bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of Productivity Growth in Economic Growth: Evidence from Nigeria (1970–2010)
Authors: Adejumo Akintoye Victor , Adejumo Oluwabunmi Opeyemi
Published: July 2019

The Global Conference for Wikimedia and The Economist held in London, 2014, ranked Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa using the nominal gross domestic product. But, income redistribution, equality and productivity improvements, which are indicators for the development of an economy, remain at large. Against this background, the study is set to examine the extent to which the positive trend experienced in economic growth has translated into development in Nigeria; this is with a view to ascertaining the effect of growth translating into economic development. With particular emphasis placed on the productivity patterns in Nigeria, the study determined the contribution of productivity growth and economic growth as well as the causal relation between both variables. Using the concept of productive efficiency as a major determinant, the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) and Granger causality estimates were employed. It was discovered that a unidirectional existed between both variables. Moreover, it was discovered that productivity growth contributed positively to real economic growth and negatively to nominal economic growth. This result implies that the presence of innovations through technology has augmented productivity intricately but not so visibly in Nigeria.
Role of External and Domestic Demand in Economic Growth: A Study of BRICS Countries
Authors: Mishra Bibhuti Ranjan
Published: July 2019

Despite the global downturn since 2008, the growth in BRICS countries as a group is least hampered as compared to the growth in the world, in general, and developed countries, in particular. Is it due to the strong domestic demand factors or external factors is an empirical question to be answered. Further, some economists are promulgating for a new development strategy of domestic demand-led growth. Hence, this article tries to examine the role of domestic and external demand to growth in BRICS countries. Domestic investment is taken to explore the impact of domestic demand on growth, while export and import variables are used to investigate the role of external demand in economic growth. To cater to the objective, causality analysis is done among exports, imports, domestic investment and economic growth using the vector auto regression analysis. Generalized impulse response functions are plotted to get an insight of dynamic interrelationships among these variables. The results are country-specific and mixed evidence of export-led and domestic demand-led growth is found depending on the individual countries of BRICS.
Effects of Paddy Price Intervention on the Rice Mill Business: A Case Study of the Paddy Pledging Programme in Thailand
Authors: Udomkit Nuntana , Yungvisessuk Pornthip , Schreier Claus
Published: July 2019

This article explores the effects that Thailand’s controversial paddy pledging programme had on Thailand’s rice mill business and offers some managerial suggestions to deal with the programme. The programme was introduced during 2011–2014 to offer farmers a premium-guaranteed price for their crops. However, there was little discussion about the programme’s effects on the rice mill business, and how the mills had adapted their business model to meet the abrupt changes in demand and supply conditions. A case study of two rice mills in the Phu Sang district, Pha Yao Province, Thailand, was chosen as subjects for this study. One mill participated in the government’s paddy pledging programme, and the other did not. In-depth interviews were conducted with the rice mills management teams to explore the effects of the paddy pledging programme; to understand the mills’ motivations to participate or not participate the paddy pledging programme; to see how the mills adapted their business strategies to the drastic changes that occurred in the rice business environment and to draw key managerial and policy implications.
Globalization–Emissions Nexus: Testing the EKC Hypothesis in Next-11 Countries
Authors: Shahbaz Muhammad
Published: July 2019

This study investigates the association between globalization and carbon emissions for Next-11 (N-11) countries. In doing so, we apply bounds testing approach to examine cointegration between globalization and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The results confirm the U-shaped association between globalization and carbon emissions for Bangladesh, Iran and South Korea. Contrarily, traditional approach validates an inverted U relationship between globalization and carbon emissions for Pakistan and South Korea, but U-shaped relationship exists for the Philippines and Vietnam. The presence or absence of an inverted U relationship between globalization and carbon emissions has important policy implications using globalization as an economic tool for sustainable economic development.
Visions of Queer Anarchism: Gender, Desire, and Futurity in Omar Ali Khan’s Zibahkhana
Authors: Masood Syeda Momina
Published: July 2019

Modelled upon American slasher film tropes, Omar Ali Khan’s Zibahkhana (2007) is more than a transnational remake. It is a vision of a queer revolution, and imagines queer futures brought about through rural anarchy and violent eroticism. This article reads the masked killer of Zibahkhana as a monstrous queer agency armed with a queer (zombie) militia prepared to consume and transform the heteronormative matrix. Offering an unprecedented and unapologetic representation of queer aggression onscreen, Khan’s indie slasher explores queer articulations of desire and anarchy in the figure of the killer, Baby, a queer woman and a murderous cannibal. With Baby, Zibahkhana offers a queer anti-hero, the first of its kind for Pakistani cinema, that challenges normative modes of being, belonging, and desiring. Thus Zibahkhana not only offers a welcome revision of Western slasher film tropes, it blazes a trail for transgressive and incendiary portrayals of queer embodiments and intimacies in Pakistani visual media.
Hierarchies of Access in Schooling: An Exploration of Parental School Choice in Haryana
Authors: Narwana Kamlesh
Published: July 2019

The parental schooling choice in India has tilted in favour of private schools in a big way and preference for English medium has been highlighted as the main driving force behind this trend. This article analyses the school choice where both private as well as government schools offer education in English and Hindi medium. Based on the primary field survey and secondary data analysis, the article argues that the introduction of English medium in government schools has impacted the village school market significantly as it has led to the closure of three out of four private schools. However, we found that the availability of English medium school is not the sole determinant of school choice. A sharp difference in the profile of students enrolled in the government-run Hindi and English medium schools suggest that caste, gender and economic status also play a significant role in school choice.
Factors Associated With Suicidal Attempt Among School-Going Adolescents in Malaysia
Authors: Abdul Aziz Fazly Azry , Abd Razak Mohamad Aznuddin , Ahmad Noor Ani , Awaluddin S. Maria , Lodz Noor Aliza , Sooryanarayana Rajini , Shahein Nik Adilah , Mohamad Kasim Noraida , Abd Wahab Nor’ain , Jamaluddin Rasidah
Published: July 2019

Various factors contribute to suicidal attempt. This study aims to determine the relationship between suicidal attempt and its associated factors among school-going adolescents in Malaysia. Data from the National Health and Morbidity 2017 survey were analyzed. This survey was implemented as a nationwide school-based survey targeting adolescents 13 to 17 years old. Descriptive and multiple logistic regression analysis was done using SPSS version 20. A total of 27 399 adolescents participated in this survey. The prevalence of suicidal attempt was 6.9% (95% confidence interval = 6.2-7.7). Multivariate analysis found that the odds of suicidal attempt among adolescent with depression is 4.3 (adjusted odds ratio = 4.3; 95% confidence interval = 3.9-4.8). Other significant factors are young adolescent, non-Malay ethnicities especially Indian, adolescent with parents living apart, and those without peer support and parental connectedness. A holistic approach for the planning of preventative strategies and public health policies should be made according to these risk factors.
Spiritual Well-Being, Social Support, and Depression Among American Indian Women Cancer Survivors: The Mediating Effect of Perceived Quality of Life
Authors: Hsieh Yi-Ping , Roh Soonhee , Lee Yeon-Shim
Published: July 2019

This study aims to examine the mediating effect of quality of life on associations between both spiritual well-being and social support and depression among American Indian (AI) women cancer survivors. We collected cross-sectional data from AI women in the Midwest who were cancer survivors ( n = 73) with a self-administered survey. We employed a series of linear regression to examine the mediation model. We found spiritual well-being and social support were negatively associated with depression. These results indicate the importance of spiritual well-being and social support as protective and resilient factors in reducing the risk of depression. Moreover, these associations were fully mediated by the women’s self-perception of their quality of life. Considering cultural-specific resilience, our findings would be useful for the design, adjustment, and implementation of future psychotherapeutic protocols for AI cancer survivors.
Cognitive Dysfunction in Persons with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Concept Analysis
Authors: Liu Tingting , Lee Jung Eun , Wang Jing , Ge Song , Li Changwei
Published: July 2019

Although cognitive dysfunction is related to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), the concept has not yet been well defined. The purpose of this study was to define the concept of cognitive dysfunction in persons with T2DM and examine its defining attributes, antecedents, and consequences. Literature was retrieved from 2008 to 2018 by systematically searching the PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases. Based on 37 included studies, three defining attributes were identified: cognitive dysfunction is a recognized or unrecognized symptom, is characterized by a subtle decline in one or more cognitive domains, and is accompanied by pronounced structural changes observed in brain imaging. One major antecedent was diabetes-related or diabetes-specific pathological changes. Consequences included interference with diabetes self-management, nonadherence to recommended self-management behaviors, and a higher risk of having hypoglycemic events. The concept analysis provides a theoretical foundation that can be used to guide evaluations and interventions related to cognitive dysfunction in individuals with T2DM.
Siblings’ Lived Experiences of Having a Brother or Sister With Home Mechanical Ventilation: A Phenomenological Hermeneutical Study
Authors: Israelsson-Skogsberg Åsa , Markström Agneta , Laakso Katja , Hedén Lena , Lindahl Berit
Published: July 2019

Over the past few decades, there has been an increase in the number of children receiving home mechanical ventilation (HMV), and in many ways, families have taken responsibility for the required advanced homecare, which has placed considerable time demands on the family unit. Little is known about the life situation of the siblings of HMV-assisted children; their own voices and an insider perspective are missing. The aim of this study was to illuminate the everyday life experiences of siblings of HMV-assisted children. Data were obtained via interviews with 10 siblings with a median age of 9 years. Data were analyzed using a phenomenological hermeneutical method inspired by the French philosopher Ricoeur. Four themes emerged, all of which suggest that a complex and profound intertwined sibling bond develops that links the past, present, and future. The findings of this study provide valuable information from an insider’s perspective about the meaning of having an HMV-assisted sibling. Family-focused care with particular attention and support for siblings of HMV-assisted children can encourage the development of internal strengths, self-confidence, and resilience.
Who Posted That Story? Processing Layered Sources in Facebook News Posts
Authors: Oeldorf-Hirsch Anne , DeVoss Christina L.
Published: July 2019

With social media platforms becoming primary news sources, concerns about credibility judgments and knowledge grow. This study ( N = 233) experimentally tests the effects of multiple source cues on Facebook news posts on credibility and knowledge. Judgments of story credibility were directly influenced by media source cues, but not friend source cues. Involvement in the source topic moderated the effects of these source cues, such that particular combinations influenced credibility differently, and also influenced cognitive elaboration about the topic. Theoretical implications for cognitive mediation model of learning from the news and the heuristic-systematic model of information processing are presented.
The Dead Chick
Authors: Lahman Maria K. E.
Published: July 2019

In the poem The Dead Chick, the author reflects on life, death, brevity, and the unknowable.
Choroidal cleft simulating choroidal caverns in neovascular age-related macular degeneration
Authors: Pece Alfredo , Borrelli Enrico , Sacconi Riccardo , Maione Giulio , Bandello Francesco , Querques Giuseppe
Published: July 2019

The authors report a case of a female patient affected by neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In particular, multiple sub-retinal hyperreflective infiltrates were found on optical coherence tomography. Optical coherence tomography examination of her right eye displayed the presence of sub-retinal pigment epithelium hyporeflective spaces located beneath a hyperreflective fibrotic neovascularization. This case highlights the importance of differentiating choroidal clefts from choroidal caverns.
Should every candidate for cataract extraction be scheduled to the preoperative clinic? The Rabin Medical Center experience
Authors: Gabbay Itay Elimelech , Gabbay Uri , Goldstein Daniel A , Nahum Yoav
Published: July 2019

Background:

Cataract surgery is one of the most common elective surgeries. We present a novel approach of preoperative triage using community-based ophthalmologist referral letters for scheduling surgery, thus reducing both patient and physician time prior to surgery. Since most patients are not routinely examined in a preoperative clinic, day of surgery cancelations are a possibility. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of our triage system.

Methods:

Historical prospective study in which the end point was day-of-surgery cancelation. The main outcome measure of this study was the rate of cancelations which could have been prevented by a preoperative visit. Patients’ records were reviewed for reasons for cancelation and demographics.

Results:

During the study period, 1030 patients underwent cataract surgery, 171 patients (16.6%) were examined in the preoperative clinic. Forty-five patients (4.4%) were canceled on the day of surgery due to various reasons. The main reason for cancelation (13 cases, 28.9%) was non-availability of operating theater. In 20 cases (1.9% of total patients, 44.4% of cancelations), the cancelations could have been prevented by a preoperative clinic visit.

Conclusion:

Our results suggests that most cataract patients do not require preoperative visit prior to the day of surgery. The cooperation of community-based ophthalmologists and the availability of senior surgeons in the operating theater allows for the proper implementation of our system. Direct referral to surgery could shorten both costs and time to surgery and provide timely treatment for cataracts in a cost-aware environment.
Scleral pockets for an innovative technique of intrascleral fixation of intraocular lens
Authors: Postorino Maurizio , Meduri Alessandro , Inferrera Leandro , Tumminello Giuseppe , Rechichi Miguel , Caparello Ottavio , Aragona Pasquale
Published: July 2019

The aim of this article is to report the results of an innovative technique for a scleral fixation of a posterior chamber intraocular lens using our new modified technique. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 15 eyes of 15 patients who underwent sutureless intrascleral intraocular lens fixation using our modified technique. We used a 23-gauge knife to perform sclerotomy and create two parallel scleral pockets for the haptics. The mean follow-up period was 3 years (3 ± 1). No complications were detected during the follow-up period. The creation of two parallel scleral pockets, parallel to the limbus, greatly simplifies the introduction of intraocular lens haptics.
Cardiorespiratory Fitness Predicts Greater Vagal Autonomic Activity in Drug Users Under Stress
Authors: Cabral Daniel Aranha Rego , da Costa Kell Grandjean , Tavares Vagner Deuel de Oliveira , Rêgo Maria Luiza de Medeiros , Faro Heloiana Karoliny Campos , Fontes Eduardo Bodnariuc
Published: July 2019

While drug use has been shown to impair cardiac autonomic regulation, exercise might overcome some of the damage. Herein, we describe how individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) have their heart rate variability (HRV) and drug-related behaviors negatively affected in response to a stressor. However, we show how cardiorespiratory fitness may attenuate those impairments in autonomic control. Fifteen individuals with SUD were matched with 15 non-SUD individuals by age, weight, height, and fitness level, and had their HRV responses under stress induced by the Cold Pressor Test (CPT). The SUD group had lower mean of R-R intervals before and after the CPT when compared with the non-SUD group. In addition, in individuals with SUD, higher cardiorespiratory fitness level predicted greater vagal activity before, during, and after CPT. Moreover, for individuals with SUD, days of abstinence predicted greater mean of R-R intervals during recovery from the CPT. Finally, years of drug use negatively predicted mean of R-R intervals during recovery. Thus, our results suggest that chronic drug use impairs cardiac autonomic regulation at rest and after a physical stress. However, cardiorespiratory fitness might attenuate these impairments by increasing vagal autonomic activity.
Assessment of irritability in school-aged children by pediatric, family practice, and psychiatric providers
Authors: Hameed Usman , Dellasega Cheryl , Scandinaro Anna
Published: July 2019

Background:

Irritability, a common behavioral problem for school-aged children, is often first assessed by primary care providers, who manage about a third of mental health conditions in children. Until recent changes in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), irritability was often associated with mood disorders, which may have led to increases in bipolar disorder diagnosis and prescription of mood stabilizing medication.

Objective:

Our aim was to explore differences between the approaches psychiatric and primary care providers use to assess irritability.

Methods:

A single trained interviewer conducted detailed interviews and collected demographic data from a homogeneous group of physicians that saturated with a sample size of 17 pediatric, family medicine, and psychiatric providers who evaluate and treat school-aged children. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected and analyzed.

Results:

In general, primary care providers chose to refer children with irritability to mental health specialists when medication management became complex, while the psychiatric providers chose behavior modification and parent education strategies rather than medications. The psychiatric group had a significantly higher caseload mix, prior experience with irritability, and more confidence in their assessment capabilities. There was lack of continuing medical education about irritability in all groups.

Conclusion:

This preliminary study highlights the importance of collaboration between primary care and subspecialties to promote accurate assessment and subsequent treatment of school-aged children with irritability, who can represent a safety concern for self and others. More research is needed to establish an efficient method of assessing and managing irritability in primary care and better utilization of specialists.
Representing anxious parents in China: A study of Parenting Science magazine 1980–2016
Authors: Gong Qian (Sarah)
Published: July 2019

This article analyses the representation of parental practices in Parenting Science, the first and longest running parenting magazine published in China since 1980. Drawing on Foucault’s work on governmentality and biopolitics as well as their current development in cultural studies and sociology of health, this article critically investigates the cultural frames that surround parental practices relating to the health and development of young children. It explores how issues of medicalisation, intensive parenting, responsibility and self-management are represented in the magazine, ‘reflecting’ as well as ‘reinforcing’ dominant cultural ideas of parenting and childrearing in China. Based on a qualitative content analysis of 2295 items from 37 issues of the magazine (1980–2016), including editorials, feature stories, standard articles, Q&As, adverts and other short items, this article has identified three major frames of parental practices in monitoring and facilitating children’s health, development and wellbeing: (1) the medicalisation of children’s health problems, (2) the rise of expert authority and (3) the responsibilisation of parents. This article argues that these frames underpin the construction of an intensive and anxious parenting culture in China and serve as powerful tools of biopolitical control.
From the literary field to reality TV: The perils of downward celebrity migration
Authors: Oliva Mercè
Published: July 2019

This article explores ‘downward celebrity migration’, that is, when a celebrity enters a field that is less legitimate than their field of origin. It does so by studying the case of Lucía Etxebarria, a Spanish literary celebrity who participated in a celebrity reality TV show ( Campamento de Verano (‘Summer Camp’)) in 2013. Using Bourdieu’s concepts of field and capital, this article analyses the ambiguous hierarchical position that Etxebarria occupied in the programme and how she was evaluated according to the specific rules of reality TV: authenticity, ordinariness, performance and submission to the programme’s authority. Etxebarria’s presence in the programme stirred up a heated debate about social, cultural and fame hierarchies, and she became the target of attacks that tried to undermine her symbolic capital through personal humiliation.
Clouded judgments? Aesthetics, morality and everyday life in early 21st century culture
Authors: Kuipers Giselinde , Franssen Thomas , Holla Sylvia
Published: July 2019

This special issue investigates the relationship between aesthetics and morality. How do the good and the beautiful, the bad and the ugly, happen in everyday life? How do these ‘orders of worth’ interact? Do they reinforce each other? What happens when they contradict one another? Does one order typically trump the other? Five contributions, from Israel, Italy and the Netherlands, scrutinize different sites where both aesthetics – the continuum of evaluations from beautiful to ugly – and morality – evaluations about good and evil, right and wrong – have a strong presence. The contributions zoom in on everyday cultural consumption, where people create, seek out and discuss ‘good’ food, clothing, films and architecture, and professional situations where people look for ‘good’ jobs, want to work in ‘good’ work spaces and aim to be a ‘good’ worker. Integrating insights from cultural studies, sociology, valuation studies and science and technology studies, this special issue shows, first, how judgments of aesthetic and moral value are central to the fabric of social life – from the smallest level of everyday interactions to the large scale of economic relations and power im/balances. Second, these valuations often clash, blend and blur. This blurring and blending enables the drawing of social boundaries, the consolidation of identities and the shaping of selves. But it also allows for seduction, manipulation and obfuscation of power dynamics. Third, the contributions show that in contemporary post-Fordist, meritocratic consumer societies, beauty and morality are increasingly entangled with economic and political logics, leading to new social struggles and new forms of alienation and exploitation.
Pushing music: People’s continued will to archive versus Spotify’s will to make them explore
Authors: Lüders Marika
Published: July 2019

Music streaming services provide people with access to vast libraries of music, but also encourage certain patterns of consumption. In this article, I use Spotify as a case and investigate the action potentials for exploring and archiving music. The personal role of music implies we may expect the ‘will to archive’ to be prevalent even if these archives are not based on individual ownership. First, an analysis of Spotify suggests that the machine agency of Spotify pushes people towards exploring music, whereas archiving features are material and depend on human action. Spotify is hence skewed towards prompting users to explore rather than archive music. Next, an analysis of 23 focus-group interviews suggests that users value opportunities to explore music, yet their practices are equally directed towards archiving music. Theoretically, this article delineates how objects with machine agency are different from material objects in terms of affordances. The action potentials of material objects are symmetrically constituted by what the objects provide relative to an active being. The action potentials of objects with machine agency interfere with this symmetry: the machine is designed to act on behalf of the human being, making certain affordances more perceivable than others.
Experimental and numerical investigation on failure behavior of ring joints in precast concrete shear walls
Authors: Zhou Jian , Zhi Xudong , Fan Feng , Jiao Anliang , Qian Hongliang
Published: July 2019

Precast shear wall structures have been widely used due to their outstanding features, and the joints between precast members play a critical role in complete structures, specifically for vertical joints. The ring joint is a new connection method used for the vertical connection. Few studies and related regulations were traced; therefore more detailed studies are required. In order to study the anchoring performance and failure behavior, an experimental model was designed and tested under monotonic axial loading, taking the composite height of ring rebars, concrete specifications, diameter of the horizontal rebars, relative position of the ring rebars, diameter of the ring rebars, and number of horizontal rebars into consideration. The failure phenomena were observed and the data were collected. The failure pattern, bearing capacity, yield ratio, displacement ductility coefficient, and other performance parameters were analyzed. The study indicated that the failure patterns are divided into ring rebar pull-out and ring rebar fracture. Increasing the composite height of the ring rebar, the concrete specifications and the number of horizontal rebars could improve the bearing performance, and the contribution of the horizontal rebar diameter was limited, and interlocking ring rebars arranged uniformly are not optimal. In the case of joint failure, the yield ratio is relatively small and the displacement ductility coefficient is larger, which shows the bearing capacity reserve is better. A numerical model was established to analyze the internal behavior, and the results were in good agreement with the experimental results, important for us to understand the failure behavior. Design recommendations will promote its application.
Scoring System to Predict pt2 in Gallbladder Cancer Based on Carcinoembryonic Antigen and Tumor Diameter
Authors: Sakamoto K. , Takai A. , Ueno Y. , Inoue H. , Ogawa K. , Takada Y.
Published: July 2019

Background and Aims:

T2 gallbladder cancer requires lymph node dissection for curative resection, whereas simple cholecystectomy is adequate to treat T1 gallbladder cancer. Hence, this study aimed to develop an accurate scoring system to preoperatively predict pT2 in gallbladder cancer.

Material and Methods:

We retrospectively assessed data from 57 patients with suspected gallbladder cancer who underwent curative resection between September 2003 and May 2017. Six with apparent invasion of adjacent organs on preoperative images were excluded. We evaluated preoperative computed tomography, magnetic resonance and endoscopic ultrasonographic images, blood biochemistry, and the maximum standard uptake value in fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography images. We analyzed whether correlations between preoperative findings and the depth of tumor invasion could predict pT2.

Results:

The pathological diagnosis was gallbladder cancer in 30 (58.8%) patients, of whom 21 (69.9%) had pT2 or worse. Multivariate analyses selected carcinoembryonic antigen and tumor diameter as independent predictors of pT2 or worse (odds ratios = 1.741 and 1.098, respectively; 95% confidence intervals = 1.004–3.020 and 1.008–1.197, respectively). A regression formula was created using carcinoembryonic antigen and tumor diameter to calculate pT2 predictive scores. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve of the pT2 predictive score was 0.873.

Conclusion:

We created a scoring system to predict pT2 in gallbladder cancer using carcinoembryonic antigen and tumor diameter. The present findings suggested that carcinoembryonic antigen is important for the preoperative evaluation of gallbladder cancer.
Optimization of piston bowl and valve system in compression ignition engine fueled with gasoline/diesel/polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers for high efficiency
Authors: Li Bowen , Liu Haoye , Yu Linjun , Wang Zhi , Wang Jianxin
Published: July 2019

Polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers, with excellent volatility and oxygen content of up to 49%, have great potential to improve engine performance and emission characteristics. In this study, experiments were carried out in a single-cylinder engine fueled with gasoline/diesel/polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers blend fuel using multiple premixed compression ignition combustion mode along with engine optimization to exploit the high-efficiency potential. The thermal efficiency was increased by 9.4 percentage points after transforming the combustion mode from conventional diesel mode to gasoline/diesel/polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers multiple premixed compression ignition mode. A fully variable valve system and a redesigned low-heat-transfer piston were used to further improve the thermal efficiency. The low-heat-transfer piston had a 15% lower area–volume ratio compared with the original ω-type piston. By replacing the original ω-type piston with the low-heat-transfer piston, the heat transfer loss was reduced by 2.29 percentage points and thus indicated thermal efficiency could be increased by 2.37 percentage points, which was up to 50.03%. On the basis of the low-heat-transfer piston, indicated thermal efficiency could be further increased to 51.09% with the application of fully variable valve system due to the longer ignition delay and more premixed combustion. At the same time, NOX emissions could be controlled below 0.4 g/kW·h using high exhaust gas recirculation ratio, which equaled the NOX emission limit of Euro VI standard. Although soot emissions could be increased due to weak turbulence and insufficient intake charge using the low-heat-transfer piston and fully variable valve system, it was still lower than those of the original diesel engines.
Enhancing graduate employability: Why do higher education institutions have problems with teaching generic skills?
Authors: Okolie Ugochukwu Chinonso , Igwe Paul Agu , Nwosu Hyginus Emeka , Eneje Beatrice Chinyere , Mlanga Sunday
Published: July 2019

One debate among business owners and policymakers centres on whether higher education institutions (HEIs) have failed to transform the younger generation by developing their competencies, skills, values and behaviours to enable them to be fit for the world of work. While previous studies have considered the importance of skills development and its assessment in many contexts, there appears to have been limited scholarly research on employability issues within the higher education system (HES) in Nigeria. In seeking to address this, it is vital to understand how HEIs in Nigeria conceptualize generic skills and why HEIs have problems with teaching generic skills in their programmes. By adopting a qualitative approach, based on interviews with senior academics, industry executives and final-year undergraduates, this study found that many of the HEIs do not facilitate the teaching of high-level generic skills in their programmes. Some of the factors attributed to this include poor learning environment, lack of staff with industry experience, and over-dependence on theoretical content teaching. The findings are significant for reorienting the HE curriculum developers to align with the needs of the industry and society. Regarding implications for policy, we recommend that enterprise education be made mandatory for primary, secondary and tertiary education curriculum in Nigeria. Finally, we advocate more inclusive and interpretive research for greater understanding of the issues, and to offer useful data for policymaking and decision-making on the perspectives of preparing graduates for work.
Perceptions of Deservingness and the Politicization of Social Insurance: Evidence From Disability Insurance in the United States
Authors: Fang Albert H. , Huber Gregory A.
Published: July 2019

Concerns about the deservingness of policy beneficiaries appear to explain skepticism about redistributive social assistance programs. Many social insurance programs, despite requiring beneficiaries to pay in ahead of time, require discretionary evaluations of the merits of claims for benefits. Do perceptions of deservingness also affect attitudes toward these discretionary social insurance programs? Examining the politics of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), a program whose size and beneficiaries have been increasingly politicized, we investigate these questions by analyzing novel survey data and two experiments conducted on national surveys. We show that people use information about a beneficiary’s eligibility-determining impairment—but not their race, which prior work argues is a key heuristic—to infer their deservingness. Moreover, support for SSDI is responsive to policy arguments emphasizing the program’s social insurance features and potential abuse. Our findings demonstrate important psychological processes relevant to the contemporary politicization of social insurance programs involving discretionary eligibility rules.
From the Editors
Authors: Ray Rashawn , Rojas Fabio
Published: July 2019

Contexts editors Rashawn Ray and Fabio Rojas introduce a special issue on freedom.
Hate Crimes and Domestic Terrorism on Campus
Authors: Ray Rashawn
Published: July 2019

Rashawn Ray interviews the parents of Army 2nd Lt. Richard W. Collins III.
Stability and Change in Americans’ Perception of Freedom
Authors: Patterson Orlando , Fosse Ethan
Published: July 2019

Any American will tell you, this nation’s highest ideal is freedom. Survey data teases out how race, income, and political affiliation inflect individuals’ sense of lilberty.
Detention, Disappearance, and the Politics of Family
Authors: Zarrugh Amina , Romero Luis A.
Published: July 2019

Examining immigrant detention and forced disappearance through their effects on family and social networkds reveals the pernicious power of state removals.
“How Does It Feel to Be Born a Problem?”
Authors: Laster Pirtle Whitney N.
Published: July 2019

Whitney N. Laster Pirtle on Born a Crime.
Terrorism and the Digital Right-Wing
Authors: Harwood Elizabeth T.
Published: July 2019

Elizabeth T. Harwood on networks of provocation.
Central Valley Freedom Summer
Authors: Terriquez Veronica , Villegas Randy , Villalobos Roxanna
Published: July 2019

Veronica Terriquez, Randy Villegas, and Roxanna Villalobos on a student-led voter registration drive.
Using Lemon Laws to Curb the Campus Sexual Assault Epidemic
Authors: Potter Sharyn J.
Published: July 2019

Sharyn J. Potter on leveraging consumer laws to reduce on-campus assaults.
Electroencephalogram Characteristics in Critical Ill Patients Before Cardiac Arrest: A Case Series
Authors: Xu Jian , Mohamed Wazim , Basha Maysaa M. , Zutshi Deepti
Published: July 2019

Background/Objectives. To illustrate characteristic electroencephalogram (EEG) features in patients prior to their first cardiac arrest. Methods. We identified 15 patients who suffered cardiac arrest during continuous EEG at our institution from June 2016 to June 2019. Eight patients were excluded due to co-administration of intravenous anesthetics (which may confound EEG) or if they had a previous prolonged cardiac arrest (>5 minutes) during the same hospitalization. We collected background information, analyzed the time span and vital signs between the initial background change and cardiac arrest. Results. The time span range (minutes) from initial background change to cardiac arrest was 4 to 483 (average 128.9), initial background change to suppression was 0 to 372 (average 75.6), suppression to cardiac arrest was 1 to 140 (average 53.3), suppression to complete suppression was 0 to 66 (average 20.4), and complete suppression to cardiac arrest was 1 to 111 (average 32.9). Three patients showed background changes more than 160 minutes before cardiac arrest. All patients showed progressive heart rate (HR) decline at or before the beginning of suppression on EEG. HR (beats/min) (mean ± SE) at background change, background suppression, complete suppression, and cardiac arrest was 86.3 ± 7.5, 63.9± 7.5, 36.0 ± 6.8, and 0, respectively. We found statistically significant HR changes ( P < .05) between background change and complete suppression time points. Conclusions. Our data indicate that EEG pattern change can occur minutes to hours before the initial cardiac arrest. These patterns may be due to progressive cerebral ischemia. Further studies with broad-scale monitoring of vital signs and evoked potentials may help develop models for predicting cardiac insufficiency.
Entropy based routing for mobile, low power and lossy wireless sensors networks
Authors: Carvalho Celso , Mota Edjair , Ferraz Eric , Seixas Paulo , Souza Paulo , Tavares Vitor , Lucena Filho Walfredo , Ferreira David , Manzoni Pietro , Calafate Carlos
Published: July 2019

Routing protocol for low-power and lossy networks is a routing solution specifically developed for wireless sensor networks, which does not quickly rebuild topology of mobile networks. In this article, we propose a mechanism based on mobility entropy and integrate it into the corona RPL (CoRPL) mechanism, which is an extension of the IPv6 routing protocol for low-power and lossy networks (RPL). We extensively evaluated our proposal with a simulator for Internet of Things and wireless sensor networks. The mobility entropy-based mechanism, called CoRPL+E, considers the displacement of nodes as a deciding factor to define the links through which nodes communicate. Simulation results show that the proposed mechanism, when compared to CoRPL mechanism, is effective in reducing packet loss and latency in simulated mobile routing protocol for low-power and lossy networks. From the simulation results, one can see that the CoRPL+E proposal mechanism provides a packet loss reduction rate of up to 50% and delays reduction by up to 25% when compared to CoRPL mechanism.
Left Ventricular Function Recovery After Transapical TAVR in Patients With Previous Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery
Authors: Okoh Alexis K. , Sossou Christoph , Kang Nathan , Decker Jonathan , Dave Devangi , Haik Bruce , Chen Chunguang , Cohen Marc , Russo Mark
Published: July 2019

Objective

The transapical (TA) approach is an alternative access technique for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in patients with symptomatic aortic valve stenosis. The impact of prior coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery and how it affects left ventricular function recovery is not well defined.

Methods

Patients who had TAVR at a single center between June 2012 and December 2016 were reviewed. High-risk patients who underwent the procedure via a TA approach were divided into 2 groups based on their history of CABG surgery. Postoperative outcomes were compared between groups. CABG/TA-TAVR patients were subdivided into 2 per baseline left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <50%. The changes in LVEF and valve function at follow-up (1 to 12 months) were analyzed using paired t-tests.

Results

Of 923 cases in total, 183 (19.8%) were performed via a TA approach. The mean ± SD Society of Thoracic Surgeons risk score of TA patients was 10.2 ± 4.6. Forty-nine (27%) had a surgical history of CABG. Overall all-cause mortality rates at 30 days, 1 year, and 2 years were similar for both groups ( P = 0.59, P = 0.64, P = 0.78). Subgrouping of CABG-TAVR patients ( n = 49) identified 24 patients (49%) with LVEF ≥50% vs. 25 (51%) with LVEF <50%. At 1-year follow-up, significant improvements in LVEF (low LVEF group) and valve function for both groups were observed. LVEF ≥50% group (LVEF: ∆: −3%, P = 0.878; aortic valve area [AVA]: ∆: 1.3 cm2, P < 0.001; mean gradient: ∆: −38 mmHg, P < 0.001); LVEF <50% group (LVEF: ∆: 10%, P = 0.01; AVA: ∆: 1.3 cm2, P < 0.001; MG: ∆: −31 mmHg, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

TA-TAVR can be safely performed with acceptable postoperative outcomes in patients with a history of CABG surgery. In those with reduced EF, significant improvements in LV and valve functions are seen at 1-year follow-up.
Medication management issues identified during home medication reviews for ambulatory community pharmacy patients
Authors: Papastergiou John , Luen Mathew , Tencaliuc Simona , Li Wilson , van den Bemt Bart , Houle Sherilyn
Published: July 2019

Background:

The health risks associated with poor medication practices in the home suggest that patients would benefit from home-based medication reviews that could detect and resolve these issues. However, remuneration for home visits often excludes ambulatory, nonhomebound patients. A subset of these patients have issues that cannot be adequately identified and resolved during the course of a typical pharmacy-based medication review.

Purpose:

This study aims to characterize the prevalence and nature of “hidden in the home” medication management issues in nonhomebound patients.

Methods:

Pharmacists facilitated subject enrollment among patients at 6 community pharmacies in Toronto over a 15-month period, from January 2016 to March 2017. Patients taking 5 or more chronic medications who were ambulatory (able to visit the pharmacy) and scored 3 points or higher on a prescreening questionnaire were invited to participate. Visits included a standard medication review, the identification of drug therapy problems and an assessment of the patient’s medication and organization/storage practices, followed by a medication cabinet cleanup.

Results:

One hundred patients were recruited, with a mean age of 76.9 years and taking on average 10 chronic medications. Pharmacists identified a total of 275 drug therapy problems (2.75 per patient). The most common issues reported additional therapy required (23.6%), nonadherence (23.3%) and adverse drug reactions (17.8%). For those patients 65 years or older (87%), 32% were found to be using at least 1 medication on the Beers Criteria list, while 6% were using 3 or more. Sulfonylureas, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and short-acting benzodiazepines were the most commonly implicated drugs. Medications were removed from the homes of 67% of the patients, with expiry of medication being the most common reason for removal (54.2%). The mean duration of a home visit was 49.5 minutes.

Conclusion:

Pharmacist-directed home medication reviews offer an effective mechanism to address the pharmacotherapy issues of patients taking multiple medications. These findings highlight the frequency of medication management issues in this group and suggest that home medication reviews could serve to minimize inappropriate use of medication and maximize health care cost savings in this unique patient population. Can Pharm J (Ott) 2019;152:xx-xx.
Predicting factors of recurrence in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease: a prospective follow-up analysis
Authors: Lei Wei-Yi , Chang Wei-Chuan , Wen Shu-Hui , Yi Chih-Hsun , Liu Tso-Tsai , Hung Jui-Sheng , Wong Ming-Wun , Chen Chien-Lin
Published: July 2019

Background:

Recurrence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is common among patients who are no longer receiving proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). This study investigated factors associated with GERD recurrence.

Methods:

We included 499 consecutive GERD patients who completed validated reflux and psychological questionnaires before undergoing upper endoscopy. All patients were treated with PPIs and followed up.

Results:

Recurrence was observed in 89 (30.4%) of 293 patients during the 1-year follow up. Patients with recurrence had a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus ( p = 0.037), higher baseline GERD Questionnaire (GERDQ) scores ( p = 0.002), and higher Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores ( p = 0.045). Log-rank analysis showed that a GERDQ score of ⩾8 was independently associated with an increased recurrence risk ( p = 0.002). The scores of all psychological questionnaires and health-related quality of life questionnaire worsened more at the end of follow up in patients with recurrence than in those without recurrence. Multivariate analysis revealed that a higher GERDQ score was the only independent risk factor for GERD recurrence ( p = 0.024). GERD patients who have greater initial symptom burden will have a higher recurrence rate after discontinuing PPIs.

Conclusions:

GERD patients with greater initial symptom burden are more likely to have recurrence after discontinuing PPIs. This study highlights the importance of developing a new strategy to prevent GERD recurrence in the management of this common disorder.
Public Costs versus Private Gain: Assessing the Effect of Different Types of Information about Corruption Incidents on Electoral Accountability
Authors: Avenburg Alejandro
Published: July 2019

Are voters’ attitudes towards corrupt candidates affected by the details they learn about candidates’ wrongdoing? This study examines the effect of including different pieces of information emphasising the public costs or private gain of a similar corruption incident on the probability of support for the incumbent mayor’s re-election. I use three surveys experiments with online convenience samples of Brazilian subjects. The survey experiments use various vignettes presenting a fictitious Brazilian incumbent mayor with antecedents of misuse of public funds, running for re-election. I manipulate the details that subjects learn on those antecedents to assess whether information on the public costs of the corruption incident or on the candidate’s illicit enrichment stimulates a stronger rejection. Additional manipulations are used to test rival hypotheses. Results consistently show that information showing the candidate’s illicit enrichment drives a stronger negative response than every alternative treatment.