bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk Factors for Potential Mental Illness Among Brazilians in Quarantine Due To COVID-19
Authors: Filgueiras Alberto , Stults-Kolehmainen Matthew
Published: February 2021

Background

During quarantine, both physical and mental health are a concern. To the same extent that physicians are a scarce resource during this crisis, psychiatrists and psychologists are also limited in number. To help practitioners and public managers decide where to invest their resources, the present research investigated the relationships of stress, depression and state anxiety levels with sociodemographic and behavioural variables.

Methods

Data were collected in Brazil between March, 18 and 22, 2020 in 1,468 volunteers during quarantine. Participants with a history of or current mental health illnesses were excluded leaving 1,460 individuals in the final sample. The online assessment included instruments for psychological stress, depression and state anxiety. A sociodemographic and behavioural questionnaire with 15 items was used to assess other factors. Multiple linear regression was performed for each psychological outcome to determine a hierarchy of significant predictors.

Findings

Stress, depression and state anxiety levels were all predicted by gender (women higher than men), quality of nutrition, attendance in tele-psychotherapy, exercise frequency, presence of elderly persons in quarantine with the person, obligation to work outside the home, level of education (more educated, lesser risk for mental illness) and age (younger age, greater risk). Having a perceived risk factor for COVID-19 predicted depression and state anxiety, but not stress. Finally, the presence of children in quarantine with the participant was a protective factor for depression.

Interpretation

Even though this research is limited by its cross-sectional design, it is possible to infer that mental health varies by demographic attributes, obligations and health behaviours. Those who report higher distress must work outside the home during quarantine, live with an elderly person and carry a risk factor for COVID-19, among other factors. Identifying those who are most vulnerable would help to prioritize those who may need the greatest psychological aid and assist public health practitioners in developing support strategies.
Pain, Culture and Pedagogy: A Preliminary Investigation of Attitudes Towards “Reasonable” Pain Tolerance in the Grassroots Reproduction of a Culture of Risk
Authors: Miller Paul K. , Van Der Zee Sophie , Elliott David
Published: February 2021

In recent years a considerable body of psychological research has explored the relationship between membership of socio-cultural groups and personal pain perception. Rather less systematic attention has, however, been accorded to how such group membership(s) might influence individual attitudes towards the pain of others. In this paper, immersion in the culture of competitive sport, widely regarded as being exaggeratedly tolerant of risky behaviours around pain, is taken as a case-in-point with students of Physical Education (PE) in tertiary education as the key focus. PE students are highly-immersed in competitive sporting culture both academically and (typically) practically, and also represent a key nexus of cross-generational transmission regarding the norms of sport itself. Their attitudes towards the pain that others should reasonably tolerate during a range of activities, sporting and otherwise, were evaluated through a direct comparison with those of peers much less immersed in competitive sporting culture. In total, N=301 (144 PE, 157 non-PE) undergraduate students in the UK responded to a vignette-based survey. Therein, all participants were required to rate the pain (on a standard 0-10 scale) at which a standardised “other” should desist engagement with a set of five defined sporting and non-sporting tasks, each with weak and strong task severities. Results indicated that PE students were significantly more likely to expect others to persevere through higher levels of pain than their non-PE peers, but only during the sport-related tasks – an effect further magnified when task severity was high. In other tasks, there was no significant difference between groups, or valence of the effect was actually reversed. It is argued that the findings underscore some extant knowledge about the relationship between acculturated attitudes to pain, while also having practical implications for understanding sport-based pedagogy, and its potentially problematic role in the ongoing reproduction of a “culture of risk.”
Effects of the Attention Training Technique on Brain Activity in Healthy University Students Assessed by EEG Source Imaging
Authors: Usui Kaori , Kawashima Issaku , Tomita Nozomi , Takahashi Toru , Kumano Hiroaki
Published: February 2021

This study aimed to investigate the neurocognitive effects of the Attention Training Technique (ATT) on brain activity in healthy participants. The participants included 20 university students who were asked to practice ATT as a homework assignment for 20 days. The intracerebral source localization of their electroencephalogram during rest and the ATT task, which comprised selective attention, attention switching, and divided attention conditions, was evaluated by standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography. Brain activity during rest was subtracted from that during the ATT task, and that was compared before and after the homework assignment. The results for the divided attention condition indicated significantly decreased alpha 1 frequency band power in the left orbital frontal cortex (OFC) and alpha 2 power in the right inferior temporal cortex. Further, decreased alpha 1 power in the left OFC correlated with reduced subjective difficulty during the divided attention condition. One possibility is that the brain activity changed as the effect of ATT practice, although this study cannot confirm causality. Further studies are required which include a control group that would complete similar training without the ATT task.
Online and Academic Procrastination in Students With Learning Disabilities: The Impact of Academic Stress and Self-Efficacy
Authors: Niazov Zehava , Hen Meirav , Ferrari Joseph R.
Published: February 2021

The steady growth in the number of college students with learning disabilities (LD) increases the need to investigate their unique characteristics and behaviors in academia. The present study examined the differences in academic and online procrastination, academic stress, and academic self-efficacy between college students with and without LD. In addition, the relationship between these variables was examined. It was assumed that the difficulties experienced by college students with LD would lead them to increased levels of academic stress, and academic and online procrastination. The results showed significant differences in the levels of all variables except online procrastination between students with (n = 77) and without (n = 98) LD. Further analysis indicated that academic stress and academic self-efficacy mediated the link between LD and academic and online procrastination. These findings support the notion that during higher education, students with LD experience more difficulties than students without LD, which at times will lead them to increased levels of procrastination. However, further studies are needed to understand the nature of online procrastination in students with LD in higher education.
Exploring the Relationship Between Students’ Academic Success and Happiness Levels in the Higher Education Settings During the Lockdown Period of COVID-19
Authors: Moussa Nahla M. , Ali Wael F.
Published: February 2021

Happiness and subjective well-being are interesting topics for search and study. The perception of happiness differs from one person to another; however, happiness can be defined as a general feeling that people feel and share. The United Arab Emirates puts forth great efforts to achieve happiness amongst people who live in it. In aligning with the Happiness Meter that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) launched , this research study aims to measure the level of happiness among higher education students and its relationship with their academic success during the lockdown period of COVID—19. Exploring whether the happiness level predicts students’ success and if a gender-based difference in the feeling of happiness and well-being resides. The Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ) was used to conducting this research project. Simple linear regression and t-test for independent samples were used to achieving the purpose of the study. Data analysis revealed that higher education students in the UAE have high levels of happiness and academic success; the students’ happiness levels were found to be correlated to their academic success. T-test demonstrated that there was no gender-based difference in the happiness level among the students of higher education settings.
Self-Rated Mentalizing Mediates the Relationship Between Stress and Coping in a Non-Clinical Sample
Authors: Schwarzer Nicola-Hans , Nolte Tobias , Fonagy Peter , Gingelmaier Stephan
Published: February 2021

Background

The clinical concept of mentalizing has recently been extended into non-clinical contexts. In particular, the protective function of robust mentalizing as a processing capacity of interpersonal and intrapsychic events has become a focus of consideration. Theoretical approaches hypothesize that mentalizing may allow for an adequate self-awareness in the face of aversive experiences such as stress, leading to a reappraisal of these experiences and therefore enables the use of adaptive coping behaviors.

Objective

The study aimed to investigate the association between coping behavior, mentalizing and experiences of stress.

Method

534 healthy adults completed the German-language Stress Processing Questionnaire (SVF), the Mentalization Questionnaire (MZQ), and a short scale of the Trierer Inventory of Chronic Stress (TICS) in a cross-sectional research design.

Results

Correlational analyses suggested associations between coping and mentalizing. Furthermore, MZQ scores predicted both positive and negative coping behavior. The relationship between stress and both negative and positive coping was mediated by mentalizing capacity.

Conclusion

Findings confirm the hypothesis that mentalizing may represent a coping resource within a resilience framework. An implementation of the concept in preventive mental health interventions is discussed.
Discordance Between Perinatal Alcohol Use Among Women and Provider Counseling for Alcohol Use: An Assessment of the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System
Authors: Thompson Erika L. , Barnett Tracey E. , Litt Dana M. , Spears Erica C. , Lewis Melissa A.
Published: February 2021

Objective

In the United States, guidelines indicate all pregnant women should be screened for and counseled on alcohol use to prevent adverse perinatal outcomes due to alcohol consumption. The objective of this study was to describe sociodemographic factors associated with receipt of prenatal alcohol counseling and perinatal alcohol use among US women.

Methods

State health departments collected data for the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System Phase 7 during 2012-2015, and we restricted the sample to a complete case analysis (N = 135 111). The 3 dichotomous outcomes were preconception alcohol use (3 months before pregnancy), prenatal alcohol use (during last 3 months of pregnancy), and prenatal alcohol counseling. Predictor variables were age, race, Hispanic ethnicity, education, marital status, health insurance status, and previous live births. We estimated survey-weighted logistic regression models for each outcome.

Results

Half (56.0%) of pregnant women reported preconception alcohol use, 70.5% received prenatal alcohol counseling, and 7.7% reported prenatal alcohol use during the last 3 months of pregnancy. Black women were significantly less likely than White women (odds ratio [OR] = 0.49; 95% CI, 0.46-0.52) and Hispanic women were significantly less likely than non-Hispanic women (OR = 0.62; 95% CI, 0.58-0.66) to report preconception alcohol use. We found similar patterns for prenatal alcohol use among Black women. Black women were significantly more likely than White women (OR = 1.66; 95% CI, 1.55-1.77) and Hispanic women were significantly more likely than non-Hispanic women (OR = 1.51; 95% CI, 1.40-1.61) to receive prenatal alcohol counseling. We found similar patterns for age, education, and health insurance status.

Conclusion

Disparities in alcohol counseling occurred despite the national recommendation for universal screening and counseling prenatally. Continued integration of universal screening for alcohol use during pregnancy is needed.
Effects of cotton genotype, defoliation timing and season on fiber cross-sectional properties and yarn performance
Authors: Long Robert L , Delhom Christopher D , Bange Michael P
Published: February 2021

Cotton fiber cross-sectional properties influence the performance of ring spun yarns. The spinning performance of two Gossypium hirsutum L. Upland cotton genotypes known to have inherently different fiber fineness properties were compared. Genotypes were grown together in field experiments conducted over two growing seasons, and crops were subjected to early and late defoliation treatments. The aim was to quantify the differences in yarn properties following changes targeting fiber fineness properties in isolation from other fiber properties. For the first time, the percentage difference in yarn properties was captured along with the associated changes made to alternative fiber fineness properties within the base micronaire 3.50 to 4.90 G5 range. As expected the genotype with lower fiber micronaire, linear density, and perimeter, spun yarns that were stronger and more even. Late defoliated cotton plants produced fibers that were higher in micronaire and maturity ratio, and were bigger in perimeter, which demonstrated that the fibers had expanded during the secondary wall thickening phase of development. However, the defoliation treatment effect on fiber fineness properties was smaller compared with the effect of genotype, and no change to any yarn property was detected. In terms of environmental effects, the first season cotton had smaller perimeter finer fibers that spun stronger and more even yarns. In contrast, the second season cotton had bigger perimeter fibers that spun weaker and less even yarns.
From residence to movement: The nature of racial segregation in everyday urban mobility
Authors: Candipan Jennifer , Phillips Nolan Edward , Sampson Robert J , Small Mario
Published: February 2021

While research on racial segregation in cities has grown rapidly over the last several decades, its foundation remains the analysis of the neighbourhoods where people reside. However, contact between racial groups depends not merely on where people live, but also on where they travel over the course of everyday activities. To capture this reality, we propose a new measure of racial segregation – the segregated mobility index (SMI) – that captures the extent to which neighbourhoods of given racial compositions are connected to other types of neighbourhoods in equal measure. Based on hundreds of millions of geotagged tweets sent by over 375,000 Twitter users in the 50 largest US cities, we show that the SMI captures a distinct element of racial segregation, one that is related to, but not solely a function of, residential segregation. A city’s racial composition also matters; minority group threat, especially in cities with large Black populations and a troubled legacy of racial conflict, appears to depress movement across neighbourhoods in ways that produce previously undocumented forms of racial segregation. Our index, which could be constructed using other data sources, expands the possibilities for studying dynamic forms of racial segregation including their effects and shifts over time.
People, protest and place: Advancing research on the emplacement of LGBTQ+ urban activisms
Authors: Ghaziani Amin
Published: February 2021

There is a vibrant literature on LGBTQ+ urban geographies, as well as established traditions in sociology and political science on collective action, but research infrequently brings these interdisciplinary fields of sexualities, social movements and urban studies together to explore the emplacement of LGBTQ+ urban activisms. In this article, I use contributions from this special issue of Urban Studies to propose two pathways, conceptualised as analytic shifts, that can advance the field: (1) scalar shifts (modulating from a national and structural focus of mobilisation to local, grounded and quotidian acts and interactions between activists); and (2) spatial shifts (using conventional and queer methods to study spatial plurality and the commensurability of places where people protest). Together, these proposals form an integrative framework for the study of LGBTQ+ urban protest and placemaking.
Vision 2030 and Sustainable Development: State Capacity to Revitalize the Healthcare System in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Rahman Redwanur , Qattan Ameerah
Published: February 2021

Vision 2030 is a social and economic strategic program by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) aimed at diversifying the nation’s economy and stimulating numerous changes in its social and economic sectors, including in healthcare. Sustainable Development (SD) 2030 is a global consensual agreement among nation-states to build a sustainable, desirable and progressively interrelated world. The Saudi government highlighted Vision 2030 to improve population health and the world body reiterated that SD 2030 will contribute to “healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.” This article analyzes the state capacity in revitalizing the healthcare system in Saudi Arabia with the context of Vision 2030 and SD 2030. Scoping reviews and thematic data analysis techniques were used as a method of this study. The realization of Vision 2030 is essential for the fulfilment of the SD Goals 2030. The government has realigned its national programs, plans and strategies with global development targets, indicators, and goals to achieve the SD Goals. Achieving SD 2030 is seen as the main component of development for health. Prudent reforms should be taken to accommodate the goals and objectives of Vision 2030 and SD 2030. These measures will help strengthen governance and state capacity so as to ultimately revitalize the Saudi healthcare system and improve population health. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 encourages the state to play a renewed role in development in light of the UN’s declaration of the “right to development.” While pursuing SD Goals, the state must create the necessary environment for sustaining capacity, need to improve service delivery by building cooperation and coordination among providers and interactions among groups to realize constructive roles and functions in maintaining state affairs, which ultimately enhances state capacity to revitalize healthcare system of Saudi Arabia.
Medicaid Expansion and Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Access to Health Care: Applying the National Academy of Medicine Definition of Health Care Disparities
Authors: Lee Hyunjung , Hodgkin Dominic , Johnson Michael P. , Porell Frank W.
Published: February 2021

Since 2014, 32 states implemented Medicaid expansion by removing the categorical criteria for childless adults and by expanding income eligibility to 138% of the federal poverty level (FPL) for all non-elderly adults. Previous studies found that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid expansion improved rates of being insured, unmet needs for care due to cost, number of physician visits, and health status among low-income adults. However, a few recent studies focused on the expansion’s effect on racial/ethnic disparities and used the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) disparity approach with a limited set of access measures. This quasi-experimental study examined the effect of Medicaid expansion on racial/ethnic disparities in access to health care for U.S. citizens aged 19 to 64 with income below 138% of the federal poverty line. The difference-in-differences model compared changes over time in 2 measures of insurance coverage and 8 measures of access to health care, using National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data from 2010 to 2016. Analyses used the NAM definition of disparities. Medicaid expansion was associated with significant decreases in uninsured rates and increases in Medicaid coverage among all racial/ethnic groups. There were differences across racial/ethnic groups regarding which specific access measures improved. For delayed care and unmet need for care, decreases in racial/ethnic disparities were observed. After the ACA Medicaid expansion, most access outcomes improved for disadvantaged groups, but also for others, with the result that disparities were not significantly reduced.
Theory Building, Case Dependence, and Researchers’ Bounded Rationality: An Illustration From Studies of Innovation Diffusion
Authors: Oliveira Nuno , Secchi Davide
Published: February 2021

Researchers increasingly take advantage of the comparative case design to build theory, but the degree of case dependence is occasionally discussed and theorized. We suggest that the comparative case study design might be subject to an often underappreciated threat—dependence across cases—under certain conditions. Using research on innovation diffusion as an illustration, we explore the role of social linkages across cases when building theory through comparison and contrast between cases. We develop an agent-based simulation, grounded by comparative case research about innovation diffusion, as novel way to study the implications of case dependence in theory building using multiple-case study research. Our simulation results suggest that the degree of case dependence has a nontrivial bearing on innovation diffusion experienced by case entities, specifically when the researcher draws a few case entities operating in a highly interconnected industry. Under these conditions, overlooking the degree of case dependence might weaken newly built theory against commonly held standards of internal validity and external validity in inductive research. We conceptualize the issue of case dependence as a concern about researchers’ bounded rationality. Accordingly, we build on our findings to provide actionable advice aiming to alleviate this concern while being amendable to the variety of approaches to build theory from multiple cases in social sciences.
Building UNESCO science from the “dark zone”: Joseph Needham, Empire, and the wartime reorganization of international science from China, 1942–6
Authors: Mougey Thomas
Published: February 2021

In recent years historians have revisited the creation of the United Nations (UN) system by highlighting the enduring influence of Empire and recognizing the substantial role of cultural and scientific actors in wartime international diplomacy. The British biochemist Joseph Needham, who participated in the creation of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), was one of them. Yet, if historians have recognized his role as the leading architect of the sciences at UNESCO, they still fall short of engaging with the Chinese and imperial geography of his involvement with UNESCO. During the Second World War, Needham was stationed in war-torn China. As director of the Sino-British Scientific Cooperation Office, Needham not only organized Sino-British scientific cooperation against the Japanese invasion, but his mission inspired his engagement for a reform of international science and fueled an international campaign that led him to become the director of UNESCO’s Natural Science division after the war. By reconstructing his campaign in context, this article seeks to demonstrate how the imperial and transnational scientific networks of the wartime era fostered the creation of a scientific mandate for UNESCO. It situates Needham’s activism and ideas in the context of the Sino-Japanese war, imperial wartime technocracy, and China’s scientific nationalism. In so doing, it reveals a string of forgotten partners from China and the British Empire. Their conception of a reorganized international science and shared belief in modern science and its ideal of universality shaped Needham’s vision for science at UNESCO, while their activism contributed decisively to the success of his campaign. This inquiry hence participates in recent efforts to challenge the existing Eurocentrism corseting the historiography of the UN and expands the historiography of scientific internationalism beyond Europe and North America. Importantly, it also contributes to uncovering the technocratic ties established between Empire and the UN system from its onset.
Delayed help-seeking for symptomatic breast cancer: reasons for delay among participants receiving treatment at a public healthcare facility in South Africa
Authors: Swinny Claudia Arlene , Kagee Ashraf , Roomaney Rizwana
Published: February 2021

We explored delayed help-seeking behaviour for symptomatic breast cancer among a sample of female patients attending an outpatient breast cancer clinic at a tertiary public hospital in the Western Cape. The objective of the research was to explore the perceived personal and structural barriers to help-seeking among women with breast cancer from this low-resource setting, as this information has not been documented. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 25 breast cancer patients. Patients participated in individual interviews that were audio-recorded and transcribed. We conducted a thematic analysis using both inductive and deductive coding. Participants’ limited knowledge of breast cancer, negative views of the healthcare system, and challenging life experiences, such as marital discord, perceived lack of support, and caring for sick loved ones, contributed to their help-seeking delays. We used a combination of the Common-Sense Model of Self-Regulation and Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems theory to conceptualize and organize these findings. A general lack of breast cancer knowledge was a major contributing factor to help-seeking delays among participants in the study. This finding was surprising considering that several breast cancer awareness campaigns have been run both nationally in South Africa and internationally. We call attention to the need for accessible breast cancer information at primary healthcare and community levels.
Psychology of religion in the theories and research of the Lvov-Warsaw School (basic achievements and developments)
Authors: Citlak Amadeusz
Published: February 2021

This article presents the basic achievements of the psychology of religion in the Lvov-Warsaw School of K. Twardowski, their developments and significance for the contemporary psychology of religion. Twardowski’s School existed parallel to other European psychological schools: the Würzburg School, founded by Oswald Külpe, and the Dorpat School of the Psychology of Religion, founded by Karl Girgensohn (unfortunately without mutual scientific relations). The article presents two research trends in the psychology of religion resulting from Twardowski’s works, specifically research on mental acts and religious beliefs with use of introspection and research in the field of cultural-historical psychology. The theory of acts and products, and the theory of cratism/power (similar to the theory of Alfred Adler) played crucial roles here. Psychological investigations into religious beliefs were also dominated by the psychological principle of contradiction, and the obtained results also seem to be important today.
Epidemiology of depression in primary care: Findings from the Mental Health in Primary Care (MeHPriC) project, Lagos, Nigeria
Authors: Adewuya Abiodun O , Oladipo Olabisi , Ajomale Tolu , Adewumi Tomilola , Momodu Olufisayo , Olibamoyo Olushola , Adesoji Olabanji , Adegbokun Adedayo , Adegbaju Dapo
Published: February 2021

Objective

To estimate the rate and correlates of depression in primary care using data from the Mental Health in Primary Care (MeHPriC) project, Lagos, Nigeria.

Methods

Adult attendees (n=44,238) of 57 primary care facilities were evaluated for depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Apart from the socio-demographic details, information was also collected regarding the use of alcohol and other psychoactive substances, presence of chronic medical problems, level of functionality, and perceived social support. Anthropometrics measures (weight and height) and blood pressure were also recorded.

Results

A total of 27,212 (61.5%) of the participants were females. There were 32,037 (72.4%) participants in the age group 25-60 years. The rate of major depression (PHQ-9 score 10 and above) was 15.0% (95% CI 14.6–15.3). The variables independently associated with depression include age 18–24 years (OR 1.69), female sex (OR 2.39), poor social support (OR 1.14), having at least one metabolic syndrome component (OR 1.57), significant alcohol use (OR 1.13) and functional disability (OR 1.38).

Conclusion

Our study showed that the rate of depression in primary care in Nigeria is high. Screening for all primary care attendees for depression will be an important step towards scaling up mental health services in Nigeria and other developing countries.
“All the Different Pieces of Me Being Integrated”: Religion/Spirituality and Identity in Working Christian Mothers
Authors: Laney Elizabeth K. , Carruthers Lisa A. , Hall M. Elizabeth Lewis , Anderson Tamara L.
Published: February 2021

The current qualitative study explored experiences of religion/spirituality and their impact on women’s identities among Christian working mothers in academia. Thirty semi-structured interviews were conducted and the data analyzed using the grounded theory method. The resultant themes reflected the roles and functions of religion/spirituality in women’s lives and in their identities, primarily by establishing a core sense of self that unified all of their roles and “selves.” Religion/spirituality also served as meaning-making frameworks that provided purpose both to the self and to each of the women’s roles, while religion/spirituality also pervaded every aspect of the self, coloring women’s experience and driving their decisions. Further, women discussed religion/spirituality providing a sense of purpose by which they could pursue actualization and transcendence through generative means in each of their roles. The results indicate that spiritual identity may be a broader and more fundamental element of identity than previously considered. Implications of the current data and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Characterization and comparison of fluoroelastomer unfilled, filled with carbon nanotube (unmodified, acid or base surface modified) and carbon black using TGA-GCMS
Authors: Heidarian J , Hassan A
Published: February 2021

Carbon nanotube (CNT)-, surface-modified CNT: acid (–COOH) modified (MCNT) or base (–OH) modified (OHCNT), carbon black (CB)-filled fluoroelastomer (FE) and unfilled FE were prepared (CNT/FE, MCNT/FE, OHCNT/FE, CB/FE and FE). The thermal properties of the composites were assessed by TGA-GCMS and TGA and compared for all samples. TGA-GCMS results show that degradation products that obtained due to breakage of the CF2-CH2 bond (group A) and CF2-CF2 bond (group B) in base FE, obtained in lower temperatures and higher temperatures of TGA scan respectively, therefore CF2-CF2 bond is more thermally stable than CF2-CH2. For degradation products of group A and group B, the relative abundance decreased in the following orders respectively for all samples: CB/FE, CNT/FE, OHCNT/FE, FE, MCNT/FE; and MCNT/FE, OHCNT/FE, FE, CNT/FE, CB/FE. Therefore nanofillers and particularly surface-modified nanofillers produce less amount of group A degradation products and more amount of group B degradation products and therefore increase the thermal stability of the base FE. For all samples, the volatile degradation products that have the highest intensity are: (C6F7H2)•+, C4H6F+ and C6F11+ and the volatile degradation products are similar except for OHCNT/FE and MCNT/FE. TGA results also show that thermal stability reduced in the following orders in the lower temperature range and higher temperature range respectively: OHCNT/FE, FE, CB/FE, CNT/FE, MCNT/FE; and CB/FE, MCNT/FE, CNT/FE, FE, OHCNT/FE. Totally the results show that OHCNT/FE, MCNT/FE and CNT/FE can be used at high temperatures for making O-rings for very deep oil and gas drilling.
Two-Way Risk Communication, Public Value Consensus, and Citizens’ Policy Compliance Willingness About COVID-19: Multilevel Analysis Based on a Nudge View
Authors: Guan Bin , Bao Guoxian , Liu Qingchuan , Raymond Raduziner Gary
Published: February 2021

COVID-19 has spawned a surge in the number of public epidemic prevention policies. More important than active policy-making is how to increase citizens’ policy compliance willingness. Based on public value theory and nudge theory, this study adopts a multilevel mediation and moderation model to analyze the relationships among the government’s authoritarian control, two-way risk communication, public value consensus, nudge, and citizens’ policy compliance willingness. A sample of 2,616 citizens nested in 86 Chinese cities was collected. The study found that (a) local governments can improve citizens’ policy compliance willingness by adopting both “stick” (authoritarian control) and “sermon” (two-way risk communication) policies, whereas two-way risk communication demonstrates a uniquely positive effect on public value consensus; and (b) the effect of two-way risk communication on policy compliance willingness is mediated by public value consensus. By enhancing public value consensus, two-way risk communication helps establish consensus between citizens and the government on “what needs/needs not to be done” and “what should/should not be done” to slow down the pandemic, thus coalescing efforts in a cooperative spirit; (c) nudge intervention positively moderates the effect of two-way risk communication on public value consensus, but has no effect on the authoritarian control–policy compliance willingness relationship. In other words, nudge intervention is a better companion to “sermons,” not “sticks.” Findings of the nuanced relationship manifested the differentiated effect of authoritarian control and two-way risk communication on citizens’ policy compliance willingness during a pandemic. The results provide theoretical implications for scholars to unlock the “black box” of public values and practical implications for strategies from behavioral public administration aspects to curb the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Finite-time higher-order moment state estimation for Markov jump linear system with time-correlated measurement noise
Authors: Zhou Ziheng , Luan Xiaoli , Liu Fei
Published: February 2021

In the present study, a higher-order moment state estimation problem in a finite time interval for the discrete-time Markov jump linear systems (MJLS) is investigated. Moreover, time-correlated noise in measurements is considered. Initially, the measruement differencing approach is applied to convert the time-correlated measurement noise to an uncorrelated noise. Then the cumulant generating function is utilized to solve the stochastic jumping problem of MJLS, by which the discrete-time MJLS is transformed into a deterministic system. In this way, the transformed deterministic system has the same norm with a higher-order moment of the original state. Finally, a finite-time state estimation algorithm is proposed to guarantee that the higher-order moment of error trajectory remains within a pre-specified bound over a given time interval. In order to evaluate the performance of the proposed method, some test cases are applied. Obtained results prove the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method.
Contralateral Transmaxillary Approach for Resection of Chondrosarcoma of the Petrous Apex: A Case Report
Authors: Lawrence Jesse D. , Marsh Robert , Turner Meghan T.
Published: February 2021

Background:

Deep location and neurovascular structures make access to lesions of the petrous apex a significant challenge. A novel approach for these tumors is the contralateral transmaxillary approach.

Clinical Presentation:

A 31-year-old male was evaluated for left abducens nerve palsy. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography revealed an enhancing, lytic lesion of the petrous apex with extension to the cavernous sinus and petroclival junction. The patient underwent a combined endoscopic contralateral transmaxillary and endoscopic endonasal transclival approach for resection of the lesion. No new or worsening neurologic deficits were noted following the procedure. Pathology revealed low-grade chondrosarcoma (grade I). Postoperative MRI revealed gross total resection of the lesion. Patient underwent adjuvant radiation therapy at the discretion of radiation oncology.

Conclusion:

The contralateral transmaxillary approach to the petrous apex allows for resection of lesions of the petrous apex with the ability to extend the dissection laterally. Excellent results achieved by institutions with advanced extended endoscopic endonasal experience can be reproduced in institutions with less experience. Further characterization of the risks and benefits of this approach is needed.
Association Between the Air-Bone Gap and Vibration of the Tympanic Membrane After Myringoplasty
Authors: Zhang Ying , Wang Jie , Wang Yu , Fu Qianjie , Li Yongxin
Published: February 2021

Air-bone gap (ABG) is an important indicator of hearing status after myringoplasty. A number of factors have been associated with ABG, but some patients still have ABG without identifiable cause. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between tympanic membrane (TM) vibration using laser Doppler vibrometry (LDV) and ABG after myringoplasty. Between January 2013 and January 2015, 24 patients with ABG of unknown cause after myringoplasty were enrolled at the Beijing Tongren Hospital. Thirty normal controls were recruited from the hospital staff. All patients underwent primary overlay myringoplasty. Pre- and postoperative air conduction (AC) and bone-conduction (BC) thresholds, and ABG were measured. Umbo velocity transfer function (UVTF) for vibration of TM was measured with LDV. Air conduction thresholds were significantly reduced after myringoplasty (all P < .05), while BC thresholds were not significantly changed (all P > .05). ABG was significantly reduced after myringoplasty (all P < .05). Air-bone gap was correlated with UVTF at 1.0 kHz (r = −0.46; P = .024). For patients with UVTF >0.08 mm/s/Pa, ABG was correlated with UVTF (r = −0.56; P = .029). For post-myringoplasty ABG without readily observable causes, there was a significant relationship between ABG and TM vibration. These results provide new insights in the understanding of this relationship and may help explain ABG after myringoplasty when there are no clear contributing factors.
ENT Referral From Emergency Department During COVID-19: A Single-Center Experience
Authors: Campagnoli Massimo , Cerasuolo Michele , Renna Martina , Dell’Era Valeria , Valletti Paolo Aluffi , Garzaro Massimiliano
Published: February 2021

Purpose:

COVID-19 pandemic transformed the health system response worldwide. The aim of this study is to report changes about numbers and reason for ENT consultations in emergency department (ED) during COVID-19 pandemic comparing with those occurred the previous year (2019).

Methods:

Data about patients admitted to adult and pediatric ED were collected from March 1 to May 31, 2019 and 2020. Patients referred for urgency from general practitioners were excluded from the study.

Results:

Global ED admission (except for dyspnea or COVID-19–related symptoms) dramatically decreased during pandemic (−50.9% among adults and −71.4% among pediatrics). At the same time, ENT consultancy significantly reduced too, by 71.5% ( P < .01) among adults and 45.1% ( P < .01) for pediatrics. Among adults, it was reported a statistically significant decrease in consultation for ear problems (−88.5%, P = .0146). Reduction in ENT referral for bone fracture (−40%, P = .059), vertigo (−77.8%, P = .637), and tonsillitis (−87.5%, P = .688) was consistent, but not significant. Among pediatric patients, it was observed an increase by 25% about foreign bodies (12 vs 15, P < .01). A reduction in numbers of consults for ear problem (−90.8%; P = .045), epistaxis (−80%; P = .196), and nasal fracture (−70%; P = .36) was also observed.

Conclusion:

Fear of infection and the forced lock down caused a significant decrease in the number of ED accesses and in ENT consultancy. These data may suggest that some ED referral usually could be deferred, but on the other hand, pandemic will cause a great diagnostic delay.
Association of Obstructive Sleep Apnea With the Risk of Repeat Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Yang Shu-Han , Xing Yong-Sheng , Wang Zeng-Xia , Liu Yan-Bin , Chen Hong-Wei , Ren Yan-Feng , Chen Jing-Ling , Li Sheng-Bo , Wang Zhi-Fang
Published: February 2021

Background:

The impact of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on subsequent cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remains inconclusive.

Aim:

Our aim was to systematically assess the relationship between preexisting OSA and adverse cardiovascular events in patients with newly diagnosed ACS by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods:

We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane library for studies published up to May 1, 2020, that reported any association between OSA and cardiovascular events in patients with newly diagnosed ACS. The main outcomes were a composite of all-cause or cardiovascular death, recurrent myocardial infarction, stroke, repeat revascularization, or heart failure. We conducted a pooled analysis using the random-effects model. We also performed subgroup, sensitivity, heterogeneity analysis, and the assessment of publication bias.

Results:

We identified 10 studies encompassing 3350 participants. The presence of OSA was associated with increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events in newly prognosed ACS (risk ratio [RR] 2.18, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.45-3.26, P < .001, I2 = 64%). Between-study heterogeneity was partially explained by a multicenter study (9 single-center studies, RR 2.33 95% CI 1.69-3.19, I2 =18%), and I2 remarkably decreased from 64% to 18%. Moreover, OSA significantly increased the incidence of repeat revascularization (8 studies) and heart failure (6 studies) in patients with newly diagnosed ACS.

Conclusion:

Patients with preexisting OSA are at greater risk of subsequent cardiovascular events after onset of ACS. Further studies should investigate the treatment of OSA in patient with ACS.
Left Subclavian Pseudoaneurysm: A Case of Palsies in the Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve, Phrenic Nerve, and Brachial Plexus
Authors: Spangler Daniel James , Eller Robert Lafitte
Published: February 2021

A patient developed a subclavian pseudoaneurysm following placement of an intravascular catheter for cancer treatment. The patient presented with palsies in the phrenic nerve, brachial plexus, and recurrent laryngeal nerve. This is a rare presentation, similar to Ortner’s syndrome, which has not been previously presented in the literature. Furthermore, this case highlights the importance of early laryngoscopy in patients with persistent voice change, especially after a neck procedure.
Maxillary Sinus Lobular Capillary Hemangioma in a 15-Year-Old Boy
Authors: Vukadinović Tijana , Labus Milica , Spasić Stefan , Đurđević Biserka Vukomanović , Perić Aleksandar
Published: February 2021

Lobular capillary hemangioma (LCH) is a benign capillary proliferation with a microscopically distinctive lobular architecture, composed of small to medium-sized vessels of capillary type. Rarely, it originates from the mucosa of the nasal cavity, most frequently from the anterior nasal septum, turbinates, and nasal vestibule. Etiology is unclear, but previous investigations suggest that this lesion is associated with injury, hormonal factors, some viral infections, and therapy with some drugs. We present a case of LCH arising from the medial wall of the maxillary sinus in a 15-year-old boy, which was completely excised by preoperative embolization and endoscopic sinus surgery. To our knowledge, this is the second reported case of an LCH originating from the maxillary antrum. Etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment modalities of LCH were also discussed.
Carotid Sympathetic Plexus Schwannoma Presenting as Middle Ear and External Auditory Canal Mass
Authors: Kim Hyejeen , Hong Ran , Cho Sung Il
Published: February 2021

Schwannomas in the middle ear and external auditory canal are exceedingly rare. The facial nerve, chorda tympani nerve, and Jacobson’s nerve have rarely been reported as the origins of primary schwannomas in the middle ear cavity. We experienced a case of carotid sympathetic plexus (CSP) schwannoma that arose from the carotid canal and extended into the middle ear and external auditory canal. The tumor presented bone erosion of the carotid canal, and it adhered tightly to the internal carotid artery. This report represents the first documented case of a CSP schwannoma, which involved the middle ear and external auditory canal.
2017 National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support
Authors: Beck Joni , Greenwood Deborah A. , Blanton Lori , Bollinger Sandra T. , Butcher Marcene K. , Condon Jo Ellen , Cypress Marjorie , Faulkner Priscilla , Fischl Amy Hess , Francis Theresa , Kolb Leslie E. , Lavin-Tompkins Jodi M. , MacLeod Janice , Maryniuk Melinda , Mensing Carolé , Orzeck Eric A. , Pope David D. , Pulizzi Jodi L. , Reed Ardis A. , Rhinehart Andrew S. , Siminerio Linda , Wang Jing
Published: February 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to review the literature for Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) to ensure the National Standards for DSMES (Standards) align with current evidence-based practices and utilization trends.

Methods

The 10 Standards were divided among 20 interdisciplinary workgroup members. Members searched the current research for diabetes education and support, behavioral health, clinical, health care environment, technical, reimbursement, and business practice for the strongest evidence that guided the Standards revision.

Results

Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support facilitates the knowledge, skills, and ability necessary for diabetes self-care as well as activities that assist a person in implementing and sustaining the behaviors needed to manage their condition on an ongoing basis. The evidence indicates that health care providers and people affected by diabetes are embracing technology, and this is having a positive impact of DSMES access, utilization, and outcomes.

Conclusion

Quality DSMES continues to be a critical element of care for all people with diabetes. The DSMES services must be individualized and guided by the concerns, preferences, and needs of the person affected by diabetes. Even with the abundance of evidence supporting the benefits of DSMES, it continues to be underutilized, but as with other health care services, technology is changing the way DSMES is delivered and utilized with positive outcomes.