bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preferences for Redistribution, Welfare Chauvinism, and Radical Right Party Support in Central and Eastern Europe
Authors: Savage Lee
Published: March 2022

Why do supporters of radical right parties in Central and Eastern Europe hold economically left-wing policy preferences? In this article, the author argues that this can be explained by welfare chauvinism. First, in ethnically heterogeneous societies, minority groups provide a plausible scapegoat for the grievances emphasized by radical right parties. Therefore, the majority population is sensitive to shifts in the status quo which accrue from policy changes that give minorities greater benefits. Support for redistribution will therefore be lower in more ethnically diverse countries. The salience of shifts in the ethnic group hierarchy also means that objective economic insecurity is less likely to intersect with redistributive preferences. Second, radical right supporters will prefer welfare policies that restrict eligibility to the majority population. This allows radical right parties to combine leftist economic policies with more authoritarian values. The empirical results confirm these expectations. This research contributes to our understanding of the attitudinal bases of radical right party support in Central and Eastern Europe.
V. I. Lenin on Alienation
Authors: Pateman Joe
Published: March 2022

According to an old legend, Vladimir Lenin, the founder of Soviet Marxism, overlooked Karl Marx’s theory of alienation. For Marxist humanists, this theory underlies the emancipatory thrust of Marx’s thought, and since, in their view, Lenin’s acolytes ignored alienation, communist regimes failed to empower the workers. Considering these claims, this article challenges the legend that Lenin himself neglected Marx’s theory of alienation. It argues that this theory was central to Lenin’s Marxism. In fact, Lenin was among the first to discover the concept in Marx’s work, although he also analysed the concept independently. Like Marx, Lenin criticised capitalist alienation and defined communism as a non-alienated society. After the October Revolution, however, Lenin struggled to realise this goal. Responding to a failed European socialist revolution, a brutal civil war, a deadly famine and widespread cultural backwardness, Lenin made concessions to alienation. Nevertheless, Lenin’s legacy provides an important insight into alienation today.
Vehicle body pitch control through integration of MR damping system implemented in both vehicle suspension and front-end structure
Authors: Fekry Ahmed Rabie , Oraby Walid Abdel-Hady , Ali Mahmoud Atef
Published: March 2022

The current research work is directed to study and improve vehicle behavior during crashes. Hence, a crash-pitch controller integrated with Magneto-Rheological (MR) dampers implemented in both vehicle suspension system and front-end structure is designed and studied. The methodology of the work is based on modeling the vehicle dynamical attitude as a half-car mathematical model that is developed with 3 degrees of freedom (DOF), longitudinal, bounce, and pitch. The model is constructed to study the vehicle’s dynamic response in a full-frontal collision against a fixed barrier. Additionally, a fuzzy logic controller is developed to integrate the suspension MR dampers with another set of MR dampers implemented within the vehicle’s front-end structure. Four different vehicle cases were discussed and compared within the simulation results of the developed model. Moreover, the four mentioned cases can be clarified as first free-rolling, second replacing the vehicle’s conventional dampers with MR dampers, third implemented MR dampers within the vehicle’s front-end structure, finally the fourth case through the integration of MR dampers implemented within both front-end structure and suspension system. Hence, the fourth case was implemented through the augmentation of simultaneous crash-pitch controllers. The simulation results showed a noticeable improvement in the front-end structure deformation as it had been reduced. Moreover, the vehicle’s body attitudes had also been improved where pitch angle had been reduced as well as its settling time. Also, pitch acceleration had been reduced which benefits human body exposure.
Improving experiment data process accuracy for axial compressors: Converting inter-stage data into meridional flow fields
Authors: Zhou Chenghua , Yue Zixuan , Jin Donghai , Zhang Jun , An Liping , Lan Faxiang , Gui Xingmin
Published: March 2022

The total temperature and pressure are measured as inter-stage data in axial compressor experiments. Traditional diagnosing methods of 0-dimension (0D) or 1-dimension (1D) could lead to higher errors at hub sections without the presence of the radial equilibrium equation at stator leading edges, and 3-dimensional computational fluid dynamics can hardly provide reliable results for multistage compressors. In this paper, a fast method called “Diagnosis Using Inter-stage Data” (DUID) was developed to convert experiment data into meridional flow fields, which automatically satisfies the radial equilibrium equation and provides more accurate results for axial compressors. An aeroengine fan, a 3-stage compressor and a 6-stage compressor were used to validate the DUID. Their meridional flow fields, which cannot be observed directly in test rigs, were rebuilt. Results reveal facts that hub static pressures are approximately 15% lower than the traditional 0D/1D constant assumption. Though the stator models determine the loss ratio in a single stage, the DUID can avoid the model error amplification and be robustious for multistage compressors. And the generated flow field is sensitive to changes in the total temperature. Analyses of the experiment flow fields provide more quantitative and accurate references for subsequent modifications. In conclusion, using experiment inter-stage data, the DUID can rebuild meridional flow fields, which help to improve data processing accuracy.
Structural parts as quadrics: Elasticity ellipses revisited
Authors: Baranyai Tamás
Published: March 2022

Elasticity ellipses or central ellipses have been long used in graphic statics to capture the elastic behaviour of structural elements. The paper gives a generalisation the concept both in dimensions and in the possibility of degenerate conics/quadrics. The effect of projective transformations of these quadrics is also given, such that the entire mechanical system can be transformed preserving equilibrium and compatibility between its elements.
The subjectivity of self and its ontology: From the world–brain relation to the point of view in the world
Authors: Northoff Georg , Smith David
Published: March 2022

The search for the subjective nature of our self is intensely debated in philosophy and neuroscience. However, despite all progress, the subjectivity of self and how it fits into the seemingly objective world remains elusive. Drawing on recent empirical data, we show how the self is shaped by the brain’s scale-free activity, that is, long-range temporal correlation (LRTC) and the world’s ecological context. We assume that the scale-free LRTC of the world–brain relation provides the ontological basis for the point of view as the foundation of subjectivity within the world. We conclude that the temporal, that is, scale-free based point of view through the world–brain relation provides the ontologically necessary a posteriori condition for the subjectivity of self on a deeper neuro-ecological level. This extends phenomenological concepts like subjectivity and world beyond both Heidegger’s fundamental ontology and Sartre’s phenomenological ontology: it complements their subjectivity-based ontologies with a truly world-based ontology.
Switching characteristics of a high-speed rotary valve for switched inertance hydraulic converters
Authors: Yuan Chenggang , Plummer Andrew , Pan Min
Published: March 2022

The switched inertance hydraulic converter is a sub-domain of digital hydraulics which relies on digital switching to adjust pressure or flow instead of the dissipation of power by throttling, providing an energy-efficient alternative to conventional proportional or servo valve-controlled systems. The high-speed switching valve is a key component to realise the digital switching and its switching characteristics has significant effects on the performance of switched inertance hydraulic converters. In this article, the switching characteristics of a high-speed rotary valve are investigated. The switching orifice area of the valve is calculated based on the movement of the valve components with a consideration of the design of the valve body and leakage. This is validated using the computational fluid dynamics model and in experiments. The valve is theoretically modelled considering the switching orifice, leakage, transition throttling and compressibility effect, and the results are validated by computational fluid dynamics and experimental tests. The valve is able to deliver a flow rate of 40 L/min at a pressure drop of 10 bar and switch at the maximum frequency of 317 Hz, with a switching transition time of about 1 ms, which shows promising performance for the use in digital hydraulics. The theoretical and computational fluid dynamics models can assist the design and optimisation of digital high-speed rotary valves, which can be very useful for understanding, analysing and optimising the characteristics and performance of switched inertance hydraulic converters in digital hydraulics.
Recurrent brachial plexopathy as initial presentation of systemic lupus erythematosus: A case report and review of the literature
Authors: El-Dokla Ahmed M , Bonilla Eduardo , Ali Sara , Perl Andras
Published: March 2022

Background

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects many organs of the body including the peripheral nervous system (PNS) which has potential significant impact. Plexopathy is rare but one of the serious PNS manifestations of lupus.

Case

A 41-year-old female presented with recurrent attacks of painful brachial plexopathy and right hemi-diaphragmatic paralysis. After extensive workup, she was diagnosed with SLE and started on hydroxychloroquine and mycophenolate mofetil. The frequency and severity of the attacks of plexopathy has significantly improved after starting the immune suppressive therapy for SLE. Whole exome sequencing unveiled previously unreported mutations encoding non-synonymous amino acids in titin and minichromosome maintenance 3-associated protein.

Conclusion

Recurrent attacks of painful brachial plexopathy may warrant careful evaluation for underlying SLE with a premise of therapeutic benefit.
Benchmarking survival outcomes: A funnel plot for survival data
Authors: Putter Hein , Eikema Dirk-Jan , de Wreede Liesbeth C , McGrath Eoin , Sánchez-Ortega Isabel , Saccardi Riccardo , Snowden John A , van Zwet Erik W
Published: March 2022

Benchmarking is commonly used in many healthcare settings to monitor clinical performance, with the aim of increasing cost-effectiveness and safe care of patients. The funnel plot is a popular tool in visualizing the performance of a healthcare center in relation to other centers and to a target, taking into account statistical uncertainty. In this paper, we develop a methodology for constructing funnel plots for survival data. The method takes into account censoring and can deal with differences in censoring distributions across centers. Practical issues in implementing the methodology are discussed, particularly in the setting of benchmarking clinical outcomes for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. A simulation study is performed to assess the performance of the funnel plots under several scenarios. Our methodology is illustrated using data from the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation benchmarking project.
Confidentiality and public interest disclosure: A framework to evaluate UK healthcare professional regulatory guidance
Authors: Snelling Paul , Quick Oliver
Published: March 2022

Confidentiality and disclosure of information in the public interest present difficult dilemmas for healthcare practitioners and call for clear legal and regulatory guidance. The common law duty of confidence, and established exceptions to it, are shaped by medical practice and detailed guidance produced by the General Medical Council. Guidance issued by other healthcare regulators in a highly fragmented environment is at best unclear and at worst inaccurate. This article assembles and justifies a framework of evaluation against which regulators’ guidance can be assessed, focussing on the specific issue of when the duty of confidentiality can be set aside in the public interest. Comparison of statutory regulators’ guidance reveals wide variation which creates uncertainty for practitioners confused by inconsistency between guidance documents. The results of this analysis raise questions about the relationship between common law and regulatory guidance, in particular, whether it is appropriate to recognise different standards for different healthcare professions. This article argues that there is an opportunity to correct this anomaly and ensure appropriate consistency as part of a wider review of healthcare professional regulation.
Multi-marker risk-based screening for prostate cancer
Authors: Wald Nicholas J , Bestwick Jonathan P , Morris Joan K
Published: March 2022

Objective

To determine prostate cancer screening performance using prostate specific antigen (PSA) along with other markers, expressing markers in age-specific multiples of the median (MoM), and age.

Methods

A prospective nested case-control study used stored serum from 571 men who died of, or with history of, prostate cancer (cases), and 2169 matched controls. Total, free and intact PSA, human kallikrein-related peptidase 2 (hK2), and microseminoprotein were measured and converted into MoM values. Screening marker distribution parameters were estimated in cases and controls. Monte Carlo simulation used these in a risk-based algorithm to estimate screening performance (detection rates [DRs] and false-positive rates [FPRs]).

Results

Almost all (99%) cases occurred aged ≥55. Marker values were similar in cases who did and did not die of prostate cancer. Combining age, total PSA and hK2 MoM values (other markers added little or no discrimination) yielded a 1.2% FPR (95% CI 0.2–4.8%) for a 90% DR (59–98%) in men who died of or with a prostate cancer diagnosis within 5 years of blood collection (risk cut-off 1 in 20), two-thirds less than the 4.5% FPR using total PSA alone measured in ng/ml for the same 90% DR (cut-off 3.1 ng/ml). Screening performance over 10 years yielded a 33% (22–46%) FPR for a 90% DR.

Conclusion

Screening performed up to every 5 years from age 55 using the multi-marker risk-based screening algorithm for future prostate cancer achieves a high DR and a much lower FPR than using PSA alone, resulting in reductions in overdiagnosis and overtreatment.
Impact of the Status of Forces Agreements on Host States in the Indo-Pacific: How Will Sri Lanka Tame the Dragon and Uncle Sam?
Authors: Fernando Hiruni Nathasha
Published: March 2022

The rise of China and its maritime expansion has threatened the US preponderance in world politics. The Indo-Pacific construct is America’s comeback and its strategy to engage with a rising Asia while countering its adversaries, especially China. Within this larger strategic dynamic, US defence agreements have become a curious subject of scrutiny, especially for small states in South Asia such as Sri Lanka, which is strategically located in the Indo-Pacific region. US defence agreements are manifold and have been signed with many countries in different regions. A vast majority of these, such as the acquisition and cross-services agreements (ACSA) and the status of forces agreements (SOFA), deal with technical matters concerning logistical support, conduct of US troops on foreign soil, and jurisdictional and basing issues. While the SOFA establishes the legal framework under which US armed forces operate in a foreign country, there are certain inherent features that are deemed highly controversial, such as the exercise of criminal jurisdiction, causing chronic and pervasive dangers to human security in host nations. While the United States is a ‘necessary evil’ for strategic hedging to keep Chinese aggressions at bay, the adverse impacts on host states could ultimately hinder US efforts to counter China in the long run. Sri Lanka, in particular, is an aid recipient of both the United States and China. Therefore, Sri Lanka must learn to re-evaluate its international policy carefully to preclude being divested in intense great power rivalry.
Floating Words and the Aesthetics of the Visual Vernacular: Political Culture in Contemporary India
Authors: Jha Sadan
Published: March 2022

Recent decades have witnessed an unprecedented amount of conflict around visual representations in India. The field of the visual is the new terrain for rumour mongering and for maiming uncomfortable oppositional voices. With the fast-spreading mobile culture, penetrating social media and continued legacy of the pictorial as an embodiment of the real, the visual has taken over both the oral as well as the written words in its usefulness to serve the political. Can we simply comprehend such a visual aggression by taking recourse in the enhanced role of visual media in our everyday life, along the lines of a ‘visual turn’? Is the visual sphere another surface of politics? With these key questions, this article revisits certain contemporary visual events by focusing on words that float in public spaces from streets to television screens. On a broader terrain, with an emphasis on aesthetics, the article relooks at an often-settled equation between the visual and the political on the one hand and the question of the visual as an archive of the contemporary on the other. Following Rancière’s notion of aesthetics as a field of the distribution of the sensible, this article has tried to focus on vernacular words circulating outside the confines of the literature and create a domain of political communication hitherto ignored by scholars.
Cyberbullying and Depression: An empirical study of Indian executives
Authors: Pradhan Sajeet , Agrawal Swati , Srivastava Aman
Published: March 2022

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the linkage between cyberbullying and depression. Using the multi-mediation routes this study also explores the cyberbullying-depression relationship via helplessness and self-esteem. This study is a multi-mediation model with a sample size of 340 respondents. The study draws cross-sectional data from respondents from diverse industry backgrounds ranging from information technology, education, banking, and retail. Partial least square (PLS-SEM) was used for the analysis. Using the cognitive theory of depression, results showed that cyberbullying is positively related to depression. Also, the study found that helplessness and self-esteem mediate the linkage between cyberbullying and depression. The study is unique as perhaps for the first time the multi mediation mechanism has been studied in the relationship of cyberbullying and depression. Drawing from helplessness/ hopelessness theory, the study has conceptualized and tested cyberbullying as a stressor that triggers various adverse cognitions which have been tested in multi-mediational route. The study highlights several issues emerging with the increased use of the internet and the severe abusive behaviour in form of cyberbullying. There is a need for organizations and managers to have specific actions to reduce the tendency of helplessness and low self-esteem due to cyberbullying to control adverse cognition of depression among employees.
An Endless Bargain: A Participatory Approach to Understanding Intra-household Finance
Authors: Gupta Shriyam , Yagnaraman Dhwani , Jagati Aditya
Published: March 2022

While factors influencing intra-household dynamics, preferences of individual members, and their impact on household financial decision-making have been studied, the actual process of bargaining, and decision-making process remain uncaptured. We take a qualitative approach to address this gap and do so in two distinct ways. We first conduct a photo elicitation session (n = 55) to understand gender differences in financial responsibility, dynamics in purchase and saving decisions, and conflict resolution. Then, using findings from the photo elicitation, we develop a gamified instrument to observe financial decision-making in real-time between couples (n = 32). We find that husbands and wives have separate spheres of responsibility within the household, which determine their financial decision-making ability. Further, we find that income, investment and children motivate “big” financial expenditures, while savings is understood as an act of cutting expenses. Finally, we discuss the opportunities to employ new qualitative methods to study and capture behavioral dynamics.

JEL Codes: D130, G510, G59
The launch of a local spice brand: Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid
Authors: Bukhari Faheem , Hussain Saima , Rashidi Muhammad Zaki , Khurram Sara
Published: March 2022

Marketing mix strategy plays an important role and serves as a road map for achieving organizational and marketing objectives. An effective marketing mix in the food brand segment strengthens the product’s image, recognition, perception and market share by offering superior value to its customers. The purpose of this case study was to review the marketing mix strategy of a local spice brand with a focus on the bottom of the pyramid (BOP) customers. The case revolved around many questions, encompassing several aspects related to brand marketing, marketing mix strategies, communication and brand distribution, and the company’s core values and vision and its alignment with the mission. The data for this case study were acquired from secondary sources. The information set highlighted the marketing mix and raised questions regarding the underlined challenges faced by the brand for penetrating and maintaining its presence in the market.
Findings from a Structured Adaptation Process for the SafeCare Parenting Program to Address Family Needs in a Diverse Refugee Community
Authors: Self-Brown Shannon , Weeks Erin A. , Perry Elizabeth W. , Lee NaeHyung , Rivers Danielle E. S. , Reuben Katherine , Rao Nikita , O’Connor Mary Helen , Feinberg Iris , Willging Cathleen , Whitaker Daniel J.
Published: March 2022

Social workers can promote resiliency among refugee families by referring them to evidence-based programs to reduce the stressors of resettlement. The purpose of this study was to complete a structured adaptation process with the SafeCare® program for implementation in a refugee resettlement community. Participants included 21 members of an adaptation team made up of administrators, supervisors, and family service providers from three community agencies and community health workers. Quantitative findings suggested that content, process, and literacy-related adaptations were necessary to ensure cultural relevance of program materials. Qualitative feedback suggested the adaptation approach was a meaningful process that engaged community members and resulted in an acceptable and feasible curriculum for delivery in the refugee resettlement community, which will be further tested in a forthcoming implementation trial. The multi-pronged, community-engaged approach to SafeCare adaptation is presented as a potential framework for other programs that could benefit refugee children and their families.
Values define agency: Ecological and enactive perspectives reconsidered
Authors: Hodges Bert H
Published: March 2022

This article offers an exploration of agency and its place in the natural order, one marked by meaning and value. Three examples of agency at different scales—human, bacterial, and thermodynamic—are presented, which reveal insights into the nature of agency itself, while also illustrating the range of phenomena that theoretical accounts need to address. Three approaches to agency are then explored, an enactive approach and two ecological accounts, Reed’s “effort after meaning and value” and ecological values-realizing theory. These approaches are compared from the perspective of ecological values-realizing theory, noting differences and similarities between them. The article is intended to be exploratory, so that the contributions of each of the three accounts can be appreciated, while posing sharp questions and challenges from an ecological values-realizing perspective. Claims considered include: Agency is characteristic of the ecosystem in its entirety, not only in its organismic components. A defining aspect of agency is the possibility of acting in ways that increase freedom and other values. Values function as ecosystem defining constraints. Agency requires hope and responsibility, going beyond goal-achievement toward increasing the integrity of the ecosystem. Agency is marked by interdependence and self-criticism more than autonomy. Living systems create and increase instability.
NF1-Associated Inflammatory Polyp of the Colon: First Report of a Sporadic Case
Authors: Kanaan Christina , Cotteret Sophie , Khneisser Pierre , Soufan Ranya , Bani Mohamed-Amine , Burtin Pascal , Sourrouille Isabelle , Ducreux Michel , Al Ghuzlan Abir , Scoazec Jean-Yves
Published: March 2022

“Juvenile-like (hyperplastic/inflammatory) mucosal polyp” is a term proposed for rare benign mesenchymal lesions of the gastro-intestinal tract so far reported only in patients with type 1 neurofibromatosis (NF1). We report here a first sporadic case of NF1-associated mucosal inflammatory polyp of the colon. The diagnosis was made in a 53-year old female patient with a large polypoid tumor of the cecum. The lesion was predominantly mucosal, made of fibroblast-like cells associated with inflammatory infiltrates rich in eosinophils and containing entrapped, distorted epithelial glands, responsible for the juvenile-like appearance. Whole exome sequencing showed a pathogenic variant of NF1. The patient had no evidence of NF1; no NF1 mutation was detected in normal tissues. Our observation may support the existence of juvenile-like inflammatory polyps associated with NF1 alterations, either germline or somatic. This justifies to test NF1 in difficult-to-classify gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumors.
The Impact of One Book About Friendship in the Lives of Readers
Authors: Gómez Aitor , Puigvert Lídia , Nazareno Elías , López de Aguileta Ane , Vidu Ana , García-Carrión Rocío
Published: March 2022

Research shows the benefits quality friendships have throughout humans’ lives. Recent scientific literature focuses on social impact. However, the social impact of reading and dialoguing about a book about friendship is not explored. This study aims to analyze the impact of “Creative Friendships” in the lives of participants and their surroundings. Using communicative methodology, based on dialogical co-creation from the start, it includes 30 participants from diverse backgrounds and ages through individual interviews, a focus group and the observation of two dialogic seminars. Results show how reading and discussing the book impacted participants’ views of beauty, goodness, truth, and freedom.
“It was in Control of Me”: Notions of Addiction and Online Child Sexual Exploitation Material Offending
Authors: Rimer Jonah R. , Holt Karen
Published: March 2022

This paper focuses on notions of “addiction” among users of online child sexual exploitation material (CSEM) through a comparative analysis of two qualitative studies. The first is a 17-month anthropological ethnography (participant observation, interviews, and focus groups) in UK group programs for CSEM users, and the second is based on interviews with individuals in sexual offense treatment units of a US prison. We thematically analyze the narratives of 103 CSEM users at different timepoints and settings from pre-trial to incarceration. Those citing “addiction” focused on three areas. First was pornography progression. Second were perceived indicators of “addiction” and alignment/analogy to other addictions, including ideas about losing control; ignoring detrimental consequences and continuing; physiological signs similar to withdrawal; likening to substances; and progression from “softer” to “harder” material. Third, less common was rejecting the “addiction” label, citing choice and responsibility. We situate these results within debates and literature regarding pornography and Internet “addiction”; implications of the label; societal conceptions of sexual offending; harms of CSEM; and treatment/prevention considerations. Lastly, highlighting the merit of interdisciplinary comparative qualitative analysis, we demonstrate similarities in narratives despite differences in location, timeframe, setting, conviction status, intervention programming, and research methods.
Efficacy of Continuous Performance Testing in Adult ADHD in a Clinical Sample Using QbTest+
Authors: Adamou Marios , Jones Sarah L. , Marks Laura , Lowe Deborah
Published: March 2022

Objective:

Continuous performance tests are widely used to aid diagnostic decision making and measure symptom reduction in adult ADHD clinical populations. The diagnostic accuracy of the Quantified Behavior Test plus (QbTest+), developed to identify ADHD populations as an objective measure of ADHD symptoms, was explored.

Methods:

The utility of the QbTest+ was investigated in a clinical cohort of 69 adult patients referred to a specialist ADHD clinic in the UK.

Results:

Scores from the QbTest+ failed to differentiate between patients diagnosed with ADHD and those who did not receive a diagnosis after full clinical assessment.

Conclusions:

Based on our findings, we recommend clinicians are cautious when interpreting results of the QbTest+ in clinical populations. This study highlights the need for investigation into the lack of validation of commonly used objective measures in ADHD populations.
Paraprofessionals’ Perceived Skills and Needs in Supporting Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Coogle Christan Grygas , Walker Virginia L. , Ottley Jennifer , Allan Darcey , Irwin Daniel
Published: March 2022

There is a research-to-practice gap in the identification and use of evidence-based practices in special education. One way to better understand the persistent gap between research and practice and to inform professional development efforts is through gaining an understanding of teacher and paraprofessional perceptions. We conducted a survey study to identify paraprofessionals’ perceived skills and needs regarding categories of practices aligning with evidence-based practices for students with autism spectrum disorder. A total of 768 paraprofessionals completed the survey. We used descriptive statistics, one-way analyses of variance (ANOVAs), post hoc analyses, and chi-square tests to analyze paraprofessionals’ responses. Paraprofessionals reported a range of responses and several of their responses differed significantly in relation to their experience and the population of students they supported. Findings suggest there is a need to individualize professional development based on both classroom and paraprofessional training needs. Future research is needed to determine how paraprofessionals’ perceptions align with their practice.
Defending democracy or amplifying populism? Journalistic coverage, Twitter, and users’ engagement in Bolsonaro’s Brazil
Authors: Sbaraini Fontes Giulia , Marques Francisco Paulo Jamil
Published: March 2022

The article examines how mainstream news organizations in Brazil have tweeted about Jair Bolsonaro, investigating to what extent they may (voluntarily or not) amplify the visibility of populist leaders. We also scrutinize the levels of audience engagement with posts mentioning the President. Our empirical design comprises a content analysis of 128,096 tweets published throughout 2019 by Folha de S. Paulo, O Estado de S. Paulo, and O Globo. The results reveal that such newspapers focused on controversies and negative issues involving Bolsonaro, while posts addressing public policies did not achieve high visibility or engagement. The article also discusses to what degree the newspapers may be taking advantage of users' preferences for content with populist features to reinforce their watchdog role and boost audience ratings. Our findings also contribute to understanding how populist leaders and media organizations can build a mutually beneficial relationship, even though they publicly claim to oppose each other. Finally, the paper suggests new hypotheses to be explored, such as the argument that quality papers may be loosening the division between news and opinion when using social media to satisfy audience niches in polarized environments.
How journalists do memory work with numbers: The case of the 220,000 deaths during the Colombian conflict (1958–2012)
Authors: Ortega Jose , Lawson Brendan
Published: March 2022

This paper explores the relationship between memory, journalism and numbers. It does so through a case study that examines how the Colombian news media reported on a particular figure during a peace negotiation: the 220,000 people who died because of the armed conflict in Colombia. The number was produced by the National Centre for Historical Memory in 2013 in a comprehensive report about the ravages of the Colombian conflict (1958–2012). Following a mix-method approach – a quantitative content analysis and a thematic analysis of the news articles – we find that the way in which journalists reported on the figure contradicts two key aspects of the report. While the report rejects an ‘official memory’ of the conflict for one that is more open to political and social debate, one characterised less by ‘closed truths’, the news reports treated the number as a fact and very rarely provided a form of contestation to it. Moreover, while the report emphasises the need for clarification over distortion and concealment when constructing memory, the news articles misrepresented those accountable for the casualties: Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) was consistently positioned as the main illegal armed organisation responsible for the death toll. This representation ran counter to the findings from the report that emphasised the way paramilitary groups, rather than guerrilla groups (e.g. FARC), were more responsible for the killings. Considering our findings, we argue that an adherence to accuracy by journalists is more desirable than a practice of vagueness in the contribution to memory formation in post-conflict contexts.
Reaching people who are marginalized in major disability policy reform
Authors: Fisher Karen R , Gendera Sandra , Kayess Rosemary
Published: March 2022

Policy changes often aim to improve the access of socially marginalized people who face systemic, social and personal barriers to the support they need. A major policy reform in Australia was the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), which was introduced to meet the country’s human rights obligations. NDIS is publicly funded to allocate individual funding packages to 10% of people with disability and facilitates access to mainstream services for all people with disability. Support services are intended to be entitlements, consistent with a human rights framework. Predictably, the most marginalized people remain under-represented in both packages and mainstream access, including people with psychosocial disability who are at risk of homelessness. A 2-year project was conducted to familiarize people with disability and service providers who have contact with them about how to access support. People with Disability Australia managed the project as action research with university researchers. The research used interviews to study how to improve access. People with disability were advisors to the governance and research design. The findings were that it took many months for people with disability and the organizations that support them to trust the project staff, understand the relevance of disability to their lives, and to take steps to seek their entitlements to support. Some implications for policy are conceptual in terms of the policy language of disability, which alienates some people from the services to which they are entitled. Other implications are bureaucratic – the gap between homeless and disability organizations means that they prioritize people’s immediate needs and people who are easier to serve, rather than facilitating sustainable support. A global social policy implication is that specialized interventions to advocate for the rights of marginalized people with disability and to demonstrate how to engage with them remains a priority while gaps between service types persist.
Damage severity assessment in composite structures using multi-frequency lamb waves
Authors: Nandyala Anvesh R , Darpe Ashish K , Singh Satinder P
Published: March 2022

When a narrowband tone burst excitation signal is used to generate Lamb waves in the thin composite plates, a suitable frequency of the excitation signal is typically chosen to excite a solitary mode of Lamb wave in the structure. However, if and as the damage severity changes in the structure, it may be possible that the frequency of the excitation signal may influence the response metric. In the present work, the use of a chirp signal as an excitation signal for damage severity assessment is proposed. The use of a chirp signal as an excitation signal may prove suitable for damage severity assessment because the chirp response contains a large frequency bandwidth, and the cumulative effect of all the frequencies with the delamination is reflected in the damage index. The sensitivity of the chirp response to varying delamination sizes is investigated through numerical simulations and experiments. The damage index calculated using the chirp response showed a monotonic trend with an increase in damage severity, in contrast to a bidirectional trend of the damage index when conventional narrow excitation signals are used.
Investigation of Experimental Endovascular Air Embolisms Using a New Model for the Generation and Detection of Highly Calibrated Micro Air Bubbles
Authors: C. Schaefer Tabea , Greive Svenja , Heiland Sabine , Kramer Martin , Bendszus Martin , Vollherbst Dominik F.
Published: March 2022

Background:

Air embolism (AE), especially when affecting the brain, is an underrated and potentially life-threatening complication in various endovascular interventions. This study aims to investigate experimental AEs using a new model to generate micro air bubbles (MAB), to assess the impact of a catheter on these MAB, and to demonstrate the applicability of this model in vivo.

Materials and Methods:

Micro air bubbles were created using a system based on microfluidic channels. The MAB were detected and analyzed automatically. Micro air bubbles, with a target size of 85 µm, were generated and injected through a microcatheter. The MAB diameters proximal and distal to the catheter were assessed and compared. In a subsequent in vivo application, 2000 MAB were injected into the aorta (at the aortic valve) and into the common carotid artery (CCA) of a rat, respectively, using a microcatheter, resembling AE occurring during cardiovascular interventions.

Results:

Micro air bubbles with a highly calibrated size could be successfully generated (median: 85.5 µm, SD 1.9 µm). After passage of the microcatheter, the MAB were similar in diameter (median: 86.6 µm) but at a lower number (60.1% of the injected MAB) and a substantially higher scattering of diameters (SD 29.6 µm). In vivo injection of MAB into the aorta resulted in cerebral microinfarctions in both hemispheres, whereas injection into the CCA caused exclusively ipsilateral microinfarctions.

Conclusion:

Using this new AE model, MAB can be generated precisely and reproducibly, resulting in cerebral microinfarctions. This model is feasible for further studies on the pathophysiology and prevention of AE in cardiovascular procedures.
The Wellbeing Valuation Approach: The Monetary Value of Sport Participation and Volunteering for Different Life Satisfaction Measures and Estimators
Authors: Thormann Tim F. , Gehrmann Sebastian , Wicker Pamela
Published: March 2022

This study applies the wellbeing valuation approach to sport participation and volunteering using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel. Linear regression results show that sport and volunteering hours increase satisfaction with life, health, work, income, and leisure, but with diminishing returns in most models. In a seemingly unrelated regression, some of these effects turn insignificant. The instrumental variable estimates show causal impacts of sporting hours on all wellbeing measures, while volunteering only impacts health satisfaction. The monetary values vary depending on the type of wellbeing measure and estimator, indicating that future studies should consider the employed measures and estimators.
“Cute Goddess is Actually an Aunty”: The Evasive Middle-Aged Woman Streamer and Normative Performances of Femininity in Video Game Streaming
Authors: Ruotsalainen Maria
Published: March 2022

In this paper the focus is on the representations of “middle-aged” or “aging” women streamers in western media. I analyze discussions in Western online media around a case of Chinese DouYu live-streamer. “Qiaobiluo Dianxia,” as her streamer name goes, became a topic in Western media after a glitch in her live stream revealed her to be a middle-aged woman, rather than young woman she was assumed to be. The discussions are analyzed with critical discourse analysis. It is argued that the aging bodies of women, both their presence and absence, should be read and understood through toxic gaming culture and geek masculinity and the hegemonic discourse they constitute.
Family and Friends Living Nearby, Neighborhood Satisfaction, and Residential Mobility
Authors: Gillespie Brian Joseph
Published: March 2022

This study draws on panel data from the Los Angeles Family and Neighborhood Survey ( N = 1,128) to examine whether and how family and friends living close-by are associated with individuals’ interneighborhood residential mobility. Additional analyses tap into why individuals’ proportion of nearby kin and friends are linked to their mobility. The results suggest that individuals’ perceptions of their neighborhood are patterned by whether or not they have family—and to a lesser extent friends—who live locally. The absence of nearby family is associated with leaving the neighborhood, but the direct effects do not hold for nearby friends. However, the role of friends does become important in the absence of family ties. The results also indicate that having nearby friends moderates the relationship between neighborhood satisfaction and moving away.
Culturally Tailoring Plant-Based Nutrition Interventions for Hispanic/Latino Adults at Risk for or With Type 2 Diabetes: An Integrative Review
Authors: Koh Linda M.
Published: March 2022

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) prevalence continues to increase among Hispanic/Latino adults. The purpose of this study was to explore and analyze literature on culturally tailored nutrition interventions to identify how to best implement a whole food plant-based (WFPB) culinary intervention to improve health outcomes for Hispanic/Latino adults at risk for developing or diagnosed with T2DM. Methods: A methodological review was performed by searching PubMed, CINAHL Complete, PsycINFO, and Food Science and Technology Abstracts. Inclusion criteria consisted of peer-reviewed articles in English, from January 2009 to January 2020, using the search terms: “Hispanic adults or Latino adults”, “culturally tailored or ethnic”, “diabetes”, “dietary or nutrition”, “intervention”, and “vegan or plant based”. Studies included adults at risk for/diagnosed with T2DM. Results: Of 1,474 articles retrieved, 15 met the inclusion criteria. Four main themes were identified: participant interest, feasibility of intervention, development and implementation of intervention, and impact of the intervention. Conclusion: Further research should focus on culturally tailored nutrition interventions and use of a WFPB diet to reduce risk for T2DM in Hispanic/Latino adults. Continued discussion should be patient- and community-centered to promote equity, health, and disease prevention through the use of culturally tailored methods and design, not only limited to curriculum and language.
EEG Microstates in Early Phase Psychosis: The Effects of Acute Caffeine Consumption
Authors: N. Bissonnette Jenna , Anderson T-Jay , McKearney Katelyn J. , Tibbo Philip G. , Fisher Derek J.
Published: March 2022

Individuals with schizophrenia use on average twice as much caffeine than the healthy population, but the underlying cortical effects of caffeine in this population are still not well understood. Using resting electroencephalography (EEG) data, we can determine recurrent configurations of the electric field potential over the cortex. These configurations, referred to as microstates, are reported to be altered in schizophrenia and can give us insight into the functional dynamics of large-scale brain networks. In the current study, we use a placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind, repeated-measures design to examine the effects of a moderate dose of caffeine (200mg) on microstate classes A, B, C, and D in a sample of individuals within the first five years of psychosis onset compared to healthy controls. The results support the reduction of microstate class C and D, as well as the increase of microstate class A and B in schizophrenia. Further, acute caffeine administration appears to exacerbate these group differences by reducing class D, and increasing occurrences of class A and B states in the patient group only. The current results support the hypothesis of a microstate class D reduction as an endophenotypic marker for psychosis and provide the first descriptive account of how caffeine is affecting these microstate classes in an early phase psychosis sample.
Phase-Amplitude Coupling Brain Networks in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Liu Xingping , Sun Ling , Zhang Dujuan , Wang Shanshan , Hu Shengjing , Fang Bei , Yan Guoli , Sui Guanghong , Huang Qiangwei , Wang Suogang
Published: March 2022

In cognitive neuroscience, there is an increasing interest in identifying and understanding the synchronization of distinct neural oscillations with different frequencies that might support dynamic communication within the brain. This study explored the cross-frequency phase-amplitude coupling brain network characteristics of resting-state electroencephalograms between 30 children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and 30 age-matched typically developing children. Compared with control group, children with ADHD show increased coupling intensity and altered distribution patterns of dominant paired channels, especially in the δ-γH, θ-γH, α-γH, βL-γH, and βH-γH coupling networks. Regarding graph theory properties, the characteristic path length, the mean clustering coefficient, the global efficiency, and the mean local efficiency significant difference in many cross-frequency coupling networks, especially in the δ-γH, θ-γH, α-γH, βL-γH, and βH-γH coupling networks. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) in low-frequency coupling with a high-gamma frequency was larger than that in coupling with low-gamma frequency (AUC values of δ-γL, θ-γL, α-γL, βL-γL, βH-γL, δ-γH, θ-γH, α-γH, βL-γH, and βH-γH were 0.794, 0.722, 0.666, 0.570, 0.881, 0.992, 0.998, 0.998, 0.989, and 0.974, respectively). These findings demonstrate altered coupling intensity and disrupted topological organization of coupling networks, support the altered brain network theory in children with ADHD. The coupling intensity and graph theory properties of low-frequency coupling with high-gamma frequency were promising resting-state electroencephalogram biomarkers of ADHD in children.