bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Between the Public and the Private Interest: The Interrelationship of Intermediary Roles of Environmental Nonprofits in Coastal Resilience
Authors: Saitgalina Marina , Yusuf Juita-Elena , Olanrewaju-Lasisi Taiwo
Published: July 2022

Government regulators cannot mitigate the loss of wetlands and coastal erosion alone. Nonprofits, uniquely situated between coastal property owners with personal interests and governments with regulatory interests, are positioned to mediate the interests of different parties while considering local context and individual circumstances. However, it is unclear what roles environmental nonprofits play within the network of actors. This study asks: (1) What roles do environmental nonprofit organizations play in local stakeholder network arrangements for wetlands conservation and shoreline management? (2) How are these roles interrelated? We use two frameworks describing the roles of nonprofits to examine the roles of environmental nonprofits within the network of actors that seek to mitigate loss of wetlands and coastal erosion by focusing on living shorelines as shoreline management solutions utilizing natural and nature-based features. We show how these roles are interrelated to provide context for how government can leverage nonprofits in achieving regulatory outcomes.
Two tales about the power of algorithms in online environments: on the need for transdisciplinary dialogue in the study of algorithms and digital capitalism
Authors: König Pascal D
Published: July 2022

This commentary discusses an important disconnect between different literatures dealing with the power of algorithms – a disconnect that has important implications for the narratives about the role of algorithms in today’s societies that the humanities and social science construct. Theoretical work has regularly depicted algorithmic systems in the hands of large tech companies as powerful devices for effectively influencing behaviors through persuasive targeted information offers in online environments. However, this account goes against existing empirical evidence on the effectiveness of algorithm-based targeting. The paper highlights the different stories about the power of algorithms that these literatures tell and discusses why addressing this gap matters. In a nutshell, while the idea of people being steered by powerful algorithmic systems is arguably an intriguing aspect of digital-era capitalism, it risks distracting from more mundane, but also more relevant aspects of algorithms operating in online environments and how they can sustain power relations.
Commercialising potential as a critical factor of differential media management: a cultural zoning study of China’s regulation of mukbang and online eating disorder communities
Authors: Shen Sijun
Published: July 2022

This article contributes to research on China’s (differential) media regulations by studying China’s management of mukbang and online eating disorder communities, both of which feature binge eating in varying media forms. China tolerates the former insofar as the content is modulated and monetised but has completely eradicated the latter. This research draws on Luzhou Li’s cultural zoning to address China’s differential regulations that expedite media products’ monetisation while upholding the Party’s socialist legacy. The article demonstrates commercialising potential in participants’ capacity and willingness to be monetised and absorbed by the internet industry and argues that this is a critical factor contributing to China’s differential governance of the two media forms. The research adds nuances to China’s internet and censorship research by highlighting the multiplexity and adaptivity of China’s censorship with new cases.
Making sense of the invisible: cognitive mapping, affective realities and the Irish/Northern Irish Border
Authors: Mercier Faye
Published: July 2022

As Brexit negotiations continue to draw criticism nearly two years on from the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union, many media outlets have concentrated on making sense of what has been dubbed the ‘Brexit circus’. In particular, significant media attention has been directed towards obstacles to Brexit’s progression, such as the issue of the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland and the ‘backstop’ arrangement. Through an examination of different media efforts to explain the border issue, this paper will discuss how conventional reporting methods have been unable to make this issue comprehensible to the individual. This paper will suggest that a hypertextual aesthetic form would provide a more effective means of making sense of the complexity of the border issue and its relationship to global political and economic structures. However, an understanding of the border issue also requires an understanding of the affective reality of life in this region and the history upon which this reality is founded. In this manner, this paper also argues that representational regimes capable of conveying affective realities could contribute important experiential dimensions to efforts to render dominant political and economic structures both cognisable and contestable.
The combination approach with Rhokinase inhibition and mechanical circulatory support in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury: Rho-kinase inhibition and ventricular unloading
Authors: Miyahara Shunsuke , Jenke Alexander , Yazdanyar Mariam , Kistner Julia , Immohr Moritz Benjamin , Sugimura Yukiharu , Aubin Hug , Kamiya Hiroyuki , Okita Yutaka , Lichtenberg Artur , Akhyari Payam
Published: July 2022

Background

It remains unclear whether the Rho-kinase (ROCK) inhibition in combination with mechanical circulatory support (MCS) had a synergic protective effect on myocardial ischemia (MI)/reperfusion injury in therapeutic strategies for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We report the results of an approach using a rat model consisting of a miniaturized cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and AMI.

Methods

A total of 25 male Wistar rats were randomized into 5 groups: (1) Sham: a suture was passed under the left anterior descending artery (LAD) creating no MI. A vehicle solution (0.9% saline) was injected intraperitoneally. (2) Myocardial ischemia (MI) + vehicle (MI + V): LAD was ligated for 30 min and reperfused for 120 min, followed by administration of vehicle solution. (3) MI + fasudil (MI + F): the work sequence of group 2, but the selective ROCK inhibitor fasudil (10 mg/kg) was administered instead. (4) MI + V + CPB: CPB was initiated 15 min after the ligation of the LAD to the end of the reperfusion, in addition to the work sequence in group 2. (5) In the MI + F + CPB group, the work sequence of group 4, but with fasudil administration (10 mg/kg).

Results

Measurements of cardiac function through conductance catheter indicated that the drop of + dP/dt after reperfusion was moderately limited in MI + F + CPB (vs. MI + V, dP/dt p = 0.22). The preload recruitable stroke work was moderately improved in the MI + F + CPB ( p = 0.23) compared with the corresponding control animals (MI + V). Phosphorylated protein kinase B expression in the MI + V + CPB and MI + F + CPB was higher than that in MI + V ( p = 0.33).

Conclusion

Therefore, fasudil administration with MCS resulted in a moderately better left ventricular performance.
Trends of Change in Empathy Among Indian Medical Students: A Two-Year Follow-Up Study
Authors: Bhatia Gayatri , Shetty Jyoti V.
Published: July 2022

Background:

The development of an empathic approach is essential for doctor–patient relationships. Medical training is a challenging time that may affect empathy. This study aimed to assess the change in empathy in students during medical education.

Methods:

One hundred and fifty MBBS students were recruited at admission and assessed for empathy, interpersonal reactivity, and general health. They were followed for two years and assessed at three intervals.

Results:

A significant decline was seen in empathy for both male and female students. The decline was correlated with psychological stress. Gender, family structure, having siblings, and increasing General Health Questionnaire score predicted change in empathy.

Conclusion:

Empathy declines with advancing training, varying with constitutional and situational factors. The medical curriculum should include skills like empathic communication as well.
Development of a Personalized Tobacco Cessation Intervention Package (PTCIP) for Persons with Schizophrenia in India
Authors: Rajalu Banu Manickam , Jayarajan Deepak , Muliyala Krishna Prasad , Sharma Priyamvada , Gandhi Sailaxmi , Chand Prabhat Kumar
Published: July 2022

Background:

Among persons with schizophrenia (PwS), tobacco use is higher in comparison to the general population, contributing to greater morbidity and mortality. Pharmacological interventions combined with psychosocial interventions are effective in tobacco cessation. While the effectiveness of extant psychosocial interventions—when used in isolation—seems limited, developing better combinations of interventions could help treatment providers deliver tobacco cessation services to PwS at different stages of motivation to quit. We aimed to develop a personalized tobacco cessation intervention package (PTCIP) for PwS.

Methods:

The stage-based intervention package was developed through a systematic review of interventions for tobacco cessation, the authors’ clinical experience, and expert validation. The components of the intervention package, developed for PwS visiting the outpatient psychiatric department, were retained, removed, or added based on the content validity ratio (CVR).

Results:

The final components included brief advice, principles of motivational interviewing, psychoeducation, decisional balance matrix, positive reinforcement, offering various treatment options, personalized feedback using a smoking-risk calculator, and prediction of cardiovascular risk using the WHO package of essential noncommunicable disease (PEN). The delivery of the intervention package was refined based on pilot testing in eight participants.

Conclusion:

The tailored package was designed to be delivered by a mental health professional as a single comprehensive 40 min to 45 min face-to-face session, integrated with routine follow-up visits, followed by two telephonic conversations in the second and third week of the initial session. The package needs to be tested in a randomized controlled trial for its effectiveness.
Away from the border and into the frontier: The paradoxical geographies of US immigration law
Authors: Asoni Ettore
Published: July 2022

This paper investigates US immigration law as a spatial system whose application results in geographic confusion. I take the case of Barton v. Barr as a vivid example of this structure, where the petitioner was found to be simultaneously “outside” and “inside” the country under a legal perspective. Beginning from this paradox, I focus on the law’s ability to produce extraterritorial folds within the country’s interior, thus confining aliens into spaces that escape constitutional rules. Through an engagement with legal geography and Niklas Luhmann’s work, I conceptualize immigration law as a system which lives off the repetition of operations that distributes rights and privileges to aliens by assigning a degree of foreignness to their location. The resulting paradox must not be confused for a mistake or a flawed logic. Instead, it constitutes the dispositive that allows the law to produce its effects and draw its territorial enclaves.
Knowledge and utilization of freedom of information law among journalists in Nigeria
Authors: Ahmad Jamilah , Gever Celestine Verlumun , Savaşan Ahmet , Tukur Naziru Alhaji
Published: July 2022

This study assessed how journalists in Nigeria are aware, knowledgeable, and use the FOI Act (FOI law). The study was anchored on libertarian press theory. The study population was all the journalists registered with the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Taraba State branch, out of which, a sample of 101 was selected using cluster and convenience sampling methods. The data collected were analyzed using frequencies and simple percentages. It was found that most journalists (82.8%) are utilizing the law. In addition, this study identified fear among journalists, media ownership patterns, and poor attitude of government officials as challenges militating against the utilization of the law among the journalists. Among several recommendations made, the study call on the legislative arm of the government to address the issue of conflicting laws affecting the use of the FOI law. Professional bodies like the NUJ are called upon to educate and support the journalists to engage FOI law in their practice, especially as it relates to investigative journalism.
Early trends in ECMO mortality during the first quarters of 2019 and 2020: Could we have predicted the onset of the pandemic?
Authors: Awori Hayanga J.W. , Kakuturu Jahnavi , Toker Alper , Asad Fatima , Siler Anthony , Hayanga Heather , Badhwar Vinay
Published: July 2022

Objective

To compare mortality trends in patients requiring Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) support between the first quarters of 2019 and 2020 and determine whether these trends might have predicted the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS)-Cov-2 pandemic in the United States.

Methods

We analyzed 5% Medicare claims data at aggregate, state, hospital, and encounter levels using MS-DRG (Medicare Severity-Diagnosis Related Group) codes for ECMO, combining state-level data with national census data. Necessity and sufficiency relations associated with change in mortality between the 2 years were modeled using qualitative comparative analysis (QCA). Multilevel, generalized linear modeling was used to evaluate mortality trends.

Results

Based on state-level data, there was a 3.36% increase in mortality between 2019 and 2020. Necessity and sufficiency evaluation of aggregate data at state and institutional levels did not identify any association or combinations of risk factors associated with this increase in mortality. However, multilevel and generalized linear models using disaggregated patient-level data to evaluate institution mortality and patient death, identified statistically significant differences between the first ( p = .019) and second ( p = .02) months of the 2 years, the first and second quarters ( p < .001 and p = .042, respectively), and the first 6 months ( p < .001) of 2019 and 2020.

Conclusion

Mortality in ECMO patients increased significantly during the first quarter of 2020 and may have served as an early warning of the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic. Granular data shared in real-time may be used to better predict public health threats.
Amplifying victim vulnerability: Unanticipated harm and consequence in data breach notification policy
Authors: Gibson Dennis , Harfield Clive
Published: July 2022

Loss of control over one’s identity through identity usurpation, or identity theft, results in victimization characterized by multiple species of harm: material harms such as financial loss; medical harms such as psychological distress and consequential physiological illness; and moral harms such as infringement of autonomy. Digital data breaches are a common means by which identity can be usurped and laws have been enacted requiring data-holders to notify data subjects when their personal information held on digital databases has been compromised. The intention is that victims should then be able to undertake their own mitigation measures. This paper explores the efficacy of this approach as a solution and argues that this policy – particularly in the light of new digital criminal methodologies – creates a conflict of victims’ interests. It is an unintended outcome of policy that exacerbates, rather than resolves, identity usurpation and associated victimization in the digital environment.
Common Cause, coopetition or competition? Resource contestation in food waste recovery networks
Authors: Kunchamboo Vimala , Little Vicki Janine , Cheah Stephanie Kay Ann
Published: July 2022

Food waste is a problem that occurs throughout the supply chain, squandering natural resources, and contributing to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. While attention has been directed at systems designed to facilitate movement of food from manufacturer to consumers, little is known on alternative practices to recover food products no longer desired by the consumers. Responding to calls for greater attention to systems elements in macromarketing and for work that challenges the WEIRD hegemony, we investigate the issue of how collaborative networks can support more robust food systems. A qualitative case study draws on prolonged participant observation and depth interviews to address the question, “How do stakeholders in collaborative networks achieve shared system outcomes?” We apply institutional logic and the concept of coopetition to explore the dynamics within a food recovery network. Our findings suggest that notwithstanding shared commitments to sustainability, competition and conflicting interests can compromise systems performance. This study contributes a new perspective of collaborative network behaviour and highlights shortfalls in current theory and practices resulting from reliance on data collected from WEIRD contexts.
The power of information and coping with albinism: An autoethnographic study
Authors: Ngula Anna
Published: July 2022

This article aims to ascertain the purposes for which the author needed information when her children with albinism were born, as well as explore the mechanisms she used to find information and the challenges she experienced when searching for information. An autoethnography method is used to share her lived experience of albinism, and the data has been collected through the author’s personal memory by recalling events that happened when she gave birth to her daughter in 2013 and her son in 2016. Information played a crucial role in helping the author to understand albinism better and to deal with her predicament. As a librarian and the mother of children with albinism, the author explored different mechanisms to find information. The Internet was the main source of information, as well as organisations such as Support in Namibia of Albinism Sufferers Requiring Assistance and the Namibia Albino Association Trust, which deal with the plight of people with albinism in the country.
Role of High-Speed Roads and Vehicle Ownership on Traffic Fatalities in India
Authors: Agarwala Ruchika , Vasudevan Vinod
Published: July 2022

The development of higher quality road infrastructure in developing countries improves ride quality but also enables greater driving speeds. Similarly, a growing middle class allows more people to afford personal vehicles but increases the number of drivers on the road. Improved mobility has historically been associated with economic growth, and its impact on traffic safety has been explored in high-income countries. However, the behavior of road users and vehicle ownership characteristics in middle-income countries are substantively different than those in high-income countries. This study explores the relationship between mobility and traffic safety at a region-wide level in India, a middle-income country. The results show that increasing lengths of National Highways are associated with an improvement in traffic safety while increasing lengths of all other types of roads and total number of motor vehicles are both associated with a deterioration in traffic safety. This study shows that safe roadway infrastructure has a huge role in enhancing overall safety even in countries with high vehicle heterogeneity, lack of driver education, and weak enforcement. This study’s contribution should guide decision-makers in other middle-income countries to invest in traffic safety measures alongside any investments in higher quality road infrastructure.
Comparative Analysis of the Influence of Transport Modes on Tourism: High-Speed Rail or Air? City-Level Evidence from China
Authors: Chen Jieping , Yan Na , Lin Shanlang , Chen Shijun
Published: July 2022

This paper quantifies and compares the influence of two modes of transport on tourism, namely, high-speed rail (HSR) and air travel, and explores their substitute or complementary relationships. To facilitate the analysis, we apply data from 291 prefectural administrative cities in China from 2003 to 2019. Empirical tests show that both modes have a significant positive influence on the development of tourism. Moreover, the effect of air travel is greater than that of HSR. The findings remain robust and reliable with changes in the explanatory variables and sample size, and with regard to time window adjustment and endogeneity. Further, we explore the differences in the strength of the influences and find the two modes exhibit various effects according to regional heterogeneity. Finally, we investigate the joint effect of the two modes and find the existence of a substitute relationship. However, the relationship changes to complementary in specific areas. The findings of this paper provide important implications for the development of the regional tourism economy and the spatial layout of the transport infrastructure.
Exploring the Regional Determinants of the Emergence of Social Enterprises in South Korea: An Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Perspective
Authors: Woo Changbin , Jung Hyejin
Published: July 2022

South Korea has experienced a rapid increase in the emergence of social enterprises that aim to address various social problems. However, little is known about the conditions that can affect the emergence of social enterprises at the regional level. This study examined the regional factors that influence the establishment of social enterprises using a panel dataset of observations on 17 metropolitan cities and provinces in South Korea from 2012 to 2019. The appearance of social enterprises in regional entrepreneurial ecosystems was found to be associated with the market, government, networks, financial resources, and human capital. We also found that the determinants of their emergence within South Korea’s social enterprise ecosystem vary based on their level of development and purpose. Based on the results, we suggested several policy implications and suggestions.
Thermal, electrical and mechanical properties of carbon fiber/copper powder/carbon black reinforced hybrid Polyamide 6,6 composites
Authors: Beyaz Rumeysa , Ekinci Aysun , Yurtbasi Zühal , Oksuz Mustafa , Ates Murat , Aydin Ismail
Published: July 2022

The development of low electrical and thermal properties of Polyamide (PA), which is used in place of metals in engineering applications, draws attention to the developments in various industrial disciplines. In this study, the effects of metal and carbon based fillers on the properties of Polyamide 6,6 (PA 6,6) were investigated. Especially, copper powder (Cu), carbon black (CB), carbon fiber (CF) and hybrid fillers (Cu/CB/CF) reinforced composites based on PA 6,6 were prepared by twin-screw extruder followed by injection molding. In the microstructure investigation, it was observed that the dispersion properties of used fillers were different in the PA 6,6 matrix. Both electrical and thermal conductivity of the PA 6,6 composites prepared were higher than pure PA 6,6. The highest electrical and thermal conductivity values were obtained as 7.97x10−2 S/cm and 0.73 W/mK for PA 6,6/CB30 and PA 6,6/CF/CB/Cu 10, respectively. The effects of the fillers on melting and crystallization behaviors and mechanical properties that affect the performance of PA 6,6 composites are also discussed. In general, the results showed that the mechanical properties of PA 6,6 composites were improved with the increase in the amount of hybrid filler. The highest tensile and notched Charpy impact strength were obtained as 252 MPa and 8.84 kJ/m2 in PA 6,6 composite with 30% carbon fiber reinforcement by volume. As a result, the tensile properties of PA 6,6 hybrid composite were found to be superior to PA 6,6/CF composite with the same amount of carbon fiber content.
High-order pseudorange rate measurement model for multi-constellation LEO/INS integration: Case of Iridium-NEXT, Orbcomm, and Globalstar
Authors: Farhangian Farzan , Landry Rene Jr
Published: July 2022

An inertial navigation method augmented by Signals of Opportunity (SOPs) of three low earth orbit (LEO) constellations is presented. The downlink signal characteristics of the Iridium-NEXT, Orbcomm, and Globalstar LEO constellations are discussed. Furthermore, a tightly coupled integration model of the inertial navigation system and high-order LEO-SOP Doppler measurement model is designed. We presented a second-order measurement model of the LEO-SOP/INS integration using a second-order extended Kalman filter in which all the unknown states of the receiver and LEO satellites are estimated. The state parameters of the second-order EKF model are the position and velocity of both the receiver and the satellites, as well as the receiver’s orientation, the clock bias, and clock drift of the LEO satellites, and the constant bias of the Inertial Measurement Unit. An experiment is performed using a ground aerial vehicle equipped with a Multi-Constellation Software-Defined Receiver (MC-SDR). The Doppler measurements are provided by observing the downlinks from multiple satellites of the Iridium-NEXT and Orbcomm constellations. As well, the predicted measurement of a Globalstar satellite is used in the designed model. The results show the positioning accuracy of less than 10 m being achieved during a dynamic ground experiment, representing an 82% precision gain as compared against the regular single constellation EKF method.
A call to action to reclaim focus on testing and early treatment for HIV, viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted infections and tuberculosis
Authors: Stengaard Annemarie R , Raben Dorthe , Leite Ricardo B , Seyler Thomas , Lazarus Jeffrey V , Lambert Jack , Collins Ben , Attawell Kathy , Raahauge Anne , Rockstroh Jürgen K , Simões Daniel ,   on behalf of the 2021 HepHIV Conference Organising Committee and the EuroTEST Steering Committee
Published: July 2022

We present the outcomes of the HepHIV 2021 Lisbon & virtual conference held on 5-7 May 2021, including a Call to Action addressing policy and practice implications in the field of earlier and integrated testing for HIV, viral hepatitis, STI and TB and in light of lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. Conference presentations showed that combination prevention and integrated testing and care models for multiple infectious diseases are necessary and feasible in diverse settings. Successful examples of service and system adaptations developed to mitigate impact of the pandemic were shared. Aiming to ensure greater equity in health in current and future health policies and programmes and address the adverse effects of COVID-19, we must learn from the many innovative approaches to service delivery developed in response to the pandemic, many of which have the potential to reach people whose needs were not met by existing models.
Environmental risk of Covid-19 recovery
Authors: Baky Haskuee Mortaza , Asgary Ali
Published: July 2022

During Covid-19 pandemic world economy experienced negative growth rate, therefore energy consumption and consequently emission pollution decreased. According to Environmental Kuznets Curve, it is expected that energy consumption and emission pollution increase in response to Covid-19 economic recovery, even higher than its pre-pandemic level. The goal of this paper is to study the environmental risk of Covid-19 economic recovery. We use an Environmentally-Augmented Global Vector Autoregressive Model (E-GVAR) to trace dynamic effects of Covid-19 economic recovery on pollution emission. Using generalized impulse response functions (GIRFs), we investigated the effect of positive economic shocks in real per capita income in China and USA economies on total [Formula: see text] equivalent emission pollution. The results show that positive economic recovery affects emission pollution significantly. China and emerging economies may experience high risk while Europe region is moderately affected by this positive shock. A positive Economic Shock in China decrease pollution emission in USA over time. It can be attributed to substitution effect of Chinese product in global market. Generally, our results demonstrate spillover effect of transition shocks from large economies to the rest of world and highlights the importance of linkages in the world economy.
Temporal trends in hospitalisation for opportunistic infections in lupus patients in Western Australia
Authors: Nossent Johannes , Keen Helen , Preen David B , Inderjeeth Charles A
Published: July 2022

Background

Lupus patients often require aggressive immunosuppressive therapy, which increases the risk for infections. We studied the temporal rates for opportunistic infections (OI) and associated mortality in lupus patients hospitalised in Western Australia.

Methods

All patients hospitalized in the period 1985–2015 with ≥2 ICD based diagnostic codes for SLE were included. OI was defined as a microbiologically confirmed mycobacterial, fungal, or viral infection. Descriptive data are given as median (IQR) and frequency (%) with incidence rates (IR) calculated per 1000 person years and IR trend rates analysed across 10-year periods by least square regression (R2).

Results

The study cohort (n = 1408) contained 85.3% females with age at entry 35 years (IQR 22–51). During median follow-up of 21.1 years (IQR 17.5–29.6) hospitalisation for OI occurred in 121 (8.6%) patients with recurrent or multiple OI observed in 42 (34.7%) patients. During 29.771 thousand person years, a total of 295 OI were diagnosed for an overall IR rate of 9.91 (CI 8.82–11.09)/1000 person years which did not decrease significantly over time (R2 0.14). Significant decreases were however seen in the IR for tuberculosis (R2 0.88), cryptococcal (R2 0.98) and pneumocystis (R2 0.98) infections, with increasing IR observed for other mycobacteria (R2 0.99) and aspergillosis (R2 0.55) and little change seen for H Zoster (R2 0.18) and Varicella (R2 0.10) infections. In-hospital death during OI admission occurred in 9/121 patients (7.4%). There was no significant gender difference in IR or outcome of OI.

Conclusions

Hospitalization rates for OI in lupus patients have not changed significantly over time, but there has been a clear shift in the underlying OI. The decrease in mycobacterial and pneumocystis infections suggest successful prophylaxis but the increase in viral and mycotic infections indicate a sustained need to improve prevention of these OI in lupus patients.
Hunting for protective drugs at the break of a pandemic: Causal inference from hospital data
Authors: Berzuini Carlo , Bernardinelli Luisa
Published: July 2022

At the break of a pandemic, the protective efficacy of therapeutic interventions needs rapid evaluation. An experimental approach to the problem will not always be appropriate. An alternative route are observational studies, whether based on regional health service data or hospital records. In this paper, we discuss the use of methods of causal inference for the analysis of such data, with special reference to causal questions that may arise in a pandemic. We apply the methods by using the aid of a directed acyclic graph (DAG) representation of the problem, to encode our causal assumptions and to logically connect the scientific questions. We illustrate the usefulness of DAGs in the context of a controversy over the effects of renin aldosterone system inhibitors (RASIs) in hypertensive individuals at risk of (or affected by) severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 disease. We consider questions concerning the existence and the directions of those effects, their underlying mechanisms, and the possible dependence of the effects on context variables. This paper describes the cognitive steps that led to a DAG representation of the problem, based on background knowledge and evidence from past studies, and the use of the DAG to analyze our hospital data and assess the interpretive limits of the results. Our study contributed to subverting early opinions about RASIs, by suggesting that these drugs may indeed protect the older hypertensive Covid-19 patients from the consequences of the disease. Mechanistic interaction methods revealed that the benefit may be greater (in a sense to be made clear) in the older stratum of the population.
Comparison of outcomes of different osteotomy sites for hallux valgus: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Fukushi Jun-ichi , Tanaka Hirofumi , Nishiyama Takayuki , Hirao Makoto , Kubota Makoto , Kakihana Masataka , Nozawa Daisuke , Watanabe Kota , Okuda Ryuzo
Published: July 2022

Background

Hallux valgus (HV) is a common foot deformity for which several corrective surgical procedures, with different osteotomy sites, have been reported. The purpose of the present study was to systematically review randomized (RCTs) or controlled (CCTs) clinical trials and perform meta-analysis on outcomes of different osteotomy sites of the first metatarsal.

Methods

An extensive literature search was conducted in PubMed and the Cochrane Library from January 1983 to July 2020. Studies were identified using the terms “hallux valgus” and “osteotomy”. We included RCTs or CCTs comparing different locations of osteotomy for the first metatarsal bone (distal vs. mid-shaft, distal vs. proximal, and mid-shaft vs. proximal). The surgical outcomes included postoperative hallux valgus angle (HVA), intermetatarsal angle (IMA), American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score, pain visual analog scale (VAS) score, perioperative complications and recurrence of deformity. We enrolled 10 studies with a total of 793 feet in the qualitative synthesis following full-text screening.

Results

A majority of patients included in the enrolled trials showed mild to moderate deformity, with mean HVA <40°. Out of the 10 enrolled studies; six compared distal osteotomies with mid-shaft osteotomies and showed no significant differences in the surgical outcomes between the scarf and chevron groups; three RCTs compared distal osteotomies with proximal osteotomies with conflicting results, one RCT showed the superiority of proximal osteotomy while the other two RCTs showed equivalent outcomes; one study that compared between mid-shaft and proximal osteotomies showed equivalent outcomes between the groups.

Conclusion

For the management of mild to moderate HV deformity, we found no significant clinical and radiological differences between patients treated with scarf and chevron osteotomies. Further controlled trials comparing different sites of osteotomies for moderate to severe HV deformity are needed.
The ethical chatbot: A viable solution to socio-legal issues
Authors: Ng Jenny , Haller Emma , Murray Angus
Published: July 2022

Chatbots are becoming important today because of their various technical functions. They are commonly known for providing legal guidance on processes and general information. However, chatbots can also help solve issues of social disconnectedness. This article takes a wide view of the various types of chatbot that deal with socio-legal issues, with a focus on the use of chatbots by organisations that provide certain forms of legal services, such as community legal services. It highlights the chatbot’s ability to create a social impact, while ensuring adherence to rules of legal ethics and principles of ethics in Artificial Intelligence.
The Impact of Nurses’ Beliefs, Attitudes, and Cultural Sensitivity on the Management of Patient Pain
Authors: Kuhlmann Emily H. , Tallman Benjamin A.
Published: July 2022

Introduction:

Nurses’ attitudes and beliefs may impact pain management. This study investigated nurses’ perceptions regarding their own and patients’ pain experiences by examining relationships between pain cautiousness and stoicism, cultural sensitivity, and personal pain attitudes.

Methodology:

A correlational methodology examined nursing staff in a Midwestern private hospital. The sample included 102 primarily female (95.1%), Caucasian (97%), and married (66%) nursing staff. Measures included the Intercultural Sensitivity Scale, Pain Attitudes Questionnaire to Assess Stoicism and Cautiousness, and the Pain Management: Nurses’ Knowledge and Attitude Survey.

Results:

Cultural sensitivity was a significant predictor of pain knowledge and attitudes total score ( R2 = .081, β = .244, p = .040), while pain stoicism and pain cautiousness were not predictive.

Discussion:

Findings highlight the importance of nurses being aware of personal attitudes, beliefs, and cultural sensitivity in pain management. Results also demonstrate a gap between the knowledge and utilization of nonpharmacologic pain management interventions among nursing staff.
Team-Member Role Characteristics as Predictors of Response Behavior on Team-Related Surveys
Authors: Ingels Daniel J. , Spitzmueller Christiane , Thomas Candice L. , Kazmi Maryam A. , Allen Natalie J. , Hysong Sylvia
Published: July 2022

Although substantive research examining work teams continues to grow, methodological research examining the collection of team survey data lags behind substantive progress. To address this research gap, we test how individual and team characteristics affect one’s likelihood of completing a team survey. Using multilevel ordinal logistic regression analysis of human resources information systems data and survey responses from 3,403 clinical staff within 900 multidisciplinary healthcare teams, we found that time dedicated to the team, leadership status, and team size relate to response behavior, with differential effects for men and women. We discuss implications for team research in real-world organizational contexts.
Review of Diet Protocols Following Orthognathic Surgery and Analysis of Postoperative Weight Loss
Authors: Irgebay Zhazira , Beiriger Jamison C. , Beiriger Justin W. , Matinrazm Sayna , Natali Megan , Yi Cleo , Smetona John , Schuster Lindsay , Goldstein Jesse A.
Published: July 2022

Introduction

Orthognathic surgery is routinely practiced, yet little comparative data exists to evaluate post-orthognathic surgery diet protocols.

Objective

To evaluate which postoperative diet protocols are recommended and to quantify post-orthognathic surgery weight changes in our institutional cohort.

Methods

An internet search was carried out on Google for “orthognathic surgery diet” and the postoperative diet recommendations from centers worldwide were quantified. Additionally, a retrospective analysis of patients that underwent orthognathic surgery at our institution was performed, and their preoperative and postoperative weights were recorded.

Results

The internet search yielded 58 centers that met our inclusion criteria. Most centers were in the United States (n = 37, 63.8%) and were oral and maxillofacial surgeon (OMFS)-led centers (n = 39, 67.2%). Postoperative diets were categorized into 7 distinct protocols, ranging from most to least restrictive—the most popular was liquid diet for 2 to 4 weeks followed by soft diet for 2 to 6 weeks. There were no significant patterns observed across different geographical regions or specialties. In our institution, 135 patients were identified. Overall, there was an average maximum weight loss of 4.1 kg by week 4, followed by a gradual increase in weight. Linear regression analysis showed that patients with greater preoperative body mass index (BMI) lost more weight postoperatively than patients with lower BMI (R2 = 0.25, P < .001).

Conclusion

There is a significant variability in recommended postoperative diets following orthognathic surgery. Following a moderately restrictive diet at our institution, patients returned to their preoperative weight after approximately 4 months.
Advancing Representation Theory to Reflect the Police Reform Process in Post-Troubles West Belfast
Authors: Bunnell Ella Klahr
Published: July 2022

Policing institutions throughout the world face a legitimacy crisis. This crisis’ immediacy necessitates the exploration of theories that provide answers regarding effective reforms. The representation theory of policing offers one such answer; it holds that accountability mechanisms are an avenue for public input that increases confidence in police and affords them democratic legitimacy. This article applies and evaluates representation theory by examining one such reform attempt: post-Troubles policing restructuring and its impact on relations between police and the militant nationalist community within West Belfast. It assesses print media coverage of accountability reforms throughout the peace negotiation period and the early years of reform implementation and ultimately affirms the association between police legitimacy and accountability; however, it also suggests that this association is more complex than a simple positive correlation. Rather, legitimacy is correlated with public debate regarding accountability that encompasses both positive and negative evaluations of policing. This indicates that the predominance of police accountability as a subject of public discourse may serve as an essential component of efforts to instill policing with democratic legitimacy. The article presents an original model of representation theory that more accurately reflects the dynamics of legitimacy-building efforts in West Belfast and proposes applications of this advancement to the contemporary, global movement advocating for police reform.
Seismic control of the structures with active tuned mass damper and variable fractional order fuzzy proportional–integral–derivative controller
Authors: Amini Milad , Waezi Zakariya , Manthouri Mohammad
Published: July 2022

The structural control of the building is a critical part of mitigating the catastrophic consequences of the earthquakes. The active control of structures has gained popularity in the construction industry because of its ability to adapt to different ground motion characteristics. The active tuned mass damper (ATMD) is one of the most versatile devices used for active structural control. This paper uses the ATMD and variable fractional order fuzzy PID (VFOFPID) controller for improving the performance of building structures subjected to horizontal ground motions. Having obtained the response of an 11-story shear building with this controller, the optimized control forces are determined through the pattern search algorithm and the performance indices of the system subjected to 100 different ground motions are evaluated. The performance indices are compared with those of uncontrolled as well as genetic fuzzy and fuzzy PID controlled structure. The results indicate that the VFOFPID controller proposed here can effectively reduce the drift and the absolute acceleration of the structure.
Dentists Who Participate in Medicaid: Who They Are, Where They Locate, How They Practice
Authors: Nasseh Kamyar , Fosse Chelsea , Vujicic Marko
Published: July 2022

Low utilization of dental services among low-income individuals and racial minorities reflects pervasive inequities in U.S. health care. There is limited research determining common characteristics among dentists who participate in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Using detailed Medicaid claims data and a provider database, we estimate that among dentists with 100 or more pediatric Medicaid patients, 48% practice in high-poverty areas, 10% practice in rural areas, and 29% work in large practices (11 or more dentists). Among those with zero Medicaid patients, 18% practice in high-poverty areas, 4% practice in rural areas, and 11% work in large practices. We found that dentist race/ethnicity has an independent effect on Medicaid participation even when adjusting for community characteristics, meaning non-White dentists are more likely to treat Medicaid patients, regardless of the median income or racial/ethnic profile of the community.
Determination of the fracture energy under mode I loading of a honeycomb/carbon-epoxy sandwich panel using the asymmetric double cantilever beam test
Authors: de Moura Marcelo FSF , Moreira Raul DF , Rocha Ricardo JB , Oliveira Cristiana FM
Published: July 2022

The asymmetric double cantilever beam (ADCB) test was used to measure the fracture energy of a honeycomb/carbon-epoxy sandwich panel under mode I loading. A data reduction scheme based on equivalent crack length theory was developed for this case. The experimental Resistance-curves were obtained using exclusively data ensuing from the load-displacement curves avoiding the usual and non-rigorous crack length monitoring during the test. Furthermore, a mode partitioning methodology lying on cohesive zone modelling was adopted, aiming to estimate the fracture energy under mode I loading from the total fracture energy under mixed-mode I+II ensuing from the ADCB test. Numerical simulations of the ADCB test considering cohesive zone modelling were performed for the sake of validation of the followed procedure.
A theory-based approach to designing interventions for Planetary Health
Authors: Brousselle Astrid , McDavid Jim , Curren Megan , Logtenberg Rik , Dunbar Bronwyn , Ney Tara
Published: July 2022

The current existential crises crystallize an urgent need for us all to contribute to meeting international environmental and social commitments. The message is clear: we need to take action. However, one of the challenges for decision-makers leading the transition is the dearth of practical tools and approaches available. Even in our field, evaluations are still based on practices which systematically overlook important determinants of human health, neglecting what matters most for our societies to thrive. This article aims to build on existing knowledge of program theories, theories of change, and theory-based evaluations to create a practical approach to designing interventions, while taking into account human and natural systems: what is referred to as evaluating for Planetary Health. A key purpose is to explore how we can conceptualize and elaborate interventions, taking into account their implications for Planetary Health, to suggest improvements or alternatives to existing programs, projects, or policies.
Speaking truth to power: Exploring a Ministry’s evaluation department through evaluators’ and policymakers’ eyes
Authors: Levelt Lotte , Pouw Nicky
Published: July 2022

‘Evidence-based’ development policy has caused impact evaluations to prioritise accountability over addressing processual learning questions. Moreover, evaluation scholarship is dominated by surveys, whereas qualitative research remains scant. This article traces one particular evaluation, within the independent Evaluation Department of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It asks, ‘How do evaluators and policymakers interact and what adjustments follow from the illustrative evaluation?’ It used participant observations, documents and interviews with policymakers and evaluators. An in-depth thematic analysis resulted in a typology of evaluator roles: (1) knowledge broker, (2) facilitator, (3) archive, (4) truth-revealing and (5) critical voice. Finally, policymakers and managers adjusted in three ways: symbolic, instrumental and empowerment. These results imply that if evaluators deliberate a suitable role, they (1) increase their partial understandings of the programme under scrutiny and the involved stakeholders, and (2) enhance the potential of synergies in collective learning to emerge in an evaluation team and the broader institution.