bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Theme Park Storytelling: Deconstructing Immersion in Chinese Theme Parks
Authors: Fu Xiaoxiao , Baker Carissa , Zhang Wen , Zhang Ruoyang (Effie)
Published: June 2022

Little is known about how visitors become immersed in theme park storytelling. As the first of its kind, this study investigated visitors’ immersion through storytelling experiences in Chinese domestic theme parks. This research pursued participants’ subjective interpretation of immersion and the elements that were essential in their experiences. Thirty visitors were interviewed and data were analyzed using an inductive-deductive approach. The findings revealed that the immersion through theme park storytelling involves four stages, namely spatial-temporal immersion, sensory immersion, conceptual-imaginative immersion, and emotional immersion. Drawing on the findings, this study developed a framework depicting the mechanism of immersion. Achieving an in-depth understanding of how visitors interact with stories in a themed and experiential context, this research makes theoretically meaningful additions to both narrative and psychological literature. It also enables the industry to better understand and manage the visitor experience at theme parks.
Impact of Difficult Dialogues on Social Justice Attitudes During a Multicultural Psychology Course
Authors: Hicks Elizabeth Tish , Alvarez María de la Caridad , Domenech Rodríguez Melanie M.
Published: June 2022

Background

Previous research shows that Multicultural Psychology courses can produce significant improvements in students’ cultural competence-related attitudes in in-person and online courses.

Objective

We evaluated the impact of adding a skills-focused group assignment (i.e., Difficult Dialogues) to an online asynchronous Multicultural Psychology course.

Method

Undergraduate students filled out a battery of self-report measures at the beginning and end of the course. Of the 192 total students, 107 were in course sections which completed a Difficult Dialogue (DD) group project, and 85 were in the teaching as usual (TAU) section.

Results

Students in DD groups had significantly greater pre-to post-increases on social justice behavioral intentions and perceived behavioral control compared to TAU. There were no statistical differences between-groups on measures of other cultural competence constructs, though there were statistically significant within-group improvements on all outcome measures.

Conclusion

Results suggest that the DD project had a particular impact on improving social justice behavioral intentions and perceived behavioral control.

Teaching Implications

These shifts underscore the importance of including opportunities for students to learn and practice specific skills in Multicultural Psychology courses, and that online courses can effectively provide these opportunities.
Data-driven adaptive tuning of iterative learning control
Authors: Yu Yingzhen , Lin Na , Chi Ronghu
Published: June 2022

In this paper, we propose two data-driven adaptive tuning (DDAT) approaches of iterative learning control (ILC) for nonlinear non-affine systems. First, a compact-form iterative dynamic linearization (CFIDL) method is introduced to transfer the original nonlinear system into a linear data model. Then, we design an objective function for the tuning of the learning gains of a PD-type ILC law. By optimizing the designed cost function subjected to the linear data model, a CFIDL-based DDAT method is proposed, where only the real I/O data are used without requiring any mechanistic model information. Furthermore, the results are extended by introducing a partial-form iterative dynamic linearization (PFIDL) method for the purpose of utilizing more additional control information. Following the similar steps, a PFIDL-based DDAT method is developed for learning gain tuning of the PD-type ILC scheme. Both the proposed DDAT methods can help the PD-type ILC have a better robustness against to the uncertainties since they can use the real I/O data to iteratively tune the learning gains. The convergence of the DDAT-based PD-type ILC methods has been proved rigorously. The effectiveness of the two proposed DDAT-based ILC methods are further verified through simulations.
Clinical characteristics in unilateral cochlear nerve canal stenosis
Authors: Liang Wenqi , Wang Line , Wang Zhenxiao , Zhao Pengfei , Wang Qimei , Peng Kevin A
Published: June 2022

Objective

To characterize the clinical features of patients with congenital hearing loss and unilateral cochlear nerve canal stenosis (CNCS).

Methods

A retrospective review of 12 patients with unilateral CNCS diagnosed between January 2018 and December 2019 at a tertiary referral hospital was performed.

Results

Of the 12 patients identified, there were 6 males and 6 females. All patients presented with hearing loss, with no other chief complaints. Two patients had accessory auricles. Eleven patients had a severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss on the affected side, while 1 patient had an isolated high-frequency hearing loss. Nine patients demonstrated atresia of the cochlear nerve canal (CNC), while three patients had a stenotic, but patent, CNC.

Conclusion

Prompt radiologic diagnosis of patients with unilateral CNCS is important for patient counseling and appropriate rehabilitation.
Understanding Refugee Families’ Potentials for Supporting Children’s Mathematics Learning
Authors: Karsli-Calamak Elif , Ece Tuna Mana , Allexsaht-Snider Martha
Published: June 2022

Background/Context:

We lack a nuanced understanding of the potentials and needs of multilingual families, particularly those with forced displacement histories, in contributing to children’s mathematics learning. As educators seek to increase refugee students’ access to powerful mathematics learning, an understanding of how refugee families view and participate in their children’s mathematics learning can offer insights for how we might reach the goal of equitable educational access.

Purpose/Focus of Study:

In the GÖÇ-MAT project, we focused on developing equitable mathematics teaching practices with teachers (K–3) in schools highly populated with refugee children. The research that we present here, drawing on notions of community cultural wealth capital, offers a multifaceted view of how families of young children with refugee status articulated understandings of their roles in children’s mathematics learning.

Setting:

Our fieldwork took place in four different cities highly populated by people with refugee status in Turkey, the country located at the center of the worldwide trend of mass migration.

Participants:

We examined data from families (N = 54, mainly from Syria) who participated in the family engagement component of the larger project, carried out through multilingual family mathematics workshops.

Research Design:

We employed qualitative research methods and conducted two-year-long observations and video recordings in the context of multilingual family mathematics workshops. In the workshops, families, teachers, and researchers engaged in patterns and early algebra activities, as well as in family conversations facilitated through open-ended prompts, mathematics picture books, and educational journey maps. Over two years, we collected data comprising recorded dialogues with families, artifacts produced in the workshops, and video data of families’ mathematical interactions.

Findings:

Our analysis yielded two key understandings: (1) Family engagement practices around mathematics set a context to realize the nuanced nature of refugee families’ cultural wealth and efforts for their children’s education; and (2) refugee families’ knowledge of mathematics itself as a discipline and their mathematical capital, which are typically not recognized in school contexts, can serve as resources for mathematics teaching.

Conclusions/Recommendations:

The findings provide insight for teachers, researchers, and policy makers about how we might engage multilingual children and families with refugee status in powerful ways in mathematics education.
Exploring Design Principles in Computational Thinking Instruction for Multilingual Learners
Authors: Pozos Rose K. , Severance Samuel , Denner Jill , Tellez Kip
Published: June 2022

Background:

Multilingual learners have been overlooked and understudied in computer science education research. As the CS for All movement grows, it is essential to design integrated, justice-oriented curricula that help young multilingual learners begin to develop computational thinking skills and discourses.

Purpose:

We present a conceptual framework and accompanying design principles for justice-centered computational thinking activities that are language-rich, with the aim of supporting learners’ agency and building their capacity over time to use computing for good in their communities.

Setting:

Our work takes place in a research–practice partnership centered in an elementary school in California with a significant multilingual Latinx population.

Research Design:

We have engaged in two cycles of design-based research with preservice and in-service teachers at an elementary school. Through analysis of one case study during the second and most recent cycle, we examined the potential of teachers using our design principles for supporting multilingual learners’ language development through engagement in computational thinking.

Conclusions:

Our findings suggest that multilingual learners will engage in productive discourse when computational thinking lessons are designed to (1) be meaningfully contextualized, (2) position students as agentic learners, and (3) promote coherence over time. However, more research is needed to understand how teachers use these principles over time, and what additional supports are needed to ensure coordination between stakeholders to develop and effectively implement coherent learning progressions.
Denigrating Women, Venerating “Chad”: Ingroup and Outgroup Evaluations among Male Supremacists on Reddit
Authors: Furl Katherine
Published: June 2022

Can negative evaluations of a broad outgroup paired with positive evaluations of a broad ingroup, sustain willing affiliation with even intensely self-derogating online communities? Synthesizing concepts from masculinities scholarship, social identity theory, and self-verification theory, this study compares language from two distinctive misogynist communities active on Reddit.com —Men Going Their Own Way, male separatists who positively frame members as superior to other men and men as superior to women, and Involuntary Celibates (incels), who openly derogate incel community members—to understand what sustains misogynist incels’ willing affiliation with the self-derogating incel community. Using thematic qualitative analysis, I find that while male separatists favor both their own narrower online community and the broader ingroup of men, misogynist incels engage in a patriarchal bargain, using relatively benevolent depictions of some men alongside negative depictions of all women to perpetuate broader gender inequality.
“Saved” by Interaction, Living by Race: The Diversity Demeanor in an Organizational Space
Authors: Ince Jelani
Published: June 2022

Sociologists have written surprisingly little about the role of social interactions in facilitating the success of racial diversity initiatives in contemporary organizations. The push for racial inclusion across multiple institutions illustrates that racial diversity is a widespread cultural mythology. However, social interactions are living component of cultural ideals, and successful interracial interactions are necessary to pull off diversity. In this article, I use ethnographic data gathered from parishioners of an interracial religious organization to look beyond “happy talk” and toward the tangible effort that is required to accomplish racial diversity on the ground. Specifically, I advance the concept of the diversity demeanor: racialized interaction rituals that smooth social interactions in interracial settings. Using the contributions of symbolic interactionism to examine race as a social relationship mediated through formal organizations offers a number of advantages. It reveals how the burden of making diversity happen falls on the shoulders of racial minorities who must “save” interactions and develop White actors’ understandings when they “mess up.” By developing the concept of the diversity demeanor, I bring attention to how macrolevel systems of stratification manifest within microlevel practices in the meso space of a religious organization.
Competing perspectives on participatory arrangements: Explaining the attitudes of elected representatives
Authors: Klausen Jan Erling , Vabo Signy Irene , Winsvold Marte
Published: June 2022

In this article, we investigate elected representatives’ attitudes to citizen participation and the design of participatory arrangements. We distinguish between citizenship-oriented and governance-oriented attitudes. Whereas citizenship-oriented attitudes imply designing participatory arrangements to safeguard the democratic values of equality, transparency and inclusion, governance-oriented attitudes imply designing participatory arrangements to support elected representatives in their roles. Based on unique data from a web-based survey sent to all local councillors in Norway, we found that although Norwegian local councillors tend towards citizenship-oriented rather than governance-oriented attitudes to citizen participation, there is great variation between councillors in this respect. Analysing strategic and ideological explanations, we found that right-wing politicians tend to hold more governance-oriented attitudes than left-wing politicians do. Strategic considerations seem to have no effect on councillors in power in this regard.
How would foreign entrepreneurs deal with pressures for corruption? A micro-foundational approach
Authors: Liu Kun , Treviño Len J , Al Asady Ahmad
Published: June 2022

Is corruption good or bad for entrepreneurship? Prior research has presented mixed results when exploring this question. This article takes a micro-foundational approach by focussing on how foreign entrepreneurs cognitively deal with corruption in the host environment. We argue that the entrepreneur’s motivational antecedent to engaging in corruption, or corruption propensity, represents a cognitive belief in the legitimacy and effectiveness of corruption. We find that higher corruption propensity leads to lower firm growth. In addition, the effects of corruption propensity are conditioned by the corruption difference between home and host countries. Finally, we discuss implications for research, practice and public policy.
Comparative analysis of the effectiveness of interactive radio and interactive television instructions on improvement in life skills among out-of-school nomadic children in Northern Nigeria
Authors: Nwokedi Ozioma Patience , Okeibunor Ngozi Bibian , Ugwuanyi John Chidi , Nwokolo Peter N. , Ugwuoke Joel C. , Gever Verlumun Celestine
Published: June 2022

Out-of-school children are children of school age who have not been enrolled in any formal learning programme. Despite the high number of out-of-school children in Nigeria, literature is yet to pay significant attention to ways of assisting these vulnerable children to acquire life skills. This study was a comparative analysis of the impact of interactive radio (IR) and interactive television (ITV) instructions in assisting out-of-school nomadic children to develop life skills. A quasi experimental design was utilized to conduct the study involving a sample of 470 nomadic children. Going by the result, although both respondents in the IR and ITV reported a significant increase in their life skills after the intervention, participants in the ITV group reported higher score (β = .721) in their life skills than their counterparts in IR (β = .511). It is recommended, among others, that stakeholders in the education sector should consider the use of IR and ITV as instruments for teaching out-of-school nomadic children in Nigeria with a greater focus on ITV.
Art skill-based rehabilitation training for upper limb sensorimotor recovery post-stroke: A feasibility study
Authors: Christiansen April , Scythes Marta , Ritsma Benjamin R , Scott Stephen H , DePaul Vincent
Published: June 2022

Objective

The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of delivering Art skill-based Rehabilitation Training (ART), a novel upper limb motor training program, to patients with stroke as an adjunct to standard care in an inpatient setting.

Design

Feasibility study.

Setting

Inpatient stroke rehabilitation unit at a university hospital.

Participants

Thirty-eight patients admitted to a stroke rehabilitation unit with upper limb motor impairment were enrolled in the ART program facilitated by trained non-healthcare professionals between December 2017 and June 2021.

Intervention

The ART program included nine, one-hour sessions of supervised tracing and freehand drawing tasks completed with both hands. This program was intended to be delivered at a frequency of three times per week over a duration of 3 weeks or for the length of inpatient stay.

Main outcome measures

Feasibility outcomes included ART program adherence, acceptability, and safety.

Results

Thirty-two (84%) participants with subacute stroke completed the ART program and 30 (79%) were included in the study analysis. Participants completed 93–100% of the ART tasks in a median [IQR] of 8 [6–10] ART sessions over a median [IQR] duration of 15 [7–19] days. ART program facilitators effectively provided upper limb assistance to patients with more severe upper limb impairments. Adherence and acceptability were high and no study-related adverse events occurred.

Conclusion

The ART program was feasible to deliver and highly acceptable to patients with stroke. Further research is warranted to explore the impact of ART on upper limb sensorimotor function and use.
Visiting central heating plant and mechanical rooms in buildings: A case study of virtual tours to foster students’ learning in a distance course
Authors: Maltais Louis-Gabriel , Gosselin Louis
Published: June 2022

Technical visits of installations related to course content can support learning, engagement and motivation of engineering students. However, the COVID-19 lockdown has prevented many in-person activities on campuses. In this work, we propose a framework for developing virtual tours, which we applied to replace in-person visits of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) rooms of buildings located on the campus in an HVAC undergraduate course. The virtual tours rely on many pictures taken in the mechanical rooms, as well as on technical drawings and information integrated in the visits. Students were provided in advance with a series of questions which they had to answer by navigating through the virtual tours. A survey allowed to assess what students appreciated and the difficulties that they encountered during the virtual visits. We found that the virtual visits had several advantages compared to in-person visits, such as allowing students to take the tour at their own pace and extending the learning experience to include other features (e.g. reading technical drawings). Different examples and suggestions of improvement are presented in the paper. The tours had a positive impact on students’ learning and engagement, with overall positive feedbacks from the students. The main hurdle encountered by students was the difficulty to locate themselves in the rooms, which we addressed by adding room layouts in the visits.
The structural deficit of the Olympics and the World Cup: Comparing costs against revenues over time
Authors: Müller Martin , Gogishvili David , Wolfe Sven Daniel
Published: June 2022

The Olympic Games and the Football World Cups are among the most expensive projects in the world. While available theoretical explanations suggest that the revenues of mega-events are overestimated and the costs underestimated, there is no comprehensive empirical study on whether costs exceed revenues. Based on a custom-built database from public sources, this article compares the revenues and costs of the Olympic Games and World Cups between 1964 and 2018 ( N = 43), together totalling close to USD 70 billion in revenues and more than USD 120 billion in costs. It finds that costs exceeded revenues in most cases: more than four out of five Olympics and World Cups ran a deficit. The average return-on-investment for an event was negative (– 38%), with mean costs of USD 2.8 billion exceeding mean revenues of USD 1.7 billion per event. The 1976 Summer Olympics in Montréal, the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and the 2002 World Cup in Japan/South Korea recorded the highest absolute deficits. The Summer Olympics 1984 in Los Angeles, the Winter Olympics 2010 in Vancouver and the 2018 World Cup in Russia are among the few events that posted a surplus. The article concludes that the Olympic Games and the Football World Cup suffer from a structural deficit and could not exist without external subsidies. This finding urges a re-evaluation of these events as loss-making ventures that lack financial sustainability.
Developing Capacity Estimation Metrics for Airports Accommodating Smaller Aircraft Using Locally Collected Automated Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast Data
Authors: Mitkas Danae Zoe , Lovell David J. , Young Seth B. , Venkatesh Sandeep
Published: June 2022

Airport operators need good capacity estimates for many purposes, including to bolster applications for funding support for capacity improvements. Based on a recognized need to enhance models for estimating the operating capacity of airports serving a user base of smaller aircraft, such as small general aviation airports, this paper describes research conducted to leverage automated dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data to develop aircraft performance characteristics for use as inputs to future small airport capacity models. The research addresses this challenge by constructing home-built ADS-B data collection units using a Raspberry Pi-based hardware platform and an Amazon Web Services-based cloud architecture housing the study’s PostGreSQL database, and python-based codebase. The work was focused at three participating airports: The Ohio State University Airport in Columbus, OH (KOSU); College Park, MD (KCGS); and Republic Airport in Farmingdale, NY (KFRG). The hardware units were deployed at three study airports, collecting more than 90 million individual ADS-B messages transmitted by aircraft operating within the vicinity of the study airport. Models were developed to clean, process, and assess the data, and leveraged to determine aircraft performance characteristics within these environments. Initial work focusing on assessing the fleet mix, approach speeds, aircraft separation in arrival streams, and runway occupancy times was performed. Findings from this research revealed a very high accuracy and richness of collected and processed data, and performance metrics that were reasonable, valid, and applicable for use as inputs to future airport capacity models.
Optimal Design of Pouring Semi-Flexible Pavement via Laboratory Test, Numerical Research, and Field Validation
Authors: Ling Senlin , Chen Zhongbo , Sun Daquan , Ni Hangtian , Deng Yue , Sun Yu
Published: June 2022

Pouring semi-flexible pavement (SFP) material is a multi-phase composite with excellent pavement performance, which consists of porous asphalt mixture (PAM) and grouting material. This research is to investigate the optimal design of SFP for the upper pavement layer in relation to air void and thickness. Firstly, the effect of PAM with different air voids on the mechanical performance of SFP is investigated by uniaxial compression tests. Secondly, the influence of the air void of PAM on the rutting resistance and water sensitivity of SFP is analyzed by wheel tracking test and Hamburg wheel tracking (HWT) test. Then, the optimal thickness of SFP is investigated by 3D finite element analysis. Finally, based on the experimental and numerical results, SFP is applied to practical engineering and the field performance was inspected. The results show that increasing the air void of PAM can significantly improve the mechanical properties and rutting resistance of SFP. However, when the air void of PAM is 25%, SFP has the highest strain energy density. According to the experimental and numerical results, as well as the construction cost of SFP, the optimal thickness range of 4–8 cm is recommended for the SFP layer. Moreover, the field performance inspection results show that after nearly 2 years of service, pavement using SFP with PAM air void of 25% and thickness of 4 cm for the upper layer has excellent rutting resistance, impermeability, and high wear resistance, which allows for undergoing heavy traffic loads.
Pavement Recycling in Cold Climates: Laboratory and Field Performance of the MnROAD Cold Recycling and Full Depth Reclamation Experiment
Authors: Allain David , Bowers Benjamin F. , Vargas-Nordcbeck Adriana , Lynn Tiana
Published: June 2022

In 2019 a series of test sections were constructed on 70th Street in Albertville/Otsego, MN. The existing roadway was badly deteriorated with an international roughness index value above 300 in./mi, which places it in a “poor” performance category. A combination of treatments including cold in-place recycling (CIR), cold central plant recycling (CCPR), and full depth reclamation (FDR) stabilized with foamed or emulsified asphalt were used to evaluate performance in cold regions. Sections including a typical hot mix asphalt (HMA) mill and fill were also evaluated. All sections contained a 1-in. HMA thinlay as the wearing surface. This paper presents the laboratory testing data for the mixtures, including application of HMA tests not typically applied to CIR, CCPR, and FDR, the field performance to date, and a new approach to connecting laboratory data to field performance.
Missing Pavement Performance Data Imputation Using Graph Neural Networks
Authors: Gao Lu , Yu Ke , Lu Pan
Published: June 2022

Pavement condition data is important for providing information on the current state of the network and determining the needs of preventive maintenance or rehabilitation treatments. However, the condition data set is often incomplete for various reasons such as measurement errors and non-periodic inspection intervals. Missing data, especially when missing systematically, presents loss of information, reduces statistical power, and introduces biased assessment. Existing practices in pavement management systems (PMS) usually discard entire cases with missing data or impute it through data correlation. This paper proposes a graph-based deep learning framework, convolutional graph neural networks, to tackle the missing data problem in PMS. Unlike other variants of neural networks, the proposed approach is able to capture the spatio-temporal relationship in data and to learn and reconstruct the missing data by combining information among neighboring sections. In the case study, pavement condition data from 4,446 sections managed by Texas Department of Transportation were used. Experiments show that the proposed model was able to outperform standard machine learning models when imputing the missing data.
Mesenchymal Stem Cell Delivery via Topographically Tenoinductive Collagen Biotextile Enhances Regeneration of Segmental Tendon Defects
Authors: McClellan Phillip , Ina Jason G. , Knapik Derrick M. , Isali Ilaha , Learn Greg , Valente Alexis , Wen Yujing , Wen Ruiqi , Anderson James M. , Gillespie Robert J. , Akkus Ozan
Published: June 2022

Background:

Successful management of massive rotator cuff (RC) tendon tears represents a treatment challenge because of the limited intrinsic healing capacity of native tendons and the risk of repair failure. Biologic augmentation of massive RC tears utilizing scaffolds—capable of regenerating bulk tendon tissue to achieve a mechanically functional repair—represents an area of increasing clinical interest.

Purpose:

To investigate the histological and biomechanical outcomes after the use of a novel biologic scaffold fabricated from woven electrochemically aligned collagen (ELAC) threads as a suture-holding, fully load-bearing, defect-bridging scaffold with or without mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) compared with direct repair in the treatment of critically sized RC defects using a rabbit model.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

A total of 34 New Zealand White rabbits underwent iatrogenic creation of a critically sized defect (6 mm) in the infraspinatus tendon of 1 shoulder, with the contralateral shoulder utilized as an intact control. Specimens were divided into 4 groups: (1) gap—negative control without repair; (2) direct repair of the infraspinatus tendon—operative control; (3) tendon repair using ELAC; and (4) tendon repair using ELAC + MSCs. Repair outcomes were assessed at 6 months using micro–computed tomography, biomechanical testing, histology, and immunohistochemistry.

Results:

Specimens treated with ELAC demonstrated significantly less tendon retraction when compared with the direct repair group specimens ( P = .014). ELAC + MSCs possessed comparable biomechanical strength (178 ± 50 N) to intact control shoulders (199 ± 35 N) ( P = .554). Histological analyses demonstrated abundant, well-aligned de novo collagen around ELAC threads in both the ELAC and the ELAC + MSC shoulders, with ELAC + MSC specimens demonstrating increased ELAC resorption (7% vs 37%, respectively; P = .002). The presence of extracellular matrix components, collagen type I, and tenomodulin, indicating tendon-like tissue formation, was appreciated in both the ELAC and the ELAC + MSC groups.

Conclusion:

The application of MSCs to ELAC scaffolds improved biomechanical and histological outcomes when compared with direct repair for the treatment of critically sized defects of the RC in a rabbit model.

Clinical Relevance:

This study demonstrates the feasibility of repairing segmental tendon defects with a load-bearing, collagen biotextile in an animal model, showing the potential applicability of RC repair supplementation using allogeneic stem cells.
The Role of Reported Affective Symptoms and Anxiety in Recovery Trajectories After Sport-Related Concussion
Authors: D’Alonzo Bernadette A. , Bretzin Abigail C. , Wiebe Douglas J. , Fiore Russell , VanPatten Bryn , Levine William N. , Desai Natasha , Wentzel David C. , Sucheski-Drake Amy , Karlson Kristine A. , Wang Frank , Richardson Lars , Port Nicholas L. , Saffarian Mathew , Vesci Brian , Gay Michael , Day Carly , Putukian Margot , Esopenko Carrie , Wheeler Matthew B. , Ballard Randy A. , Peterson Andy , Klossner David , Moore Erin M. , Maerlender Art , Savage Cary R , Sennett Brian J. , Arlis-Mayor Stephanie
Published: June 2022

Background:

There is growing awareness and clinical interest in athletes with affective symptoms after sport-related concussion (SRC), as these symptoms may contribute to overall symptoms and represent a modifiable risk factor of longer recovery. However, evidence of their effects on the entire return-to-play (RTP) trajectory, particularly among women and men, is limited.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

To examine the relationship between affective symptom reporting and RTP progression after SRC among a cohort of Division 1 student-athletes. We hypothesized that those endorsing affective symptoms, specifically nervous-anxious symptoms, spend more time in RTP progression and recovery.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Using SRC data from the Ivy League–Big Ten Epidemiology of Concussion Study among varsity athletes through February 2020, we identified the 4 affective symptoms from the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool symptom inventory. We modeled the relationship between a 4-category affective symptom variable and time to symptom resolution, RTP, and RTP progression, adjusting for nonaffective symptom prevalence and concussion history. Cox regressions were used to estimate hazard ratios for time to event outcomes, and linear regressions were used to evaluate mean differences for continuous outcomes.

Results:

Among 2077 student-athletes (men, 63.5%) with SRC symptoms, affective symptom prevalence was 47.6% and 44.3% in women and men, respectively, and nervous-anxious prevalence was 24.2% and 22.5%, respectively. When comparing women with and without co-occurring affective symptoms, rates of symptom resolution and RTP were significantly lower in those with affective symptoms, and women with nervous-anxious symptoms spent significantly longer in RTP progression. When comparing men with and without co-occurring affective symptoms, rates of symptom resolution and RTP were significantly lower in those with co-occurring affective symptoms, and affective symptoms were not associated with time in RTP progression.

Conclusion:

Student-athletes with affective symptoms and nervous-anxious symptoms exhibited delayed clinical recovery and RTP timelines, particularly for time in RTP. Symptom prevalence and concussion history contributed to this; however, unmeasured confounding remains, as indicated by the poor model fit. This study motivates future work to explore affective symptoms and RTP timelines, considering anxiety and risk/protective factors over time.
Treatment Trends in Meniscal Pathology in the Setting of Concomitant ACL Injuries in Pediatric and Young Adult Patients: An Insurance Database Study
Authors: Block Andrew M. , Eisenberg Matthew T. , Inclan Paul M. , Nepple Jeffrey J.
Published: June 2022

Background:

Meniscal pathology is commonly encountered in the setting of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture and is increasingly common in the pediatric and adolescent population. Studies have shown that over half of individuals presenting with ACL rupture will have concurrent meniscal pathology.

Purpose:

To define trends in the utilization of meniscal procedures (ie, meniscus repair vs partial meniscectomy) and short-term complications in pediatric and young adult patients with meniscal pathology in the setting of a concurrent ACL reconstruction.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

The IBM MarketScan Commercial Database was utilized to identify ACL reconstruction procedures performed between 2006 and 2018 for individuals aged 5 to 30 years. Annual proportions of meniscectomy and meniscal repair were analyzed, and short-term complications were compared between pediatric/adolescent patients (aged 5-17 years) and young adults (aged 18-30 years).

Results:

An overall 40,736 records of individuals <18 years old with ACL tears were included. The pediatric/adolescent population had a significantly lower proportion of concomitant meniscal procedures (56.8%; 23,149/40,736) than the young adult population (59.7%; 33,764/56,515; P < .01). From 2006 to 2018, utilization of meniscal repair in the setting of ACL reconstruction steadily increased (20.1% to 35.1% [+15 percentage points], P < .01), while the proportion with meniscectomy decreased (34.4% to 21.3% [–13.1 percentage points], P < .01). There was no difference in rate of reoperation for repeat meniscal repair or meniscectomy in the pediatric/adolescent population for those undergoing meniscal repair versus meniscectomy within 180 days of primary surgery (1.7% [188/10,766] vs 1.5% [186/12,383]; P = .14).

Conclusion:

From 2006 to 2018, the proportion of patients receiving ACL reconstruction with concomitant meniscal repair increased (20.1% to 35.1%) while the proportion with meniscectomy decreased (34.4% to 21.3%) in the pediatric/adolescent population. Meniscal repair was not associated with a higher 180-day rate of reoperation for repeat meniscal repair or meniscectomy than meniscectomy in the setting of ACL reconstruction.
Energy recovery and waste treatment using the co-pyrolysis of biomass waste and polymer
Authors: Oh Seok-Young , Sohn Jung-In
Published: June 2022

The pyrolysis of spent coffee grounds (SCG) and polymers was examined as a waste treatment option for energy recovery and carbon sequestration. Rice straw–derived biochar was used as control biochar to evaluate the sorption capacity and energy production capability of SCG-derived biochar. SCG are characterised by high levels of volatile matter, rendering them suitable as an energy source. SCG were converted to biochar, bio-oil, and syngas via pyrolysis, with yields of 22%, 33%, and 45%, respectively. The high heating value (HHV) of the biochar and bio-oil was 20.6 and 22.9 MJ kg−1, respectively, indicating that they could be used as supplementary fuels. Co-pyrolysis with polymers (20 v v%−1) increased the HHV of biochar. Accordingly, the maximum production of CH4 and H2 increased from 0.3 and 0.04 mmol g−1 to 3.4−6.3 and 0.8−1.3 mmol g−1, respectively. Polystyrene most strongly enhanced the yields of CH4 and H2, followed by polypropylene and polyethylene; this order was likely to be in accordance with the number of carbon and hydrogen atoms present in the monomers. Similar to rice straw–derived biochar, the biochar produced from SCG demonstrated a high sorption capacity for 2,4-dinitrotoluene and chromate due to its high carbon content and anion exchange capacity, respectively. Laboratory pot tests revealed that the coffee grounds–derived biochar was able to increase the growth of young radish. Our results suggest that the pyrolysis of SCG and polymer may be a promising option for waste treatment, energy production, and carbon sequestration.
The experiences and needs of nurses providing home-based palliative care: A qualitative meta-synthesis
Authors: Wu Yu-Hsuan , Hsieh Hui-Ya , Kuo Yu-Ling , Wu Chien-Yi
Published: June 2022

Objective(s): We conducted a qualitative meta-synthesis of qualitative studies on nurses’ experiences when caring for palliative patients to (1) identify the needs of nurses and (2) describe their experiences to provide more in-depth information. Methods: Qualitative articles published in English from 2000 to 2022 were identified from several databases through a searching strategy. Authors screened through the title, abstract, and full text of relevant studies. Articles were read repeatedly and discussed. The thematic analysis methodology was adopted to analyze the data. Results: Of 967 articles, 22 were included in our review. Notions reflecting community nurses providing palliative home care were clustered into four themes: (1) nature of community-based palliative nursing, (2) teamwork, (3) relationship with patient and family, and (4) resources. Findings also suggest establishing a sound support system, strengthening palliative education, and creating more decisive referral criteria and systems. Conclusions: The growing need for palliative home care has become challenging for community health care systems. Our study summarized various aspects of nurses providing home-based palliative care. The findings provide information for health care and education settings to improve home care systems and recruit more staff to meet the needs.
Evaluating the influence of particle morphology and density on the viscosity and injectability of a novel long-acting local anesthetic suspension
Authors: Wojtalewicz Susan , Vizmeg Jonathon , Erickson Sierra , Lade Caleb , Shea Jill , Sant Himanshu , Magda Jules , Gale Bruce , Agarwal Jayant , Davis Brett
Published: June 2022

Proper pain management is well understood to be one of the fundamental aspects of a healthy postoperative recovery in conjunction with mobility and nutrition. Approximately, 10% of patients prescribed opioids after surgery continue to use opioids in the long-term and as little as 10 days on opioids can result in addiction. In an effort to provide physicians with an alternative pain management technique, this work evaluates the material properties of a novel local anesthetic delivery system designed for controlled release of bupivacaine for 72 hours. The formulation utilizes solid-lipid microparticles that encapsulate the hydrophobic molecule bupivacaine in its free-base form. The lipid microparticles are suspended in a non-crosslinked hyaluronic acid hydrogel, which acts as the microparticle carrier. Two different particle manufacturing techniques, milling and hot homogenization, were evaluated in this work. The hot homogenized particles had a slower and more controlled release than the milled particles. Rheological techniques revealed that the suspension remains a viscoelastic fluid when loaded with either particle type up to 25% (w/v) particles densities. Furthermore, the shear thinning properties of the suspension media, hyaluronic acid hydrogel, were conserved when bupivacaine-loaded solid-lipid microparticles were loaded up to densities of 25% (w/v) particle loading. The force during injection was measured for suspension formulations with varying hyaluronic acid hydrogel concentrations, particle densities, particle types and particle sizes. The results indicate that the formulation viscosity is highly dependent on particle density, but hyaluronic acid hydrogel is required for lowering injection forces as well as minimizing clogging events.
Visualising Patterns in Women’s Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence in the First 10 years of Motherhood
Authors: FitzPatrick Kelly M. , Brown Stephanie , Hegarty Kelsey , Mensah Fiona , Gartland Deirdre
Published: June 2022

Intimate partner violence (IPV) can involve patterns of physical, sexual and emotional abuse. Women typically experience physical IPV in combination with emotional IPV, while emotional IPV is often experienced in the absence of other types of IPV. There is very little known about women’s experiences of these different types of IPV over time. The primary aim of this paper is to describe patterns in women’s individual experiences of physical and/or emotional IPV across the first 10 years of motherhood. Data were drawn from a prospective pregnancy cohort of 1507 first-time mothers in Melbourne, Australia. Emotional, physical, and combined physical and emotional IPV were reported in the first, fourth and tenth year of motherhood using the Composite Abuse Scale. The overall prevalence of each type of IPV remained consistent across the three time-points, with emotional IPV alone being the most prevalent. There was substantial variability in women’s experiences of IPV over time and there was no common progression from one type of IPV to another. Women were more likely to report IPV at more than one time-point if they experienced combined physical and emotional IPV, while for women who reported emotional or physical IPV alone this was more likely to be at a single time-point. A number of socio-demographic characteristics in early pregnancy were associated with a higher risk of reporting IPV at all three time-points, including being unemployed (RRR = 3.6; 95% CI: 2.1, 6.2) and being aged 18–24 years (RRR = 3.1; 95% CI: 1.8, 5.4). Knowledge of the variability and persistence of IPV in the first 10 years of motherhood, and factors associated with these experiences, can help tailor effective health and social service responses.
Maximal Sensitivity to Child Maltreatment at the Ages of 6 and 11 Years is Associated with the Risk of Bipolar Disorder
Authors: Montoro Irene , Moreno Lorena , Mulet Patricia , Miró Carlota , Leunda Ainhoa , Llaurador-Coll Martí , Muntané Gerard , Teicher Martin H. , Vilella Elisabet , Gutiérrez-Zotes Alfonso
Published: June 2022

Adverse childhood experiences, including child maltreatment (CM), are relevant environmental risk factors for bipolar disorder (BD). However, little is known about the interaction of the type, duration and frequency of abuse with the timing of abuse in BD. The aim of this study was to investigate the different patterns of childhood trauma (frequency, type and chronology) between BD patients and healthy controls (HCs) and to identify BD-sensitive periods of exposure to CM that could influence functioning outcomes. The Maltreatment and Abuse Chronology Exposure (MACE) scale was used to evaluate the importance of the type and timing of maltreatment in a sample of 60 patients diagnosed with euthymic BD. Additionally, 76 HCs were recruited for comparison. All participants were of European-Caucasian origin and were assessed in the 2016-2019 period. To identify the variables that maximally differentiated the type and timing of exposure to CM between the BD and HC groups, a linear mixed effects model and random forest (RF) analyses were applied. We showed that multiplicity and severity, nonverbal emotional abuse, witnessing interparental violence and emotional neglect were the main factors associated with BD. In addition, regarding the occurrence of maltreatment in BD patients, we identified two sensitive periods with a principal peak at the age of 6 and a secondary peak at the age of 11. Functionality at the assessment time was associated with CM in adolescence for both HC and BD participants. Although the sample size and retrospective nature of the MACE instrument were the main limitations of our study, we were unable to explore the role of variables such as sex or socioeconomic status. We concluded that the multiplicity and sensitivity of CM exposure, mainly of the emotional type, during middle childhood are important risk factors for BD, at least in the European-Caucasian cultural setting.
Would an FTC Ban on Non-Compete Agreements Lead to Higher Wages for American Workers?
Authors: Stanberry Kurt
Published: June 2022

There has been a potentially significant new development in the field of employee compensation, specifically as it relates to the use of non-compete agreements and their effect on wages for the average American worker. The Biden Administration issued an Executive Order in July 2021, urging the Federal Trade Commission to consider banning most non-competes; especially those acting as a restriction on job mobility and wage growth for low and moderate wage workers. Non-competes have become a widely-discussed issue due to the significant increase in their use by employers for a lower-wage employees. This article discusses the recent expansion in the use of non-competes, and examines the effect of their expanded use on wages for the average rank and file worker, including a discussion of the Biden Executive Order, and the possibility of federal action regulating the use of non-competes for the average American worker.
The practical application on middle leaders of performing coaching interventions on others
Authors: Lambert Steve
Published: June 2022

The role of middle leaders in bringing about improvement in schools is well documented in the UK and abroad, with the ever-present demand for raising standards and achievement. At the same time, the benefits to individuals from receiving coaching or mentoring is also well documented. However, little is known about the benefit to those providing coaching. This article outlines some initial findings emerging from the first stage of a study exploring the benefits to middle leaders in secondary schools in England in their ability to recognise emotions having provided some coaching interventions to others. All participants were asked to complete an online emotional recognition test. After which a subset of the participants provided coaching to a member of staff from within the school for one academic term. After which participants resat the emotional recognition test. Most participants saw their ability to recognise emotions improve as a result of providing the coaching interventions. This is particularly important given existing literature that suggests due to the demands of the role, middle leaders have a deficit in their ability to recognise emotions, leading to a negative impact on those with whom they work.