: A Longitudinal Quantitative Study of Family Function, Perceived Support, and Caregiver Burden
Authors: Piil Karin , Laegaard Skovhus Stine , Tolver Anders , Jarden Mary
Published: July 2021

The aim of this study was to establish preliminary quantitative evidence for the longitudinal change in family function, perceived support, and caregiver burden, acknowledging that physical and emotional symptoms are important variables for quality of life in families affected by a brain cancer diagnosis. This longitudinal quantitative study measured patient-reported and family member–reported outcomes at four different time points in 1 year. The patients reported that the symptom burden hindered their relationships with other people. Furthermore, the generally high level of strain due to the caregiver burden had an especially negative impact on close social relationships. Data indicate that family functioning was continually negatively affected as perceived by both patients and family caregivers. No significant changes over time were identified. The results underline the importance of providing systematic and ongoing support to the whole family that acknowledges their contribution as a valuable social support system for the individual experiencing high-grade glioma.
The Prognostic Value of a Derived Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Fan Wenjun , Zhang Ying , Gao Xiuxin , Liu Yixiang , Shi Fei , Liu Jingyi , Sun Lixian
Published: July 2021

The systemic immune-inflammatory index (SII) and derived neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (dNLR) are novel indexes that simultaneously reflect the host inflammatory and immune status and have prognostic value in some cancers. SII was associated with major cardiovascular events in coronary artery disease patients who received percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, dNLR correlations with clinical outcomes in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients undergoing PCI remain unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the predictive values of SII and dNLR on the long-term prognosis of patients with ACS undergoing PCI. In total, 1,553 ACS patients undergoing PCI were consecutively enrolled from January 2016 to December 2018. The subjects were divided into high and low SII and dNLR groups for comparison (high vs. low). The SII and dNLR cutoff values for predicting major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were calculated using receiver operating characteristic curves, and Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression models were used for survival analyses. The endpoint was a MACE, which included all-cause mortality and rehospitalization for severe heart failure during follow-up. The Kaplan-Meier curves showed that a higher SII or dNLR value was associated with a higher risk of MACE (all P < 0.001). Multivariate Cox regression models showed that SII (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.545; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.416-4.574; P = 0.002) and dNLR (HR: 2.610, 95% CI: 1.454-4.685, P = 0.001) were independent predictors for MACE. dNLR may be a suitable laboratory marker to identify high-risk ACS patients after PCI.
Bacteriological Quality of Drinking Water and Associated Factors at the Internally Displaced People Sites, Gedeo Zone, Southern Ethiopia: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Ashuro Zemachu , Aregu Mekonnen Birhanie , Kanno Girum Gebremeskel , Negassa Belay , Soboksa Negasa Eshete , Alembo Awash , Ararsa Eshetu , Badecha Fikru , Tassew Solomon
Published: July 2021

Background:

Providing safe and adequate Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services in response to emergencies is a major problem. Globally, few studies have investigated the bacteriological quality of drinking water at the IDP sites. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the bacteriological quality of drinking water and associated factors at the IDP sites of Gedeo zone.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 213 water samples collected from November to December 2018. The membrane filter technique was used to retain bacteria and lauryl sulphate broth media was used to detect faecal coliforms. After incubation of 14 hours at 44°C, faecal coliforms with yellow colonies were counted and expressed in terms of CFU/100 ml of water. The data were entered into Epi data version 3.1 and exported to STATA version 14 for analysis. Binary logistic regression analysis with 95%CI and P ⩽ .05 was used to identify factors associated with an outcome variable.

Results:

Out of 213 water samples collected, 107 (50.2%) samples were tested positive for faecal coliforms. The presence of latrines in uphill (AOR: 6.7, 95%CI: 1.0-42.9), other sources of pollution (AOR: 5.0, 95%CI: 1.1-22.3), inadequate fencing (AOR: 7.1, 95%CI: 1.3-40.2) and lack of diversion ditch (AOR: 6.3, 95%CI: 1.0-37.6) were factors significantly associated with faecal contamination of springs. Dug wells that had a latrine within 10 m (AOR: 11.4, 95%CI: 1.8-72.1), other pollution sources within 10 m (AOR: 7.9, 95%CI: 1.9-32.4), inadequate fencing (AOR: 2.8, 95%CI: 1.0-7.9), drawing water using a bucket with rope (AOR: 7.3, 95%CI: 1.6-33.4) and unsanitary well cover (AOR: 3.4, 95%CI: 1.1-10.4) were factors significantly associated with faecal contamination of wells.

Conclusions:

The majority of the water sources in internally displaced people sites were tested positive for faecal coliforms. The presence of latrine in uphill, other sources of pollution, inadequate fencing, lack of diversion ditch, drawing water using a bucket with rope and unsanitary well cover were factors associated with the presence of faecal coliforms. Therefore, adequate fencing, proper diversion ditch construction and hygiene promotion should be done to protect water sources from faecal contamination. Furthermore, latrines and other point sources of contamination should be located at least 10 m away or at a lower elevation from water sources.
High expression of cluster of differentiation 276 indicates poor prognosis in glioma
Authors: Li Linchen , Zhang Min , Zhu Dengna , Wang Xinjun
Published: July 2021

Background:

Glioma is the central nervous system tumor with the highest incidence rate and the molecular detection of gliomas has been the focus of research. This study aimed to investigate the guiding effect of cluster of differentiation 276 (CD276) expression on the clinical prognosis of glioma.

Methods:

The TCGA and CGGA databases were used to study whether CD 276 can be used as an independent prognostic factor for gliomas. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of CD276, isocitrate dehydrogenase-1 (IDH1), matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9), p53, and Ki-67, and 1p/19q co-deletion was detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The effects of CD276 RNA interference (RNAi) on cell invasion, cell cycle and the expression of β-catenin, tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1), and MMP9 were observed. Furthermore, the biological effects of CD276 gene knockout on intracranial transplanted tumors in nude mice were studied.

Results:

CD276 expression was positively correlated with the extracellular matrix, collagen decomposition, and cell adhesion molecules. Immunohistochemistry and FISH showed that CD276 expression positively correlated with the glioma grade, p53 mutation, Ki-67 proliferation, and MMP9 expression; however, it negatively correlated with IDH1 mutation, 1p/19q co-deletion, and the survival rate. CD276 RNAi in U87 cells inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, but had no effect on the cell cycle. CD276 inhibited the expression of β-catenin, TNFR1, and MMP9 in U87 cells at the mRNA and protein levels. In vivo experiments showed that the tumor formation and invasion of the CD276 small interfering RNA glioma cell line in nude mice were reduced and the survival time was prolonged.

Conclusions:

The present study demonstrated that high expression of CD276 in gliomas indicates a poor prognosis.
Hearing Gloves and Seeing Tongues? Disability, Sensory Substitution and the Origins of the Neuroplastic Subject
Authors: Paterson Mark
Published: July 2021

Researchers in post-war industrial laboratories such as Bell Labs and the Smith-Kettlewell Institute pioneered solutions to compensate for sensory loss through so-called sensory substitution systems, premised on an assumption of cortical and sensory plasticity. The article tracks early discussions of plasticity in psychology literature from William James, acknowledged by Wiener, but explicitly developed by Bach-y-Rita and his collaborators. After discussing the conceptual foundations of the principles of sensory substitution, two examples are discussed. First, ‘Project Felix’ was an experiment in vibrotactile communication by means of ‘hearing gloves’ for the deaf at Norbert Wiener’s laboratory at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, demonstrated to Helen Keller in 1950. Second, the tactile-visual sensory substitution system for the blind pioneered by Paul Bach-y-Rita from 1968 onwards. Cumulatively, this article underlines the crucial yet occluded history of research on sensory impairments in the discovery of underlying neurophysiological processes of plasticity and the emergent discourse of neuroplastic subjectivity.
Abnormal hearing patterns are not associated with endothelium-dependent vasodilation and carotid intima–media thickness: The Framingham Heart Study
Authors: Tyagi Sudhi , Friedland David R , Rein Lisa , Tarima Sergey S , Mueller Christopher , Benjamin Emelia J , Vasan Ramachandran S , Hamburg Naomi M , Widlansky Michael E
Published: July 2021

Introduction:

Prior data suggest associations between hearing loss, cardiovascular (CV) risk factors, and CV disease. Whether specific hearing loss patterns, including a strial pattern associated with inner ear vascular disease, are associated with systemic endothelial dysfunction and carotid intima–media thickness (IMT) remains unclear.

Methods:

We evaluated participants without prevalent CVD in the Framingham Offspring Study who underwent formal audiogram testing and brachial and carotid artery ultrasounds. Audiograms were categorized as normal or as belonging to one of four abnormal patterns: cochlear-conductive, low-sloping, sensorineural, or strial. Endothelial function as measured by brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMDmm and FMD%). Internal and common intima–media thicknesses (icIMT and ccIMT, respectively) were compared between audiogram patterns.

Results:

We studied 1672 participants (mean age 59 years, 57.6% women). The prevalence of each hearing pattern was as follows: 43.7% normal; 20.3% cochlear-conductive; 20.3% sensorineural; 7.7% low-sloping; and 8.0% strial. Strial pattern hearing loss was nearly twice as prevalent ( p = 0.001) in those in the highest quartile of ccIMT and nearly 50% higher in those in the highest icIMT quartile ( p = 0.04). There were no statistically significant differences between the prevalence of the strial pattern comparing the lowest quartiles of FMDmm and FMD% with the upper three quartiles. Age- and sex-adjusted linear regression models did not show significant associations between the vascular measures and hearing patterns.

Conclusion:

Abnormal hearing patterns were not significantly associated with impaired brachial FMD and increased carotid IMT after adjusting for age and sex effects, which may reflect age and sex-related distributional differences based on hearing loss pattern.
Angiographic flow velocity predicts lower limb outcomes after endovascular therapy: Application of the frame count method
Authors: Ito Naruhiko , Hishikari Keiichi , Yoshikawa Hiroshi , Tsujihata Shihoko , Abe Fumiyuki , Kanno Yoshinori , Iiya Munehiro , Murai Tadashi , Hikita Hiroyuki , Takahashi Atsushi , Yonetsu Taishi , Sasano Tetsuo
Published: July 2021

Introduction:

Several factors related to lesion characteristics and endovascular therapy (EVT) procedures have been reported to affect primary patency after EVT. However, it is unknown why these factors were associated with primary patency. We hypothesized patency failure was related to poor blood flow in affected arteries.

Methods:

This retrospective study included 131 consecutive patients who had received EVT with bare metal stents for peripheral artery disease caused by femoropopliteal artery lesions. Based on the tertile post-EVT flow velocity of the superficial femoral artery (SFA), patients were divided into high ( n = 43), middle ( n = 44), and low ( n = 44) flow velocity groups. Flow velocity was measured using the frame count method. We measured incidence of major adverse limb events (MALE), composed of target lesion revascularization (TLR), non-TLR, and major amputation.

Results:

At a median follow-up period of 22.7 months, MALE had occurred in 7 (16.3%), 10 (22.7%), and 29 (65.9%) of patients from the high, middle, and low SFA flow velocity groups, respectively ( p < 0.001). Kaplan–Meier analysis showed incidence of MALE was significantly higher in the patients of low SFA flow velocity (log-rank test χ2 = 38.8, p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis found low SFA flow velocity to be an independent predictor for MALE (hazard ratio: 4.42; 95% CI: 2.27 to 8.60; p < 0.001) as was ankle–brachial index.

Conclusion:

Post-EVT SFA flow velocity for femoropopliteal artery lesions treated with bare metal stents is an independent predictor of limb patency. The frame count method for assessing arterial flow velocity is convenient and has potential for wide applications in EVT.
Perceptions of intolerant norms both facilitate and inhibit collective action among sexual minorities
Authors: Eisner Léïla , Settersten Richard , Turner-Zwinkels Felicity , Hässler Tabea
Published: July 2021

This article presents the results of three studies that examine how the perceived opinions of others are related to sexual minorities’ support for social change toward greater equality. Results of two cross-sectional studies (Study 1: N = 1,220; Study 2: N = 904) reveal that perceived intolerance (i.e., perceived intolerant societal norms) is indirectly related to intentions to engage in collective action in both negative and positive ways: the negative effect was mediated by lower perceptions of perceived efficacy; positive effects were mediated by greater anger (about the legal situation and public opinion) and greater perceived need for a movement. Study 3 ( N = 408) replicates this conflicting effect with a delayed outcome measure by showing that perceived intolerant norms were indirectly, both negatively and positively, associated with actual collective action engagement. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our expanded social identity model of collective action.