bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High alkaline phosphatase and low intact parathyroid hormone associate with worse clinical outcome in peritoneal dialysis patients
Authors: Chen Zhimin , Zhang Xiaohui , Han Fei , Xie Xishao , Hua Zhou , Huang Xiaohan , Lindholm Bengt , Haarhaus Mathias , Stenvinkel Peter , Qureshi Abdul Rashid , Chen Jianghua
Published: May 2020

Objective:

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is used as a biomarker to monitor the chronic kidney disease–mineral bone disorder (CKD-MBD) and high levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH) that were reported to be related to increased mortality in CKD patients. Therefore, we conducted this longitudinal cohort study to evaluate the relations between ALP and intact PTH (iPTH) and the associations with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.

Methods:

In 1276 incident PD patients (median age 50 years, 56% males), baseline serum ALP, iPTH, and metabolic biomarkers potentially linked to CKD-MBD were analyzed in relation to mortality during follow-up period of up to 60 months. All-cause and cardiovascular mortality risk of ALP and iPTH were analyzed with competing-risks regression models with transplantation as competing risk adjusting for all covariates.

Results:

After adjustments for confounders by logistic regression model, older age, higher change level to levels of iPTH, S-albumin, calcium, alanine transaminase (ALT), and lower level of phosphorus were associated with higher ALP level (>79 U/L), and female gender, non-diabetes mellitus, younger age, lower calcium, higher ALT, total bilirubin, phosphorus, and ALP were associated with higher iPTH level (>300 pg/mL). During 60 months (median 44 months) of follow-up, the all-cause mortality rate was 16%, and 91 (46%) of the 199 deaths were caused by cardiovascular disease. In competing-risks regression analysis, “high ALP + low iPTH” was independently associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality after adjustment for age, gender, presence of diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, the calendar year of recruitment and vitamin D therapy in PD patients. The subhazard ratio (sHR) of group “high ALP + low iPTH” was 1.96 times and 3.35 times higher than sHR of group “low ALP + high iPTH” for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality, respectively.

Conclusions:

The combination of high ALP and low iPTH was independently associated with increased all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in PD patients, suggesting that ALP and iPTH have the potential to predict clinical outcomes and might be useful risk assessment tools in PD patients. Further studies exploring the observed association between combination of ALP with iPTH and mortality are warranted.
Out of Sight, Out of Mind: The Challenge of External Work Arrangements for Industrial Manufacturing Unions in Germany and Italy
Authors: Benassi Chiara , Dorigatti Lisa
Published: May 2020

Work externalisation has challenged the ability of industrial unions to represent workers along the value chain and sustain solidaristic policies, leading to the growing fragmentation of wages and working conditions. This article aims to complement institutionalist analyses of unions’ strategies towards peripheral workers by pointing at the role of the labour process. The authors argue that variations in the bargaining strategies and their outcomes for different types of peripheral workers can be explained by observing the extent to which the use of different external work arrangements for specific tasks challenges the logic of industrial unionism. The findings rely on a structured comparison of unions’ responses to the use of agency work and on-site subcontracting in four plants owned by two multinational companies in Italy and Germany.
Neural networks assisted computational aero-acoustic analysis of an isolated tire
Authors: Uddin Ghulam Moeen , Niazi Sajawal Gul , Arafat Syed Muhammad , Kamran Muhammad Sajid , Farooq Muhammad , Hayat Nasir , Malik Sher Afghan , Zeid Abe , Kamarthi Sagar , Saqib Sania , Chaudhry Ijaz Ahmad
Published: May 2020

The computational aero-acoustic study of an isolated passenger car tire is carried out to understand the effect of dimensions of longitudinal tire grooves and operational parameters (velocity and temperature) on tire noise. The computational fluid dynamics and acoustic models are used to obtain aero-acoustic tire noise at near-field and far-field receivers around the tire and artificial neural networks-based regression are used to study the highly non-linear and interactive causal relationships in the system. Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes based realizable k-epsilon model is used to solve the flow field in the computational domain. The Ffowcs Williams and Hawkings model is used to obtain aero-acoustic tire noise at far-field positions. Spectral analysis is used to convert the output time domain to frequency domain and to obtain A-weighted sound pressure level. Artificial neural network–based response surface regression is conducted to understand casual relationships between A-weighted sound pressure level and control variables (Groove depth, Groove width, Temperature and velocity). Maximum A-weighted sound pressure level is observed in the wake region of the tire model. The interaction study indicates that ∼10% reduction in the aero-acoustic emissions is possible by selecting appropriate combinations of groove width and groove depth. The interaction of velocity with width is found to be most significant with respect to A-weighted sound pressure level at all receivers surrounding the tire. The interaction of operational parameters, that is, velocity and temperature are found to be significant with respect to A-weighted sound pressure level at wake and front receivers. Therefore, the regional speed limits and seasonal temperatures need to be considered while designing the tire to achieve minimum aero-acoustic emissions.
Oral manifestations associated with antimalarial therapy in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Chacón-Dulcey Verónica , López-Labady Jeaneth , Villarroel-Dorrego Mariana , Frías Jennifer , Tirado Wirman , González Nieves , Pérez Alfonzo Ricardo
Published: May 2020

Introduction

Lupus erythematosus (LE) is an autoimmune disease often treated with antimalarial drugs. The prolonged use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine can cause hyperpigmentation in the skin, oral mucosa and retinal pigment epithelium, which in turn can trigger toxicity in this epithelium, which in some cases causes vision loss. The objective of the present work was to establish the association between the presence of oral pigmented macules by antimalarial and secondary retinal toxicity.

Methods

A total of 105 patients diagnosed with LE being treated with chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine were evaluated. All patients were ophthalmologically evaluated for retinopathy screening. When the patient showed oral hyperpigmented maculae, an incisional biopsy was performed with the corresponding histopathological study with informed consent. The variables were compared using the chi-square test for quantitative variables and the non-parametric Mann–Whitney U-test for categorical variables. The confidence level was established at 95%, and p-values of ≤0.005 were considered statistically significant.

Results

Only 9.5% of the patients showed oral brown spots. Histopathologically, 100% of the oral macules showed characteristics of oral pigmentation by drug and 100% ophthalmological parameters of normality. Two patients presented with a diagnosis of pre-retinopathy, but none showed oral lesions.

Conclusion

Hyperpigmented macules in the buccal mucosa in lupus patients receiving antimalarial treatment are not frequent and do not represent a predictive finding of toxicity of the drug.
Scheduling longer working lives for older aged care workers: A time and income capability approach
Authors: Hart Aaron , Bowman Dina , Mallett Shelley
Published: May 2020

Like many other countries, Australian government policy focuses on extending working life as a response to concern about the cost of an ageing population. In this article, we focus on older aged care workers and highlight how poor employment conditions hinder their capacity to work in later life. Many of these workers are at risk of time and income poverty, since they are on low wage, part-time, low-hour contracts and need to pick up extra shifts to earn a living wage. The interactions between time poverty and income poverty have been developed within a body of literature that analyses the quantities of time individuals and households allocate to paid employment, household, family and caring responsibilities, sleep and self-care. Burchardt’s notion of ‘time and income capability’ brings insights from this corpus into dialogue with the capabilities approach, a political philosophy that equates wellbeing with the breadth of realistic opportunities for people to do things that they have reason to value. This study uses Burchardt’s construct to analyse qualitative data from interviews with 20 older personal care workers. While all the workers we spoke with engaged in self-sustaining practices, there were varying levels of opportunity to pursue them. Workers with less time and income capability found it more difficult to sustain themselves and their households. Some employer practices diminished workers’ time and income capability: unrealistic workloads necessitating unpaid hours; providing little opportunity for input into rostering; and late-notice roster changes. When time and income capability was too low, workers’ informal care duties, social connections and health were compromised. In the Australian aged care sector, several changes can enable longer working lives: sufficient paid hours to perform the role, wage loading for hours in addition to those contracted, written notice for roster changes, and increased wages.
Withdrawing from politics? Gender, agency and women ex-fighters in Nepal
Authors: Ketola Hanna
Published: May 2020

Conceptualizations of post-conflict agency have been widely debated in feminist security studies and critical international relations studies. This article distinguishes between three feminist approaches to post-conflict agency: narrative of return, representations of agency and local agency. It argues that all these approaches in distinct ways emphasize a modality of agency as resistance. To offer a more encompassing account of post-conflict agency the article engages Saba Mahmood’s (2012) critique of the modality of agency in feminist theory and her decoupling of agency from resistance. The article explores experiences of women who fought in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in Nepal. It focuses on ‘withdrawing from politics’, a dynamic whereby women ex-fighters move away from party activities and the public sphere, and rearticulates this withdrawing as a location of political agency. The article argues that being an ‘ex-PLA’ emerges as a form of subjectivity that is crafted through experiencing war and encountering peacebuilding, enabling a production of heterogeneous modalities of agency in the post-conflict context. By examining these modalities, the article challenges us to rethink post-conflict agency beyond the capacity to subvert regulatory gender norms and/or discourses of liberal peace.
Overexpression of NEIL3 associated with altered genome and poor survival in selected types of human cancer
Authors: Tran Oanh TN , Tadesse Serkalem , Chu Christopher , Kidane Dawit
Published: May 2020

Base excision repair, which is initiated by the DNA N-glycosylase proteins, is the frontline for repairing potentially mutagenic DNA base damage. Several base excision repair genes are deregulated in cancer and affect cellular outcomes to chemotherapy and carcinogenesis. Endonuclease VIII-like 3 (NEIL3) is a DNA glycosylase protein that is involved in oxidative and interstrand crosslink DNA damage repair. Our previous work has showed that NEIL3 is required to maintain replication fork integrity. It is unknown whether NEIL3 overexpression could contribute to cancer phenotypes, and its prognostic value and use as potential drug target remain unexplored. Our analysis of cancer genomics data sets reveals that NEIL3 frequently undergoes overexpression in several cancers. Furthermore, patients who exhibited NEIL3 overexpression with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, lung adenocarcinoma, lower grade glioma, kidney renal clear cell carcinoma, and kidney papillary cell carcinoma had worse overall survival. Importantly, NEIL3 overexpressed tumors accumulate mutation and chromosomal variations. Furthermore, NEIL3 overexpressed tumors exhibit simultaneous overexpression of homologous recombination genes (BRCA1/2) and mismatch repair genes ( MSH2/MSH6). However, NEIL3 overexpression is negatively correlated with tumor overexpressing nucleotide excision repair genes ( XPA, XPC, ERCC1/ 2). Our results suggest that NEIL3 might be a potential prognosis marker for high-risk patients, and/or an attractive therapeutic target for selected cancers.
Out of Chaos—Meaning Arises: The Lived Experience of Re-Habituating the Habitual Body When Suffering From Burnout
Authors: Engebretsen Karin Mohn , Bjorbækmo Wenche Schrøder
Published: May 2020

Sufferers from burnout might experience a sincere bonding to their lost lifeworld, which can result in their holding on to their previous worlds while simultaneously trying to unleash themselves. In this article, four experiential dimensions are presented in discussion with the phenomenological insights provided by Merleau-Ponty. These dimensions are “Trapped in the present body,” “the balancing act,” “precious moments of joy,” and “this is my Lifeworld now.” In the rehabilitation process, the participants demonstrated deliberate choices and reflective self-cultivation to adjust to their present situation. The illness seemed to promote a search for meaning—and out of the existential chaos, a “new” habitual body might appear. The study provides invaluable information about the rehabilitation process and the need for humanistic interventions.
“Everything Is Greyscaled”: Immigrant Women’s Experiences of Postpartum Distress
Authors: Yu Zhiyuan , Bowers Barbara
Published: May 2020

Postpartum distress increases the risk of developing mental disorders over a woman’s lifespan. Although immigrant women experience a high rate of postpartum depression, we know very little about the psychosocial experiences of postpartum distress in immigrant populations. No theories have been developed to account for the intersection of cultural and maternal transitions or the relationship of this dual transition to postpartum distress. Therefore, this study aims to generate a conceptual model for describing immigrant women’s experience of and social-psychological responses to postpartum distress. This study uses grounded theory to conduct and analyze interviews with 22 Chinese immigrant women who experienced postpartum distress. During their dual transitions, participants encountered many losses significant to their psychological self. The conceptual model of greyscaling and reviving the psychological self provides pathways to respond to these losses, assesses the pathways’ impact on experiencing distress, and offers strategies that resolve distress.
Factors That May Continue to Impact a Mother’s Emotional Well-Being Once Her Child’s Treatment for Cancer Has Completed and Their Implications for Ongoing Support
Authors: Hill Lynda , Gubi Peter M.
Published: May 2020

This research explores factors that may continue to impact a mother’s emotional well-being once her child’s treatment for cancer has completed. Research indicates that, contrary to a general expectation of experiencing joy as treatment ends, some families experience very mixed emotions, with fear playing a large part, both leading up to treatment completion and, for some, continuing posttreatment. However, there is no literature that explores a mother’s emotional well-being after a number of years’ posttreatment. This research is a contribution toward addressing that deficit. Five mothers were interviewed using semistructured questions to gather data relating to their specific lived experiences. These were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Results indicate that although end of treatment was longed for, there continues to be much uncertainty and fear posttreatment, and this can continue years after treatment has ended. Mothers described changes within themselves (e.g., new attitudes to living) and a need to adapt to a new normal. There were elements of grief for the loss of family life with which they were once so familiar. There was also a strong sense of wanting to support others, so that their own experiences were not wasted. All participants recognized that further counseling support for themselves would be beneficial.
Embodied cognition: dimensions, domains and applications
Authors: Farina Mirko
Published: May 2020

This article is intended as a response to Goldinger et al. and to all those, an increasing minority in the sciences, who still belittle the contribution of embodied cognition to our understanding of human cognitive behaviour. In this article (section 1), I introduce the notion of embodiment and explain its dimensions and reach. I review (section 2) a range of embodied cognition theories and highlight the principles and criteria on which they rely or draw from. I focus (section 3) on three crucial empirical domains in which an embodied perspective has driven novel insights about the relationship between mind and cognition. I argue that embodiment is not just a philosophical mantra empty of empirical content. I draw attention (section 4) to some of the recent ways in which principles underlying embodied cognition have begun to be applied in different fields (contemporary psychology). I review some of these interventions and suggest that discussing these applications not only provides additional evidence against any poverty claim but can also help moving the field forward in important ways. Contra Goldinger et al., I therefore conclude (section 5) that embodied cognition is a very fruitful research programme for the empirical sciences and that can adequately explain many aspects of human cognitive behaviour.
Intestinal Angiolipofibroma: Clinicopathologic Characteristics of 11 Cases
Authors: Agostini-Vulaj Diana , Bsirini Caroline , Drage Michael G. , Huber Aaron R.
Published: May 2020

Mesenchymal lesions of the gastrointestinal tract are generally uncommon compared with epithelial derived entities. Angiolipofibroma describes a rare gastrointestinal tract mesenchymal lesion composed of varied amounts of adipose tissue, fibrous tissue, along with admixed blood vessels. Descriptions of this entity are limited to few case reports describing a total of 5 lesions. Angiolipofibroma represents a benign entity that may uncommonly present as a mass lesion concerning for malignancy. The etiology is unclear; however, these may represent a reactive or hamartomatous process. In this article, we sought to further describe this entity and present an additional 11 cases.
Anisometric Cell and Dysplastic Lipomas in a Retinoblastoma Patient
Authors: den Bakker Michael A. , den Toom Dorine T. , Damen Tim H. C. , Sleddens Hein F. B. M. , Meijssen Isabella C. , Deloose Stijn , Kliffen Mike , Dinjens Winand N. M.
Published: May 2020

Anisometric cell lipoma (ACL) and dysplastic lipoma (DL) are underrecognized subtypes of benign lipomatous tumors, with wide variation in cell size, microscopic fat necrosis, and no or mild nuclear changes (DL). ACL/DL appear more commonly in retinoblastoma patients, in whom an increased incidence of lipomas has been established. The occurrence of ACL/DL in retinoblastoma patients suggests that RB1 aberrations play a role in its pathogenesis, similar to spindle cell/pleomorphic lipoma. In this article, we present a patient with a history of retinoblastoma with multiple lipomas histologically consistent with ACL/DL. Analysis of the lipomas supports involvement of RB1 in the development of ACL/DL. Dysplastic changes were only seen in a single lipoma, which harbored an additional TP53 mutation. While providing further support for the occurrence of ACL/DL in retinoblastoma patients, we also suggest that DL is an ACL with TP53 mutation.
Seeking Sanctuary: Violence Against Women in El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala
Authors: Obinna Denise N.
Published: May 2020

This article identifies the way spaces of violence operate within gendered hierarchies in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. As migration accelerates, gender-related differences become evident. Strong push factors underlined by patriarchal power systems and hypermasculine spaces have normalized violence against women. Using data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and local data from the three countries, this article illustrates how gender inequalities sustain the emigration of women. The study also evaluates how the interweaving of female murders has further ostracized women and forced them to flee their home countries in search of sanctuary.
Survival and Resilience Among Palestinian Women: A Qualitative Analysis Using Individual and Collective Life Events Calendars
Authors: Veronese Guido , Sousa Cindy , Cavazzoni Federica
Published: May 2020

Responding to the need for more information concerning the mental health and psychological well-being of women living amid political oppression and war, this study aimed to explore specific factors that contribute to women’s individual and collective perceptions about war and the associated traumatic life events that occurred during their lives. Moving from a socioecological and culture-informed perspective, we used narrative timelines elicited from 21 Palestinian women in Gaza, both individually and collectively, as a tool for both data collection and intervention. A deductive, top-down, thematic content analysis procedure was used to categorize data. The main events outlined by the women in their historical accounts, both individual and collective, were linked to political events in and surrounding Palestine. The life events’ calendars reflect a constant attempt in balancing and compensating traumatic events with sources of well-being related to social support and family. Individual and collective narrative activities contributed to generate a significant reframing in the attribution of meaning and emotional perceptions of the participants. Women articulated how they build resilience through transgenerational and daily practices of resistance that encompass indigenous strategies of coping and skills of survival.
The Transition From Spousal Caregiver to Widowhood: Quantitative Findings of a Mixed-Methods Study
Authors: Groh Carla J. , Saunders Mitzi M.
Published: May 2020

BACKGROUND: The number of persons diagnosed with dementia is projected to triple to 14 million by 2050. The significance of these projections is particularly relevant to older women (>65 years), who are more likely to provide dementia caregiving for a husband than vice versa. Research has identified consistent themes around the impact of caregiving during the caregiving experience, yet there is limited research exploring the ongoing impact during the transition to widowhood. Moreover, there is a paucity of research examining differences between rural and urban spousal dementia caregivers. AIMS: The aims were to compare differences between older rural and urban spousal caregivers on physical and mental health factors affecting the transition from caregiver to widow and to identify resources the women used during this transition over 12 months. METHOD: This mixed-methods longitudinal study recruited 13 urban and nine rural female spousal caregivers. Participants were interviewed three times over 12 months. The dependent variables were depression (measured using Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale), physical and mental functioning (measured using the 12-item Medical Outcomes Study–Short Form Health Survey Version 2). RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were detected between rural and urban female caregivers on the dependent variables. However, rural caregivers scored higher on depression and lower on both physical and mental functioning compared to their urban counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: The findings have clinical and research implications. Psychiatric nurses are well positioned to provide education related to dementia information deficits; implement interventions that facilitate bereavement, resilience, self-care, and identity; advocate for additional services; and conduct larger scale studies with a more diverse sample of female spousal caregivers.
Analytical solutions of a spherical nanoinhomogeneity under far-field unidirectional loading based on Steigmann–Ogden surface model
Authors: Ban Youxue , Mi Changwen
Published: May 2020

For a solid surface or interface that is subjected to transverse loading, the influence of its flexural resistibility to bending deformation becomes significant. A spherical inhomogeneity or void embedded in an infinite elastic medium under the application of nonhydrostatic loads represents a typical example. In this work, we consider the most fundamental loading of a far-field unidirectional tension. Analytical displacements and stresses are developed by the coupling of a Steigmann–Ogden surface mechanical model, the simple method of Boussinesq displacement potentials, the semi-inverse method of elasticity, and Legendre series representations of spherical harmonics. The problem is then solved by converting the equilibrium equations of displacement into a linear system with respect to the Legendre series coefficients. The developed solutions are general in the sense that they may reduce to their classical or Gurtin–Murdoch counterparts as special cases. Analytical expressions reveal that the derived solution depends on four dimensionless ratios from among surface material parameters, shear moduli ratio, and inhomogeneity or void radius. In particular, instead of depending on both flexural parameters in the moment–curvature relation, one fixed combination is sufficient to represent the surface flexural rigidity. This is in contrast with the influence of the in-plane elastic stiffness, in which both surface Lamé parameters matter. Parametric studies further demonstrate that, for metallic inhomogeneities or voids with radii between 10 nm and 100 nm, the effects of surface flexural rigidity on stress distributions and stress concentrations are significant.
Three-point bending test of pantographic blocks: numerical and experimental investigation
Authors: Yildizdag M Erden , Barchiesi Emilio , dell’Isola Francesco
Published: May 2020

The equilibrium forms of pantographic blocks in a three-point bending test are investigated via both experiments and numerical simulations. In the computational part, the corresponding minimization problem is solved with a deformation energy derived by homogenization within a class of admissible solutions. To evaluate the numerical simulations, series of measurements have been carried out with a suitable experimental setup guided by the acquired theoretical knowledge. The observed experimental issues have been resolved to give a robust comparison between the numerical and experimental results. Promising agreement between theoretical predictions and experimental results is demonstrated for the planar deformation of pantographic blocks.
Connecting Air Quality with Emotional Well-Being and Neighborhood Infrastructure in a US City
Authors: Lal Raj M. , Das Kirti , Fan Yingling , Barkjohn Karoline K. , Botchwey Nisha , Ramaswami Anu , Russell Armistead G.
Published: May 2020

Cities in the United States have announced initiatives to become more sustainable, healthy, resilient, livable, and environmentally friendly. However, indicators for measuring all outcomes related to these targets and the synergies between them have not been well defined or studied. One such relationship is the linkage between air quality with emotional well-being (EWB) and neighborhood infrastructure. Here, regulatory monitoring, low-cost sensors (LCSs), and air quality modeling were combined to assess exposures to PM2.5 and traffic-related NOx in 6 Minneapolis, MN, neighborhoods of varying infrastructure parameters (median household income, urban vs suburban, and access to light rail). Residents of the study neighborhoods concurrently took real-time EWB assessments using a smart phone application, Daynamica, to gauge happiness, tiredness, stress, sadness, and pain. Both LCS PM2.5 observations and mobile-source-simulated NOx were calibrated using regulatory observations in Minneapolis. No statistically significant (α = 0.05) PM2.5 differences were found between urban poor and urban middle-income neighborhoods, but average mobile-source NOx was statistically significantly (α = 0.05) higher in the 4 urban neighborhoods than in the 2 suburban neighborhoods. Close proximity to light rail had no observable impact on average observed PM2.5 or simulated mobile-source NOx. Home-based exposure assessments found that PM2.5 was negatively correlated with positive emotions such as happiness and to net affect (the sum of positive and negative emotion scores) and positively correlated (ie, a higher PM2.5 concentration led to higher scores) for negative emotions such as tiredness, stress, sadness, and pain. Simulated mobile-source NOx, assessed from both home-based exposures and in situ exposures, had a near-zero relationship with all EWB indicators. This was attributed to low NOx levels throughout the study neighborhoods and at locations were the EWB-assessed activities took place, both owing to low on-road mobile-source NOx impacts. Although none of the air quality and EWB responses were determined to be statistically significant (α = 0.05), due in part to the relatively small sample size, the results are suggestive of linkages between air quality and a variety of EWB outcomes.
Gender differences in the association between mental health status, hypertension, and emergency department visits in the United States
Authors: Rozario Sylvia S , Gondwe Tamala , Lu Juan
Published: May 2020

Hypertension has been found to be elevated in people with mental illness, and this comorbidity may lead to differential emergency department use by gender. Gender differences in this association were assessed using the 2016 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey ( n = 20,443). A combined effect variable for mental health and hypertension was created for stratified, multivariable logistic regression analysis. The likelihood of emergency department visits was higher for women compared to men in all categories of the combined effect variable. In particular, regardless of hypertension status, women with poor mental health had 35 percent and 39 percent increased likelihood of emergency department visits compared to men.
Research on bearing capacity of hot-rolled steel combined short columns under eccentric load
Authors: Tan Ji-Ke , Zhang Hai-Bin , Wang Yu-Hang , Hu Shao-Wei , Luo Wei , Yu Sheng
Published: May 2020

In this article, three hot-rolled steel combined short columns and a pure steel short column under eccentric load were tested. The failure modes and load–displacement curves of the specimens under eccentric load were reported. A finite element model was developed and validated against the experimental results, and good agreement was achieved in terms of failure modes, bearing capacity and load–displacement curves. Upon validation, a series of finite element models were employed for the parameter analysis over the parameter of concrete strength (30–120 MPa) and steel strength (235–420 MPa). The finite element parameters analysis results showed that the steel strength has limited effect on the reduction coefficient (1 + η) of the ultimate bearing capacity of specimens, whereas the reduction coefficient (1 + η) of the ultimate bearing capacity of specimens decreases gradually as concrete strength increases. Based on the finite element parameter analysis results, the N–M correlation curve and a simplified design method for the reduction coefficient (1 + η) of the ultimate bearing capacity of hot-rolled steel combined short columns under eccentric load are proposed. Good agreement is achieved between the design method and finite element analysis results, and the prediction of the design method is accurate and consistent.
Nonlinear dynamic analysis of the bridge bearing and genetic algorithm–based optimization for seismic mitigation
Authors: Liang Xuan , Cheng Lin , Liu TianQiao , Du JianBin
Published: May 2020

Seismic mitigation for bridges by the specific bearing with highly elastoplastic dissipaters is very important to ensure safety of superstructures exposed to earthquakes. To study the lateral vibration of the bridge bearing, a nonlinear dynamic model is developed while thoroughly considering highly nonlinear mechanical properties of the bearing in this article. The generalized- α method is specifically adapted to solve the nonlinear equations. Moreover, nonlinear behavior of the bearing is fully incorporated through direct path-following of the practical experimental hysteresis curve. The proposed method is validated through careful comparison between the dynamic simulation and the quasi-static experimental results. Mechanical responses of the bridge-pier system under earthquake excitations can be calculated in a more reliable manner. On this basis, a parametric optimization model involving several key parameters of the bearing-pier system is developed. The optimization problem is solved by the genetic algorithm as the searching tool. Numerical examples show that mechanical responses of the bridge-pier system subjected to the earthquake excitations can be effectively mitigated after parametric optimization. The extensive applicability of the proposed method is validated through finding the optimized parameters for the bearing when multiple different earthquakes are considered. Moreover, the accumulative energy absorption of the bearing is also considered to enhance the seismic performance of the bearing. This work provides a reliable way of dynamic performance prediction and seismic mitigation study of nonlinear bridge bearing under earthquake excitations given any complex experimental hysteresis curve.
Evolution of flow characteristics in a centrifugal compressor with an increase in operating speed
Authors: Sharma Sidharath , García-Tíscar Jorge , Allport John M , Barrans Simon , Nickson Ambrose K
Published: May 2020

Developments in materials, manufacturing and computing methods have catalysed the generation of efficient compressor designs with higher specific power outputs. Centrifugal compressors have become pervasive in environments demanding a combination of higher power with smaller sizes such as unmanned aerial vehicles, micro gas turbines and turbochargers. These compressors are expected to perform optimally in a range of operational speeds and mass flow states with low acoustic emissions. The impact of operating speed on the flow and acoustic characteristics of a ported shroud compressor has been explored in this work. The operation of the open and blocked configurations of the compressor at the design and near surge points each of a lower and a higher speedline was numerically and experimentally investigated. Comparing the results, the model was shown to predict the operation of the compressor for both configurations at the investigated operating points satisfactorily in terms of both performance and dominant acoustic features. With an increase in the velocity and the Mach number due to increased operational speed, changes in the flow behaviour in the inducer and diffuser were observed. An increase in operational speed was shown to generally increase the overall acoustic emission of the compressor for both configurations. The number of distinct tones in the acoustic output and their magnitude were also seen to be a function of operating speed.
Embodied tableaux: A drama method for social work arts-based research
Authors: Mayor Christine
Published: May 2020

Due to the increased interest of social workers in arts-based research, there is a need for guidance in how to apply arts-based research methods to social work questions and research. The lack of detailed methodological procedures in the existing literature potentially inhibits social work researchers’ ability to select and implement appropriate arts-based research methods. This article thus provides a step-by-step procedural guide for a drama-based arts-based research method called embodied tableaux. Adapted from Boal’s Image Theatre techniques and tableaux exercises common in drama therapy, this ABR method can serve as a rich source of embodied, aesthetic, imaginal, and relational data suitable for many of the populations and social issues that social work researchers typically focus on. This article also highlights ways to adapt this method for the various stages of the research process and explores important ethical issues. Illustrative examples of the embodied tableaux method are included from a recent study conducted with drama therapists who are employed in schools. Implications and considerations for future research design are included.
The role of bilingualism in Latino youth experiences of acculturation stress when living in an emerging Latino community
Authors: Booth Jaime , Huerta Christina , Thomas Brandon
Published: May 2020

Latino youth experience unique stressors as they navigate two cultural contexts. While a substantial amount of research has been conducted investigating Latino youths’ experiences of acculturation, most have been conducted in cities with a substantial Latino community, with less research focusing on emerging communities, or areas with small, but growing cultural communities. The aim of this study was to understand Latino youths’ experiences of acculturation stressors when living in an emerging Latino community. To achieve this aim, 30 youth (ages 7–16) living in an emerging Latino community were recruited to participate in a creative-arts based research method in which they were placed in groups based on developmental stage and participated in six dialogue sessions. During sessions, youth were asked to paint a picture based on prompts and then discuss the topics that emerged in their paintings in small groups. Prompts were designed to illicit youths’ experiences with acculturation stress and Latino identity. Thematic analysis of qualitative data indicated that the role of language was featured prominently in youths’ experiences. In this paper, we discuss the role of bilingualism in multiple contexts in Latino youth experience of acculturation when living in an emerging Latino community. The results suggest that bilingualism is central to the identity of Latino youth in this context and may be essential to incorporate into interventions that aim to facilitate positive youth development among Latino youth living in emerging Latino communities.
Flipd App Reduces Cellular Phone Distractions in the Traditional College Classroom: Implications for Enriched Discussions and Student Retention
Authors: Neuwirth Lorenz S.
Published: May 2020

Cellular phone distractions inhibit faculty delivering and students learning the curriculum by reducing student attendance and active engagement. Arguably, cellular phone usage during precious class times can be a risk factor for student attrition, but scarce solutions have been offered to address this problem in colleges. The Flipd App, a cellular phone distraction reduction technology was tested on 266 college students. The results showed a positive linear relationship between usage and attendance rates and a negative linear relationship between usage and ≥ 3 absence rates, and ∼10% of students resisted its use. The Flipd App may serve as a predictive educational intervention tool that increases active learning, reduces attrition, and increases retention. It may be useful in classes with less hands-on activities to reduce distractions and increase active student engagement. The Flipd App may prove useful in helping college students curb their screen time habits from the Fear of Missing Out to the Joy of Missing Out.
Timely directional data delivery to multiple destinations through relay population control in vehicular ad hoc network
Authors: Lee Seona , Lee Sang-Ho , Lee HyungJune
Published: May 2020

In this article, we consider a directional data forwarding problem to multiple destinations under distinct deadline constraints in vehicular ad hoc networks. We present a simple yet effective data forwarding algorithm based on only vehicle-to-vehicle communications in infrastructure-less and map-less environments. Our algorithm consists of two phases: relay selection and proliferation. We design a relay selection algorithm that encourages a shared ride for data delivery toward a certain common intermediate point from time to time for forwarding efficiency. It chooses a strong next relay candidate among nearby connected vehicles by considering their current position, velocity, and also the current progress toward the destination. In case that one of the progress lagging indicators becomes signaled, the number of vehicle relays increases under control depending on the degree of deterioration during a packet replication procedure called proliferation. Embedding two essential parts in designing a timely data forwarding scheme validates its accurate on-time data delivery performance and forwarding efficiency in network overhead based on real-world data-driven experiments.
Effect of interference on fretting wear of planetary frame axle hole
Authors: Lyu Zhipeng , Wang Fuyuan , Zhou Sizhu , Liu Si
Published: May 2020

In order to study fretting wear damage law of planetary frame axle hole, the distribution of normal stress and relative sliding velocity at axle hole was obtained by finite element software, and a method of extracting fretting wear characteristic parameter data was put forward and verified. According to the modified model of fretting wear depth calculation, the wear depth of each step at axle hole was calculated, and the influence of interference on wear depth was analyzed. The results show that the stress distribution obtained by this method corresponds to the values of each node in the Workbench stress nephogram at that time and has the same distribution rule, which shows that the method is correct. The stress concentration near the inner part of the axle hole of the planetary frame is obvious. Along the circumferential and axial direction of the shaft hole, the relative slip velocity of both ends is larger, and the relative slip velocity of the middle part is smaller. Average wear in both axial and circumferential directions increases with the increase in interference, while wear in the axial direction plays a dominant role in the whole meshing process.
Optimal equidistant checkpointing of fault tolerant systems subject to correlated failure
Authors: Jafary Bentolhoda , Fiondella Lance , Chang Ping-Chen
Published: May 2020

Checkpointing is a technique to back up work at periodic intervals so that if computation fails, it will not be necessary to restart from the beginning but will instead be able to restart from the latest checkpoint. Performing checkpointing operations requires time. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the tradeoff between the time to perform checkpointing operations and the time saved when computation restarts at a checkpoint. This article presents a method to model the impact of correlated failures on an application that performs a specified amount of computation and implements checkpointing operations at equidistant periods during this computation. We develop a Markov model and superimpose a correlated life distribution. Two cases are considered. The first assumes that reaching a checkpoint resets the failure distribution. The second allows the probability of failure to progress. We illustrate the approach through a series of examples. The results indicate that correlation can negatively impact checkpointing, necessitating more frequent checkpointing and increasing the total time required, but that the approach can still identify the optimal number of equidistant checkpoints, despite this correlation.
Understanding why healthcare workers refuse the flu vaccine
Authors: Ferragut Mariano Jose , Barry Deborah , Cummins Martina
Published: May 2020

Background:

Vaccination is one of the most effective interventions used to reduce infections. Nonetheless, concerns and misconceptions about vaccines have resulted in an increased rate of refusal of vaccination among healthcare workers (HCWs) and within the general population.

Aim/ Objective:

To understand the factors that underlie vaccination-refusal.

Methods:

A questionnaire was given to the HCWs in the inpatient area of an acute London hospital during May 2019. The sample was one of convenience, i.e. the wards where the principle investigator covered. All staff were approached: 306 in total completed the questionnaire.

Findings/results:

In total, 212 (69.28%) healthcare professionals had the flu vaccine during the 2018–2019 campaign, 94 (30.62%) did not have the flu vaccine and 37 (39.36%) of the HCWs that did not receive the flu vaccine reported they had previously a bad reaction following administration of the vaccine.

Discussion:

This report will provide the Trust and other healthcare settings with information integrating the disconnection between misconceptions and vaccination knowledge, which may inform practical interventions to address the challenges of vaccination in future campaigns. Increasing HCWs’ knowledge of flu vaccine side effects could address this and may increase rates of vaccination compliance.
Re-envisioning Citizen Diplomacy: A Case Study of a Multifaceted, Transnational, People’s Republic of China “Ethnopreneur”
Authors: Lee Kian Cheng
Published: May 2020

This article problematises the traditional conceptualisation of the “citizen diplomat” as being confined only to a single nation state sovereignty. At the nexus of transnational “ethnopreneurship,” dual embeddedness, neoliberalism, and post-materialism, citizen diplomats transcend territorially bound identities and perform unofficial dual-accredited roles in the enhancement of bilateral relationships. The protagonist in this case is a transnational People’s Republic of China ethnopreneur who adopts multiple forms of cultural commodification based on both Thai and Chinese resources. As a result, both territories have benefitted from the ensuing informal diplomatic interactions. Traversing the culturally distinctive city of Chiang Mai in Thailand and several flourishing cities in China, the article elucidates the importance of non-traditional diplomats. Put succinctly, it argues for a re-envisioning of transnational ethnopreneurial diplomacy so as to recognise multiple identities, cultures, and markets wherein positive-sum diplomatic returns are achieved. From an intra-Asian perspective, it seeks to remedy a scarcity in the literature – given that existing migrant studies are largely set in North American and European contexts.