bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Racial and Ethnic Differences in Health Care Utilization Following Severe Acute Brain Injury in the United States
Authors: Jones Rayleen C. , Creutzfeldt Claire J. , Cox Christopher E. , Haines Krista L. , Hough Catherine L. , Vavilala Monica S. , Williamson Theresa , Hernandez Adrian , Raghunathan Karthik , Bartz Raquel , Fuller Matt , Krishnamoorthy Vijay
Published: September 2020

Objective:

To examine racial and ethnic differences in the utilization of 3 interventions (tracheostomy placement, gastrostomy tube placement, and hospice utilization) among patients with severe acute brain injury (SABI).

Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting:

Data from the National Inpatient Sample, from 2002 to 2012.

Patients:

Adult patients with SABI defined as a primary diagnosis of stroke, traumatic brain injury, or post-cardiac arrest who received greater than 96 hours of mechanical ventilation.

Exposure:

Race/ethnicity, stratified into 5 categories (white, black, Hispanic, Asian, and other).

Measurements and Main Results:

Data from 86 246 patients were included in the cohort, with a mean (standard deviation) age of 60 (18) years. In multivariable analysis, compared to white patients, black patients had an 20% increased risk of tracheostomy utilization (relative risk [RR]: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.16-1.24, P < .001), Hispanic patients had a 10% increased risk (RR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.06-1.14, P < .001), Asian patients had an 8% increased risk (RR: 1.08, 95% CI: 1.01-1.16, P = .02), and other race patients had an 10% increased risk (RR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.04-1.16, P < .001). A similar relationship was observed for gastrostomy utilization. In multivariable analysis, compared to white patients, black patients had a 25% decreased risk of hospice discharge (RR: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.67-0.85, P < .001), Hispanic patients had a 20% decreased risk (RR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.69-0.94, P < .01), and Asian patients had a 47% decreased risk (RR: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.39-0.73, P < .001). There was no observed relationship between race/ethnicity and in-hospital mortality.

Conclusions:

Minority race was associated with increased utilization of tracheostomy and gastrostomy, as well as decreased hospice utilization among patients with SABI. Further research is needed to better understand the mechanisms underlying these race-based differences in critical care.
An improved process for the fabrication and surface treatment of custom-made titanium cranioplasty implants informed by surface analysis
Authors: Cardona Milovan Joe , Turner Catherine , Ross Calum , Baird Elaine , Black Richard Anthony
Published: September 2020

Cranioplasty implants are routinely fabricated from commercially pure titanium plates by maxillofacial prosthetists. The differing fabrication protocols adopted by prosthetists working at different hospital sites gives rise to considerable variations in surface topography and composition of cranioplasty implants, with residues from the fabrication processes having been found to become incorporated into the surface of the implant. There is a growing recognition among maxillofacial prosthetists of the need to standardise these protocols to ensure quality and consistency of practice within the profession. In an effort to identify and eliminate the source of the inclusions associated with one such fabrication protocol, the present study examined the surfaces of samples subjected to each of the manufacturing steps involved. Surface and elemental analysis techniques identified the main constituent of the surface inclusions to be silicon from the glass beads used to texture the surface of the implant during fabrication. Subsequent analysis of samples prepared according to a revised protocol resulted in a more homogeneous titanium dioxide surface as evidenced by the reduction in area occupied by surface inclusions (from 8.51% ± 2.60% to 0.93% ± 0.62%). These findings may inform the development of improved protocols for the fabrication of titanium cranioplasty plates.
Agents of Europeanization: Think Tanks Discussing the Refugee Crisis in the Czech Republic
Authors: Klásková Markéta , Císař Ondřej
Published: September 2020

This article belongs to the special cluster, “Think Tanks in Central and Eastern Europe”, guest-edited by Katarzyna Jezierska and Serena Giusti.

What is the role of think tanks in Europeanization of national public spheres? To address this question, our paper explores the performance of think tanks in the immigration debate in the Czech Republic. Employing political claims analysis (PCA) and treating think tanks as boundary organizations active in multiple fields, we compare the levels of Europeanization of political claims made by think tanks with other actors. Our data set includes 2,374 political claims made on broadcast public TV in the period from April 2015 to March 2016. According to our quantitative data, Czech think tanks chose the discursive strategy of Europeanization more often than any other actor represented. Thus, think tanks have the potential to support Europeanization of national public spheres. However, their representation in media coverage is relatively low. Our results also demonstrate that think tanks should be treated as sui generis organizations since their strategy in the public sphere deviates from that of other civil society organizations. Think tanks Europeanized their claims-making, but others largely stayed on the national level while discussing the refugee crisis.
Introduction: Travelling from West to East: Think Tank Model Adaptation to Central and Eastern Europe
Authors: Jezierska Katarzyna , Giusti Serena
Published: September 2020

This article is part of the special section “Think Tanks in Central and Eastern Europe” guest-edited by Katarzyna Jezierska and Serena Giusti.

This is an introduction to the Special Section on Think Tanks in Central and Eastern Europe. Apart from this introduction, the Section includes four articles, which explore the nature and conditions of think tanks operating in Belarus, Ukraine, Czech Republic, and Poland. Think tanks are usually understood as institutions claiming autonomy whose main aim is to influence policy making based on the social analysis they produce. The most apparent blind spot in extant think tank research is its predominant focus on the English-speaking world. We argue that by focusing on think tanks in non-Western contexts, we can better understand think tanks. When studying the diffusion of the organizational form of think tanks to new contexts, it is not enough to maintain the “sender” perspective (the formulation of the institutional characteristics of think tanks in the contexts in which they first emerged). We need to complement or even modify that perspective by also taking into account the “receiver” perspective. In other words, internationally circulated ideas and institutional patterns are always interpreted and translated in local “receiving” contexts, which coproduce, reformulate, and readjust the blueprint. Our focus in this Section is therefore on the translation and local adaptation of the think tank institution in the context of Central and Eastern Europe, a region that has undergone deep changes in a relatively short period.
Using a Social Capital Framework to Explore a Broker’s Role in Small Employer Wellness Program Uptake and Implementation
Authors: Thornton Michele , Hammerback Kristen , Abraham Jean M. , Brosseau Lisa , Harris Jeffrey R. , Linnan Laura A.
Published: September 2020

Purpose:

Small employers, while motivated to implement wellness programs, often lack knowledge and resources to do so. As a result, these firms rely on external decision-making support from insurance brokers. The objective of this study was to analyze brokers’ familiarity with wellness programs and to characterize their role and interactions with small employers.

Design:

Using a newly developed common interview guide (20 questions), protocol and analysis plan, 20 interviews were conducted with health insurance brokers in Illinois, Minnesota, North Carolina and Washington in 2016 and 2017. In addition to exploring patterns of broker interactions and familiarity by segment, we propose a framework to conceptualize the broker-client relationship using social capital theory and the RE-AIM model.

Methods:

Interviews were transcribed, summarized and a common codebook was established using DeDoose. Themes were identified following multi-rater coding and structured within the framework.

Results:

Participating brokers reported having a high to moderate familiarity with wellness programs (65%) and a majority (80%) indicated that they have previously advised their small business clients on the availability and features of them. Further, we find that brokers may help eliminate barriers to resources and act as a connector to wellness opportunities within their professional network.

Conclusion:

New initiatives to promote small employer wellness programs can benefit from examining the influence of brokers on the decision-making process. When engaged and supported with resources, brokers may be effective champions for employer wellness programs.
Prolonged Refractory ICU Delirium Successfully Treated With Valproic Acid: Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Subedi Bibidh , Louzon Patricia R. , Masood Ahmed , Recksieck Stephanie
Published: September 2020

Intensive care unit (ICU) delirium is characterized by acute onset of cerebral dysfunction with a change or fluctuation in baseline mental status. Delirium management includes non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic treatment. However at times, alternative pharmacologic treatment is warranted. Valproic acid (VPA) is a potential pharmacologic agent that can be utilized to treat ICU delirium, though there is a paucity of evidence for its use, especially in patients with a history of substance abuse. We review the literature on VPA use in ICU delirium, and describe a challenging case of a 27-year-old female with a history of substance abuse experiencing hyperactive ICU delirium for greater than a month, refractory to multiple treatment modalities, and successfully treated with VPA therapy.
Antibiotics Utilization for Community Acquired Pneumonia in a Community Hospital Emergency Department
Authors: Yu Jessica , Wang Gillian , Davidson Ann , Chow Ivy , Chiu Ada
Published: September 2020

Background:

A local health authority in Canada implemented its own Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASP) which provide guidelines to clinicians to utilize when treating infectious diseases such as community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Objectives: The primary objective is to describe antibiotic usage patterns at the community hospital’s emergency department (ED) and to analyze the patterns in relation to ASP goals of reducing risk of infections, adverse drug events and antibiotic resistance, and to identify potential areas of improvement.

Methods:

This retrospective chart review included 156 adult patients with a diagnosis of CAP admitted to a community hospital ED from December 1, 2015 to November 30, 2016.

Results:

50.6% patients were prescribed moxifloxacin across all severity of CAP patients. Low and moderate severity CAP patients were most often prescribed antibiotic duration > 7 days. In low, moderate and high severity CAP patients who were treated using ceftriaxone, 100%, 88.9% and 66.6% patients were treated with ceftriaxone 2000 mg daily respectively.

Conclusions:

Antibiotic prescribing patterns suggest fluoroquinolones were frequently being over-prescribed, ceftriaxone dosages were often too high, and duration of antibiotics for low and moderate severity CAP were too long. More efforts are needed to promote appropriate antibiotic usage and optimize patient care.
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Intervention Studies with General Practitioner Involvement Focused on Falls Prevention for Community-Dwelling Older People
Authors: Mackenzie Lynette , Beavis Ann-Marie , Tan Amy C. W. , Clemson Lindy
Published: September 2020

Objectives: Falls are a significant health problem for the ageing population. This review aimed to identify effective falls prevention interventions with involvement of general practitioners (GPs). Methods: Systematic review of randomised controlled trials conducted from 1999–2019, with meta-analysis. Searches located 2736 articles. A quality assessment was conducted of all included studies. Results: 21 randomised controlled trials met the inclusion criteria and 19 studies could be included in a meta-analysis. Overall, studies were not effective for reducing multiple falls (Relative Risk (RR) 1.16, 95% CI .97–1.39 and p = .10) or reducing one or more falls (RR .91, 95% CI: .82–1.01 and p = .08), but were effective for reducing injurious falls (RR .76, 95% CI: .66–.87 and p = .001). Discussion: Studies involving the GP in an active role and aligned with the primary care context were effective. The fidelity of interventions was limited by independent GP decisions and older participants being required to initiate the intervention.
Musculoskeletal Pain Experienced on Most Days is a Common Accompaniment of Ageing amongst Community-Dwelling Older Australians: A Questionnaire-Based Study
Authors: Gilmartin-Thomas Julia F-M. , Ernst Michael E. , Nelson Mark R. , Lockery Jessica , Ward Stephanie A. , Woods Robyn L. , Britt Carlene , Murray Anne , Workman Barbara , McNeil John ,   The ASPREE Investigators
Published: September 2020

Objective: To describe the prevalence, location and impact of moderate to severe pain experienced on most days in community-dwelling older (≥70 years) adults who were ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) clinical trial participants. Methods: Cross-sectional ASPREE Longitudinal Study of Older Persons (ALSOP) data were collected from self-reported questionnaires administered to 16,439 ASPREE participants. Results: Of 14,155 respondents, 41% of males ( n = 2651/6475) and 50% of females ( n = 3803/7680) reported experiencing pain on most days. One quarter of respondents reported experiencing pain on most days that was moderate or severe in intensity ( n = 3560/14,155), commonly located in the lower back, knees and upper back. Of those reporting moderate or severe pain, 51% reported taking analgesic medication on most days ( n = 1812/3560), almost one-third also reported regular interference with sleep (29%, n = 1024/3560), walking (35%, n = 1239/3560) and daily activities (41%, n = 1467/3560). Discussion: Lower back, knee or upper back pain is a common accompaniment of ageing.
What can research organizations learn from their spin-off companies? Six case studies in the water sector
Authors: Hessels Laurens K , Mooren Caro , Bergsma Emmy
Published: September 2020

Spin-off companies are generally considered a promising vehicle for developing academic knowledge into products that are ready for the market. In this paper the authors explore under what circumstances spin-off companies can serve as a source of knowledge for the research organization from which they originate. The paper brings together literature from different academic fields to construct an analytical framework for investigating knowledge feedback mechanisms between spin-off companies and their parent research organizations. The authors illustrate the application of this framework in six case studies of parent–spin-off couples in the water technology sector. These case studies show that the interaction with spin-off companies can yield important cognitive benefits for the academic research process, such as an improvement of the research agenda and new insights about the practical operation of theoretical models and technologies. These benefits were facilitated mainly by staff exchange, collaborative research and personal contacts.
RCA-PCK: A new structural reliability analysis method based on PC-Kriging and radial centralized adaptive sampling strategy
Authors: Yu Zhenliang , Sun Zhili , Cao Runan , Wang Jian , Yan Yutao
Published: September 2020

To improve the efficiency and accuracy of reliability assessment for structures with small failure probability and time-consuming simulation, a new structural reliability analysis method (RCA-PCK) is proposed, which combines PC-Kriging model and radial centralized adaptive sampling strategy. Firstly, the PC-Kriging model is constructed by improving the basis function of Kriging model with sparse polynomials. Then, the sampling region which contributes a great impact on the failure probability is constructed by combining the radial concentration and important sampling technology. Subsequently, the k-means++ clustering technology and learning function LIF are adopted to select new training samples from each subdomains in each iteration. To avoid the sampling distance in one subdomain or the distance between the new training samples in two subdomains being too small, we construct a screening mechanism to ensure that the selected new training samples are evenly distributed in the limit state. In addition, a new convergence criterion is derived based on the relative error estimation of failure probability. Four benchmark examples are given to illustrate the convergence process, accuracy and stability of the proposed method. Finally, the transmission error reliability analysis of thermal-elastic coupled gears is carried out to prove the applicability of the proposed method RCA-PCK to the structures with strong nonlinearity and time-consuming simulation.
Pacific and English Language Fluency and Mental Disorder Symptom Indications Among Pacific Mothers in New Zealand: Findings From the Pacific Islands Families Study
Authors: Schluter Philip J. , Collet Ophélie A. M. , Tautolo El-Shadan , Iusitini Leon , Kokaua Jesse , Paterson Janis
Published: September 2020

Within New Zealand (NZ), Pacific people experience higher prevalence of mental disorder than non-Pacific people. Bilinguals are believed to have psychological advantages over monolinguals, although the empirical evidence base is equivocal. A prospective cohort of Pacific mothers was studied at 6 weeks (n = 1272), 1-year (n = 1135), and 2-year (n = 1059) postpartum. At 6 weeks, 343 (27.0%) mothers were fluent in both Pacific and English languages, 519 (40.8%) only fluent in Pacific language(s), and 410 (32.2%) only fluent in English. Over assessment waves, 16.0%, 12.5%, and 8.7% of mothers had mental disorder symptom indications. In adjusted generalized estimating equation analysis, mothers speaking English only had odds of mental disorder symptom indication of 2.24 as compared to bilingual mothers, while those who spoke Pacific language(s) only had odds of 1.52. Supporting Pacific and English languages within NZ may confer mental health benefits to new Pacific mothers and potentially others.
Velar Closing Ratio As a Predictor for the Verlopharyngeal Function After Double Opposing Z-Plasty for Postpalatoplasty Velopharyngeal Insufficiency in Patients With Cleft Palate
Authors: Wu Cheng-Chun , Huang Faye , Hsieh Ching-Hua , Fu Chih-Pin , Tsai Yi-Lin , Lai Jui-Pin
Published: September 2020

Background:

This study was designed to identify the potential predictors of postoperative velopharyngeal function after double opposing Z-plasty (DOZP) for the treatment of velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) in patients who had prior palatoplasty for cleft palate.

Methods:

This retrospective study reviewed the medical records of consecutive patients who received DOZP for VPI after receiving a prior palatoplasty treating cleft palate between 2004 and 2017. The speech outcome of patient was measured using the Pittsburgh Weighted Speech Scale (PWSS) at 6 months following surgery and determined the outcome suggests velopharyngeal competence (PWSS ≤2) or incompetence (PWSS >2). Stepwise logistic regression was used to identify the variables for the prediction of competent surgical outcome. The specific receiver operating characteristic curves with an area under the curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the predictor related to the surgical outcome as competence.

Results:

The study included 93 patients. Age, relative velar length, velar lengthening, and closure pattern were not significantly associated with postoperative competence status of the patient. The only variable that predicted a successful surgical outcome was preoperative velar closing ratio. However, the accuracy of velar closing ratio in predicting a competent surgical outcome is only moderate (AUC = 70.37).

Conclusion:

The results of this study showed that preoperative velar closing ratio may predict, with moderate accuracy, a successful surgical outcome in patients with postpalatoplasty VPI who undergo DOZP. Therefore, in patients with a low preoperative velar closing ratio, some alternative surgical methods other than DOZP may be considered to avoid unsatisfactory surgical outcome.
The Role of Alcohol Intoxication on Sentencing by Judges and Laypersons: Findings From a Binational Experiment in Germany and France
Authors: Bègue Laurent , Zerhouni Oulmann , Jobard Fabien
Published: September 2020

Existing studies do not provide consistent results regarding the role of alcohol intoxication on sentencing, and little is known about the specificity of sentencing by judges when compared to the general population. In this study, we experimentally investigated the influence of the level of alcohol intoxication on the sentence given to a defendant who had committed an act of physical aggression toward another person. A large sample of judges ( N = 1,207) and a representative sample from the general population ( N = 1,972) from both Germany and France were randomly assigned to a written depiction of an assault case in which the protagonist had either previously drunk no alcohol, or 0.50 L, or 1.5 L of beer. The respondents were then asked to assign a sentence to the defendant from a range of predefined options. Based on previous studies on sentencing among judges, we hypothesized that they would deliver harsher sentences than the participants from the general population contrary to the “myth of judicial leniency.” Moreover, following attribution theory, we hypothesized that alcohol consumption would decrease the severity of the sentence chosen by the participants from the general population. It was expected that the judges would not be influenced by alcohol information because in both France and Germany, alcohol is not considered to be an aggravating factor in crime according to national laws. The results showed that irrespective of the level of alcohol intoxication, the judges recommended harsher sentences than the participants from the general population and tended to rely on fewer sentence options. However, contrary to our expectations, in both countries, the protagonist’s level of intoxication did not influence sentencing severity.
Mindfulness Practices in Supervision: Training Counselors’ Experiences
Authors: Banker Jamie E. , Goldenson Dennis
Published: September 2020

The purpose of this qualitative study was to develop a descriptive understanding of couple and family counseling trainees’ experiences of using mindfulness techniques in their group supervision course. Counselor educators have called for additional research on the topic of mindfulness in counseling training programs because the current literature shows differing outcomes. The six trainees who participated in this study had completed between 1 and 2 years of coursework at the graduate level and were beginning their practicum requirements through the University’s counseling center. The counseling trainees participated in a focused mindfulness activity as a way to transition from their busy everyday routines to discussing and reflecting on their client’s progress, as well as their own experience within the therapy setting. Themes from the trainee’s responses highlighted a positive experience to learning mindfulness. Some trainees, however, expressed concern with using mindfulness in the therapy room until they felt more practiced in the techniques. Overall, our findings indicate that the use of mindfulness as a supervisory tool produced many benefits in the course of training. Implications for both training practices and future research on mindfulness with trainees are discussed.
Anterior Syndesmotic Augmentation Technique Using Nonabsorbable Suture-Tape for Acute and Chronic Syndesmotic Instability
Authors: Kwon John Y. , Stenquist Derek , Ye Michael , Williams Caroline , Giza Eric , Kadakia Anish R. , Kreulen Christopher
Published: September 2020

Syndesmotic instability is a source of significant pain and disability. Both subtle instability and gross diastasis, whether acute or chronic, require stabilization and may benefit from reconstruction with ligamentous augmentation. The use of nonabsorbable suture-tape has emerged as a promising operative strategy, allowing surgeons to anatomically reconstruct the syndesmosis, in particular the anterior inferior tibiofibular ligament. The current work provides a detailed description of the technique and preliminary results of a patient cohort treated using nonabsorbable suture-tape for syndesmotic augmentation.

Level of Evidence: Level V, expert opinion.
Awareness is the first step: What Ghanaian community pharmacists know about cancer
Authors: Mensah Kofi B. , Mensah Adwoa Bemah Boamah , Bangalee Varsha , Oosthuizen Frasia
Published: September 2020

Objectives

The goal of this study was to access the knowledge of a representative sample of community pharmacists in Ghana on general cancer, risk factors, signs and symptom and most common cancer counseling points known to community pharmacists.

Methods

A structured online questionnaire was administered to 435 registered community pharmacists in the sixteen regions of Ghana. Key findings: Mean score for knowledge of cancer among community pharmacists was 6.8 ± 1.61 points out of a maximum score of 15 points, categorizing the overall knowledge as inadequate. The overall assessment of pharmacists’ knowledge revealed that 74.6% of the participants had inadequate level of knowledge on cancer. Mean score for knowledge of cancer signs and symptoms among community pharmacists was 3.55 ± 1.85 out of a maximum score of 7 points, categorizing the overall knowledge as inadequate. The overall evaluation indicated that 79.03% of pharmacists had inadequate knowledge of signs and symptoms cancer. Mean score for knowledge of risk factors of cancer among community pharmacists was 5.25 ± 1.15 out of a maximum score of 12 points, categorizing the overall knowledge as inadequate. The overall assessment of the knowledge score indicates that 70.34% of pharmacists had inadequate knowledge about causes and risk factors of cancer. Almost all participating pharmacists (96.5%) recommended counselling point was avoidance of smoking as a cancer preventive measure. An inverse significant correlation was found between age and knowledge scores of signs and symptoms of cancer (r = −0.077, P = 0.038). There was a statistically significant relationship between pharmacists’ level of knowledge on cancer (whether adequate or inadequate) and the cancer items.

Conclusions

Knowledge of cancer, its signs and symptoms and its risk factors were inadequate among community pharmacists in Ghana. Efforts should be made to improve knowledge of community pharmacists on cancer through continuous education. Also, undergraduate pharmacy training in oncology should encourage to close knowledge gap of community pharmacists on cancer.
Targeting Question-Asking Initiations in College Students With ASD Using a Video-Feedback Intervention
Authors: Detar Whitney J. , Vernon Ty W.
Published: September 2020

Social conversational vulnerabilities associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) generally persist into young adulthood and have a detrimental impact on short- and long-term academic, vocational, and interpersonal success. In light of these challenges, there is a growing need for targeted interventions to improve the social competencies of this population. The current study examined the effects of a video-feedback intervention that targeted a key social conversational skill—making social initiations to one’s conversational partner. A multiple-baseline research design across three college students with ASD indicated that the use of video feedback to target question-asking initiations was associated with improvements in (a) total questions asked, (b) conversational pauses, (c) nonperseverative discussion, (d) conversational reciprocity, and (e) perceived confidence. These findings generalized across contexts and conversation partners, suggesting that this intervention strategy may hold promise for promoting key social competencies in young adults with ASD.
Psychological Distress, Drug Use, and Internet Use: The Association with Poor Sleep Quality in a Sample of Secondary School Students
Authors: Olashore Anthony A. , Akanni Oluyemi O. , Ayilara Olaniyi O.
Published: September 2020

Sleep problems are common among children and adolescents. Sleep quality plays a significant role in their mental health. We aimed to determine the prevalence of poor sleep quality (PSQ) among secondary school students, identify sociodemographic factors associated with PSQ in this group, and examine the independent associations of psychological distress, stimulant use, and internet use with PSQ. Data were collected from 420 secondary school students from four different schools who were selected using a mixture of convenience and random sampling. A set of questionnaires was administered to collect data, and it consisted of 5 sections measuring: the sociodemographic, drug use, psychological distress, internet use, and sleep quality. A total of 378 questionnaires were analyzed. The participants comprised 174 (46.2%) males and 203 (53.8%) females who were between 10 and 21 years. The mean age was 14.78 years. The prevalence of those who had PSQ was 12.2%. A logistic regression model showed that anxiety (AOR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.10-1.32), depression (AOR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.00-1.25), and internet use (AOR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.00-1.03) were significantly associated with PSQ. PSQ commonly exists among students and has a relationship with their psychological state and potentially addictive behavior, such as internet use. We prescribed the optimal treatment of psychological disorders and addictive behavior, of which sleep problems are a typical fallout.
Conceptualizing and measuring party-interest group relationships
Authors: Allern Elin Haugsgjerd , Otjes Simon , Poguntke Thomas , Hansen Vibeke Wøien , Saurugger Sabine , Marshall David
Published: September 2020

Relationships between political parties and interest groups form structures that enable and constrain political action. Yet there is a lack of consensus on what ‘party-group relationships’ means. We propose a conceptualization focusing on ties as means for structured interaction, which is different from sharing or transfer of resources and ideological kinship. Our conceptual discussion suggests that organizational ties form a single yet hierarchical scale of strength: groups that have many formal ties with particular parties would also have weaker (ie, less formal) ties with these parties, but not vice versa. To validate our conceptual map, we furthermore check whether the distinction between organizational ties, resource sharing/provision and ideological kinship holds empirically. We explore our expectations by means of novel interest group survey data from seven mature democracies. The results of our scaling analysis provide support for our predictions and have multiple implications for future research on the causes and effects of party-group relationships.
Direct and indirect data-driven learning: An experimental study of hedging in an EFL writing class
Authors: Sun Xiaoya , Hu Guangwei
Published: September 2020

This article reports on an experimental study that set out to investigate and compare the effectiveness of a direct and an indirect approach to data-driven learning (DDL) in facilitating Chinese learners’ mastery of a challenging type of lexico-grammatical resource (i.e. hedges) in an undergraduate English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) writing class. The study adopted a pretest/posttest/delayed posttest randomized two treatment design. The two experimental groups received, respectively, direct and indirect DDL instruction in the use of hedges in English academic writing. The direct approach involved students in conducting guided searches and analyses of target hedges in online corpora, whereas the indirect approach featured the use of corpus-informed, paper-and-pen learning tasks. Within- and between-group analyses of the participants’ performances on the three tests yielded evidence of both the strengths and limitations of the two approaches. A questionnaire survey revealed the participants’ favorable attitudes toward the incorporation of corpora in classroom teaching, as well as their perceptions of the affordances and constraints of DDL. The article concludes with a discussion of the present study’s limitations and recommendations for future DDL research in EFL classrooms.
Localizing and quantifying structural damage by means of a beetle swarm optimization algorithm
Authors: Jiang Yufeng , Wang Shuqing , Li Yingchao
Published: September 2020

An efficient meta-heuristic algorithm, named beetle swarm optimization (BSO), is proposed to localize and quantify structural damage using limited vibration measurement data. The beetle antennae search (BAS) algorithm that imitats a random walking mechanism in nature was recently developed to solve the optimization problem. However, the ratio of convergence of this algorithm significantly relys on the random direction and deviation for high-dimensional problems. To overcome this shortcoming, the BSO inspired by the swarm intelligence strategy is proposed. In the iterative search process of the BSO, each beetle swarm moves in a random direction like the BAS and the swarm of beetles is cognitive with the optimal one for the searching behavior. Consequently, the optimal one is updated step by step until a better beetle appears. To demonstrate the capability and robustness of the BSO, numerical and experimental studies using limited vibration measurement data of an offshore wind turbine structure are carried out for structural damage identification. An novel objective function is established by combining natural frequencies with mode shapes of the structure. The numerical results show that the BSO can accurately localize and quantify various types of damage even in a noise and temperature variations polluted environment. Moreover, it has higher accuracy and faster convergence speed than the BAS and the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithms. These promising performances could contribute to establishing a structural monitoring system for safety assurance of wind turbine structures.
Evidence-based practice in social work: Who are the critics?
Authors: Finne Joakim
Published: September 2020

The aim of this study is to analyse attitudes towards and the utilisation of evidence-based practice among social workers in Norway. The data were collected in 2014–2015 from social workers in four Norwegian counties. The sample consists of 2060 social workers registered as members of the Norwegian Union of Social Educators and Social Workers.

Findings

The main findings in this study indicate that social workers in child welfare are generally less critical of evidence-based practice than those within social welfare. Higher education and knowledge about evidence-based practice are seen as predictors for less critical attitudes towards the concept. The findings further suggest that social workers who use manuals and standardised procedures are less critical of evidence-based practice.

Applications

Understanding social workers’ attitudes towards evidence-based practice is important in order to facilitate the best possible practices. This study emphasises the importance of increasing knowledge of evidence-based practice in the social sector, and the need to further investigate how research methods and evidence-based practice concepts are translated into practice.
Social class and the construction of international mindedness: A comparative study of International Baccalaureate schools in Ecuador
Authors: Bittencourt Tiago
Published: September 2020

The purpose of this paper is to examine how students inhabiting distinctive social spaces and experiencing considerably different material realities define, value and problematize the concept of international mindedness. Drawing on a larger multi-sited ethnographic study of two International Baccalaureate schools in Ecuador, the study found that while students from distinct social backgrounds provided similar definitions of what international mindedness entails, they differed notably in what they considered to be the value and potential pitfalls of embodying the concept as a personal disposition. These differences emerged primarily as a result of how students related to their immediate surroundings and the assumptions they made about their future lives. Focusing on students’ constructions of ‘place’ and their imagined futures provides an important insight into how students engage with international mindedness specifically, and the International Baccalaureate more broadly. Furthermore, it attests to why matters related to ‘social class’ deserve a greater degree of scholarly attention.
A Workplace Dignity Perspective on Resilience: Moving Beyond Individualized Instrumentalization to Dignified Resilience
Authors: Bal Matthijs , Kordowicz Maria , Brookes Andy
Published: September 2020

The Problem

Resilience discourses in society and the contemporary workplace tend to emphasize the self-directed nature of resilience and the imposed demand for resilience for survival in the contemporary labor market.

The Solution

In this article, the anchoring point of resilience is analyzed when conceptualized within a neoliberal and self-directed ideology. Subsequently, it offers an alternative anchoring point through a dignity-perspective on resilience, through which the term is reinterpreted in a new meaning.

The Stakeholders

This article offers scholars, practitioners and policy-makers insights into how resilience can be conceptualized and used in practice. Analyzing resilience through a dignity lens provides new meanings and more effective uses of resilience in society and the contemporary workplaces.
Action to Improve Social Determinants of Health: Outcomes of Leadership and Advocacy Training for Community Residents
Authors: Wennerstrom Ashley , Silver Julia , Pollock Miranda , Gustat Jeanette
Published: September 2020

Racial and ethnic disparities remain a public health problem and are largely due to social determinants of health (SDOH). Using an adapted 36-hour community health worker (CHW) curriculum, we trained 42 lay community residents in New Orleans, Louisiana, neighborhoods experiencing disparities in leadership and advocacy skills to address SDOH. Six months posttraining, 29 participants completed a follow-up survey and interview. Participants described increases in knowledge, self-efficacy, and activities related to leadership and advocacy at all levels of the social ecological model. We also found a significant increase in communicating with Louisiana state senators or representatives (p < .0339). Our findings show that an adapted CHW training curriculum focused on SDOH, leadership, and advocacy can be used to train lay community residents in how to make changes in the community conditions that affect health and prompt new engagement to address SDOH at all levels of the social ecological model. Future efforts to increase lay community participation in addressing SDOH may benefit from providing ongoing support to participants such as organizing meetings with residents interested in similar topics, offering opportunities to “shadow” experienced CHWs, or hosting additional skills building workshops.
Readmissions After Lung Transplantation
Authors: Simanovski Jane , Ralph Jody
Published: September 2020

Lung transplantation has evolved to become an acceptable therapy for individuals with end-stage lung disease. Readmissions rates after lung transplantation remain high as compared to other medical surgical populations. The purpose of this review is to synthesize the current body of knowledge about patterns, risk factors, and outcomes of readmissions after lung transplantation. The literature revealed that the most common admission diagnoses linked to lung transplant readmissions are infections followed by tachyarrhythmias, airway complications, surgical complications, rejection, thromboembolic events, gastrointestinal complications, and renal dysfunction. Risk factors for these readmissions include male gender, longer intensive care unit stay, reintubation, prolonged chest tube air leak, frailty, and discharge to a long-term care facility. Outcomes of multiple readmissions after lung transplantation are associated with decreased survival and increased risk of mortality. Further research is needed to better understand which readmission diagnoses are preventable and whether multidisciplinary interventions can reduce readmission rates among patients after lung transplantation.
Forum: COVID-19 Dispatches
Authors: Lu Li , Lankala Srinivas , Gong Yuan , Feng Xuefeng , Chang Briankle G.
Published: September 2020

COVID-19 pandemic is the first truly global crisis in the digital age. With death count worldwide reaching 586,000 merely 7 months after its first outbreak in China in late December 2019 and 13.6 million cases reported in 188 countries and territories as of July 2020, this ongoing pandemic has spread far beyond domain of world health problem to become an unprecedented challenge facing humanity at every level. In addition to causing social and economic disruptions on a scale unseen before, it has turned the world into a site of biopolitical agon where science and reason are forced to betray their impotence against cultish thinking in the planetary endgame depicted in so many dystopian science fictions. It is in this context that this forum offers a set of modest reflections on the current impacts incurred by the COVID-19 virus. Blending ethnographic observations with theory-driven reflections, the five authors address issues made manifest by the crisis across different regions, while keeping their sight on the sociopolitical problems plaguing our life both individually and collectively. Taken together, they provide a grounded documentary for the archive that the COVID-19 virus is making us to construct.
Effect of miR-184 on Proliferation and Apoptosis of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma and Its Mechanism
Authors: Li Shentao , Li He , Ge Weiwei , Song Kai , Yuan Chunyu , Yin Ran
Published: September 2020

Objective:

Previous studies have shown that abnormal expression of microRNA-184 leads to a variety of cancers, including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, suggesting microRNA-184 as a new treatment target for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. However, the molecular mechanism of microRNA-184 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma remains unclear. It is important to investigate the effect and role of microRNA-184 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Methods:

The clinical and laboratory inspection data of 120 patients with pancreatic cancer admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University were compared. MicroRNA-184 expression in tumor tissues and cells was evaluated using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Flow cytometry and Annexin V/propidium iodide staining were performed to examine cell cycle and apoptosis. Western blotting analysis was conducted to measure the protein expression of p-PI3K, p-AKT, JNK1, C-Myc, C-Jun, caspase-9, and caspase-3.

Results:

MicroRNA-184 expression was low in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Survival curve showed that patients with lower expression of microRNA-184 in tumor tissues had a worse prognosis and shorter survival time ( P < .05), and the multivariate analysis identified that microRNA-184 was an independent prognostic indicator ( P < .05). In vitro studies showed that microRNA-184 overexpression induced apoptosis and suppressed cell cycle transition from G1 to S and G2 phases in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells. Furthermore, molecular studies revealed that inhibition of microRNA-184 promoted the gene expression of p-PI3K, p-AKT, JNK1, C-Myc, and C-Jun compared with the control group. Overexpression of microRNA-184 led to significantly increased expression of caspase-9 and caspase-3 and significantly decreased expression of Bcl-2.

Conclusion:

This study suggests that microRNA-184 inhibits the proliferation and promotes the apoptosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells by downregulating the expression of C-Myc, C-Jun, and Bcl-2. Our verification of the role of microRNA-184 may provide a novel biomarker for the diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
A Qualitative Exploration of Barriers and Facilitators to Physical Activity Among Low-Income Latino Adolescents
Authors: Vasquez Taylor , Fernandez Alicia , Haya-Fisher Julissa , Kim Sarah , Beck Amy L
Published: September 2020

Introduction:

Latino adolescents experience high rates of obesity and physical activity can protect against obesity and obesity comorbidities. Health interventions to promote physical activity are more likely to be successful if they take into account the experiences and perspectives of their target population. Our study objective was to explore barriers and facilitators to physical activity among Latino adolescents with the goal of informing future interventions for this population.

Method:

Semistructured interviews were conducted with ( n = 30) low-income, Latino adolescents. The interviews were analyzed using inductive methods and the Capability–Opportunity–Motivation model of behavior.

Results:

Adolescents described capability gaps including lacking skills for preferred activities. School physical education and parks provided opportunities for adolescents to be physically active. Adolescents also described opportunity challenges, including age limits, not being able to afford preferred classes, and safety concerns. Families provided role modeling but rarely engaged in activities with adolescents. Adolescents were motivated to engage in physical activity but often lacked the necessary resources.

Conclusions:

Interventions to increase physical activity among urban Latino adolescents should offer tailored programming, incorporate families, enhance physical education, and improve the safety and appeal of recreational facilities.
5 Reasons Why Scoliosis X-Rays Are Not Harmful
Authors: Oakley Paul A. , Navid Ehsani Niousha , Harrison Deed E.
Published: September 2020

Radiographic imaging for scoliosis screening, diagnosis, treatment, and management is the gold standard assessment tool. Scoliosis patients receive many repeat radiographs, typically 10-25 and as many as 40-50, equating to a maximum 50 mGy of cumulative exposure. It is argued this amount of radiation exposure is not carcinogenic to scoliosis patients for 5 main reasons: 1. Estimated theoretical cumulative effective doses remain below the carcinogenic dose threshold; 2. Scoliosis patient x-rays are delivered in serial exposures and therefore, mitigate any potential cumulative effect; 3. Linear no-threshold cancer risk estimates from scoliosis patient cohorts are flawed due to faulty science; 4. Standardized incidence/mortality ratios demonstrating increased cancers from aged scoliosis cohorts are confounded by the effects of the disease entity itself making it impossible to claim cause and effect resulting from low-dose radiation exposures from spinal imaging; 5. Children are not more susceptible to radiation damage than adults. Radiophobia concerns from patients, parents, and doctors over repeat imaging for scoliosis treatment and management is not justified; it adds unnecessary anxiety to the patient (and their parents) and interferes with optimal medical management. X-rays taken in the evidence-based management of scoliosis should be taken without hesitation or concern about negligible radiation exposures.