bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lessons Learned From an Intensive Writing Training Course for Applied Epidemiologists
Authors: Arrazola Jessica , Polster Malorie , Etkind Paul , Moran John S. , Vogt Richard L.
Published: June 2020

Although writing is a valued public health competency, authors face a multitude of barriers (eg, lack of time, lack of mentorship, lack of appropriate instruction) to publication. Few writing courses for applied public health professionals have been documented. In 2017 and 2018, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention partnered to implement a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Intensive Writing Training course to improve the quality of submissions from applied epidemiologists working at health departments. The course included 3 webinars, expert mentorship from experienced authors, and a 2-day in-person session. As of April 2020, 39 epidemiologists had participated in the course. Twenty-four (62%) of the 39 epidemiologists had submitted manuscripts, 17 (71%) of which were published. The program’s evaluation demonstrates the value of mentorship and peer feedback during the publishing process, the importance of case study exercises, and the need to address structural challenges (eg, competing work responsibilities or supervisor support) in the work environment.
Successful treatment of disseminated granulomatous aspergillosis in an apparently immunocompetent host
Authors: Agrawal Umang , Savaj Pratik , Davda Kanishka , Soman Rajeev , Shetty Anjali , Sunavala Ayesha
Published: June 2020

A young Indian man presented elsewhere with a short history of haematuria and cough. Investigations revealed renal and pulmonary lesions. Histopathology of these lesions was reported as mucormycosis. He consulted us two months after onset of symptoms, asymptomatic and clinically well, having received no treatment. In view of clinico-histopathological discordance, a review of the biopsy slides was advised but the patient refused further work-up at that time. One week later, however, he was admitted with left hemiparesis. Brain imaging showed an abscess. He underwent surgical excision of the brain abscess and nephrectomy. Review of previous slides showed septate fungal filaments with granulomatous inflammation. Intraoperative cultures grew Aspergillus flavus. He received voriconazole for one year and is well at his two-year follow-up. His immunological work-up was negative for immunodeficiency. This case illustrates that granulomatous aspergillosis may be an indolent infection in apparently normal individuals and reiterates the importance of interpreting diagnostic reports in conjunction with clinical features.
Desiring homeland: The return of Indonesian Chinese women to Maoist China
Authors: Wang Cangbai , Huang Jing
Published: June 2020

The past decades have witnessed a burgeoning literature on guiqiao (Returned Overseas Chinese) in the People’s Republic of China. These works have advanced and broadened research in this field; however, there is a persistent male bias that tends to ignore the gendered nature of migration processes or simplistically frame the return migration of women through a monolithic masculine/patriotic lens. To fill this gap, this paper looks at gendered motivations behind the ‘return’ of Chinese women from Indonesia in the 1950s. Seeing gender as ‘a central organizing principle in migration flows and in the organization of migrants lives’ ( Lutz 2010 : 1651) and drawing upon interviews and archival studies, it suggests that the ‘return’ of Chinese women to Maoist China was closely associated with postcolonial feminist imagination, or more specifically, a longing for ‘emancipated womanhood,’ in a transnational context mediated by citizenship and ethnicity. In addition, the experiences of female guiqiao as voluntary migrants and successful careerists challenge the (mis)conception of Chinese women migrants as trailing dependents, adding a counter narrative to the overarching androcentric discourse about Chinese migration from a historical perspective.
Incidence of Inner Ear Disorders in Various Forms of Acute Otitis Media in ENT Practices in Germany
Authors: Seidel David Ulrich , Bode Simon , Kostev Karel , Park Jonas Jae-Hyun
Published: June 2020

Objective:

The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of inner ear involvement in various forms of acute otitis media (AOM) in ear, nose, and throat (ENT) practices in Germany.

Methods:

Patients who had been diagnosed with various forms of AOM in the years 2010 to 2017 were enrolled in the study from a nationwide, representative practice database (Disease Analyzer, IQVIA). In these patients, the incidence of simultaneous or subsequent inner ear disorders (IED) was determined within 7 days and within 12 months from the date of an AOM diagnosis.

Results:

A total of 286 186 patients with AOM were enrolled. The most frequent diagnoses were “nonsuppurative otitis media, unspecified” (47.6%) and “otitis media, unspecified” (39.0%). The diagnoses of hemorrhagic bullous myringitis (BM) or influenza-induced AOM were very rarely found in the database. The highest incidence of IED after 7 days and 12 months was found in “nonsuppurative otitis media, unspecified” (7.7% and 15.9%, respectively), followed by “otitis media, unspecified” (5.6% and 13.5%, respectively). The incidences of the most frequent IED “hearing loss, unspecified” and “sensorineural hearing loss, unspecified” increased proportionally with increasing patient age, while the rare diagnoses of “labyrinthitis” and “ototoxic hearing loss” were evenly distributed among the age groups.

Conclusion:

In ENT practices in Germany, both various forms of AOM, as well as simultaneous or subsequent IED, are mostly being coded in an unspecific way, while specific forms such as hemorrhagic BM, influenza-induced AOM, and labyrinthitis are coded very rarely. Older patients have a higher risk of IED in AOM. A visit due to AOM seems to be a regular occasion for the initial diagnosis of hearing impairment in the elderly individuals. The highest risk of IED was found in nonsuppurative AOM.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma In Situ Originating From Nasal Polyps With Human Papillomavirus 51 Infection: A Case Report
Authors: Lee Ho Yun , Lee Hye Kyung , Kim Su Jin
Published: June 2020

Malignant transformation of nasal polyps is extremely rare in cases without background inverted papilloma. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted infection believed to be associated with oropharyngeal carcinoma via oro-genital sexual contact. We present a case of focal squamous cell carcinoma in situ that occurred on the surface of nasal polyps and was associated with HPV 51. The patient was successfully treated with endoscopic sinus surgery. Clinicians should be aware of the potential for hidden malignancies, and pathologic assessment of tissue specimens must be performed even in simple nasal polyp cases.
An Exploratory Strategy to Identify and Define Sources of Differential Item Functioning
Authors: Cheng Chung-Ping , Chen Chi-Chen , Shih Ching-Lin
Published: June 2020

The sources of differential item functioning (DIF) items are usually identified through a qualitative content review by a panel of experts. However, the differential functioning for some DIF items might have been caused by reasons outside of the experts’ experiences, leading to the sources for these DIF items possibly being misidentified. Quantitative methods can help to provide useful information, such as the DIF status and the number of sources of the DIF, which in turn help the item review and revision process to be more efficient and precise. However, the current quantitative methods assume all possible sources should be known in advance and collected to accompany the item response data, which is not always the case in reality. To this end, an exploratory strategy, combined with the MIMIC (multiple-indicator multiple-cause) method, that can be used to identify and name new sources of DIF is proposed in this study. The performance of this strategy was investigated through simulation. The results showed that when a set of DIF-free items can be correctly identified to define the main dimension, the proposed exploratory MIMIC method can accurately recover a number of possible sources of DIF and the items that belong to each. A real data analysis was also implemented to demonstrate how this strategy can be used in reality. The results and findings of this study are further discussed.
Endings and Beginnings: An Autoethnography of a Father’s Journey through His Son’s Madness, Loss, and a Quest for Meaning
Authors: Engelman Douglas J.
Published: June 2020

In our society, individuals with mental illness often are stigmatized due to misunderstanding and fear. Families with a member diagnosed as a person with mental illness may find themselves forced to restructure themselves around the idea that they are now coping with a family member who may be subject to social stigma and who may draw them into that same negative framework. In this autoethnographic story, I recall and describe the moment my relationship with my son changed forever—the moment he revealed his mental illness to me. This moment altered my own life course—from businessman, to academic, to wounded storyteller. Personally, transformative experiences like mine tend to create writers because we feel compelled to share our experiences in the form of stories. This is my story, but it could be the story of any parent and child in any family.
A Neglected Practice in Iran: EFL Teachers’ Differentiation for Gifted Students in Rural Schools
Authors: Sajedifard Mohammad , Shahgoli Narminolsadat
Published: June 2020

This qualitative study delved into 15 Iranian middle school English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ perceptions, practices, and challenges of differentiation for gifted students. To this end, a set of data sources including interviews, observation notes, and documents were used. Results of interview transcriptions exhibited that the rural EFL teachers primarily held negative or indifferent views of differentiating instruction for gifted students, and that their actual differentiation practices for gifted students left far more to be desired. In addition, a host of barriers to differentiation practices were cited by the teachers, including time, energy, and class size as the most impactful.
NaLa-Search: A multimodal, interaction-based architecture for faceted search on linked open data
Authors: Sánchez-Cervantes José Luis , Alor-Hernández Giner , Paredes-Valverde Mario Andrés , Rodríguez-Mazahua Lisbeth , Valencia-García Rafael
Published: June 2020

Mobile devices are the technological basis of computational intelligent systems, yet traditional mobile application interfaces tend to rely only on the touch modality. That said, such interfaces could improve human–computer interaction by combining diverse interaction modalities, such as visual, auditory and touch. Also, a lot of information on the Web is published under the Linked Data principles to allow people and computers to share, use and/or reuse high-quality information; however, current tools for searching for, browsing and visualising this kind of data are not fully developed. The goal of this research is to propose a novel architecture called NaLa-Search to effectively explore the Linked Open Data cloud. We present a mobile application that combines voice commands and touch for browsing and searching for such semantic information through faceted search, which is a widely used interaction scheme for exploratory search that is faithful to its richness and practical for real-world use. NaLa-Search was evaluated by real users from the clinical pharmacology domain. In this evaluation, the users had to search and navigate among the DrugBank dataset through voice commands. The evaluation results show that faceted search combined with multiple interaction modalities (e.g. speech and touch) can enhance users’ interaction with semantic knowledge bases.
How do relationship desire and sociability relate to each other among singles? Longitudinal analysis of the Pairfam survey
Authors: Kislev Elyakim
Published: June 2020

This study examines the effect of relationship desire on singles’ social lives and vice versa. Based on the German-based Panel Analysis of Intimate Relationships and Family Dynamics study, never-married singles and divorced singles were analyzed. Cross-sectional results showed a correlation between the extent to which singles desire relationship and both the relative importance of friendships and overall social satisfaction. Further analysis, using longitudinal methods, showed that the move to a lower degree of relationship desire had a significant effect on the relative importance of friends. Furthermore, both higher levels of the relative importance of friends and social satisfaction are negatively correlated with relationship desire. These results clarify previous studies and point to the fact that singles with low relationship desire are more social and derive greater support from their friends.
Learnability in the acquisition of the English tough construction by L1-Korean adult and child L2 learners
Authors: Kim Kitaek , Schwartz Bonnie D
Published: June 2020

In the English tough construction (TC), knowledge of tough movement is necessary for target performance (the object-interpretation only; e.g. Johni is easy to see ei). The acquisition of the English TC raises a learnability problem for first-language (L1) Korean learners of English as a second language (L2): (1) Korean has no tough movement; (2) no input dictates that the ‘subject interpretation’ is disallowed in the English TC; and (3) no classroom instruction covers the English TC. According to the Fundamental Difference Hypothesis, L2 children – but not L2 adults – can overcome this learnability problem. L1-Korean adult ( n = 49) and child ( n = 30) L2 learners’ (L2ers’) knowledge of the English TC was assessed via a truth-value judgment task manipulating (1) verb transitivity to make the infinitival object gap more vs. less salient and (2) context to avoid vs. strengthen bias toward the (erroneous) subject interpretation. Notably, some high-proficiency adult L2ers showed significantly above-chance performance, despite the error-inducing manipulations, suggesting that adult L2ers can overcome the learnability problem.
Discussion: can upper extremity (deltoid) near infrared spectroscopy be used to assess cerebral tissue bed saturation on femorally cannulated veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation patients?
Authors: Beck James R , Holt David W , Chan Christine , Fung Kenmond , Patton-Rivera Killian , Mullin Dana , Takeda Koji , Takayama Hiroo
Published: June 2020

Continuous cerebral tissue saturation monitoring with near infrared spectroscopy may help clinicians identify cerebral desaturation early; however, patients have reported discomfort from near infrared spectroscopy monitoring pads on the forehead. This study aims to compare upper extremity near infrared spectroscopy monitoring to cerebral near infrared spectroscopy monitoring to assess its viability as a surrogate for cerebral saturation. A retrospective analysis of 10 femorally cannulated veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation patients was performed comparing left (L) and right (R) upper extremity (deltoid) near infrared spectroscopy monitoring to cerebral near infrared spectroscopy monitoring (n = 20 data sets, 10 left and 10 right) and right radial blood gasses. Deltoid and cerebral near infrared spectroscopy values were recorded every 15 minutes for at least 24 hours when possible, were plotted on scatter grams, and were analyzed using Pearson product-moment coefficient (r). Based on the concept of covariance, a moderate-good relationship r = 0.50-0.75 was noted in 10% (n = 2) of the study group. A fair relationship r = 0.25-0.50 was noted in 50% (n = 10), and little or no relationship was noted in 40% (n = 8). None of the study group displayed a good to excellent relationship (r = 0.75 or above). In addition, coefficient of multiple determination for multiple regression R2 was calculated and strong fit of the regression line was not noted. Although cerebral near infrared spectroscopy monitoring has been extremely helpful in identifying low cerebral tissue saturation on veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation patients, the use of upper extremity (peripheral deltoid) tissue monitoring does not provide adequate correlation and should not be used as a surrogate to cerebral monitoring.
Intracranial hemorrhage on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: an international survey
Authors: Cavayas Yiorgos Alexandros , Del Sorbo Lorenzo , Munshi Laveena , Sampson Caroline , Fan Eddy
Published: June 2020

Introduction:

Intracranial hemorrhage is one of the most dreaded complications associated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. However, robust data to guide clinical practice are lacking. We aimed to describe the current perceptions and practices surrounding the risk, prevention, diagnosis, management, and prognosis of intracranial hemorrhage in patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Methods:

We conducted an international, cross-sectional survey of adult extracorporeal membrane oxygenation centers using a self-administered electronic questionnaire sent to medical directors and program coordinators of all 290 adult centers member of the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization.

Results:

There were 143 respondents (49%). The median proportion of patients having neuroimaging performed was only 1-25% in venovenous-extracorporeal membrane oxygenation patients and 26-50% in venoarterial-extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The majority of participants (58%) tolerated a PaO2 < 60 mm Hg on venovenous-extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Lower PaO2 targets were inversely correlated with the reported incidence of intracranial hemorrhage (r =−0.247; p = 0.024). In patients with intracranial hemorrhage, most participants reported stopping anticoagulation, and median targets for blood product administration were 70,000-99,000 platelets/µL, 1.5-1.9 of international normalized ratio, and 1.6-2.0 g/L of fibrinogen.

Conclusion:

We found significant heterogeneity in the perceptions and practices. This underlines the need for more research to appropriately guide patient management. Importantly, neuroimaging was performed only in a minority of patients. Considering the important management implications reported by most centers when intracranial hemorrhage is diagnosed, perhaps clinicians should consider widening their indications for early neuroimaging.
Effects of trigger point dry needling on lateral epicondylalgia of musculoskeletal origin: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Navarro-Santana Marcos J , Sanchez-Infante Jorge , Gómez-Chiguano Guido F , Cleland Joshua A , López-de-Uralde-Villanueva Ibai , Fernández-de-las-Peñas César , Plaza-Manzano Gustavo
Published: June 2020

Objective:

This meta-analysis evaluated the effect of dry needling alone or combined with other treatment interventions on pain, related-disability, pressure pain sensitivity, and strength in people with lateral epicondylalgia of musculoskeletal origin.

Data Sources:

MEDLINE, CINAHL, PubMed, PEDro, Cochrane Library, SCOPUS and Web of Science databases from their inception to 5 April 2020.

Review Methods:

Randomized controlled trials collecting outcomes on pain, related-disability, pressure pain thresholds, or strength where one group received dry needling for lateral epicondylalgia of musculoskeletal origin. The risk of bias was assessed by the Cochrane Guidelines, methodological quality was assessed with the PEDro score, and the quality of evidence by using the GRADE approach.

Results:

Seven studies including 320 patients with lateral epicondylalgia were included. The meta-analysis found that dry needling reduced pain intensity (SMD ‒1.13, 95%CI ‒1.64 to ‒0.62) and related-disability (SMD ‒2.17, 95%CI ‒3.34 to ‒1.01) with large effect sizes compared to a comparative group. Dry needling also increased pressure pain thresholds with a large effect size (SMD 0.98, 95%CI 0.30 to 1.67) and grip strength with a small size effect (SMD 0.48, 95%CI 0.16 to 0.81) when compared to a comparative group. The most significant effect was at short-term. The risk of bias was generally low, but the heterogenicity of the results downgraded the evidence level.

Conclusion:

Low to moderate evidence suggests a positive effect of dry needling for pain, pain-related disability, pressure pain sensitivity and strength at short-term in patients with lateral epicondylalgia of musculoskeletal origin.

Level of Evidence:

Therapy, level 1a.

Registration number:

OSF Registry - https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/ZY3E8
Quality and validity of large animal experiments in stroke: A systematic review
Authors: Kringe Leona , Sena Emily S , Motschall Edith , Bahor Zsanett , Wang Qianying , Herrmann Andrea M , Mülling Christoph , Meckel Stephan , Boltze Johannes
Published: June 2020

An important factor for successful translational stroke research is study quality. Low-quality studies are at risk of biased results and effect overestimation, as has been intensely discussed for small animal stroke research. However, little is known about the methodological rigor and quality in large animal stroke models, which are becoming more frequently used in the field. Based on research in two databases, this systematic review surveys and analyses the methodological quality in large animal stroke research. Quality analysis was based on the Stroke Therapy Academic Industry Roundtable and the Animals in Research: Reporting In Vivo Experiments guidelines. Our analysis revealed that large animal models are utilized with similar shortcomings as small animal models. Moreover, translational benefits of large animal models may be limited due to lacking implementation of important quality criteria such as randomization, allocation concealment, and blinded assessment of outcome. On the other hand, an increase of study quality over time and a positive correlation between study quality and journal impact factor were identified. Based on the obtained findings, we derive recommendations for optimal study planning, conducting, and data analysis/reporting when using large animal stroke models to fully benefit from the translational advantages offered by these models.
Quasi-static analysis of planar sliding using friction patches
Authors: Ghazaei Ardakani M. Mahdi , Bimbo Joao , Prattichizzo Domenico
Published: June 2020

Flat objects lying on a surface are hard to grasp, but could be manipulated by sliding along the surface in a non-prehensile manner. This strategy is commonly employed by humans as pre-manipulation, for example to bring a cell phone to the edge of a table to pick it up. To endow robots with a similar capability, we introduce a mathematical model of planar sliding by means of a soft finger. The model reveals various aspects of interaction through frictional contacts, which can be used for planning and control. Specifically, using a quasi-static analysis we are able to derive a hybrid dynamical system to predict the motion of the object and the interaction forces. The conditions for which the object sticks to the friction patch, pivots, or completely slides against it are obtained. It is possible to find fixed points of the system and the path taken by the object to reach such configurations. Theoretical as well as comprehensive experimental results are presented.
Associations of platelet indices with proteinuria and chronic kidney disease
Authors: Kemeç Zeki , Demir Mustafa , Gürel Ali , Demir Fadime , Akın Selçuk , Doğukan Ayhan , Gözel Nevzat , Ulu Ramazan , Koca S. Serdar
Published: June 2020

Objectives

Platelet (PLT) indices are predictive in many diseases and conditions. The relationships of these indices with proteinuria and progression of renal disease are not well known. This study aimed to assess PLT indices in patients with primary glomerular nephrotic range proteinuria (PGNRP), with and without chronic kidney disease (CKD), and to compare these indices with those of healthy individuals (His).

Methods

This cross-sectional study was performed from January 2015 to May 2015. HIs (n = 57) and patients with PGNRP (n = 41) were enrolled. PLT indices and blood biochemistry parameters were compared between HIs and patients with PGNRP, as well as between subgroups of patients with PGNRP who had CKD (n = 23) and those who did not have CKD (n = 18).

Results

There were no statistically significant differences in any PLT indices (i.e., platelet number, mean platelet volume, plateletcrit, and platelet distribution width) between HIs and patients with PGNRP, or between the subgroups of patients with PGNRP. However, patients with PGNRP who had CKD exhibited higher median C-reactive protein and mean albumin levels, compared with patients who did not have CKD.

Conclusions

Pathological processes in proteinuria and CKD are not associated with PLT indices.
Polyneuropathy in Young Siberian Huskies Caused by Degenerative and Inflammatory Diseases
Authors: Jahns Hanne , Vernau Karen M. , Nolan Catherine M. , O’Neill Emma J. , Shiel Robert E. , Shelton G. Diane
Published: June 2020

Polyneuropathy is defined as the simultaneous dysfunction of several peripheral nerves. In dogs, a number of breeds are predisposed to a variety of immune-mediated and/or degenerative inherited forms of polyneuropathy, with laryngeal paralysis and/or megaesophagus as important clinical features of many of these conditions. This case series describes degenerative and inflammatory polyneuropathies in 7 young Siberian huskies that were categorized based on clinicopathological characteristics as follows: (1) slowly progressive laryngeal paralysis and megaesophagus caused by primary axonal degeneration with large fiber loss (n = 2); (2) slowly progressive polyneuropathy without megaesophagus or laryngeal paralysis caused by primary axonal degeneration with large fiber loss (n = 2); (3) acute inflammatory demyelinating neuropathy causing sensory, motor and autonomic nerve deficits (n = 2); and (4) ganglioradiculitis (sensory neuronopathy; n = 1). Based on the predominantly young age at onset, slow progression, relatedness of affected dogs, and clinical and pathological similarities with inherited neuropathies reported in other dog breeds, a hereditary basis for the degenerative polyneuropathies in Siberian huskies is suspected. However, 5 different mutations in 3 genes known to cause polyneuropathy in other dog breeds ( NDRG1, ARHGEF10, or RAB3GAP1) were not detected in the affected Siberian huskies suggesting that more genetic variants remain to be identified. This study highlights the varied underlying lesions of polyneuropathies in young Siberian huskies.
Anthropocene Geopolitics and Foreign Policy: Exploring the Link in the EU Case
Authors: Proedrou Filippos
Published: June 2020

Scholarly literature has recently developed the notions of Anthropocene geopolitics and planetary security. How these relate to and whether they inform states’ foreign policy, however, remains a largely underdeveloped issue. This article goes some way toward addressing this gap both theoretically and empirically. Theoretically, it unpacks how traditional and Anthropocene geopolitics diverge in their approach toward the security repercussions of climate change and teases out the emanating foreign policy implications. These revolve around different levels of climate ambition, divergent approaches to fossil energy geopolitics, and differing weighting of planetary security versus mainstream geopolitical threats. Against this theoretical background, this article empirically zooms in on the EU case to explore which geopolitical mindset guides EU’s pursuit of climate change concerns and their incorporation in the EU foreign policy design. The analysis finds that, despite its comprehensive foreign climate policy initiatives, the EU remains fixed to a traditional geopolitical mindset and a foreign policy that underappreciates planetary security threats. This article subsequently operationalizes a foreign policy design informed by the Anthropocene geopolitics approach and sketches what it would entail.
Homo adhaerens: Risk and adherence in biomedical HIV prevention research
Authors: Davis Clay
Published: June 2020

After the turn of the millennium, HIV clinical researchers pivoted from developing and testing new antiretrovirals (ARVs) for treatment, to reconfiguring the same molecules for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). In 2012, Truvada became the first HIV therapy to also be approved by the FDA for PrEP, regarded as a magic bullet that promised to end the epidemic. However, six years after its approval, it continues to be inaccessible to those who are most vulnerable. In this article, I critically analyze HIV PrEP clinical trials, dissecting the novel techniques researchers use to demonstrate efficacy. I argue that in making sense of the interplay between adherence to a prophylactic regimen and risk for HIV, biomedical HIV prevention research has revealed a new subject of biopolitics, Homo adhaerens. In the early 2000s, clinical researchers operating in the Global South identified Homo adhaerens as the ideal subject, one who embodies both high-risk behavior and diligent adherence to a daily oral regimen. I trace the construction of Homo adhaerens to the United States, where I listen closely to activists engaged with the ongoing DISCOVER trial of PrEP. Activists either aspire for Homo adhaerens as a standard, making the liberal argument that expanding access could make PrEP successful, or they rebuke the framework of clinical research that produces narrow understandings of adherence, efficacy, and universality. Ultimately, I argue that by failing to grapple with the social realities that underlie poor adherence, PrEP clinical trials produce knowledge that is not useful for those who are most vulnerable.
Political ecology 1: From margins to center
Authors: Sultana Farhana
Published: June 2020

Some epistemologies remain marginalized in political ecology. Here I demonstrate why it is important to learn from various relational margins to further advance the field. Insights and critiques from feminisms and decolonial theories have enriched and expanded political ecology in nuanced ways, yet they continue to remain relegated to the margins. I contend that it is vital to engage and advance different forms of intersectional, interdisciplinary, and international feminist inquiries to address ongoing socioecological crises at the current conjuncture. Different epistemological, methodological, pedagogical, and praxis insights showcase how and why representation matters if we are to pursue decolonial futures and solidarities.
Humans, nature and dialectical materialism
Authors: Yurchenko Yuliya
Published: June 2020

Capitalist relations are the crucial object of social critique due to their innate tendency to accelerate the metabolic rift and alienation, yet, I argue, our focus should stretch beyond capitalist relations. Indeed, both ecocidal and conservationist tendencies have occurred in multiple historical forms of social relations, including socialist societies, for example, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. These are phenomena that reiterate the social, rather than purely capitalist relations as the driver of environmental destruction. Metabolic rifts occur due to malfunctioning of the human–human/human–nature relationships and it is the elimination and prevention of that malfunctioning that must be the aim of radical environmental politics and policies, not merely (the necessary) elimination of capitalist relations. This article contributes to the symposium in three complementary ways. First, it critiques the application of dialectical reading of human–nature relations as articulated in the Foster–Moore debate in its own right. Second, it rearticulates that reading through the lens of the dialectical biospheric analytics of late Soviet ecology. And third, it invokes the dialectical thought of Evald Ilyenkov.
Development and Testing of a Test Level 4 Concrete Bridge Rail and Deck Overhang
Authors: Rosenbaugh Scott K. , Rasmussen Jennifer D. , Faller Ronald K.
Published: June 2020

A Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH)-compliant Test Level 4 (TL-4) concrete bridge rail was optimized to satisfy MASH TL-4 design loads, maximize vehicle stability, minimize installation costs, and mitigate the potential for deck damage by minimizing loads transfer to the deck. Additionally, the bridge rail was designed with a 39 in. installation height so that it would remain crashworthy after future roadway overlays up to 3 in. thick. The barrier had a front face with a 3-degree slope from vertical to promote vehicle stability during impacts while also providing some slope to allow for slipforming installations. Yield line theory was utilized to design both interior and end regions of the barrier. Further, minimum deck strengths were determined and a deck overhang design procedure was provided for users desiring to modify their existing deck details. Finally, MASH Test 4-12 was conducted on the new bridge rail to evaluate its safety performance criteria, damage to the barrier and a critical deck configuration, and its working width. In test 4CBR-1, the 22,198 lb single-unit truck impacted the concrete bridge rail at a speed of 57.6 mph and an angle of 16 degrees. The single-unit truck was successfully contained and redirected, and all safety performance criteria were within acceptable limits as defined in MASH. Therefore, test 4CBR-1 was determined to be acceptable according to MASH Test 4-12. Conclusions and recommendations for implementation are provided.
Methodology for Determination of the Structural Layer Coefficient of Unbound Base Materials in Florida
Authors: Hwang Hyunchul , Hiltunen Dennis R.
Published: June 2020

The main goal of this study was to assess methodologies for the determination of base structural layer coefficients (SLCs) in Florida base materials. The aim was to streamline the traditional empirical and observationally based technique for determining layer coefficients either by an accelerated loading process or by the computer simulation of pavement performance. The paper describes a methodology in which the structural numbers (SN) of two paired test sections are used to backcalculate the unknown SLC. The SNs are determined from the AASHTO performance equation using a prediction of pavement performance from the University of Florida top-down cracking (TDC) model. The paper presents a positive application of the methodology for two test sections in Louisiana and two sections in Florida.
Investigating Market Potentials and Operational Scenarios of Virtual Coupling Railway Signaling
Authors: Aoun Joelle , Quaglietta Egidio , Goverde Rob M. P.
Published: June 2020

The new concept of virtual coupling (VC) envisages autonomous trains running in radio-connected platoons to significantly improve railway capacity and address the forecasted increase in railway demand. Such a concept will introduce radical changes to current train services, technologies, and procedures, which calls for a deeper understanding of the possible modes of operation and the impacts on the entire railway business. This paper investigates market potentials and operational scenarios of VC for different segments of the railway market: high-speed, main-line, regional, urban, and freight trains. The research builds on the Delphi method, with an extensive survey to collect expert opinions about benefits and challenges of VC as well as stated travel preferences in futuristic VC applications. Survey outcomes show that VC train operations can be very attractive to customers of the high-speed, main-line, and regional market segments, with benefits that are especially relevant for freight railways. In particular, customers of regional and freight railways are observed to be unsatisfied with current train services and willing to pay higher fares to avail of a more frequent and flexible service enabled by VC. Operational scenarios for VC are then defined by setting market-attractive service headways and by characteristics of the rolling stock, infrastructure, and traffic management. An analysis of strengths and weaknesses of such a concept together with business opportunities and threats is carried out. The defined VC future scenario is set to induce a sustainable shift of customers from other travel modes to the railways.
Understanding the Role of Cycling to Urban Transit Stations through a Simultaneous Access Mode and Station Choice Model
Authors: Ton Danique , Shelat Sanmay , Nijënstein Sandra , Rijsman Lotte , van Oort Niels , Hoogendoorn Serge
Published: June 2020

Governments worldwide are aiming to increase sustainable mode use to increase sustainability, livability, and accessibility. Integration of bicycle and transit can increase catchment areas of transit compared with walking and thus provide better competition to non-sustainable modes. To achieve this, effective measures have to be designed that require a better understanding of the factors influencing access mode and station choice. At the national/regional level this has been thoroughly studied, but there is a knowledge gap at the urban level. This study aims to investigate which factors influence the joint decision for tram access mode and tram station choice. The joint investigation can identify trade-offs between the access and transit journeys. Furthermore, the effect of each factor on the bicycle catchment area is investigated. Using data from tram travelers in The Hague, Netherlands, a joint simultaneous discrete choice model is estimated. Generally, walking is preferred to cycling. The findings of this study suggest that access distance is one of the main factors for explaining the choice, where walking distance is weighted 2.1 times cycling distance. Frequent cyclists are more likely also to cycle to the tram station, whereas frequent tram users are less inclined to cycle. Bicycle parking facilities increase the cycling catchment area by 234 m. The transit journey time has the largest impact on the catchment area of cyclists. Improvements to the system, such as fewer stops, higher frequency (like light rail transit), or both, therefore would result in a much longer accepted cycling distance.
Empirical Analysis of Long-Run Elasticities and Asymmetric Effects of Transit Demand Determinants
Authors: Li Lisa , Kasraian Dena , Shalaby Amer
Published: June 2020

The effects of transit ridership determinants can be quantified as demand elasticities which are often used to inform transit planning and policy making. This study seeks to determine the impacts of transit service supply, fare, and gas prices on ridership by quantifying the short-run and long-run demand elasticities, as well as test whether transit ridership exhibits an asymmetric response to the rise and fall of these factors using a panel data of 99 Canadian transit agencies over the period of 2002–2016. The results of the dynamic panel model show the effects of transit service and fare to be greater in the long run. The short-run fare elasticity was found to be –0.24 while the long-run elasticity was –1.1. Furthermore, the demand elasticity with respect to service levels was also found to be inelastic (0.28) in the short run but elastic (1.3) in the long run. The cross-elasticity of gas prices was estimated to be 0.17. The existence of asymmetry was analyzed using decomposition techniques to separately estimate the coefficients for the rise and fall in each of the determinants. The equality of these coefficients was tested against each other and it was found that ridership responded more to an increase in transit supply than a decrease. The importance of these results to policy making are then discussed.
Practice Friendly Metric for Identification of Critical Links in Road Networks
Authors: Almotahari Amirmasoud , Yazici Anil
Published: June 2020

Despite the important planning value of transportation link criticality, the existing methodologies are mostly in the academic domain, and require in-depth technical skills and extensive data. The most common approach to identify critical links in transportation networks is to remove each link iteratively, conduct traffic assignment, and assess the criticality of each link based on the consequences of its removal. Since conducting multiple traffic assignment is costly for large networks, the authors of this paper recently introduced the link criticality index (LCI). The LCI utilizes the iterations in the Frank–Wolfe solution of the user equilibrium (UE) problem to provide link criticality ranking within a single traffic assignment. The LCI was shown to provide balanced rankings with respect to alternative routes as well as the link flows. However, the LCI is not practice-friendly because of the technical knowledge and data needed to run traffic assignments. Accordingly, this paper introduces a practice friendly link criticality index (PF-LCI). PF-LCI relaxes some of the technical requirements and uses some expert knowledge input data to provide “top” link criticality rankings that are consistent with the LCI. PF-LCI utilizes the network flow instances at different times of day instead of iterations of UE assignment solution. Expert knowledge input is sought for the major origin–destination pairs (ODs) and the viable routes between the selected ODs. The method is implemented on a small sample network and the Sioux Falls network to test PF-LCI’s capabilities. Results show that PF-LCI produces accurate rankings for the top critical links that are most relevant to practitioners’ concerns.
Predicting the Future Capacity and Dimensions of Container Ships
Authors: Garrido Javier , Saurí Sergi , Marrero África , Gül Ümit , Rúa Carles
Published: June 2020

Since the introduction of the container ship, there has been an impressive increase in its use to take advantage of economies of scale. In the last two decades, the capacity of vessels has trebled. Currently, vessels of 23,000 TEU (20-ft equivalent unit) sail the seas. With the exponential growth experienced in this sector, the question arises if it is possible to reach a peak capacity, as has occurred with bulk cargo vessels and, recently, aircraft. This paper aims to predict the possible size and dimensions of a new generation of mega container ships. Based on economies of scale, port infrastructure, demand, environmental trends, and naval design criteria, the limit to ship size has been estimated. The results suggest that additional increases in ship size are still possible. The aim of this study is to help port authorities to understand the needs of the shipping container industry and to calculate the expansion and investment necessary.
Using Stochastic Variation of Cyclic Green Distributions to Populate SAE J2735 Message Confidence Values along a Signalized Corridor
Authors: Mathew Jijo , Li Howell , Bullock Darcy M.
Published: June 2020

The communication between connected vehicles and traffic signal controllers is defined in SAE Surface Vehicle Standard J2735. SAE J2735 defines traffic signal status messages and a series of 16 confidence levels for traffic signal transitions. This paper discusses a statistical method for tabulating traffic signal data by phase and time of day and populating the SAE J2735 messages. Graphical representations of the red–green and green–yellow transitions are presented from six intersections along a 4-mile corridor for five different time-of-day timing plans. The case study provided illustrates the importance of characterizing the stochastic variation of traffic signals to identify locations, phases, and time-of-day periods when traffic indications operate with high predictability. Specific cases, such as low vehicle demand and occasional actuation of pedestrian phases are highlighted as situations that may reduce the predictability of traffic signal change intervals. The results from this study also open up discussion among transportation professionals on the importance of consistent tabulation of confidence values for both beginning and end of green signal states. We believe this paper will initiate dialog on how to consistently tabulate important data elements transmitted in SAE J2735 and perhaps refine those definitions. The paper concludes by highlighting the importance of traffic engineers and connected vehicle developers to work together to develop shared visions on traffic signal change characteristics so that the in-vehicle use cases and human–machine interface meet user expectations.
Technical Adequacy of a Spelling Curriculum-Based Measure for English Language Learners in the First Through Third Grades
Authors: Smith R. Alex , Lembke Erica S.
Published: June 2020

This study represents an initial examination of the potential of word dictation (WD), a form of curriculum-based measure, to identify risk in writing for young English language learners (ELs). The sample included 73 ELs with beginning to advanced English language proficiency in the first to third grades attending schools in one U.S. Midwestern school district. This district used an English-only model of instruction and students completed two forms of WD in the fall, winter, and spring. The criterion measure, a common English language proficiency assessment, was administered in the winter. Results indicated that WD maintained similar reliability and validity coefficients between the ELs in this study and previous studies with the general population. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.
Self-esteem, Acculturative Stress, and Marijuana Use Among Hispanic College Students
Authors: Yockey R. Andrew , Brown Jennifer L. , Littlefield Andrew K. , Talley Amelia E.
Published: June 2020

Previous research has found mixed results regarding the association between acculturation and substance use in Hispanic populations. Additional research is warranted to examine relations among facets of acculturation, particularly acculturative stress, and marijuana use. The purpose of this study was to examine whether self-esteem mediates the relation between acculturative stress and a lifetime history of marijuana use among a sample of Hispanic college students. Hispanic college students ( N = 204; Mean age = 20.3 years) from a large southwestern university participated in an online study and reported on lifetime marijuana use, self-esteem, and acculturative stress. We evaluated the hypothesis that self-esteem would mediate the relation between acculturative stress and the likelihood of reporting a history of marijuana use, utilizing Hayes’ SPSS macro, which provides estimates of boot-strapped confidence intervals for the indirect effect. Results showed that self-esteem did not significantly mediate the relation between acculturative stress and likelihood of marijuana use [ b = .157, 95% CI (−.003, .017)]. Future studies might examine other facets of acculturation in relation to substance use, utilizing a longitudinal approach to better understand these associations.
A Sociocognitive Discourse Analysis of Monolingual Ideology and Bias in Special Education Partnerships
Authors: Lim Sumin , Cheatham Gregory A.
Published: June 2020

Communication difficulties between immigrant families who are non-native English speakers and special education professionals lead to unsuccessful family–professional partnerships. Such difficulties are often attributed to families’ low English proficiency or to limited access to quality language services. Other sources of partnership issues are occasionally overlooked. Consequently, special education professional partnerships with immigrant families may benefit from more critical discourse analyses of monolingual English-driven communication. Using Van Dijk’s sociocognitive approach to critical discourse studies, we analyzed 16 articles on special education partnerships by examining the discourses of monolingual ideologies and biases. The analysis identified three interrelated discourses in the literature: (a) parents’ compliance to monolingual biased norms in communication and self-blaming discourses; (b) professionals’ othering discourses and diffusion of responsibility concerning parents’ communicative needs; and (c) researchers’ role as gatekeepers in the recontextualization of parent–professional discourses. Finally, we discuss how to promote linguistically equitable partnerships addressing each discourse.