bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The pandemic’s mass: an Anglo-Catholic essay on certain Eucharistic issues raised by COVID-19
Authors: Olver Matthew S. C.
Published: December 2021

This article explores a number of issues related to the challenges introduced by the COVID-19 pandemic as it concerns the celebration of the Eucharist and attempts to do so from an Anglo-Catholic perspective. The article considers the overarching question of the extent to which the Church is willing to be open to practices that do not fully express the ideal or the fullest expression of the liturgy in light of serious mitigating circumstances. The following constellation of issues related to the Eucharist and the pandemic are examined: the prohibition against celebration of the Eucharist in light of the historical realities about the frequency of communion reception; the basis in the prayer book for the practice of spiritual communion and reception of communion in one kind; the theological challenges of so-called “drive-by Communion”; and the thorny question of a priest celebrating the Eucharist with no other persons in the church building ( sine populo).
How Voters Respond to Currency Crises: Evidence From Turkey
Authors: Steinberg David A.
Published: December 2021

A burgeoning literature shows that international trade and migration shocks influence individuals’ political attitudes, but relatively little is known about how international financial shocks impact public opinion. This study examines how one prevalent type of international financial shock—currency crises—shapes mass political attitudes. I argue that currency crises reduce average citizens’ support for incumbent governments. I also expect voters’ concerns about their own pocketbooks to influence their response to currency crises. Original survey data from Turkey support these arguments. Exploiting exogenous variation in the currency’s value during the survey window, I show that currency depreciations strongly reduce support for the government. This effect is stronger among individuals that are more negatively affected by depreciation, and it is moderated by individuals’ perceptions of their personal economic situation. This evidence suggests that international financial shocks can strongly influence the opinions of average voters, and it provides further support for pocketbook theories.
Estimating Crime in Place: Moving Beyond Residence Location
Authors: Cernat Alexandru , Buil-Gil David , Brunton-Smith Ian , Pina-Sánchez Jose , Murrià-Sangenís Marta
Published: December 2021

We assess if asking victims about the places where crimes happen leads to estimates of “crime in place” with better measurement properties. We analyze data from the Barcelona Victimization Survey (2015–2020) aggregated in 73 neighborhoods using longitudinal quasi-simplex models and criterion validity to estimate the quality of four types of survey-based measures of crime. The distribution of survey-based offense location estimates, as opposed to victim residence estimates, is highly similar to police-recorded crime statistics, and there is little trade off in terms of the reliability and validity of offense location and victim residence measures. Estimates of crimes reported to the police show a better validity, but their reliability is lower and capture fewer crimes.
Is Cefoxitin a Carbapenem Sparing Agent in the Management of Urinary Tract Infections Caused by ESBL Producing Enterobacterales?
Authors: El Nekidy Wasim S. , Abdelsalam Manal M. , Nusair Ahmad R. , El Lababidi Rania , Dajani Ruba Z. , St. John Terrence J. Lee , Ghazi Islam M.
Published: December 2021

Background: Cefoxitin has shown in vitro activity against Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase (ESBL) producing Enterobacterales. Outcome data regarding cefoxitin as a carbapenem sparing agent in the management of urinary tract infections (UTI) are scarce. We sought to evaluate the clinical and microbiologic efficacy of cefoxitin as compared to ertapenem. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted at our quaternary care institution between May 2015 and March 2019. We identified all patients who received cefoxitin for the treatment of UTI during the study period and used Charlson Comorbidity Index to select a matching cohort from patients who received ertapenem. Primary end points were clinical and microbiological cure. Results: Thirty patients who received cefoxitin were matched with 55 patients who received ertapenem. Clinical cure was marginally in favor of ertapenem: 83.2% in cefoxitin group versus 96.8% in ertapenem group ( P = .042). However, 90-day recurrence was in favor of cefoxitin: 13.5% in cefoxitin group versus 34.8% in ertapenem group ( P = .045). Microbiologic cure was not significant between the 2 groups with 88.6% success in cefoxitin versus 100% in ertapenem. Additionally, the group difference on 30-day recurrence or relapse rates and the 90-day mortality rate were not clinically significant. Conclusion: Cefoxitin achieved similar microbiologic cure rate when compared to ertapenem for the treatment of UTI caused by ESBL-producing Enterobacterales. No significant differences were found in 30-day recurrence/relapse or mortality rates. Larger randomized controlled trials are required to identify the clinical sittings in which cefoxitin could be used as a carbapenem-sparing agent in the treatment of UTI.
The Impact of Cognitive, Physical, and Psychological Stressors on Subsequent Cognitive Performance
Authors: Martin Kristy , Flood Andrew , Pyne David B. , Périard Julien D. , Keegan Richard , Rattray Ben
Published: December 2021

Objective

To quantify the impact of performing challenging cognitive, physical and psychological tasks on subsequent cognitive performance, and whether differences in performance are predicted by psychological variables.

Background

Successful performance in many occupations depends on resilient cognition: the degree to which cognitive functions can withstand, or are resilient to, the effects of stress. Several studies have examined the effect of individual stressors on cognition; however, the capacity to compare different types of stress across studies is limited.

Method

Fifty-eight participants completed cognitive, physical, psychological and control interventions, immediately preceded, and followed, by a battery of cognitive tasks. Self-efficacy and cognitive appraisal were reported at baseline. Perceived stress was recorded post-intervention. Subjective workload was recorded for each cognitive battery and intervention.

Results

Cognitive performance was impaired by the cognitive, physical and psychological interventions, with the greatest effect following the cognitive intervention. The subjective workload reported for the post-intervention cognitive battery was higher following the cognitive and physical interventions. Neither self-efficacy, cognitive appraisal, perceived stress nor subjective workload of the intervention strongly predicted post-intervention performance.

Conclusion

Given the differences among interventions and cognitive domains, it appears that challenges to resilient cognition are broad and varied, and the mechanism(s) by which impairment occurs is complex.

Application

Considering the increase in subjective workload for the post-intervention cognitive battery, a combination of subjective and objective measures of cognitive performance monitoring should be considered.
Hygrothermal aging effect on the properties of PMMA nanocomposites reinforced by ceramic nanoparticles
Authors: Jodatnia Shervin , Rash-Ahmadi Samrand
Published: December 2021

This paper aimed to evaluate hygrothermal aging effects on polymethyl methacrylate modified with TiO2, SiO2, and Al2O3 nanoparticles in 0.5, 1, and 2% weight fractions. The distribution of nanoparticles was characterized by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) method. Moisture absorption behavior and mechanical properties of samples in terms of elastic modulus, tensile strength, impact strength, and hardness were investigated. Furthermore, the coefficient of hygrothermal expansion (CHE) for each sample was calculated thanks to experimental data. Finally, by applying the multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) technique, the optimum composition for superior performance was obtained in 0.5 wt% of nanoparticles, more specifically for SiO2.
Historical Injustice in Immigration Policy
Authors: Al Hashmi Rufaida
Published: December 2021

The history of immigration policy is marked by the wrongful and discriminatory exclusion of certain groups of people. In this article, I argue that descendants of those who were wrongfully excluded have a pro tanto right to immigrate to the state in question as reparation. I begin by identifying the two main approaches theorists generally take to establish a claim for reparation: the inheritance approach and the counterfactual approach. In the first section, I argue that the inheritance approach does not offer a promising argument for reparations for descendants of those who were wrongfully excluded. In the second section, I argue that the counterfactual approach, by contrast, does. In the third section, I respond to the objection that this prima facie claim for reparation can be undermined by current circumstances. In the fourth section, I show why this reparation should be offered in the form of immigration rights.
Humility, Personality, and Psychological Functioning
Authors: Ross Lisa T. , Wright Jennifer C.
Published: December 2021

As part of the shift to a more positive psychology, researchers have demonstrated a relatively new and intense fascination with humility. Following a discussion of this construct and its correlates, we investigate how humility relates to personality dimensions, anxiety and depression, love of life and happiness, and self-efficacy in two samples—college students and adult Mturk workers. In both studies, we used the Dual Dimension Humility Scale, a measure that does not conflate the construct with honesty. Among students ( N = 399), aspects humility correlated with dimensions of personality (more conscientiousness and openness, and less agreeableness and neuroticism), less depression, more love of life and happiness, and stronger social self-efficacy. Although fewer associations were found, overall, among adults ( N = 509), aspects of humility correlated with dimensions of personality, less anxiety, and some dimensions of psychological well-being. The most unique contributions of this study include linking humility with college students’ love of life and self-efficacy, and with adults’ well-being. We conclude with a discussion of ideas for future research and potential applications to boost humility.
Civil–Military Relations and Russia’s Post-Soviet Military Culture: A Belief System Analysis
Authors: Shamiev Kirill
Published: December 2021

This article studies the role of military culture in defense policymaking. It focuses on Russia’s post-Soviet civil–military relations and military reform attempts. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia’s armed forces were in a state of despair. Despite having relative institutional autonomy, the military neither made itself more effective before minister Serdyukov nor tried to overthrow the government. The paper uses the advocacy coalition framework’s belief system approach to analyze data from military memoirs, parliamentary speeches, and 15 interviews. The research shows that the military’s support for institutional autonomy, combined with its elites’ self-serving bias, critically contributed to what I term an “imperfect equilibrium” in Russian civil–military relations: the military could not reform itself and fought back against radical, though necessary, changes imposed by civilian leadership.
Adaptive finite-time tracking control for full state constrained nonlinear systems with time-varying delays and input saturation
Authors: Xu Tian , Wu Yuxiang , Fang Haoran , Wan Fuxi
Published: December 2021

This paper investigates the adaptive finite-time tracking control problem for a class of nonlinear full state constrained systems with time-varying delays and input saturation. Compared with the previously published work, the considered system involves unknown time-varying delays, asymmetric input saturation, and time-varying asymmetric full state constraints. To ensure the state constraint satisfaction, the appropriate time-varying asymmetric Barrier Lyapunov Functions and the backstepping technique are utilized. Meanwhile, the finite covering lemma and the radial basis function neural networks are employed to solve the unknown time-varying delays. The assumption that the time derivative of time-varying delay functions is required to be less than one in traditional Lyapunov–Krasovskii functionals is removed by the proposed method. Moreover, the asymmetric input saturation is handled by an auxiliary design system. Taking the norm of the neural network weight vector as an adaptive parameter, a novel adaptive finite-time tracking controller with minimal learning parameters is constructed. It is proved that the proposed controller can guarantee that all signals in the closed-loop system are bounded, all states are constrained within the predefined sets, and the tracking error converges to a small neighborhood of the origin in a finite time. Finally, a comparison study simulation is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed strategy. The simulation results show that our proposed strategy has good advantages of high tracking precision and disturbance rejection.
“Samples Are Precious”: Value Formations in the Potentiality and Practices of Biobanking in Singapore
Authors: Aarden Erik
Published: December 2021

Biobanking in Singapore is characterized by contested relations between funding ambitions and research practices, and different notions of what the (potential) value of storing samples and data for medical research is. Different biobanking efforts anticipate the production of public goods from stored materials in specifically situated ways. These efforts to produce public goods in the form of scientific and economic value can be fruitfully understood in terms of extraction, a complex sociotechnical process of retrieving (potential) value from raw materials, which both informs and is informed by specific social values. In exploring the extraction of potential value in relation to practice values, I propose the notion of value formations to account for the coproduction of and intersections between different forms of value(s) in scientific practices situated in particular social contexts. I trace value formations across the life span of biobanking collections, which range from recruitment, collection, and processing of samples to their storage, retrieval, and use. Observations along this life span show the social and temporal complexity of value-making in biobanking in Singapore, pointing to the contextual specificity of how biobanking is understood as a public good.
Evaluating the Factors (Stress, Anxiety and Depression) Affecting the Mental Health Condition of Nurses During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Işık Oğuz , Tengilimoğlu Dilaver , Tosun Nurperihan , Zekioğlu Aysu , Tengilimoğlu Onur
Published: December 2021

This study aimed to determine the depression, anxiety and stress levels that have negatively impacted nurses’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. A sample group of 826 nurses working in Turkey were asked to fill in an online questionnaire in order to evaluate their psychological responses and the related factors that have adversely affected their mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. In total, 696 nurses (84.3%) showed symptoms of depression, 644 (78%) reported anxiety and 543 (65.74%) reported stress. This study also highlighted that the most concerning factor for the nurses was the risk of transmitting the COVID-19 infection to their household members (89.2%). The most important problems faced by the nurses during COVID-19 included equipment shortages (50.7%), administrative problems (38.5%) and issues such as accommodation and nutrition (27.4%). These were found to have a statistically significant correlation with the nurses’ levels of depression, anxiety and stress. The fear of losing a household member, the inability to their household’s social needs and the fear of death were among the factors that concerned nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic, significantly affecting their levels of depression, anxiety and stress. Taking the necessary measures to deal with the aforementioned problems and fears is important to protect the health, productivity and efficiency of nurses during the pandemic period.
Safety and Performance Evaluation of Su2ura Approximation, a New Suturing Device, in Pigs
Authors: Ramot Yuval , Rousselle Serge , Steiner Michal , Lavie Yossi , Ezov Nati , Nyska Abraham
Published: December 2021

One of the challenging aspects of minimal invasive surgery (MIS) is intracorporal suturing, which can be significantly time-consuming. Therefore, there is a rising need for devices that can facilitate the suturing procedure in MIS. Su2ura Approximation Device (Su2ura Approximation) is a novel device developed to utilize the insertion of anchors threaded with stitches to allow a single action placement of a suture. The objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term safety and tissue approximation of Su2ura Approximation in comparison to Endo Stitch + Surgidac sutures in female domestic pigs. All incision sites were successfully closed by both methods. Firm consolidation within and around the incision site was noted in several animals in both treatment groups, which corresponded histopathologically to islands of ectopic cartilage or bone spicules within the fibrotic scar. These changes reflect heterotopic ossification that is commonly seen in the healing of abdominal operation sites in pigs. No other abnormal findings were observed throughout the study period. In conclusion, the use of Su2ura Approximation under the present experimental conditions revealed no safety concerns.
Artist identity is a vital part of fitness to practice for dramatherapists
Authors: Peacock Lisa
Published: December 2021

Embracing the dual identity of artist with therapist is valuable for dramatherapists, particularly when addressing the issue of fitness to practice.
Patient perspectives on states worse than death: A qualitative study with implications for patient-centered outcomes and values elicitation
Authors: Auriemma Catherine L , O’Donnell Helen , Jones Julia , Barbati Zoe , Akpek Eda , Klaiman Tamar , Halpern Scott D
Published: December 2021

Background:

Seriously ill patients rate several health outcomes as states worse than death. It is unclear what factors underlie such valuations, and whether consideration of such states is useful when making medical decisions.

Aim:

We sought to (1) use qualitative approaches to identify states worse than death, (2) identify attributes common to such undesirable health states, and (3) determine how participants might use information on these states in making medical decisions.

Design:

Qualitative study of semi-structured interviews utilizing content analysis with constant comparison techniques.

Setting, Participants:

We interviewed adults age 65 or older with serious illnesses after discharge home from one of two urban, academic hospitals. Eligible patients were purposively sampled to achieve balance in gender and race.

Results:

Of 29 participants, 15 (52%) were female, and 15 were white (52%), with a median age of 72 (interquartile range 69, 75). Various physical, cognitive, and social impairments were identified as states worse than death. The most commonly reported attributes underlying states worse than death were perceived burden on loved ones and inability to maintain human connection. Patients believed information on states worse than death must be individualized, and were concerned their opinions could change with time and fluctuations in health status.

Conclusions:

Common factors underlying undesirable states suggest that for care to be patient-centered it must also be family-centered. Patients’ views on using states worse than death in decision making highlight barriers to using avoidance of such states as a quality measure, but also suggest opportunities for eliciting patients’ values.
Palliative care needs and experiences of people in prison: A systematic review and meta-synthesis
Authors: Schaefer Isabelle , DiGiacomo Michelle , Heneka Nicole , Panozzo Stacey , Luckett Tim , Phillips Jane L
Published: December 2021

Background:

Globally, the prison population is growing and ageing, as is the need for palliative care. Yet, little is known about how people in prison perceive palliative care provision in this setting.

Aims:

To identify the: (i) perceptions of palliative care provision and dying in custody by people in prison; and (ii) perceived barriers and facilitators of person-centred palliative care provision in prison.

Design:

A systematic review and meta-synthesis was registered and undertaken in accordance with the reporting guidelines.

Data Sources:

Keywords and MeSH headings encompassing (i) palliative care, end-of-life care, death; and (ii) prison; were used to search Pubmed, Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, CINCH and ProQuest Central. Articles published in English, from high income countries, and containing qualitative data exploring perceptions of people in prison of palliative care in custody were included. Findings were reporting using the ENTREQ guidelines.

Findings:

Of the 2193 articles identified, 12 were included. Experiences of people in prison regarding palliative care related to two themes: (1) expectations versus experiences of palliative care; and (2) prison context complicates access to and provision of palliative care. People in prison with palliative care needs want to feel safe, cared for, and acknowledged as they face an expected death. The prison environment can severely restrict access to palliative care, leaving people in prison feeling isolated and powerless.

Conclusions:

People in prison expect to receive high-quality palliative care, but their experiences often do not match their expectations. Numerous structural and organisational challenges complicate the provision of palliative care in prisons, limiting accessibility of care.
General practitioners’ evaluations of optimal timing to initiate advance care planning for patients with cancer, organ failure, or multimorbidity: A health records survey study
Authors: Tros Willemijn , van der Steen Jenny T , Liefers Janine , Akkermans Reinier , Schers Henk , Numans Mattijs E , van Peet Petra G , Groenewoud A. Stef
Published: December 2021

Background:

Appropriate timing to initiate advance care planning is difficult, especially for individuals with non-malignant disease in community settings.

Aim:

To identify the optimal moment for, and reasons to initiate advance care planning in different illness trajectories.

Design and methods:

A health records survey study; health records were presented to 83 GPs with request to indicate and substantiate what they considered optimal advance care planning timing within the 2 years before death. We used quantitative and qualitative analyses.

Setting and patients:

We selected and anonymized 90 health records of patients who died with cancer, organ failure or multimorbidity, from a regional primary care registration database in the Netherlands.

Results:

The median optimal advance care planning timing according to the GPs was 228 days before death (interquartile range 392). This moment was closer to death for cancer (87.5 days before death, IQR 302) than for organ failure (266 days before death, IQR 401) and multimorbidity (290 days before death, IQR 389) ( p < 0.001). The most frequently mentioned reason for cancer was “receiving a diagnosis” (21.5%), for organ failure it was “after a period of illness” (14.7%), and for multimorbidity it was “age” and “patients” expressed wishes or reflections’ (both 12.0%).

Conclusion:

The optimal advance care planning timing and reasons to initiate advance care planning indicated by GPs differ between patients with cancer and other illnesses, and they also differ between GPs. This suggests that “the” optimal timing for ACP should be seen as a “window of opportunity” for the different disease trajectories.
The best prostate biopsy sampling system—fusion and systematic biopsy: A single center experience
Authors: Califano Alfonso , Caputo Alessandro , D’Antonio Antonio , Ciccone Vincenzo , Fabiano Marco , Maiorino Francesco , Simeone Davide , Pace Leonardo , Rega Anna , Zeppa Pio , Altieri Vincenzo
Published: December 2021

Background:

Prostate cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in men. The diagnostic accuracy in prostate cancer can be increased by employing a preliminary multiparametric MRI followed by a fusion-targeted biopsy.

Methods:

To compare the diagnostic accuracy of fusion-targeted biopsy with the standard systematic biopsy in prostate cancer patients, we enrolled 139 patients on which we performed 139 prostate biopsies consisting of three targeted samples followed by 12 regular systematic samples. Based on histology, we analyzed the diagnostic performance of the two methods.

Results:

Both methods were equally good at detecting clinically significant cancer (83.3%, 50/60), while systematic biopsy detected more clinically insignificant cancers. However, the best diagnostic performance is obtained by combining the two methods.

Conclusion:

The two methods are best seen as synergistic, and the addition of fusion biopsy can be used to detect more clinically significant prostate cancers than systematic biopsy alone.
Effect of alpha-blocker use on morbidity and lower urinary tract symptoms in patients undergoing transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy
Authors: Salar Remzi , Erbay Güven
Published: December 2021

Objective:

To evaluate voiding dysfunction and morbidity after transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided prostate biopsy and to investigate whether pre-intervention alpha-blocker treatment had any effect on morbidity and voiding dysfunction.

Material and methods:

The study included 197 consecutive patients who underwent TRUS-guided prostate biopsy between January 2014 and January 2018. The patients were divided into two groups, those receiving alpha-blocker (silodosin) and those not receiving alpha-blocker treatment before the procedure (controls). All patients were evaluated before and one week after the procedure with the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), measurements of maximum flow rate ( Qmax), post-void residual urine volume (PVR) and prostate volume, and procedure-related complications were also recorded. All analyzed parameters were compared by within-group and between-group evaluations.

Results:

There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of IPSS, Qmax and prostate volume values before biopsy. In the follow-up evaluation performed on the seventh day after biopsy, IPSS, PVR and prostate volume were found to be increased, whereas Qmax was decreased in the control group ( p < 0.05). In the silodosin group, an increase in prostate volume was observed, but there were no significant changes in IPSS, Qmax and PVR values. Acute urinary retention (AUR) after the biopsy procedure developed in two patients (2%) in the silodosin group, and in nine patients (9.1%) in the control group ( p = 0.02). No significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of biopsy-related complications, except for AUR.

Conclusion:

We believe that alpha-blocker treatment initiated before biopsy may be advantageous in preventing voiding dysfunction that may develop after the procedure.
Cultural Adaptation and Testing of the Italian Version of the Edmonton Functional Assessment Tool-2 (EFAT2-I)
Authors: Magrelli Andrea , Scannavini Paolo , D’Angelo Daniela , Latini Chiara Maria , Felli Silvia , Di Nitto Marco , Russo Giuseppina , Mastroianni Chiara , Navalesi Giovanni , Casale Giuseppe
Published: December 2021

Background

Physiotherapy in Palliative Care (PC) is effective in the management of a series of respiratory, circulatory and motor symptoms, and often has a positive impact on the patient's mood. The Edmonton Functional Assessment Tool (EFAT) is the only existing validated tool specifically designed for functional assessment in PC, and its use has been recommended in clinical practice. To date, no Italian version of the tool has been validated. The aim of this study was to translate, cross-culturally adapt, and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the EFAT2.

Method

After receiving formal permission from the author, Beaton guidelines for cross-cultural adaptation were followed, namely: (1) forward translation; (2) a multidisciplinary focus group (including 4 physiotherapists, 1 physician, 3 nurses, 1 occupational therapist, 1 psychologist) to assess semantic, idiomatic, experiential, and conceptual equivalence; (3) backward translation. The Content Validity Index (CVI) was used to assess content validity of the tool. Construct and concurrent validity were also evaluated. To evaluate the reliability of the EFAT2-I, reliability was measured using Cronbach alfa, item-total correlation, and Cohen's Kappa.

Results

119 patients admitted to a Palliative Care Unit (Italy) agreed to participate in the study. The EFAT2-I mean score was 11.3, ranging from 0 to 30. Very good CVI scores were achieved, both in terms of single item validity (I-CVI) and of whole scale validity (S-CVI). Positive results were obtained from construct, concurrent validity assessment and measures of reliability.

Discussion

The EFAT2-I showed good psychometric properties and can be used as a rehabilitation assessment tool in palliative care settings. The validation of the Italian version will allow comparison of different centres and palliative care facilities on national and international levels.
Gender Differences Between Domestic Violent Men and Women: Criminogenic Risk Factors and Their Association With Treatment Dropout
Authors: Bijlsma Anne M. E. , van der Put Claudia E. , Vial Annemiek , van Horn Joan , Overbeek Geertjan , Assink Mark
Published: December 2021

Although many studies have concluded that men and women engage in domestic violence at equal levels, existing studies have hardly focused on gender specific risk factors for domestic violence perpetration. Therefore, this study aimed to examine gender differences in criminogenic risk factors between Dutch male and female forensic outpatients who were referred to forensic treatment for domestic violence. Clinical structured assessments of criminogenic risk factors were retrieved for 366 male and 87 female outpatients. Gender differences were not only found in the prevalence and interrelatedness of criminogenic risk factors, but also in associations between criminogenic risk factors and treatment dropout. In men, risk factors related to the criminal history, substance abuse, and criminal attitudes were more prevalent than in women, whereas risk factors related to education/work, finances, and the living environment were more prevalent in women. Further, having criminal friends, having a criminal history, and drug abuse were associated with treatment dropout in men, whereas a problematic relationship with family members, housing instability, a lack of personal support, and unemployment were associated with treatment dropout in women. Finally, network analyses revealed gender differences in risk factor interrelatedness. The results provide important insights into gender specific differences in criminogenic risk factors for domestic violence, which support clinical professionals in tailoring treatment to the specific needs of male and female perpetrators of domestic violence.
Domestic Violence Survivorship Among a Sample of Older African American Women: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis
Authors: Burse Jacqueline , Voth-Schrag Rachel , Fields Noelle L. , Woody Debra
Published: December 2021

African American women experience domestic violence at a rate that is 35% higher than the domestic violence rate of White women. Moreover, African American women encompass 8% of the US population but account for 22% of domestic violence–related homicide victims. African American women are at greater risk for facing economic difficulties, homelessness, unemployment, and health and educational disparities due to domestic violence. However, little attention has been given to the lived experiences of older women who are domestic violence survivors. Theories of phenomenology and hermeneutics provided the theoretical framework for this study. An interpretative phenomenological analysis framework guided the research design and data analysis process. Overall, the findings pointed toward the need for generating more culturally sensitive and culturally tailored programs and services to address domestic violence in the African American community. Additionally, services are needed that include faith-based education, training, and prevention programs to enable churches and social workers to address the unique cultural needs of African American women who have endured domestic violence.
Experience of Time and Subjective Age When Facing a Limited Lifetime: The Case of Older Adults with Advanced Cancer
Authors: Laryionava Katsiaryna , Schönstein Anton , Heußner Pia , Hiddemann Wolfgang , Winkler Eva C. , Wahl Hans-Werner
Published: December 2021

Objectives

We addressed two questions: (1) Does advanced cancer in later life affect a person’s awareness of time and their subjective age? (2) Are awareness of time and subjective age associated with distress, perceived quality of life, and depression?

Methods

We assessed patients suffering terminal cancer (OAC, n = 91) and older adults free of any life-threatening disease (OA, n = 89), all subjects being aged 50 years or older.

Results

Older adults with advanced cancer perceived time more strongly as being a finite resource and felt significantly older than OA controls. Feeling younger was meaningfully related with better quality of life and less distress. In the OA group, feeling younger was also associated to reduced depression. Perceiving time as a finite resource was related to higher quality of life in the OA group.

Discussion

Major indicators of an older person’s awareness of time and subjective aging differ between those being confronted with advanced cancer versus controls.
Implementing a service learning Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program: Recruiting college student participants and understanding the benefits to all stakeholders
Authors: Byrd James D , Smith Douglas L , Helms Marilyn M
Published: December 2021

Service learning for business students is an important activity for learning professionalism while adding volunteer and leadership experiences to their resume. The purposeful inclusion of in-field volunteerism in the accounting curriculum by participation in the USA’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program each spring offers a host of additional benefits for students, as well as their communities and educational institutions. To better understand and identify these stakeholder benefits, the authors surveyed participants and found that students gained both career building work skills and community and social awareness, while community participants increased their personal satisfaction. Given the overall student benefits from participation, the second phase of the exploratory research examined ways to increase student participation for future VITA programs, because the success of any VITA program depends on both the strength and the presence of sufficient student volunteers. Faculty suggestions for recruiting are presented along with areas for future research.
Investigation of the microstructure and thermo-mechanical properties of functionally graded materials fabricated by the vibrating centrifugal solid particle method
Authors: Hajisadeghian Ali , Masoumi Abolfazl , Parvizi Ali
Published: December 2021

In this research, SiC/Al A413.1 functionally graded materials (FGMs) were fabricated by the vibrating centrifugal solid particle method (VCSPM), and the effects of the SiC particles on the microstructure and thermo-mechanical properties of an A413.1 aluminium alloy were investigated. The benefits of a vibration during centrifugal casting of FGMs are illustrated. After designing and fabricating the centrifugal casting machine, cylindrical FGM specimens were produced using the centrifugal solid particle method (CSPM) and VCSPM. This study used SiC particles with an average particle size from 50 to 62 μm as reinforcements to fabricate A413.1-10 wt% SiC functionally gradient composites at three annular mould speeds (900–1500 and 2100 rpm) and with or without a vibration of the mould. The Brinell hardness was measured; the yield strength (YS), ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and Young’s modulus (E) were determined by tensile testing; the density was determined by the Archimedes method; and the thermal expansion coefficients were measured with a dilatometer. A comparison of the samples produced by the conventional method and VCSPM shows a significant reduction in the porosity and an increase in the distribution gradient of the reinforcing particles for the VCSPM case. It can be concluded that in both processes, the mechanical and thermal properties improved in most cases by moving from the inner radius to the outer radius because of the movement of particles towards the outer radius from the centrifugal force. The results also show that the use of a vibration dramatically increased the rate and speed of migration of gas bubbles towards the inner radius, and the mechanical properties (hardness, YS, UTS and E) improved by moving from the inner to outer radius due to an increase in the percentage of silicon carbide particles. Upon increasing the velocity and using the VCSPM, the slope of these changes becomes steeper than those for the vibration-free mode and at low rotation speeds.
Particles formation due to the wear of tires and measures for the wear reduction: A review
Authors: Stojanovic Nadica , Abdullah Oday I , Grujic Ivan , Boskovic Bojana
Published: December 2021

Tires are a very important part of a vehicle, necessary for the vehicle driving. During the vehicle exploitation, due to the friction which appears in the contact between the tire and the road, it comes to the formation of so called non-exhaust particles. The particles formed during the vehicle exploitation can be composed of heavy metals and they are harmful for people’s health and for the environment. Several factors influence the size of the wear of tires. The investigations about the tires behavior as well as the size of the wear can be conducted on the road, in the laboratory, as well as by application of modern software. The paper shows the applied methodologies applied by other researchers during the investigation of tires particles formation, the applied materials for the tires manufacturing, influential parameters on the wear of tires, as well as methods for the wear of tires reduction. After analyzing other researches in the subject field, the authors have come to the conclusions related to the factors which can reduce the wear of tires and these factors should be given proper attention in further studies.
Tree line shifts, changing vegetation assemblages and permafrost dynamics on Galdhøpiggen (Jotunheimen, Norway) over the past ~4400 years
Authors: Hallang Helen , Froyd Cynthia A , Hiemstra John F , Los Sietse O
Published: December 2021

An environmental reconstruction based on palynological evidence preserved in peat was carried out to examine late-Holocene alpine tree line dynamics in the context of past climatic changes on Galdhøpiggen (Jotunheimen, southern Norway). We analysed a peat core taken from a mire at the present-day tree line (1000 m a.s.l.), c. 450 m downslope from the lower limit of sporadic permafrost. We adopted a combination of commonly used indicators of species’ local presence to reconstruct past vegetation assemblages, such as the relative pollen abundance (%), pollen accumulation rate (PAR), and presence of indicator species. Additionally, fossil pollen from the peat sequence was compared to modern pollen from a surface moss polster to establish a modern analogue. The results were compared with studies covering the late-Holocene climatic changes in the area. The reconstruction demonstrates that a pine-dominated woodland reached above the present-day tree line at c. 4300 cal. yr BP, suggesting a warmer climate suitable for Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris) growth at this altitude. Scots pine retreated to lower altitudes between c. 3400 and 1700 cal. yr BP, accompanied by the descent of the low-alpine shrub-dominated belt, in response to cooling climatic conditions. The colder period covered c. 1700–170 cal. yr BP, and an open downy birch ( Betula pubescens) woodland became widespread at 1000 m a.s.l., whilst pine remained sparse at this altitude. From c. 170 cal. yr BP onwards, warming allowed pine to re-establish its local presence alongside downy birch at 1000 m a.s.l.
Paleoenvironmental reconstruction in La Paz Bay, Gulf of California: Evidence from δ18O in Chione californiensis
Authors: Arenas Fernando , Fujita Harumi , Sánchez Alberto
Published: December 2021

Oceanic characteristics of the Holocene are used to understand climatic patterns and phenomena that affect marine and human communities. Likewise, past marine conditions can be reconstructed from surface sea temperature (SST), using stable oxygen isotopes in bivalve shells. The objective of this study was to calculate Holocene summer SSTs for La Paz Bay, by analyzing δ18O of 14C dated bivalve shells ( Chione californiensis) from a Holocene camp site located in Cañada de La Enfermería, Baja California Sur, México. Aragonite was extracted from the shells’ umbo, representing the summer growth season during the first year of life. δ18O value of C. californiensis is −1.9 ± 0.1‰ at present, and varied between −1.3‰ and −2.6‰ during the last 9 ky. In 9469 BP, 8396 BP, and 7708 BP, δ18O values were similar to those of the present. In 7857 BP, 7805 BP, and 7804 BP, δ18O was 18O depleted (0.6–0.9‰), indicating warmer summer SSTs versus the present. In 7070 BP, 6945 BP, and 2087 BP, δ18O was enriched in 18O (0.3–0.4‰), suggesting colder SSTs versus the present. This study coincides with other paleotemperature studies for the region and allows us to address the effect of changing SST on this marine resource, its use by human communities of the past, and its effects on human presence in the area with respect to climate variability.
The missing fundamentals of harmonic theory: Chord roots and their ambiguity in arrangements of jazz standards
Authors: Parncutt Richard , Radovanovic Lazar
Published: December 2021

Since Lippius and Rameau, chords have roots that are often voiced in the bass, doubled, and used as labels. Psychological experiments and analyses of databases of Western classical music have not produced clear evidence for the psychological reality of chord roots. We analyzed a symbolic database of 100 arrangements of jazz standards (musical instrument digital interface [MIDI] files from midkar.com and thejazzpage.de ). Selection criteria were representativeness and quality.The original songs had been composed in the 1930s and 1950s, and each file had a beat track. Files were converted to chord progressions by identifying tone onsets near beat locations (±10% of beat duration). Chords were classified as triads (major, minor, diminished, suspended) or seventh chords (major–minor, minor, major, half-diminished, diminished, and suspended) plus extra tones. Roots that were theoretically less ambiguous were more often in the bass or (to a lesser extent) doubled. The root of the minor triad was ambiguous, as predicted (conventional root or third). Of the sevenths, the major–minor had the clearest root. The diminished triad was often part of a major–minor seventh chord; the half-diminished seventh, of a dominant ninth. Added notes (“tensions”) tended to minimize dissonance (roughness or inharmonicity). In arrangements of songs from the 1950s, diminished triads and sevenths were less common, and suspended triads more common, relative to the 1930s. Results confirm the psychological reality of chord roots and their specific ambiguities. Results are consistent with Terhardt’s virtual pitch theory and the idea that musical chords emerge gradually from cultural and historic processes. The approach can enrich music theory (including pitch-class set analysis) and jazz pedagogy.
A Culturally Adapted Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Group: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Young Daniel K. W. , Yat-nam Petrus NG
Published: December 2021

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate a culturally adapted cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) group for Chinese people with depression that aimed to alter participants’ negative beliefs of themselves, which were influenced by traditional Chinese cultural values.

Method

In this randomized controlled trial, 43 participants diagnosed with depression were randomly allocated to a 10-session culturally adapted CBT group or treatment as usual (TAU). A research assistant, who was blinded to the group allocation process, used the Chinese Beck Depression Inventory-II to assess participants’ depressive symptoms during the pre-treatment and post-treatment periods.

Results

The results of the mixed linear model for repeated measures showed that the CBT group had significantly greater improvement in depressive symptoms than treatment as usual, with a medium effect size.

Conclusion

This study supports the efficacy and effectiveness of the culturally adapted CBT group in facilitating clinically significant improvement in Chinese people with depression.
Communicating With Nursing Home Residents About End of Life
Authors: Sopcheck Janet , Tappen Ruth M.
Published: December 2021

Approximately 33% of the 1.2 million older individuals residing in nursing homes have the capacity to discuss their preferences for end-of-life care, and 35% will die within their first year in the nursing home. These conversations necessary to promote care consistent with the resident’s preferences are often limited and most often occur when the resident is actively dying. The purpose of this secondary analysis was to understand the resident’s perspectives on end-of-life communication in the nursing home and suggest approaches to facilitate this communication. We interviewed 46 participants (16 residents, 10 family members, and 20 staff) in a Southeast Florida nursing home from January to May 2019. The data were analyzed using descriptive and pattern coding and matrices to decipher preliminary categories and thematic interpretation within and across each participant group. Two themes emerged from this secondary analysis that residents assume others know their end-of-life preferences, and past experiences may predict future end-of-life choices. Residents and family members were willing to discuss end-of-life care. Study findings also suggested that past experiences with the end-of-life and critical illness of another could impact residents’ and family members’ end-of-life care decisions, and that nurses’ recognition of subtle signs of a resident’s decline may trigger provider-initiated end-of-life conversations. Future research should focus on strategies to promote earlier end-of-life discussions to support independent decision-making about end-of-life care in this relatively dependent population of older adults.