bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sustained NMDA receptor hypofunction impairs brain-derived neurotropic factor signalling in the PFC, but not in the hippocampus, and disturbs PFC-dependent cognition in mice
Authors: Tanqueiro Sara R , Mouro Francisco M , Ferreira Catarina B , Freitas Céline F , Fonseca-Gomes João , Simões do Couto Frederico , Sebastião Ana M , Dawson Neil , Diógenes Maria J
Published: May 2021

Background:

Cognitive deficits profoundly impact on the quality of life of patients with schizophrenia. Alterations in brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signalling, which regulates synaptic function through the activation of full-length tropomyosin-related kinase B receptors (TrkB-FL), are implicated in the aetiology of schizophrenia, as is N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDA-R) hypofunction. However, whether NMDA-R hypofunction contributes to the disrupted BDNF signalling seen in patients remains unknown.

Aims:

The purpose of this study was to characterise BDNF signalling and function in a preclinical rodent model relevant to schizophrenia induced by prolonged NMDA-R hypofunction.

Methods:

Using the subchronic phencyclidine (PCP) model, we performed electrophysiology approaches, molecular characterisation and behavioural analysis.

Results:

The data showed that prolonged NMDA-R antagonism, induced by subchronic PCP treatment, impairs long-term potentiation (LTP) and the facilitatory effect of BDNF upon LTP in the medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) of adult mice. Additionally, TrkB-FL receptor expression is decreased in the PFC of these animals. By contrast, these changes were not present in the hippocampus of PCP-treated mice. Moreover, BDNF levels were not altered in the hippocampus or PFC of PCP-treated mice. Interestingly, these observations are paralleled by impaired performance in PFC-dependent cognitive tests in mice treated with PCP.

Conclusions:

Overall, these data suggest that NMDA-R hypofunction induces dysfunctional BDNF signalling in the PFC, but not in the hippocampus, which may contribute to the PFC-dependent cognitive deficits seen in the subchronic PCP model. Additionally, these data suggest that targeting BDNF signalling may be a mechanism to improve PFC-dependent cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia.
Exploring the Gaps in Programming for Men and Women with a Gambling Disorder in the Correctional System in Canada
Authors: Jindani Farah , Cook Steve , Shi Jing , McAvoy Steve , Myers Chris , Matheson Flora I. , van der Maas Mark , Sanchez Sherald , Ferentzy Peter , Turner Nigel E.
Published: May 2021

The prevalence of problem gambling in the correctional system is about 10 times higher than in the general population, but programming for gambling problems in the correctional system is scarce. Examined barriers to treatment for problem gamblers in the correctional system, sex or gender differences, and options for program design. We conducted interviews with 16 experts who had worked with problem gamblers in the correctional system and analyzed the data in terms of themes. For barriers, the experts discussed a lack of awareness about problem gambling, as well as stigmatization and lockdowns. Experts described the content of current programs as equally applicable to both men and women, but that emotional components were more important for women. Finally, the experts had mixed views on whether programming should be integrated with other programs such as substance abuse. Programming implications for this population are discussed.
A comparative study between continuous and interrupted sutures in open pyeloplasty
Authors: Gupta Sandeep , Verma Ankit , Pal Dilip Kumar
Published: May 2021

Background:

Pelvi-ureteric junction obstruction (PUJO) is one of the common causes of obstructive uropathy dealt by urologists around the globe. The management of PUJO requires surgical intervention and pelvi-ureteral anastomosis is most time-consuming step in surgery and suturing plays a critical role for the good outcome of the surgery.

Objective:

To assess the outcomes of continuous or interrupted suturing in open pyeloplasties done for PUJ obstruction.

Materials and methods:

This comparative study was conducted in the department of Urology in a tertiary care hospital of eastern India. A total of 60 patients with pelviureteric junction obstruction were included as per inclusion and exclusion criteria and divided into two groups depending upon whether continuous (Group A) or interrupted (Group B) suturing was done. Both groups were compared for mean operative time, mean suturing time, duration of post-operative drainage, mean drain output, post-operative hospital stay, postoperative GFR and improvement in GFR.

Results:

Out of 60 patients continuous and interrupted suturing was done in 30 patients in both arms. Out of 60 cases there were 46 (76.66%) males and 14 (23.33%) females with a M:F ratio of 1:0.30. The mean age in group A and group B was found to be 30.06 ± 8.28 and 27.63 ± 6.07, respectively. Mean operative time, mean suturing time, duration of post-operative drainage, mean drain output and postoperative hospital stay were found to be higher in interrupted suture group and the difference was found to be statistically highly significant ( p < 0.0001). The complication rates and recurrence rates were found comparable in both the cases with no statistically significant difference ( p > 0.05).

Conclusion:

Continuous suturing technique for pyeloplasty is preferable as it is found to have a lower mean operative time, mean suturing time, duration of post-operative drainage, mean drain output and postoperative hospital stay.
Measuring Forms and Functions of Aggression in Portuguese Young Adults: Validation of the Peer Conflict Scale
Authors: Vagos Paula , Marinho Patrícia I. , Pandeirada Josefa N. S. , Rodrigues Pedro F. S. , Marsee Monica
Published: May 2021

This work reports a preliminary validation of the Peer Conflict Scale (PCS) for Portuguese young adults (ages 18–30 years). This instrument assesses aggression considering two of its forms (overt and relational aggression) and its two functions (reactive and proactive aggression). The initially proposed 4-factor model provided the best fit for our data and was partially invariant by sex. All subscales revealed good reliability based on internal consistency and test–retest indicators. Construct validity was obtained through the investigation of sex differences that align with previous findings on aggressive behavior and in relation to emotion regulation strategies. These initial results suggest that the PCS, originally designed for adolescents, is a promising tool to assess aggression in young adults, notwithstanding the need of additional psychometric studies to further establish the quality of this instrument.
Advertising of Human Milk Substitutes in United Kingdom Healthcare Professional Publications: An Observational Study
Authors: Hickman Natalie , Morgan Sarah , Crawley Helen , Kerac Marko
Published: May 2021

Background

Inappropriate marketing of human milk substitutes negatively influences efforts to protect breastfeeding. Although healthcare professionals can positively influence infant feeding decisions, government regulations permit manufacturers to communicate messages to them through advertising.

Research Aims

(1) To identify the extent of human milk substitute advertising in publications aimed at United Kingdom healthcare professionals and (2) to describe compliance with the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes and United Kingdom Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional observational study. We reviewed publications targeting healthcare professionals working with families in the United Kingdom ( N = 19). Quantity and type of human milk substitute advertisements, as a proportion of all advertising, in each publication were recorded. All unique advertisements were double assessed for compliance.

Results

Human milk substitute advertising was found in nine (47%) of the 19 publications (four affiliated with professional associations), making up 10.3% ( n = 196) of these publications’ total advertising. Of human milk substitute advertisements found, 65.4% ( n = 110) were for products used to manage cows’ milk protein allergy. Of the 32 unique human milk substitute advertisements found, none complied with the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes or United Kingdom Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations.

Conclusions

Many healthcare professionals’ publications had non-compliant human milk substitute advertisements. There is an urgent need to ensure full compliance with international and local regulation in future advertisements and to consider whether advertisements are justified at all.
State of charge estimation for lithium-ion batteries using dynamic neural network based on sine cosine algorithm
Authors: Wei Meng , Ye Min , Li Jia Bo , Wang Qiao , Xu Xin Xin
Published: May 2021

State of charge (SOC) of the lithium-ion batteries is one of the key parameters of the battery management system, which the performance of SOC estimation guarantees energy management efficiency and endurance mileage of electric vehicles. However, accurate SOC estimation is a difficult problem owing to complex chemical reactions and nonlinear battery characteristics. In this paper, the method of the dynamic neural network is used to estimate the SOC of the lithium-ion batteries, which is improved based on the classic close-loop nonlinear auto-regressive models with exogenous input neural network (NARXNN) model, and the open-loop NARXNN model considering expected output is proposed. Since the input delay, feedback delay, and hidden layer of the dynamic neural network are usually selected by empirically, which affects the estimation performance of the dynamic neural network. To cover this weakness, sine cosine algorithm (SCA) is used for global optimal dynamic neural network parameters. Then, the experimental results are verified to obtain the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed method under different conditions. Finally, the dynamic neural network based on SCA is compared with unscented Kalman filter (UKF), back propagation neural network based on particle swarm optimization (BPNN-PSO), least-squares support vector machine (LS-SVM), and Gaussian process regression (GPR), the results show that the proposed dynamic neural network based on SCA is superior to other methods.
Research on the flame structure characteristics and NOx pathways of low swirl combustion
Authors: Cao Zhibo , Xiao Yinli , Ming Xin , Song Wenyan
Published: May 2021

Low swirl combustion (LSC) technology has the advantage of ultralow NOx emissions, which is of great significance to the development of low-emission gas turbine engines in the future. To investigate the flow field and flame structure characteristics of LSC, a test rig of low swirl burner was designed and developed. Particle image velocimetry measurement results show that the location and size of the recirculation zone are different, and the flow field shows typical “W”- and “U”-shaped distributions under various swirling flow conditions. The self-luminous results of LSC show that there are three flame modes including attached flame, “W”-shaped flame, and “U”-shaped flame. To deeply understand NOx generation pathways, a chemical reactor network model was developed based on experiments and computational fluid dynamics simulations, and the effects of premixed gas components on NOx pathways were calculated by using Chemkin software. It was verified that the NOx production of the CH4 mixture mixed with H2, N2, and CO2 was mainly formed by the thermal NO pathway in the recirculation zone. The increase of H2 promotes the generation of NNH-type NOx in the main flame zone and inhibits prompt NOx. The addition of N2 and CO2 greatly promotes the generation of prompt NOx and at the same time inhibits NNH-type NOx. In addition, there is little prompt NOx formation in the post-flame zone.
Collaborative design between architecture and structure of large complex ice shell based on air-ribbed inflatable mold: A case of ice restaurant
Authors: Luo Peng , Yang Shuoyong , Nie Yuxin , Wu Yue , Chen Jiafeng , Pronk Arno , Zhang Ruinan
Published: May 2021

In 2019, the ice restaurant at the 21st Harbin Ice and Snow World is one of the representative works of contemporary Chinese ice shell architecture. Through the summary of practical experience of the ice restaurant. The design thinking and practice method of coordination between architecture and structure of large complex ice shell are elaborated in detail. The logic and advantages of air-ribbed inflatable mold construction method, numerical simulation optimization process based on Grasshopper platform and structural performance calculation of ABAQUS platform are included. The feasibility of collaborative design method in the design of ice shell building is proved. It promotes the development of ice shell construction. On the basis, the future development direction is prospected.
Sublimation of composite ice and its influence on performance of ice shells
Authors: Wu Yue , Huang Junkai , Chen Jiafeng
Published: May 2021

The long-span ice composite shell structure is a new type of ice and snow structure developed in recent years. The engineering practice of ice composite shell shows that sublimation is one of the important reasons for its damage and even collapse. In this paper, we firstly supplemented the existing H-K equation and obtained the revised ice sublimation equation through indoor evaporative plate experiment considering the influence of admixtures and wind speed. Afterwards, combining the simulations of solar radiation and CFD, the numerical simulation of sublimation distribution on the surface of were realized by programming in Grasshopper platform. During sublimation, the thickness of the ice composite shell decreases by 0.38 mm every 10 days and the sublimation rate on the sunny side was 1.7 times that on the shady side. Finally, the static performance and stability of the sublimated ice composite spherical shell were analyzed. After 70 days of sublimation, the thickness of the ice composite shell structure becomes thinner and uneven, which leads its sensitivity to external load increases.
Success factors in the realization of large ice projects in education
Authors: Pronk Arno , Luo Peng , Li Qingpeng , Sanders Fred , overtoom Marjolein , Coar Lancelot , Fakhrzarei Mahboobeh , Ashrafi Abolfazl
Published: May 2021

There has been a long tradition in making ice structures, but the development of technical improvements for making ice buildings is a new field with just a handful of researchers. Most of the projects were realized by professors in cooperation with their students as part of their education in architecture and civil engineering. The following professors have realized ice projects in this setting: Heinz Isler realized some experiments since the 1950s; Tsutomu Kokawa created in the past three decades several ice domes in the north of Japan with a span up to 25 m; Lancelot Coar realized a number of fabric formed ice shell structures including fiberglass bars and hanging fabric as a mold for an ice shell in 2011 and in 2015 he produced an fabric-formed ice origami structure in cooperation with MIT (Caitlin Mueller) and VUB (Lars de Laet). Arno Pronk realized several ice projects such as the 2004 artificially cooled igloo, in 2014 and 2015 dome structures with an inflatable mold in Finland and in 2016–2019, an ice dome, several ice towers and a 3D printed gridshell of ice in Harbin (China) as a cooperation between the Universities of Eindhoven & Leuven (Pronk) and Harbin (Wu and Luo). In cooperation between the University of Alberta and Eindhoven two ice beams were realized during a workshop in 2020. In this paper we will present the motivation and learning experiences of students involved in learning-by-doing by realizing one large project in ice. The 2014–2016 projects were evaluated by Sanders and Overtoom; using questionnaires among the participants by mixed cultural teams under extreme conditions. By comparing the results in different situations and cultures we have found common rules for the success of those kinds of educational projects. In this paper we suggest that the synergy among students participating in one main project without a clear individual goal can be very large. The paper will present the success factors for projects to be perceived as a good learning experience.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV with oral tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine in men who have sex with men: Slovenian national demonstration project
Authors: Pečavar Blaž , Kokošar Ulčar Barbara , Kordiš Manja , Pleško Maja , Turel Gabriele , Vovko Tomaž , Tomažič Janez
Published: May 2021

Prevalence of HIV in Slovenia is low, and men who have sex with men (MSM) have the highest risk for infection. Rates of enrolment into HIV care, initiation of antiretroviral therapy and reaching an undetectable viral load in HIV-infected patients are very high. Prevention of HIV infection for MSM with PrEP is not formally available in Slovenia. The aim of this study was to demonstrate possible implementation of PrEP in Slovenia. Sixty-nine ( n = 69) MSM with increased risk for HIV received PrEP with oral tenofovir disproxil fumarate /emtricitabine and acquisition were followed for a mean of 566.6 days. They had 71 episodes of STIs (incidence 61.7 per 100 person-years). No one got acquired HIV infection. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (EGFR) was significantly lower 4 ( p = 0.014) and 19 ( p = 0.021) months after inclusion; however, there was no clinically significant renal failure (mean EGFR 110–115 mL/min). Self-reported body weight significantly increased after 7 months ( p < 0.05). Overall EGFR and self-reported body weight did not change significantly. No significant change in adherence (overall mean 81.0%; 95% CI 77.5%–84.6%; p = 0.728), condom use ( p = 0.077) and number of sexual partners (overall mean 2.36 per 30 days; 95% CI 2.06 to 2.65; p = 0.235) was found throughout the study. Participants reported 110 graded adverse effects (AE), 104 (94.5%) grade 1–2 and 6 (5.5%) grade 3–4. No participant discontinued PrEP due to AE. The study showed successful implementation of PrEP among MSM at high risk for HIV infection in Slovenia. Based on the results of our study, PrEP should be formally available in Slovenia.
Entrepreneurship in the Future: A Delphi Study of ETP and JBV Editorial Board Members
Authors: van Gelderen Marco , Wiklund Johan , McMullen Jeffery S.
Published: May 2021

What will entrepreneurship look like in 2030? We conducted a Delphi panel study asking this question of editors and Editorial Review Board members of the two leading entrepreneurship journals, Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice in an attempt to lift the eyes of the field to the horizon, outside academe, if only briefly. Using thematic coding analysis, we identified close to 1000 first-order codes from the 175 scholars surveyed, which we categorized into 24 distinct themes. From this input in the first round, we generated 93 predictions, which were assessed by the panel in terms of likelihood in a second round. It is our hope that these themes and predictions might serve to inspire our present research, teaching, and entrepreneurial endeavors, and spur debate and discussions among (future) entrepreneurship scholars of future-relevant phenomena that can potentially be studied under the rubric of entrepreneurship.
Remote Instruction and Interventions: Considerations for Students With Disabilities
Authors: Hirsch Shanna E. , McDaniel Sara
Published: May 2021

Remote instruction and interventions are designed to reach students outside of the classroom setting. In this special series of Intervention in School and Clinic, remote or online instruction across five disciplines are examined. This introduction summarizes the key issues and provides an overview of the topics explored by each of the special series contributors.
Training, Supervising, and Supporting Students With Emotional–Behavioral Disorders as Cross-Age Tutors
Authors: Watts Gavin W. , McKenna John W.
Published: May 2021

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) are frequently on the receiving end of intervention models (e.g., social skills training) in which targeted skills are modeled and practiced in unnatural arrangements (i.e., teacher-led). Special educators consistently report a need for effective interventions and instructional arrangements that promote social-behavioral skills of students with EBD in natural learning environments (i.e., with peers). When students with EBD are provided the opportunity to serve in the role of tutor (i.e., on the instructional delivery end of the model), increases in academic and behavioral skills have been found for both tutors and tutees. This article provides an overview of effective procedures and considerations for training, supervising, and supporting students with EBD as cross-age tutors.
Honoring Team Decision-Making During Manifestation Determination Meetings Through Collaborative and Proactive Solutions
Authors: Trapp Laura , Gershwin Tracy , Robinson Jason
Published: May 2021

The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act requires schools to conduct a manifestation determination (MD) meeting when suspending students with disabilities for more than 10 days. The MD procedure is intended to safeguard educational access by providing a process to determine if a student’s disability is related to the suspending behavior. An accurate decision requires educational team members to effectively collaborate to review relevant data and the student’s Individualized Education Program. Collaborative and proactive solutions (CPS) offer a framework for collaboration that may ensure that all team members meaningfully participate during the MD meeting while encouraging a rigorous analysis of student-specific data. The use of CPS is proposed as a framework to generate meaningful collaboration in MD meetings, which may result in positive student outcomes that reach beyond merely addressing a behavioral violation.
“But, He’s So Serious”: Framing of Masculinity Among Western Hemisphere Indigenous Peoples in Disney Animated Films
Authors: Luisi Tim
Published: May 2021

Few studies to date have examined Indigenous characters in children’s media. Stereotyping or omission of underrepresented groups contributes to symbolic annihilation of underrepresented groups, such as Indigenous persons. Through a qualitative textual design, the researcher explored how Western-Hemisphere Indigenous masculinity was framed in five Disney animated films. While Indigenous characters were positively portrayed, the researcher found displays of stereotypes, and an absence of character growth.
The Fresh Start Mindset: A Cross-National Investigation and Implications for Environmentally Friendly Global Brands
Authors: Strizhakova Yuliya , Coulter Robin A. , Price Linda L.
Published: May 2021

This research situates the fresh start mindset—the consumer belief that people can make a new start, get a new beginning, and chart a new course in life—within the neoliberal global milieu and examines the fresh start mindset cross-nationally and as a predictor of interest in environmentally friendly global brands. Theoretically, the authors argue that the fresh start mindset is associated with globally focused beliefs (global identity and environmental consciousness) and globally relevant psychographic characteristics and is predictive of consumer interest in environmentally friendly global brands. Study 1, conducted in countries with varying sociohistorical-cultural trajectories (United States, Mexico, Russia), establishes cross-nationally: (1) a valid fresh start mindset scale; (2) positive relationships between the fresh start mindset and globally focused beliefs as well as personal beliefs and traits (growth mindset, optimism, future focus); (3) that travel abroad, social media use, and religion predict the fresh start mindset; and (4) that the fresh start mindset predicts consumer interest in a global brand’s environmentally friendly product. Study 2 provides additional evidence that the fresh start mindset predicts consumer interest in environmentally friendly global brands. Findings indicate the fresh start mindset is an important targeting characteristic for managers of environmentally friendly global brands.
More ‘Creative’ Than ‘Destructive’? Synthesizing Schumpeterian and Developmental State Perspectives to Explain Mixed Results in Korea’s Clean Energy Shift
Authors: Thurbon Elizabeth , Kim Sung-Young , Mathews John A. , Tan Hao
Published: May 2021

We develop a new way of analysing the state’s strategic role in the clean energy shift. We do so by synthesizing Schumpeterian understandings of ‘creative destruction’ and techno-economic change with cutting-edge developmental state theorizing centred on ‘developmental environmentalism’. Our approach allows us to explain South Korea’s mixed results in the clean energy shift over the 2008–2020 period by focussing on varying degrees of alignment between the state’s ‘creative’ and ‘destructive’ ambitions and capabilities. Following a period of misalignment characterized by a creative emphasis (2008–2015), we have seen growing alignment between the state’s ‘creative’ and ‘destructive’ endeavours (2015–present). On the basis of our analysis, we anticipate that Korea’s hitherto mixed results are likely to give way to more consistent strides towards greening the national economy. Beyond Korea, our fresh analytical approach may be applied to other national contexts, helping to advance broader debates about the state’s strategic role in the clean energy shift.
Caregiver Strain Questionnaire–Short Form 11 (CGSQ-SF11): A Validation Study
Authors: Brennan Grace M. , Babinski Dara E. , Waschbusch Daniel A.
Published: May 2021

Caregiver strain is associated with caregiver and child well-being and clinical outcomes. The present study examined the psychometric properties of a revised 11-item measure of caregiver strain, the Caregiver Strain Questionnaire–Short Form 11 (CGSQ-SF11). In a sample of 962 caregivers, we found support for a three-factor model of the CGSQ-SF11, consisting of objective (e.g., financial impact), subjective internalized (e.g., sadness about the child’s problems), and subjective externalized (e.g., anger directed toward the child) strain factors. Measurement invariance was supported across multiple demographic and clinical groups, and all three subscales displayed high internal consistency. Convergent validity was also supported through positive correlations with measures of child psychopathology symptoms and psychosocial impairment. Moreover, caregiver strain was associated with number of child disorders as well as breadth of child symptoms across both internalizing and externalizing domains. Findings provide initial validation of the CGSQ-SF11 as a comprehensive yet brief measure of caregiver strain.
A new modified stochastic linearization technique to analyze structures with nonlinear fluid viscous dampers
Authors: Asadpour Ghasem , Asadi Payam , Hajirasouliha Iman
Published: May 2021

Nonlinear viscous dampers can efficiently improve the seismic performance of structures by dissipating large amounts of earthquake-induced energy. In common practice, the spectral analysis of structures with nonlinear viscous dampers is generally conducted based on an estimated equivalent damping ratio. To this end, the stochastic linearization technique can be used as an effective probabilistic approach to take into account the evolutionary characteristics of the input earthquake excitation. This study aims to present optimal non-Gaussian probability density functions to improve the accuracy of the stochastic linearization technique for nonlinear viscous dampers in both firm and soft soil-based structures. It is shown that by using the optimum probability density functions, the computational error of the stochastic linearization technique for a single-degree-of-freedom structure under simulated ground motions, with a range of peak ground accelerations between 0.1 and 0.6 g, is reduced by up to 70%. The efficiency of the proposed probability density functions is then demonstrated for multi-degree-of-freedom structures, by estimating the roof displacements of a six-story steel frame with nonlinear viscous dampers under a set of natural ground motions using different linearization methods. The comparison of the stochastic linearization technique estimated responses with the exact values confirms that using the proposed probability density functions leads to considerably lower errors in both firm and soft soil-based structures compared with the other linearization techniques.
Structural health monitoring by probability density function of autoregressive-based damage features and fast distance correlation method
Authors: Heravi Mohammad Ali , Tavakkoli Seyed Mehdi , Entezami Alireza
Published: May 2021

In this article, the autoregressive time series analysis is used to extract reliable features from vibration measurements of civil structures for damage diagnosis. To guarantee the adequacy and applicability of the time series model, Leybourne–McCabe hypothesis test is used. Subsequently, the probability density functions of the autoregressive model parameters and residuals are obtained with the aid of a kernel density estimator. The probability density function sets are considered as damage-sensitive features of the structure and fast distance correlation method is used to make decision for detecting damages in the structure. Experimental data of a well-known three-story laboratory frame and a large-scale bridge benchmark structure are used to verify the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed method. Results indicate the capability of the method to identify the location and severity of damages, even under the simulated operational and environmental variability.
Expatriate Adjustment and Engagement with Host Country Gastronomy: Investigating The Role of Identity Projects
Authors: Miocevic Dario , Mikulic Josip
Published: May 2021

Research on expatriate consumer behavior suggests that expatriates can be attracted to host country gastronomy, but sometimes they also suppress themselves from engaging with it. To shed light on these inconsistencies, this study draws on cross-cultural adjustment literature and social identity theory to explore under what circumstances expatriates increase their tendency to visit restaurants offering host country cuisine. To test the proposed model, a survey was conducted among 289 expatriates living in the six countries of the Greater Middle East. The data were analyzed by means of confirmatory factor analysis and hierarchical regression. The findings show that general adjustment is a positive predictor of more frequent visits to local restaurants. However, the findings also indicate that this relationship is conditioned by an expatriate’s identity projects which are associated with cultural integration, cosmopolitanism, and international experience. Overall, novel extensions to the literature that investigates an expatriate’s engagement with a host country’s food and gastronomy is provided.
1 + 1 < 2! Effects of Social Media Engagement and Advertising on Firm Value of Tourism and Hospitality Companies
Authors: Yang Shuai , Liu Yahui , Wu Xiaojun
Published: May 2021

Engaging customers via social media networking has become a rising trend of investments for tourism and hospitality firms. This new trend is termed “social media engagement.” However, whether social media engagement can actually lead to increased financial value for tourism and hospitality firms is doubted. This study theorizes and empirically examines the relationship between social media engagement and intangible value of tourism and hospitality firms, and the joint effects of social media engagement and advertising investments on firm value. Using a daily longitudinal data set from tourism and hospitality firms that have issued domestic A-shares in China, this study finds that social media engagement has a significant and positive relationship with the firm value of tourism and hospitality companies. However, the two types of investments interact as substitutes, such that increasing advertising investments attenuate the beneficial effect of social media engagement on firm value.
Development of the Croatian Version of the MRNI-A-r Scale: A Self-Reported Measure of Traditional Masculinity for Adolescents
Authors: Gereš Natko , Orpinas Pamela , Mujkić Aida
Published: May 2021

The concept of masculinity is particularly challenging to measure across cultures, given the lack of scales in languages other than English. This study describes the adaptation for Croatian adolescents of the MRNI-A-r scale, which measures the endorsement of traditional masculinity. We organized the process into two segments. Segment 1 described the step-by-step adaptation process showing evidence of face and content validity. Segment 2 examined the factorial structure, internal consistency, and construct and criterion-related validity of the scores of the Croatian version in a large sample of adolescents ( n = 4116) attending schools in Zagreb. As hypothesized, higher scores were associated with lower support for gender equality, males reported higher scores than females, and the internal consistency of the scores was good. The development of scales in the language of the priority population with a demonstrated cultural equivalence of terms is a fundamental step toward understanding the impact of masculinity in a global context.
Insulin glargine 300 U/ml for the treatment of feline diabetes mellitus
Authors: Linari Guido , Fleeman Linda , Gilor Chen , Giacomelli Lucia , Fracassi Federico
Published: May 2021

Objectives

The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of insulin glargine 300 U/ml (IGla-U300) in cats with variable duration of diabetes mellitus (DM).

Methods

Thirteen client-owned cats with DM completed a prospective clinical trial. Four cats were highly suspected of hypersomatotropism and excluded from the insulin efficacy evaluation. All cats were treated with IGla-U300 SC at a starting dosage of 0.5 U/kg q12h and fed with a low carbohydrate diet. Cats were monitored for 8 weeks with a once-weekly at-home 16 h blood glucose curve (BGC) and a questionnaire evaluating the presence of DM-related clinical signs. In-clinic evaluations, including serum fructosamine measurement, were scheduled within 3 days of the first, third, sixth and eighth BGC. Glycemic variability was assessed by calculating the SD of each BGC.

Results

Excluding four cats suspected of hypersomatotropism, at the time of the eighth BGC, improved or absent polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia, weight loss, lethargy and improved or normal general demeanor were reported in 8/9 (88%), 8/9 (88%), 7/9 (77%), 7/9 (77%), 7/9 (77%) and 8/9 (88%) cats, respectively. Two cats achieved remission after 29 and 53 days. Another two cats went into remission after the end of the study (days 82 and 96). All cats that achieved remission were newly diagnosed diabetics. Median (range) serum fructosamine concentration significantly decreased when comparing the time of enrollment (604 [457–683] µmol/l) with the eighth week of treatment (366 [220–738] µmol/l) ( P = 0.02). In all 13 cats, biochemical hypoglycemia (blood glucose <60 mg/dl; <3.3 mmol/l) was detected in 13/104 (12.5%) BGCs, while clinical signs suggesting hypoglycemic episodes were not reported. Glycemic variability was significantly lower at the fifth BGC when comparing cats that achieved remission with cats that did not achieve remission ( P = 0.02).

Conclusions and relevance

IGla-U300 seems effective and safe for the treatment of feline diabetes, but more long- term and comparative clinical trials are needed.
Does Sport Education promote equitable game-play participation? Effects of learning context and students’ sex and skill-level
Authors: Farias Cláudio , Segovia Yessica , Valério Carla , Mesquita Isabel
Published: May 2021

This study conducted an innovative quantitative examination of the level of student game-play participation during two, consecutive and ‘naturalistically’ implemented, Sport Education (SE) seasons, while taking into account students’ sex and skill-level and the activity participation context (team practice/competition, handball/football). A total of 24 eighth-grade students (nine girls, 15 boys; Mage12.9±1.3) were affiliated in three teams of eight players (five boys and three girls per team) to participate in two consecutive SE seasons (handball: 12×45-min lessons; football: 12×45-min lessons). Students’ participation time in identical small-sided game forms was measured in team practice and competition contexts and analysed through four participation indicators (total, mean, structural, and intra-team participation). T-Test analysis examined differences between girls/boys and lower-skilled/higher-skilled students, in each season. Repeated measures T-Test analysed differences between the two seasons, for each variable and group and each participation context. Overall, although there was a relatively equitable participation of students in the game-play activities of the two seasons, the students’ ‘skill-level’ was a more influential variable in their participation than the variable ‘sex’. The higher-skilled students had higher total participation time than lower-skilled students in the second season (football). There was a more balanced interplay in girls’ and boys’ time of participation in the activities, although boys showed higher participation than girls (mean participation and intra-team participation) in the competition context of football. Teachers who seek equitable participation of students in learning activities should consider the social and cultural context of students and the situated effect of SE implementation, balancing team practice with competition activities.
The Anatomy of Neighbour Relations
Authors: Ruonavaara Hannu
Published: May 2021

Relations between neighbours represent informal social relations that constitute a part of everyday life for virtually all individuals in contemporary urban societies. While aspects of neighbour relations have been studied in connection with research on local communities, gentrification, and neighbourhood effects, little research focusing specifically on interactions between neighbours has been conducted and theoretical reflection on the central concepts remains lacking. This article attempts to fill this research gap by developing a theoretical framework for the sociological understanding and investigation of neighbour relations. The research material used consists of previous studies on neighbour relations. The method for the task was analysis of concepts coupled with theoretical reasoning based on a review and a synthesis of relevant previous research. Familiar concepts like ‘neighbour’, ‘neighbouring’, and ‘neighbourliness’ are scrutinised, deconstructed, and redefined, noting that there are often two perspectives on each: the experiences of residents and those of outside observers. Various sociological aspects of neighbour relations are discussed, including neighbour relations as an acquaintance relation, neighbour relations as the basis of a community, and the cultural content of the neighbour role. A model of levels of neighbourly interaction is presented.
Multimodal connectedness and communication patterns: A comparative study across Europe, the United States, and China
Authors: Zhou Baohua , Su Chris Chao , Liu Jun
Published: May 2021

This study investigates the relationships between social connectedness and communication patterns from seven countries across the globe. In contrast to most existing studies, which focus on either single medium use or ICT-mediated multimodal connectedness, the study considers how people select and combine a set of communication modes for social connectedness. With survey data from the United States, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Hungary, and the Chinese mainland, the study examines the complexity of multimodal connectedness, that is, the diversity and the frequency of multiple communication modes and media through which people maintain their connections with different social relations. A latent class analysis identifies six clusters in the diversity and the frequency to illustrate the similarities and differences of communication patterns. Sociodemographic and country variables play distinct roles in predicting the clusters in the diversity and frequency dimensions, respectively. The theoretical and practical implications of this comparative study are discussed.
From media to hypermedia: Journalistic representations of Rohingya refugees and humanitarian communication
Authors: Irom Bimbisar , Gibbons Stephanie
Published: May 2021

The paper is a comparative analysis of two media artifacts from Reuters engaging with the ongoing Rohingya refugee crisis. One artifact are the ‘traditional’ images that won the Pulitzer Prize in 2018; the second is a special report utilising several aspects of new media. Locating the artifacts within humanitarian journalism, the analysis seeks to understand whether emergent media has pronounced gains over traditional media. The study argues that moral connections through technology are not a given and that such relationships between the spectators and subjects of humanitarian communication artifacts must be continually worked on and improved upon through a vigilant media ethics. The paper hopes to contribute to knowledge about new media’s intersections with journalistic refugee representations and to the broad field imaginary of humanitarian communication.
Ethiopian-Israeli women working in mainstream journalism: Linking Ethiopian, black and Israeli identities through news-making
Authors: Lachover Einat
Published: May 2021

Taking an intersectional approach, this study conceptualizes how the complex subjectivities of Ethiopian-Israeli women journalists – who contend with dual exclusion and discrimination (racial and gendered) – emerge in their everyday work experiences. Thematic analysis of narrative interviews with 12 Ethiopian-Israeli women journalists reveals a complicated picture of their professional experience derived from the intersection of their gender and racial identities. They face barriers to integrating into the profession and the challenges of tokenism, but they also find sources of strength in their professional experience through the advantages of Ethiopian femininity and the opportunity to play advocacy roles. I argue that while their societal positioning renders them marginalized within dominant structures, it also allows them to confront oppressive dominant structures. Their journalistic identity empowers them by linking their perceived advocacy role deriving from their marginal Ethiopian identity with their Israeli identity.
A semi-supervised self-training method to develop assistive intelligence for segmenting multiclass bridge elements from inspection videos
Authors: Karim Muhammad Monjurul , Qin Ruwen , Chen Genda , Yin Zhaozheng
Published: May 2021

Bridge inspection is an important step in preserving and rehabilitating transportation infrastructure for extending their service lives. The advancement of mobile robotic technology allows the rapid collection of a large amount of inspection video data. However, the data are mainly the images of complex scenes, wherein a bridge of various structural elements mix with a cluttered background. Assisting bridge inspectors in extracting structural elements of bridges from the big complex video data, and sorting them out by classes, will prepare inspectors for the element-wise inspection to determine the condition of bridges. This article is motivated to develop an assistive intelligence model for segmenting multiclass bridge elements from the inspection videos captured by an aerial inspection platform. With a small initial training dataset labeled by inspectors, a Mask Region-based Convolutional Neural Network pre-trained on a large public dataset was transferred to the new task of multiclass bridge element segmentation. Besides, the temporal coherence analysis attempts to recover false negatives and identify the weakness that the neural network can learn to improve. Furthermore, a semi-supervised self-training method was developed to engage experienced inspectors in refining the network iteratively. Quantitative and qualitative results from evaluating the developed deep neural network demonstrate that the proposed method can utilize a small amount of time and guidance from experienced inspectors (3.58 h for labeling 66 images) to build the network of excellent performance (91.8% precision, 93.6% recall, and 92.7% f1-score). Importantly, the article illustrates an approach to leveraging the domain knowledge and experiences of bridge professionals into computational intelligence models to efficiently adapt the models to varied bridges in the National Bridge Inventory.
Remote e-Workers’ Psychological Well-being and Career Development in the Era of COVID-19: Challenges, Success Factors, and the Roles of HRD Professionals
Authors: Park Sunyoung , Jeong Shinhee , Chai Dae Seok
Published: May 2021

The Problem

As most employees have been forced to work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is considerable concern about how to preserve employee health and well-being by supporting their work in this unpredictable situation. In this sense, research highlighting how to support remote e-workers in the COVID-19 pandemic era is urgently needed to inform scholars and practitioners about effective strategies and interventions to support remote e-workers.

The Solution

By reviewing conceptual and empirical studies, we discuss the challenges of remote e-workers from the perspective of psychological well-being. We also summarize the factors that support psychological well-being. Based on the findings, we suggest how human resource development (HRD) professionals can support remote e-workers’ psychological well-being and career development in the COVID-19 pandemic era.

The Stakeholders

This article has relevance for scholars, scholar-practitioners, and practitioners who are interested in seeking ways to support remote e-workers from an HRD perspective across countries, disciplines, and contexts in the COVID-19 pandemic era.
Correlates of Social Reactions to Victims’ Disclosures of Sexual Assault and Intimate Partner Violence: A Systematic Review
Authors: Ullman Sarah E.
Published: May 2021

Sexual assault and intimate partner violence (IPV) are common experiences in women, but few studies have examined correlates of social reactions experienced by victims telling others about assault. This systematic review identified 30 studies through searches of research databases on correlates of social reactions to disclosure of sexual assault or IPV in samples of adult victims or disclosure recipients. Studies showed evidence of greater negative social reactions for Black and Hispanic victims, less educated, and bisexual victims. More extensive trauma histories in victims were related to receipt of greater negative social reactions, whereas assault characteristics (e.g., victim–offender relationship, alcohol use, perpetrator violence during assault) were sometimes associated with negative reactions. In terms of postassault factors, more psychological symptoms, self-blame, avoidance coping, less perceived control, and less posttraumatic growth were related to more negative social reactions. Disclosure characteristics, telling informal sources, and telling more sources were related to more positive reactions, whereas telling both formal and informal sources was related to negative reactions. Demographic, attitudinal, and relational factors were related to disclosure recipients’ intended social reactions. Future research needs to examine how various factors relate to social reactions in the context of theory, and clinical treatment and interventions should use this information to identify and intervene with victims to reduce negative social reactions and their psychological impacts and to increase positive social reactions particularly from informal support sources.