bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Utilization of an Innovative Psychoeducational Group for Veterans With Severe Mental Illness: A Program Evaluation of a Quality Improvement Initiative
Authors: Koonce Morse Wendi L. , Mankowski Sasha , Harrold S. Akeya
Published: November 2020

INTRODUCTION

Cognitive impairments—episodes of mania or psychosis, paranoia, and substance use—are common effects of serious mental illness, which can lead to stigmatization, social isolation, and a decrease in interaction with health care providers. These consequences can obstruct a person with serious mental illness ability to comprehend diagnosed mental disorders and to fully participate in treatment. Consistent with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Recovery Model for Disease Management, nurse practitioner residents in a mental health nurse practitioner residency program developed an interactive psychoeducation series to improve veteran health self-efficacy and self-management.

AIM

The overall purpose of this sequential quality improvement initiative was to develop and deliver a psychoeducational series, which is both veteran centric and recovery oriented.

METHODS

Series I of the project produced psychoeducational sessions based on collaborative interactions among veterans and members of the treatment team, with a focus on neurobiology, pharmacology, and evidence-based treatment recommendations. Through an innovative and interactive framework, Plan–Do–Study–Act cycles were utilized to bring about foundational themes and inherent changes in the psychoeducation delivery. With veterans’ feedback and collaboration, Series II of the project was developed within the continuous improvement evaluations from Series I.

RESULTS

Treatment collaboration between veterans and providers was fostered as veterans experienced learning, symptom recognition, and empowerment.

CONCLUSION

This project is unique in that it is the first known review of a quality improvement initiative to incorporate concurrent changes in psychoeducational session delivery, involving veterans and their providers to foster collaboration.
Evaluation of the effect of neutral electrolyzed water and peroxyacetic acid alone and in combination on microbiological, chemical, and sensory characteristics of poultry meat during refrigeration storage
Authors: Moghassem Hamidi Reihane , Shekarforoush Seyed Shahram , Hosseinzadeh Saeid , Basiri Sara
Published: November 2020

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the efficacy of near-neutral electrolyzed water (NEW) (100 and 200 µg/ml), peroxyacetic acid (PAA) (200 and 400 µg/ml), and their combination (NEW 100 µg/ml + PAA 200 µg/ml) on microbial quality, pH, TBARS value, and sensory quality of fresh chicken breast meat dipped into the solutions for 10 min at room temperature. Meat samples were tested immediately after treatments and on days 2, 4, and 6 of storage at 4℃. All treatments were effective in reducing microbial populations throughout the storage (P < 0.05), with combined treatment showing the strongest antimicrobial activity. On the sixth day of storage, the aerobic plate counts, psychrophilic plate count, Enterobacteriaceae, lactic acid bacteria, and Pseudomonas counts in the NEW 100 µg/ml + PAA 200 µg/ml group were 1.33, 1.40, 1.45, 1.01, and 1.45 log CFU/g, respectively, which was lower than the control group (P < 0.05). In all treatments, the pH value of meat samples increased with storage time. During 6 days of storage, PAA400 group had the lowest increase in pH value (P < 0.05). On day 6, the combined treatment and PAA 400 µg/ml had the lowest lipid oxidation (P < 0.05). On day 6, the NEW100 + PAA200 group obtained the highest score in sensory attributes compared to other treatment groups (P < 0.05). According to the microbial and chemical analysis, the combined treatment of NEW and PAA can be a promising method to extend the shelf life of chicken by about 2 days at 4℃. Also, these compounds do not contain any harmful residues in chicken breast meat and their use is recommended in decontamination of poultry meat.
Mathematical modeling of thin layer microwave drying of Jaya fish (Aspidoparia jaya)
Authors: Ghimire Arjun , Basnet Sabina , Poudel Ranjana , Ghimire Arjun
Published: November 2020

The effect of microwave power levels on the drying attributes of Jaya fish ( Aspidoparia jaya) in a microwave dryer was investigated in this study. Microwave power levels of 100, 180, 300, and 450 W were used to dry 50 g of fish samples, and the drying kinetics were evaluated. Higher microwave power levels resulted in faster drying when increased from 100 to 450 W. The moisture ratio of fish during drying was calculated, and the data obtained were applied to 5 well known thin-layer mathematical models of drying, namely Approximate diffusion, Modified Henderson and Pabis, Two-Term, Logarithmic, and Midilli et al. model. Model constants and coefficients were calculated by nonlinear regression techniques. All the models were validated using statistical parameters namely; Coefficient of determination (R2), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Chi-square (χ2), and Standard Sum of Error (SSE). The Midilli et al. model gave an excellent fit to the experimental data of all the models evaluated. The effective diffusivity was calculated using Fick’s diffusion equation, and the value varied from 1.40 × 10−9 to 1.08 × 10−8 m2/s. The activation energy and the diffusivity constant were found to be 4.656W/g and 1.22 × 10−8 m2/s, respectively.
Pitfalls and Potholes: Examining the Impacts of Covid-19 on the North Carolina Department of Transportation
Authors: McGee Christopher , Mayer Martin
Published: November 2020

Covid-19 has had devasting impacts across society and government worldwide in a span of a few short months. The disruption has been nothing short of catastrophic to the public and private sectors across the country and the responses have run the gamut. This commentary discusses the unique impacts of the global pandemic on public works and transportation at the state and local level through the lens of intergovernmental agreements and public private partnerships in the state of North Carolina. The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has realized budget deficits the previous two fiscal years with a significant projected deficit for the current fiscal year; however, NCDOT was not blind to a future of instability. Policy implications are clear: changes must be considered that reduce the likelihood of significant budget shortfalls and reasonable measures taken to provide practicable levels of service throughout public works.
Quantitative deep vascular complex analysis of different AMD stages on optical coherence tomography angiography
Authors: Colantuono Donato , Souied Eric H , Borrelli Enrico , Capuano Vittorio , Amoroso Francesca , Sacconi Riccardo , Jung Camille , Querques Giuseppe , Miere Alexandra
Published: November 2020

Aims:

To investigate alterations in deep retinal vascular complex (DVC) in patients with non-neovascular intermediate AMD (iAMD), treatment-naïve quiescent macular neovascularization (qMNV), exudative AMD (eAMD) by means of OCT angiography (OCTA).

Methods:

Patients with iAMD, qMNV, eAMD and healthy controls presenting in the Department of Ophthalmology of the Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Créteil between January 2016 and January 2018, were retrospectively included. 3 × 3-mm OCTA (AngioVue RTVue XR Avanti) perfusion density (PD) of DVC was computed in all groups at baseline and follow up (12.0 ± 1.1 months).

Results:

A total of 46 eyes of 45 patients were enrolled: 11/46 iAMD, 10/46 qMNV, 13/46 eAMD, 12/46 control eyes. PD showed a significant decrease during follow-up in qMNV ( p = 0.0059) and iAMD ( p = 0.0076) eyes. PD in eAMD and healthy controls didn’t show significant changes.

Conclusion:

PD decreases at the level of DVC in eyes with qMNV and iAMD, while in eAMD eyes, PD is stable throughout follow up, suggesting that repeated anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injections do not impact on the DVC PD.
Ophthalmologic evaluation in vitamin-E deficiency: A case report
Authors: Sindaco Daniele , Cappelli Francesca , Vagge Aldo , Traverso Carlo E , Iester Michele
Published: November 2020

A 41-year-old woman has come to our attention complaining of decreased visual acuity and monocular diplopia associated with upper and lower limb hypoesthesia. Malabsorption syndrome with vitamin A and E deficiency developed after a bariatric biliopancreatic diversion. The clinical ophthalmological signs and symptoms improved after oral vitamin supplementation therapy. The past medical history is essential in the case of a patient complaining of visual symptoms compatible with vitamin deficiency in order to detect the cause and to start a prompt therapy to avoid irreversible neurological and visual sequelae. The clinical features of our case closely resemble other cases described in the literature of patients affected by vitamin A and E deficiency secondary to malabsorption syndrome.
Presence of retained calcified fibrin sheath after central venous catheter removal: A systematic literature review
Authors: Matusik Patrycja S , Łoboda Piotr , Krzanowska Katarzyna , Popiela Tadeusz J , Heba Grzegorz , Pawlik Wiesław
Published: November 2020

Central venous catheters (CVC) are used in many clinical settings for a variety of indications. We performed a systematic literature review concerning case reports of retained calcified fibrin sheaths after dialysis CVC removal. The aim of our study was to systematize the knowledge regarding clinical management of this phenomenon, placing special emphasis on diagnostic radiological features in different imaging modalities, including chest radiography, echocardiography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. We discuss the most common risk factors associated with this CVC complication. In our review, we found eight cases of hemodialysis patients. The most common risk factors associated with calcified fibrin sheath formation in the analyzed cases were pro-thrombotic and pro-calcification factors related to patient comorbidities, and prolonged catheter dwell time. Differentiating between a calcified fibrin sheath (present in about 6% of patients with long-term indwelling CVC as diagnosed by computed tomography) and a retained catheter tip can be challenging. The initial diagnosis based on imaging methods was incorrect in most of the analyzed cases. This suggests that some cases of retained fibrin sheaths may remain undetected or misinterpreted. This is important in patients with known pro-thrombotic and pro-calcification risk factors and prolonged catheter dwell time. Therefore, implementation of preventive strategies, familiarity with radiological findings of this phenomenon, comparison with previous imaging studies, and an overall comprehensive assessment with clinical data is imperative.
Infective endocarditis in hemodialysis patients: A 10-year observational single center study
Authors: Bentata Y , Haloui I , Haddiya I , Benzirar A , El Mahi O , Ismailli N , Elouafi N
Published: November 2020

Background:

The incidence of infective endocarditis (IE) in chronic hemodialysis (CHD) patients remains high, despite the preventive measures implemented by nephrologists, especially the rigorous respect of hygiene, the use of antibiotic locks for catheters and the use of tunneled catheters instead of non-tunneled.

Objective:

The objective of this study was to determine the clinical, biological, and echocardiographic characteristics, and the prognosis of IE in CHD.

Patients and methods:

It was a retrospective study, conducted from December 2010 to March 2020, at the Nephrology and Cardiology units of University Hospital in Oujda, Morocco.

Results:

We compiled a series of 31 CHD patients having developed IE. Eleven cases (35.4%) were collected between 2010 and 2015, and 20 cases (64.6%) between 2016 and 2020. The mean age was 47 ± 19 years, 58% were male, and 25.8% of patients had diabetes. Vascular access for hemodialysis was by arteriovenous fistula, non-tunneled catheter, and tunneled catheter in 22.5%, 32.2%, and 45.2%, of the cases, respectively. About 25.8% of patients had benefited from more than two catheters (tunneled or non-tunneled) during the 3 months preceding the occurrence of IE. The mitral, tricuspid, and aortic valves were the site of IE in 41.9%, 41.9%, and 13% of the cases, respectively. Right heart IE and left heart IE were observed in 42% (13 cases) and 58% (18 cases) of cases, respectively. Blood cultures were negative in 58.1% of the cases at the time of diagnosis of IE. Staphylococcus aureus was identified in 69.2% of the cases. Mortality occurred in 54.8% of the cases.

Conclusion:

IE remains a severe condition in CHD patients with an increasing incidence. Rigorous prevention and screening strategies should be implemented at the hemodialysis centers.
Determinant Variables for Women’s Participation in Soil and Water Conservation Practices in North Western Ethiopia: The Case of Shebel Berenta District (Woreda), East Gojjam Zone, Amhara National Regional State
Authors: Bayu Eyayu Kasseye
Published: November 2020

Soil erosion occurs throughout the world and is a very serious problem especially in dry land areas of Ethiopia. Rural inhabitants try to develop some erosion control measures to reduce the negative impacts; however, the role of the women is not known and deserves to be studied to understand how land degradation processes are mitigated. Hence, the main goal of this study is to identify the determinant variables of women’s participation in soil and water conservation (SWC) practices in Shebel Berenta Woreda of Amhara Region in Ethiopia as a study case. Mixed-research method with sequential explanatory research design was employed through survey questionnaire, interview, key informant interview, focus group discussion, and field observation as data collection methods since 2019. Descriptive statistics and a binary logistic regression model were used to analyze the collected quantitative data. The result showed a significant number of respondents (86.4%) frequently participate in SWC, while 14.6% do not. Among those participated in SWC, 55.6%, 18.85 %, and 42.8% were highly involved in terracing, vegetation cover, and compost preparation as a part of SWC practices, respectively. In addition, 50.4% has participated in decision making about SWC, while 49.6% had not any involvement. The binary logistic regression model analysis shows widowed women (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.23, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.001, 0.814, P = .038); are able to read and write (AOR = 0.164, 95% CI = 0.027, 0.995, P = .049); have secondary education and higher levels (AOR = 0.139, 95% CI = 0.022, 0.874, P = .035). Similarly, those who do not have farm land (AOR = 0.263, 95% CI = 0.072, 0.964, P = .044); their lands do not show soil erosion (AOR = .043, 95% CI = 0.006, 0.296, P = .001); have not discussions about SWC (AOR = 0.142, 95% CI = 0.021, 0.952, P = .044); not receiving any advice to apply them (AOR = 0.145, 95% CI = 0.030, 0.694, P = .016) were variables that determine women’s participation in SWC. Therefore, the local government should work on awareness transference, providing new technologies, and building complete infrastructures to achieve better results of SWC.
Pen, paper, dice…screen? Digital resistance in the Swedish tabletop role-playing game community
Authors: Thorén Claes
Published: November 2020

This article explores the digitization of Swedish pen-and-paper role-playing games through the inflamed online discussions in the role-playing community that followed in its wake; discussions that in some cases resist the very idea of Digital in an age where Digital has become synonymous with ubiquitous progress and efficiency. The case in question focuses on Riotminds, a Swedish RPG publishing company that in 2010, in one broad stroke, transformed and converged all their analogue printed products into a single, online subscription service. Drawing on a general theoretical framework of materiality and (cultural) practice, the purpose of this article is to investigate the effects of digitization by asking: What does this particular instance of technological transformation and expressions of resistance reveal about materiality and the ongoing tensions between what constitutes meaningful digital and analogue immersive experiences? The results contribute to a critical, materialist perspective on digitization that encompasses both Digital’s virtues and challenges in terms of the digital transformation of physical practices and physical space. In other words, forwarding an understanding of digitalization as an intricate aesthetic shift, where identified analog sensibilities are converted into digital sensibilities, and its consequences for creating meaningful gaming experiences on behalf of the user (or player).
Mothers and others: Transgender birth, birth registration and the rights of the child, with a focus on the United Kingdom and South Africa
Authors: SlothNielsen Julia , SlothNielsen Rachel
Published: November 2020

The review concerns the position of the identification as ‘mother’ or ‘father’ of trans persons who give birth. This matter has occupied courts in the United Kingdom, Germany, Brazil and Sweden recently, and could well arise in South Africa, our country of origin. The first part of the discussion relates to a claim of a trans man who gave birth to be registered as the father of the child. The legal situation in South Africa and the United Kingdom is compared, and particular focus is placed on the meaning of ‘mother’. A second issue for discussion relates to the right of the child born to a trans person to birth registration, notably, what the child’s interests are in relation to his or her parent’s identification details on his or her birth certificate. We conclude that the gender identity of the trans parent must be the primary factor determining his or her registration as a parent on the birth certificate, and that this solution also better serves the child’s best interests.
Neoliberal postfeminism—or some other sexier thing: gender and populism in the Spanish context
Authors: Martínez-Jiménez Laura
Published: November 2020

The project of developing a contemporary critical populism requires us to discriminate between uncritical populisms that ultimately reinforce unequal social relations, and popular discourses capable of generating counterhegemonic projects. In the field of popular feminisms, this means discriminating between the pseudo-feminist distortions that saturate popular culture and the feminisms that are radically committed to social justice. From this point of view, what has been called neoliberal feminism or postfeminism are clear examples of culturally populist feminisms can be developed in decidedly uncritical ways. As a new populist narrative, neoliberal postfeminism, has gobbled up feminism to regurgitate it as some other thing, which is sexier and more profitable in political, commercial and symbolical terms, and which adapts the rhetoric of neoliberal entrepreneurial subjectivities – free, empowered, sovereign of themselves and their choices – to these new post-recessionary times of popularised feminism. Against this, and with a particular focus on the Spanish context, this paper makes an intersectional case for a truly critical popular/populist feminism, capable of normalising the values of equality, justice, diversity, wellbeing and freedom, as well as of developing a progressive social project for everyone.
Political theology and religious pluralism: Rethinking liberalism in times of post-secular emancipation
Authors: Newman Saul
Published: November 2020

Recent debates in liberal political theory have sought to come to terms with the post-secular condition, characterised by deep religious pluralism, the resurgence of right-wing populism, as well as new social movements for economic, ecological and racial justice. These forces represent competing claims on the public space and create challenges for the liberal model of state neutrality. To better grasp this problem, I argue for a more comprehensive engagement between liberalism and political theology, by which I understand a mode of theorising that reveals the theological basis of modern secular political concepts. In considering two contrasting approaches to political or public theology – Carl Schmitt’s and Jürgen Moltmann’s – I argue that liberal political theory can and should open itself to a diversity of social movements and ecological struggles that pluralise the political space in ways that unsettle the boundary between the secular and religious.
Explaining the pre-election peace
Authors: Shmuel Assaf
Published: November 2020

Why does the frequency of military interstate disputes decrease as elections approach? I study this ‘pre-election peace’ and show that the prevailing explanation, which holds that foreign countries believe leaders who face elections are eager to wage war and therefore behave cautiously towards them, does not hold empirically. Instead, I develop an alternative theory that centres on the electoral incentives of the leader facing election. Whereas popular incumbents approaching elections seek to avoid conflict as their electoral prospects are already promising, unpopular leaders are more prone to wage war with the hope it would improve their public standing. Using a novel dataset that ties public opinion data to military interstate disputes, I find support for the theory’s key predictions. The findings highlight the important role of domestic electoral considerations in shaping foreign policy decisions.
Size effect on the shear capacity of headed studs
Authors: Dönmez Ahmet Abdullah
Published: November 2020

This study aimed to reveal the existence of size effect on the shear connectors used in the steel-concrete composite beams and slabs. The experimental study contains the monotonic tests of nine pushout specimens with the headed studs. Three-dimensional scaling was used for geometrically similar specimens of three sizes. High strength concrete slabs were used on both sides of the steel I-beam. The failure modes of the specimens include both concrete crushing and stud yielding. Finite element (FE) verification of the specimens was conducted using a realistic concrete damage constitutive model, Microplane Model M7. It is shown that there may be a non-negligible size effect based on the fracture patterns of the composite member. Bažant’s size effect law (SEL) can fit the size effect behavior of the shear connectors. The design equations which do not include a size effect term have high correction factors that overestimate the tested specimens. A new design equation can be drawn using the size effect factor for strength reduction of shear connectors.
Overview of recent cases before the Court of Justice of the European Union for the special issue on strategies for Social Europe
Authors: Melin Pauline
Published: November 2020

Being part of the special issue on strategies for Social Europe, this overview of recent cases before the Court of Justice is focused on matters that are high on the European agenda for Social Europe. Firstly, in the aftermath of the economic crisis, many Member States had to reduce their generous pension schemes. The YS case, rendered by the Grand Chamber on the 23rd September 2020, deals with the limits afforded by the Member States when they reduce an occupational pension scheme in order to secure the continuity of State-funded pensions. Secondly, the status of “self-employed” delivery carriers operating in the gig economy is being discussed in many Member States’ courts. In the Yodel case, the Court of Justice clarified in July 2020 whether such delivery carriers should be considered as “self-employed persons” or as “workers” for the purposes of the Working Time Directive. Lastly, the AFMB case concerns the underlying issue of using a company situated in a Member State as the formal employer of international transport workers in order to benefit from more advantageous social security legislation. The Court then determined in April 2020 the criteria to establish who is the actual employer of international transport workers.
Classifications of health care systems: Do existing typologies reflect the particularities of the Global South?
Authors: de Carvalho Gabriela , Schmid Achim , Fischer Johanna
Published: November 2020

Typologies are a useful and widely employed instrument in comparative research, including the study of health care systems. This study analyses the effectiveness of extant classifications in representing health care systems globally, examining whether existing literature adequately helps to understand health care systems of the Global South. To this end, the study highlights key elements of health care systems in the Global South, in particular limited resources, segmentation and the involvement of non-domestic/international actors. In a further step, we conduct a systematic literature review of typological scholarship on health care systems, in which 42 classifications are identified and analysed regarding regional coverage, methods, as well as the criteria and categories they include. The results point to major limitations: First, there is a general lack of representation and systematic classification of health care systems of the Global South. Second, there is a bias as criteria for classification are developed inductively based upon health care systems of the Global North. Consequently, existing typologies mostly fail to take into account the particularities of the countries beyond high-income economies. The study concludes by putting forth recommendations for developing a more comprehensive, globally applicable typological framework.
Becoming an active citizen: The UK Citizenship Test
Authors: Bassel Leah , Monforte Pierre , Khan Kamran
Published: November 2020

This article explores the effects of the UK citizenship test on migrants through the focus on the injunction to become an active citizen. We draw on qualitative interviews with 158 migrants of different nationalities who are at various stages in the process. We identify two responses. First, participants in our study drew on neo-liberal repertoires of active (knowledgeable) citizenship whereby they proved they are responsible and law-abiding agents of ‘social cohesion’ yet also simultaneously presented themselves as politically passive. Second, some participants perform critical, alternative narratives which contrast with the neo-liberal understanding of active citizenship. We note that these responses are not mutually exclusive and show the process of making sense of and positioning oneself around the competing, unsettled understandings of what counts as ‘active’ and what it means to be a citizen. The coexistence of these different responses shows that migrants going through the citizenship test process experience this policy instrument – and the injunctions on which it is based – in unsettling and contradictory ways. Through the citizenship test, and specifically the call to be an active citizen, adherence is sought to particular values – ‘British values’ – and the performance of active dispositions in a certain way. However, the neoliberal understanding of what it means to be an active citizen is also exceeded and challenged, in sometimes quite ‘ordinary’ and everyday ways. These coexisting and contradictory narratives bring to light the uncertainties through which migrants perceive the injunction to become an active citizen and the paradoxes of active citizenship more generally.
Ethnicity as a category of imperial racialization: What do race and empire studies offer to Romanian studies?
Authors: Popa Bogdan
Published: November 2020

This article argues that the category of indigenous Romanian, which was articulated at the end of the 18th century can be better understood as a product of imperial racialization. Building on Katherine Verdery’s work, I analyze the production of the Romanian indigeneity within the context of imperial rivalries in the Habsburg empire. In doing so, I critically investigate the impact of Benedict Anderson’s theory of nationalism in Romanian studies, given that it introduced a sharp distinction between ethnicity and race. My argument opens up two new conceptual routes. On the one hand, it suggests a line of investigation comparing the formation of Romanian ethnicity with debates about white racial identity in North America. On the other hand, it makes visible the exclusion of Roma ethnicity from narratives about the origin of Romanianness. I conclude by drawing on larger consequences regarding, not only the question of race and stereotypes, but also by looking at the global process of forming the distinction between the indigenous and the foreign migrant.
Visualization of disability in news photographs: an analytical framework
Authors: Ang Pei Soo , Knox John S
Published: November 2020

This article proposes a framework for analyzing visual discourses of disability in press photographs: the Visual Discourses of Disability (ViDD) framework. The development of this framework is based on an analysis of 670 news photographs of disability published in a Malaysian English-language mainstream newspaper. Within the ViDD, the authors propose the notion of perspectivization of disability: how elements in a photo are configured to frame the perspective of disability. These configurations can be placed on a cline, from perspectivizing to personizing. In addition, the cumulative attitudinal meanings in a news image can be placed on another cline, from enabling to disabling. The ViDD framework combines both clines to understand and explain how news photographs construe disability. This framework can serve as a tool for making informed choices in selecting and publishing images of people with a disability, and of disability.
Offending Girls and Restorative Justice: A Critical Analysis
Authors: Hodgson Jodie
Published: November 2020

The contemporary popularity of restorative justice, within youth justice, has expanded significantly in recent decades. Despite this, there is a considerable lack of research which explores girls’ experiences of restorative justice interventions. Drawing on the experiences of young female offenders, who have participated in restorative justice conferencing, this article presents research findings generated from interviews undertaken with 15 girls and 13 youth justice practitioners, in order to critically analyse their views and experiences through a gendered lens. The analysis and discussion presented provides a critical insight into the ways in which girls’ experience, internalise and engage in restorative justice conferencing and how these experiences fundamentally conflict with practitioners’ views on conferencing with girls in the youth justice system.
The Multidimensional Taxonomy of Individual Resilience
Authors: Miller-Graff Laura E.
Published: November 2020

Theoretical work in resilience has continuously evolved to inform and respond to advances in empirical work. In order to further scientific inquiry, it must continue to do so. This narrative overview of the field of resilience science focuses on contemporary challenges confronted by theoretical models of individual resilience and proposes a taxonomic structure for resilience—the multidimensional taxonomy of individual resilience (MTIR). The goal of the MTIR is to articulate a systematic framework within which extant theoretical and empirical work can be nested. Consistent with existing work, the MTIR organizes resilience into two primary branches—manifested resilience and generative resilience. These two components are then organized into subdomains that demonstrate evidence of conceptual distinctiveness. The specification of the subdomains in the MTIR draws support from a diverse body of work on resilience across disciplines and in multiple global contexts. The MTIR makes several critical advances, including expanding and refining the definitions and components of resilience in psychology, providing a clearer framework for conceptualizing mixed profiles of resilience, and tempering assumptions regarding the relational dependencies across domains of resilience. Finally, the utility of the MTIR in organizing research in resilience and advancing theory-testing and development is discussed.
[11C]Methionine and [11C]PBR28 as PET Imaging Tracers to Differentiate Metastatic Tumor Recurrence or Radiation Necrosis
Authors: Tran Thuy T. , Gallezot Jean-Dominique , Jilaveanu Lucia B. , Zito Christopher , Turcu Gabriela , Lim Keunpoong , Nabulsi Nabeel , Huang Henry , Huttner Anita , Kluger Harriet M. , Chiang Veronica L. , Carson Richard
Published: November 2020

Purpose:

As stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and immunotherapy are increasingly used to treat brain metastases, incidence of radiation necrosis (RN) is consequently rising. Differentiating tumor regrowth (TR) from RN is vital in management but difficult to assess using MRI. We hypothesized that tumor methionine levels would be elevated given increased metabolism and high amino acid uptake, whereas RN would increase inflammation marked by upregulated translocator protein (PBR-TSPO), which can be quantified with specific PET tracers.

Procedures:

We performed a feasibility study to prospectively evaluate [11C]methionine and [11C]PBR28 using PET in 5 patients with 7 previously SRS-treated brain metastases demonstrating regrowth to differentiate TR from RN.

Results:

Sequential imaging with dual tracers was well-tolerated. [11C]methionine was accurate for detecting pathologically confirmed TR in 7/7 lesions, whereas [11C]PBR28 was only accurate in 3/7 lesions. Tumor PBR-TSPO expression was elevated in both melanoma and lung cancer cells, contributing to lack of specificity of [11C]PBR28-PET.

Conclusion:

Sequential use of PET tracers is safe and effective. [11C]Methionine was a reliable TR marker, but [11C]PBR28 was not a reliable marker of RN. Studies are needed to determine the causes of post-radiation inflammation and identify specific markers of RN to improve diagnostic imaging.
Heavy is the Head That Wears the Crown: Black Men’s Perspective on Harmful Effects of Black Women’s Hair Product Use and Breast Cancer Risk
Authors: Teteh Dede K. , Chan Marissa , Turner Bing , Hedgeman Brian , Ericson Marissa , Clark Phyllis , Mitchell Eudora , Barrett Emily , Llanos Adana , Kittles Rick , Montgomery Susanne
Published: November 2020

Racial disparities in breast cancer are well-documented, and Black women assume a disproportionate burden of breast cancer mortality. Black women also commonly use hair products containing endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) more often at an increased rate, as compared to other racial/ethnic groups. Emerging findings have reported the use of hair and other personal care products containing EDCs may contribute to breast cancer risk. While some sociocultural perspectives about hair and identity have been explored, the role of beauty expectations upheld by males has not been studied. Through a community-based participatory methodology, we explored perceptions and beliefs held by Black men regarding Black women’s hair, chemical exposures in hair products, and breast cancer risk. Focus groups and key informant interviews—among men with and without partners with a history of breast cancer—were used to examine the male perspective regarding the attractiveness of Black hairstyles, opinions of beauty norms, and knowledge of breast cancer risk factors. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed guided by grounded theory methods. From the 66 participants interviewed, there was general support for natural hairstyles, which were associated with confidence and self-esteem in women. Men agreed that beauty standards and societal pressures play notable roles in the women’s personal behaviors though they mostly lacked knowledge of women’s breast cancer risk related to EDCs found in personal care products. Participants suggested a multipronged strategy centered on community education involving social and traditional media campaigns, and the engagement of policy makers in intervention efforts.
A long short-term memory neural network model for knee joint acceleration estimation using mechanomyography signals
Authors: Xie Chenlei , Wang Daqing , Wu Haifeng , Gao Lifu
Published: November 2020

With the growth of the number of elderly and disabled with motor dysfunction, the demand for assisted exercise is increasing. Wearable power assistance robots are developed to provide athletic ability of limbs for the elderly or the disabled who have weakened limbs to better self-care ability. Existing wearable power-assisted robots generally use surface electromyography (sEMG) to obtain effective human motion intentions. Due to the characteristics of sEMG signals, it is limited in many applications. To solve the above problems, we design a long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network model based on human mechanomyography (MMG) signals to estimate the motion acceleration of knee joint. The acceleration can be further calculated by the torque required for movement control of the wearable power assistance robots for the lower limb. We detect MMG signals on the clothed thigh, extract features of the MMG signals, and then, use principal component analysis to reduce the features’ dimensions. Finally, the dimension-reduced features are inputted into the LSTM neural network model in time series for estimating the acceleration. The experimental results show that the average correlation coefficient ( R) is 94.48 ± 1.91% for the estimation of acceleration in the process of continuously performing under approximately π/4 rad/s. This approach can be applied in the practical applications of wearable field.
The system design of external cladding installation robot
Authors: Yang Dong , Li Yongbin , Li Tiejun , Zhang Tian , Han Ming , Yan Han
Published: November 2020

In the installation process of large-scale external cladding, the labor intensity is high, and it is dangerous and hard to guarantee good construction quality. In view of these issues, this study designs a construction robot for external cladding installation, as a better solution. First, the advantages and disadvantages of the current building external cladding hanging process are discussed. The components, suitable for automatic installation, are selected to develop an automatic installation process for the building external cladding. According to the process steps and installation action flow, the installation robot is first adjusted. After the design of a step-by-step workflow of positioning and installation, a robot with a six-degree-of-freedom string-mixing mechanism is designed. Finally, a prototype of the proposed external cladding installation robot is developed, and the system is experimentally verified under simulation conditions and real operation. The test results show that the external cladding installation robot system has a strong theoretical basis. The series-parallel hybrid six-degree-of-freedom structure is reasonable, design wise. It helps to complete the automatic installation of the building external cladding and improve the automation level of large-scale plate installations.
Recruitment and selection of principals: A systematic review
Authors: Lee Se Woong , Mao Xinyi
Published: November 2020

School principals play an invaluable role in schools’, teachers’, and students’ success; therefore, it is of particular importance that we learn, through empirical research, about the factors related to recruiting and selecting school principals. This study critically reviewed 64 empirical literature studies that were published in the United States over the past 2 decades on the topic of principal recruitment and selection. The present study examined the characteristics of the individuals who apply and are selected to join the principal workforce, as well as the characteristics of the schools and/or districts that attract potential candidates. The topics identified in the review are gender, race, qualifications, and intrinsic motivation at the individual level, as well as school locale, student characteristics, financial incentives, working conditions, superintendents, and hiring practices at the organizational level. Though hiring is a two-way interactive process, the literature to date has paid little attention to the process and practices that lead to recruiting and hiring effective school leaders. This paper concludes with a discussion about the trends that are recognizable in the existing work on principal recruitment and selection, and the practice and policy implications of the study’s review.
Science and Suspicion: Maxim Gorky’s Children of the Sun as a Critical Mirror in Times of COVID-19
Authors: Zwart Hub
Published: November 2020

From a contemporary perspective, the current COVID-19 pandemic is undoubtedly an extraordinary event, but historically speaking pandemics are periodically recurring phenomena and intimately connected with socio-economic processes of globalisation. Therefore, history may serve as a backdrop for coming to terms with the present, by comparing current challenges with previous events that are both sufficiently similar and sufficiently different. In this article, the COVID-19 crisis will be assessed from a humanities perspective, using a pandemic drama entitled Children of the Sun (written by Russian novelist and playwright Maxim Gorky in 1905) as a critical mirror. In Gorky’s play, the pandemic as a disruptive event reveals a number of tensions and divides, between science and society first of all, but also between socio-economic classes and subcultures, which become interconnected through globalisation but evolve at an uneven pace. Thus, Gorky’s drama addresses a number of themes that are still relevant for COVID-19 controversies, such as the relationship between basic and applied research, global competition and vaccine development, science and suspicion, and the socio-economic unevenness between the global North and the global South.
Systematic review with meta-analysis: age-related malignancy detection rates at upper gastrointestinal endoscopy
Authors: de Jong Judith J. , Lantinga Marten A. , Thijs Ina M. E. , de Reuver Philip R. , Drenth Joost P. H.
Published: November 2020

Background:

Age is an important and objective risk factor for upper gastrointestinal (GI) malignancy. The accuracy of various age limits to detect upper GI malignancy is unclear. Determination of this accuracy may aid in the decision to refer symptomatic patients for upper GI endoscopy. The aim of this analysis was to synthesize data on upper GI malignancy detection rates for various age limits worldwide through meta-analysis.

Methods:

We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science in November 2018. Selection criteria included studies addressing malignant findings at upper GI endoscopy in a symptomatic population reporting age at time of diagnosis. Meta-analyses were conducted to derive continent-specific cancer detection rates.

Results:

A total of 33 studies including 346,641 patients across 21 countries fulfilled the inclusion criteria. To detect >80% of malignant cases all symptomatic patients over 40 years of age should be investigated in Africa, over 50 years of age in South America and Asia, and over 55 years of age in North America and Europe.

Conclusion:

This systematic review and meta-analysis provides data on intercontinental variation in age at time of upper GI malignancy diagnosis in symptomatic patients referred for upper GI endoscopy. Guideline recommendations for age-based selection should be tailored to local age-related detection rates.
Still Images—Moving People? How Media Images of Protest Issues and Movements Influence Participatory Intentions
Authors: Geise Stephanie , Panke Diana , Heck Axel
Published: November 2020

While media images can ease political information perception and processing, the impact of images on behavioral intentions to engage in protest is relatively unexplored. We ask: Under what conditions can news images of protest “move” people and affect the willingness to participate? Aiming to answer this question from an information-processing perspective, we shed light on the nexus between spontaneous, sensory behavior and cognition in response to news media images of protest. We conducted a multigroup experiment in which 143 recipients were randomly exposed to four news images of protest and their visual attention monitored. Multilevel regressions indicate that viewers fixate on images of protest prior to accompanying texts. When exposed to protest images with a negative valence, an increase in the observation duration for protest images increases the recipient’s willingness to participate. Contrariwise, when viewing protest images with a positive valence, a longer observation duration does not increase participatory intentions. Irrespective of image valence, the greater the salience that viewers subjectively ascribed to the image, the greater their willingness to protest concerning the depicted issue. Our analysis also reveals a cross-level interaction effect indicating that the impact of image observation duration on the willingness to engage is conditional on individual levels of political interest: The positive effect of observing protest images on the willingness to protest is especially increased, if an individual is highly politically interested. These results indicate that, under certain conditions, media images are efficient carriers of political content that can motivate citizens to protest.
Current Role of Radiotherapy in the Management of Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Mendenhall William M. , Holtzman Adam L. , Dagan Roi , Bryant Curtis M. , Hitchcock Kathryn E. , Amdur Robert J. , Fernandes Rui P.
Published: November 2020

Study Design:

Literature review.

Objective:

To review the current role of radiotherapy (RT) in the management of oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

Methods:

Review of selected literature.

Results:

T1-T2N0 SCCs may be treated with either RT alone or surgery with a high likelihood of cure. The pendulum swung toward surgery with postoperative RT (PORT) added depending on the pathological findings in the mid 1980s. Patients with positive margins, extranodal extension (ENE), and/or 4 or more positive nodes receive concomitant chemotherapy (POCRT). Patients with T3-T4 and/or positive regional nodes are treated with surgery and PORT alone or POCRT. The likelihood of cure is moderate to low depending on extent of disease. The likelihood of major complications ranges from 10% to 30% depending on the method of reconstruction and the aggressiveness of postoperative PORT/POCRT. Patients with very advanced disease are treated with palliative RT, chemotherapy, or supportive care.

Conclusions:

The role of RT in the management of oral cavity SCC is primarily in the postoperative setting with palliative RT being reserved for those with very advanced disease where the likelihood of cure is remote.
Body Reprogramming: Reframing the Fibromyalgia narrative and providing an integrative therapeutic model
Authors: Davies Anthony Fitzdonald , Hill Patrick , Fay Daniel , Dee Annily , Locher Cosima
Published: November 2020

We propose a theory known as the Hyland model to help conceptualise Fibromyalgia within a complex adaptive control system. A fundamental assumption is that symptom generating mechanisms are causally connected, forming a network that has emergent properties. An illness narrative has been developed which has a ‘goodness of fit’ with the lived experience of those with Fibromyalgia. The theory guides management within the clinical setting and incorporates current evidence-based therapeutic strategies, within a multi-modal intervention described as ‘Body Reprogramming’. This intervention focuses on non-pharmacological and lifestyle-based considerations. The theoretical framework also helps explain why modest therapeutic effects are gained from current pharmacological options.