bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction Restored After Surgery in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Prospective Observational Study
Authors: Kakuta Kentaro , Dohi Kaoru , Yamamoto Takayuki , Fujimoto Naoki , Shimoyama Takahiro , Umegae Satoru , Ito Masaaki
Published: April 2021

Background

We aimed to investigate the presence and severity of coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) including Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis and to elucidate the influence of surgical resection of the diseased intestines on CMD by assessing coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) using transthoracic Doppler echocardiography.

Methods and Results

Thirty‐seven patients with IBD (aged 44±15 years; 22 patients with Crohn disease and 15 patients with ulcerative colitis) and 30 controls (aged 46±12 years) were enrolled. For CFVR measurement, coronary flow velocity was recorded at rest and during hyperemia by ADP infusion using transthoracic Doppler echocardiography, and CFVR <2.5 defined CMD. CFVR measurement was repeated before and within 1 year after surgery. CFVR was similarly and significantly lower in patients with Crohn disease and those with ulcerative colitis than controls (Crohn disease: 2.92±1.03 [
P
<0.05 versus controls], ulcerative colitis: 2.99±0.65 [
P
<0.05 versus controls], and controls: 3.84±0.75). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the presence of IBD and baseline hs‐CRP (high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein) were independently associated with low CFVR among all study participants (β=−0.403 [
P
=0.001] and −0.237 [
P
=0.037], respectively). Hyperemic coronary flow velocity significantly improved after surgery only in patients with IBD who had CMD. CFVR significantly improved in patients with IBD who had both CMD and non‐CMD, and the extent of CFVR improvements were greater in patients with CMD than non‐CMD. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the reduction of hs‐CRP was independently associated with improvement of hyperemic coronary flow velocity and CFVR among all patients with IBD (β=−0.481 [
P
=0.003] and β=−0.334 [
P
=0.043], respectively).

Conclusions

IBD is associated with CMD, which improved after surgical resection of diseased intestines.
Effects of Using Virtual Manipulatives for Students With Disabilities: Three-Level Multilevel Modeling for Single-Case Data
Authors: Shin Mikyung , Park Jiyeon , Grimes Rene , Bryant Diane P.
Published: April 2021

We synthesized studies published since 2000 that assessed the effects of using virtual manipulatives to increase the mathematical accuracy of students with disabilities. We extracted a total of 1,796 raw data points from 114 cases across 35 single-case studies. By applying three-level multilevel modeling, we analyzed both immediate effects and trends during the intervention phase as well as moderation effects related to student characteristics (case level) and intervention features (study level). Both the average immediate effect and trend during the intervention were statistically significant. The average immediate effect varied significantly by student grade, disability type, developer, device, type of virtual manipulative, and visual model embedded in virtual manipulatives. Neither student characteristics nor intervention feature–related moderators significantly influenced the average trend during the use of virtual manipulatives.
Exploring the impact of a compassion-focused therapy training course on healthcare educators
Authors: Rayner Gillian , Beaumont Elaine , McAndrew Sue , Irons Chris
Published: April 2021

Background:

Stress, and particularly burnout, is a major problem among healthcare workers and can lead to high staff turnover and low patient/client satisfaction.

Objective:

To explore the impact of 3-day compassion-focused therapy training on those delivering education to healthcare students. The underpinning premise was that the training course could potentially be replicated through the participants’ work with students embarking on a career within the helping professions.

Design:

Mixed-methods study, with the qualitative findings being presented in this paper.

Setting:

Training course was delivered in one higher education institution in England.

Methods:

In total, 44 healthcare lecturers attended the course, with 6 taking part in a reflective focus group.

Findings:

The analysis highlighted four main themes: reassurance and increased knowledge, increased compassion towards others, self-compassion and empathy, and blocks to compassion.

Conclusion:

Findings add to previous quantitative research findings showing that participants who undertook training were able to engage with their compassionate self and consider the importance of showing compassion towards the self and others in healthcare education.
Impact of Military Expenditures on the Globalization Process: A Spatial Econometric Analysis for African Region
Authors: Sarwar Saima , Idrees Alvina Sabah
Published: April 2021

With modernization, ideological shifts and economic interdependency, the concept of globalization has expanded vastly. Though the world is unipolar, still the international competition remains prevalent that poses serious threats to regional conflicts. The great powers of the world are still competing with each other for influence over other countries. Thus, the role of militarization cannot be ignored in this context. Thus, it would be interesting to examine the impact of military expenditures on the globalization process through the spill-over effects, along with their relationship with economic growth. The study employed panel data consisting of African countries, covering the time period from 2001 to 2014. The econometric estimation is done through the application of spatial econometric techniques, that is, the spatial autoregressive fixed effect model and spatial Durbin fixed effect model. The study has found a positive relationship between economic growth and globalization but a negative relationship was found between military expenditures and economic growth.
The Prevalence of Gingival Dendritic Cell Subsets in Periodontal Patients
Authors: Sharawi H. , Heyman O. , Mizraji G. , Horev Y. , Laviv A. , Shapira L. , Yona S. , Hovav A.H. , Wilensky A.
Published: April 2021

As the most potent cells activating and polarizing naive T cells, dendritic cells (DCs) are of major importance in the induction of immunity and tolerance. DCs are a heterogeneous population of antigen-presenting cells that are widely distributed in lymphoid and nonlymphoid tissues. Murine studies have highlighted the important role of oral DCs and Langerhans cells (LCs) in orchestrating the physiological homeostasis of the oral mucosa. DCs are also critically involved in pathological conditions such as periodontal diseases, in which gingival DCs appear to have special localization and function. While the characterization of human DCs in health and disease has been extensively investigated in various tissues, this topic was rarely studied in human gingiva. Here, we employed an up-to-date approach to characterize by flow cytometry the gingival DCs of 27 healthy subjects and 21 periodontal patients. Four distinct subsets of mononuclear phagocytes were identified in healthy gingiva: conventional DC type 1 (cDC1), cDC2, plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs), and LCs. In periodontitis patients, the frequencies of gingival LCs and pDCs were dysregulated, as LCs decreased, whereas pDCs increased in the diseased gingiva. This shift in the prevalence of DCs was accompanied by increased expression of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)–1β, interferon (IFN)–α, and IFN-γ, while the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 was suppressed. We further found that smoking, a known risk factor of periodontitis, specifically reduces gingival LCs in healthy individuals, indicating a possible role of LCs in the elevated severity of periodontitis in smokers. Collectively, this work reveals the various DC subsets residing in the human gingiva and the impact of periodontitis, as well as smoking, on the prevalence of each subset. Our findings provide a foundation toward understanding the role of human DCs in orchestrating physiological oral immunity and set the stage for the evaluation and modulation of shifts in immunity associated with periodontitis.
The developmental value of extracurricular programs: A conversation with Andrea Vest Ettekal
Authors: Heller Rafael
Published: April 2021

In this Kappan interview, Andrea Vest Ettekal discusses her research into student participation in out-of-school programs. She describes the disparities in participation between different groups of students and possible reasons for those disparities and different countries’ approaches to extracurricular activities. The interview also addresses the research into the benefits of participation in extracurricular activities, how after-school learning differs from in-school learning, and promising approaches to out-of-school programming.
Toward better ways of measuring school climate
Authors: Temkin Deborah , Thompson Joy A. , Gabriel Alex , Fulks Emily , Sun Sarah , Rodriguez Yosmary
Published: April 2021

As states consider non-academic measures of school quality for their accountability plans under the Every Student Succeeds Act, few are choosing to focus on the school climate in which students learn. That’s not a surprise, given concerns about the validity and usefulness of existing climate surveys. However, the authors argue, a recent study suggests that by making a couple of modest changes to their data collection and analysis, states can significantly improve their measurement of school climate. Doing so is more than worth the effort, they add, as it will create strong incentives for schools to improve their learning environment.
Career Confidential: Should teacher tell principal his colleagues criticize him behind his back?
Authors: Fagell Phyllis L.
Published: April 2021

Phyllis Fagell gives advice to educators about their professional dilemmas. In this month’s column, a teacher wonders if she should tell a principal that his colleagues are making fun of him behind his back. A teacher wishes her new principal would offer feedback after impromptu classroom visits. And a principal has been lying to his staff to spare their feelings.
Backtalk: The right time for research-practice partnerships
Authors: Altavilla Jennifer
Published: April 2021

When the COVID-19 pandemic began and school buildings had to close, Jennifer Altavilla feared that the research-practice partnership (RPP) she was managing would have to end. However, after a pause in the spring, the partnership resumed in the fall and has continued to thrive. Altavilla reflects on her experience and how it dovetails with the experiences described in the April 2021 Kappan articles on RPPs.
Alpha-2 beta-adrenergic receptor (301–303 I/D) gene polymorphism in hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus diseases among Saudi cases in the Qassim region
Authors: Eldeeb Hussein Mohammad , Elgharabawy Rehab M. , Abd Elmoniem Alaa E , Ahmed Ahmed Ali
Published: April 2021

The hypertension (HTN) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are a common multifactorial disease due to genetics and environmental factors. The alpha 2B adrenergic receptor (α2B-AR) has relationship with secretion of insulin and mediates the vasoconstriction that elevate blood pressure. This study aimed to determine the association between α2B-AR gene polymorphism with HTN and T2DM in Saudi cases. 200 cases and 100 healthy controls from Saudi population were recruited from the Internal Medicine clinic, Qassim University. The patients were grouped into: 72 HTN without T2DM; 62 HTN with T2DM and 66 T2DM only. Full medical history, examination and biochemical assays were performed for all participants. Genomic DNA was isolated from blood lymphocytes of all subjects for detection of α2B-AR gene polymorphism by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The results found a significant association between D carriers genotype and HTN with T2DM cases ( p < 0.05) as well as with T2DM-only cases, ( p < 0.05) compared to control. Regardless of HTN status, only cases with HTN and T2DM as well as those with T2DM were significantly associated with the recessive model DD versus II+ID ( p < 0.05). So, D carriers genotype was significantly associated with total cases of HTN and T2DM ( p < 0.05) compared to controls. Our results suggested that there is a relationship between the α2B-AR I/D gene polymorphism and the risk for T2DM with or without HTN, but no such comparable relationship is evident with HTN-only cases among Saudi population in Qassim region.
Numerical and experimental characterization of splitter blade impact on pump as turbine performance
Authors: Adu Daniel , Du Jianguo , Darko Ransford O , Ofosu Antwi Eric , Aamir Shafique Khan Muhammad
Published: April 2021

Several rivers and streams are available in Africa and Asian regions with great potentials not applicable for constructing large hydropower dams but feasible for small and mini hydro generation. This study strive for investigating the impact of splitter blade on pump as turbine performance considering different speed and flow rates. Two specific centrifugal pump models one with six blades without splitter and another with four blades and four splitters were used for the study. The inlet diameter and outlet diameters of both impellers were 104 mm/116 mm, and 160 mm respectively at a designed flow rate Q = 12.5 m3/h, head H = 16 m, rotational speed n = 1450 rpm and efficiency of 56%, outlet impeller width of 0.006 m, a blade outlet angle of 30° was used for the study. CFD simulations were conducted with the use of k-ε turbulence model. The influence of splitter blade position on the performance of pump as turbine in the selected specific pumps with and without splitter blades has been investigated both experimentally and numerically at three different flow rates and rotational speed. The simulated data were in good agreement with the experimental results, the maximum deviation error between the CFD and test for each model are 5.6%, 2.6%, for the head and efficiency; 7.5% and 3.6% at different flow conditions.
A simulation-optimization algorithm for return strategies in emergency medical systems
Authors: Golabian Hamed , Arkat Jamal , Farughi Hiwa , Tavakkoli-Moghaddam Reza
Published: April 2021

In an emergency medical system, the locations of ambulance stations has a direct impact on response time. In this paper, two location models are presented in combination with the hypercube queuing model to maximize coverage probability. In the first model, the locations of free and busy ambulances are considered in the system states, and the hypercube model can be analyzed accurately. The model contains a large number of states, and cannot be used for large-sized problems. For this reason, the second model is presented with the same assumptions as in the first model, except that the locations of busy ambulances are not included in the system state, but approximated based on the arrival rates. Both models are offline and dynamic, in which an ambulance does not necessarily return to the station from which it has been dispatched. Two strategies are defined for returning ambulances to the stations from the customer’s location. In the first strategy, the ambulance is returned to the nearest station after completion of its mission, and in the second strategy, it returns to the empty station that covers the highest demand rate. For evaluation of the performance of the proposed models, small-sized examples are solved for both return strategies using the GAMS software. A simulation-optimization approach combined with a simulated annealing algorithm and a discrete-event simulation are used for solving large-sized problems. Moreover, real data from a case study are used to demonstrate the performance of the models in the real world.
Specific changes in sleep oscillations after blocking human metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 in the absence of altered memory function
Authors: Feld Gordon B , Bergmann Til O , Alizadeh-Asfestani Marjan , Stuke Viola , Wriede Jan-Philipp , Soekadar Surjo , Born Jan
Published: April 2021

Background:

Sleep consolidates declarative memory by repeated replay linked to the cardinal oscillations of non-rapid eye movement (NonREM) sleep. However, there is so far little evidence of classical glutamatergic plasticity induced by this replay. Rather, we have previously reported that blocking N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) or α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors does not affect sleep-dependent consolidation of declarative memory.

Aims:

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) in memory processing during sleep.

Methods:

In two placebo-controlled within-subject crossover experiments with 20 healthy humans each, we used fenobam to block mGluR5 during sleep. In Experiment I, participants learned word-pairs (declarative task) and a finger sequence (procedural task) in the evening, then received the drug and recall was tested the next morning. To cover possible effects on synaptic renormalization processes during sleep, in Experiment II participants learned new word-pairs in the morning after sleep.

Results/outcomes:

Surprisingly, fenobam neither reduced retention of memory across sleep nor new learning after sleep, although it severely altered sleep architecture and memory-relevant EEG oscillations. In NonREM sleep, fenobam suppressed 12–15 Hz spindles but augmented 2–4 Hz delta waves, whereas in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep it suppressed 4–8 Hz theta and 16–22 Hz beta waves. Notably, under fenobam NonREM spindles became more consistently phase-coupled to the slow oscillation.

Conclusions/interpretations:

Our findings indicate that mGluR5-related plasticity is not essential for memory processing during sleep, even though mGlurR5 are strongly implicated in the regulation of the cardinal sleep oscillations.
Hemodynamic and oxygen-metabolic responses of the awake mouse brain to hypercapnia revealed by multi-parametric photoacoustic microscopy
Authors: Cao Rui , Tran Angela , Li Jun , Xu Zhiqiang , Sun Naidi , Zuo Zhiyi , Hu Song
Published: April 2021

A widely used cerebrovascular stimulus and common pathophysiologic condition, hypercapnia is of great interest in brain research. However, it remains controversial how hypercapnia affects brain hemodynamics and energy metabolism. By using multi-parametric photoacoustic microscopy, the multifaceted responses of the awake mouse brain to different levels of hypercapnia are investigated. Our results show significant and vessel type-dependent increases of the vessel diameter and blood flow in response to the hypercapnic challenges, along with a decrease in oxygen extraction fraction due to elevated venous blood oxygenation. Interestingly, the increased blood flow and decreased oxygen extraction are not commensurate with each other, which leads to reduced cerebral oxygen metabolism. Further, time-lapse imaging over 2-hour chronic hypercapnic challenges reveals that the structural, functional, and metabolic changes induced by severe hypercapnia (10% CO2) are not only more pronounced but more enduring than those induced by mild hypercapnia (5% CO2), indicating that the extent of brain’s compensatory response to chronic hypercapnia is inversely related to the severity of the challenge. Offering quantitative, dynamic, and CO2 level-dependent insights into the hemodynamic and metabolic responses of the brain to hypercapnia, these findings might provide useful guidance to the application of hypercapnia in brain research.
Nomogram based on immune scores for predicting the survival of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Wu Wentao , Ma Wen , Li Daning , Zheng Shuai , Zhao Fanfan , Feng Xiaojie , Lyu Jun
Published: April 2021

Objective

To explore the relationship between immune scores and prognosis of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and construct a corresponding clinical prediction model.

Methods

The present research was a retrospective cohort study. We obtained the clinical information and immune scores of 137 patients with ESCC from The Cancer Genome Atlas database, and a Cox proportional risk model was used to construct the clinical prediction model. The concordance index, receiver operating characteristic curve, calibration curve, net reclassification improvement (NRI), and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) were used to evaluate model performance and prediction accuracy.

Results

Patients with a high immune score (> −121.4) showed a worse prognosis than those with a low immune score (< −645.8; hazard ratio=3.743, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.385–10.115, P=0.009). The concordance index of the predictive model was 0.733 (95% CI=0.655–0.812). The calibration curve showed that the 3- and 5-year overall survival rates predicted by the model were highly consistent with the observed values. The NRI and IDI for the 3-year overall survival indicated that the model with the immune scores was superior for classifying the risk probability and distinguishing cases.

Conclusion

Immune scores may be an independent predictor of prognosis in patients with ESCC.
Capitalist crisis in the “age of global value chains”
Authors: Bair Jennifer , Mahutga Mathew , Werner Marion , Campling Liam
Published: April 2021

In this article, we analyze the strategies, surprises, and sidesteps in the World Bank’s 2020 World Development Report, Trading for Development in the Age of Global Value Chains. Strategically, the Report promotes an expansion of neoliberal globalization couched in the language of global value chains. Curiously detached from the broader academic literature on global value chains in international trade, it promotes a sequentialist vision of global value chain upgrading that evokes the stagism of classic modernization theory. The authors sidestep important issues, such as China's pivotal role in the landscape of global trade, and are largely silent on others, including climate change. Significantly and somewhat surprisingly, given the general endorsement of global value chain integration, the Report acknowledges negative distributional trends associated with the rise of global value chains, including the excessive benefits reaped by “superstar firms” and the now well-documented decline in labor's income share. These observations are not reflected in the document's policy section, however, where the World Development Report largely recapitulates familiar prescriptions, with the threat of nationalist populism and rising protectionism providing a new bottle for this old wine. Drawing on a range of literature including United Nations Conference on Trade and Development's 2018 Trade and Development Report, we highlight not only the limits of the Bank's adherence to an increasingly embattled orthodoxy, but also the necessary starting points for a more useful discussion of the merits, limits, and future of global value chains.
Human rights for profit: The system-preserving tendencies of the regional human rights courts
Authors: Khoury Stéfanie , Whyte David
Published: April 2021

This article presents an analysis of the way that profit-making corporations have sought human rights protections in the following two regional human rights courts: the European Court of Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. It seeks to deepen our understanding of a controversial principle in that corporations can claim protections as ‘legal persons’. After exploring precisely how and why each of those regional systems have accepted claims for human rights protections by corporations and their shareholders, the article then develops an analysis of what the way that the regional human rights courts have carefully weighed their decisions implies more broadly about the prospects for human rights law to exhibit either system-threatening or system-preserving tendencies. The article then concludes by setting out a general principle of social ordering that underpins the decisions made in human rights courts.
Sports Medicine and Artificial Intelligence: A Primer
Authors: Ramkumar Prem N. , Luu Bryan C. , Haeberle Heather S. , Karnuta Jaret M. , Nwachukwu Benedict U. , Williams Riley J.
Published: April 2021

Artificial intelligence (AI) represents the fourth industrial revolution and the next frontier in medicine poised to transform the field of orthopaedics and sports medicine, though widespread understanding of the fundamental principles and adoption of applications remain nascent. Recent research efforts into implementation of AI in the field of orthopaedic surgery and sports medicine have demonstrated great promise in predicting athlete injury risk, interpreting advanced imaging, evaluating patient-reported outcomes, reporting value-based metrics, and augmenting the patient experience. Not unlike the recent emphasis thrust upon physicians to understand the business of medicine, the future practice of sports medicine specialists will require a fundamental working knowledge of the strengths, limitations, and applications of AI-based tools. With appreciation, caution, and experience applying AI to sports medicine, the potential to automate tasks and improve data-driven insights may be realized to fundamentally improve patient care. In this Current Concepts review, we discuss the definitions, strengths, limitations, and applications of AI from the current literature as it relates to orthopaedic sports medicine.
The Incidence of Psychotic Disorders and Area-level Marginalization in Ontario, Canada: A Population-based Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Rotenberg Martin , Tuck Andrew , Anderson Kelly K. , McKenzie Kwame
Published: April 2021

Background:

There is limited Canadian evidence on the impact of socio-environmental factors on psychosis risk. We sought to examine the relationship between area-level indicators of marginalization and the incidence of psychotic disorders in Ontario.

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all people aged 14 to 40 years living in Ontario in 1999 using health administrative data and identified incident cases of psychotic disorders over a 10-year follow-up period. Age-standardized incidence rates were estimated for census metropolitan areas (CMAs). Poisson regression models adjusting for age and sex were used to calculate incidence rate ratios (IRRs) based on CMA and area-level marginalization indices.

Results:

There is variation in the incidence of psychotic disorders across the CMAs. Our findings suggest a higher rate of psychotic disorders in areas with the highest levels of residential instability (IRR = 1.26, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18 to 1.35), material deprivation (IRR = 1.30, 95% CI, 1.16 to 1.45), ethnic concentration (IRR = 1.61, 95% CI, 1.38 to 1.89), and dependency (IRR = 1.35, 95% CI, 1.18 to 1.54) when compared to areas with the lowest levels of marginalization. Marginalization attenuates the risk in some CMAs.

Conclusions:

There is geographic variation in the incidence of psychotic disorders across the province of Ontario. Areas with greater levels of marginalization have a higher incidence of psychotic disorders, and marginalization attenuates the differences in risk across geographic location. With further study, replication, and the use of the most up-to-date data, a case may be made to consider social policy interventions as preventative measures and to direct services to areas with the highest risk. Future research should examine how marginalization may interact with other social factors including ethnicity and immigration.
Heating mechanisms in induction welding of thermoplastic composites
Authors: Barazanchy Darun , van Tooren Michel
Published: April 2021

The heat generated within thermoplastic carbon composite laminates during induction welding can be attributed to one, or a combination of the three heating mechanisms discussed in the literature: (i) Joule heating of fibers; (ii) Joule and/or dielectric heating of polymer; and (iii) fiber-to-fiber contact resistance heating. The answer to the question, which of the three heating mechanisms is most dominant, remains open. This research aims to provide an answer to this question through finite element simulations using both an in-house developed numerical Whitney-elements based toolbox for induction welding simulations (WelDone), and the commercially available software, ANSYS Maxwell. The simulations are done at two levels; first, using WelDone laminate-level simulations are performed to see in which direction: fiber-, transverse to the fiber-, or thickness direction, most of the heat was generated; and second, ANSYS Maxwell was used to simulate the solid loss on a microscopic, inside fiber and resin, level with and without the presence of resin. In the latter series of simulations, contact between fibers in different layers was explicitly modeled. The numerical simulations revealed that on the laminate-level most heat is generated in the fiber- and thickness directions. The former coincides with Joule heating of fibers, while the latter can be attributed to either Joule heating of polymer and fiber-to-fiber contact resistance heating, or both. The fiber level simulations, however, revealed that both fiber-to-fiber contact and no-fiber-to-fiber contact conditions have a significantly small effect on the solid loss compared to presence of resin. Based on the latter, the heat generation in the thickness direction was attributed to a second heating mechanism; Joule heating of polymer. It must be noted that the dielectric heating of polymer was ignored due to the relatively low operating frequency at which induction welding takes place.
COVID-19 and sonic governmentality: Can we hear the virus speak?
Authors: Zhang Qian , Chow Yiu Fai
Published: April 2021

A virus is not only invisible; it is also inaudible. Alongside attempts to visualize COVID-19, this article inserts a sonic perspective to listen to encounters between authorities and populations during the pandemic in China. The article examines how sound (mal)functions to mediate, interpellate, and distribute authority and power in the name of national health and safety. We will concentrate on the use of sirens and loudspeakers. First, at 10 a.m. on 4 April 2020, sirens were sounded throughout the nation to mark an official National Day of Mourning (全民哀悼日). Second, to reach places not readily accessible by more modern means of communication, rural leaders resorted to loudspeakers to announce virus-related messages to offline populations. Our curiosity about the sonic element was piqued. At the same time, we were reminded of ocularcentrism – the tendency or the bias to place the visual at the centre of inquiry. We argue for the need to engage with sonic practices and politics, and to foreground sound as a tool of governmentality. We want to document how certain instances of sonic governmentality played out in China during the pandemic. Finally, this inquiry should help us explore possible avenues for future research on sound and politics.
Evaluation of mechanical properties of Ti-25Nb BCC porous cell structure and their association with structure porosity: A combined finite element analysis and analytical approach for orthopedic application
Authors: Chowdhury Soham , Anand Amit , Singh Adhish , Pal Bidyut
Published: April 2021

Ti-based alloys have been commonly employed in manufacturing implants for orthopedic applications. Binary Titanium-Niobium (Ti-25Nb) alloy is a promising material for potential applications in orthopedics because of their lower elastic moduli and superior biocompatibility than the conventional Ti-based alloys. Implants with porous structures encourage bone ingrowth and reduce the effect of stress-shielding further. This study is aimed at establishing the relationship between the mechanical performance and structural parameters of porous body-centered-cubic (BCC) structures made up of Ti-25Nb (25% by wt.). Solid models of BCC porous structures were constructed (unit cell size: 2 mm; overall size: 8 × 8 × 8 mm3). Finite element analysis (FEA) of the BCC structures with porosity ranging from 29% to 79% (seven porosities) was conducted under tension, bending, and torsional loads. The Gibson-Ashby model and Exponential regression model were also employed to determine the stiffness of the above porous structures. The functional relationships between effective Young’s modulus, effective yield strength, and porosity generated from both the models were found to match the FEA results well. Results indicated that porosity in the range of 50%−70% can be used to design graded porous stems to mimic the mechanical properties of cortical bone.
Modeling the retreat of the Aneto Glacier (Spanish Pyrenees) since the Little Ice Age, and its accelerated shrinkage over recent decades
Authors: Campos Néstor , Alcalá-Reygosa Jesús , Watson Scott C , Kougkoulos Ioannis , Quesada-Román Adolfo , Grima Nelson
Published: April 2021

The Aneto, located on the Maladeta Massif (Central Pyrenees), is the largest glacier of the Pyrenees. The glacier is 675 m long, occupies an area of 48.64 ha and has a maximum altitude of 3269 m. In this study, we present a detailed area, volume, ice thickness, and Equilibrium Line Altitude reconstruction of the glacier for different periods (LIA, 1957, 1983, 2000, 2006, 2015, and 2017) and analyze its retreat. To estimate the glacier extent during the LIA, the moraines were mapped by using photo interpretation techniques whereas for the recent stages digital satellite images and aerial photographs were used. Moreover, we estimated the topography of the glacier using a simple steady-state model that assumes a perfectly plastic ice rheology, which allowed reconstructing the theoretical ice profiles of the glacier. To reconstruct the ice surface, a digital elevation model was created and combined with the bedrock topography in order to obtain the ice thickness of each stage. The results of the study reveal a considerable retreat of the Aneto Glacier since the LIA. The length of the glacier has reduced from 1970 to 675 m from LIA to2017, and its tongue has retreated from 2385 to 3029 m a.s.l. Furthermore, the glaciated area has been reduced from 245 to 48.64 ha from LIA to 2017 and the ELA has risen from 2919 to 3139 m a.s.l. The data obtained indicates that in the LIA–2017 period the glacier volume has been reduced from 82.57 m × 106 m3 to 3.48 m × 106 m3 and the maximum ice thickness from 95 to 27m. We also reconstructed the climatic conditions, showing an increase in temperature of ~1.14°C from LIA to 2017. These data reveal a vast retreat of the glacier since the LIA, which has accelerated since the 1980’s and even more since the year 2000.
DHFL Meltdown: The Corporate Governance Lapses
Authors: Tiwary Daitri , Sahay Arunaditya
Published: April 2021

India’s non-banking financial institutions (NBFIs), broadly constituting the less-regulated shadow banking sector, have been plagued with scams, triggering a domino effect in the Indian money market. Major corporate governance issues were highlighted in NBFIs with the unfurling of the ILF&S fraud; it virtually created a sub-prime crisis. In such a scenario, where the shadow banking sector was subject to change in regulations to ensure vigilance, corporate governance lapses had again led to the meltdown of Kapil Wadhawan led Dewan Housing Finance Limited (DHFL). Registering a net profit growth of 25% in the third quarter of financial year 2017, DHFL was one of India’s leading housing finance companies with a value of whopping ₹1.01 trillion as its asset under management (AUM). The company had nose-dived from its coveted position, suffering a loss of ₹22.23 million for the last quarter of the financial year 2018–2019. The company’s credit ratings of commercial papers and non-convertible debentures were downgraded; non-payment of interests led to enforcement of resolution plan, with the board of directors acceding to nationalized banks. The company’s reputation had crashed with its share prices, amidst allegations of lookout notice issued for its promoters for siphoning funds through shell companies. The case describes the oversights and negligence of DHFL in terms of corporate governance practices in the context of the NBFC (non-banking financial company) sector. The jury is out to evaluate whether Wadhawan had followed the rules of corporate governance in letter and spirit, or the tightening noose of regulations and market sentiments around the ‘shadow banking’ sector of India spelt doom for DHFL.
The Role of Political Values and Ideologies of Entrepreneurs and Financiers
Authors: Maldonado-Bautista Ileana , Klein Peter G. , Artz Kendall W.
Published: April 2021

We examine how entrepreneurs’ political values affect their ventures’ stakeholder orientation, and how this orientation affects venture funding. We also show how the political ideologies of financiers influence their investment choices and relationships with entrepreneurs. Using a sample of 652 ventures backed by 332 financiers and information on political values and ideologies of entrepreneurs and financiers, along with text-based analyses of documents to infer stakeholder orientation, we find ventures with a narrow orientation obtain more funding than those with a broader orientation, and this relationship is moderated by financiers’ political ideologies. The findings have implications for stakeholder theory in entrepreneurship.
Instructional Management for Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders in Remote Learning Environments
Authors: Hirsch Shanna E. , McDaniel Sara C. , La Salle Tamika , Walker Alexis C.
Published: April 2021

As schools expand access to technology devices and internet connectivity improves throughout the United States, educators can utilize technology for continuity of instruction during school disruptions (e.g., out-of-school suspension, catastrophes, disasters, or illnesses). Remote learning provides students with instruction outside of the physical school setting or outside of the student’s typical classroom (e.g., in-school suspension). Because most guidance and existing instructional practices for remote learning focus on academic domains and face-to-face instruction, this article focuses specifically on leveraging technology for remote learning to support four social, emotional, and behavioral practices: (a) building relationships, (b) establishing expectations, (c) promoting engagement, and (d) making choices. Options are provided for remote instructional practices for synchronous, asynchronous, and hybrid modalities.
“Unbreak My Heart”: Clinical Implications for Working With Bereaved Couples
Authors: Hall Cadmona A. , Ungureanu Ileana
Published: April 2021

Death and bereavement remain a cultural taboo that continues to impact helping professionals. The death of a child is a particularly difficult loss as it challenges expectations about the life cycle. Many clinicians find themselves unprepared and ill-equipped to appropriately intervene. Bereaved couples require knowledgeable and culturally competent support to facilitate positive and healthy outcomes. The aim of this article is to provide clinicians with a theoretical framework and clinical conceptualization to assess and intervene in the lives of bereaved couples.
The Relationship Between Pronoun Use in Couple Interactions, Attachment, and Relationship Satisfaction
Authors: Meyer Dixie , Thomas Danielle , Hawkins Haley
Published: April 2021

Research shows pronoun use may be related to relationship factors. Our research invited 40 couples (adults mostly partnered for 2 or fewer years) to engage in a 15-min conversation after completing demographics, attachment, and relationship satisfaction measures. Romantic partners tended to use pronouns similarly. Attachment anxiety and avoidance were related to lower relationship satisfaction. Bivariate actor partner interdependence models showed when men used we pronouns, lower relationship satisfaction was reported in both partners. When men used I pronouns, women were more likely to use we pronouns. When men used you pronouns, women were more likely to use I pronouns and engage in more attachment avoidant behaviors. Findings suggest communication patterns may be interpreted differently by younger couples. Couples therapists may want to investigate communication patterns to create a new dialogue that increases relationship satisfaction and limits insecure attachment behaviors.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Child Protection System Referrals and Responses in Colorado, USA
Authors: Brown Samantha M. , Orsi Rebecca , Chen Pang Ching Bobby , Everson Courtney L. , Fluke John
Published: April 2021

Although the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has amplified risk factors known to increase children’s vulnerability to abuse and neglect, emerging evidence suggests declines in maltreatment reporting and responding following COVID-19 social distancing protocols in the United States. Using statewide administrative data, this study builds on the current state of knowledge to better understand the volume of child protection system (CPS) referrals and responses in Colorado, USA before and during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic and to determine whether there were differences in referral and response rates by case characteristics. Results indicated an overall decline in referrals and responses during COVID-19 when compared to the previous year. Declines were specific to case characteristics, such as reporter and maltreatment type. Implications regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on child maltreatment reporting and CPS response are discussed.
Nonopioid Analgesics in Postoperative Pain Management After Cardiac Surgery
Authors: Nazarnia Soheyla , Subramaniam Kathirvel
Published: April 2021

Opioid analgesia is still considered the standard of practice for cardiac surgery. In recent years, combinations of several nonnarcotic analgesics and regional analgesia have shown promise in restricting opioid use during and after cardiac surgery. Ketamine infusion, dexmedetomidine infusion, acetaminophen, ketorolac, and gabapentin are useful adjuvants in cardiac anesthesia practice and have opioid-sparing properties. The beneficial effects of nonnarcotic multimodal analgesia on intraoperative stress response, recovery profile, postoperative pain, and persistent opioid use after cardiac surgery are yet to be established, and further randomized clinical trials are required.
“Be Soft”: Irony, Postfeminism, and Masculine Positions in Swedish Sport Betting Commercials
Authors: Goedecke Klara
Published: April 2021

Gambling advertising usually draws heavily on gendered stereotypes, including portrayals of male gamblers as tough and successful. Meanwhile, representations of men in advertising have grown increasingly diverse, with emotional and sexualized men accompanying heroic, muscular portrayals. In this article, both these bodies of research are drawn upon to discuss a series of Swedish sports betting commercials which encourage the viewer to “bet hard” while also “being soft.” The celebration of “softness” is ambiguous but can be seen as referencing gendered, political discussions about men and masculinity. Engaging with hybrid masculinities theory, postfeminism, and discourses about gambling and betting, the article demonstrates that meanings around “softness” are ambiguous, ironic, and serve to normalize gambling by distancing it from discourses about addiction. The commercials represent a shift in gambling advertising, but the linking of men’s politics to gambling also represents a new complexity in narratives about “new,” or “soft,” men.
2021 ISFM Consensus Guidelines on the Collection and Administration of Blood and Blood Products in Cats
Authors: Taylor Samantha , Spada Eva , Callan Mary Beth , Korman Rachel , Leister Ellie , Steagall Paulo , Lobetti Remo , Seth Mayank , Tasker Séverine
Published: April 2021

Practical relevance:

Blood and blood products are increasingly available for practitioners to use in the management of haematological conditions, and can be lifesaving and therapeutically useful for patients with anaemia and/or coagulopathies. It is important for feline healthcare that donors are selected appropriately, and transfusions of blood or blood products are given to recipients that will benefit from them. Complications can occur, but can be largely avoided with careful donor management and recipient selection, understanding of blood type compatibility, and transfusion monitoring.

Clinical challenges:

Feline blood transfusion, while potentially a lifesaving procedure, can also be detrimental to donor and recipient without precautions. Cats have naturally occurring alloantibodies to red cell antigens and severe reactions can occur with type-mismatched transfusions. Blood transfusions can also transmit infectious agents to the recipient, so donor testing is essential. Finally, donors must be in good health, and sedated as appropriate, with blood collected in a safe and sterile fashion to optimise the benefit to recipients. Transfusion reactions are possible and can be mild to severe in nature. Autologous blood transfusions and xenotransfusions may be considered in certain situations.

Evidence base:

These Guidelines have been created by a panel of authors convened by the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM), based on available literature. They are aimed at general practitioners to provide a practical guide to blood typing, cross-matching, and blood collection and administration.
Blurred Lines: The Ambiguity of Disparaging Humour and Slurs in Norwegian High School Boys’ Friendship Groups
Authors: Johannessen Elise Margrethe Vike
Published: April 2021

This article examines the use of disparaging humour and slurs in Norwegian high school boys’ friendship groups to shed light on the complexity of adolescent males’ friendships and everyday socialization through a phenomenon that is usually connected to bullying. The study employed a qualitative approach consisting of participant observation and individual interviews with students. The article addresses the ambiguity embedded in the boys’ use of disparaging humour and slurs. The findings of this study suggest that the boys employ prejudiced and discriminatory language frequently with friends; however, the intent behind it is not linked to discriminatory or prejudiced attitudes or practices. Thus, adolescent boys utilize a form of humour where lines between harmful and harmless are blurred and inherently complex. The ambiguity of disparaging humour and slurs may cause challenges for teachers, and this article offers valuable new knowledge that may support them in their daily work.
Isokinetic performance and function are similar after total hip arthroplasty applied with a posterior or anterolateral approach: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Cankaya Deniz , Inci Fatih , Karakuş Dilek , Turker Hasan Bozkurt , Kahve Yakup , Neyisci Cagri
Published: April 2021

Background:

There are ongoing debates on the effects of surgical approach on outcome after total hip arthroplasty (THA). It was hypothesised that with the anterolateral approach, trauma to the abductor arm can occur and related detrimental effects can diminish the postoperative outcomes. In this first randomised controlled trial in the literature on this subject, isokinetic performance and patient-reported functional outcomes were evaluated in patients undergoing THA with a posterior approach (PA) and an anterolateral approach (ALA).

Methods:

A total of 48 patients scheduled to undergo THA were randomised to ALA or PA groups. The patients were evaluated preoperatively and at 6 and 12 months postoperatively, with flexion, extension and abduction strength measurements and the Harris Hip Score (HHS). The physiatrist performing isokinetic tests and the patients were blinded to the study groups.

Results:

Both groups were similar in respect of age, body mass index (BMI), gender and preoperative isokinetic performance and HHS. Both groups demonstrated similar isokinetic performance ( p < 0.05) and there was no difference in HHS ( p < 0.05) at the 6- and 12-months follow-up evaluations.

Conclusion:

Although there is concern about potential abductor muscle damaging during ALA, the results of this randomised controlled study demonstrated that ALA can produce similar isokinetic performance and functional outcome to PA at 6 and 12 months, despite the close proximity to the abductor arm.

Trial registration number:

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04640740 (retrospectively registered).