bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Are Sex Differences in Human Brain Structure Associated With Sex Differences in Behavior?
Authors: van Eijk Liza , Zhu Dajiang , Couvy-Duchesne Baptiste , Strike Lachlan T. , Lee Anthony J. , Hansell Narelle K. , Thompson Paul M. , de Zubicaray Greig I. , McMahon Katie L. , Wright Margaret J. , Zietsch Brendan P.
Published: July 2021

On average, men and women differ in brain structure and behavior, raising the possibility of a link between sex differences in brain and behavior. But women and men are also subject to different societal and cultural norms. We navigated this challenge by investigating variability of sex-differentiated brain structure within each sex. Using data from the Queensland Twin IMaging study ( n = 1,040) and Human Connectome Project ( n = 1,113), we obtained data-driven measures of individual differences along a male–female dimension for brain and behavior based on average sex differences in brain structure and behavior, respectively. We found a weak association between these brain and behavioral differences, driven by brain size. These brain and behavioral differences were moderately heritable. Our findings suggest that behavioral sex differences are, to some extent, related to sex differences in brain structure but that this is mainly driven by differences in brain size, and causality should be interpreted cautiously.
Disclosure of Silent Branding During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study of Sarsiwa Village in Chhattisgarh State of India
Authors: Agrawal Shiv Ratan
Published: July 2021

The study tried to explore the adopted branding strategy in trading essential goods in lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. The lead researcher observed the buying behaviour of 600 rural customers as a participant–observer in grocery shops. Additionally, he interviewed five grocery shopkeepers in that village to cross-check the customers’ observations. The study categorised these observations into similar themes using content analysis. The sorting of the study data resulted in six main categories. Out of six categories, two are the most important, which reveal that customers don’t want to compromise with their choice of products/brands even in this adverse situation and they ask their preferred products/brands in code word very often to their nearby shopkeepers. Actually, these code words are the impact of silent branding of a product in their mind. The current study reveals that silent branding works long-lasting for customers and could be beneficial for firms. The study imperatively adds the concept of silent branding in the existing literature on branding.
Four Frames for Choosing Performance Metrics for Child and Family Service Programs: Strategic Planning, Decision Points, Logic Modeling, and Implementation Science
Authors: McMillen J. Curtis , Israel Nathaniel
Published: July 2021

This article provides guidance for child and family service organizations seeking to develop useful performance metrics for their programs. It describes four frames for this work, based on strategic planning, decision points, logic modeling, and implementation science. These four frameworks are applied to two cases, an afterschool program and a therapeutic foster care program. Additional considerations are provided for reducing potential metrics to a meaningful few.
The Limits of Justice-Informed Research and Teaching in the Presence of Antiblackness and Black Suffering: Surplus of Transformation or (Un)Just Traumatic Returns?
Authors: Brown Keffrelyn D.
Published: July 2021

In this conceptual article, I examine the turn of justice-oriented research and teaching from transformative to traumatic and its relationship to antiblackness. I consider the affordances and limits of research and teaching that makes antiblackness visible while simultaneously citing potentially traumatizing portraits of Black suffering. Drawing from critical multicultural education and social justice scholarship, alongside Black intellectual thought in literary studies, visual studies, Eastern philosophy, and participatory and ethnographic research, I ask whether and how researchers should engage justice-informed research and teaching. I offer insights to consider when seeking either to capture antiblack injustice or to share it as curriculum.
A 3D extension of pantographic geometries to obtain metamaterial with semi-auxetic properties
Authors: Stilz Maximilian , Plappert David , Gutmann Florian , Hiermaier Stefan
Published: July 2021

In this work we present a three-dimensional extension of pantographic structures and describe its properties after homogenization of the unit cell. Here we rely on a description involving only the first gradient of displacement, as the semi-auxetic property is effectively described by first-order stiffness terms. For a homogenization technique, discrete asymptotic expansion is used. The material shows two positive ([Formula: see text]) and one negative Poisson’s ratios ([Formula: see text]). If, on the other hand, we assume inextensible Bernoulli beams and perfect pivots, we find a vanishing stiffness matrix, suggesting a purely higher gradient material.
Vygotsky’s Tragedy: Hamlet and the Psychology of Art
Authors: Zittoun Tania , Stenner Paul
Published: July 2021

Lev S. Vygotsky is one of the major figures of psychology; however, his deep engagement with the arts is less known. This is surprising, given the fact that the arts, and especially Shakespeare’s Hamlet, are present throughout his career. In this article, we argue, first, that Hamlet was a major symbolic resource for Vygotsky in times of liminal transitions, and second, that it is this very deep experience of having been transformed by means of Hamlet that grounds his psychology of art, which aims precisely to show how Hamlet works as a “technique of emotions.” Our demonstration is organized into three main movements. In Part 1, we retrace the historical and cultural context in which Vygotsky grew up as a young man. We emphasize his experiences of liminality and transitions, due to transformations of the social world and his own life. In Part 2, we examine Vygotsky’s proposition itself through a close analysis of his Psychology of art. Finally, in Part 3, we further explicate the relation between art and life at play in Vygotsky’s approach and relate this to Vygotsky’s broader psychology.
Playing Apart Together: Young People’s Online Gaming During the COVID-19 Lockdown
Authors: Bengtsson Tea T. , Bom Louise H. , Fynbo Lars
Published: July 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic caused countries around the world to initiate societal lockdowns, especially during the spring of 2020. This article focuses on online gaming’s role in young people’s lives during the lockdown in Denmark. Informed by a practice theoretical framework, the analyses of 35 interviews with young people (16–19 years) examine how gaming proved to be something to do in a situation of nothing to do. The analyses find that the young people’s gaming practices were beneficial (a) in allowing the young people to maintain a social life and (b) in providing a legitimate social space for maintaining friendships and/or coping with boredom. The findings demonstrate that young people who engage with online gaming are capable of adapting to fundamental changes to society to fulfil their social needs and aspirations, including during a pandemic.
Atypical use of PICC as centrally inserted central catheter in infants and neonates: Report of a 10-year experience
Authors: Nourzaie Romman , Abbas Hiba , Parthipun Aneeta , Boolkah Soo , Ahmed Irfan , Gkoutzios Panos , Moser Steven , Monzon Leonard , Karunanithy Narayan , Diamantopoulos Athanasios
Published: July 2021

Purpose:

The aim was to determine the success, safety and post procedure complications of peripherally inserted central catheters as centrally inserted central catheters (CICC).

Materials and method:

One hundred and sixty-one consecutive infants and neonates, who underwent image guided tunnelled central venous catheter insertion were retrospectively evaluated between April 2008 and April 2018. Patient’s demographics, site of access and procedure details were recorded. Outcomes included technical success and post procedure complications.

Results:

One hundred and eighty-two CICCs were inserted in 161 patients (49.7%, n = 80 male). Mean patient age was 100 days (range: 0–342) with a mean weight of 4.20 kg (range 1.80–9.40). The most common indication was for antibiotics administration (41%; n = 66). Technical success was 99% (181/182). Early complications (<7 days) were seen in 8.8% ( n = 13). This included inadvertent line removal in 5.5%, catheter-related bloodstream infection in 1.1% and catheter occlusion in 2.2% ( n = 4). Average line functional duration prior to removal was 26 days (range 0–180). 77.5% of the lines lasted for the intended duration of treatment. In the neonate subgroup, 84.1% (37/44 lines) of lines remained in situ for the intended duration of treatment.

Conclusion:

Tunnelled central venous catheters using non-cuffed peripherally inserted central catheters in infants is a safe technique with excellent success rate and minimal complications rates.
The effect of PECS-1 block on postoperative pain in total implantable venous access port catheter (TIVAP) insertion
Authors: Pişkin Özcan , Altınsoy Bülent , Baytar Çağdaş , Aydın Bengü Gülhan , Okyay Dilek , Küçükosman Gamze , Bollucuoğlu Keziban , Yılmaz Alkım Gizem , Ayoğlu Hilal
Published: July 2021

Background:

The aim of this prospective, randomized, controlled study was to evaluate the analgesic effect of US-guided Pectoral (PECS) I blocks on postoperative analgesia after TIVAP insertion.

Methods:

A hundred-twenty patients were included in this study. The patients were divided into two groups: Group PECS and Group INF (infiltration). A total 0.4 mL kg−1 0.25% bupivacaine was injected to below the middle of the clavicle in the interfascial space between the pectoralis major and minor muscles for PECS-1. The skin and deep tissue infiltration of the anterior chest wall was performed with 0.4 mL kg−1 0.25% bupivacaine for INF group. Tramadol and paracetamol consumption, visual analog scale pain scores were recorded at 0, 1, 4, 12, and 24 h postoperatively.

Results:

The use of the PECS in TIVAP significantly decreased the amount of paracetamol used in the first 24 h postoperatively ( p < 0.001). There was a statistically significant difference in the number of tramadol rescue analgesia administered between the groups ( p < 0.001) There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of the VAS scores at 0 and 24 h. However, VAS scores at 1, 4, and 12 h were found to be significantly lower in patients who underwent PECS than in those who received infiltration anesthesia ( p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

This study shows that US-guided PECS-1 provides adequate analgesia following TIVAP insertion as part of multimodal analgesia. The PECS-1 significantly reduced opioid consumption.
An Added Benefit of Masks During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Ultraviolet Protection
Authors: Doyon Valerie C. , Khosravi-Hafshejani Touraj , Richer Vincent
Published: July 2021

The widespread use of masks during the COVID-19 pandemic presents a new avenue for protecting the lower half of the face from the harms of sun exposure. The increased social acceptability of masks, which may persist post-pandemic, has the potential to impact prevention of photosensitive disorders, photoaging, and skin cancer. The authors sought to review clinically relevant information on the ultraviolet (UV) shielding properties of masks. This synthesis of current research will help physicians counsel patients on optimal mask choices, from both dermatological and public health viewpoints. The variables impacting the UV protection of masks were reviewed, including fabric type, construction, porosity, and color. Other factors related to wear and use such as moisture, stretch, laundering, and sanitization are discussed in the context of the pandemic. Black, tightly woven, triple-layered polyester cloth masks were determined to be optimal for UV protection. The most protective choice against both SARS-CoV-2 and UV radiation is a medical mask worn underneath the aforementioned cloth mask. In order to preserve the filtration capacity of the fabric, masks should be changed once they have become moist. Washing cotton masks before first use in laundry detergents containing brightening agents increases their UV protection. Overall, cloth masks for the public that are safest against SARS-CoV-2 are generally also the most protective against UV damage. People should be encouraged to procure a high-quality mask to simultaneously help reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and shield against sun exposure. Further investigation is needed on the UV-protective properties of medical masks.
Biscriptal bilingualism differentially affects segmentation of cross-language homophones: Evidence from Hindi and English users
Authors: Vaid Jyotsna , Chen Hsin-Chin , Rao Chaitra
Published: July 2021

Aims and objectives:

Few previous studies of bilingual cognition have theorized the impact of being literate in distinct orthographies. This study examined: (1) How do differences in the way writing systems represent sound affect biscriptal bilinguals’ segmentation of spoken words in each language? and (2) What is the impact of the first learned orthography? These questions were addressed in native and non-native readers of Hindi and English. The primary unit of writing in Hindi is the akshara, which corresponds to a syllable in most cases, whereas for English the unit of writing corresponds to a phoneme.

Method:

Hindi-English users listened to cross-language homophones in Hindi and English. Participants were instructed to take away “the first sound” of each word and say aloud what remained.

Data analysis:

Percent deletion of the initial phoneme was examined. Exp. 1 included 44 bilinguals. Exp. 2 tested 13 bilinguals.

Findings/conclusions:

For native English readers the first phoneme was deleted regardless of language. For native readers of Hindi, performance differed by language: the “first sound” was a phoneme for English words but a syllable for Hindi words (except for vowel-initial words).

Originality:

Using a novel paradigm, this study demonstrates that biscriptal bilinguals’ conceptions of speech sounds are differentially shaped by their knowledge of the written forms of those sounds: deleting “the first sound” in /sʌfʌr/ resulted in /fʌr/ when it was presented as a Hindi word but as /ʌfʌr/ when presented as English. Thus, the very same spoken word can yield different conceptions depending on whether it is heard as a word belonging to one language or another.

Significance/implications:

The findings indicate that language-specific orthographic knowledge influences biscriptal bilinguals’ conceptualization of speech sounds in their respective languages. More generally, our study argues for more research on biscriptal bilinguals in the study of bilingual cognition.
Evidence of phonological transfer in bilingual preschoolers who speak Arabic and French
Authors: Meziane Rabia Sabah , MacLeod Andrea AN
Published: July 2021

Purpose:

The purpose of this study is to document evidence of phonological transfer in bilingual preschoolers. Specifically, we focus on the phonological development of bilingual children acquiring French and Arabic.

Method:

Nine children who spoke Arabic and French, aged three years old, participated in a picture-naming task in both languages. Three types of measurement were used to examine the interaction between the two systems: consonants accuracy; inventory of acquired consonants; and types of errors.

Data and analysis:

The accuracy of shared and unshared consonants between Arabic and French were compared with a repeated measures analysis of variance, and error patterns were analyzed.

Conclusions:

Two main results suggest that these bilingual children have two phonological systems that interacted. First, the children had an inventory of acquired consonants that differed according to language. Second, they produced shared consonants more accurately than unshared consonants, indicating positive interactions and low accuracy for unshared consonants, indicating negative interactions.

Originality:

This study contributes much-needed research relating to the development of bilingual children, particularly children who are acquiring Arabic and French.

Implications:

These findings enrich the understanding of bilingual phonological development and contribute to understanding how two phonological systems interact. This study also has clinical implications for evaluation and intervention with bilingual children.
Ethics in neoliberalism? Parental responsibility and education policy in Chile and Australia
Authors: Oyarzún Juan de Dios , Gerrard Jessica , Savage Glenn C.
Published: July 2021

This article questions the diverse and, in some cases, contradictory ethical forms present in contemporary neoliberal policy frames. In particular, we analyse the demands of responsibility – as a form of ethical commitment – requested of parents by education policies in the contexts of Chile and Australia. Assuming neoliberalism as a contextualised and multivocal form of governing, we applied a policy sociology approach to study the ethical implications for parents of two recent educational reforms developed in the national contexts of this research. Our analyses show that the emerging demands on parents for responsibility in the educational field exceed univocal forms of individual responsibilisation, encompassing expressions of responsibility that respond to collective and public goals.
Podcasts and new orality in the African mediascape
Authors: Royston Reginold A
Published: July 2021

While podcasts as a storytelling media have exploded in popularity in the West since 2014, the uptake and consumption of this sonic new media was relatively slow in Africa until recently. This article explores amateur and start-up entrepreneurship podcasts that came to dominate the African mediascape during the medium’s coming of age moment between 2014 and 2018. I extend Walter Ong’s observation that broadcast and electronic media recreate the experience of oral performance, to show how the oral and aural dimensions of podcasting represent a set of approaches that can be described as new orality. This article also draws connections and distinctions between what I term the “dialogic schema” of African tech podcasts and “traditional” forms of narrative storytelling in African public cultures, as well as the emerging forms of mobile digital practices that, like podcasting, challenge easy distinctions between written and oral and literacy.
Dynamic modelling and accuracy analysis for front-end weighing system of LHD vehicles
Authors: Liang Guodong , Liu Li , Meng Yu , Gu Qing , Fang Huazhen
Published: July 2021

Automatically and accurately obtaining payload information from Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) vehicles is a typical application of information and intelligence technology in engineering equipment, which provides an important support for efficient and safe construction. In this paper, a novel comprehensive weighing model for LHD with high accuracy and adaptability is proposed by Newton-Euler method. The accuracy of the model has been greatly improved with the consideration of some critical factors such as materials randomness, driving cylinders coupling, dynamic characteristics of mechanism, system damping and working pavement. The effect of the critical factors on the accuracy of weighing model is deeply analysed through significance analysis and comparison tests, which provides an important basis for the improvement of weighing model. Validation shows that the novel model is superior to traditional models in accuracy and adaptability. In theory, the accuracy of novel model is at least 3 times higher than that of traditional models, and its accuracy can still achieve ±0.3% in complex velocity or acceleration motion, and the larger the load mass, the higher the accuracy. As a result, the novel comprehensive weighing model can provide accurate load information for LHD vehicles without affecting working efficiency. It is of great theory and application value to the development of information and intelligence technology in engineering equipment and contributes to efficient and safe construction.
Targeted Poverty Alleviation in China: A Typology of Official–Household Relations
Authors: Davie Georgina , Wang Mark , Rogers Sarah , Li Jie
Published: July 2021

‘Targeted Poverty Alleviation’ (TPA) is the Chinese government’s latest anti-poverty policy, aiming to lift the remaining 70 million Chinese citizens above the poverty line by 2020. The TPA scheme is novel in that every impoverished household is paired one-on-one with a local government official, who then bears responsibility for the eradication of their poverty. Despite being at the core of TPA, this pairing mechanism has received little academic attention. Based on an empirical case study of ten households across two villages in rural Shaanxi Province, China, this article aims to investigate this pairing mechanism at the micro level and its outcomes for poverty alleviation, in order to better understand how the notion of ‘precision’ is being realized through TPA. Two distinct traits that influence the TPA pairing system emerged: first, the ranking of the assigned local official is important in that higher-ranked officials have greater social and financial resources at their disposal, bringing about enhanced poverty alleviation outcomes for their households compared with lower-ranked officials. Secondly, the willingness and ability of impoverished households to actively participate in their poverty alleviation programme is beneficial within the TPA scheme, achieving better outcomes in the long-term compared with households who are passive receivers. TPA has the potential to work effectively and to achieve China’s poverty reduction goals; however, our analysis shows that some pairing mechanisms are more effective in achieving poverty alleviation goals than others.
The statistical characteristics of knock signal waveforms
Authors: JC Peyton Jones , Patel Vatsal
Published: July 2021

Individual instances of the knock resonant response are easy to acquire but these are subject to noise and vary considerably from cycle to cycle due to random variations in the knock process. This work provides a new way to quantify and model the stochastic properties of knock signals, capturing both the time domain resonant characteristics within a cycle as well as the random variations from cycle to cycle. A new phase alignment method enables the ensemble mean knock waveform to be identified from the data which also removes noise components without the need for narrowband filtering. This ensemble waveform shows the empirical characteristics of knock onset, decay, and frequency slurring within the cycle as the gas expands and cools. The phase-aligned cyclic variations of the knock waveform are also shown to approximate a (time-varying) dual-Gaussian distribution, and fitting such a model to the data enables the statistical properties of the dataset as a whole to be decomposed into separate knocking and non-knocking populations providing further insight into the knock process. The technique is applied both to filtered cylinder pressure signals and to accelerometer-based knock signals, and the results are compared and contrasted.
Examining experiential fear of crime using STUNDA: Findings from a smartphone-based experience methods study
Authors: Engström Alexander , Kronkvist Karl
Published: July 2021

Situational data have become more frequently used in research on offending and victimization. However, one outcome that has received less attention is fear of crime. The current study uses situational data collected through a smartphone application (STUNDA) to examine fear of crime as it is experienced in daily life among a sample of university students. Roughly 1200 situations reported by 129 students were analysed using generalized estimating equations. The results indicate that experiential fear of crime, in the form of worrying about victimization, is related to features of the immediate settings. More specifically, the odds ratio for experiencing fear of crime is significantly higher in places away from home and after dark, whereas social activities are associated with a significantly lower odds ratio, net of individual-level controls (gender, age, previous victimization and fear propensity). Yet, fear propensity, measured here using items that refer to an individual’s general worry about victimization, has an independent significant effect on fear of crime. As a result of the study’s convenience sample, the generalizability of the findings is limited, but a more general theoretical conclusion can nonetheless be drawn; features of settings and individual characteristics are both of importance. Further, the use of experience methods via a smartphone application provided detailed and unique situational data, which suggests that future research should further employ these methods to study situational phenomena such as fear of crime.
Unintentional investigations: Truth in drama and “all that ‘ordinary’ in the phrase ‘ordinary language philosophy’ means”
Authors: Forsberg Niklas
Published: July 2021

This paper explores the notion of truth in relation to literature. It opens with a critical exposition of some dominant tendencies in contemporary aesthetics, in which narrow views of truth and reference guide the aesthetic investigations in harmful ways. One of the problems with such as view is not merely that it becomes difficult to talk about truth in art, but that it also makes the idea that we can learn something from literature problematic. The effort of this paper is thus to open up for a variety of notions of truth, that are not immediately tied to the notion of representation or correspondence. We need a way of talking about truth in art. The effort to explore a notion of truth in art that is not tied to narrow views about reference, and which broadens our sense of “aboutness” goes, in this paper, via a reading of Harold Pinter’s Nobel Lecture from 2005, together with some reflections inspired by some of Stanely Cavell’s reflections about the relevance of reflecting upon ordinary language. It is argued that literature engages in a form of conceptual reflection, by means of making the sense of our concepts clear and by challenging philosophical preconceptions about what our concepts must mean. What we can learn from art is thus not necessarily toed to either representation or authorial intent, but comes into view by means of the literary exercises that often (but certainly not always) require a conceptual sensitivity; that is, by means of careful attention to what words mean and what follows from them in specific contexts of use.
Sámi children as thought herders: philosophy of death and storytelling as radical hope in early childhood education
Authors: Johansson Viktor
Published: July 2021

This article follows a story played out by children at a Sámi early childhood centre in north Sweden. It does so by reflecting on the children’s story as a form of Critical Indigenous Philosophy. In particular it explores what it could mean for a child to be a philosopher in a Sámi context by developing the concept of jurddavázzi, or thought herder, in conversation with Wittgenstein’s method of ‘leading’, and Cavell’s of ‘shepherding’, ‘words back from their metaphysical to their everyday use’. The children’s play story – involving themes of death, struggles with natural surroundings, and interconnectivity through seeing life in nature – is read in relation to questions about traditional stories raised in the poetry of the Sámi poet, artist and philosopher, Nils-Aslak Valkeapää, or Áillohaš. The article ends by discussing how the children’s invitation to follow their story can be seen as a decolonizing pedagogical gesture of the child that requires a particular kind of philosophical listening by the teacher or adult. The article is in its style an attempt to demonstrate a form of philosophical storytelling the children are engaged in.
The Supreme Court, Ideology, and the Decision to Cite or Borrow from Amicus Curiae Briefs
Authors: Canelo Kayla S.
Published: July 2021

Scholars have sought to understand the dual characterization of Supreme Court justices as both legal and political actors. One way to further uncover this complexity is to assess how the justices engage with the interest groups that file amicus curiae or “friend-of-the-Court” briefs. Scholars have revealed that the justices often “borrow language” from these briefs in their opinions. However, much less often, they cite the amici. These two uses are distinct in that one is revealed to the reader while the other is not. So which interest groups do the justices decide to cite and which do they borrow language from? I find the justices borrow more language from ideologically similar interests, but that ideology plays a less central role in the decision to cite. Specifically, I find that the justices are less likely to cite briefs filed by ideologically overt interests, but this only extends to the most ideologically “extreme” groups. Further, the justices are not more likely to cite briefs filed by interests that are ideologically similar to their own preferences. These findings provide insight into how the justices balance policy and legitimacy goals.
Prognostic Value of Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Patients: Meta-Analysis
Authors: Berele Birhanu Aberha , Cai Yuxiang , Yang Guifang
Published: July 2021

Objective:

To evaluate the prognostic value of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients.

Method:

Meta-analysis was performed on eligible studies that was identified by systematic searching of Google scholar, MEDLINE, CNKI, Scopus, PubMed, PMC, Embase and Web of Science databases. The study protocol was registered in International Platform of Registered Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols-INPLASY (registration number: INPLASY202160014). Databases were searched from inception to January 20, 2020 to identify eligible studies. Those studies that evaluated survival in the form of hazard ratio (HR) in TILs of NPC patients was analyzed. All statistical analysis was performed by using STATA version 16.0 software.

Result:

Fourteen studies with a total of 3025 patients was analyzed. The pooled result showed that high TILs was significantly associated with favorable overall survival (OS) (HR = 0.55; 95%CI = 0.39-0.77; P = 0.001) and disease free survival (DFS) (HR = 0.60; 95%CI = 0.44-0.81; P = 0.04). Interestingly, high intratumoral TILs had relatively better OS (HR = 0.45; 95%CI = 0.35-0.58; P = 0.006) than stromal TILs (HR = 0.59; 95%CI = 0.36-0.97; P = 0.03). Moreover, an increased level of CD4+ cells infiltration was correlated with favorable OS (HR = 0.4; 95%CI = 0.18-0.85; P = 0.01). CD3+, CD8+ and FoxP3+ lymphocyte’s better prognosis was not statistically significant for OS ( P = 0.09; P = 0.07; P = 0.52) and for DFS ( P = 0.13; P = 0.29) respectively. However, subgroup analysis of intratumoral CD3+ (HR = 0.48; 95%CI = 0.33-0.70; P = 0.05) and intratumoral CD8+ (HR = 0.32; 95%CI = 0.16-0.62; P = 0.001) was significantly associated with improved OS, but not significant in stromal CD3+ (HR = 0.66; 95%CI = 0.20-2.20; P = 0.62).

Conclusion:

TILs were variably correlated with better prognosis depending on their microanatomic location and subset of TILs in NPC patients. CD4+, intratumoral CD3+ and intratumoral CD8+ lymphocytes could predict favorable patient outcome which suggest that their role in mediating antitumor immune response could potentially be exploited in the treatment of NPC patients. Future large study on the prognostic value of microanatomic location of TILs is needed for confirmation.
Developer Credit: Para-Industrial Hierarchies of In-Game Credit Attribution in the Video Game Industry
Authors: Švelch Jan
Published: July 2021

Developer credit has been a contested issue in the video game industry since the 1970–80s, when Atari prevented its programmers from publicly claiming authorship for games they had developed. The negotiations over what constitutes a noteworthy contribution to video game development are ongoing and play out in the unregulated space of in-game credits. Here, some creators get top billing akin to film and television credits, while others struggle to be recognized for their work. By analyzing in-game credits of 100 contemporary games published between 2016 and 2020 and representing four major sectors of video game production (AAA, AA, indie, and freemium games as service), I identify recurrent patterns, such as opening credits, order, role descriptions (or lack thereof), and systematic credit omission, that both reinforce and subvert the notion of core development roles and above-the-line/below-the-line divisions.
Near-infrared fluorescence imaging with indocyanine green for quantification of changes in tissue perfusion following revascularization
Authors: Van den Hoven Pim , S Weller Floris , Van De Bent Merel , Goncalves Lauren N , Ruig Melissa , D Van Den Berg Simen , Ooms Sophie , Mieog JSD , EA Van De Bogt Koen , Van Schaik Jan , Schepers Abbey , Vahrmeijer Alex L , Hamming Jaap F , Van Der Vorst Joost R
Published: July 2021

Objectives

Current diagnostic modalities for patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) mainly focus on the macrovascular level. For assessment of tissue perfusion, near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging using indocyanine green (ICG) seems promising. In this prospective cohort study, ICG NIR fluorescence imaging was performed pre- and post-revascularization to assess changes in foot perfusion.

Methods

ICG NIR fluorescence imaging was performed in 36 patients with PAD pre- and post-intervention. After intravenous bolus injection of 0.1 mg/kg ICG, the camera registered the NIR fluorescence intensity over time on the dorsum of the feet for 15 min using the Quest Spectrum Platform®. Time-intensity curves were plotted for three regions of interest (ROI): (1) the dorsum of the foot, (2) the forefoot, and (3) the hallux. Time-intensity curves were normalized for maximum fluorescence intensity. Extracted parameters were the maximum slope, area under the curve (AUC) for the ingress, and the AUC for the egress. The non-treated contralateral leg was used as a control group.

Results

Successful revascularization was performed in 32 patients. There was a significant increase for the maximum slope and AUC egress in all three ROIs. The most significant difference was seen for the maximum slope in ROI 3 (3.7%/s to 6.6%/s, p < 0.001). In the control group, no significant differences were seen for the maximum slope and AUC egress in all ROIs.

Conclusions

This study shows the potential of ICG NIR fluorescence imaging in assessing the effect of revascularization procedures on foot perfusion. Future studies should focus on the use of this technique in predicting favorable outcome of revascularization procedures.
Our experience in laparoscopic ureterolysis and omental wrapping as a definitive surgical management of ureteric obstruction related to retroperitoneal fibrosis
Authors: Uddin MM , Varley R , Napier-Hemy RD
Published: July 2021

Introduction and Objectives:

Retroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF) is a rare fibro-inflammatory disease and a cause of ureteric obstruction that leads to obstructive uropathy. Although the mainstay of RPF treatment is medical, ureterolysis becomes a necessity if medical treatment fails or if patients are unable to tolerate side effects of conservative/medical management, including those of ureteric stents. We aimed to investigate our experience of laparoscopic ureterolysis (LU) and omental wrapping as a definitive surgical treatment for RPF.

Patients and methods:

We conducted a retrospective analysis of 17 patients who underwent LU between September 2009 and October 2018 in a single institution. Mode of presentation, investigation and interventions were reviewed. Outcome measures were stent or nephrostomy-free rates, post-ureterolysis change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), operative time, estimated blood loss, length of hospital stay, complications and need for additional procedures. MAG3 renography was performed to assess ureteral patency.

Results:

Among 17 patients, a total of 23 LU procedures were performed in 20 operative sessions. Median (IQR) length of hospital stay was 4 (2–6) days. Median length of follow-up was 23.5 months (range 4–92 months), where 14 patients completed at least 15 months of follow-up. All patients were either stent ( n=9) or nephrostomy ( n=8) dependent before ureterolysis. Some 82.4% patients ( n=14) remain stent/nephrostomy free after LU. Renal function remains stable after ureterolysis with a median (IQR) change in eGFR at latest follow-up of: +7.5 (−8 to +23), ( P=0.74).

Conclusions:

LU is safe and effective at halting decline in renal dysfunction secondary to RPF. It has reliably avoided internal or external ureteric drainage in most patients. Consideration should be given to early referral to a specialised centre for ureterolysis in the context of multi-disciplinary management of benign RPF, to preservation of renal function and to render patients stent or nephrostomy free.

Level of Evidence:

4 (case series).
The BC ADPKD Network: A Comprehensive Provincial Approach to Support Specialized and Locally Delivered Multidisciplinary ADPKD Care
Authors: Bevilacqua M. , Gradin S. , Williams J. , Romann A. , Lo C. , Djurdjev O. , Levin A.
Published: July 2021

Purpose:

With evolving evidence around the progression, assessment, and management of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), care of the disease has become increasingly complex. Needs assessments in British Columbia (BC) described variability in knowledge and comfort with incorporating these new aspects of ADPKD care into clinical practice. Undercapture of early-stage ADPKD patients in existing renal databases was also identified as an unmet need.

Sources of Information:

A multidisciplinary group of clinicians and patient partners with interest and expertise in ADPKD and/or multidisciplinary kidney care informed the project work. An existing provincial renal database was used to support the provincial ADPKD registry.

Methods:

A formalized, comprehensive provincial ADPKD Network was created within the existing infrastructure of multidisciplinary kidney clinics (MDCs) in BC. The Network is coordinated provincially and implemented locally. It incorporates robust data collection, education, creation, and dissemination of dedicated clinical tools; collaboration between clinics and clinicians across the province; and ongoing evaluation and continuous quality improvement.

Key Findings:

Over the 5 years since its inception, the BC ADPKD Network has enabled increased and earlier identification of British Columbians living with ADPKD and a shift in practice toward increased and earlier enrollment of ADPKD patients into MDCs. A host of tailored ADPKD clinical tools have been created and implemented in all MDCs across the province to support existing MDC staff in the delivery of more standardized and specialized ADPKD care. A collaborative provincial clinician network founded on Local Clinical Champions has been established to support ongoing experience sharing between clinics. An evaluation framework has been established to evaluate outcomes and enable ongoing refinement of the Network.

Limitations:

The provincial ADPKD registry is undergoing enhancements to enable more comprehensive capture of APDKD-specific information such as total kidney volume and genetic results, but at present, this remains a limitation. It remains to be seen whether the activities of the ADPKD Network will improve long-term clinical outcomes and care experiences of patients living with ADPKD, and a long-term sustainability assessment of this model of care will be required.

Implications:

The structure, tools, and coordinated and collaborative clinician network established through this comprehensive provincial ADPKD Network may be valuable in addressing the variability and gaps in existing ADPKD care while allowing patients and families across BC to receive enhanced care locally, in their usual kidney care environments.
Collaboration and learning in teams of registered nurses and medical doctors: A qualitative descriptive study
Authors: Jacobsen Heidi Ramlow , Jørgensen Lone , Pedersen Birgith
Published: July 2021

Patients with cancer are expected to call an oncological emergency unit when they are unable to manage symptoms of their disease and side effects from treatment at home. Responding to calls from patients with different problems in a team of registered nurses and medical doctors requires interprofessional collaboration and learning. Therefore, this study aimed to explore conditions for team-based collaboration and learning when responding to calls from patients diagnosed with cancer in a specific setting of an oncological emergency unit. Using a frame of qualitative description three focus groups with 16 healthcare professionals from an oncological emergency unit at a Danish University Hospital were conducted. The verbatim transcribed text was analyzed using content analysis, and reported according to the COREQ guidelines. Two main themes emerged: 1) ‘Availability – a precondition for learning and collaboration’ and 2) ‘Sense of responsibility and distribution of roles’. The study demonstrated that interprofessional collaboration and learning were affected by intra and interprofessional and contextual factors. In addition to an awareness of personal attitudes, the environment and the distribution of responsibility and roles as essential preconditions for accomplishing teamwork need to be explicitly articulated if the team-based learning and collaboration are to succeed.
Heritage Not Hate? Confederate Flag Supporters Less Likely to Perceive Criminal Injustice, More Likely to View Police as Friends
Authors: Updegrove Alexander H. , Cooper Maisha N. , Dmello Jared R.
Published: July 2021

Although the post-civil rights era has motivated many people to avoid appearing racist, they may still be unwilling to relinquish privileges derived from the U.S. racial hierarchy. Because the Confederacy fought to preserve slavery, which upheld this hierarchy, support for the Confederate flag may serve as a proxy measure for individuals’ commitment to maintaining privileges stemming from structural racism. Moreover, given that the modern legal system upholds this same racial hierarchy through anti-Black discrimination, individuals who prioritize protecting their privilege may soothe the guilt they feel for benefiting from structural racism by convincing themselves the legal system treats everyone equally. Similarly, because flag supporters identify with the symbol of a failed nation that considered northern states to have insufficiently policed Black people, they may view police as protectors of the racial hierarchy. Hypotheses were tested using randomly sampled CBS News national poll data. As anticipated, flag supporters were 66% less likely to perceive anti-Black criminal justice system bias, 60% less likely to perceive anti-Black police bias, 34% less likely to consider racial profiling widespread, and 55% more likely to view police as friends.
Sustainability in the Business Sector: A Fuzzy Multicriteria Decision-Making Model for Financial Leasing Company Selection of the Vietnamese SMEs
Authors: Chien Fengsheng , Wang Chia-Nan , Chau Ka Yin , Nguyen Van Thanh , Nguyen Viet Tinh
Published: July 2021

The uses and management of capital is extremely important to the operation of any businesses. However, not all businesses have available capital, so the use of loans in many different forms is always an effective solution in managing corporate finance. Accompanying with businesses, many financial leasing companies have implemented products and programs to lend money to businesses with low interest rates. So, choosing the best financial leasing company is a primary concern of businesses. To increase competitiveness, financial leasing companies often offer preferential conditions to attract businesses. Choosing the best financial leasing service to leasing is important and necessary to those businesses. Thus, the selection of a financial leasing company by small and medium enterprises benefits from the application of Multicriteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methods which allows the decision maker to consider various qualitative and quantitative criteria. In this article, the author applied Fuzzy Analytical Network Process (FANP) to calculate the related criteria weights of the financial leasing company selection problem of businesses. Then, the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) is applied to rank the potential decision-making units. This research establishes one complete and efficient model for financial leasing company selection using FANP and TOPSIS methods. The proposed model is then applied into a real-world case study to demonstrate its feasibility.
Optimizing Green Brand Equity: The Integrated Branding and Behavioral Perspectives
Authors: Ha Minh-Tri
Published: July 2021

A compelling question that constantly arises in our society today is “How do we build a healthy brand that is closely associated with environmental activities?” Enhancing green brand equity is among the answers. This article integrates consumer environmental values with brand knowledge and brand relationships to arrive at an integrated view of how green brand equity can be maximized. Our research employs a questionnaire-based survey to collect data from consumers of electronics products in Ho Chi Minh City using a cluster sampling method. A structural equation modeling method was used to validate the hypothetical relationships. Our analysis suggests that (a) attitudes toward green products and the environmental concern affect consumer’s associations with the green brand, followed by green brand equity and (b) an eco-friendly image and trust in the brand’s green commitments drive a competent green brand. Our article broadens the current understanding of green consumers’ behavior by providing a theoretical model that investigates the associations between brand relationships and consumers’ personal motives which are closely connected with green brand management. Altogether, this study presents a broad picture of green branding mechanisms.
A Comprehensive Study on University Students’ Perceived Employability: Comparative Effects of Personal and Contextual Factors
Authors: Ergün Meriç , Şeşen Harun
Published: July 2021

This study aimed to investigate the personal and contextual determinants affecting the employability perception of university students using a comprehensive model, and to compare the effects of these determinants with each other. The sample consisted of 463 university students from Turkish universities in İstanbul. Following explanatory and confirmatory analyses, the study variables were tested via hierarchical regression analysis. Across all variables, generic skills, academic performance, personal circumstances, and external labor market had significant and positive effects on the perception of employability, while students’ work experience and the contribution of university and consultants did not. The external labor market was identified as the strongest determinant of employability, and contextual factors were identified as having a stronger influence than personal ones. The results present a number of suggestions for stakeholders—including the Ministry of Education, university administrations, teaching staff, employers, students, families, media, and graduates—vis-à-vis perceived employability.