bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of social capital on organizational repertoires of American Protestant missions
Authors: Bok Jared
Published: December 2021

A religious organization’s choice of activities is shaped not only by theological goals but also the capital available to it. Prior research has shown how economic and religious capital influence Protestant missionary organizations’ repertoires of activism but has largely ignored the role of social capital. Using the most recent data on transnational American Protestant mission agencies, this study aims to fill this gap. Using a Bourdieuian field approach and multiple correspondence analysis, the study finds that linking and bonding social capital both shape whether an agency generalizes rather than specializes in specific ministry activities. Both bonding and bridging social capital, in turn, prompt a more other-worldly than this-worldly ministry orientation, but this is a pattern most characteristic of Evangelical agencies, suggesting an intersection between religious identity and organizational network size. The study concludes by discussing the implications of these findings for interorganizational collaboration and resource use.
Outreach Practices of Public Employment Services Targeted at NEET Youth in Poland
Authors: Smoter Mateusz
Published: December 2021

This paper contributes to our understanding of whether, and if so, how public employment services in Poland are attempting to reach young NEETs, and whether they fail or succeed in their efforts. The study shows that most NEETs below 25 years of age in Poland, including rural NEETs, remain beyond the reach of the PES registers. The coverage rate is particularly low amongst those individuals who are outside the labor force. Effective outreach strategies may prevent them from moving into long-term inactivity. The study shows that the PES offices do not cooperate closely with local institutions: moreover, they use methods for approaching the hardest-to-reach individuals and residents of remote areas infrequently. The article discusses the obstacles to the effective functioning of the PES, the factors that contribute to the PES’ successes and failures, and the consequences for young NEETs of remaining outside of institutional support systems.
Book review: Anil Kumar Vaddiraju, Federalism and Local Government in India and Anil Kumar Vaddiraju, Satyanarayana Sangita and Kala Seetharam Sridhar (Ed.), Urban Governance in Karnataka and Bengaluru: Global Changes and Local Impacts
Authors: Pankaj Ashok , Malik Urba
Published: December 2021

Anil Kumar Vaddiraju, Federalism and Local Government in India. Delhi: Studium Press (India) Pvt Ltd., 2017, XVII + 232 pp., ₹1092. ISBN: 93-85046-10-1 ( Hardcover).

Anil Kumar Vaddiraju, Satyanarayana Sangita and Kala Seetharam Sridhar (Ed.), Urban Governance in Karnataka and Bengaluru: Global Changes and Local Impacts. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2016, 240 pp., £61.99. ISBN-10: 1443801259; ISBN-13: 978-1443801256 ( Hardcover).
International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health core set for vision loss: A discussion paper and invitation
Authors: Billiet Lorenzo , Van de Velde Dominique , Overbury Olga , Van Nispen Ruth MA
Published: December 2021

The World Health Organization created the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) to provide a common framework to understand and describe functioning and disability. To make the ICF more applicable for everyday use, an ICF core set can be developed. We are going to reduce the entire ICF of 1400 categories to essential categories that can be used in a specific health context. These ICF core sets are created through a scientific process based on preparatory studies and the involvement of a multidisciplinary group of experts. The aim of this project is the development of an internationally accepted, evidence-based and valid ICF core set for irreversible vision loss. This article describes the process that is followed in detail and invites stakeholders to participate in the development.
Expected Value of Sample Information to Guide the Design of Group Sequential Clinical Trials
Authors: Flight Laura , Julious Steven , Brennan Alan , Todd Susan
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Adaptive designs allow changes to an ongoing trial based on prespecified early examinations of accrued data. Opportunities are potentially being missed to incorporate health economic considerations into the design of these studies.

Methods

We describe how to estimate the expected value of sample information for group sequential design adaptive trials. We operationalize this approach in a hypothetical case study using data from a pilot trial. We report the expected value of sample information and expected net benefit of sampling results for 5 design options for the future full-scale trial including the fixed-sample-size design and the group sequential design using either the Pocock stopping rule or the O’Brien-Fleming stopping rule with 2 or 5 analyses. We considered 2 scenarios relating to 1) using the cost-effectiveness model with a traditional approach to the health economic analysis and 2) adjusting the cost-effectiveness analysis to incorporate the bias-adjusted maximum likelihood estimates of trial outcomes to account for the bias that can be generated in adaptive trials.

Results

The case study demonstrated that the methods developed could be successfully applied in practice. The results showed that the O’Brien-Fleming stopping rule with 2 analyses was the most efficient design with the highest expected net benefit of sampling in the case study.

Conclusions

Cost-effectiveness considerations are unavoidable in budget-constrained, publicly funded health care systems, and adaptive designs can provide an alternative to costly fixed-sample-size designs. We recommend that when planning a clinical trial, expected value of sample information methods be used to compare possible adaptive and nonadaptive trial designs, with appropriate adjustment, to help justify the choice of design characteristics and ensure the cost-effective use of research funding.

Highlights

Opportunities are potentially being missed to incorporate health economic considerations into the design of adaptive clinical trials. Existing expected value of sample information analysis methods can be extended to compare possible group sequential and nonadaptive trial designs when planning a clinical trial. We recommend that adjusted analyses be presented to control for the potential impact of the adaptive designs and to maintain the accuracy of the calculations. This approach can help to justify the choice of design characteristics and ensure the cost-effective use of limited research funding.
Unusual location of osteochondroma in the temporal region in a patient with functional pituitary adenoma
Authors: Obanife Henry Olayere , Kingsley Akaba , Ashindointiang John , Asuquo Joseph , Ogunleye Olabisi , Joshua Iwasam E.
Published: December 2021

Osteochondromas are common in the long bones and relatively rare in the head and neck regions. We herein report a case of a solitary temporal bone osteochondroma associated with a functional pituitary adenoma hypersecreting prolactin. The patient was a 48-year-old man with progressive, painless temporal swelling associated with gradual visual loss, gynaecomastia, erectile dysfunction, and loss of libido. A brain computed tomography scan with bone windows showed right temporal sessile bony expansion and a pituitary tumour. A pituitary function test revealed hyperprolactinaemia. His symptoms resolved with medical management, and excisional biopsy of the temporal tumour confirmed an osteochondroma. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a solitary temporal bone osteochondroma with a functional pituitary adenoma hypersecreting prolactin.
Role of IL-1β rs1143634 (+3954C>T) polymorphism in cancer risk: an updated meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis
Authors: Jafrin Sarah , Aziz Md. Abdul , Islam Mohammad Safiqul
Published: December 2021

Objective

Oxidative stress caused by the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-1β has been widely investigated for cancer risk. In this study, we focused on the role of IL-1β rs1143634 polymorphism to reveal its impact on cancer development.

Methods

Related studies with fixed inclusion criteria were selected from electronic databases to May 2021. This meta-analysis was performed with odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Heterogeneity, publication bias and sensitivity analyses were also conducted. Trial sequential analysis (TSA) and in- silico gene expression analysis were performed.

Results

Forty-four case–control studies involving 18,645 patients with cancer and 22,882 controls were included. We observed a significant association of this single nucleotide polymorphism with overall cancer risk in the codominant model 3 (1.13-fold), recessive model (1.14-fold) and allelic model (1.08-fold). Subgroup analysis revealed that rs1143634 elevated the risk of gastric cancer, breast cancer and multiple myeloma. In addition, Asian and mixed populations and hospital-based controls had a significantly higher risk of cancer development. TSA confirmed our findings.

Conclusion

Our meta-analysis revealed that the presence of IL-1β rs1143634 polymorphism increases the risk of cancer development. Among polymorphism carriers, the Asian population has a higher risk than other ethnic populations. This meta-analysis was registered retrospectively at INPLASY ( https://inplasy.com/ , INPLASY2021100044).
Subjective health and associative social factors in emerging adults with different levels of participation limitations—A cross-sectional study
Authors: Temizkan Ege , Köse Barkın , Şahin Sedef
Published: December 2021

Background

Participation was shown to be associative with subjective health (SH) in many different populations, including emerging adults.

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate SH and associative variables in emerging adults with different levels of participation limitations.

Methods

Healthy university students who were between 18–25 years of age were included. SH was assessed with the visual analog scale. The participants were grouped based on P-Scale. Multiple linear regressions were conducted to determine the associative variables of SH for each P-Scale group.

Results

A total of 572 participants were included. General health-related quality of life was associated with SH in all P-Scale groups. Other prominent findings of this study showed perception of health, income, and lifestyle were among the most significant associative variables of SH.

Conclusion

Variables associated with emerging adults’ SH change with their participation restrictions. Therefore, different approaches are needed to improve the subjectively perceived health status of emerging adults.
Assessment of the degradation in mild structural steel using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) technique
Authors: Wang Xiao , Zhang Yuetao , Zhou Zhengqing , Huang Mingyu
Published: December 2021

This paper reports the degradation assessment of mild steel during the plastic tensile process. The electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) technique was adopted in this study. The orientation maps showed that with the increase of tensile strain, the grain surface become wrinkled, and the deviation level of intragranular orientation also increased. Meanwhile, the parameters based on the image quality of the Kikuchi bands (i.e. BC and MAD) as well as the crystallographic orientation (i.e. LAGBs content, GND density, GOS, and GROD) can be used to evaluate the degradation degree of the mild steel. The results showed that the change of BC and MAD was significant at the end of plastic stage, but was not sufficiently distinctive at the early stage; Meanwhile, the LAGBs content and GND density increased evidently during the plastic tensile. Compared with the former, the GND density exhibited stronger regularity and better evaluation effect; Besides, a general upward trend of GOS and GROD was observed at this tensile process. However, the GROD changed less at the certain plastic stage. Compared with GROD, the GOS exhibited a relatively better evaluation effect; To sum up, the GND density and GOS are the better indicators for evaluating the degradation degree of mild steel.
Combined effect of SCMs and curing temperature on mechanical properties of high-strength strain-hardening cementitious composites
Authors: Choi Hong-Joon , Kim Min-Jae , Yoo Doo-Yeol
Published: December 2021

This study was conducted to evaluate the curing temperature effect on the mechanical properties of high-strength strain-hardening cementitious composite (SHCC) containing waste supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) and polyethylene (PE) fibers. High-strength SHCC is developed to extend the strain-hardening interval by simultaneously inducing multiple cracks and ensuring the durability and strength of high-strength concrete. The starting point of this study was to enhance the tensile performance and durability of high-strength SHCC by utilizing various SCMs. In addition, the optimal curing conditions were investigated to derive the maximum material potential of each SCM, which aims to advance the performance of high-strength SHCC. The temperatures employed for the curing process were 20, 40, and 90°C. Moreover, ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS), silica fume (SF), and cement kiln dust (CKD), were used as a partial replacement for cement to determine the best mix for achieving optimal tensile performance. Four mix designs were prepared, including a plain test specimen composed entirely of cement as binder; therefore, a total of 12 types of specimens were set considering the three curing temperatures. A compressive strength test was conducted with cube specimens, and a direct tensile test was performed with dog-bone-shaped specimens. Derivative thermogravimetry (DTG) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) mapping were conducted to identify the microstructures. The SF-containing SHCC cured at 90°C exhibited the best tensile performance in terms of deformability and energy absorption capacity by achieving the highest strain capacity of 4.37% and g-value of 294.5 kJ/m3. In addition, the performance of each specimen was reconfirmed based on the DTG, EDS mapping, and crack pattern results. Through these results, the optimal SCM mixing amount and curing conditions that led to noticeable performance improvement of high-strength SHCC were identified.
Everyday Ritual and Ethnographic Practice: Two Cases Showing the Importance of Embodiment and Reflexivity
Authors: Cain Cindy L. , Scrivner Brie
Published: December 2021

Moments of ritual reveal symbolic meanings, reinforce boundaries of the social group, and tie actors to one another. Because rituals are so important to social life, ethnographers must be attuned to both institutionalized and everyday rituals of their sites. However, methodological literature rarely discusses how everyday rituals should be treated during data collection, analysis, or presentation. We use data from two ethnographic sites—a yoga studio and training for health care volunteers—to illustrate the challenges of observing others during rituals and making sense of our own experiences of rituals, especially given varying levels of participation and resistance to rituals. We argue that greater reflexivity, especially of embodied experiences, is needed when studying everyday rituals and provide methodological recommendations for improving ethnographic study.
On the Job, Off the Books: Organizing Against Worker Misclassification in the Neoliberal Era
Authors: Slone Michael R. , Black Timothy , Smith-Tran Alicia
Published: December 2021

Worker misclassification is a form of precarious employment in which employers illegally designate their employees as ‘independent contractors’ to cut labor costs. Non-standard employment arrangements and the emergence of the misclassification problem are expressions of neoliberal economic reform and attendant shifts in managerial strategy. Although scholars and government statisticians have documented the prevalence of worker misclassification, extant research on labor-organizing campaigns in response to this practice is lacking. This paper presents case studies of two successful organizing campaigns against worker misclassification: (1) a United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBCJA) effort in the Northeastern construction industry and (2) a Teamsters campaign focused on the West Coast port trucking industry. Both campaigns employ similar frames highlighting competition, free markets, and the necessity of industrial change to achieve these ideals. We conclude with a discussion of the prospects and limitations of these organizing strategies given the countervailing political and economic headwinds posed by neoliberal restructuring.
The effects of using the agile methodology as an instructional format for software development courses
Authors: Poe Laura , Mew Lionel
Published: December 2021

The objective of traditional software development courses focuses on competencies in the programming languages and technical tools. Project methodologies and software development are typically taught as theory-driven and separate courses in Information Systems undergraduate programs. Rather than teaching project methodologies as secondary to the learning phase of software development, these methodologies can be actively incorporated into the software development course, applying the theoretical concepts in the classroom with the same tools used in the industry for product development. This research evaluates the effects of instituting the project methodology Agile as an active learning, instructional tool for a low-code software development course using the Mendix platform to give students hands-on learning of Agile while increasing their expertise in software development. The use of Agile in an instructional pedagogical approach enhanced student learning and prepared students with skills directly applicable in the industry. Future research could be applied to measure the Agile methodology as an instructional format for technical courses other than software development.
Time to Pay Attention? Information Search Explains Amplified Framing Effects Under Time Pressure
Authors: Roberts Ian D. , Teoh Yi Yang , Hutcherson Cendri A.
Published: December 2021

Decades of research have established the ubiquity and importance of choice biases, such as the framing effect, yet why these seemingly irrational behaviors occur remains unknown. A prominent dual-system account maintains that alternate framings bias choices because of the unchecked influence of quick, affective processes, and findings that time pressure increases the framing effect have provided compelling support. Here, we present a novel alternative account of magnified framing biases under time pressure that emphasizes shifts in early visual attention and strategic adaptations in the decision-making process. In a preregistered direct replication ( N = 40 adult undergraduates), we found that time constraints produced strong shifts in visual attention toward reward-predictive cues that, when combined with truncated information search, amplified the framing effect. Our results suggest that an attention-guided, strategic information-sampling process may be sufficient to explain prior results and raise challenges for using time pressure to support some dual-system accounts.
Introduction to Special issue: Brazilian Criminology in the 21st Century
Authors: Ceccato Vania
Published: December 2021

This article introduces the special issue “Brazilian Criminology in the 21st Century” that is composed of seven studies of contemporary security problems and related public security initiatives in Brazil. They are multidisciplinary contributions employing a large variety of methods, written by researchers based on Brazilian universities or research executed in cooperation with international colleagues. This is a unique and valuable reference source for researchers interested in Brazilian and Latin American security challenges as well as attempts to address them. By recognizing current barriers in knowledge production and sharing, the special issue calls for the creation of new opportunities for joint knowledge from the “criminologies” of the Global South and those from the Global North, befitting an inclusive global criminology worthy of the 21st century.
Attachments to Mother, Father, and Romantic Partner as Predictors of Life Satisfaction
Authors: Zagefka Hanna , Andrew Natalya , Boelen Brigitte , Cummings Olivia , Denton Ruby , Harris Sajadea , Knoetig Leonore , Mahmood Muskaan , Shahid Anisa , Swan Matthea , Tarter Julia , Welch Amanda , Williams Rachel
Published: December 2021

Two correlational survey studies were conducted among adult samples (Ns  =  205; 697) to test the effects on general life satisfaction of attachment to three close others: mother, father, and romantic partner. Results showed that attachment to mother and father also matter in adulthood, in that they are associated with adult life satisfaction. Secure attachments to mother and father were positively associated with life satisfaction, and anxious and avoidant attachments to mother and father were negatively associated with life satisfaction. Moreover, attachment to the romantic partner was also related to life satisfaction, so that secure attachment was positively related to life satisfaction, and anxious and avoidant attachments were negatively related to the outcome variable. Importantly, attachment to mother and father were still significant predictors of life satisfaction when effects of attachment to the current romantic partner were controlled for. The effects of parental attachments on life satisfaction were not mediated by attachment to the romantic partner. Theoretical and applied implications of the findings are discussed.
Inflection Points, Kinks, and Jumps: A Statistical Approach to Detecting Nonlinearities
Authors: Arin Peren , Minniti Maria , Murtinu Samuele , Spagnolo Nicola
Published: December 2021

Inflection points, kinks, and jumps identify places where the relationship between dependent and independent variables switches in some important way. Although these switch points are often mentioned in management research, their presence in the data is either ignored, or postulated ad hoc by testing arbitrarily specified functional forms (e.g., U or inverted U-shaped relationships). This is problematic if we want accurate tests for our theories. To address this issue, we provide an integrative framework for the identification of nonlinearities. Our approach constitutes a precursor step that researchers will want to conduct before deciding which estimation model may be most appropriate. We also provide instructions on how our approach can be implemented, and a replicable illustration of the procedure. Our illustrative example shows how the identification of endogenous switch points may lead to significantly different conclusions compared to those obtained when switch points are ignored or their existence is conjectured arbitrarily. This supports our claim that capturing empirically the presence of nonlinearity is important and should be included in our empirical investigations.
Assessment of automatic decision-support systems for detecting active T2 lesions in multiple sclerosis patients
Authors: Rovira Alex , Corral Juan Francisco , Auger Cristina , Valverde Sergi , Vidal-Jordana Angela , Oliver Arnau , de Barros Andrea , Ng Wong Yiken Karelys , Tintoré Mar , Pareto Deborah , Aymerich Francesc Xavier , Montalban Xavier , Lladó Xavier , Alonso Juli
Published: December 2021

Background:

Active (new/enlarging) T2 lesion counts are routinely used in the clinical management of multiple sclerosis. Thus, automated tools able to accurately identify active T2 lesions would be of high interest to neuroradiologists for assisting in their clinical activity.

Objective:

To compare the accuracy in detecting active T2 lesions and of radiologically active patients based on different visual and automated methods.

Methods:

One hundred multiple sclerosis patients underwent two magnetic resonance imaging examinations within 12 months. Four approaches were assessed for detecting active T2 lesions: (1) conventional neuroradiological reports; (2) prospective visual analyses performed by an expert; (3) automated unsupervised tool; and (4) supervised convolutional neural network. As a gold standard, a reference outcome was created by the consensus of two observers.

Results:

The automated methods detected a higher number of active T2 lesions, and a higher number of active patients, but a higher number of false-positive active patients than visual methods. The convolutional neural network model was more sensitive in detecting active T2 lesions and active patients than the other automated method.

Conclusion:

Automated convolutional neural network models show potential as an aid to neuroradiological assessment in clinical practice, although visual supervision of the outcomes is still required.
Dismissal, distrust, and dismay: A phenomenological exploration of young women’s diagnostic experiences with endometriosis and subsequent support
Authors: Wren Georgina , Mercer Jenny
Published: December 2021

Endometriosis is associated with extensive physical and emotional difficulties, yet there is little research investigating the impact of the diagnostic journey particularly for younger women. Using semi structured on-line interviews and an interpretative phenomenological analysis, this study explored nine young women’s experiences of the diagnostic process and the significance of support during this period. Three main themes emerged: ‘the pursuit of a diagnosis’, ‘adjusting to a new normality’ and ‘the importance of effective support’. These experiences revealed clinical shortcomings and potential improvements to current guidelines and practices to facilitate a more emboldening process for patients.
Individualizing the burnout problem: Health professionals’ discourses of burnout and recovery in the context of rehabilitation
Authors: Korhonen Maija , Komulainen Katri
Published: December 2021

This discourse analytical study explores how health professionals (HPs) construct burnout as a form of mental distress in the context of Finnish burnout rehabilitation framed with a particular rehabilitation ethos. Burnout is a fuzzy concept and lacks a disease status. Therefore, it calls for context-specific definition and justification. By highlighting the socially and interactionally produced character of categories of mental distress, the study investigates the kinds of discourses HPs use to formulate “the problem” and its solutions, and how people dealing with burnout are categorized in these discourses. The data consists of field notes from the observation of group discussion sessions in two 1-year burnout rehabilitation courses. As a result of the analysis, five partly overlapping discourses were identified: psychological, evolutionary, healthy lifestyle, biomedical, and welfare. Within these discourses, people who experience burnout were categorized as over-conscientious employees, “good girls,” “primitive people,” self-responsible rehabilitees, patients, and (aging) employees with social and legal rights. Burnout rehabilitation and HPs’ views reproduce a cultural and clinical discourse around burnout in which work-related problems are treated as individual-level problems and individuals are responsibilized for the management of mental distress. Based on the results, it is concluded that the hybrid type of interventions that attempt to influence both individual- and work-related problems behind burnout would help to prevent people dealing with burnout from being over-responsibilized for solving problems at the workplace.
Listening for bridges: Developing a culturally responsive, transdiagnostic approach to psychotherapy for Bhutan
Authors: Tietjen Anne Marie
Published: December 2021

The increasing global need for mental health care has led to a search for efficient, effective treatments that are based on both local cultural healing traditions and scientific evidence. In this article, I describe the development of a brief, culturally responsive, transdiagnostic approach to psychotherapy for common mental disorders in Bhutan, a rapidly changing culture firmly grounded in Vajrayana Buddhism. Buddhist-Informed Therapy for Bhutan (BT-B) supports Bhutan's goals of preserving traditional culture, improving psychological well-being for its citizens, and integrating Buddhism into solutions for contemporary social issues. More broadly, BT-B extends the range of culturally responsive treatment approaches in several ways. First, BT-B is innovative in its identification and therapeutic use of conceptual links between specific Western evidence-based principles of therapeutic change and core Buddhist principles. Listening empathically to the client's narrative, the therapist identifies an evidence-based principle to address and uses conceptually linked deeply rooted Buddhist beliefs to guide the client in applying their own cultural wisdom to resolve problems. Second, the model illustrates the value of an ecological approach to culturally responsive treatment development that takes into account local cultural beliefs, practices, and institutions, including those that shape health care delivery and use. Third, evidence from case examples adds to the growing body of literature that supports the utility of transdiagnostic therapeutic approaches across cultures and in settings where resources are limited.
Book review: Angeles-Castro, G. 2021: Economic Liberalization in Latin America. Routledge Studies in Development Economics
Authors: Morales Diana
Published: December 2021

Angeles-Castro, G. 2021: Economic Liberalization in Latin America. Routledge Studies in Development Economics. London and New York: Routledge. x + 85 pp. £120 (hardback), £25.89 (eBook). ISBN: 978-0-367-45654-2 (hardback), 978-1-003-02456-9 (eBook).
Book review: Brown, D.L. and Schafft, K. A. 2019: Rural people and communities in the 21st century: Resilience and transformation
Authors: Dadpour Rana
Published: December 2021

Brown, D.L. and Schafft, K. A. 2019: Rural people and communities in the 21st century: Resilience and transformation (2nd edition). Cambridge: Polity Press. ix +342 pp. £65.00 (cloth), £19.99 (paper). ISBN: 978 1 509 52985 8 (cloth), 978 1 509 52986 5 (paper).
Book review: Clydesdale, Greg. 2021: Reducing Inter-generational Ethnic Poverty: Economics, Psychology and Culture
Authors: Ma Mengxing
Published: December 2021

Clydesdale, Greg. 2021: Reducing Inter-generational Ethnic Poverty: Economics, Psychology and Culture (1st Edition). London: Routledge. vi + 121 pp. £120.00 (paperback), £33.29 eBook. ISBN 9780367616298 paper, 9781003105770 eBook. 10.4324/9781003105770.
Book Review: Obeng-Odoom, Franklin. 2020: Property, Institutions and Social Stratification in Africa
Authors: Engel Daphne
Published: December 2021

Obeng-Odoom, Franklin. 2020: Property, Institutions and Social Stratification in Africa. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 364 pp. £85. ISBN: 9781108590372 (Hardcover). 10.1017/9781108590372
To count or not to count? Insights from Kenya for global debates about enumerating ethnicity in national censuses
Authors: Balaton-Chrimes Samantha , Cooley Laurence
Published: December 2021

There is an impasse on the question of whether or not to enumerate identity groups in national censuses, given their potential to variously facilitate dominance and an emergence from marginalisation. In this paper, we theorise the impasse in Kenya as relating to a colonial history of the strategic use of ethnicity to divide and rule; a demographic makeup with both some large ethnic groups and many small ones; and the local social construction of ethnicity, which allows significant latitude for collapse, disaggregation and change of group identities. This case corrects the dominance of Europe and the Americas in census studies and offers insights for assessing the political stakes of counting, namely, the need to bring past and present into conversation; to consider the varied political effects of demography; and to consider the particular significance and meaning of ethnicity and race in context.
The department of defense high performance computing modernization program
Authors: Michael Barton J
Published: December 2021

The Department of Defense High Performance Computing Modernization Program celebrates its 30th birthday in 2021. It was created to modernize the supercomputer capability of Department of Defense laboratories and test centers and continues to excel in that mission, providing hardware, software, networks and domain expertise. We describe the Program, the environment in which it was created, the people who helped bring it into existence, and future directions.
Finding the missing link: Do principal qualifications make a difference in student achievement?
Authors: Gümüş Sedat , Şükrü Bellibaş Mehmet , Şen Sedat , Hallinger Philip
Published: December 2021

Despite the growing scholarly interest in the effects of principal leadership on student achievement, empirical evidence concerning how principal qualifications might be related to student learning outcomes has been limited. This study investigates the relationship between different principal qualifications (prior experience in teaching, principalship and other school management roles, formal education, principal training, and professional development) and student achievement by analyzing cross-national teaching and learning international survey and program on international student assessment data from seven countries. The results showed that experience in principalship and other school management positions, principal training, and participation in networking activities and teaching/pedagogy-focused seminars had small but statistically significant associations with student achievement, though the results were not consistent across different subjects. Level of education and years of teaching experience did not, however, predict student achievement. Implications of the findings are offered for policy and further research.
Social media in the infertile community—using a text analysis tool to identify the topics of discussion on the multitude of infertility blogs
Authors: Sormunen Taina , Westerbotn Margareta , Aanesen Arthur , Fossum Bjöörn , Karlgren Klas
Published: December 2021

Background:

Infertility affects one in six couples. New digital resources exist which enable the study of lived experience of persons with infertility. Blogging represents a forum for sharing narratives and experiences. To provide high quality care for persons with a history of infertility, it is crucial to ascertain what they value as significant in their situation. Blogs with a focus on infertility may provide this information.

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to gain insight into which infertility-related issues are discussed on Swedish infertility blogs.

Methods:

In total, 70 infertility blogs were identified on the Internet and 25 met the inclusion criteria. A quantitative–qualitative content analysis was performed with the support of the Gavagai Explorer text analysis software.

Results:

A total of 4508 postings were retrieved from the blogs, all of which were written by women. The outcome of the analysis resulted into the following topics: Emotions (16.8%), Relations (12.5%), Time and waiting (7.1%), Body (6.6%), Care and treatment (4.2%), Food and diet (1.4%) and Exercise (0.5%). For most topics, there was a balance between positive and negative statements, but the body topic stood out by having more negative than positive sentiment.

Conclusion:

By considering the topics expressed in blogs, health care personnel are provided with an opportunity to better understand the situation of individuals affected by infertility.
What is Fox News? Partisan Journalism, Misinformation, and the Problem of Classification
Authors: Bauer A.J. , Nadler Anthony , Nelson Jacob L.
Published: December 2021

Fox News is one of the most popular news sources in the United States. Yet, there are those who reject the idea that Fox should be considered a news source in the first place, claiming it should be considered something more akin to propaganda. This article uses the ambiguity surrounding Fox News’ classification as an opportunity to explore how news sources get defined and categorized within journalism research and practice. It discusses three approaches that can be utilized to understand and categorize partisan media—producer-focused, audience-focused, and critical/normative. It explores the benefits and limitations of these perspectives and the need for scholarly inquiry that transverses and synthesizes them. We argue that an increasingly variegated news landscape calls for scholars to develop a richer vocabulary for distinguishing key features of partisan news outlets and greater reflexivity in research design that acknowledges the challenges inherent in translating meaning and values between producers, audiences, and scholars.
Book Review: Hate, Inc.: Why today's media makes us despise one another by Matt Taibbi
Authors: Poe Philip S.
Published: December 2021

Matt Taibbi's “Hate, Inc.: Why Today's Media Makes Us Despise Each Other” (OR Books 2021) might make you angry, but it will make you think. Taibbi's takedown of commercial media, now updated in a post-election edition, offers a striking critique of the news media's slow but steady slide toward polarization “…skewed by a toxic mix of political and financial considerations” (20). Taibbi convincingly argues, using both historical and modern examples along with personal experience, that the press sells people on a simplified worldview where the two political parties are in a constant and perpetual conflict about everything. While Taibbi does offer some advice for independent-minded journalists seeking to navigate the current media landscape, audiences are left with little in the way of solutions, other than to stop reading (and watching) the news.
Comparative structural analysis of polyurethane and silicone catheters of totally implantable venous access devices by micro-computed tomography
Authors: Panetta Daniele , Tollapi Lara , Paolicchi Adriana , Marri Elisa , Aringhieri Giacomo , Caramella Davide
Published: December 2021

Objectives:

To investigate microstructural alterations of explanted long-term central venous catheters of totally implantable venous access devices, using micro-computed tomography.

Methods:

A total of 16 catheters (9 made of silicone and 7 made of polyurethane), all non-fractured, have been analyzed in this study. Eight catheters were implanted for an average duration of 994 days (min–max: 98–2731 days), while the remaining eight catheters (four for each material, forming the SIref and PUref control groups) were analyzed before implant and used as a reference. X-ray micro-computed tomography was used to reconstruct the three-dimensional geometry of selected segments of each catheter (ca. 10 cm per sample).

Results:

Morphometric analysis of the catheters revealed increases wall thickness and section area in the polyurethane group as compared with the reference central venous catheters of the same materials (wall thickness: 403 ± 12 μm in the polyurethane (PU) group vs 382 ± 4 μm in PUref, p = 0.014; wall cross-section area: 2.04 ± 0.09 mm2 in PU vs 1.91 ± 0.03 mm2 in PUref, p = 0.04), whereas implanted silicone catheters showed a larger luminal cross section as compared with their controls (lumen cross-section area = 0.851 ± 0.020 mm2 in silicone (SI) group vs 0.811 ± 0.007 mm2 in SIref, p = 0.007). All analyzed samples in this study presented some type of alteration in the catheter walls, namely, hyperdense spots (below 0.1 mm size), air gaps/bubbles and displacements of inner and outer axes causing heterogeneous wall thickness. The incidence of air gaps showed no difference with respect to both material type and duration of implant, whereas the SI group revealed more hyperdense spots as compared to all other groups.

Conclusion:

Morphological change and local structural alteration can occur in both silicone and polyurethane catheters. This evidence suggests the need for further studies connecting those morphological changes with modification of mechanical robustness, which ultimately can play a role for patient safety.
Introduction: The Mississippi River Basin—a model for studying the Anthropocene in situ
Authors: Rosol Christoph , Turnbull Thomas , Renn Jürgen
Published: December 2021

Is it possible to trace ongoing transitions in the Earth system back to the regional scales at which they are produced and where their effects can be directly experienced? This editorial introduces two special issues of The Anthropocene Review that document a two-year, transdisciplinary experiment: a collaborative investigation of the Mississippi River Basin (MRB) as a model region for studying the Anthropocene condition in situ. Coordinated by the Anthropocene Curriculum, an initiative led by the Haus der Kulturen der Welt and the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science,1 the project Mississippi. An Anthropocene River involved a large consortium of institutions and more than three hundred researchers, artists, activists, and local community members. Together, participants learned about, questioned, and experienced the Anthropocene at a level meaningful to people, a level at which historical legacies and future commitments play out amid concrete infrastructures and socio-ecological formations, and alongside existing inequalities and life’s everyday struggles. The introduction summarizes eleven scientific and creative research outputs that were selected from this wide-ranging experiment, contextualizes the river’s history, and explains the regional approach the project undertook.
MR arthrography of the shoulder; correlation with arthroscopy
Authors: Jensen Janni , Kristensen Maja T , Bak Lene , Kristensen Søren S , Graumann Ole
Published: December 2021

Background

Shoulder dislocation is a common injury, particularly in the younger population. Common long-term sequelae include pain, recurrence, and shoulder arthritis. Immediate and correct diagnosis following shoulder dislocation is key to achieving optimum outcomes. Although magnetic resonance arthrography (MRA) is frequently used for diagnosing shoulder instabilities, arthroscopy is still considered the gold standard.

Purpose

This study aims to compare the diagnostic value of arthroscopy and MRA of the shoulder joint.

Materials and methods

This retrospective study estimates the sensitivity and specificity of MRA of the shoulder. Data from patients who had undergone shoulder MRA and subsequent arthroscopy during a 5-year period were retrospectively collected. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated using the arthroscopic findings as the gold standard. Moreover, diagnostic accuracy was estimated using McNemar’s test.

Results

In total, 205 cases were included from which 372 pathological findings were uncovered during the arthroscopic procedures as opposed to 360 findings diagnosed from the MRA images. The glenoid labral tear was the most common finding reported by MRA and arthroscopy. For the detection of glenoid labral tears on MRA, the sensitivity was 0.955 but with eight missed lesions; the specificity was 0.679. Capsular tears, rotator cuff tears, and cartilage lesions proved the most difficult to correctly diagnose using MRA with sensitivities of 0.2, 0.346, and 0.366, respectively.

Conclusions

With a sensitivity of 95%, MRA is a valuable diagnostic tool for assessing shoulder instabilities, particularly when diagnosing labral lesions, including bony and soft-tissue Bankart lesions. Sensitivities and specificities for other glenohumeral lesions are less convincing, however.
Is there an Unnoticed Etiology of Right Atrial Aneurysm?
Authors: Şişli Emrah , Taştekin Tarık , Erdem Sena , Öztunalı Çiğdem
Published: December 2021

A 12-year-old male was referred for surgery with the diagnosis of right atrial aneurysm. Resection of the right atrial aneurysm was performed under total cardiopulmonary bypass. Besides a very thin muscular layer, histopathological evaluation of the aneurysm specimen revealed extensive eosinophilic infiltration at the epicardial side which, from place to place showed penetrations into the muscular layer. The screening tests performed for determination of the etiology of eosinophilia were indeterminate supporting the diagnosis of idiopathic right atrial aneurysm. In conclusion, although the reason for the eosinophilia could not be detected, it may have a part in the development of right atrial aneurysm that merits further investigation.
Impact Analysis on the Effective Synergy Between Climate Change, Ecological Degradation and Energy Consumption on Economic Growth in Nigeria
Authors: Birnintsaba Dahiru Alhaji-Bala , Ozdeser Hüseyin , Saliminezhad Andisheh
Published: December 2021

There is growing global concern about the unpredictable nature of climate change and rapid ecological degradation, which has emanated from quest to enhance economic growth in many parts of the world. In spite of the potential offered by green energy, developing economies such as Nigeria are lagging behind in the application of renewable energy. The synergic impact of climate change, ecological degradation and some key macroeconomic variables remains partially unexplored. Considering this gap in the literature, the objective of the study is to examine the impact of climatic change, ecological degradation, population growth and energy consumption on economic growth in Nigeria. The dynamic impacts of these key variables were analyzed using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag model. While the bounds test results indicated that the variables are co-integrated, bidirectional causal flows were identified between economic growth, energy consumption, population growth, and climatic change. However, unidirectional relations exist running from ecological degradation to economic growth, as well as from population to economic growth. The study further found that climate change and ecological degradation are mutually reinforcing one another as a bidirectional causal relation was detected among the two variables. In this sense, it can be concluded that population growth, energy consumption, and ecological degradation are key contributors to sustainable growth that will reduce the threat of climate change. As such, there is a strong need for Nigeria to strengthen its environmental regulatory institutions to initiate a paradigm shift from conventional to renewable energy. This will reduce ecological degradation and enhance environmentally-friendly economic growth.