bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Play‐based groups for children with cerebral palsy and their parents: A qualitative interview study about the impact on mothers' well‐being
Authors: Prest Kirsten R. , Borek Aleksandra J. , Boylan Anne‐Marie R.
Published: January 2022

Background

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common childhood physical disability in developed countries. Parents of children with CP experience difficulties that can result in reduced well‐being. Health professionals supporting children with CP have been encouraged to focus on parental well‐being as this forms part of the child's essential environment. There is a lack of evidence about interventions that holistically support the whole family by providing therapeutic input for the child and support for parents. This study aimed to explore parents' experiences of play‐based groups for children with CP and their parents, with a focus on the groups' impact on parents' well‐being.

Methods

Parents of children with CP who had attended play‐based groups in the year prior were recruited for this qualitative study. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted, audio‐recorded and transcribed verbatim. Participants' demographic characteristics were collected as contextual information. Data were analysed using an inductive thematic approach.

Results

Ten mothers were interviewed. Overall, mothers had positive experiences of the groups and perceived them as an important influence on their well‐being. Four themes described mothers' experiences of the groups and the subsequent impact on their well‐being: (1) practical support, (2) connecting with others, (3) transitioning journeys and (4) different motivators, different experiences. Numerous factors influenced mothers' experiences of attending the groups and the subsequent impact on their well‐being. This included mothers' individual experiences of having a child with CP.

Conclusions

Interventions combining practical and social support for the whole family can have a positive impact on the well‐being of mothers of children with CP. Care should be taken to provide individualised support for each family. There is no ‘one‐size‐fits‐all’ approach, and a package of care can provide multiple services that meet the varying needs of mothers and their children with CP.
Understanding the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on families involved in the child welfare system: Technological capital and pandemic practice
Authors: Conrad Jordan B. , Magsamen‐Conrad Kate
Published: January 2022

Child‐welfare practices transformed drastically in 2020 after governments instituted quarantining and social‐distancing measures. Child visitation, mental health evaluations and treatment, and court hearings either ceased or only accessible via information communication technologies (ICTs). Peer‐reviewed published scholarship about technology use in child welfare is limited to voluntary, supplemental contexts and insufficient to understand the nuanced effects of this transition on vulnerable populations. We used a critical case study ethnography to name this phenomenon, ‘pandemic practice’, and describe how case‐management challenges were compounded and/or masked by pandemic practice. Mandatory ICT use in case management contributed to injustices for some families in the child‐welfare system, including children spending extended time in foster care, families receiving superficial treatment services and irreparable harm to timely case progression. We used technology adoption theory and technological capital framework to identify and understand the complexities of pandemic practice beyond a simple digital divide perspective. We present a hierarchy of technological capital necessary to participate in pandemic practice, suggestions to create sufficient capital and implications for policy and practice.
‘It's making his bad days into my bad days’: The impact of coronavirus social distancing measures on young carers and young adult carers in the United Kingdom
Authors: Blake‐Holmes Kate , McGowan Andy
Published: January 2022

The lockdown measures put in place in March 2020 in England to counter the spread of the coronavirus have had significant implications for the lives and well‐being of young carers and young adult carers. In such unprecedented times, little was known about the potential impact on this group and their specific experience of the Covid‐19 lockdown restrictions. A rapid review was conducted, 28 young carers responded to a survey and an additional 20 participants were interviewed in January 2021; the survey was repeated with a further 149 responses. Findings show that the level of care that young carers are required to provide had increased as external agency support for their families had been withdrawn while their own coping strategies had been challenged, in particular through school closures. These restrictions had a significant impact on every aspect of their lives, from their ability to meet their own mental health needs to managing the requirements of home schooling. The needs of young carers should be acknowledged within the political agenda, especially at times of crisis. It is crucial that health and social care services increase their capacity to identify and support young carers and that work is done within educational settings to provide a flexible response to individual needs.
Effects of age, disease and anastomosis on short‐ and long‐term survival after surgical correction of small intestinal strangulating diseases in 89 horses
Authors: Rudnick Meredith J. , Denagamage Thomas N. , Freeman David E.
Published: January 2022

Background

Although survival rates have been reported after small intestinal surgery for strangulating diseases in horses, none have followed survival for periods relevant to the long lifespan of horses and none have described effect of age, disease and surgical treatments over such long survival periods.

Objectives

To examine effects of age, disease and type of surgery on long‐term survival in horses after surgical treatment of small intestinal strangulating diseases over periods relevant to the expected lifespan of a horse.

Study Design

Retrospective clinical study.

Methods

Post‐operative data were gathered from medical records and owner contact for 89 horses with small intestinal strangulation. Survival times from surgery to the date of death or the date of last follow‐up were analysed by Kaplan‐Meier statistics. Variables of interest were age, type of strangulating disease and surgical correction. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to evaluate these variables.

Results

Short‐term survival was not affected by any of the variables measured. For long‐term survival with Kaplan‐Meier statistics, horses ≥16 years old had significantly shorter (P = .002) median survival times (72 months; 95% CI 32.0‐96.0) than younger horses (121.7 months; 95% CI 90.0‐162), horses without resection had significantly longer (P = .02) survival times (120 months; 95% CI 86‐212) than horses that had jejunocecostomy (76.8 months; 95% CI 24‐125), and horses with miscellaneous diseases had significantly longer (P = .02) median survival times (161.9 months; 95% CI 72.0‐M) than horses with strangulating lipoma (79.8 months; 95% CI 32.0‐120.0). In the multivariable Cox Proportional Hazard model, age (HR = 2.67; 1.49‐4.75,P < .001) and anastomosis (HR = 0.65; 0.46‐0.92,P = .02) had the most significant effect on median survival time.

Main Limitations

Limitations were small numbers in some categories, loss of cases to follow‐up, owner recall failures and lack of a control group.

Conclusions

The remaining lifespan of older horses at the time of surgery had the greatest effect on survival. Age could influence long‐term survival studies after colic surgery, and therefore needs to be considered for survival analyses. Horses that did not require resection and anastomosis had favourable outcomes, underscoring the potential importance of early intervention to reduce the need for resection.
Ocean warming alters the distributional range, migratory timing, and spatial protections of an apex predator, the tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)
Authors: Hammerschlag Neil , McDonnell Laura H. , Rider Mitchell J. , Street Garrett M. , Hazen Elliott L. , Natanson Lisa J. , McCandless Camilla T. , Boudreau Melanie R. , Gallagher Austin J. , Pinsky Malin L. , Kirtman Ben
Published: January 2022

Given climate change threats to ecosystems, it is critical to understand the responses of species to warming. This is especially important in the case of apex predators since they exhibit relatively high extinction risk, and changes to their distribution could impact predator–prey interactions that can initiate trophic cascades. Here we used a combined analysis of animal tracking, remotely sensed environmental data, habitat modeling, and capture data to evaluate the effects of climate variability and change on the distributional range and migratory phenology of an ectothermic apex predator, the tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier). Tiger sharks satellite tracked in the western North Atlantic between 2010 and 2019 revealed significant annual variability in the geographic extent and timing of their migrations to northern latitudes from ocean warming. Specifically, tiger shark migrations have extended farther poleward and arrival times to northern latitudes have occurred earlier in the year during periods with anomalously high sea‐surface temperatures. A complementary analysis of nearly 40 years of tiger shark captures in the region revealed decadal‐scale changes in the distribution and timing of shark captures in parallel with long‐term ocean warming. Specifically, areas of highest catch densities have progressively increased poleward and catches have occurred earlier in the year off the North American shelf. During periods of anomalously high sea‐surface temperatures, movements of tracked sharks shifted beyond spatial management zones that had been affording them protection from commercial fishing and bycatch. Taken together, these study results have implications for fisheries management, human–wildlife conflict, and ecosystem functioning.
Locked up and down: Incarceration, care, and art in a pandemic
Authors: Greene Anne‐marie , Dean Deborah , Bartley Sarah , McAvinchey Caoimhe
Published: January 2022

There has been recent criticism of the lack of care in the UK economy, especially during the COVID‐19 pandemic, which has exacerbated inequality and disadvantage faced by those most vulnerable in society. This article focuses on the importance of care in the practices of Clean Break—an internationally recognized theater, education, and advocacy organization that puts the stories of women with experience of the criminal justice system center stage. Drawing centrally on the work of Joan Tronto and Berenice Fisher, we argue that Clean Break's pandemic activities, that is in crisis, have a deep connection to the central place of care within its practices since its inception. We extend the care ethic concept to specifically include art as a form of care. Using textual analysis of the play, Shower Scene, developed in the Clean Break 2 Metres Apart pandemic‐response program, we argue that Clean Break offers an example of what care can and does entail in practice, with positive impacts for its stakeholders.
Predicting Vertical LNAPL Distribution in the Subsurface under the Fluctuating Water Table Effect
Authors: Boumaiza Lamine , Chesnaux Romain , Walter Julien , Lenhard Robert J. , Hassanizadeh Seyed M. , Dokou Zoi , Alazaiza Motasem Y.D.
Published: January 2022

The present study proposes a methodology for predicting the vertical light nonaqueous‐phase liquids (LNAPLs) distribution within an aquifer by considering the influence of water table fluctuations. The LNAPL distribution is predicted by combining (1) information on air/LNAPL and LNAPL/water interface elevations with (2) the initial elevation of the water table without LNAPL effect. Data used in the present study were collected during groundwater monitoring undertaken over a period of 4 months at a LNAPL‐impacted observation well. In this study, the water table fluctuations raised the free LNAPL in the subsurface to an elevation of 206.63 m, while the lowest elevation was 205.70 m, forming a thickness of 0.93 m of LNAPL‐impacted soil. Results show that the apparent LNAPL thickness in the observation well is found to be three times greater than the actual free LNAPL thickness in soil; a finding that agrees with previous studies reporting that apparent LNAPL thickness in observation wells typically exceeds the free LNAPL thickness within soil by a factor estimated to range between 2 and 10. The present study provides insights concerning the transient variation of LNAPL distribution within the subsurface and highlights the capability of the proposed methodology to mathematically predict the actual LNAPL thickness in the subsurface, without the need to conduct laborious field tests. Practitioners can use the proposed methodology to determine by how much the water table should be lowered, through pumping, to isolate the LNAPL‐impacted soil within the unsaturated zone, which can then be subjected to in situ vadose zone remedial treatment.
Bio‐derived sodium silicate for the manufacture of alkali‐activated binders: Use of bamboo leaf ash as silicate source
Authors: Vinai Raffaele , Ntimugura Fabrice , Cutbill Will , Evans Robert , Zhao Yize
Published: January 2022

Alkali activated binders are a promising alternative to the use of Portland cement in the manufacture of concrete for curbing CO2 emissions. Novel sources of silicates have been investigated in recent years for reducing cost and environmental impacts associated with the use of chemical activators. This study describes the production of solid sodium silicate (SS) activating powder from bamboo leaf ash (BLA). Bamboo leaves were calcined at 550–800°C, mixed with NaOH pellets, and heated in an oven at 300°C. The obtained silicate powder was used for activating blended fly ash/slag samples. Mechanical and microstructural properties of BLA‐based samples were compared to those of samples made with commercially available chemicals. The strength of BLA‐activated mortars matched the commercially‐sourced activators, being 25–30 MPa at 7 days and exceeding 40 MPa at 28 days. The microstructural analysis suggested that BLA‐based SS showed a lesser degree of dissolution of precursors at 7 days, but the quality of the matrix was higher than that of NaOH‐activated samples. These results confirmed that the reactivity of BLA‐silicate powder was similar to that of commercial SS solutions, and show the potential valorization of future biomass renewable waste in the production of low carbon, alkali‐activated concretes.
Metabolomics reveals sex‐specific pathways associated with changes in adiposity and muscle mass in a cohort of Mexican adolescents
Authors: Rodríguez‐Carmona Yanelli , Meijer Jennifer L. , Zhou Yiwang , Jansen Erica C. , Perng Wei , Banker Margaret , Song Peter X. K. , Téllez‐Rojo Martha María , Cantoral Alejandra , Peterson Karen E.
Published: January 2022

Background

Alterations in body composition (BC) during adolescence relates to future metabolic risk, yet underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

Objectives

To assess the association between the metabolome with changes in adiposity (body mass index [BMI], waist circumference [WC], triceps skinfold [TS], fat percentage [BF%]) and muscle mass (MM).

Methods

In Mexican adolescents (n = 352), untargeted serum metabolomics was profiled at baseline. and data were reduced by pairing hierarchical clustering with confirmatory factor analysis, yielding 30 clusters with 51 singleton metabolites. At the baseline and follow‐up visits (1.6–3.5 years apart), anthropometry was collected to identify associations between baseline metabolite clusters and change in BC (∆) using seemingly unrelated and linear regression.

Results

Between visits, MM increased in boys and adiposity increased in girls. Sex differences were observed between metabolite clusters and changes in BC. In boys, aromatic amino acids (AAA), branched chain amino acids (BCAA) and fatty acid oxidation metabolites were associated with increases in ∆BMI, and ∆BF%. Phospholipids were associated with decreases in ∆TS and ∆MM. Negative associations were observed for ∆MM in boys with a cluster including AAA and BCAA, whereas positive associations were found for a cluster containing tryptophan metabolites. Few associations were observed between metabolites and BC change in girls, with one cluster comprising methionine, proline and lipids associated with decreases in ∆BMI, ∆WC and ∆MM.

Conclusion

Sex‐specific associations between the metabolome and change in BC were observed, highlighting metabolic pathways underlying adolescent physical growth.
Prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms and association with shift working in hospital staff
Authors: Alamdari Homeira , Hajebrahimi Sakineh , Abolhasanpour Nasrin , Salehi‐Pourmehr Hanieh , Alamdari Golsa , Jahantabi Elham
Published: January 2022

What is the prevalence of lower urinary tract symptom (LUTS) among public hospitals staff and association with shift working? The aim of the current study was to evaluate the prevalence and bothersomeness of LUTS and the impact of shift working on its symptoms among the staff of public hospitals. Job condition is one of the main risk factors for LUTS, and almost about three‐quarters of nurses/nursing assistants do not have time to use the toilet during the shift work. Non‐standard shiftwork intensely is associated with various urological complications. Our study reveals new insights on the prevalence of LUTS with more frequency in women shift workers when compared with men. We conducted a descriptive cross‐sectional survey from October 2019 to January 2020. The data were collected from three public hospitals. A total of 228 individuals, 148 females (64.9%), and 80 males (35.1%) were enrolled in the study. After considering the inclusion criteria, for women, the validated version of the International Consultation on Incontinence Modular Questionnaire for Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (ICIQ‐FLUTS) and for men, the validated version of the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire for Male Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Module (ICIQ‐MLUTS) were used. LUTS was more prevalent in women (61.1% vs. 44.2%, p = 0.016). In both men and women, the most bothersome symptom was urgency and the most prevalent symptom was nocturia (58.9%, and 43.9%, respectively). A significant relationship was observed between LUTS and shift working in female staff (p = 0.037). Nocturia was found to be the most prevalent symptom in both genders. The highest bothersome issue in men was related to urgency, and in women in addition to urgency, nocturia was another common symptom. However, the bother scores of most symptoms relatively were low. Although the percentage of women with shift working was low the prevalence of LUTS was high in this gender.
Novel strong and tough Ta/TaHfC2 composites with multi‐scale laminated structure
Authors: Xiao Peng , Wang Song , Li Wei , Yu Yiping , Li Hao
Published: January 2022

Ta‐Hf‐C ternary ceramics are good candidates for structural components used in extreme thermal environment. However, intrinsic brittleness greatly restricts their applications in reality. Here, we report a novel TaHfC2‐based composite with superior strength and toughness by employing Ta foil as interlayers to generate a multi‐scale laminated structure together with the in situ formed Ta2C MXene during sintering. Owing to the unique composition and microstructure, the tensile strength, shear strength, fracture toughness (KIC), and work of fracture of Ta/TaHfC2 have reached 233 ± 12 MPa, 64 ± 6 MPa, 13.16 ± 0.03 MPa·m1/2, and 1726 ± 448 J/m2 simultaneously, and all showed substantial increments when compared with TaHfC2 monolithic ceramic and related Ta‐Hf‐C materials as showed in literatures. This study significantly improved the toughness of TaHfC2, and it provides a new high‐performance thermal structural material for the aerospace industry as well as a new idea for toughening ultra‐high temperature ceramics (UHTCs) of transition metal carbides.
Analysis of school students' misconceptions about basic programming concepts
Authors: Žanko Žana , Mladenović Monika , Krpan Divna
Published: January 2022

Background and Context

Most studies about programming misconceptions are conducted at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Since the age level for starting learning programming is getting lower, there is a need for determining programming misconceptions for younger learners.

Objective

Our goal is to determine programming misconceptions and their time‐resistance for programming novices at the K‐12 level using Python as a text‐based programming language.

Method

We conducted research in the school settings during informatics classes among 98 fifth‐grade students in three elementary schools. We analysed the data collected from two Python tests students took immediately after programming lectures and 5 months later.

Results and Conclusions

We detected seven misconceptions: (a) Assigning the expression instead of the calculated value, (b) When reassigning the variable value, assigning the sum value to the variable, (c) Using the symbolic name of the variable instead of its value, (d) Using the first (or previously) assigned variable value, (e) Datatype misconception, (f) Sequencing misconception, and (g) Swapping variable values. By shifting focus on variables and spending more time introducing variables and sequencing during teaching, the appearance of known misconceptions is minimized compared to previous findings.
Variation law and prediction model to determine the moisture content in tea during hot air drying
Authors: Duan Dongyao , Ma Fangyan , Zhao Liqing , Yin Yuanyuan , Zheng Yinghui , Xu Xin , Sun Ying , Xue Yiwei
Published: January 2022

To study the changes in the moisture content of tea leaves during the hot air drying process of tea production, this study designed an experiment to monitor the dynamic change of moisture content of rolled green tea during the hot air drying process under different feeding amounts (800–1,200 g), drying temperature (90–120°C), and drum speed (20–30 rpm/min). We established a dynamic prediction model to determine the moisture content using the BP, Elman, and Particle swarm optimization Elman neural network (PSO Elman) algorithms. The prediction calculation was conducted by considering the drying temperature, drum speed, drying initial water, and prediction time as input and the water content prediction result during the tea drying process as the output. Additionally, we analyzed the significant factors to explore the dynamic changes in the water content of tea leaves under different drying conditions. Experimental results showed that the temperature, rotational speed, and feeding rate significantly affected the drying effect. Furthermore, we established a traditional multiple linear regression fitting model was established to compare and analyze with the above three neural network models. The verification and error analysis results of the four water prediction models showed that the PSO–Elman model could better predict the changes in the water content during the drying process.

Practical Applications

The change of moisture content in the process of tea hot air drying research can provide a theoretical basis for the hot air drying technology and process of tea, and have important significance for guiding tea processing and production, improving processing efficiency and tea quality.
Research on the temperature field of grain piles in underground grain silos lined with plastic
Authors: Zhang Xiangxiang , Zhang Hao , Wang Zhenqing , Chen Xi , Chen Yan
Published: January 2022

To investigate the temperature change in grain piles during underground grain storage, this study considers high‐moisture grain, and uses a combination of experiments and numerical simulation to study the change in the temperature field in the underground bin during the static storage and mechanical ventilation phases. The results show that during the static storage stage, grain respiration is strong. The grain pile first begins to heat up at the bottom and gradually forms a high‐temperature heat core; in the mechanical ventilation stage, the grain pile first cools down from the air outlet, and then gradually spreads to the entire silo. Inside, the study found that the diffusion path is related to the air duct setting. After being ventilated for 10 hr, the grain pile temperature in the test silo fell below 10°C from the middle to the bottom of the silo, and only reached 15°C above the return air outlet near the grain‐loading line. An increase in air supply accelerates the temperature decrease in the grain pile; the difference in the initial state of the grain pile has little effect on the cooling effect of mechanical ventilation. In the experiment and simulation, the mechanical ventilation adopts a uniform air supply method, which has a significant effect on reducing the grain pile temperature in the silo.

Practical Applications

In this study, a test platform is established for an underground silo lined with plastic. By monitoring the temperature in the test silo, the dynamic temperature changes in the grain pile can be analyzed, and the results are compared with the numerical simulation results to verify the model reliability. The temperature field simulation of grain piles under different conditions lays the foundation, and at the same time provides a basis for formulating relevant measures to achieve safe grain storage.
Combined effects of pectin–plant essential oil coating with vacuum packaging on the quality of large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) during iced storage
Authors: Lan Wei‐qing , Lang Ai , Chen Meng‐ling , Xie Jing
Published: January 2022

The study investigated the effects of pectin–plant essential oil coating combined with vacuum packaging on Pseudosciaena crocea during iced storage. Samples were immersed in sterile water (CK), 25% ethanol (E), pectin + 0.4% oregano essential oil (PO), and pectin + 0.4% ginger essential oil (PG), respectively. The results showed that compared with the CK group, PO and PG coatings could effectively inhibit the increase of total viable counts (TVC) and H2S‐producing bacteria counts by 1.25–1.64 log CFU/g and 1.18–1.37 log CFU/g, respectively. Meanwhile, PO and PG treatments could delay the increase of pH, thiobarbituric acid (TBA), and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB‐N) value, which also inhibited the degradation rate of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in fish. When samples treated with PO and PG, the shelf‐life of Pseudosciaena crocea could increase from 20 to 27 days and 24 days, respectively, which indicated that the combination of pectin–plant essential oil coating with vacuum packaging is a promising method for the preservation of Pseudosciaena crocea.
Fewer potentially avoidable health care events in rural veterans with self‐directed care versus other personal care services
Authors: Yuan Yingzhe , Thomas Kali S. , Van Houtven Courtney H. , Price Megan E. , Pizer Steven D. , Frakt Austin B. , Garrido Melissa M.
Published: January 2022

Background

Rural residents face more barriers to healthcare access, including challenges in receiving home‐ and community‐based long‐term services, compared to urban residents. Self‐directed services provide flexibility and choice in care options and may be particularly well suited to help older adults with multiple chronic conditions and functional limitations who reside in rural areas remain independent and live in the community.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective observational study to understand whether differences in health outcomes between Veteran‐Directed Care (VDC), a self‐directed Veterans Health Administration (VHA)‐paid care program, and other VHA‐paid home‐ and community‐based personal care services vary in rural/urban location. The sample included 37,395 veterans receiving VHA‐paid home‐ and community‐based long‐term care services in FY17. Our primary outcomes were changes in monthly incidence of VHA or VHA‐paid community acute care admissions, nursing home admissions, and emergency department (ED) visits. We used fixed effects logistic regression models on unmatched and coarsened exact matched cohorts, stratified by rural/urban location.

Results

Both urban and rural VDC recipients were significantly less likely to be admitted to VHA‐paid nursing homes, compared to those receiving other VHA‐paid personal care services (rural: incremental effect = −0.22, [−0.30, −0.14]; urban: incremental effect = −0.14, [−0.20, −0.07]). Rural, but not urban, VDC enrollees had significantly fewer VHA‐paid acute care admissions and ED visits, relative to recipients of other VHA‐paid personal care services (acute care, rural: incremental effect = −0.07, 95% CI = [−0.14, −0.01], urban: incremental effect = −0.01, [−0.06, 0.03]; ED, rural: incremental effect = −0.08, [−0.14, −0.02], urban: incremental effect = 0.01, [−0.03, 0.05]).

Conclusions

VDC recipients had fewer incidents of potentially avoidable VHA‐paid health care use, compared to similar veterans receiving other VHA‐paid personal care services. These differences were more pronounced among rural VDC recipients than urban VDC recipients.
Accumulation by agricultural extension: Freedom and financial extractivism among Brazil's Landless Rural Workers' Movement (MST)
Authors: DeVore Jonathan
Published: January 2022

Since 1995, family farming in Brazil has been heavily financialized through the federal PRONAF program, which has simultaneously created new opportunities for third parties to capture and control financial resources for themselves. Drawing on long‐term ethnographic research with land rights movements on the southern coast of Bahia, Brazil, this contribution analyses a case of accumulation by agricultural extension, as a predatory form of financial extractivism based on asymmetrical bureaucratic and communicative power, which was carried out by a local agricultural extension firm and export company. Associated with the Odebrecht Foundation, this extension firm promoted a development project to diversify the livelihoods of rural families living in land reform communities affiliated with Brazil's famous Landless Rural Workers' Movement, or the Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST). The firm owner actively recruited families to cultivate palmito, or heart of palm, effectively converting them into a captive productive force responsible for almost all factors of production—land, labour, and capital—but in the service of the extension firm's business interests. The firm was thus able to decouple itself from all hazards involved in production, while the MST community members bore almost all of the risks. In the process, the project gave rise to an exploitative form of production that is barely even recognizable as capitalism.
Researching the visual culture of law and legal institutions: some reflections on methodology
Authors: MORAN LESLIE J.
Published: January 2022

The role played by pictures in the formation of our legal imaginations is one that has attracted the attention of socio‐legal scholars. Research in this field is on the rise and diversifying. However, to date there has been little engagement with, or reflection on, the methods and methodology that researchers have deployed in their turn to pictures as data. The goal of this article is to explore a range of methodological issues by way of several different types of pictures: paintings, photographs, and moving pictures with sound generated by way of lens‐based digital technologies.
Critical care nurses' perceptions and practices towards clinical alarms
Authors: Jeong Yu Jin , Kim Hyunjung
Published: January 2022

Background

Muted or controlled alarms resulting from alarm fatigue have become a threat to patient safety and several institutions are aware of this risk.

Aims

This study aimed to investigate critical care nurses' perceptions of medical device alarms, alarm fatigue, and alarm management practices.

Methods

This descriptive study investigated 48 nurses working at two intensive care units (ICUs) within a single university hospital, in South Korea. They were asked to complete a self‐administered questionnaire about their perception of the ICU medical device alarm, alarm fatigue, and related management practices. The response rate was 100%.

Results

Critical care nurses experienced a moderate or higher level of alarm fatigue, scoring 29.1 out of 40. Participants identified the items “Frequent false alarms, which lead to reduced attention or response to alarm when they occur,” and “Inadequate staff” as the most important issues for alarm management. The most frequently involved item in alarm management practice was “I only use infusion pumps for drugs that require precise dose.” Alarm management practices among the nurses differed significantly according to ICU clinical career and experience of patient safety accidents.

Conclusions

This study highlights the need to develop a standardized medical device alarm management protocol that can help identify different alarms correctly and respond to them rapidly and appropriately.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

It is necessary to reduce alarm fatigue and promote safe and effective alarm management practices among critical care nurses through sufficient education and steady training. Alarm fatigue should also be mitigated by employment of sufficient nursing personnel in ICUs.
Tree architecture, light interception and water‐use related traits are controlled by different genomic regions in an apple tree core collection
Authors: Coupel‐Ledru Aude , Pallas Benoît , Delalande Magalie , Segura Vincent , Guitton Baptiste , Muranty Hélène , Durel Charles‐Eric , Regnard Jean‐Luc , Costes Evelyne
Published: January 2022

Tree architecture shows large genotypic variability, but how this affects water‐deficit responses is poorly understood. To assess the possibility of reaching ideotypes with adequate combinations of architectural and functional traits in the face of climate change, we combined high‐throughput field phenotyping and genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) on an apple tree (Malus domestica) core‐collection.

We used terrestrial light detection and ranging (T‐LiDAR) scanning and airborne multispectral and thermal imagery to monitor tree architecture, canopy shape, light interception, vegetation indices and transpiration on 241 apple cultivars submitted to progressive field soil drying. GWAS was performed with single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)‐by‐SNP and multi‐SNP methods.

Large phenotypic and genetic variability was observed for all traits examined within the collection, especially canopy surface temperature in both well‐watered and water deficit conditions, suggesting control of water loss was largely genotype‐dependent. Robust genomic associations revealed independent genetic control for the architectural and functional traits. Screening associated genomic regions revealed candidate genes involved in relevant pathways for each trait.

We show that multiple allelic combinations exist for all studied traits within this collection. This opens promising avenues to jointly optimize tree architecture, light interception and water use in breeding strategies. Genotypes carrying favourable alleles depending on environmental scenarios and production objectives could thus be targeted.
Bringing the right to water into the spotlight: A civil right before the European Court of Human Rights?
Authors: Keller Helen , Hefti Angela
Published: January 2022

This article evaluates the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) approach to the right to water, drawing on three key aspects characterizing a minimum core right to water: quality, availability and accessibility. The article argues that the right to water should be seen as a civil right, which can be directly enforced by the ECtHR, rather than being adjudicated as a programmatic right subject to a wide margin of appreciation. Currently, the Court pursues two tracks in water‐related cases. On the one hand, it considers the right to water as a right that should be realized progressively and is subject to a wide margin of appreciation. On the other hand, in relation to prisoner and asylum seekers' rights, the Court has recognized that limited access to water can constitute ill treatment contrary to Article 3. Finally, the right to water faces obstacles to its adequate enforcement before the Court as litigants must show that they are victims of water‐related damage and they suffer individually.
Tracing southern Gondwanan sedimentary paths: A case study of northern Namibian late Palaeozoic sedimentary rocks
Authors: Zieger Johannes , Hofmann Mandy , Gärtner Andreas , Gerdes Axel , Marko Linda , Linnemann Ulf
Published: January 2022

The northern Namibian Karoo‐aged successions are part of a Gondwana‐wide sedimentary system emerging at the Carboniferous–Permian boundary and existing for more than 50 Ma. The Karoo Supergroup sedimentary successions are of importance in understanding the evolution of the Karoo rift system. This study presents new whole‐rock geochemical data combined with detrital zircon morphology as well as U−Pb ages and Lu−Hf composition of late Palaeozoic siliciclastic rocks of the Namibian Huab Basin and Kunene area (south‐west Africa). Inferred by youngest detrital zircon U−Pb ages the Verbrande Berg Formation (lower Ecca Group) yields a Sakmarian to Asselian maximum depositional age, whereas the overlying Tsarabis Formation yields an Artinskian maximum depositional age. These ages coincide with the end of the Dwyka ice age and an overall warming and a contemporaneous evolution of the Karoo I rift system across southern Gondwana. The zircon age distribution of the investigated samples yields clusters ranging between ca 500 to 650 Ma (Cambrian–late Neoproterozoic), ca 950 to 1200 Ma (early Neoproterozoic–Mesoproterozoic) and ca 1800 to 1900 Ma (Palaeoproterozoic). Their rounded shapes characterize the zircon grains of the Kunene area and the lower Huab Basin section, whereas upper Huab Basin strata yield mostly unrounded grains. The rounded nature of zircon grains with a diverse U−Pb age spectrum putatively points towards sediment homogenization and multiple recycling stages during the deposition of the sediments and large catchment areas of the depositing rivers. As suggested by zircon grains with a low roundness value and a single Palaeoproterozoic age cluster, the upper Huab Basin successions were probably deposited under drier climatic conditions, small catchment areas and limited sedimentary homogenization. Therefore, the southern Gondwana sedimentary transport and homogenization system may change over time and is dependent on the climate prevailing during deposition. This study shows that the laws of detrital zircon are very complex and are yet to be explored.
Response to Vaisey1
Authors: Martin John Levi , Lembo Alessandra
Published: January 2022

This article is a response to Stephen Vaisey’s (2021) article, “Welcome to the Real World: Escaping the Sociology of Culture and Cognition.”
Utilization of multi‐scale geomorphometric algorithms and third‐order morphometric variables for soil thickness modeling
Authors: Khanifar Javad , Khademalrasoul Ataallah
Published: January 2022

The significance of multi‐scale geomorphometric algorithms and third‐order morphometric variables was studied in soil thickness modeling. In this research, the algorithms of Evans–Young, Shary, Zevenbergen–Thorne, and Florinsky were employed to calculate morphometric variables on different neighborhood scales. The results demonstrate that the polynomial model and neighborhood scale can have a remarkable effect on morphometric variables. Based on correlation analysis, we observed that on a given neighborhood scale, not every polynomial model might be appropriate for modeling soil thickness. A geomorphometric algorithm that provides a modest smoothing rate of morphometric variables can be ideal for soil–landscape modeling. The results revealed that , a third‐order morphometric variable, was the most relevant predictor of soil thickness. The third‐order morphometric variables have the potential to be considered for soil–landscape modeling. Multivariate adaptive regression splines provided a model (R2 = 0.71, RMSE = 0.28 m) for predicting soil thickness based on local morphometric variables that were calculated using two types of polynomial models. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that several polynomial models and neighborhood sizes be employed when performing soil–landscape analysis. Consideration of multi‐scale geomorphometric analysis can increase the performance of digital soil modeling.
Re‐irradiation of canine non‐lymphomatous nasal tumours using stereotactic radiation therapy (10 Gy x 3) for both courses: Assessment of outcome and toxicity in 11 dogs
Authors: Gieger Tracy L. , Haney Siobhan M. , Nolan Michael W.
Published: January 2022

No uniformly beneficial treatments exist for dogs with non‐lymphomatous nasal tumours (NLNT) that relapse after radiotherapy (RT). Reirradiation may prolong survival and improve quality of life. In this retrospective study, we describe outcomes for 11 dogs that had CT‐confirmed locoregional progression of NLNT after an initial course of stereotactic RT (SRT#1; 10 Gy × 3) and were then re‐treated with the same type of protocol (SRT#2, also 10 Gy × 3). The median time between SRT #1 and SRT #2 was 243 days (95% CI: 78–385 days). Ten dogs (91%) had a clinical benefit after SRT#1; five dogs (45%) had clinical benefit after SRT#2. Adverse events after SRT#2 included nasocutaneous or oronasal fistula formation (N = 3 at 180, 270, and 468 days), seizures (N = 2 at 78 and 330 days), bacterial or fungal rhinitis (N = 2 at 240 and 385 days), and facial swelling (N = 1 at 90 days). All 11 dogs have died, due to disease progression, presumed radiotoxicity, or declining quality of life; in most cases, it was difficult to discern between these conditions. The median overall survival time (OST) from SRT#1 was 745 days (95% CI: 360–1132). The median overall survival time (OST) from SRT #2 was 448 days (95% CI: 112–626). For these dogs, survival was prolonged, but adverse events after SRT#2 were common (8/11; 73%). Therefore, before consenting to re‐irradiation with this protocol, pet owners should be counselled about survivorship challenges, including risk for severe toxicities, and persistence of clinical signs.
Evaluating the efficacy of telephone‐based outreach in addressing hypertension control among black men with severe hypertension: An observational study
Authors: Raman Rohith Sai , Biola Holly , Bakovic Melanie , Hayes Tiffany , Whitney Colette , Bulgin Dominique , Kang Yunah , Eck Cameron , Gilchrist L’Tanya , Caesar Awanya , Chaplin Joan , Granger Bradi
Published: January 2022

Background

The high prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension (systolic blood pressure [SBP] ≥140 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure [DBP] ≥90 mmHg) in Black patients represents a significant racial health disparity in the United States.

Aims

This study evaluated the efficacy of a telephone‐based strategy for inviting high‐risk patients with severe hypertension to weekly self‐management education classes. Further, the study assessed how the outreach intervention correlated with relevant quality improvement outcomes, including improved blood pressure and primary care follow‐up among our clinic population of Black men with severe hypertension.

Methods

A cohort of 265 Black men aged ≥18 years with SBP ≥160 mmHg or DBP ≥100 mmHg at the most recent clinic visit were identified using Epic reports formatted for Federal Uniformed Data Set annual reporting. Telephone outreach was used to invite the cohort to attend weekly in‐person classes facilitated by various healthcare professionals. Logistic regression was performed to determine the associations between being reached by phone with (1) class attendance and (2) follow‐up appointment attendance.

Results

Most of the Black men were single (57.4%, n = 152), 49.1% had history of alcohol or substance use (n = 130), and 35.8% (n = 95) was uninsured. The average age was 55.6 years (SD = 11.6). After controlling for sociodemographic factors, being reached by phone was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of patient attendance at follow‐up appointments (OR = 1.91, p = .038) but not with class attendance (OR = 2.45, p = .155). Patients who attended a follow‐up appointment experienced significant reductions in both SBP and DBP at 9 months.

Linking evidence to action

Telephone outreach was labor‐intensive but effective in keeping under‐resourced patient populations engaged in primary care. Future work should aim to develop more efficient strategies for engaging high‐risk patients in self‐monitoring education to manage hypertension.
When Art isn’t Real
Authors: Shortland Andrew , Degryse Patrick
Published: January 2022

The art world is a multi-billion-dollar industry which captures world headlines on a regular basis, for both good and bad reasons. This book deals with one of the most-discussed areas of controversy: high-profile objects that have experts arguing about their veracity. Some may have been looted, others may be fakes, some may be heavily restored or misattributed. Often, in these cases, analytical science is called on to settle a dispute. The authors of this book have decades of experience in this field, working on a range of objects dating from prehistory to the twentieth century. They present seven of the most famous cases from the Getty Kouros to the Turin Shroud – some of which are still contested, and examine how a few words from a connoisseur or scientist can make a virtually valueless object worth hundreds of millions. And vice versa.
Shrinkable Self-Similar Structure Design
Authors: Yamamoto Yohei , Mitani Jun
Published: January 2022

Origami techniques, as folding and unfolding, can be utilized in shrinkable structures. Especially when the crease pattern is rigid foldable, it can be treated as a mechanical linkage of rigid panels connected by hinges. Since rigid foldable crease patterns have the strong geometrical constraint of the facets not being able to stretch or bend, it is difficult to design new crease patterns, and variations of existing patterns are limited. However, it is known that there are cases where crease patterns can be made rigid foldable by adding some slits. This paper proposes a mechanical linkage that folds into a similar flat shape by adding slits. A method is presented of generating rigid foldable crease patterns in arbitrary polygons that fold smaller, and it is confirmed that structures that have a mechanism for shrinking can be generated from these crease patterns using rigid thick panels and hinges.
A Portable Six-Wheeled Mobile Robot With Reconfigurable Body and Self-Adaptable Obstacle-Climbing Mechanisms
Authors: Song Zhen , Luo Zirong , Wei Guowu , Shang Jianzhong
Published: January 2022

Mobile robots can replace rescuers in rescue and detection missions in complex and unstructured environments and draw the interest of many researchers. This paper presents a novel six-wheeled mobile robot with a reconfigurable body and self-adaptable obstacle-climbing mechanisms, which can reconfigure itself to three locomotion states to realize the advantages of terrain adaptability, obstacle-crossing ability, and portability. Design criteria and mechanical design of the proposed mobile robot are first presented, based on which the geometry of the robot is modeled and the geometric constraint, static conditions, and motion stability condition for obstacle crossing of the robot are derived and formulated. Numerical simulations are then conducted to verify the geometric passing capability, static passing capability, and motion stability and to find feasible structure parameters of the robot in obstacle crossing. Further, a physical prototype of the proposed mobile robot is developed and integrated with mechatronic systems and remote control. Using the prototype, field experiments are carried out to verify the feasibility of the proposed design and theoretical derivations. The results show that the proposed mobile robot satisfies all the criteria set and is feasible for applications in disastrous rescuing scenarios.