bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characteristics of the Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer under the Influence of Ocean Surface Waves
Authors: Liu Changlong , Li Xinyu , Song Jinbao , Zou Zhongshui , Huang Jian , Zhang Jun A. , Jie Ganxin , Wang Jun
Published: March 2022

The deviation of the mean wind profile from Monin–Obukhov similarity theory (MOST) within the wave boundary layer (WBL) is investigated by combining four levels of turbulence data measured on a fixed platform with wave measurements. The data suggest that the mean wind profile follows MOST under wind-sea conditions because the turbulence statistics and structure are consistent with the attached eddy model. However, pronounced swell-related peaks appeared in the velocity spectra and uw cospectra under swell conditions. The upward wave-induced stress resulted in a large wind gradient within the WBL when light winds traveled with the swell, while the opposite result was found for the wind-opposite swell. These phenomena were analyzed based on the velocity spectra and turbulence variances. We found that the deviation of the wind profile was due to the longer or shorter length of the f  −1 scaling region appearing in the velocity spectra.

Significance Statement

The interactions between ocean waves and adjacent airflow affect the functioning of Earth’s climate and weather systems. However, our physical understanding of air–wave interactions remains incomplete, for example, the deviation of the mean wind profile from Monin–Obukhov similarity theory within the wave boundary layer. In this study, we aim to provide new insights by analyzing four-level turbulence data and wave measurements. We found that when the local wind travels faster than the wave, the airflow over the wavy surface is similar to that over land because the effects of waves do not reach the measurement heights. In conditions with wind-following or -opposing fast-propagating waves, the overlying airflow is greatly modified as the turbulence is affected by wave-induced perturbations.
A Time-Dependent Sverdrup Relation and Its Application to the Indian Ocean
Authors: Chen Gengxin , Huang Rui Xin , Peng Qihua , Chu Xiaoqing
Published: March 2022

The Sverdrup relation is the backbone of wind-driven circulation theory; it is a simple relation between the meridional transport of the wind-driven circulation in the upper ocean and the wind stress curl. However, the relation is valid for steady circulation only. In this study, a time-dependent Sverdrup relation is postulated, in which the meridional transport in a time-dependent circulation is the sum of the local wind stress curl term and a time-delayed term representing the effect of the eastern boundary condition. As an example, this time-dependent Sverdrup relation is evaluated through its application to the equatorial circulation in the Indian Ocean, using reanalysis data and a reduced gravity model. Close examination reveals that the southward Somali Current occurring during boreal winter is due to the combination of the local wind stress curl in the Arabian Sea and delayed signals representing the time change of layer thickness at the eastern boundary.

Significance Statement

Sverdrup balance dictates the law of meridional transport of steady circulation in the upper ocean, and has been one of the foundations upon which our understanding of ocean circulation is built. However, for circulation forced by time-varying wind stress, with annual, interannual and decadal frequency, the governing law remains elusive. In this study, we introduce a time-dependent Sverdrup relation applicable to time-dependent wind-driven circulation. As an example, this relation is used to diagnose the monsoon-driven circulation in the Indian Ocean.
Operationalizing Legitimacy
Authors: Schoon Eric W.
Published: March 2022

Legitimacy is widely invoked as a condition, cause, and outcome of other social phenomena, yet measuring legitimacy is a persistent challenge. In this article, I synthesize existing approaches to conceptualizing legitimacy across the social sciences to identify widely agreed upon definitional properties. I then build on these points of consensus to develop a generalizable approach to operationalization. Legitimacy implies specific relationships among three empirical elements: an object of legitimacy, an audience that confers legitimacy, and a relationship between the two. Together, these empirical elements constitute a dyad (i.e., a single unit consisting of two nodes and a tie). I identify three necessary conditions for legitimacy— expectations, assent, and conformity—that specify how elements of the dyad interact. I detail how these conditions can be used to empirically establish legitimacy (and illegitimacy), distinguishing it from dissimilar phenomena that often appear similar empirically. Followed to its logical conclusion, this operationalization has novel implications for understanding the effects of legitimacy. I discuss these implications, and how they inform debates over the relevance of legitimacy as an explanation for socially significant outcomes.
Better together? Civil society coordination during peace negotiations
Authors: Eschmann Nathanael , Nilsson Desirée
Published: March 2022

Extensive research has been conducted in the field of peacebuilding concerning the role of civil society in peace negotiations. However, although research has stressed the importance of coordination among civil society groups, we have limited knowledge concerning the impact civil society coordination can have on the content of a peace agreement. This article addresses this gap by examining how the extent of coordination among civil society groups during peace negotiations influences the reflectiveness of a peace agreement in regard to civil society viewpoints. We argue that a high extent of coordination, where civil society actors coordinate tasks and spearhead viewpoints together, can help facilitate peace agreements that are more reflective of civil society group views. Based on a comparative analysis of Guatemala and El Salvador, the findings show that whereas coordination between different civil society groups was quite extensive in both peace processes, civil society viewpoints were inscribed into the peace agreement to a larger extent in the Guatemalan case. We identify two factors that contribute in shaping how coordination influences the content of peace accords: symmetrical transfer of information, and openness from the negotiation parties to consider suggestions from civil society.
The “Learning Disabilities-to-Prison” Pipeline: Evidence From the Add Health National Longitudinal Study
Authors: Mallett Christopher A. , Quinn Linda , Yun Jinhee , Fukushima-Tedor Miyuki
Published: March 2022

Young people with learning disabilities, and in particular those of color, are significantly more at risk for having school difficulties, delinquency, and incarceration. The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) data were used to investigate how learning disabilities, school experiences, gender, and race impacted delinquency and criminal activity and incarceration—looking at a learning disabilities-to-prison link. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the relationship between measured variables and latent constructs, comparing those young people with learning disabilities and those without. It was found that these pathways are quite complicated to discern; reflecting the current knowledge of this “learning disabilities pipeline” hypothesis. For young people with learning disabilities compared to young people without learning disabilities, juvenile delinquency was more likely if the young person was male or Hispanic; criminal activities were more likely for Black children and for those delinquent or incarcerated as a juvenile; and females were less likely to be incarcerated as an adult, but school dropouts, Black children, and those incarcerated as a juvenile were more likely. Implications are set forth, as well as recommendations to stakeholders.
SARS-CoV-2 Viral Incidence, Antibody Point Prevalence, Associated Population Characteristics, and Vaccine Attitudes, South Carolina, February 2021
Authors: Nolan Melissa S. , Daguise Virginie , Davis Megan , Duwve Joan M. , Sherrill Windsor Westbrook , Heo Moonseong , Litwin Alain H. , Kanyangarara Mufaro , Self Stella , Huang Rongjie , Eberth Jan M. , Gual-Gonzalez Lídia , Lynn Mary K. , Korte Jeffrey , Deans Kenneth R , Fryar Katrina , Siebenschuh Jessica , Adams Graham , Cockrell Sarah , Patel Nitin , Thomas Darin , Ancheta Roxanne , Hagins Scott , Johnson Danielle , Ross Connor , Best O’Neal , Wills Madlyn , Collins Madison , Khalil Sammy , King Darin , Henry Sophie , Morrisey Josephine A. , Yan Michael , Hornaday Amelia , Parkhomenko Kateryna , Shirley Callie , Hildebrandt Sadie , Cowan Hanson , Drake Abbie , Blair-Kennedy Ann
Published: March 2022

The SARS-CoV-2 outbreak from October 2020 through February 2021 was the largest outbreak as of February 2021, and timely information on current representative prevalence, vaccination, and loss of prior antibody protection was unknown. In February 2021, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control conducted a random sampling point prevalence investigation consisting of viral and antibody testing and an associated health survey, after selecting participants aged ≥5 years using a population proportionate to size of South Carolina residents. A total of 1917 residents completed a viral test, 1803 completed an antibody test, and 1463 completed ≥1 test and a matched health survey. We found an incidence of 2.16 per 100 residents and seroprevalence of 16.4% among South Carolina residents aged ≥5 years. Undetectable immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin M antibodies were noted in 28% of people with a previous positive test result, highlighting the need for targeted education among people who may be susceptible to reinfection. We also found a low rate of vaccine hesitancy in the state (13%). The results of this randomly selected surveillance and associated health survey have important implications for prospective COVID-19 public health response efforts. Most notably, this article provides a feasible framework for prompt rollout of a statewide evidence-based surveillance initiative.
Chasing Elite Higher Education: Shadow Education and Middle-Class Strategies of Credentialism Around the Indian Institute of Technology-Joint Entrance Exam
Authors: Punjabi Shalini
Published: March 2022

The higher education system in India is creating newer structures of hierarchy and differentiation to become distinct. This is largely due to the rising demand for professional education, the returns of which are perceived to be higher than a general degree. Middle-class families have always operated within distinctive structural frameworks to contest for social cachet through education. In India, one such arena is the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). To determine who is meritorious enough to secure an IIT seat, the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) has become the arbiter where merit is the relative rank of contestants and shadow education a key training site to ace the JEE. This article is based on a sociological analysis of family credentialing strategies around shadow education that prepares aspirants for the IIT-JEE. Drawing on an analysis of the middle class in Delhi, I discuss how these strategies are feeding fodder to the aspirants’ dream of pursuing an IIT degree and exacerbating educational stratification. I also show how the private coaching market in India reinforces this divide by way of a segregation policy which incentivises a few to secure higher ranks in the JEE.
The boy on the beach: Shifts in US policy discourses on Syrian asylum following the death of Alan Kurdi
Authors: Imanishi Kelsey Oliver
Published: March 2022

The impact of iconic imagery on policymaking during humanitarian crises is oft-discussed within the literature. When rapid humanitarianization or sudden policy shifts emerge, researchers seek to identify why. One potential explanation is that of ‘focusing events’ – sudden, harmful events which destabilize political consensuses and elevate marginal agendas. While focusing events have been used to explain the impact of large-scale accidents and disasters, this paper extends their usage to activist-generated events such as the iconization of images of the drowned Syrian toddler, Alan Kurdi, during the 2015 migrant crisis. In exploring the Kurdi images’ impact on US media and political discourses of asylum, this paper finds that asylum-related discourses became increasingly sympathetic and domestically focused, eventually culminating in the announcement of an increase in resettlement targets for Syrian migrants. By expanding conceptualizations of focusing events to cases such as Kurdi’s, this paper supplements understandings of the agenda-setting function of iconic imagery.
The ugly truth about pipe stem bore diameter dating
Authors: Custer Jay F.
Published: March 2022

The usual practice of presenting and considering age estimates derived from pipe stem bore diameters as individual point estimates is incorrect, misleading, and ignores the true nature of the data set. Consideration of the age estimates as a range of values described by the mean and standard deviation correctly and more accurately reflects the nature of the data set, the probabilistic characteristics of the calculations, and allows for explicit evaluations of the similarities and differences among age estimates using inferential statistics.
Inventory of Dating Stress: Initial psychometric evaluation and construct validity
Authors: Sullivan Timothy J. , Davila Joanne
Published: March 2022

There is limited research on dating stress, or stressful experiences related to the dating process (e.g., inconsistent communication, sudden lack of response, and rude behavior). Little attention has been given to classifying stressors involved with the pursuit of potential partners from initial contact to relationship formation. In the current study, we developed a novel measure for such experiences, the Inventory of Dating Stress (IDS). We investigated the factor structure and preliminary construct validity for the IDS in an online sample of adults ( n = 478). Results revealed a reliable four-factor structure (Mixed Signals, Mismatch, Ambiguous Rejection, and Harassment) across 18 items and the IDS demonstrated initial construct validity. Overall, the current study offers evidence of preliminary psychometric support for the IDS as a measure of dating stress.
Development of Practical and Cost-Effective Ultra-High-Performance Engineered Cementitious Composites Using Natural Sand and No Silica Fume
Authors: Game Daniel , Arce Gabriel , Hassan Marwa M. , Noorvand Hassan , Subedi Sujata , Rupnow Tyson
Published: March 2022

The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of developing practical and cost-effective ultra-high-performance engineered cementitious composites (UHP-ECCs) using natural river sand and no silica fume (SF). Fresh and hardened properties of composites utilizing river sand, with and without SF, and incorporating 1.5 and 2 vol% (volume percent) ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene fibers were evaluated. Furthermore, matrix and fiber/matrix interface properties were investigated. Experimental results showed that the inclusion of SF generally produced negative impacts in the mechanical strength (i.e., compressive, tensile, and flexural) and ductility of the composites, which was mainly attributed to a worsening fiber dispersion. This was supported by the loss in workability observed when increasing fiber content or implementing SF. Clear tendencies in the effect of fiber content on the mechanical strength of the composites were not observed. However, increment in fiber content decreased the tensile ductility of the materials, presumably because of poor fiber dispersion. All the mixtures evaluated exhibited pseudo strain-hardening (PSH) behavior and ECC-like ductility, which was supported by the PSH strength and energy indexes obtained, which exceeded the minimum recommended values for robust PSH behavior. Practical and cost-effective UHP-ECC materials (i.e., cementitious composites simultaneously exhibiting compressive strength >120 MPa and tensile strain capacity >2%) using natural river sand and no SF were successfully developed, which to the authors’ knowledge was achieved for the first time.
Corridor-Based Procedure for Determining Longitudinal Barrier Length of Need
Authors: Riexinger Luke E. , Johnson Nicholas S. , Gabler Hampton C.
Published: March 2022

Determining the optimal length of need (LON) to prevent vehicles from striking roadside hazards is an important part of roadside design. Although barriers can provide significant safety benefits by preventing run-off-road (ROR) crashes, the barrier itself presents a small but nonzero risk of serious injury or fatality. The purpose of this study is to present a method for quantifying the protection of barrier LON using departure corridors developed with NCHRP 17-43 data. Based on real-world ROR crash trajectories from the NCHRP 17-43 database, departure corridors were constructed. This study focused on a subset of 171 crashes on roads with a speed limit between 60 and 80 km/h with a reconstructed impact speed. In these crashes, the vehicle trajectory was interrupted by either a collision or a rollover. Our approach was to extrapolate the trajectory that could have been followed by the vehicle had the collision not occurred. The original trajectory data were retained before impact and extrapolated after impact using a linear fit. These corridors incorporated the effects of hazard location, departure side, and barrier location on the runout length. Left-side departures required a longer LON to intercept the same proportion of crashes. The runout length needed for objects close to the road based on the corridor method was much smaller than the length recommended by the 2011 Roadside Design Guide. The benefit of this corridor-based approach to barrier placement is that each agency can balance barrier length and the proportion of encroachments intercepted depending on their priorities.
Quantitative Analysis of Hurricane Harvey Impacts on Texas Maritime Facilities
Authors: Bathgate Kyle , Perez de la Cruz Antonio , Zhang Zhanmin
Published: March 2022

As extreme weather events increase in frequency and intensity with the effects of climate change, it is paramount to understand the impacts on- and resilience of critical infrastructure systems when confronted with natural disasters such as hurricanes. Hurricane Harvey disrupted port operations in the Houston, TX region in 2017, forcing the Port of Houston to close for a week and subsequently disrupting the operations and recovery of local industries. This study quantified the impacts of Hurricane Harvey on actual vessel movements in the Houston region, using data extracted from the automatic identification system. Data sets from 2016 and 2017 were employed to provide comparisons between a period of assumed “typical” operations and a period of disruption from Hurricane Harvey. The impacts were statistically analyzed using the metrics of net vessel count (NVC) and dwell time distribution, and the analysis was performed at Barbour’s Cut Container Terminal and the Houston Pass anchorage area. Results indicate that NVC experienced perturbations in both the container terminal and the general anchorage area. Statistically significant increases in dwell time were detected for both study locations, indicating that Hurricane Harvey created longer service and queuing times at both the port and anchorage scale. Although the study provides a quantitative postdisaster assessment of the impacts of Hurricane Harvey on port operations, the methods and metrics detailed in this paper could be applied to other ports for assessing the impacts of a disruption on their operations using publicly available data sets.
The State, the assailant? Guaranteeing economic and social rights after widespread violence through the Inter-American Court of Human Rights
Authors: Torres Felix E.
Published: March 2022

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights has traditionally addressed the socio-economic wrongs that result from episodes of widespread violence indirectly, under the lens of civil and political rights abuses. This article provides a historical explanation of this approach and expands on the limitations that follow from it in the Court's jurisprudence. Using empirical data on victims and perpetrators in countries affected by armed conflict and organised crime, the article measures the magnitude of these limitations. To overcome them, it suggests that the right to a ‘dignified life’ and recent developments concerning the enforceability of economic and social rights be applied after widespread violence, following the lead of the Colombian Constitutional Court regarding the protection of internally displaced people by violence.
Synthesis and characterization of PI gel carbonized material and its use in a supercapacitor
Authors: Yu Juan , Ding Chengcheng , Lv Xiuwei , Huang Pei
Published: March 2022

In this study, a polyimide gel material with a high spatial network structure was synthesized. The pyrolysis process increased the material’s porous structure and specific surface area to improve the specific capacitance. The effects of pyrolysis temperature on morphology, structure, thermal, mechanical, and electrochemical properties were studied. The gel material is in the frozen state of the molecular chain from the frozen state to the moving state before 400°C. At the same time, pore structure formation with a weight loss rate of 11.9% in the decomposition state at 400°C–600°C, showing the breakage of the molecular chain and the decomposition of the polymer. With the increase of carbonized temperature, the pore structure becomes more compact while the pore size becomes smaller due to the reconstruction of the polymer structure. Meanwhile, due to the stable formation of carbon skeleton and the increase of carbon amount, the PI gel carbonized material’s thermal conductivity was improved to 1.458 [Formula: see text], which was 330% higher than that of pure PI gel (0.339 [Formula: see text]). Furthermore, the carbonized materials exhibit a specific capacitance of 66.17 [Formula: see text] and show good redox reversibility, apparent concentration polarization and good ion diffusion effect during charging and discharging, suggesting it is a promising electrode material for supercapacitors.
Development of the marine Holocene environment in a drowned paleovalley with final anthropic influence in the Cartagena Bay (Murcia, SE Spain)
Authors: Torres Trinidad , Ortiz José E , Ramallo Sebastián , Ros Milagros , Sánchez-Palencia Yolanda , Blázquez Ana , Cerezo Felipe , López-Cilla Ignacio , Galán Luis A , Borrego Ángeles G , Ruiz-Zapata Blanca , José Gil María , Manteca Ignacio , Rodríguez-Estrella Tomás
Published: March 2022

Sedimentological, paleobiological, mineralogical, and geochemical analyses of a sediment core retrieved on the seafront of Cartagena Bay were performed after high-resolution sampling. A wide series of dates obtained through radiocarbon and amino acid racemization proved that the Holocene record on the analyzed core began at ca. 7300 yr cal BP. Reinterpretation of the marine seismic profiles indicated that the beginning of this transgression was channeled along erosive paleochannels excavated on a coastal plain of, at least, MIS5c age. The Holocene paleoenvironmental evolution consisted of a first period marked by marine conditions with strong inputs from a fan delta linked to the reorganized fluvial network that occurred after the sudden rise of the base level, which caused a growing sedimentary prism. Later, the full marine environment was reflected in the development of a Posidonia- Cymodocea meadow hosting a rich biodiversity of marine species (mollusks, foraminifera, ostracoda). Around 3800 yr cal BP, the area underwent a profound change and a silting process started to alter the conditions, turning the area into a paucispecific brackish marsh environment in which mud deposition was dominant. Since Carthaginian times, arrangement works locally affected the record, allowing the arrival of some marine species due to port work (dredging) undertaken to gain depth and showing anthropic influence.
Research progress of BK virus and systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Zhao Jiawei , You Xin , Zeng Xiaofeng
Published: March 2022

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease in which patients are often infected by viruses due to deficient immunity or immunosuppressant use. BK virus (BKV)mainly affects the kidney and can also cause multiple organ involvement throughout the body, which is similar to SLE. BKV is mostly a latent infection in vivo. The incidence of virus reactivation is higher in SLE patients. Reactivation of BKV can induce the production of autoantibodies, thereby promoting the occurrence and development of SLE.

Purpose: Aim of this article is to review the prevalence and pathegenesis of BKV infection in SLE patients.

Method: The literature search was conducted using four different databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus and Web of Science.

Results: BK virus is higher infection and reactivation in SLE patients. The "hapten carrier" mechanism may lead to the production of autoantibodies. Some immunosuppressive drugs, like leflumide and hydroxychloroquine, may show a protective effect.

Conclusions: BKV infection plays a role in the occurrence and development of SLE, and its significance deserves further exploration.
Home Infusion Therapy: Utilization Under the Medicare Part B Temporary Transitional Payment
Authors: Hamilton Morris , Juergens Mary , Zheng Qing , Campbell Elizabeth , Plotzke Michael
Published: March 2022

The Bipartisan Budget Act (BBA) of 20181 created a temporary transitional payment (TTP) through Medicare Part B, which establishes fee-for-service (FFS) payment for eligible home infusion suppliers when they furnish home infusion therapy (HIT) service visits by skilled professionals in a beneficiary’s home on the day of HIT drug administration. Payment varies by 3 condition-specific payment categories. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented the TTP on January 1, 2019. The TTP ended when the permanent HIT benefit began on January 1, 2021. To better understand how beneficiaries utilized this benefit during the TTP period, we examine trends in HIT services utilization between January 2019 and December 2020. Despite being new, the HIT benefit showed only a slight ramp-up phase, with a stable level of visits evolving over the remainder of 2019 and early 2020. Utilization decreased during the COVID-19 public health emergency, especially for infusion drugs related to heart failure and cancer. Additionally, relative to the geographic distribution of the Medicare FFS population, HIT service visit users are concentrated in the mid-Atlantic states. HIT service visit users are more likely to be young, white or black, and urban dwelling, compared to the general Medicare FFS beneficiaries.
Pillar tarsoconjunctival flap: An alternative approach for the management of refractory corneal ulcer
Authors: Zamorano-Martin Francisco , Rocha-de-Lossada Carlos , Rodriguez-Calvo-de-Mora Marina , Sanchez-España Juan Carlos , Garcia-Lorente Maria , Borroni Davide , Peraza-Nieves Jorge , Ortiz-Perez Santiago , Torras-Sanvicens Josep
Published: March 2022

Purpose

To report the effectiveness of the surgical procedure of the tarsoconjunctival flap (FTC) in patients with severe ocular surface impairment refractory to previous conventional treatments.

Methods

A retrospective, noncomparative, consecutive case series.

Results

Pillar tarsoconjunctival flap (PTCF) was performed in eight eyes of eight patients. Three patients had neurotrophic corneal ulcer (NCU), three had exposure keratopathy and two had corneal melting. Seven of them had satisfactory postoperative results, showing total corneal re-epithelialization that lasted throughout the postoperative follow-up (mean 10.33 ± 2.65 months [SD], range 6 to 12 months). Mean time for the re-epithelization was 11.28 ± 8.97 days [SD] (range 4 to 30 days).

Conclusion

This study suggest PTCF is a valid alternative to tarsorrhaphy in cases of persistent epithelial defect (PED) or NCU resistant to conventional treatments. Notwithstanding, prospective comparative trials comparing PTFC with conventional and/or novel therapies in PED or NCU are needed to corroborate these findings.
Suprachoroidal triamcinolone acetonide injection: a novel therapy for serous retinal detachment due to Vogt-Koyanagi Harada disease
Authors: Tabl Ahmed Abdelshafy , Elsayed Mohamed Anany , Tabl Marwa Abdelshafy
Published: March 2022

Purpose

To assess the efficacy and safety of Suprachoroidal triamcinolone acetonide injection [SCTA] as an adjunctive therapy in management of Vogt-Koyanagi Harada [VKH] serous retinal detachment.

Design

Prospective parallel group study.

Participants

12 eyes of 6 patients with bilateral multiple serous retinal detachment of VKH in acute phase on systemic steroids.

Methods

Each patient was received single SCTA injection (SCTA group, n = 6 eyes) and the other non-injected eye (Standard treatment group, n = 6 eyes), patients were followed for 1, 3, and 6 months to assess changes in best corrected visual acuity [BCVA], central foveal thickness [CFT] and intraocular pressure [IOP] between both groups.

Main outcome measures

The primary end point was changes in BCVA from baseline till 6th months follow-up. Secondary end points were changes in CFT and IOP from baseline to 6 months of follow-up.

Results

BCVA at one and three months was significantly better in eyes received SCTA than in non-injected eyes (p-value = 0.026 for each). CFT at one and three months was significantly higher in non-injected eyes than in eyes received SCTA (p-value = 0.028 for each). IOP showed no significant differences between both groups.

Conclusions

SCTA is an effective adjuvant treatment for VKH serous retinal detachment, without any serious ocular adverse effects or increase in IOP and causing significant reduction in CFT and rapid improvement in BCVA when combined with oral steroids.
“Stop & drop”- a modified “stop & chop” phacoemulsification technique for cataract surgery
Authors: Mtanes Kamal , Mimouni Michael , Sommer Adir C. , Blumenthal Eytan Z.
Published: March 2022

Purpose

To introduce a novel technique termed “stop and drop” for creating the first crack in the initial hemi-nucleus, eliminating the need to slip a chopper under the anterior capsular rim during horizontal chopping, hence lowering the risk of capsular or zonular damage.

Methods

Placing a blunt chopper tip on the upper surface of the hemisection proximal to the capsular edge and pressing it downward to initiate a crack in a pinching manoeuvre. Once a crack has formed, the chopper can slide to the side, widening the crack and assisting the phaco needle to pull out the first fragment.

Results

The technique was used in over 100 cases of cataracts successfully. No radial tear, posterior capsule rupture or zonulolysis occurred.

Conclusions

“Stop and drop” is an effective and safe technique for performing phacoemulsification. It is not suitable for soft nuclei where the chopper will likely “cheese-wire” through the nuclear material.
Open-Label Pilot Study of a Single Intra-Articular Injection of Mannitol-Modified Cross-Linked Hyaluronic Acid (HANOX-M-XL) for the Treatment of the First Metatarsophalangeal Osteoarthritis (Hallux Rigidus): The REPAR Trial
Authors: Galois Laurent , Coillard Jean-Yves , Porterie Jérôme , Melac-Ducamp Sylvie , Conrozier Thierry
Published: March 2022

Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to obtain information on safety and short-term efficiency of a single intra-articular injection of mannitol-modified cross-linked hyaluronic acid (HANOX-M-XL) in patients with painful first metatarsophalangeal joint osteoarthritis (1stMTPJ-OA).

Methods:

The study involved an observational, single-arm, prospective multicentre trial, with a 3-month follow-up. Inclusion criteria were patients with symptomatic 1st MTPJ-OA not relieved by analgesics and / or non-steroidal-anti-inflammatory drugs and / or foot orthotic. All patients received a single, imaging-guided intra-articular (IA) injection of 1 mL of HANOX-M-XL in the 1st MTPJ. The primary outcome was the change in pain between the date of injection and month 3. The secondary outcomes were the patient assessment of effectiveness, the decrease in painkiller use and the influence of the radiographic score on the clinical efficacy.

Results:

Sixty-five participants (72.3% women, mean age = 60) were included in the trial. Coughlin-Shurnas radiological grade was 1 in 28 patients, 2 in 29, and 3 in 6. At baseline and month 3, the average pain (0-10) was 6.5 ± 1.8 and 2.8 ± 2.3, respectively. The change in pain score was highly significant (−3.1 ± 2.9; P < .0001). At baseline there was no statistically difference in pain between the radiological stages ( P = .69). At endpoint, the average pain score was 2.0 ± 1.9 in x-ray stage 1, 3.1 ± 2.3 in stage 2 and 3.3 ± 2.4 in stage 3 ( P = .001). Mild to moderate adverse reactions were reported by 15 patients. All were a transient increase of the hallux pain that occurred immediately and up to 6 hours after injection and resolved in 1 to 7 days.

Conclusion:

This pilot study suggests that a single IA injection of HANOX-M-XL is safe and mainly benefits patients with mild moderate 1st MTPJ-OA. Further randomized controlled trials are necessary to confirm these preliminary encouraging results.
Efficacy and safety of ofatumumab in recently diagnosed, treatment-naive patients with multiple sclerosis: Results from ASCLEPIOS I and II
Authors: Gärtner Jutta , Hauser Stephen L , Bar-Or Amit , Montalban Xavier , Cohen Jeffrey A , Cross Anne H , Deiva Kumaran , Ganjgahi Habib , Häring Dieter A , Li Bingbing , Pingili Ratnakar , Ramanathan Krishnan , Su Wendy , Willi Roman , Kieseier Bernd , Kappos Ludwig
Published: March 2022

Background:

In the phase III ASCLEPIOS I and II trials, participants with relapsing multiple sclerosis receiving ofatumumab had significantly better clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) outcomes than those receiving teriflunomide.

Objectives:

To assess the efficacy and safety of ofatumumab versus teriflunomide in recently diagnosed, treatment-naive (RDTN) participants from ASCLEPIOS.

Methods:

Participants were randomized to receive ofatumumab (20 mg subcutaneously every 4 weeks) or teriflunomide (14 mg orally once daily) for up to 30 months. Endpoints analysed post hoc in the protocol-defined RDTN population included annualized relapse rate (ARR), confirmed disability worsening (CDW), progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA) and adverse events.

Results:

Data were analysed from 615 RDTN participants (ofatumumab: n = 314; teriflunomide: n = 301). Compared with teriflunomide, ofatumumab reduced ARR by 50% (rate ratio (95% confidence interval (CI)): 0.50 (0.33, 0.74); p < 0.001), and delayed 6-month CDW by 46% (hazard ratio (HR; 95% CI): 0.54 (0.30, 0.98); p = 0.044) and 6-month PIRA by 56% (HR: 0.44 (0.20, 1.00); p = 0.049). Safety findings were manageable and consistent with those of the overall ASCLEPIOS population.

Conclusion:

The favourable benefit–risk profile of ofatumumab versus teriflunomide supports its consideration as a first-line therapy in RDTN patients. ASCLEPIOS I and II are registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02792218 and NCT02792231).
Do Different Types of Households Use Outsourced Domestic Cleaning Services for Different Reasons? An Explorative Study in South Africa
Authors: Du Toit David
Published: March 2022

In recent years, many households have shifted from employing a full-time or part-time domestic worker to using an outsourced domestic cleaning services company that specialises in professional household cleaning services. Few studies have focused on outsourced domestic cleaning services from clients’ perspectives. While there is limited research on the topic, a possible reason for the increase in outsourced domestic cleaning services might be that the domestic labour needs of the middle-class are changing. The decline in the stigma of voluntary childlessness and better educational and career opportunities for women have impacted household compositions. There has been a rise in one-person households and couples without children. These changes affect how domestic work is approached. Some women continue to perform domestic labour themselves, while others employ domestic workers or use outsourced domestic cleaning services. Against this background, this study sought to establish how changes in household compositions are linked to peoples’ preferences to use outsourced domestic cleaning services to take care of their domestic cleaning needs rather than employing a domestic worker on a full-time or part-time basis. This study draws on 18 qualitative interviews with clients of domestic cleaning services and shows that people who live alone, as a childless couple or in an empty-nest household, use outsourced domestic cleaning services for their convenience, efficiency, and flexibility. Couples with children tend to rely on personal help when it comes to care work but outsource less emotional domestic duties to domestic cleaning service companies. This study contributes to new insights by showing that domestic cleaning services are used by households who can afford and require flexible cleaning services offered by outsourced domestic cleaning services.
Bilingual Hong Kong primary school children’s vocabulary: The impact of Filipina domestic workers
Authors: Wolfaardt Jacobus Francois
Published: March 2022

Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of Filipina domestic workers (FilDWs) on bilingual Hong Kong children’s language development. More specifically, it looked at FilDWs’ influence on the L1 Cantonese-receptive vocabulary and word reading, and the L2-English receptive vocabulary of bilingual Hong Kong primary school children attending an English Medium of Instruction (EMI) school.

Methodology:

A total of 64 children aged 8–9 participated in the main study. Thirty-four children from homes with FilDWs and 30 from homes with no FilDW took receptive vocabulary tests in Cantonese and English, a Cantonese word reading test, and a working memory capacity (WMC) test.

Data and analyses:

Test scores of both participating groups were compared and analyzed with independent t-tests. The content validity index was employed to validate the receptive vocabulary tests.

Findings:

Participants from households with FilDWs scored significantly higher on the English receptive vocabulary test, while no significant differences between the two groups were found on either the Cantonese tests or the WMC test. The results suggest that FilDWs exert a positive impact on the L2-English receptive vocabulary, without a negative impact on L1 Cantonese-receptive vocabulary or word reading, of bilingual Hong Kong primary school children from EMI schools.

Originality:

This study’s Socioeconomic-status (SES)-matched groups (as measured via level of maternal education) and comparable levels of school-based language exposure clearly highlight the role of home language, especially L2 English, exposure. It is also the first study investigating the impact of FilDWs on children’s language acquisition that employed a WMC test.

Implications:

The study makes a practical contribution by informing Hong Kong parents of bilingual children attending EMI schools that they can expect their children’s English vocabulary to benefit via the employment of a FilDW, without a trade-off effect on L1-Cantonese.
The limits of humanisation: ‘ideal’ figures of the refugee and depoliticisation of displacement in virtual reality filmClouds Over Sidra
Authors: Suzuki Moe
Published: March 2022

The enthusiastic embrace of virtual reality films as ‘the ultimate empathy machine’ by humanitarian organisations and technology companies can be positioned as an attempt to change attitudes towards refugees through a strategy of ‘humanisation’. This article offers a critique of humanising approaches to displacement as they manifest in the United Nations’ first-ever virtual reality film Clouds Over Sidra (2015), targeted at policy makers, donors, and the general public in the Global North. Through an experiential and textual analysis of the film, I analyse two strategies of humanisation in Clouds Over Sidra: reproduction of ‘ideal’ figures of the refugee through the depiction of daily life in Za’atari camp and overrepresentation of children, and depoliticisation of displacement via technological disembodiment in the film. The former results in a never-ending search for purity, and the latter depoliticises displacement through an erasure of differential exposure to colonial and racial regimes of im/mobility. I argue that humanising approaches based on a logic of inclusion ultimately affirm the colonial and racial hierarchy of humanity as they leave unquestioned the already colonial and racial nature of ‘the human’. This article provides an original contribution to debates about VR technology, empathy, and displacement by going beyond a generalised critique of VR films to foreground a critique of humanising approaches to displacement. I conclude by asking what it might mean to think about displacement relationally, an approach that is grounded in a politics of location and global relations of power.
Life history mapping: Exploring journeys into and through housing and homelessness
Authors: Flaherty Jan , Garratt Elisabeth
Published: March 2022

This article illustrates the value of in-depth life history interviews using life mapping in qualitative research. We draw on our recent research into people’s experiences of homelessness, where all 39 participants were currently, or recently, homeless. Using the life mapping method, participants generated a visual representation of their transitions across housing and homelessness, beginning in childhood and ending in the present day. We critically discuss the potential for life mapping to move beyond rehearsed stories, briefly note further associated benefits, and acknowledge some potential drawbacks. We argue that the method can confer considerable depth and reflection, going beyond a traditional qualitative interview, and is especially valuable when examining sensitive topics.
Borderland education beyond frontiers: Policy, community, and educational change during times of crisis
Authors: Kew Kristin , Fellus Olga
Published: March 2022

In this paper, we put center stage the story of a community in the borderland of Palomas and Deming, two twin towns located across the border from each other. In regular times, almost a thousand children crossed the checkpoint every day from Palomas in Mexico to Deming in the United States to attend school. During the COVID-19 pandemic, accessibility to education has been almost completely denied for students living in Mexico. This paper unpacks the findings from a critical case study focused on the school leadership of the community and marks the beginning of a larger action-research initiative aimed at forging alliances with and among community stakeholders, researchers, and community leaders to bring transformative change. Findings suggest that these borderland cities do not view themselves as divided by a physical or ideological Frontera or Barrera. Rather, they see themselves as a unified community whose members live on both sides of the border. The Palomas-Deming borderland community shares one mission of creating the necessary conditions to provide educational equity for all students in the region with U.S. passports regardless of a student’s country of residence. Within these contexts, our paper adds to the sparse scholarship on borderland education and highlights community-based needs for and capabilities of transformative educational change that we perceive as the pathway to more equitable opportunities for learning.
Music Learning as Life in an African American Family: The Story of Charlie Gabriel in New Orleans
Authors: Wiggins Jackie , Bey Taslimah
Published: March 2022

The focus of this study is the early music education of Charlie Gabriel who learned to play jazz as a child in New Orleans and went on to enjoy a successful, international performance career. The work is based on an oral history account where the primary data collection process was interview. The key issues that emerged from the oral history are (1) the ubiquitous presence of music in Mr. Gabriel’s life experience and the musical enculturation this presence enabled, (2) the life-sustaining role of music in the lives of family members, which gave rise to a drive to participate actively in music and a pervasive striving for musical excellence, and (3) ever-present mentorship and apprenticeship in Mr. Gabriel’s home and in the musical community. These issues are discussed in the context of related literature on the roles played by musical families; the musical community; music for income/supporting survival, including federal support during the Great Depression; striving for musical excellence in both informal and formal learning contexts; and African roots of early jazz pedagogy
Numerical investigation of the effect of injection timing on the in-cylinder activity of a gasoline direct injection engine
Authors: Zhang Yu , Wang Qifan , Yang Ruomiao , Yan Yuchao , Fu Jiahong , Liu Zhentao
Published: March 2022

GDI (Gasoline direct injection) technology is used in downsized engines for its economy and low emissions. However, if the injection strategy is not set properly, GDI will produce more emissions than conventional gasoline engines. In this paper, the effect of injection timing on GDI engine emissions under optimal phasing conditions was analyzed by using a three-dimensional (3D) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) GDI engine numerical model. The results showed that at medium engine speed and medium load advancing the injection timing from −300 to −290 CAD ATDC resulted in a more efficient and cleaner combustion process, as evidenced by the higher power output, the increased thermal and combustion efficiencies, and the reduced CO, UHC, soot emissions. The raised NOx emissions at advanced injection timing operation corresponded to the high combustion quality. There was a trade-off relation for advancing injection timing strategy. Specifically, an advanced injection timing operation would increase the amount of liquid film formed on the piston and liner, which is not favorable to clean combustion. However, advancing injection timing also provides more time for fuel-air mixing, which is beneficial for the formation of a more homogeneous mixture. The numerical simulations suggested that the advantages of earlier injection timing outweighed the disadvantages and improved engine efficiency, at least for the conditions and the engine investigated here. Moreover, the comparison indicated that changing injection timing also altered the chemical reaction pathways for pollutant species formation. Overall, all of these findings demonstrated that more fundamental work is still needed to understand the effect of injection timing on engine performance.