bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimation of recent peat accumulation with tree saplings
Authors: Ballesteros-Cánovas Juan Antonio , Edvardsson Johannes , Corona Christophe , Mažeika Jonas , Stoffel Markus
Published: April 2022

The purpose of this paper is to develop an approach to estimate peat accumulation rates (PAR) over recent decades based on the age and burial depths of roots from pine sapling and to use the newly developed approach to estimate spatial variations of PAR. To this end, we sampled 120 pine saplings growing in three plots at Rėkyva peatland in Lithuania and accounted for the microtopography around each specimen. In the lab, all saplings were cut into 1-cm segments, sanded and analysed. The counting of annual rings allowed dating the germination of each sapling with a yearly resolution and thus also enabled estimation of peat accumulation. The latter was derived by measuring the distance from the original root collar at germination to the ground level (or peat surface) at the time of sampling. The large number of samples selected from three plots also enabled determination of spatial variations in PAR. We obtain averaged PAR values of 1.6 ± 0.72 cm yr−1 across the three plots and over the last decades, but also observe strong spatial heterogeneity in PAR resulting from differences in local hydrology and vegetation. To validate the results, we compared tree-ring derived PAR with radiocarbon-based (14C) estimates at one of the plots. The results are consistent between the two approaches with PAR estimated to 0.8 and 0.79 cm yr−1, respectively, over the last 20 years. We conclude that PAR can be assessed accurately with tree-ring approaches and that they have clear advantages over radiocarbon dating for shorter timescales as they can be replicated more easily. For longer timescales and larger depths (> 15 cm), however, 14C dating remains the preferred approach.
Effect of Mill and Thin Overlays on Roughness for Pavements in Cold Climate Locations
Authors: Vargas-Nordcbeck Adriana , Brenes-Calderón Anthony
Published: April 2022

Mill and thin asphalt overlays are a popular preservation treatment for asphalt and composite pavements owing to their ability to address a variety of distresses. Their effectiveness depends on different factors such as traffic, climate, and condition of the pavement at the time of treatment, with typical treatment lives ranging from 5 to 12 years. In cold regions, performance in relation to roughness is of particular interest, as factors like frost action and thermal cracking tend to accelerate roughness progression. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of thin asphalt overlays on pavement roughness in cold climate locations using a set of field performance data from the Pavement Preservation Group Study, a broader research study conducted by the National Center for Asphalt Technology and the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Road Research Facility. The findings indicated that treatment application resulted in both short- and long-term benefits. Following construction, a performance jump was obtained, which was greater for pavement sections with higher International Roughness Index (IRI) IRIpre values. This can be interpreted as rougher sections benefiting more in the short term than smoother sections, where the IRI is already low. Conversely, pavements with lower roughness at the time of treatment obtained greater life-extending benefits. This is interpreted as smoother pavements obtaining a greater benefit over time, and reinforces the concept of preserving pavements while in good condition to maximize pavement life. The magnitude of the benefits was also dependent on the type of milling machine used.
Epidemiology of Combined Injuries of the Secondary Stabilizers in ACL-Deficient Knees: Medial Meniscal Ramp Lesion, Lateral Meniscus Root Tear, and ALL Tear: A Prospective Case Series of 602 Patients With ACL Tears From the SANTI Study Group
Authors: Gracia Gauthier , Cavaignac Marie , Marot Vincent , Mouarbes Dany , Laumonerie Pierre , Cavaignac Etienne
Published: April 2022

Background:

Medial meniscal ramp lesion (MMRL), lateral meniscus root tear (LMRT), and anterolateral ligament (ALL) tear are individual injuries that have been described in patients who have an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear. However, the prevalence of these lesions and their combination has not been defined.

Purposes:

To define the individual and combined prevalence of MMRL, LMRT, and ALL tears in a case series of patients undergoing ACL reconstruction and to identify the risk factors for combined injuries.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Patients aged >15 years undergoing primary ACL reconstruction between January 2019 and June 2021 were enrolled in the study. A preoperative ultrasound scan was performed to look for an ALL tear. The presence of MMRL and LMRT was determined during a standardized arthroscopy exploration. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to determine the individual effect of patient variables on the risk of associated single, dual, triad, or tetrad injuries (MMRL, LMRT, ALL, ACL), represented by an adjusted odds ratio.

Results:

The case series consisted of 602 patients who underwent primary ACL reconstruction. An isolated ACL injury was present in 147 patients (24%). A dual injury was detected in 34 patients (6%) who had ACL-MMRL, 16 (2.65%) who had ACL-LMRT, and 265 (44%) who had ACL-ALL. A triad injury was detected in 80 patients (13.28%) who had ACL-ALL-MMRL, 36 (6%) who had ACL-ALL-LMRT, and 3 (0.5%) who had ACL-MMRL-LMRT. A tetrad injury pattern was detected in 21 patients (3.5%). Multivariate analysis showed that the occurrence of tetrad injury was significantly lower in older patients (adjusted odds ratio by year, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.88-0.99]; P = .028). Identifying LMRT increased the likelihood of finding MMRL-ALL injuries by 2.11 times (95% CI, 1.09-3.12; P = .031).

Conclusion:

Isolated ACL tear is less common than combined injuries, which are quite frequent. Younger age is a risk factor for combined injuries. The search for damaged secondary stabilizers of the knee must be meticulous and systematic, especially when 1 injured structure has already been diagnosed.
The “Civilizing” Effect of Body-Worn Cameras on Police-Civilian Interactions: Examining the Current Evidence, Potential Moderators, and Methodological Limitations
Authors: Choi Samuel , Michalski Nicholas D. , Snyder Jamie A.
Published: April 2022

Past studies on the “civilizing” effect of body-worn cameras (BWC) on police and civilian behavior have yielded mixed results. Some studies have shown a reduction in the use of force reports (e.g., Ariel et al., 2015 ) and civilian complaints ( Hedberg et al., 2017 ) as a result of officers utilizing BWCs. However, other studies have found null effects (e.g., Yokum et al., 2017 ) or even the opposite findings (i.e., increases in use of force reports; Ariel et al., 2016a ). In the current review, we aim to reconcile these inconsistencies by discussing psychological factors (i.e., police attitudes toward BWCs, civilian attitudes toward the police, geographic psychology, officer perceptions of self-legitimacy, and civilian stress) that may moderate the civilizing effect of BWCs. We also highlight the methodological issues (i.e., contamination, unit of analysis, and low base rates) that have burdened past studies involving field experiments and advocate for the use of multiple methods to strengthen any existing weaknesses in the literature. Overall, we argue for a closer examination of individual-level psychological factors and the use of multiple methods to help elucidate the ambiguities concerning the “civilizing” effect found in the BWC literature.
A Qualitative Exploration of the Reasons for Expressed Human Milk Feeding Informed by the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Theory
Authors: Fan Heidi Sze Lok , Fong Daniel Yee Tak , Lok Kris Yuet Wan , Tarrant Marie
Published: April 2022

Background:

There is an increasing prevalence of expressed human milk feeding. The reasons for expressed human milk feeding of healthy term infants may differ from those for preterm infants. The process of adopting expressed human milk feeding for healthy full-term infants has not been well-described in the existing literature.

Research Aim:

To describe the reasons for, and antecedents to, expressed human milk feeding among Chinese women who used a high proportion of expressed human milk for feeding.

Methods:

A descriptive, prospective cross-sectional qualitative design was used. Participants ( N = 25) who used a high proportion of expressed human milk feeding were recruited from a larger perspective cohort study in two public hospitals in Hong Kong. Semi-structured, in-depth, one-to-one interviews were conducted 2017–2018. Data collection and thematic analysis were guided by the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Theory.

Results:

The authors conducted thematic analysis and identified six core themes: (1) perceived maternal roles; (2) breastfeeding role models; (3) negative feedback from social networks; (4) negative direct breastfeeding experiences; (5) expressed human milk feeding as a solution to a problem; and (6) advice from health care professionals to express human milk. These themes were consistent with the four antecedents of the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Theory (e.g., physiological and affective state, vicarious experiences, performance accomplishments, and verbal persuasion).

Conclusions:

The main reason for participants to feed expressed human milk was experiencing difficulties with direct breastfeeding. Expressed human milk feeding was used as an immediate solution for breastfeeding problems. Strengthening breastfeeding support in the early postpartum period may decrease the perceived need for human milk expression.
Gabapentin and Opioids Utilization in Patients With Diabetic Neuropathy Enrolled in Medicare (2012–2016): A Cohort Study
Authors: Goswami Swarnali , Ramachandran Sujith , Sharma Manvi , Barnard Marie
Published: April 2022

This retrospective cohort study describes the utilization of opioids and gabapentin among patients with diabetic neuropathy who were gabapentin and opioid naïve, and assesses predictors of concomitant use of opioids and gabapentin. Using Medicare claims data (2012–2016), 22 037 patients were identified, of whom 23.42% (N = 5161) initiated opioids without concomitant gabapentin, 4.56% (N = 1004) initiated gabapentin without concomitant opioids, and 3.87% (N = 852) had concomitant use of gabapentin and opioids 12 months following their index date (date of earliest diagnosis). Concomitant gabapentin and opioid use were more common for lower doses of both drugs and for 15 days or more cumulatively. Compared to individuals aged 65–74, those aged 75–84 (OR: .759; 95% CI: 0.653–.882) or ≥ 85 years (OR: .586, 95% CI: 0.462–.743) had lower odds of concomitant use. People residing in the Northeast had lower odds of concomitant use, compared to those residing in the South (OR: .646 95% CI: 0.535–.779). Females compared to males (OR: 1.185, 95% CI: 1.027–1.367), people with higher Charlson’s Comorbidity Index (CCI) scores (OR: 1.085, 95% CI: 1.037–1.135) or those having anxiety (OR: 1.462, 95% CI: 1.131–1.889) had higher odds of concomitant use. Concomitant prescriptions of opioids and gabapentin were more common for longer durations, indicating the need for interventions aimed at minimizing this prescribing practice.
Community Pharmacy Credentialing for Medical Insurance to Facilitate Sustainability in COVID-19 Testing
Authors: Nguyen Elaine , Healey Patricia M. , Robinson Renee , Adams Jennifer L. , O’Connor Shanna K.
Published: April 2022

Background: In April 2020, pharmacists were added as medical providers under Idaho Medicaid in response to recent scope expansion for pharmacists and to increase beneficiaries’ access to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing and services. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted expedited Medicaid enrollment for pharmacists but did not address coverage of medical services provided to privately insured individuals for pharmacy-based testing services. Objective: This study aimed to describe processes used by independently owned, community-based pharmacies in Idaho to credential with private insurers and report outcomes. Methods: Relevant information and forms required to credential with the four major payers in the state of Idaho were collected. Packets were obtained via medical insurers’ websites and by direct contact. Questions that arose from community pharmacists during the submission process were collected and answered on a shared spreadsheet, and insurance representatives were contacted directly to resolve questions. Results: Eight out of 13 participating pharmacies submitted an average of three credentialing packets for their facilities. Thirty-five pharmacists also submitted an average of four credentialing packets for themselves. As of mid-May 2021, nearly 20 weeks after submission, only 67 out of 129 pharmacists had received word regarding the status of their applications. Less than half of all pharmacist applications were approved (after their first attempt). Conclusion: Efforts to support the education of both pharmacists and medical insurers may streamline the credentialing processes in the future.
Design and Implementation of Tech-Check-Tech Programs in North Dakota Pharmacies
Authors: Halvorson Diane , Eukel Heidi N. , Gilbraith Melissa , Schaper Ty , Miller Donald R.
Published: April 2022

Background: Tech-check-tech (TCT) programs in pharmacies are beneficial in facilitating a transition from fee for service dispensing tasks to advanced patient care, but they are underutilized. Objective: To describe the design, implementation, and evaluation of a transferable TCT program in several North Dakota pharmacies, with the goal of facilitating future efforts in other states. Methods: We developed a universal TCT implementation toolkit, recruited 6 pharmacies to implement it, developed an educational program for the pharmacies, and worked with the pharmacies over a year to assess success of the program. Pre- and post-implementation surveys assessed pharmacist and technician responses in regards to program effectiveness. Four outcomes were measured, and included pharmacist’s time savings, descriptive comments on changes in workflow, incidence of errors and near misses, and barriers to implementation. Results: The implementation of TCT was unanimously perceived as successful and increasing efficiency in the post-site surveys completed by pharmacists. All 13 technicians who participated in the post-survey indicated the methods and materials used for training were sufficient and appropriate. The most commonly cited barrier to implementation of TCT stated by technicians was incorporating TCT into their current workflow. No dispensing errors which resulted in patient impact occurred throughout the duration of this study. Conclusions: A TCT implementation template provided a successful framework for TCT in various pharmacy settings and can serve as a model for other pharmacy settings, states, or regions.
‘The Minister Wants it’: Self-Politicisation and Proxy Politics among Senior Civil Servants
Authors: van Dorp Erik-Jan
Published: April 2022

In this article, I ask how senior civil servants (SCSs) practice functional politicisation. The literature suggests that they balance responsiveness with astuteness towards ministers, while maintaining neutral competence. However, functional politicisation is prone to affect this balance. Drawing on 160 h of ethnographic shadowing in Dutch government, I show three faces of functional politicisation; while directly advising ministers, in the preparation of policy advice and while working in the public eye. The findings suggest that senior civil servants actively try to align their fellow civil servants with their version of the minister’s wishes. This practice of ‘proxy politics’ calls for a shift in functional politicisation research from political ‘skills’ to ‘authority claims’ among senior civil servants. I conclude with urgent implications for politicisation theory and civil service practice.
Nonfreezing Low Temperature Maintains the Viability of Menstrual Blood–Derived Endometrial Stem Cells Under Oxygen–Glucose Deprivation Through the Sustained Release of Autophagy-Produced Energy
Authors: Chen Tongtong , Zhang Shenghui , Jin Hongzhang , Fu Xiaofei , Shang Lingrui , Lu Yilin , Sun Yuliang , Hisham Yahaya Badrul , Liu Yanli , Lin Juntang
Published: April 2022

Between the completion of the mesenchymal stem cell (MSCs) preparation and the transplantation into the patient, there is a time interval during which the quality control and transport of MSC products occur, which usually involves suspending the cells in normal saline in an oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD) microenvironments. Thus, how to effectively maintain MSC viability during the abovementioned time interval is bound to play a significant role in the therapeutic effect of MSC-based therapies. Recently, menstrual blood–derived endometrial stem cells (MenSCs) have attracted extensive attention in regenerative medicine due to their superior biological characteristics, including noninvasive protocols for their collection, abundant source material, stable donation, and autotransplantation. Therefore, this study aimed to mainly determine the effect of storage temperature on the maintenance of MenSC viabilities in an OGD microenvironment, and to preliminarily explore its potential mechanism. Simultaneously, the effects of solvents commonly used in the clinic on MenSC viability were also examined to support the clinical application of MenSCs. Consequently, our results demonstrated that in the OGD microenvironment, a nonfreezing low temperature (4°C) was suitable and cost-effective for MenSC storage, and the maintenance of MenSC viability stored at 4°C was partly contributed by the sustained releases of autophagy-produced energy. Furthermore, the addition of human serum albumin effectively inhibited the cell sedimentations in the MenSC suspension. These results provide support and practical experience for the extensive application of MenSCs in the clinic.
Does Gender Blindness Improve Gender Equality? Female Judges and the Glass Ceiling Effect in the Islamic Judicial System in Indonesia
Authors: Kholiq Achmad , Halimatusa’diyah Iim
Published: April 2022

Despite the increasing participation of women judges worldwide, including in Muslim countries, the glass ceiling effect in female judges’ careers remains persistent. Using the Islamic judicial system in Indonesia as a case study, this article aims to analyze the representation of female judges and examine why the glass ceiling effect exists in the Islamic judicial system in Indonesia. Drawing on interviews with twenty judges in various provinces in Indonesia and analyzing the gendered organization framework, this article argues that gender blindness in the Islamic judicial organization has contributed to the persistence of gender inequality and the glass ceiling effect. This article also argues that a gender-neutral setting contributes to sustaining or encouraging gendered practices within organizations. Furthermore, focusing on work-life balance as the only solution for addressing the under-representation of women in the public sphere does not necessarily ease them from caring responsibilities as the gendered division of labor in the domestic sphere has not changed. Therefore, we suggest that making the judicial system a gender transformative organization is essential in order to reduce the glass ceiling effect in the Islamic judicial system in Indonesia.
Understanding the Finance–Growth Nexus from a Multidimensional Perspective
Authors: Xu Guangdong
Published: April 2022

This paper discusses the multidimensional nature of banking development and its effects on economic growth. Previous studies focused on the quantity dimension and overlooked other dimensions of banking development, which may have led to serious omitted variable bias in exploring the determinants of economic growth. However, incorporating other dimensions, such as banking efficiency, into growth models has proven to be a challenging task. More efforts are needed to construct indicators that can be used to proxy banking development in a more inclusive, precise, and consistent manner in future studies.

JEL Codes: G21; O16; O47
Palliative Care in Heart Failure: An Integrative Review of Nurse Practice
Authors: Nunciaroni Andressa T. , Neves Izabella F. , Marques Caroline S. G. , Santos Noemi D. , Corrêa Vanessa F. A. , Silva Renata Flavia A.
Published: April 2022

Introduction: Because it is a chronic disease of progressive evolution, heart failure requires nursing attitudes and practices that are articulated with palliative care, implemented in an interdisciplinary team along with patients and their families. Objective: Identifying nurses’ attitudes and practices in palliative care in cardiology. Method: Integrative literature review. The searches were carried out in the following bases: Google Scholar, Virtual Health Library, LILACS, SciELO, Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Scopus; through the terms Palliative Care AND Cardiology AND Nursing. Results: We identified 1298 studies published in the last five years, 14 of which have been selected for the scope of this review. Nurse attitudes and practices were characterized as: approach to symptom control; promotion of comfort and well-being; integrality of care and family orientation; effective communication among patients, family members and nursing team; timely evaluation for palliative care. Most of the studies included in this review have evidence level 2C (n = 7) and 2B (n = 4). Therefore, the results can be interpreted as reliable. Conclusions: This study makes important contributions to the practice of nurses in palliative care for heart failure. Based on the evidence collected, nurses can develop actions with the nursing team and with the interdisciplinary team related to direct patient and family care, as well as professional training. However, the field lacks studies showing the practices and actions implemented by the nursing team.
Reduced Cancer-Related Fatigue after Tablet-Based Exercise Education for Patients
Authors: Wilkie Diana J. , Schwartz Anna L. , Liao Wen-Chun , Fullwood Dottington , Wu Yu , Farquharson Tanya Wallace , Yao Yingwei , Gralow Julie R.
Published: April 2022

Aim

Exercise can be an effective treatment for cancer-related fatigue, but exercise is not prescribed for many cancer patients. Our specific aim was to compare usual care and a tablet-based fatigue education and prescription program for effects on level of fatigue (primary outcome) and satisfaction with fatigue and amount of exercise (secondary outcomes).

Methods

In a four-week pretest/posttest randomized study, 279 patients with cancer completed a touch screen fatigue assessment and daily paper-based activity logs. The experimental group also had access to Fatigue UCope, a tablet-based multimedia education intervention focused on exercise as therapy for fatigue.

Results

In total, 94% of intervention group accessed Fatigue UCope. Controlling for baseline fatigue, compared to the usual-care group, the experimental group reported lower fatigue scores (P = .02). Neither satisfaction with fatigue nor exercise level was significantly different between groups, but not all activity logs were returned. None of the patients reported adverse effects.

Conclusion

Objective indicators of exercise are warranted in future studies to examine whether exercise is indeed the mechanism of the Fatigue UCope effect and determine the clinical utility of this intervention. This brief, engaging tablet-based multimedia education and prescription program has promise to help patients recognize the benefits of exercise to manage cancer-related fatigue.
Cortisol Reactivity and Observed Parenting among Mothers of Children with and without ADHD
Authors: Thomas Sharon R. , Woods Kelsey E. , Mazursky-Horowitz Heather , Novick Danielle R. , Dougherty Lea R. , Glasper Erica R. , Chronis-Tuscano Andrea
Published: April 2022

Objective:

Neurobiological models suggest links between maternal cortisol reactivity and parenting; however, no studies have examined cortisol reactivity and parenting in mothers of school-age children with ADHD.

Method:

We examined the relationship between observed parenting and maternal cortisol reactivity in two laboratory contexts: the Trier Social Stress Task (TSST) and parenting-child interaction (PCI). Mothers of children with ( N = 24) and without ( N = 36) ADHD participated.

Results:

During the TSST, greater cortisol output and increase were associated with decreased positive and increased negative parenting. However, during the PCI, cortisol output was associated with increased self-reported and observed positive parenting, and decreased observed negative parenting. Cortisol change during the PCI was associated with decreased observed positive parenting and increased self-reported negative parenting. Among mothers of children with ADHD, cortisol output during the PCI was negatively associated with negative, inconsistent parenting. Change in cortisol predicted more inconsistent discipline and corporal punishment.

Conclusion:

Findings contribute to an integrative biological, psychological, and cognitive process model of parenting in families of children with ADHD.
Do Public-Private Partnerships Still Have a Future?
Authors: Vecchi Veronica , Tanese Angelo , Osborne Stephen
Published: April 2022

Public Private Partnerships (PPP) are under discussion because of the mixed results achieved and the deteriorated trust between public and private actors. However, abandoning PPP could represent a severe mistake in public policy. Based on the recent Italian experience, the authors argue that a new approach to PPP, based on the ESG/SDGs and Impact Investing agenda, could represent an opportunity, both for the public and the private sectors, to contribute to solving wicked problems while generating societal value. This Commentary paves the way for a reflection on this renewed approach to PPP and the need for a new set of skills in the public and private sectors to support the transition.
Response of laminated glass elements subject to dynamic loadings using a monolithic model and a stress effective Young’s modulus
Authors: Aenlle López Manuel , Fernández Pelayo , Álvarez-Vázquez Adrián , García-Fernández Natalia , Muñiz-Calvente Miguel
Published: April 2022

Due to the brittle nature of the glass, to study the response of glass elements subjected to dynamics loadings is of great interest, mainly when human injury resulting from glass breakage may occur. Laminated glass consists of two or more layers of monolithic glass and one or more viscoelastic interlayers. In this paper, a technique to predict the dynamic response (deflections and stresses) of laminated glass elements using a linear elastic monolithic model is proposed and validated. In a first step, the modal parameters and the dynamic response of a monolithic model are calculated using the modal superposition technique. Then, the modal parameters and the modal coordinates of the laminated glass element are estimated using the equations derived in this paper. Finally, the stresses in time and frequency domain are estimated using an effective stress Young’s modulus.
Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Service Ladders and Childhood Diarrhea in Haramaya Demographic and Health Surveillance Site, Eastern Ethiopia
Authors: Wagari Samuel , Girma Haileyesus , Geremew Abraham
Published: April 2022

Background:

The WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Program (JMP) service ladders are worldwide indicators for monitoring drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene elements of the sustainable development goal targets. However, evidence on how the prevalence of childhood diarrhea looks across the service ladders is limited. This study aimed to assess the relationship between WASH service ladders and the prevalence of childhood diarrhea in Haramaya Demographic and Health Surveillance site, Eastern Ethiopia.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study using a structured questionnaire, observational checklist, and water quality analysis was conducted on 535 households with children under 5 years of age. Poisson regression with a robust error variance estimator was used to investigate the relationship between dependent and independent variables.

Results:

The prevalence of diarrhea among under-five children in the surveillance site was 24.8% (95% CI: 22.3-27.6). The regression model revealed that water and sanitation service ladders were associated with childhood diarrhea. Childhood diarrhea was found to be 73% (APR = 0.27; 95% CI: 0.12-0.57) less common in families with a basic water service ladder than in households with a surface water service ladder. In addition, children in households with basic sanitation services had 83% (APR = 0.17; 95% CI: 0.05-0.56) lower diarrhea prevalence than children in households where open defecation was practiced.

Conclusion:

The present study found that childhood diarrhea differed considerably among WASH service levels and continues to be a serious health problem at the surveillance site. This study also shows that much work is needed to improve WASH services.
Latrine Utilization and Its Associated Factors Among Community Led Total Sanitation Implemented and Non-Implemented Kebeles of Tullo District, West Hararge, Eastern Ethiopia
Authors: Murad Mohammed , Ayele Dinku Mekbib , Gobena Tesfaye , Weldegebreal Fitsum
Published: April 2022

Background:

Improper human waste management is a major health problem in most developing countries, including Ethiopia. In Ethiopia, the majority of the population used unimproved sanitation facilities and practiced open defecation. This problem is significantly higher in the rural parts of the country.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to assess latrine utilization and associated factors among Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) implemented and non-implemented kebeles in Tullo District, West Hararghe, and Eastern Ethiopia.

Methods:

A community-based comparative cross-sectional study design was conducted in 740 households in 3 kebeles Community Led Total Sanitation implemented and 3 kebeles non-Community Lead Total Sanitation implemented for comparison. Study units were selected using a multi-stage sampling technique. The data was cleaned and coded before being entered into Epi-data version 3.1 and analyzed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between dependent and independent variables.

Result:

In this study, the overall prevalence of latrine utilization in the study area was 415 (56.1%) (95% CI = 52.6%, 59.9%). Of them, 243 (65.7%) (95% CI = 60.4%, 70.3%) and 172 (46.5%) (95% CI = 41.3%, 51.7%) of participants in the CLTS and non CLTS kebeles were utilized latrine, respectively. In CLTS implemented kebeles, literate (AOR = 3.66; 95% CI: 1.53, 8.73), households being visited by health extension worker (AOR = 11.72; 95% CI: 4.01, 34.31), households being graduated as model family(AOR = 7.56, 95% CI: 2.79, 20.44), ⩾2 years by years of latrine owning (AOR = 12.10, 95% CI: 3.21, 45.64), >6 meters distance of toilet to home (AOR = 27.43, 95%CI: 8.43, 89.29),Latrine with hand washing (AOR = 2.93, 95%CI: 1.19, 7.17), latrine with superstructure (AOR = 6.54, 95% CI: 2.04, 20.98) were significantly associated with latrine utilization, while in non CLTS implemented kebeles, literate (AOR = 25.78, 95% CI: 13.35, 49.78), medium wealth status(AOR = 4.87, 95% CI: 2.10, 11.29), poor wealth status(AOR = 2.51, 95% CI: 1.26, 5.01) were significantly associated with latrine utilization.

Conclusion:

The findings of this study revealed that more of the rural households had utilized latrines in CLTS implemented kebeles than non-CLTS implemented’ kebeles. So, it is recommended that the district health office increase the latrine utilization rate through the effective and sustainable implementation of the CLTS approach.
Selective appropriation in the BBC news translated into Ukrainian and Russian
Authors: Kamyanets Angela
Published: April 2022

Drawing on previous research into the translation practices of the BBC, this study conducts a critical analysis of the Ukrainian and Russian versions of three news reports originally published in English on the BBC News website. The news reports are of different relevance to the target audiences and have been selected from a corpus of 60 news reports (20 in each language) to show the most typical strategies used by the Ukrainian and Russian services of the BBC in the translation of news covering politics. The focus of the analysis is on omissions, additions, substitutions and permutations in the target texts in Ukrainian and Russian and their ideological implications. The findings indicate that the Ukrainian versions of news, albeit adapted considerably to the presumed needs of the new target audience, remain ideologically similar to the English source texts, with minor exceptions, while the Russian versions tend to be significantly reframed through omissions and additions and look more ambiguous than the English source texts when the latter portray Russia in an unfavourable light.
Teaching ethical principles through narrative-based story is more effective in the moral sensitivity among BSc nursing students than lecture method : A quasi-experimental study
Authors: Bagherian Behnaz , Mehdipour-rabori Roghayeh , Nematollahi Monirsadat
Published: April 2022

Background

Ethics education can be developed in undergraduate nursing curriculum using a variety of teaching and learning strategies, and the content of narrative-based stories has rarely been evaluated in ethics courses.

Objective

This study aimed to compare the effect of teaching ethical principles through narrative ethics and lectures on the moral sensitivity of undergraduate nursing students.

Methods

This was a pretest and posttest quasi-experimental study with a control group. A total of 105 undergraduate nursing students from the nursing department of Kerman University of medical science were included in the study (35 in the narrative-based story group, 36 in the lecture group and 34 in the control group). The narrative-based story and lecture lasted for four two-hour sessions. The outcomes were measured by a moral sensitivity questionnaire.

Results

The study results showed that teaching ethical principles had a significant effect on the mean score of moral sensitivity in the intervention groups after the intervention, but it was not significant in the control group ( p > 0.05). Based on the mean score of moral sensitivity, the students in the narrative story group got a higher score in all subscales of moral sensitivity questionnaire.

Conclusion

Based on this study’s findings, it can be concluded that narrative-based education is an effective way for undergraduate nursing students to promote their moral sensitivity and the ability to make ethical decisions.
Preclinical Evaluation of a Non-Customized Modular Inner Branched Stent Graft for Total Endovascular Aortic Arch Repair in a Porcine Model
Authors: Rong Dan , Zhang Hongpeng , Guo Wei , Liu Feng , Ge Yangyang , Zhu Yating , Zhang Minhong , Xu Yongle , Jia Xin , Xiaohui Ma , Xiong Jiang , Wang Lijun
Published: April 2022

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of a non-customized modular inner branched stent graft for total endovascular aortic arch repair in a porcine model.

Methods:

The modular inner branched stent graft system with a split main body design included 1 proximal main component, 1 distal main component, and 1 branched covered stent. The gutter in the proximal main component was sealed with sutured membrane. Fatigue testing was performed to evaluate the durability of the stent graft. Fifteen pigs were used in this study. In each pig, a stent graft was delivered and deployed to the aortic arch through the femoral arterial access and right carotid arterial access. Angiography and computed tomography angiography were used to evaluate the morphological features before euthanasia. After euthanasia, the implanted device, surrounding tissue, and major organs were harvested for gross and histological examination.

Results:

There were no collapses and no stent graft fractures detected after fatigue testing. The technical success rate was 14/15, and the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events was 2/15. Angiography performed at the end of follow-up revealed no endoleaks and no device migration. Histological examination demonstrated excellent biocompatibility of the stent graft.

Conclusions:

The non-customized modular inner branched stent graft system is safe and feasible for the endovascular reconstruction of the aortic arch in a porcine model.
The Multidimensional Nature of Research Ethics: Letters Issued by a French Research Ethics Committee Included Similar Proportions of Ethical and Scientific Queries
Authors: Haaser Thibaud , Bouteloup Vincent , Berdaï Driss , Saux Marie-Claude
Published: April 2022

Debate is ongoing concerning the activities and functioning of Research Ethics Committees (REC), especially a possible science-or-ethics dichotomy in research ethics review. We retrospectively analyzed 145 letters issued by a French REC over 18 months. All queries were classified in three levels: qualification (definition of the problem), category (aggregation of broader topics) and finally fields (ethical, scientific, or administrative). Overall, 971 queries were identified, of which 407 (42%), 379 (39%), and 135 (14%) were deemed ethical, scientific, and administrative queries, respectively. The most frequent concern was about participants’ information. The main influencing factor was the profession of the reporting readers—scientific queries were more frequently raised by a methodologist, whereas ethical queries were more frequently raised by an ethicist. These results indicate that research ethics review is a multidimensional task that should be considered a collaborative effort.
Aesthetic Distance
Authors: Isard Jeremy
Published: April 2022

There is an unnamed crisis of aesthetic immediacy afoot in the American criminal justice system. Defendants are seen too quickly. Or rather, they are recognized too quickly. They are recognized spatially, at the defense table, surrounded by lawyers and court marshals, playing the protagonists in the court performance. For most observers, this staging and its familiarity bring about a series of untold assumptions—assumptions that, when viewed nakedly, erode the presumption of innocence. While implicit biases and prejudices similarly short-circuit judicial proceedings—procedure and proceduralism itself—nefariously permit implicit narratives to outpace evidence. Tools to interrupt the aesthetics of transgression and its aftermath will serve judicial accuracy without substantial efficiency tradeoffs. While the bifurcation of the guilt and sentencing in American courts laudably partitions the culpability inquiry from the question of deserved punishment—the former, the question of wrongdoing, can never be truly divorced from history, neither personal nor social. Nor should it be. The Anglo-American insistence on a socially ahistorical criminal trial comes at a high cost: real and textured history—the foreground, leadup, and intimate histories of what occurred is kept out, while the more depersonalized histories that undergird daily life, narrative tropes, and mythologies of crime are permitted to play an outsized role. There is no place, as it stands, for simultaneity in truth or a multiplicity of character. This article thinks of ways to render collective transgression and the complexity of truth legally cognizable and to afford individual defendants full subject status as, I argue, the Sixth Amendment demands. It turns to a source famed for disrupting perception and the study of how and why perception is to be unsettled: Russian Formalism.
“A Night of Errors”: Chaos, Comedy, and Comparative Law at the Inns of Court
Authors: Apolloni Jessica
Published: April 2022

Festivities at the Gray’s Inn Revels of 1594–1595, as narrated in the Gesta Grayorum, included the first recorded performance of Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors. Revels at the Inns were intricate affairs parodying government rule, often involving a fictional coronation, parliament, plays, and mock trials. Recent studies in law and literature have detailed how revels created artificial city states that raised numerous questions about legal regulation and self-governance. On December 28, 1594, the Gesta Grayorum claims Shakespeare’s play created a “Night of Errors” that led to a lengthy mock trial the next day. In this article, I analyze the commerce of legal ideas occurring between Shakespeare’s play, its source in Plautus’s Menaechmi, and the ensuing commentary from the mock trial in order to demonstrate that key generic elements of Roman comedy became central to legal training at the Inns. I illustrate this intertextual development of comedy to reveal its power in representing and critiquing how law is performed in communities.
Digital citizenship in Asia: A critical introduction
Authors: Yue Audrey , Beta Annisa R.
Published: April 2022

This paper situates the theory and practice of digital citizenship in general and Asia in particular. It surveys four extant thematic clusters: (1) the democratizing potential of information and communication technologies; (2) the role of digital citizenship education; (3) the power structures of technology in shaping citizen participation, and; (4) the digital emancipation of marginalized groups and communities. It highlights a new fifth cluster—digital citizenship as a contextual practice dependent on local contexts and histories—as a framework to situate the articles in this Special Issue.
A new source for (EU) labour law?
Authors: Schmitt Mélanie , Rocca Marco
Published: April 2022

Looking at the instruments of the EU economic governance (Memoranda of Understanding; Country Specific Recommendations) from the perspective of national labour law systems reveals wide differences in their impact. If it is possible to draw a direct link between the demands of a Memorandum and national labour law reforms, the picture is less clear for Country Specific Recommendations. Notably, different Member States show a different degree of ability to ‘resist’ these Recommendations, which appears to be based more on their coherence (or lack thereof) with national political preferences than on the specific situation of the given Member State when it comes to the corrective mechanisms of the EU economic governance. From the perspective of labour law, these instruments still show little in the way of a more ‘social’ approach. Taken together, these conclusions suggest that the instruments of the EU economic governance could hardly provide a productive contribution to the development and enforcement of EU labour law, risking, on the contrary, leading to its fragmentation due to their uneven impact across Member States.
The effects of neoliberalism in European labour law: The meaning of labour and the need for a different constitutional compromise
Authors: Digennaro Pierluigi
Published: April 2022

This article aims to identify continuity between the main neoliberal schools that had a role in the making the European legal order and the conception of labour and 'work activity' embedded in the European legal framework. The consequences of this contiguity are also discussed. In particular, the concepts of 'working activity' and 'undertaking' elaborated by the Court of Justice are used as a driver of the analysis to detect signs of these influences. A two-phase approach is adopted to develop the research. First, a review is undertaken of relevant ECJ judgments that testify to the Court's position on the topics discussed in the article. Second, the cultural common ground between the interpretation of the legal framework found in case law and specific neoliberal theories is highlighted. The meta-principles that are identified through the analysis are then compared with those derived from the rights recognised in the constitutions proclaimed in the second half of the 20th century to show the significant discontinuity that endangers the very existence of the European Union as a political project and has destabilised the constitutional order of many European countries. As the founding principles of the EU legal order kickstarted a containment of labour and social rights, the call for change at the roots of European constitutional law is becoming increasingly urgent. The formal proclamation of the Charters of Fundamental Rights at the European level (not least because of the way in which rights are recognised) has not in itself proved to be capable per se of transcending the original matrix of the European order.
Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) in kidney transplant recipients: what is the evidence?
Authors: Ujjawal Aditi , Schreiber Brittany , Verma Ashish
Published: April 2022

Several recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have demonstrated the wide clinical application of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) in improving kidney and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with native kidney disease. In April 2021, Dapagliflozin became the first SGLT2 inhibitor to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD) regardless of diabetic status. However, while these agents have drawn much acclaim for their cardiovascular and nephroprotective effects among patients with native kidney disease, little is known about the safety and efficacy of SGLT2i in the kidney transplant setting. Many of the mechanisms by which SGLT2i exert their benefit stand to prove equally as efficacious or more so among kidney transplant recipients as they have in patients with CKD. However, safety concerns have excluded transplant recipients from all large RCTs, and clinicians and patients alike are left to wonder if the benefits of these amazing drugs outweigh the risks. In this review, we will discuss the known mechanisms SGLT2i exploit to provide their beneficial effects, the potential benefits, and risks of these agents in the context of kidney transplantation, and finally, we will discuss current findings of the published literature for SGLT2i use in kidney transplant recipients and propose potential directions for future research.
Economic shocks and militant formation
Authors: Malone Iris
Published: April 2022

A prominent debate in the civil war literature asks whether commodity price shocks incentivize fighting, but existing analyses find inconsistent results. This paper shows these results arise, in part, because research conflates the decision to form a militant campaign with the start of civil conflict. Using original data on 973 militant groups, I sequentially disaggregate between civil conflict onset and the earlier stage of militant mobilization. I use fixed effect regression methods to test for indirect and interaction effects that could obscure the shock-civil conflict relationship. First, I estimate the effect of export commodity price shocks on mobilization onset. Second, I re-examine the shock-civil conflict relationship conditioning on the number of militant groups mobilizing at the time of the shock. The results show economic shocks indirectly increase the risk of civil conflict by driving militant formation. Disaggregating these stages of militant activity advances research about two-stage conflict processes as well as the indirect causes of violence.