bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Finite element modeling of fabric-tying based on Arimatsu Narumi Shibori Robot
Authors: Shinohara Kazunori , Nishibori Kenji
Published: September 2022

Arimatsu Narumi Shibori (thread-tying), which is a traditional craft, has a history of more than 400 years and has been handed down to artisans in Japan. Recently, the shortage of successors to artisans has emphasized the maintenance of this thread-tying technique. To achieve this, Arimatsu Narumi Shibori needs to be elucidated based on scientific knowledge using numerical analysis techniques, which has not been achieved so far. In this technique, the fabric is complexly deformed, and complex wrinkles are formed in it. One possible approach for modeling this fabric is the use of a shell element that does not have an element volume. As the tensile and bending stiffnesses of the shell element are evaluated using a single Young’s modulus, the bending stiffness increases with the tensile stiffness. Therefore, unlike the deformation achieved by the actual fabric-tying, this fabric analysis model cannot achieve large deformation of the fabric. In this study, a tying analysis method is proposed to elucidate Arimatsu Narumi Shibori. In this method, the fabric is modeled using three layers of shell elements to reproduce the fabric behavior. The material properties of the three-layer structure are presented based on the tensile test, the bending test and the friction test. Using the proposed method, we could visualize the stress distribution and wrinkles in the fabric-tying and elucidate its breaking condition.
An aero-engine state evaluation method based on weighted Hellinger distance
Authors: Yang Biao , Mei Zi , Wang Ping , Long Zhiqiang
Published: September 2022

In the process of prediction and health management (PHM) about remaining useful life (RUL) of aero-engine, the state evaluation of aero-engine by constructing health index (HI) plays a very important role. At present, in the research of aero-engine state evaluation, there are still many problems: the analysis of the impact between operating conditions and sensor measurement data is insufficient, the standard for sensor data sequence selection is not established, and the HI construction is not reasonable. Aiming at these problems, firstly, a data reconstruction method is used to standardize the sensor data sequences, so as to eliminate the coupling effect between operating conditions and sensor measurement data. Secondly, different from the screening of sensor data sequences by observing the trend manually, a monotonicity standard is proposed. Then, a HI calculation method based on weighted Hellinger distance is proposed, which can construct HI more reasonably and better characterize the health condition of aero-engine. Finally, based on the standard data set of aero-engine degradation process provided by NASA in 2008, a typical HI construction method based on linear regression mapping and a similarity-based RUL prediction method are selected for comparison to verify performance of this method. The results show that the proposed method has better evaluation performance, and the HI constructed by this method is also better in RUL prediction.
Relative Difficulty in the Acquisition of the Phonetic Parameters of Obstruent Coda Voicing: Evidence from Mandarin-Speaking Learners of French
Authors: Patience Matthew , Steele Jeffrey
Published: September 2022

A recurring finding of research on the L2 acquisition of coda obstruent voicing is that, in terms of the phonetic parameters that serve to realize the voicing contrast, learners are overwhelmingly more accurate with duration than the voicing of the obstruent itself. The current work expands our understanding of this asymmetry in two ways. First, as previous studies have focused almost exclusively on learners of English, we investigate here whether L2 learners’ superior production of duration is also found among learners of other target languages via a study of Mandarin-speaking learners’ production of French stop and fricative codas. Results from 18 Mandarin-speaking learners of French, primarily of beginner and intermediate proficiency who completed a sentence reading task, parallel those of previous studies with greater accuracy observed for vowel duration than the laryngeal voicing of the obstruent. Second, we explore potential sources of this asymmetry, in particular, the roles of L1 experience as well as of universal factors, namely, the relative perceptual salience of duration versus voicing, and the articulatory difficulty of voicing obstruents.
Establishing Academic Homes for Homelessness: A Call to Action
Authors: Koh Howard K. , Hrabchak Molinsky Jennifer , Koh Katherine A. , Roncarati Jill S. , Sullivan Margaret M. , Lazowy Emily E. , O’Connell James J.
Published: September 2022

Although homelessness ranks as one of society’s most pressing and visible health equity challenges, the academic community has not actively addressed its health impacts, root causes, and potential solutions. Few schools and programs of public health even offer a basic course for students. In the COVID-19 pandemic era, academia must demonstrate urgency to address homelessness and educate learners, motivate fledgling researchers, inform policy makers, offer community-engaged and evidence-based studies, and join in the growing national debate about best approaches. At a minimum, every public health student should understand the interdisciplinary challenges of homelessness, its implications for health equity, and opportunities to address the crisis. We call for academia, particularly schools and programs of public health, to engage more fully in national partnerships to care for members of society who are most marginalized, in terms of health and behavioral health outcomes, quality of life, and connectedness.
Digital media, friendships and migrants’ entangled and non-linear inclusion and exclusion
Authors: Bork-Hüffer Tabea
Published: September 2022

In this article, I shed light on the role of digital media and friendships in migrants’ inclusion and exclusion. Connecting the empirical findings of a qualitative, non-media centric, multi-method study to existing research in digital migration studies, digital media and friendship as well as the literature on inclusion and exclusion, I propose the concept of entangled inclusion and exclusion. This perspective underlines migrants’ continuous (re-) negotiations of their situatedness in the (trans-)local spaces of the places they come from, move to and through. While playing diverse roles in migrants’ development and maintenance of (trans-) local friendships, digital media contribute to non-linearities in migrants’ subjective feelings of being included or excluded, making the processes involved more complex while also serving as material and symbolic signifiers of entangled inclusion and exclusion.
How Would Medicaid Expansion Affect Texas Hospitals? Evidence From a Retrospective Quasi-Experimental Study
Authors: Saygili Meryem
Published: September 2022

This study aims to estimate the impact of a potential Medicaid expansion on Texas hospitals. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid expansion increased access to health care and improved health outcomes. Still, several states, including Texas, have not adopted the expansion. This is a retrospective quasi-experimental study. We obtained inpatient data containing discharges from Texas hospitals between 2010 and 2017 from the Texas Department of State Health Services. Texas hospitals receive a significant number of patients from the adjacent states. We use a difference-in-differences methodology, where the patients from the neighboring states that expanded Medicaid in 2014 are the treatment group, and those that reside in Texas are the control group. The outcome variables are the payer mix and the cost of treatment, proxied by Diagnoses Related Group (DRG) weights assigned by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The Medicaid expansion is associated with 4.15% lower costs of treatment among the patients from the expansion states ( P < .01). Also, the uninsured rate decreased by 4.7 percentage points (from 11.3%, P < .01), while the share of Medicaid patients increased by 10.9 percentage points (from 30.7%, P < .01). There are no significant changes in the share of privately insured or Medicare patients. Texas hospitals can benefit significantly from Medicaid expansion due to reductions in average treatment costs and the share of the uninsured.
What’s Blood Got to Do with It? A Culture of Cinema Horrors at the Precipice of an Abyss
Authors: Siodmak Erin , Scannell R. Joshua
Published: September 2022

At a cultural moment in which the horrifying is central, what are the pedagogical options available by which to teach and think with our students? Horror movies, like all media, are mythmakers; media and culture reflect and reproduce but also create or consolidate. Teaching horror leads to new conversations, makes the familiar strange, and gives students new language and tools through which to assess and rewrite cultural and social narratives. This conversation bridges sociology, gender studies, and media studies to highlight the importance and usefulness of film analysis and theoretical texts that fall outside of sociology in developing robust sociological and interdisciplinary dialogue. We review the films, texts, themes, and approaches that we have used to get students to read difficult theory, think collaboratively and critically, and write in ways that push their voices and ideas beyond that with which they are accustomed and comfortable.
Water and Socio-Environmental Crisis in Guatemala City’s Metropolitan Area
Authors: Illmer Patrick
Published: September 2022

The water crisis in Guatemala City’s metropolitan area reflects the interaction of two dimensions of the deployment of power in low-income neighborhoods—the direct exercise of power over actors and spaces by elites or political centers and micropolitical operations. This interaction produces patterns of behavior that deepen socio-spatial segregation, social fragmentation, and the delimitation of horizons of political possibility among broad sectors of the urban population.

La crisis del agua en el área metropolitana de la Ciudad de Guatemala refleja la interacción de dos dimensiones a partir del despliegue del poder en barrios de bajos ingresos—esto es, el ejercicio directo del poder sobre actores y espacios por parte de élites o centros políticos y operaciones micropolíticas. Esta interacción produce patrones de comportamiento que profundizan la desegregación socio-espacial, la fragmentación social y la delimitación de horizontes de posibilidad política entre amplios sectores de la población urbana.
Definitions of Solitude in Everyday Life
Authors: Weinstein Netta , Hansen Heather , Nguyen Thuy-vy
Published: September 2022

What does it mean to be in solitude? Researchers building this nascent field are learning much about the potential affordances of solitude, but lack an agreed-upon definition or set of definitions. Arriving at that meaning is crucial to forming a solid foundation for studies that use both naturalistic and laboratory designs to explore outcomes of solitude. This study identified themes from semi-structured interviews with adults aged 19 to 80 from diverse backgrounds. We concluded that solitude is a state in which the dominant relationship is with the self. If not physically alone, people in solitude are mentally distanced from others and away from active technology-mediated interactions. Complete solitude involves both physical separation and inner focus, but solitude is best defined through a taxonomy that recognizes physical separation and internal focus as independent, sufficient characteristics. An internal focus benefits from (but is not defined by) balancing solitude with social time, quiet, and choice.
Psychological Distance to Science as a Predictor of Science Skepticism Across Domains
Authors: Većkalov Bojana , Zarzeczna Natalia , McPhetres Jonathon , van Harreveld Frenk , Rutjens Bastiaan T.
Published: September 2022

This article presents and tests psychological distance to science (PSYDISC) as a domain-general predictor of science skepticism. Drawing on the concept of psychological distance, PSYDISC reflects the extent to which individuals perceive science as a tangible undertaking conducted by people similar to oneself ( social), with effects in the here ( spatial) and now ( temporal), and as useful and applicable in the real world ( hypothetical distance). In six studies (two preregistered; total N = 1,630) and two countries, we developed and established the factor structure and validity of a scale measuring PSYDISC. Crucially, higher PSYDISC predicted skepticism beyond established predictors, across science domains. A final study showed that PSYDISC shapes real-world behavior (COVID-19 vaccination uptake). This work thus provides a novel tool to predict science skepticism, as well as a construct that can help to further develop a unifying framework to understand science skepticism across domains.
Self-Awareness and Stereotypes: Accurate Prediction of Implicit Gender Stereotyping
Authors: Rahmani Azad Zahra , Goedderz Alexandra , Hahn Adam
Published: September 2022

Research showing that people can predict the patterns of their implicit evaluations toward social groups has raised questions concerning how widely these findings extend to other domains, such as semantic implicit stereotyping. In a preregistered laboratory study, participants were asked to predict their scores on five implicit gender stereotyping Implicit Associations Tests (IATs). Within-subjects correlations between IAT score predictions and IAT scores showed high levels of accuracy. Although part of the IAT score patterns could be predicted from shared knowledge, own predictions significantly outperformed predictions of random others and normative patterns, suggesting self-awareness beyond reliance on shared knowledge. In line with dual-process models emphasizing that different information is captured by implicit as opposed to explicit measures, predictions explained correlations between implicit and traditional explicit stereotyping measures, and led to acknowledgment of bias. Discussion focuses on understanding conscious awareness of semantic automatic processes and conceptualizations of the cognitions underlying implicit measures.
Power, Emotion, and Privilege: “Discomfort” as Resistance to Transgender Student Affirmation
Authors: Payne Elizabethe , Smith Melissa
Published: September 2022

Context:

This research contributes to a growing body of scholarship on affirming and accommodating transgender and gender-diverse students in elementary school spaces by exploring how institutional resistance to gender-inclusive practices manifested in a single rural school district.

Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study:

The study was shaped by the following questions: (1) How is “successful” support of a transgender child defined by the educators who worked with a child as her gender identity and expression changed? (2) What were the educators’ strategies for facilitating the student’s in-school transition? (3) What (if any) actions were taken to recognize or affirm gender diversity? This article focuses on one educator advocate’s experiences navigating a district administrator’s expressions of discomfort with transgender inclusion, which he deployed in situations in which he believed proposals for gender-inclusive policies and practices were “running wild” and too far from the institutional status quo.

Participants:

Interview participants were school personnel, including administrators, teachers, and counselors, who worked in the school while the child was in kindergarten through third grade, and the student’s mother.

Research Design:

Eleven interviews were conducted. Limited observation included a school assembly focused on learning to accept differences and observation of gendered images throughout the school building. A semi-structured interview protocol was used that included questions about (1) first learning of the presence of a transgender child; (2) the process for learning about transgender identity; (3) implementing procedures for including and accommodating the transgender student; (4) integrating gender differences into the curriculum; (5) discussing gender differences with students; and (6) perceptions of the school district’s success in working with the transgender student and her family. Interview questions were designed to encourage descriptive accounts in which participants describe what happened, their interpretation of the events, and their understanding of their own positions within the events.

Conclusions:

This study addresses how discomfort serves as a socially acceptable narrative for school personnel to prioritize the (actual or perceived) feelings of cisgender adults and children over the needs of transgender students.
Familial digital mediation as a gendered issue between parents
Authors: Balleys Claire
Published: September 2022

The different strategies explored by parents managing their children’s digital practices, the associated challenges, and the conditions for a successful outcome are central in the literature on digital mediation within families. However, few studies consider the family context in its entirety, which is essential if we wish to capture the meanings, perceptions, and negotiations that are played out in the daily family routine. Based on an ethnographic survey on the place of screens in Swiss families’ socialization processes, the paper shows, first, how paternal use undermines digital mediation within the family and, second, that this mediation is ultimately a maternal concern and responsibility. By interviewing all family members (including children) on their assessment of screen use by all family members (including parents), our research design provides access to the backstage of parental digital mediation. Our data shows that women confront fears and guilt in the face of social norms that a ‘good’ mother should regulate screens ‘well’ within her household. We conclude that parental digital mediation is embedded in a gendered social and relational context, where fathers and mothers do not adopt the same roles, the same duties, nor the same mental burden.
L2 English vocabulary breadth and knowledge of derivational morphology: One or two constructs?
Authors: Leontjev Dmitri , Huhta Ari , Tolvanen Asko
Published: September 2022

Derivational morphology (DM) and how it can be assessed have been investigated relatively rarely in language learning and testing research. The goal of this study is to add to the understanding of the nature of DM knowledge, exploring whether and how it is separable from vocabulary breadth. Eight L2 (second or foreign language) English DM knowledge measures and three measures of the size of the English vocabulary were administered to 120 learners. We conducted two confirmatory factor analyses, one with one underlying factor and the other treating vocabulary breadth and DM as separate. As neither model had a satisfactory fit without introducing a residual covariance to the two-factor model, we conducted an exploratory factor analysis, which suggested two separate DM factors in addition to vocabulary breadth. Regardless, the analysis demonstrated that the DM knowledge was separate from learners’ vocabulary breadth. However, learners’ vocabulary breadth factor still explained a substantial amount of variance in learners’ performance on DM measures. We discuss theoretical implications and implications for L2 assessment.
The Fallacy of a Single Diagnosis
Authors: Redelmeier Donald A. , Shafir Eldar
Published: September 2022

Background

Diagnostic reasoning requires clinicians to think through complex uncertainties. We tested the possibility of a bias toward an available single diagnosis in uncertain cases.

Design

We developed 5 different surveys providing a succinct description of a hypothetical individual patient scenaric. Each scenario was formulated in 2 versions randomized to participants, with the versions differing only in whether an alternative diagnosis was present or absent. The 5 scenarios were designed as separate tests of robustness using diverse cases, including a cautious scenario, a risky scenario, a sophisticated scenario, a validation scenario, and a comparative scenario (each survey containing only 1 version of 1 scenario). Participants included community members ( n = 1104) and health care professionals ( n = 200) who judged the chances of COVID infection in an individual patient.

Results

The first scenario described a cautious patient and found a 47% reduction in the estimated odds of COVID when a flu diagnosis was present compared with absent (odds ratio = 0.53, 95% confidence interval 0.30 to 0.94, P = 0.003). The second scenario described a less cautious patient and found a 70% reduction in the estimated odds of COVID in the presence of a flu diagnosis (odds ratio = 0.30, 95% confidence interval 0.13 to 0.70, P < 0.001). The third was a more sophisticated scenario presented to medical professionals and found a 73% reduction in the estimated odds of COVID in the presence of a mononucleosis diagnosis (odds ratio = 0.27, 95% confidence interval 0.10 to 0.75, P < 0.001). Two further scenarios—avoiding mention of population norms—replicated the results.

Limitations

Brief hypothetical scenarios may overestimate the extent of bias in more complicated medical situations.

Conclusions

These results demonstrate that an available simple diagnosis can lead individuals toward premature closure and a failure to fully consider additional severe diseases.

Highlights

Occum’s razor has been debated for centuries yet rarely subjected to experimental testing for evidence-based medicine. This article offers direct evidence that people favor an available simple diagnosis, thereby neglecting to consider additional serious diseases. The bias can lead individuals to mistakenly lower their judged likelihood of COVID or another disease when an alternate diagnosis is present. This misconception over the laws of probability appears in judgments by community members and by health care workers. The pitfall in reasoning extends to high-risk cases and is not easily attributed to information, incentives, or random chance.
Informed Decision Making for Anticoagulation Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Martinez Kathryn A. , Linfield Debra T. , Shaker Victoria , Rothberg Michael B.
Published: September 2022

Background

Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) must decide between warfarin and direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), a decision involving important tradeoffs. Our objective was to understand whether physicians engage patients in informed decision making for anticoagulants.

Design

We performed an analysis of recorded conversations between physicians and anticoagulation-naïve patients in the Verilogue Point-of-Practice database. We assessed the presence of 7 elements of informed decision making, as well as a discussion of financial costs.

Results

Of 37 encounters with 21 physicians, 92% resulted in a DOAC prescription and 8% resulted in a warfarin prescription. Seventy percent met criteria for discussion of pros and cons, 70% for discussion of the alternatives, 43% presented the decision, 30% included an assessment of patient understanding, 22% included an explanation of the patient’s role in decision making, 22% included an assessment of patient preferences, and 19% included a discussion of uncertainty. Two encounters (5%) included all 7 elements and 9 (24%) included none. Physicians discussed treatment costs with patients in 43% of encounters.

Limitations

We assessed informed decision making in a single encounter. Physicians and patients may have had other discussions that were not captured in our data.

Conclusions

Physicians often presented the alternatives but did not generally engage patients in informed decision making. The high rate of DOAC prescriptions is likely the result of physician preferences, as patient preferences were rarely assessed.

Implications

Strategies to support physicians in engaging patients in informed decision making for anticoagulation are needed.

Highlights

While physicians discussed the alternatives and presented pros and cons with patients, they rarely assessed patient preferences, explained the patient’s role in decision making, or addressed uncertainty. The cost of treatment with DOACs versus warfarin was discussed by physicians in less than half of encounters, limiting patients’ ability to make informed decisions for anticoagulation. Only 2 encounters (5%) fulfilled all 7 elements of informed decision making.
Durable Disadvantage: Gender and the Mark of Unauthorized Status in Immigrants’ Occupational Trajectories
Authors: Kreisberg A. Nicole , Jackson Margot
Published: September 2022

Adverse life course events associated with unemployment can negatively affect individuals’ future labor market prospects. Unauthorized status, and subsequent unauthorized employment, may operate similarly, marring immigrants’ labor market prospects even after they change legal status. However, it is unclear how and why any durable disadvantage associated with prior unauthorized status operates differently by gender. This is an important shortcoming, given that legal status and gender overlap to influence both migration and stratification. Using longitudinal data from a nationally representative sample of lawful permanent residents, we find durable disadvantage associated with prior exposure to unauthorized status, especially among women. Men with prior exposure to unauthorized status experience persistent occupational disadvantage over time relative to men who were never unauthorized. However, women with exposure to unauthorized status experience widening occupational disadvantage over time relative to women who were never unauthorized. Human capital and legal processes help to explain this pattern.
Water reduces iron toxicity
Authors: Wu Bo-Sheng , Chu Feng-Yuan , Yang Chih-Yu
Published: September 2022

An 86-year-old man presented to the emergency room with vomiting and melena. The patient was hemodynamically stable and remained alert and orientated. According to his family, ingestion of a pack of disposable hand warmers, which he mistook for black sesame powder, occurred 17 h prior to admission. Before ingestion, he mixed the powder with warm water. Physical examination revealed no thermal injury of the oral mucosa with no abdominal pain or tenderness. An abdominal plain film showed multiple scattered radiopaque material with zonal distribution over the right abdomen. An intravenous 500-mg deferoxamine challenge test showed no vin rosé urine discoloration. Serial serum iron levels remained within the normal range. The patient remained clinically stable with no medical complications. He was discharged 3 days after admission. The hand warmers consisted of iron powder (50% w/w), sodium chloride, activated charcoal, and nontoxic vermiculite: a potential risk for intestinal thermal injury. In this case, the water added beforehand rapidly terminated the iron oxidation reaction. This explained the lack of thermal injury. Ferric oxide is poorly absorbed by the digestive tract and explained the absence of iron intoxication. Therefore, clinicians should clarify the method of ingestion. If a hand warmer has been premixed with water, less mucosa injury can be expected with a lower risk of iron intoxication. This report also provided evidence that abdominal plain films can be used to confirm the ingestion of iron and monitor its elimination.
Sociodemographic Factors Associated with Social Tolerance for Intimate Partner Violence in Peru: Evidence from the National Survey of Social Relations, 2019
Authors: Caira-Chuquineyra Brenda , Fernandez-Guzman Daniel , Orellana Dayanne , Pomareda Vera Andrea Elena , Gomez Cristhoper J. , Valencia Pablo D. , Román-Lazarte Víctor
Published: September 2022

Our objective was to determine the factors associated with social tolerance for intimate partner violence (IPV) in the Peruvian population. A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted. Data from the 2019 National Survey of Social Relations (ENARES) of Peru were used. This survey collected data from a total of 1,026 Peruvians aged 18 years and older. Multilevel linear regression models were performed to evaluate the factors associated with a standardized index of social tolerance for IPV. Likewise, a stratified analysis was performed according to sex. Being older (β = .01; 95% confidence interval [CI]: .01–.01) and living outside the capital (β = 0.24; 95% CI: .07–0.41) were associated with greater social tolerance for IPV. On the other hand, being female (β = −0.26; 95% CI: −0.36 to −0.17) and having a higher educational level were associated with lower tolerance. In the stratified analysis by sex, in both men and women, being older and having a higher level of education were associated with higher and lower tolerance for IPV, respectively. On the other hand, living outside the capital was associated with greater tolerance only in men. In Peru, older people and those living outside the capital showed greater acceptance of IPV, while women and those with higher levels of education expressed rejection of IPV.
Heavy-duty diesel vehicle formation with transient integrated control of fuel consumption and emission in an intelligent network environment
Authors: Liu Di , Chen Hong , Sun Yao , Hu Yunfeng
Published: September 2022

Platoon formation has attracted extensive attention recently due to its potential to significantly reduce fuel consumption and emissions. For the problem of optimizing vehicle platoon formation, existing methods can only ensure the optimal operation of a single vehicle, but not the overall optimal fuel consumption and emissions of a platoon. In this study, a new optimization control method is proposed for the formation process of diesel commercial vehicles, that solves the transient fuel consumption and NOx emissions integrated optimization problem for the whole platoon. First, mathematical models of instantaneous vehicle fuel consumption and NOx emissions are established by polynomial fitting, and an optimization objective function considering overall fuel consumption, NOx emissions and vehicle acceleration of the whole platoon is given. Second, the relative distance, velocity and acceleration are considered as constraints, and their upper and lower bounds are determined by comprehensively considering the feasibility of the optimization variables. Third, a grid equivalent method for platoon formation time is proposed that transforms the platoon formation optimization problem with free terminal time into an optimization problem with fixed terminal time, and the optimal solution is obtained by the interior-point method. Finally, a co-simulation with GT-power and MATLAB shows that the proposed method can obtain the comprehensive optimization of fuel consumption and NOx emissions while maintaining safety and ensure the enforceability of the desired vehicle speed and acceleration.
Risky business: Comparative approaches to risk and resilience in arid environments of the Holocene – An introduction to the special issue
Authors: Dawson Emily , Weinberg Camille , Damick Alison
Published: September 2022

Drylands are diverse and dynamic ecosystems that have been occupied by humans throughout the Holocene. Nonetheless, drylands are often conceived of as marginal, rare, and inimical to human livelihoods. This Special Issue interrogates the interactions between humans and arid and aridifying environments to investigate how drylands offer unique risks and opportunities to their resilient inhabitants. This article introduces the 11 environmental archeology papers and 1 discussion paper in this Special Issue, the proceedings of a 2021 virtual workshop on the topics of risk and resilience. Each contribution explores a different geographic and chronological context around the globe. We also introduce three subthemes of this Special Issue: “Multi-Scalar Analysis,” “Abundance and Diversity,” and “Cascading Risks.” Collectively, a key strength of the case studies in this volume is the range of environmental archeology methods and datasets that they showcase. These authors draw out details within a multi-scalar understanding of risk and risk perception in the particular contexts in which they work. As we face compounding contemporary risks associated with the global impacts of a changing climate, it is more important than ever to recognize the range of human relationships with aridification, and the dynamic, localized socio-environmental histories of drylands.
Screening asymptomatic men for prostate cancer: A comparison of international guidelines on prostate-specific antigen testing
Authors: Jackson Sherena D , de la Rue May R , Greenslade Thomas PL , John Anna M , Wahid Shahida , Martin Richard M , Williams Naomi J , Turner Emma L
Published: September 2022

Objective

To summarise and compare the key recommendations on prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-based screening for prostate cancer, and so highlight where more evidence is required to facilitate consistent recommendations.

Methods

The Medline database and websites of 18 national screening organisations and professional associations were searched between January 2010 and November 2020 to identify screening guidelines published in English, considering recent clinical trials.

Results

Population-based PSA testing of asymptomatic men is not widely recommended. Guidelines emphasize shared patient-clinician decision making. For ‘average-risk’ men choosing to be screened, the recommended age varies from 50–55 to 70 years, alongside consideration of life expectancy (ranging from 7–15 years). Screening intervals, when specified, are biennial (most common), annual, or determined from baseline PSA. The earliest age for screening high-risk men (frequently defined as of African descent or with a family history of prostate cancer) is 40 years, but recommendations often defer to clinical judgement.

Conclusions

Population screening of asymptomatic men is not widely recommended. Instead, balancing the potential harms and benefits of PSA testing is endorsed. Variation between guidelines stems from differing interpretations of key trials and could lead to clinician-dependent screening views. The development of clinical decision aids and international consensus on guidelines may help reduce national and international variation on how men are counselled.
The Effects of Medicaid Expansion Under the Affordable Care Act on Health Insurance Coverage, Health Care Access, and Health Care Use for People with Disabilities: A Scoping Review
Authors: Dong Xiaobei , Miller Nancy A.
Published: September 2022

More than 27% of individuals in the United States experience a disability. We conducted a scoping review of the literature to examine what is known about the impact of the 2010 Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion on individuals with disabilities’ health care insurance coverage, health care access, and health care use. We followed the approach of Arskey and O’Malley in conducting our review. Electronic journal databases, hand searching of key health and disability journals, and reference checking were used to identify potential articles for the review. Individuals with disabilities or with conditions that could be disabling were included. The intervention used was the 2010 Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion. Study eligibility criteria were peer-reviewed studies published in 2014 or later that conducted multivariate analyses of the effect of the Medicaid expansion on people with disabilities’ health insurance coverage, health care access, and health care use. The most consistent finding across studies was that the Medicaid expansion had a positive effect on health insurance coverage. It was generally found to have increased Medicaid coverage and decreased the uninsured rate. Its effect on private or employer-sponsored insurance coverage was a mix of no and negative effects. Findings related to health care access and use of care were more mixed. On a scale of 0 to 8 (highest quality), the quality of individual studies ranged from 2 to 6, with an average across studies of 4.2, the low end of adequate quality. Future studies should develop a more consistent approach to measuring disability and develop a core set of health care access and use measures to facilitate comparisons across studies so as to systematically evaluate the evidence related to the Medicaid expansion.
The 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act: An Interview with Dr. Jane E. West
Authors: West Jane E. , Yell Mitchell
Published: September 2022

Dr. Jane West was involved in the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This law, which has been called the emancipation proclamation for persons with disabilities, was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush over 30 years ago. Dr. West sat down for an interview in which she addressed the origins, importance, and future of this remarkable law.
Covid-19 and Worker Issues: Lessons From a University-based Ad-Hoc Network
Authors: Ryan Lillian , Sokas Rosemary K. , McCartin Joseph A. , Monahan John , McCartin Mara C.
Published: September 2022

The Covid-19 pandemic has made clear the central role of the workplace in public health. Workers and working families have been particularly impacted by a public health and economic crisis that has revealed both structural shortcomings and opportunities for future preparedness. In response to the pandemic, a group of scholars, labor and anti-poverty advocates, activists, union representatives, frontline workers, and public health professionals gathered to share observations and create a forum for information sharing and collaboration. Conversations evolved with the pandemic to include policy solutions aimed at addressing the pandemic's health and economic impacts. In this paper, we summarize key lessons from the “Covid-19 and Workers” calls and suggest that ongoing collaboration among labor activists and academic and public health advocates may help to prepare for new public health crises and protect the safety and health of workers and communities.
Intervening on the Intersecting Issues of Intimate Partner Violence, Substance Use, and HIV: A Review of Social Intervention Group's (SIG) Syndemic-Focused Interventions for Women
Authors: Gilbert Louisa , Stoicescu Claudia , Goddard-Eckrich Dawn , Dasgupta Anindita , Richer Ariel , N. Benjamin Shoshana , Wu Elwin , El-Bassel Nabila
Published: September 2022

Intimate partner violence (IPV), HIV, and substance use are serious intersecting public health issues. This paper aims to describe the Social Intervention Group (SIG)'s syndemic-focused interventions for women that address the co-occurrence of IPV, HIV, and substance use, referred to as the SAVA syndemic. We reviewed SIG intervention studies from 2000 to 2020 that evaluated the effectiveness of syndemic-focused interventions which addressed two or more outcomes related to reducing IPV, HIV, and substance use among different populations of women who use drugs. This review identified five interventions that co-targeted SAVA outcomes. Of the five interventions, four showed a significant reduction in risks for two or more outcomes related to IPV, substance use, and HIV. The significant effects of SIG's interventions on IPV, substance use, and HIV outcomes among different populations of women demonstrate the potential of using syndemic theory and methods in guiding effective SAVA-focused interventions.
“You Are By No Means Alone”: A Netnographic Study of Self-Care Support in an Online Community for Older Adults
Authors: Lawless Michael T. , Hunter Sarah C. , Pinero de Plaza Maria Alejandra , Archibald Mandy M. , Kitson Alison L.
Published: September 2022

Online peer-to-peer communities provide environments in which people with similar health concerns can interact and exchange information that can support self-care of long-term conditions. However, current theories have not adequately accounted for how self-care support is enacted in online communities. We conducted an observational netnography to identify and analyze posts in a publicly accessible online community (discussion forum boards) designed for older people. A Straussian grounded theory approach was used to examine 659 posts in health-related message boards. Self-care support involved the construction of three interrelated identities: (1) the support seeking self, in which members described problems and requested information; (2) the empathizing self, in which they described similar experiences and offered support; and (3) the influencing self, in which they provided information or advice. Online communities appear to be an important source of peer support and information and may be a cost-effective approach to supplement standard care.
Parents and Group Music Lessons: A Role Theory Perspective for Music Teacher Educators
Authors: Ang Kathryn , Panebianco Clorinda , Odendaal Albi
Published: September 2022

This collective case study aimed to explore the various expected roles for parents of preschool children in group music lessons in the Klang Valley of West Malaysia, the area located around Kuala Lumpur. We collected data by conducting two semi-structured interviews with 10 parents and three teachers of three preschool group music classes. Four broad themes emerged. Participants viewed parents as playing the roles of supporters, practice supervisors, role models, and consumers. We propose that a flexible understanding of role is essential in crafting meaningful relationships between parents and teachers and suggest the approaches that might assist future music educators to develop such a perception.
Psychological and Developmental Correlates of Paraphilic and Normophilic Sexual Interests
Authors: Brown Ashley , Barker Edward D. , Rahman Qazi
Published: September 2022

The classification of sexual fantasies and behaviors (here referred to as ‘sexual interests’) has historically been divided into ‘paraphilic’ and ‘normophilic’. However, studies on paraphilic interests are often limited to clinical or forensic samples and normophilic interests are rarely assessed in tandem. Previous research has found mixed results for psychological and other correlates of sexual interests, potentially due to inconsistency in operationalism and measurement of fantasies and behaviors. The aim of the current study was to quantify correlates of sexual interests via the Sexual Fantasies and Behaviors Inventory, containing factors related to general fantasies/behaviors, normophilia, power dynamics, sadomasochism, and courtship paraphilias, using a large ( N = 4280) non-clinical sample. Psychological, developmental, sexual, and demographic correlates were investigated via bivariate correlations, mean difference testing, and multiple regression. Sexual interest domains were largely unrelated to psychopathology and developmental factors. Sociosexuality and more accepting attitudes towards sadomasochism was generally related to more arousal to/engagement in normophilic and paraphilic domains. More autism spectrum disorder traits were related to decreased normophilic interests. Psychopathic traits, sexual sensation seeking, and sexual compulsivity were related to paraphilia dimensions, especially courtship paraphilias and domination/sadism; the former was also associated with negative attitudes about establishing consent. Men, non-monogamous, and non-heterosexual participants indicated greater sexual fantasies and behaviors compared to women (except in the case of submission and masochism), monogamous, and heterosexual participants, respectively.
Branch retinal vein occlusion following ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (Oxford-AstraZeneca) vaccine
Authors: Karageorgiou Georgia , Chronopoulou Konstantina , Georgalas Ilias , Kandarakis Stylianos , Tservakis Ioannis , Petrou Petros
Published: September 2022

Purpose

To present a case of branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) following ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (Oxford-AstraZeneca) Vaccine.

Methods

Case report.

Results

A 60-year old otherwise healthy Caucasian male, presented to the ophthalmology emergency clinic complaining of sudden, painless vision loss in his right eye of 24 h” duration. The patient had received Vaxveria seven days prior. The clinical and fundus examination of the right eye established the diagnosis of BRVO.

Conclusion

The present case descibes the occurrence of BRVO soon after the vaccination with the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. The close temporal relationship between the BRVO incidence and the vaccination is reinforced by the lack of othe subjective cause to justify the episode.
Healthcare Transformation in Saudi Arabia: An Overview Since the Launch of Vision 2030
Authors: Alasiri Ahmed Ali , Mohammed Viqaruddin
Published: September 2022

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 has taken a centre stage in the development of its healthcare sector through privatization adopting Public Private Partnerships (PPPs). The objective of this study is to provide an overview of healthcare transformation in Saudi Arabia since the launch of the ambitious Vision 2030, identifying issues those need to be addressed and steps taken towards provision of health systems transformation. Literature review was based on extensive review of published and unpublished articles, where different search engines and databases searched using the key words: ‘Saudi Healthcare’, ‘Healthcare transformation’, ‘Saudi vision: 2030’, ‘Public-Private Partnerships’ and ‘Privatization’, in addition to secondary data as published in government reports, policy, government strategy documents and pertinent press releases. The future of the healthcare like many other developing economies continues to weigh policies for universal coverage while containing costs and the national transformation programme driven by social and economic factors has implemented strategic steps to develop its private healthcare system that includes: establishing health clusters, National Centre for Privatization & PPP – an official enabler for privatization of all government sectors and recently approved Private Sector Participation (PSP) Law involves several legislative enablers designed to enhance investor confidence in the privatization process. Although this study demonstrates systemic legislative progress to facilitate transformation process of healthcare sector, also endorses caution and research in identifying barriers to the implementation of PPPs, Saudi workforce development, implementing effective revenue cycle management function for healthcare reimbursement and ensuring vulnerable population access to good quality and tertiary healthcare. As healthcare of Saudi Arabia embarks on the transformation journey facing daunting challenges, but it appears that the government has laid out a roadmap with the legislative framework; however it is important that there is ongoing monitoring with adjustments as this complex and multifaceted process proceeds.
When Hotel Guests Complain About Tobacco, Electronic Cigarettes, and Cannabis: Lessons for Implementing Smoking Bans
Authors: Weigel Elizabeth AD , Matt Georg E
Published: September 2022

We analyzed reviews on tripadvisor.com from a random sample of N = 477 hotels in ten large cities in the US to examine how well existing policies protect guests from exposure to tobacco, electronic cigarette, and cannabis (TEC) smoke. We examined the association between complaints per 100 reviews with hotel smoking policies, star rating, cost, brand, and location. Of all TEC complaints, 80% were associated with thirdhand smoke residue lingering in hotels from previous guests. Compared to the hotel brands with the best records, the two worst-performing brands had 3.4- and 3.6-times higher complaint rates ( P < .001). Hotels with ≤2-star ratings had twice the complaints as higher-rated hotels ( P < .001). Compared to 100% smokefree hotels, those offering designated smoking rooms had a 35% higher rate of complaints ( P < .05). The success of some hotel brands demonstrates it is feasible to protect guests by fully committing to, implementing, and enforcing 100% smokefree building policies.