bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Cross-National Multilevel Analysis of Fear of Crime: Exploring the Roles of Institutional Confidence and Institutional Performance
Authors: Lin Kai
Published: April 2022

Drawing upon Wave 7 of the World Value Survey, this study performed multilevel analysis on fear of crime among 47,996 residents from 36 diverse nations. Confidence in the government and perceived government performance were identified as significant predictors of crime fear. Further analysis showed the effect of confidence in the government stemmed primarily from between-country variation, whereas both within-country and between-country variation in perceived government performance shaped fear of crime. In addition, macroeconomic factors and the proportion of urban population, but not national-level homicide rate, were found to be salient country-level predictors. The findings contextualize the elevated fear of crime in some countries despite declining crime rates and inform the recommendation that institutional confidence and performance be prioritized in crime fear reduction efforts.
“You Are so Smart!”: The Role of Giftedness, Parental Feedback, and Parents’ Mindsets in Predicting Students’ Mindsets
Authors: Boncquet Michiel , Lavrijsen Jeroen , Vansteenkiste Maarten , Verschueren Karine , Soenens Bart
Published: April 2022

Although it has been hypothesized that gifted students are at risk for adopting a fixed mind-set, research revealed inconsistent results. We aimed to clarify this by differentiating between two operationalizations of giftedness (high cognitive ability and formal identification as gifted) and how these relate to students’ beliefs about intelligence and effort. Also, we examined the role of parental antecedents on students’ beliefs. Participants were 3,329 seventh-grade students and their parents. Only being labeled as gifted was related to adopting a fixed mind-set. Regarding parental antecedents, parents’ intelligence and effort beliefs were related to students’ corresponding beliefs. Furthermore, parental feedback was associated with students’ beliefs, which was most pronounced when student-reports of feedback were used. In particular, person-oriented feedback related positively to a fixed mind-set and negatively to students’ appreciation of the role of effort in academic performance, while process-oriented feedback showed the opposite pattern. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Prevalence of Potential Pharmacological Interactions in Patients Undergoing Systemic Chemotherapy in a Tertiary Hospital
Authors: Turossi-Amorim Eric Diego , Camargo Bruna , Schuelter-Trevisol Fabiana
Published: April 2022

Introduction: Pharmacological interactions are frequently observed in patients with chronic diseases, and their occurrence is proportional to the amount of medication used daily. Patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment commonly have comorbidities, which favor a greater prevalence of polypharmacy, increasing the risk of drug interactions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of drug interactions in patients undergoing intravenous chemotherapy treated at a hospital oncology service in southern Brazil. Methods: This was an observational study with a cross-sectional design that was carried out with the analysis of secondary data obtained through the review of medical records. The population assessed consisted of all cancer patients who received intravenous chemotherapy from October to December 2020. Results: Out of the 297 patients included in the study, 231 (77.8%) had at least 1 potential pharmacological interaction. In total, 1044 drug interactions were found that were classified according to severity, resulting in 18 (1.7%) contraindicated drug-drug interactions (DDI), 699 (67%) severe, 281 (26.9%) moderate, and 46 (4.4%) minor interactions. There was an association between polypharmacy and the prevalence of drug interactions. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that a large percentage of patients undergoing chemotherapy are susceptible to drug interactions. Thus, it is necessary that prescribers consider all drugs used by patients and, when possible, prescribe alternative drugs that have less potential for interaction in order to prevent drug interactions adverse effects and provide a better prognosis for patients.
Food security and social protection in times of COVID-19
Authors: López Peláez Antonio , Erro-Garcés Amaya , Pérez-García Raquel María
Published: April 2022

From the perspective of social work, it is important to analyse food insecurity before and during the COVID-19, identify the best practices and how social work can contribute to improving living conditions. Using a meta-analysis, this article reviews how food security is addressed in the literature to better inform social policies from a social work perspective. A search of the literature revealed 217 articles between 2010 and 2021. The descriptors for the search were food security, food aid and social work. The main results are the identification of key aspects to inform social policies and promote sustainable social change worldwide.
Triage in Times of COVID-19: A Moral Dilemma
Authors: Tutić Andreas , Krumpal Ivar , Haiser Friederike
Published: April 2022

We present evidence from choice experiments on hypothetical triage decisions in a pandemic. Respondents have to decide who out of two patients gets ventilation. Patients are described in terms of attributes such as short-term survival chance, long-term life expectancy, and their current ventilation status. Attributes are derived from the ethical discourse among experts regarding triage guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic and differ in the extent to which they are salient from a utilitarian or deontological perspective. Empirically, we find that although nonexperts agree with experts in prioritizing utilitarian attributes in triage decisions, nonexperts also consider the adherence to the norm of wearing face masks as particularly relevant. Furthermore, our study supports Greene and colleagues’ dual-process model of moral judgment; we find that utilitarian attributes are more decisive for respondents with a greater inclination toward utilitarianism and for respondents with a greater tendency toward reflection.
Sex Differences in the Visuomotor Control of Obstacle Crossing When Walking Are Not Age Related
Authors: Kunimune Sho , Okada Shuichi
Published: April 2022

To ensure stable obstacle crossing when walking, visual information is required two steps before reaching the obstacle. As possible age-related sex differences in visuomotor control have not been investigated, we assessed sex differences in obstacle crossing while walking, as examined by toe clearance (TC) and postural stability. Participants were 14 younger and 14 older adults (equal numbers of men and women) who wore goggles for visual field adjustment while obstacle crossing during gait. We manipulated three visual field occlusion conditions (total, lower, and no visual field occlusions) two steps before the obstacle and analyzed the TC of the lead limb, and the participants’ step width and root mean square of trunk acceleration as indices of postural stability. We found a significant interaction between sex and visual condition in step width, with men showing larger step width values than women in all visual field conditions. Moreover, while women showed no step-width differences across visual field conditions, men had a larger step width with the lower visual field occluded than in the other visual conditions. We found no other significant sex differences. Our results suggest that men may be more dependent than women on the upper visual field for postural stability during obstacle crossing. Sex differences in visuomotor control were not affected by age.
Landscape and Work: ‘Placing’ the Experiences of Male Manual Workers in a UK Seaside Town
Authors: Simpson Ruth , Morgan Rachel , Lewis Patricia , Rumens Nick
Published: April 2022

This article explores the experiences of white, male manual workers in Hastings, East Sussex – a mid-sized UK seaside town that has undergone long-term decline in employment opportunities. Informed by the theoretical insights from Bourdieu, it focuses on the role of place in shaping the employment paths of a group that has arguably been ‘left behind’ by local and global forces. Drawing on broader notions of place as landscape and highlighting the significance of ‘immobility and dependence’, ‘competitive localism and belonging’ and ‘bounded potential’, it examines how landscape conditions are implicated in the meanings given to work experiences, perceived employment opportunities and future aspirations. We argue that incorporating landscape into Bourdieu’s Theory of Practice extends our understanding of landscape’s influence on employment experiences and its unique capacities as both a physical and a socially constructed entity.
Rethinking the Cultural Relations between Hong Kong and China: An Analysis of the Chinese Reception of Stephen Chow’s Films
Authors: Chew Matthew Ming-tak
Published: April 2022

This is a cultural sociological study of the mainland Chinese reception of the films of Stephen Chow, the popular Hong Kong actor and director. This study’s theoretical objective is to rethink the cultural relations between post-handover Hong Kong and China. Its empirical analysis challenges five major frameworks of studying post-handover Hong Kong culture that interpret Hong Kong–China cultural relations as hegemonic and conflictual. The study’s first substantive section establishes that the Chinese reception of Chow’s films has been very positive and well participated. The second and third sections illustrate that the Chinese scholarly reception of Chow’s films and the Chinese popular audience reception of them stress their counter-hegemonic characteristics. This study’s data include the hundreds of Chinese-language publications on Chow, online sources, and interviews with twenty-four informants.
Everything we do know (and don’t know) about collective bargaining: The Zeitgeist in the academic and political debate on the role and effects of collective bargaining
Authors: Brandl Bernd
Published: April 2022

This article provides an overview of academic and public policy debates on the role and effects of collective bargaining. The motivation behind this article is that the academic and political debate is – and ever was – characterized by many controversies. It is explained that these controversies often arise because of different disciplinary, theoretical and empirical approaches. It will also be outlined how the empirical and theoretical debates influenced the Zeitgeist in public policy making. Hence, the article provides an overview of the knowledge on the role and effects of collective bargaining as well as how this knowledge influenced and guided (or not) politically initiated institution building and reforms of collective bargaining systems.
Measures of music teacher expertise in three early career levels in America
Authors: Canterbury Alicia
Published: April 2022

The purpose of this study was to observe the teaching of five early career music teachers in three early career levels (preservice, student teaching, and novice teaching) to determine if teaching expertise changes over time. A secondary purpose was to find if any specific teacher behaviors associated with effectiveness were more prominent when teaching their peers in pre-service, another educator’s students in student teaching, and their own students in novice teaching. Data consisted of rehearsal frames and instructional targets identified from teaching video transcriptions along with summative evaluations of the videos by expert teachers. Corroborative findings indicated a lack of specificity across all levels which improved somewhat during student teaching and novice teaching. Directives were the most frequently observed teacher verbal category and information and demonstrations were the highest ranked items across all levels in the summative evaluation. However, instructional directive scores were inconsistent. Teacher modeling doubled during novice teaching. Many of the evaluators commented on the overuse of rote teaching, concurrent performance model, and lack of competency-based education techniques. Implications for higher education training including self awareness and accountability are discussed.
The Role of Gender Stereotypes, Sexual Myths, and Professional Experience on the Attitudes Toward Female-Perpetrated Sexual Abuse Among Turkish Professionals
Authors: Akdemir Seda , Gölge Zeynep Belma
Published: April 2022

Studies indicated that people tend to consider female-perpetrated sexual abuse (FPSA) less serious and damaging than male-perpetrated abuse (MPSA) and the possible roles of gender stereotypes on attitudes to minimize FPSA. This study aimed to explore the role of gender stereotypes and sexuality myths on the attitudes toward FPSA among professionals. A secondary aim was to explore the role of training and experience with child sexual abuse (CSA) cases on the attitudes toward FPSA. The sample consisted of Turkish professionals ( N = 502), including mental health/social, health, and justice workers. The participants were recruited via a face-to-face online survey. The results of one-way ANOVAs showed that females and mental health/social workers were more likely to consider FPSA as a serious problem and believe the negative impact of abuse. A five-step hierarchical multiple regression analysis demonstrated that the experience with FPSA cases, belief in gender stereotypes, and myths about female sexuality accounted for 21.7% of the variance in the attitudes toward FPSA. Although the level of professional minimization of FPSA is above average, the influential roles of gender stereotypes and sexual myths on the attitudes toward FPSA exist among professionals. Our findings supported the necessity of additional training addressing gender stereotypes and sexual myths. Future studies should also be conducted with different populations and other influential possible factors on the attitudes toward FPSA.
Monitoring Therapist Fidelity to the Good Lives Model (GLM)
Authors: Prescott David S. , Willis Gwenda , Ward Tony
Published: April 2022

Since the Good Lives Model’s (GLM) inception, researchers and practitioners have faced questions about its implementation. Programs claiming to use the GLM vary substantially in the extent to which the GLM informs treatment, and no tools exist to monitor therapist fidelity to the GLM. The aim of the current paper is to offer a concrete tool to monitor therapist fidelity to the GLM. The GLM Fidelity Monitoring Tool offers the beginnings of a method for how therapists and supervisors can address the central question of “How well are we implementing the Good Lives Model?” The tool consists of three sections: (i) Fundamental Considerations and Processes, which focus on therapeutic process variables consistent with the GLM but not specific to the GLM, and are rated numerically for fidelity, (ii) GLM-Specific Considerations and Processes, also rated numerically for fidelity, and (iii) Client-Focused GLM Considerations, which are a set of questions exploring the therapist’s progress developing a GLM grounded case formulation and therapy plan for individual clients. The tool is designed to help guide supervision discussions and promote therapist fidelity to the GLM. Future research implications are discussed.
LiDAR-Based Vehicle–Pedestrian Interaction Study on Midblock Crossing Using Trajectory-Based Modified Post-Encroachment Time
Authors: Vasudevan Vinod , Agarwala Ruchika , Tiwari Akhil
Published: April 2022

Understanding pedestrian road crossing behavior is crucial in the interests of pedestrian traffic safety. The interaction between pedestrians and approaching vehicles at midblock road crossings is a complex process. The high degree of vehicle heterogeneity and poor lane discipline in low- and middle-income countries further adds to its complexity. Moreover, because of the lack of proper pedestrian facilities, pedestrian crossing behavior is quite different in low- and middle-income countries. It is necessary to have high-resolution data to study pedestrian crossing behavior. At midblock, pedestrians do not always take the shortest route while crossing the road and cross diagonally, moving toward or away from the approaching vehicle. The risk indicator of crossing changes based on the pedestrian path chosen. This study was based on studying vehicle–pedestrian interaction at midblock locations using light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data. This study considered a trajectory-based pedestrian modified post-encroachment time (PET) to account for the various possible pedestrian crossing trajectories. Suitable algorithms were developed to identify and track vehicles and pedestrians from the LiDAR point cloud data. The results showed the trajectory-based pedestrian modified PET to perform better than the traditional PET. The risk-taking appetite of pedestrians was also observed to be high when motorbikes were the approaching vehicle. This study showed the motorbike–pedestrian conflicts to be riskier as compared with car–pedestrian conflicts. The results obtained from this study would be helpful to practitioners in investing higher priority to proper pedestrian-related road infrastructure.
Development of New Performance Measures Based on Data Mining Weights for Hotspot Identification
Authors: Son Seung-oh , Park Juneyoung , Lee Gunwoo , Abdel-Aty Mohamed
Published: April 2022

In this study, new performance measures are proposed for hotspot identification in urban intersections. These measures reflect severity factor weights, which are determined based on data mining. To estimate the severity factor weights of crashes at urban intersections, the study utilizes tree-based random forest (RF) and extreme gradient boosting (XGB) methods. The importance of variables in the severity classification model is standardized and utilized for calculating the score of each crash, which is aggregated into intersections. The aggregated score is used as a dependent variable for the safety performance functions (SPFs) in the network screening process. To illustrate the under-dispersed severity score aggregation data, SPFs that follow the COM-Poisson distribution as well as the negative binomial (NB) are developed. Independent variables in SPFs set up intersection geometry elements that can be collected from online GIS services. Four additional performance measures are proposed, each reflecting a severity weight. Data about a total of 42,513 intersection crashes from 2017 to 2018 in South Korea were collected for crash injury severity analysis. Hotspot identification was performed on 81 intersections, and three consistency tests were conducted to validate the four measures. Tests show that the RF-based weighted [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] have the best consistency. Since the severity factor weights of each crash are reflected, intersections vulnerable to dangerous crashes can be analyzed in more detail. Using this method, it is expected that effective safety improvement project plans can be established with the input of safety managers in the future.
Airport Pavement Stiffness Monitoring and Assessment of Mechanical Stabilization using Bender Element Field Sensor
Authors: Kang Mingu , Qamhia Issam I. A. , Tutumluer Erol , Garg Navneet , Villafane Wilfredo
Published: April 2022

The bender element (BE) field sensor is a newly developed embedded pavement instrumentation that measures shear wave velocity to estimate constructed layer moduli of unbound aggregate bases and subbases. This paper presents findings related to monitoring stiffness characteristics of airport pavement base courses instrumented with BE field sensors and tested under full-scale accelerated pavement testing during Construction Cycle 9 (CC9) of the National Airport Pavement Test Facility (NAPTF) by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The CC9 aggregate base courses were constructed following FAA’s P-209 specification for a geosynthetic experiment using a biaxial geogrid installed at the bottom of the 8-in. (203-mm) thick base in the north test section, while the control pavement in the south test section was built without a geogrid. Two BE field sensors were installed in the north and south test sections approximately 1 in. (25 mm) above the base–subbase interface. Multiple stages of aircraft gear loads, including static dual-gear, dynamic slow-roll (moving wheel), and dynamic proof-roll, were applied to the test sections. BE field sensor data collected throughout multiple loading stages were used to investigate the stiffness characteristics of the pavement base. These preliminary tests conducted at the NAPTF CC9 experiment revealed the effects of static and dynamic aircraft gear loads on the stiffness of the aggregate base layer and how confinement influenced the moduli of the geogrid-stabilized base. Further, previously observed anti-shakedown effects caused by vehicle load wander could be quantified through changing base course modulus and deformation behavior from the BE field sensor data analysis.
An Economic Pavement Management Framework for Extremely Budget- and Resource-Constrained Agencies in Canada
Authors: Guha Shajib Kumar , Hossain Kamal , Lawlor Mitchell
Published: April 2022

Regional pavement management agencies often suffer from inadequate resources and technical people to carry out maintenance tasks efficiently. Though funding shortage is an issue for most agencies, regional agencies confront it primarily for various reasons such as the class of the roads managed by them, traffic intensity, the size of service population, and the jurisdiction. Regional agencies generally manage lower functional classes of roads that usually carry smaller traffic. Though low-volume roads (LVRs) take just 20% of the traffic, LVRs include approximately 80% of transportation system mileage. With only 20% of the traffic volume and 80% mileage in transportation, LVRs can barely compete with the return on investment of highways. As a result, regional road networks are always subject to less attention from policymakers. In this context, this research proposes a pavement management framework for the regional agencies which is economical, requires minimum technical expertise, and is easy to implement. This study includes two surveys: The Canada-wide Pavement Management Survey and the Road Users Feedback Survey. The Canada-wide Pavement Management Survey provides an overview of pavement management practices in Canada at the regional level. The concept of Pavement Management System (PMS) score is also developed utilizing the same survey responses. Findings from the Road Users Feedback Survey have been used to understand the feasibility of using road users’ feedbacks in making management decisions. Overall results from these two surveys have been utilized to develop various components of the proposed PMS framework.
Laboratory Investigation of Factors Affecting the Evolution of Curing in Cold In-Place Recycled Materials
Authors: Ogbo Chibuike , Dave Eshan , Sias Jo
Published: April 2022

Most cold in-place recycling (CIR) construction uses asphalt emulsion or foamed asphalt as stabilizing agent, which requires placing and compacting at optimum moisture or fluid content in the field. To ensure the CIR layer gains appreciable mechanical capacity to support traffic (including that of construction vehicles), the CIR layer must cure. Curing is typically expressed in relation to moisture content in the CIR layer; however, there is need to explore if a direct link exists between the amount of moisture in CIR and the mechanical properties of CIR. Presently, to ensure sufficient curing, construction specifications recommend time estimates with minimal consideration of how various factors such as material variations, climatic inputs, and construction process differences may affect the curing evolution. The objective of this study was to investigate and identify the critical factors that affect the curing evolution of CIR materials. Curing was evaluated in relation to moisture loss (using gravimetric measurements) and gain in mechanical properties (using indirect tensile strength and resilient modulus tests). The results show that there is further gain in mechanical properties after the CIR mixtures have reached an equilibrium moisture condition. Additionally, the following factors were identified to most significantly affect the curing evolution of CIR materials: stabilizer type and amount, active filler type and amount, initial moisture content, curing temperature (when active filler is present), and moisture reintroduction through external sources (e.g., rainfall). On the other hand, density and curing temperature (in the absence of active filler) did not seem to affect the rate of curing.
Passenger Inflow Control Along Rail Corridor for Recurrent Heavy Passenger Flow Mitigation
Authors: Pan Hanchuan , Liu Yue , Liu Zhigang , Hu Hua
Published: April 2022

Taking both the total passenger waiting time and operational cost into consideration, this paper presents a mixed integer programming model to optimize a coordinated passenger inflow control strategy with collaborative train timetable for a rail corridor. A model predictive control method is developed to solve the problem of interest efficiently. Case studies validate the effectiveness of the proposed model for decreased passenger waiting time, safety risks, and system costs. Sensitivity analyses with respect to the values of time and operational cost are conducted for better application of the proposed model.
Analysis of Motor Vehicle Accidents: Comparison Between Before and During the COVID-19 Lockdown in Maharashtra, India
Authors: Arun Pathak Atul , Chandrasekaran Shabana , Annamalai Balamurugan
Published: April 2022

To prevent the pandemic spread of human-to-human transmitted diseases such as COVID-19, governments commonly resort to countrywide or regional lockdown strategies. Such lockdowns, whenever and wherever implemented, curtail the movement of persons and vehicles, and drastically alter traffic conditions. This study focuses on the effect of drastic and sudden changes in the traffic conditions, during the COVID-19 lockdown in the State of Maharashtra in India, in March–June 2020, on the numbers of motor vehicle accidents (MVAs), and the resultant fatalities and injuries. Content analysis of police-reported first information reports (FIRs) of MVAs is performed, and these lockdown trends are compared with archival data from corresponding previous (normal) periods. The statistical analysis shows that, during the lockdown, while the total number of MVAs fall drastically, they are more severe and have a much higher fatality rate per MVA. Also, the pattern of vehicles involved in MVAs, and resultant pattern of fatalities, also changes during lockdowns. The paper explores the reasons for these changed patterns and provides suggestions to reduce these negative externalities of pandemic related lockdowns.
Impella 5.0 is associated with a reduction in vasoactive support and improves hemodynamics in cardiogenic shock: A single-center experience
Authors: Bashline Michael J , Rhinehart Zachary , Kola Olivia , Fowler Jeffrey , Kaczorowski David , Hickey Gavin
Published: April 2022

Background:

Treatment of cardiogenic shock (CS) often requires the use of vasopressors and inotropic agents, which are associated with an increase in mortality. Data on change in vasopressor and inotrope requirements post Impella 5.0 placement is scarce. Thus, we aimed to study the ability of Impella 5.0 to reduce these requirements.

Methods:

Retrospective analysis of consecutive patients with CS receiving Impella 5.0 was performed. Vasopressor-Inotrope Score (VIS) and a Modified Catecholamine Equivalent score (MCES) was calculated prior to and up to 72 h post-Impella implantation. Primary outcome was change in MCES from baseline to 48-h post implantation and secondary outcomes included change in VIS, changes in MCES according to SCAI Stage and to underlying etiology, and freedom from mortality at 30-days.

Results:

Twenty-eight patients with median age of 61 (48, 67) years were included. Impella 5.0 was associated with significant reduction in MCES from baseline [9.7 (5.3, 17)] to 48 h [5.7 (3.8, 7.5), p = 0.001]. VIS was also significantly reduced from baseline [8.3 (3.8, 19.9)] to 48 h [5.0 (2.5, 8), p = 0.003]. MCES at 48 h was significantly reduced in patients with SCAI Stage E versus Stage C ( p = 0.026) and with acute myocardial infarction versus acute decompensated heart ( p = 0.003). Thirty-day survival was 0% in patients that had a baseline MCES ⩾ 10 without a reduction in MCES of at least 5 at 24 h.

Conclusion:

Impella 5.0 is associated with a significant reduction in MCES and VIS scores in patients presenting with CS with 30-day survival being dependent on MCES.
Is Rajan’s Hypothesis Confirmed by Empirical Evidence? A Critical Review
Authors: Xu Guangdong
Published: April 2022

Based on experience in the United States in recent decades, Rajan (2010) argues that there is an inequality-debt-crisis nexus, that is, income inequality may contribute to banking crises by stimulating the accumulation of household debt. Whether and to what extent Rajan’s hypothesis has been confirmed (or refuted) by the literature is investigated in this study. It is shown that the validity of Rajan’s theory depends on the level of strictness of the standards that are established to estimate the extent of agreement between theory and evidence. This conditional validity can be attributed to the multidimensional nature of the inequality-debt-crisis nexus, which is overlooked by Rajan.

JEL Classification: D31, E51, G21, G51
Leveraging Main Street as a Real Estate Amenity: Downtown Revitalization and Residential Property Values
Authors: Van Leuven Andrew J.
Published: April 2022

As part of their efforts to reverse the effects of twentieth-century downtown disinvestment and automobile-oriented development, stakeholders in small towns across the United States look for viable means of restoring the vitality and character of their historic business districts. In this paper, I evaluate a widely adopted downtown revitalization strategy—the Main Street Program—by measuring its influence on the local housing market. I find that home sale prices are higher for residential properties sold in program-participating communities, and I observe an additional sale price premium for homes located in closer proximity to downtown districts with an active Main Street Program.
Measuring Special Educators’ Working Conditions: A Systematic Review
Authors: Stark Kristabel , Bettini Elizabeth , Cumming Michelle , O’Brien Kristen Merrill , Brunsting Nelson , Huggins-Manley Corinne , Binkert Gino , Shaheen Tashnuva
Published: April 2022

Special education teachers’ (SETs) working conditions play a crucial role in shaping the size, quality, and effectiveness of the U.S. SET workforce and thereby shape the quality of instruction provided to students with disabilities. Valid measures of SETs’ working conditions are essential for conducting robust research on how to improve working conditions. We systematically reviewed measures of SETs’ working conditions across 44 studies, assessing evidence of validity. We find that evidence of validity for existing measures is limited but that extant measures provide a starting point for future measurement development. We urge researchers to develop valid measures in the future for use in both research and policy aimed at better supporting SETs.
Novel Sublingual Analgesic Improves Patient Tolerance of Face and Body Radiofrequency Microneedling: A Split Face/Abdomen Study
Authors: Maningas Talon , Ramirez Henry , Martin Kindall
Published: April 2022

Introduction:

Radiofrequency (RF) microneedling requires minimal downtime; however, patients’ tolerance of the procedural pain can limit cosmetic results. The goal of this study was to determine the patient tolerance of RF microneedling with sufentanil sublingual tablet (SST) 30 μg and topical local anesthetic compared with topical local anesthetic alone.

Materials and Methods:

The study was a one-way crossover study of patients undergoing RF microneedling of the face or abdomen. Topical local anesthetic was applied 45 minutes prior to the initial procedure to one side of the face or abdomen (control side), followed by topical local anesthetic and SST administered 45 and 30 minutes, respectively, prior to the procedure on the opposite side (SST-treated side). The primary endpoint was patient completion of the procedure with additional endpoints of Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale scores, patient and provider satisfaction ratings, vital signs, oxygen saturation levels, and adverse events.

Results:

A total of 51 patients were enrolled averaging 44.8 ± 11.1 (SD) years of age. Forty-five percent of patients successfully completed the control side compared with 96% of patients successfully completing the SST-treated side ( P < .001). Patients were less restless or agitated during the SST-treated side (6%) compared with the control side (51%; P < .001). Patient and provider satisfaction scores were significantly improved with SST ( P < .001). Vital signs remained stable with SST treatment compared with the control side.

Discussion:

The SST is a safe and effective sublingual analgesic allowing patients to be awake and alert while increasing patient tolerance of RF microneedling as well as patient and provider satisfaction with the procedure.

Conclusion:

The SST is a novel analgesic that can be used in office-based settings with appropriate safety equipment available.
Improving Literacy for Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders: An Innovative Approach
Authors: Benner Gregory J. , Strycker Lisa A. , Pennefather Jordan , Smith Jean Louise M.
Published: April 2022

Most students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) have significant reading difficulties, but educators have few in-service professional learning opportunities geared to reading instruction for these students. The Integrated Literacy Study Group was developed as an online professional development program to prepare elementary teachers to meet the literacy needs of students with or at risk of EBD. In this study, the authors use a within-subjects design to evaluate the feasibility of the 10-week digital program with 13 elementary teachers. From pretest to posttest, teachers made statistically and educationally significant gains in knowledge of evidence-based social and emotional learning and reading strategies for students with EBD, as well as significant improvements in general teacher self-efficacy, reading self-efficacy, and social and emotional self-efficacy. Pretest-to-posttest change in teacher burnout and classroom management was educationally significant, but statistically nonsignificant. Most teachers perceived the program content as relevant to their needs and those of their students.
Opioid-Related Public Health Communication Campaigns: An Environmental Scan
Authors: Frkovich Jenna , Hedrick Haley , Anakaraonye Amarachi R. , Bornkessel Alexandra , Lefebvre R. Craig
Published: April 2022

The opioid overdose epidemic continues to devastate lives across the United States and has worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this paper, we review 166 online-accessible opioid-related campaigns to understand the current state of the science and practice of campaigns to address the opioid crisis. The findings suggest that health promotion practitioners can have a greater impact on reducing overdose deaths if they move beyond awareness-raising messaging about opioid misuse and place a greater emphasis on driving demand for evidence-based treatments such as medications for opioid use disorder and on reducing stigma related to treatment and recovery.
Validation of the Chinese Decent Work Scale
Authors: Ma Yin , Autin Kelsey L. , Ezema Gabriel N.
Published: April 2022

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese-language version of the Decent Work Scale (Duffy et al., 2017). An exploratory factor analysis was conducted with a randomly selected proportion of the sample ( n = 291) and resulted in five factors: safe conditions, access to healthcare, adequate compensation, time and rest and values match between organizations and communities. A confirmatory factor analysis was performed with the remaining sample ( n = 390). We examined factor structure, convergent, discriminant, and predictive validity. We also tested invariance across gender and work sector groups. Results demonstrated that the bifactor structure of the English version scale was a good fit to the data. Evidence supported convergent, discriminant, and predictive validity of the scale. The bi-factorial structure did not differ across gender and work sectors. Results suggest the scale is an appropriate measure of decent work among Chinese workers.
Examining the Presence and Equitable Distribution of Instructional Coaching Programs and Coaches’ Teaching Expertise Across Tennessee Schools
Authors: Hunter Seth B. , Redding Christopher
Published: April 2022

Using unique statewide panel data from Tennessee, we describe instructional coach (IC) and teacher peer observer (TPO) distributions in terms of their teaching expertise and observable school and district characteristics. The evidence suggests ICs are more likely to work in districts with lower-performing teachers while working in schools with higher-performing teachers. District characteristics largely determine where TPOs work. We also find that ICs and TPOs possess relatively more teaching expertise than classroom teachers and that these positive differences grow in magnitude as the concentration of economically disadvantaged students in a school rises.
Governing for Whom? The Link Between Representative Governance and Segregation in North Carolina’s Charter Schools
Authors: Hale Jessica Sherrod , Finchum-Mason Emily
Published: April 2022

Market-based reforms have become pervasive in the public sector, generating a vigorous debate about whether they promote public goals like effectiveness, efficiency, and equity. Nonprofit organizations are not only instrumental in the market for public services but also play important representative roles in democratic society. This article uses Guo and Musso’s theory of representative governance to examine how representation and participation in nonprofit governance influence representational outcomes in marketized environments. Leveraging the conflicting interests that nonprofit charter schools face in a geographic region marked by segregation, this article examines whether a nonprofit charter school’s representative capacity improves representational outcomes. Findings suggest that, on average, charter schools in the sample employed few mechanisms to increase representative capacity and that lower descriptive representation was linked to segregating outcomes rather than representational outcomes.
Union Equality Structures and the Challenge of Democratic Legitimacy: The Case of the Fire Brigades Union
Authors: Wright Tessa , Moore Sian , Taylor Phil
Published: April 2022

This article examines two commonly adopted trade union strategies to increase the representation of under-represented groups – first, reserved seats on union decision-making bodies and second, self-organisation, involving separate structures. It does so through the case of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), whose equality reforms were considered remarkable within the union movement and fire service due to the union’s small size and highly male-dominated, white membership. However, reserved seats at senior levels were later removed following objection on the grounds of democratic legitimacy. The article examines this decision using original data comparing UK union rules for additional representation. It exposes the tensions for small, male-dominated unions of reconciling Young’s theoretical principles of ‘group-differentiated democracy’ with the realities of perceived democratic legitimacy, and argues that progress on union equality is contingent on both the particular forms of democratic representation and the political and industrial context.
Design of two steering mechanisms for exact satisfaction of Ackermann equation
Authors: Zouelm Ali , Nasiri Soheil , Zohoor Hassan
Published: April 2022

The common steering mechanisms approximately establish the Ackermann equation. The more the mechanism design parameters, the higher the accuracy can be achieved by using optimization. Also, some mechanisms have been developed to establish the Ackermann equation accurately. Most of these mechanisms contain non-circular gear or cam that have an infinite number of design parameters. In this paper, two novel mechanisms have been designed with a limited number of design parameters, but their geometric structure is such that the governing relationship is exactly the Ackermann equation. The proof of this claim has been given in detail and validated by GeoGebra software. Also, by using force analysis, it has been shown that the forces exerted on the joints in both mechanisms are uniform, and there are no vast forces on the joints.
Noise and vibration performance of automotive disk brakes with laser-machined M-shaped grooves
Authors: Zhu Dapeng , Yu Xinke , Sai Qingyi , Wang Shuwen , Barton David , Fieldhouse John , Kosarieh Shahriar
Published: April 2022

This work makes use of experimental and numerical studies to investigate the reduction of braking noise and vibrations of brake disks by introducing various M-shaped grooves on the brake disk frictional surfaces. Experiments with a brake test dynamometer have been carried out to compare the braking vibrations and noise of the grooved disks with that of the un-grooved disk. The experimental results demonstrate that disks with grooves significantly reduced braking vibrations and noise at both low and high frequencies, and as the initial braking temperature and braking pressure increased, the reduction effect is further enhanced. The investigation also shows the wear rates of both the grooved disks and brake pads are also significantly reduced. Thermo-mechanical coupled finite element models of the brake pads and disks with and without grooves are developed to investigate the mechanisms of the reduction of braking noise and vibrations by the introduction of grooves on the disk frictional surfaces. The numerical results show that the number of grooves plays an important role in reducing the interface surface temperatures, enhancing heat flux, reducing thermal deformation, changing the contact pressure distribution, and stabilizing the coefficients of friction of the braking sliding contacts. The thermal effects contribute to the wear reduction of both the braking disks and pads, and the reduction of braking noise and vibrations. In addition, both the finite element modal analysis and the experimental modal testing results show that surface grooves increase the modal damping ratio of the disks, which certainly plays a role on the reduction of braking noise and vibrations. This study has significance to the surface modification of brake disks in order to reduce braking noise and vibrations, as well as the wear resistance of brake disks and pads.
Development of a droplet digital PCR assay for quantification of the proviral load of bovine leukemia virus
Authors: De Brun María L. , Cosme Bruno , Petersen Marcos , Alvarez Irene , Folgueras-Flatschart Aurea , Flatschart Roberto , Panei Carlos Javier , Puentes Rodrigo
Published: April 2022

Droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) is a highly sensitive tool developed for the detection and quantification of short-sequence variants—a tool that offers unparalleled precision enabling measurement of smaller-fold changes. We describe here the use of ddPCR for the detection of Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) DNA provirus. Serum samples and whole blood from experimentally infected sheep and naturally infected cattle were analyzed through ddPCR to detect the BLV gp51 gene, and then compared with serologic and molecular tests. The ddPCR assay was significantly more accurate and sensitive than AGID, ELISA, nested PCR, and quantitative PCR. The limit of detection of ddPCR was 3.3 copies/µL, detecting positive experimentally infected sheep beginning at 6 d post-infection. The ddPCR methodology offers a promising tool for evaluating the BLV proviral load, particularly for the detection of low viral loads.
Interventions to Prevent Readmissions in Hospitalized Peripheral Vascular Surgery Patients: A Systematic Review
Authors: Doss Elizabeth R. , Popejoy Lori L.
Published: April 2022

A large proportion of peripheral vascular patients worldwide experience unplanned hospital readmissions after inpatient vascular surgery. This review was conducted to identify acute care and post-discharge interventions that may help in reducing unplanned vascular surgery readmissions. A computer-based search of four databases was conducted July 2021 for original research reports published 2000 to 2021. Eight studies met inclusion criteria, with interventions including multidisciplinary care teams, advance practice provider discharge coordination, individualized case management, home care nursing, early primary care provider or telephone follow-up, and telehealth driven follow up evaluated. Some reductions in readmission rates were associated with most interventions but were inconsistent across studies. Further research is necessary to clarify and validate these findings, incorporate patient perspectives, and explore the role of technology-based interventions. This work is key to improving the patient’s experience, reduce healthcare costs, and strengthen the quality of vascular surgery care.
Developmental Considerations in a Problematic Ecology: Achieving Equity and Socially Just Learning Environments for African American Adolescents With Emotional and Behavioral Challenges
Authors: Riley Tennisha N. , Serpell Zewelanji N.
Published: April 2022

This article critically discusses the ecology of public schools in the United States: systemic barriers and associated biases that permeate these learning contexts and derail efforts to close opportunity gaps for African American adolescents with emotional and behavioral challenges. Using results from a mixed-methods study, we illustrate the ubiquity of an a-developmental perspective that guides perceptions of what is needed to keep these students in and successful at school. A close examination of school mental health providers’ perceptions of what is important and feasible in public school contexts shows recommended interventions to be necessary but not sufficient. We highlight important considerations in the reframing of schools as a dynamic developmental system and conclude with recommendations about how to harness adolescents’ strengths to generate strategies that move us toward more equitable and socially just schooling.
Interdisciplinary Inequality Research in the E/BD Field: Animating Intersectionality, Reflexivity, and Equity
Authors: Artiles Alfredo J.
Published: April 2022

The author sets the context for the need to advance equity research in the emotional/behavioral disorders (E/BD) field, particularly in regard to the education of studens of color. Next, the special issue articles are discussed in terms of their contributions and future directions in E/BD research.