bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Intestinal Barrier Function and Intra-Abdominal Pressure Depend on Postoperative Analgesia Technique in Children with Appendicular Peritonitis
Authors: Perova-Sharonova Valentyna , Fesenko Ulbolhan
Published: August 2021

Introduction. Peritonitis is one of the risk factors for the development of intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) and abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS). The plasma citrulline and intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP) are informative markers of intestinal barrier function. The aim of this study was to determine the correlation of the plasma citrulline and I-FABP with intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) and their relation to analgesia techniques in children suffering from appendicular peritonitis. Materials and Methods. 74 children operated for appendicular peritonitis were randomized into three groups of postoperative analgesia: “Opioids” (n = 25), intravenous morphine of 10 mcg/kg/h; “Lidocaine” (n = 23), intravenous lidocaine with initial bolus of 1.5 mg/kg and then infusion of 1.5 mg/kg/h; and “EA” (n = 26), epidurally 0.25% bupivacaine with initial bolus of 1 mg/kg and then infusion of 0.4 mg/kg/year. Retrospectively patients in each group were divided into the following subgroups: “without IAH” (n = 33), “IAH” (n = 27), and “ACS” (n = 14). We detected citrulline and I-FABP in plasma on day 1 (D1) and day 3 (D3) of hospital stay. Results. The patients without IAH on D1 presented significantly higher plasma citrulline (23.7 (16.0–31.3) nmol/ml) and lower I-FABP (76.9 (32.6–121.1) pg/ml) levels compared with patients in subgroup “IAH” (9.3 (7.3–11.3) nmol/ml and 226.0 (161.8–290.3) pg/ml, respectively) and subgroup “ACS” (6.9 (5.3–8.6) nmol/ml and 1011.7 (731.9–1291.5) pg/ml, respectively). The IAP had strong inverse correlation (rs = −0.74;

p
<
0.00001

) with citrulline and positive strong correlation (rs = 0.73;

p
<
0.00001

) with I-FABP. The citrulline in patients with IAH during three days postoperatively increased significantly in “Lidocaine” to 72% (

p
=
0.01

) and in “EA” to 138% (

p
=
0.02

), but it decreased to 13% (

p
=
0.37

) in “Opioids” group. In children with ACS, citrulline on D3 was significantly higher than that on D1 and increased in “Lidocaine” to 59% (

p
=
0.05

) and in “EA” to 134% (

p
=
0.001

), but in “Opioids” it decreased to 30% (

p
=
0.48

). The I-FABP in patients with IAH decreased to 12% in “Lidocaine” group (

p
=
0.86

) and to 75% in “EA” group (

p
=
0.01

), but it increased to 37% (

p
=
0.57

) in “Opioids” group. During observation period, I-FABP in patients with ACS decreased significantly in “Lidocaine” to 42% (

p
=
0.05

) and in “EA” to 96% (

p
=
0.003

), but it increased in “Opioids” to 63% (

p
=
0.22

). Conclusions. The IAP was inversely correlated with plasma citrulline and positively correlated with I-FABP in children with appendicular peritonitis. Epidural analgesia is the most protective for intestinal wall barrier function in patients at risk of IAH and ACS.
Analysis of Mechanical Properties of Sandstone under Freeze-Thaw Cycles Based on Digital Image Correlation (DIC)
Authors: Quan Daguo , Lian Shuailong , Bi Jing , Wang Chaolin
Published: August 2021

This paper studies the change of physical and mechanical properties of sandstone after freeze-thaw (F-T) cycle treatment. Firstly, the effects of the freeze-thaw treatment on the P-wave velocity of sandstone specimens are analyzed. It is found that the P-wave velocity decreases with the increase of the number of freeze-thaw cycles. Secondly, the effect of freeze-thaw treatment on the mechanical properties of sandstone is analyzed. The results show that the tensile strength and compressive strength of sandstone samples decrease with the increase of the number of freeze-thaw cycles. Finally, the digital image correlation (DIC) technique was used to collect the full-field deformation data of the samples, and the influence of freeze-thaw cycles on the deformation characteristics and fracture process of sandstone was analyzed. Based on the standard deviation of the principal strain in the field deformation data, the damage variables were proposed to characterize the damage process of sandstone samples in the Brazilian splitting test and the uniaxial compression test. The results show that the proposed damage variables can reflect the damage evolution process of the sample effectively. According to the variation of damage variables, the damage evolution process of sandstone specimens during the Brazilian splitting test and the uniaxial compression test can be divided into three stages: slow or negative growth stage, stable growth stage, and rapid growth stage. The research results are of great significance for predicting the failure mode and damage evolution of rock mass engineering by using digital image correlation technology.
Protective Effect of the Abelmoschus manihot Flower Extract on DSS-Induced Ulcerative Colitis in Mice
Authors: Wu Bensheng , Zhou Qing , He Zongqi , Wang Xiaopeng , Sun Xueliang , Chen Yugen
Published: August 2021

Background. The flower of Abelmoschus manihot (AM) has been widely used in the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases, including ulcerative colitis. This paper aimed to confirm the therapeutic effect of AM on ulcerative colitis (UC) and explore its mechanism. Methods. Mouse models were induced by 2.5% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) and treated with AM. UC signs, symptoms, colon macroscopic lesion scores, and disease activity index (DAI) scores were observed. Colon levels of interleukin- (IL-) 6, IL-1β, IL-18, IL-17, tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) α, and IL-10 were quantified by ELISA. The colon protein expression levels of NLRP3, ASC, caspase 1 p10, β-arrestin1, ZO-1, occludin-1, and claudin-1 were examined by immunohistochemistry and western blotting. The mRNA levels of IL-1β, IL-18, NLRP3, ASC, and caspase 1 p10 in the colon were determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Results. After treatment with AM, the mortality of mice, pathological damage to the colon, splenomegaly, and the spleen coefficient were decreased. AM reduced the levels of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β, IL-18, IL-17, and TNF-α) and increased the level of IL-10. The mRNA expression levels of NLRP3, ASC, and caspase 1 in colon tissue were decreased by AM in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, AM also reduced the protein expression of NLRP3, ASC, caspase 1 p10, IL-1β, IL-18, and β-arrestin1 in the colon tissue of model mice. Western blot analysis confirmed that AM increased the expression of occludin-1, claudin-1, and ZO-1 in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion. This study shows that AM has a significant therapeutic effect on mice with UC, and the mechanism may be related to the inhibition of the β-arrestin1/NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway and the protection of intestinal barrier function.
A Public-Participation-Based Mixed Multiattribute Decision-Making Approach for Major Public Affairs
Authors: Cai Chenguang , Luo Yong , Zhu Guiju , Zou Hao
Published: August 2021

The decision-making activities of major public affairs are closely related to the public, so the decision results of such affairs must be supported by the public. The public must participate in decision-making activities to ensure their effectiveness, which further increases the complexity. In addition, attribute information and public opinion usually present different forms of expression in this type of problem, making decision-making more difficult. Therefore, a suitable decision approach must be chosen to deal with this type of decision problem. This paper addresses the decision-making characteristics of major public affairs and proposes a public-participation-based decision-making approach for mixed multiattribute decision-making problems in major public affairs. The proposed approach can work with entirely unknown attribute weights and decision-making values represented in multiple formats. First, the statistical distribution of public opinions is determined based on the expectation of the attributes, resulting in decision-making reference points for various attributes. The different forms of attributes and reference points are unified. Then, the values of the attributes and reference points are standardized. Afterward, the attribute prospect value for each alternative is calculated using the attribute value and corresponding reference points. The attribute weight intervals are determined based on the importance information of the attributes provided by the public. An optimization model is established to determine the attribute weights to maximize the alternative attribute deviation. Next, the comprehensive prospect value of each alternative is obtained to determine the ranking of the alternatives. Finally, a case analysis is conducted with a method comparison and sensitivity analysis, and the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed approach are verified. In the proposed method, the reference points for each attribute are set according to the distribution characteristics and ambiguity of public expectations, guaranteeing that public expectations can be effectively reflected in the attribute reference points. In the process of attribute weighting, based on the information for the attribute importance given by the public, the range of attribute weights is determined. Then, we obtain the exact value of the attribute weights using an optimization model to maximize the alternative attribute deviation. The final result of the attribute weights ensures the full expression of public opinion and can improve the differentiation of decision results, which is convenient for ranking alternatives. During evaluation of the alternatives based on prospect theory, the expression forms of attributes and reference points are unified. Subsequently, the values of them are normalized, which satisfy the decision-making requirement of major public affairs.
Reaction Network Modeling of Complex Ecological Interactions: Endosymbiosis and Multilevel Regulation
Authors: Veloz Tomas , Flores Daniela
Published: August 2021

Endosymbiosis is a type of symbiosis where one species of microscopic scale inhabits the cell of another species of a larger scale, such that the exchange of metabolic byproducts produces mutual benefit. These benefits can occur at different biological levels. For example, endosymbiosis promotes efficiency of the cell metabolism, cell replication, and the generation of a macroscopic layer that protects the organism from its predators. Therefore, modeling endosymbiosis requires a complex‐systems and multilevel approach. We propose a model of endosymbiosis based on reaction networks, where species of the reaction network represent either ecological species, resources, or conditions for the ecological interactions to happen, and the endosymbiotic interaction mechanisms are represented by different sequences of reactions (processes) in the reaction network. As an example, we develop a toy model of the coral endosymbiotic interaction. The model considers two reaction networks, representing biochemical traffic and cellular proliferation levels, respectively. In addition, the model incorporates top‐down and bottom‐up regulation mechanisms that stabilizes the endosymbiotic interaction.
The Design of Individual Orthopedic Insoles for the Patients with Diabetic Foot Using Integral Curves to Describe the Plantar Over-Pressure Areas
Authors: Shalamberidze Merab , Sokhadze Zaza , Tatvidze Malvina
Published: August 2021

Identification of over-pressure areas in the plantar side of the foot in patients with diabetic foot and reduction of plantar pressure play a major role in clinical practice. The use of individual orthopedic insoles is essential to reduce the over-pressure. The aim of the present study is to mark the over-pressure areas of the plantar part of the foot on a pedogram and describe them with high accuracy using a mathematical research method. The locally over-pressured areas with calluses formed due to repeated injuries were identified on the patients’ pedograms. The geometric shapes of the over-pressure areas were described by means of the integral curves of the solutions to Dirichlet singular boundary differential equations. Based on the mathematical algorithm describing those curves, the computer programs were developed. The individual orthopedic insoles were produced on a computer numerical control milling machine considering the locally over-pressured areas. The ethylene vinyl acetate polymers of different degrees of hardness were used to produce the individual orthopedic insoles. For the over-pressure areas, a soft material with a hardness of 20 Shore A was used, which reduces the pressure on the plantar side of the foot and increases the contact area. A relatively hard material with a hardness of 40 Shore A was used as the main frame, which imparts the stability of shape to the insole and increases its wear life. The individual orthopedic insoles produced by means of such technology effectively reduce the pressure on the plantar side of the foot and protect the foot from mechanical damage, which is important for the treatment of the diabetic foot.
Meaning-Making Activity in the Emotional Experience of Borderline Personalities
Authors: Ferrarello Susi
Published: August 2021

This article describes the mereological constitution of contents in the intentional acts of people affected by borderline personality disorder (BPD) or emotionally unstable personality disorder (EUPD) in order to shed light on the origin of the emotional instability characterizing this disorder. The article will first discuss the emotional cycle of people affected by this disorder; second, it will focus on the mereological aspect of the meaning-making1 experience in the intentional act; third, it will show how this meaning-making experience usually interacts with axiological2 qualities that affect the continuity of their sense of reality. From the investigation, it emerges that the mereological constitution of contents occurs in a way that is disruptive of the continuity of BPD/EUPDs’ interaffective lifeworld as it generates intersubjective disturbances on the axiological, logical, and ontological levels. On this basis, as a concluding suggestion, the paper will propose an alternative way to approach the problem, soothe the disturbance, and encourage integration.
A Taxonomic Revision of the Genus Poeppigia (Fabaceae: Dialioideae)
Authors: FALCÃO MARCUS JOSÉ DE AZEVEDO , MANSANO VIDAL DE FREITAS
Published: August 2021

Poeppigia is a Neotropical genus of legumes that occurs from Mexico and Cuba to eastern Brazil and is considered until now to be monospecific with two varieties. Being one of the 17 genera in the subfamily Dialioideae, Poeppigia stands out as one of the few genera with not reduced perianth and androecium, representing a possible link between this subfamily and the other Fabaceae. The genus was never revised since several taxa were described in the XIX century and lack of recent studies and proper typification. Here we revised the genus taxonomically with the analysis of more than 400 specimens and proposed the acceptance of two species: P. procera, distributed on tropical forests from Mexico to Amazon and Southeast Brazil and P. densiflora, endemic of Brazilian Caatinga. The two species are distinct for many characters as habitus, size of branch, leaf and fruits, number of leaflets, stipules and bracts and form of inflorescence. Seed, embryo, pollen and seedling descriptions, conservation assessments, illustrations, maps of distribution and an identification key are presented. Nomenclatural, biogeographical, and ecological comments and three new lectotypifications are made.
Student Affiliates of Seventeen (SAS) 2021 Report
Authors: Onwong’a J. Robina , Rhames Alexis , McGillen Gloria G.
Published: August 2021

The University of Missouri–Columbia’s (MU) counseling psychology program was selected to host the Student Affiliates of Seventeen (SAS) Executive Board from 2019–2022 and is currently in the second year of its tenure. The purpose of this report is to review and evaluate the work of the SAS Executive Board at MU in 2020–2021. The report details the rationale for and initial transition to a hybrid national model for an executive board for the remainder of the tenure. This report also reviews the purpose of SAS, discusses the selection of a theme for 2020–2021, and shares highlights and programming updates related to the four pillars: (a) Excellence and Innovation, (b) Growth and Sustainability, (c) Justice and Equity, and (d) Wellness and Positive Development. The SAS tri-chairs close the report with a brief reflection on their service amidst the pandemics of COVID-19, anti-Black racism and police brutality, and a multitude of other injustices targeted at minoritized groups who hold non-White ethnic and racial identities.
Searching for Amistad in Two School Districts: A Case Study of Black History Curriculum Implementation in New Jersey
Authors: Clay Kevin L. , Broege Nora C. R.
Published: August 2021

Background: Over the past 30 years, much debate has been produced about improving the quality and caliber of curriculum taught to public school students. Less prominent in these discussions has been the content of Black history and culturally relevant curriculum. Many states and districts assume they are adequately including these experiences through theme months (i.e., Black History Month) or single school days dedicated to workshops on diversity and equity. Unlike most states, the State of New Jersey has legislated the inclusion of Black history education through the enactment of the Amistad Legislation. In doing so it stands out among its peers, but has this legislation actually enacted curricular change? Research Design: We engage a decoloniality framework in this exploratory case study of two districts, describing how each is interpreting Amistad, the processes they subsequently implement, the curricular results, and if/how these attempts address dominant Eurocentric frames essential to the project of coloniality. Findings: We find that simply following the legislation itself does not result in a great deal of reform. The districts we profile, rather than follow the vague dictum of Amistad, opt to follow the “spirit” of the law. The result is clear curricular reform and district-level changes. Our cases present interesting points of discussion as they are at two distinct points on the spectrum of implementation—one having already established a well-regarded curriculum, the other in the early stages of reform. Despite this, administrators in each express the value of Amistad for their students, faculty, and communities.
Patient Access to Hepatitis C Treatment After Incorporation of Pharmacists in a Hepatology Clinic
Authors: Fanizza Frank A. , Loucks Jennifer , Berni Angelica , Shah Meera , Grauer Dennis , Daniel Sarah
Published: August 2021

Background: Modern hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment regimens yield cure rates greater than 90%. However, obtaining approval for treatment through the prior authorization (PA) process can be time consuming and require extensive documentation. Lack of experience with this complex process can delay HCV medication approval, ultimately increasing the amount of time before patients start treatment and in some cases, prevent treatment altogether. Objectives: Assess the impact of incorporating clinical pharmacists into specialty pharmacy and hepatology clinic services on medication access, patient adherence, and outcomes in patients being treated for HCV. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort exploratory study of patients seen in an academic medical center hepatology clinic who had HCV prescriptions filled between 8/1/15 and 7/31/17. Patients were categorized by whether they filled prescriptions prior to (Pre-Group) or after (Post-Group) the implementation of a pharmacist in clinic. The Post-Group was further divided according to whether the patient was seen by a pharmacist in clinic (Post-Group 2) or if the patient was not seen by the pharmacist, but had their HCV therapy evaluated by the pharmacist before seeking insurance approval (Post-Group 1). Results: The mean time from the prescription being ordered to being dispensed was longer in the Pre-Group (50.8 ± 66.5 days) compared to both Post-Groups (22.2 ± 27.8 days in Post-Group 1 vs 18.9 ± 17.7 days in Post-Group 2; P < .05). The mean time from when the prescription was ordered to when the PA was submitted was longer in the Pre-Group (41.6 ± 71.9 days) compared to both Post-Groups (6.3 ± 16 in Post-Group 1 vs 4.1 ± 9.7 in Post-Group 2; P < .05). Rates of medication adherence and sustained virologic response were similar between all groups. Conclusion: Incorporation of clinical pharmacists into a hepatology clinic significantly reduced the time patients waited to start HCV treatment. In addition to improving access to medications, implementation of the model helped to maintain excellent medication adherence and cure rates.
Transformation of the Self in a Time of Chaos
Authors: Gilliam Angela , Perry Keisha-Khan Y.
Published: August 2021

This essay looks at the intellectual relationship between author Angela Gilliam and Afro-Brazilian scholar-activist Abdias Nascimento. In 1968, both Gilliam and Nascimento were involved in self-examination and reinvention in terms of the positive affirmation of blackness and politicization of racial consciousness. This was a crucial time of social change and political struggle for equal rights to citizenship in Brazil and the United States. It was in her interpreter-translator work for Nascimento that Gilliam’s relationship to cultural and political expressions of peoples of African descent became deepened. This essay is a longer version of the lecture she delivered during the 2015 Abdias Nascimento symposium held at Brown for which she sent to us to include in this special issue before her passing in September 2018.
Effects of electron beam irradiation on hypervelocity impact behavior of carbon fiber reinforced plastic plates
Authors: Nishida Masahiro , Hongo Akie , Takahara Hideyuki , Higashide Masumi
Published: August 2021

The effects of electron beam irradiation were examined on perforation holes and fragments from quasi-isotropic carbon fiber reinforced plastic plates (CFRP plates). CFRP plates with a total dose up to 60 MGy of electron beam irradiation were prepared for hypervelocity impact experiments. The perforation holes of CFRP plates in the hypervelocity impact experiments were decreased with electron beam irradiation when aluminum alloy spherical projectiles (2017-T4) of diameter of 1 mm struck at an impact velocity of 5 km/s. However, a slight reduction in the size of the perforation hole was observed at 2 km/s. Fragments ejected from CFRP plates were examined after collection from the impact side and rear side of the targets. The cumulative number distributions of fragment length and aspect ratio were compared among specimens with different total doses.
Strenuous Exercise Habits and Spatial Mnemonic Discrimination Ability in Young Adult Men and Women
Authors: Wong-Goodrich Sarah J. E. , Kearley Julia
Published: August 2021

Increased physical activity has shown positive effects on various hippocampal memory functions through accumulating evidence that physical exercise and higher cardiorespiratory fitness can enhance human performance on nonspatial mnemonic discrimination tasks that rely on hippocampal pattern separation. However, there is less direct evidence of exercise effects on spatial pattern separation in humans, despite evidence for this association in rodent models. We examined the influence of strenuous exercise habits on spatial mnemonic discrimination among 176 young adults. We used a delayed match-/non-match-to-sample (same/different) task to assess pattern separation for spatial locations across varying degrees of similarity. Participants who reported regularly engaging in strenuous exercise three or more times per week performed significantly better than those who reported engaging in strenuous exercise fewer than three times per week, even when pattern separation tasks involved higher spatial similarity. These apparent exercise effects were observed for female, but not male, participants. These findings support likely benefits of strenuous exercise habits for human spatial pattern separation skills, and they suggest a need to explore potential interaction effects of exercise and gender.
Optimization of production system in plant simulation
Authors: Malega Peter , Gazda Vladimír , Rudy Vladimír
Published: August 2021

An optimization of the production process is defined as the search for solutions with improved production efficiency. Process optimization should be one of the main components of a business strategy that not only delivers benefits to customers but also helps increase the performance of production processes and benefits the entire business. The traditional approaches to job shop scheduling are based on the exact mathematically formalized model. If the number of model parameters is high and the environment is rather uncertain, the practical applications are quite restricted. That is why the theory proposes an approach based on a large-scale computer simulation. The main goal of this paper is to show that in a concrete company case, the simulation-based approach provides increased productivity. The presented study proposes the practical application of the Tecnomatix software used in the research to optimize the production system. The partial aims of the paper are as follows: (1) to create a simulation model of the production system with the help of the Plant Simulation module, (2) to model the current state of matters in the company, and (3) to propose a solution to the problem. Ultimately, we show that the simulation approach to the production line control provides rather effective solutions when compared to the intuitive one based on trial-and-error experience. The improvement includes a significant (1) shortening of the production cycle and (2) increase in productivity.
Non-malignant gall bladder perforation: Our experience from an institution-based retrospective analysis of 25 cases
Authors: Kumar Abhijeet , Shah Nirmal Prasad , Pandit Narendra , Sah Suresh Prasad , Gupta Rakesh Kumar , Shah Rajan
Published: August 2021

Gallbladder perforation still continues to perplex surgeons; 25 such patients diagnosed either pre- or intra-operatively and managed at our institute over the last 10 years period were analysed. Only eight were diagnosed pre-operatively, while a large majority (17) had a wrong initial working diagnosis. Symptoms and signs were variable. No blood investigation was specific. A computed tomography scan was generally better than ultrasound in detecting the perforation. All our cases were managed operatively with no mortality and a mean duration of hospital stay of 6.8 days. Most perforations were extra-hepatic (84%) and those of Niemeier’s type I (52.2%). Because of its varied clinical presentation, gallbladder perforation is often an intra-operative diagnosis, but early intervention carries a good outcome.
Living in Between: A Grounded Theory Study of Depression Among Middle-Class Black Women
Authors: Walton Quenette L.
Published: August 2021

Empirical evidence consistently has linked the identification and treatment of depression among low-income Black women. Research on depression and Black women also suggests Black women are a monolithic group who experience depression similarly. The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain a deeper understanding of how the identity of middle-class Black women may shape their experiences with depression. Using grounded theory as the guiding method, I conducted 30 in-depth, semistructured interviews with Black women between 30 and 45 years old who self-identified as middle class. The core experience of depression among middle-class Black women was “living in between” because they straddled two worlds—one Black world and one White world—with competing sociocultural messages about depression. Two major categories emerged that informed the experiences of depression among the middle-class Black women in this study: (a) strategies to deal with depression and (b) minimization of depression. Each of these categories highlighted consequences for the women’s mental health. The women also described coping strategies for managing these experiences. Implications for research and practice are included.
The Covenant with Noah in Genesis 9
Authors: Gnuse Robert
Published: August 2021

God made a covenant with Noah and thus with all of humanity in Genesis 9, but so often we do not observe that this covenant was also made with the animals. We need to respect the animals as co-venanters with us. In this modern age wherein humanity has caused so much destruction to the environment and the animal realm, it is good for us to focus upon the message of these texts. Also, in this covenant people are given permission to eat animals. This concession to human need does not give us the privilege to kill animals without restraint, as we too often have done. Other laws in the First Testament designed to protect animals tells us that even in that ancient world when no ecological crisis existed, people still understood the need to steward and protect animal life.
Dispossession as depotentiation
Authors: Wilhelm-Solomon Matthew
Published: August 2021

This paper proposes a theory of urban dispossession as depotentiation. ‘Depotentiation’, as I employ the term, indicates the diminishment of imminent capacities, affects and potentialities. I propose this formulation to both complement and critique Harvey’s dominant notion of accumulation by dispossession as the commodification of the urban commons and to contribute to conceptual developments on the stratified and affective dimensions of eviction. The evictions in my study operate in liminal urban spaces where there are no ‘commons’, but rather incomplete and fragile processes of ‘commoning’ and high levels of mobility and precarity. This paper draws on ethnographic fieldwork conducted between 2011 and 2019 in inner-city Johannesburg in unlawful and other informal occupations, frequently termed ‘bad buildings’, ‘hijacked buildings’ or ‘dark buildings’ and other low-income accommodation. These are sites of extreme precarity and liminality, endurance and potentiality, where tens of thousands of inner-city residents, South African and foreign-national, live without essential services and subject to the constant threat of eviction or deportation. Dispossession of their residents operates not only through the commodification of an urban commons but also through the diminishment of urban potentiality.
Non-surgical management of an abrupt cavitation and large oval-shaped lung abscess secondary to acute thromboembolic pulmonary infarction: a case report
Authors: Ma Guofeng , Wang Dan , Yan Chao , Li Liang , Xu Xiaoling , Wu Xiaohong , Ying Kejing
Published: August 2021

Infected cavitating pulmonary infarction is a rare complication of pulmonary embolism with a high mortality rate. Surgical excision for this complication has been used in past decades. Abrupt cavitation and a large oval-shaped lung abscess caused by acute thromboembolic pulmonary infarction during anticoagulation are rare. We present a 70-year-old man who suffered from pleuritic pain and breathlessness, accompanied by nausea and vomiting for 1 day. A physical examination showed tachycardia and tachypnea with moist rales in the left upper chest. High D-dimer levels, leukocytosis, respiratory failure and left upper lobe consolidation were found on plain computed tomography (CT). CT pulmonary angiography was performed 2 days after the previous CT scan because pulmonary embolism was suspected. This scan showed emboli in the main, right upper, middle, lower and left upper pulmonary arteries with deteriorated left upper lobe consolidation and cavitation. Thromboembolic pulmonary infarction and an abscess were diagnosed. Enoxaparin 60 mg was administered every 12 hours for 10 days, followed by rivaroxaban, antibiotics and drainage of the hydrothorax. The patient improved after the strategy of non-surgical treatment and was discharged approximately 1 month later. The patient had an uneventful course during rivaroxaban 20 mg once daily for 1 year.
‘Quit while you are ahead – and smell the roses!’ A survey of retired Fellows of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists
Authors: Strange Khursandi Diana , Eley Victoria
Published: August 2021

There are no published data on the age of retirement of anaesthetists in Australia and New Zealand. We surveyed 622 retired Fellows of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists to determine their ages of complete retirement from clinical practice, demographics, and whether they had retired at the age they had intended to retire. We also aimed to explore factors affecting the decision to retire, the practice of ‘winding down’, common post-retirement activities, and the arrangement of personal and professional affairs. Responses were received from 371 specialists (response rate 60%). The mean (standard deviation) age of retirement was 65.2 (6.9) years. The mean (standard deviation) retirement ages ranged from 62.0 (7.1) years (those who retired earlier than planned) to 68.2 (4.3) years (those who retired later than they had intended). The mean (standard deviation) age of retirement of the male respondents was 66.0 (6.5) years, and for female respondents was 62.7 (7.7) years. Two hundred and thirty-three respondents (63%) reported winding down their practice prior to retirement, and 360 (97%) had made a will. Poor health and loss of confidence were the two most common factors in the retirement decisions of those who retired earlier than they had planned. Our results may assist current practitioners plan for retirement, and suggest strategies to help health services, departments and private groups accommodate individuals in winding down their practice.
Australian perspective on Fourth Consensus Guidelines for the management of postoperative nausea and vomiting
Authors: von Peltz Claudia A , Baber Celine , Nou Suzi LH
Published: August 2021

This is a summary document that provides an Australian perspective on the Fourth Consensus Guidelines for the management of postoperative nausea and vomiting. The Australian Society of Anaesthetists has endorsed the Fourth Consensus Guidelines for the management of postoperative nausea and vomiting and has written this document with permission from the authors and the American Society for Enhanced Recovery to provide an Australia-specific summary.
Assessment of Provisions for Load Rating Gusset Plates in Steel Truss Bridges
Authors: Yang Chan , Lou Peng , Nassif Hani
Published: August 2021

Many states have load rated their truss bridge gusset plates following the guidelines published in 2009 by the Federal Highway Administration in response to the catastrophic failure of the I-35W Bridge. As the Manual of Bridge Evaluation released new load rating provisions after 2014, the urgency in adopting and applying these mandated provisions became a pending burden for state agencies requiring extensive work to update the ratings of gusset plates. Moreover, this paper argues that the current states’ load rating practices do not involve the rating for the welded gusset plate owing to the lack of established provisions. In addition, the gusset plate with no plans also poses particular challenges for the state agencies. To provide state agencies with better insights on the load rating approach of gusset plates, this paper presents a study that carefully reviewed the states’ current practices and load rating provisions. The results of the study indicate the necessity of adopting the new provisions, as the former load rating methodology exhibited inaccurate results in some cases. Additionally, this paper reviews extensive work done for welded connections and proposes a load rating guidance for welded gusset plates. To deliver better interpretations, a case study is provided for the welded gusset plates. This paper also reviews the evaluation method for deteriorations and staggered bolt patterns with relevant case studies. Lastly, the paper provides guidance on estimating the unknown bolt strength as well as weld metal strength for the gusset plate.
The Relevance of the Dual Systems Model for Predicting Offending Among College Students: The Moderating Role of Deviant Peer Influence
Authors: Wojciechowski Thomas
Published: August 2021

Past research as indicated the relevance of the dual systems model for understanding offending. However, there is a dearth of research focused on how deviant peer influence may condition the relationships between dual systems constructs (impulsivity and sensation seeking) and offending. The present study utilized data from 248 undergraduate students to better understand these relationships. A series of logistic regression models first examined the direct effects of these three constructs and then predicted interactions. Deviant peer influence interacted significantly with both dual systems constructs, indicating that the greatest risk of offending was observed among participants reporting high levels of all of these constructs. Sensitivity analyses indicated that the impulsivity interaction may be more relevant. This indicates the importance of screening college students in psychosocial domains upon entrance into college and providing opportunities for mentorship among those who may be at high risk of offending.
Writing Władysław Gomułka’s Life: Historiography of Władysław Gomułka’s Biographies
Authors: Müller Anna
Published: August 2021

This article looks at a select number of biographies of Władysław Gomułka—an important postwar Polish politician, who because of his long presence in politics is often perceived as the de facto Polish postwar leader. He served in multiple roles: parliamentary deputy, deputy prime minister, minister, member of the Council of State, and the First Secretary of the communist party. I argue that for historians who take up the task of writing his biography, Gomułka is more than a historical figure, and that writing about him allows them to ponder the question of agency and historical contingencies, as well as the meaning of the past for the present. Not surprisingly, Gomułka’s biography serves as a form of a meta-commentary on contemporary approach to the Communist history and its place in Polish history. The existing biographies contain reflections, even if indirectly, on the nature of Communism in Poland, not as elements of the past but as aspects of the present that loom over the future. By the same token, the lack of interest in Gomułka at certain important historical junctures, or a rather selective interest, indicates not as much a lack of interest in an important politician, but rather a certain skewed interest in Communism—not just its shortcomings, but also its potential benefits. The silence gives a certain perception of Communism as something pushed to the margins.
High fire-safety phosphorus-containing polyethylene terephthalate with well-balanced comprehensive performances by reactive blending with liquid crystalline copolyester
Authors: Yin Xue-Wu , Xue Juan , Wang Xiu-Li , Wang Yu-Zhong
Published: August 2021

With increased public awareness of fire-safety, flame retardant materials have been widely used and developed. Among them, a polyester called CPET, synthesized by the copolymerization of polyethylene terephthalate and 2-carboxyethyl (phenyl) phosphinic acid, has a good fire-safety and has been employed in the manufacture of synthetic fibers. However, the fabricated fiber made of CPET simultaneously possessing good flame retardancy and mechanical properties is a dilemma. Herein, we resolve this problem through the reactive blending of CPET with a type of thermotropic liquid crystal copolyester (PPDT) and subsequently solid-state polymerization (SSP). Thus, the fire-safety of the CPET/PPDTSSP blend improves greatly. The peak heat release rate, total heat release, and total smoke release decrease by 31.2%, 16.3%, and 11.0%, respectively, compared with those of CPET. Meanwhile, the CPET/PPDTSSP shows better crystallization and mechanical properties than CPET. The strength at yield and Young’s modulus of CPET/PPDTSSP increase by 20.0% and 15.8%, respectively. This blend shows great potential in the fabrication of fire-safety fibers with high strength.
“Kick the XX out of your life”: An analysis of the manosphere’s discursive constructions of gender on Twitter
Authors: Hopton Kathryn , Langer Susanne
Published: August 2021

The online community of the manosphere uses social media channels such as Twitter to promote a misogynist agenda. Feminist research has identified two key elements to their activism online: the harassment of women and the development of a discourse that presents feminism as threatening to men. Our research examined Twitter content produced in pursuit of both objectives to understand how the manosphere constructs masculinity and femininity. Analysis of the content identified three discursive strategies that we term: co-opting discourses of oppression, naming power, and disavowal by disaggregation. They serve to cast men as victims, construct women as a monstrous other, and reinstate gendered power hierarchies through a constant invocation of the female body within discourses of rape. Though powerful, these strategies are riven with tensions and bind manosphere masculine identities to the very women they wish to eradicate. Manosphere activism has escaped the virtual and leaked into the material world. We conclude by considering the implications of this breach for those women targeted by the manosphere as well as for the broader witnessing community and suggest avenues for future research.
The change in estimate method for selecting confounders: A simulation study
Authors: Talbot Denis , Diop Awa , Lavigne-Robichaud Mathilde , Brisson Chantal
Published: August 2021

Background

The change in estimate is a popular approach for selecting confounders in epidemiology. It is recommended in epidemiologic textbooks and articles over significance test of coefficients, but concerns have been raised concerning its validity. Few simulation studies have been conducted to investigate its performance.

Methods

An extensive simulation study was realized to compare different implementations of the change in estimate method. The implementations were also compared when estimating the association of body mass index with diastolic blood pressure in the PROspective Québec Study on Work and Health.

Results

All methods were susceptible to introduce important bias and to produce confidence intervals that included the true effect much less often than expected in at least some scenarios. Overall mixed results were obtained regarding the accuracy of estimators, as measured by the mean squared error. No implementation adequately differentiated confounders from non-confounders. In the real data analysis, none of the implementation decreased the estimated standard error.

Conclusion

Based on these results, it is questionable whether change in estimate methods are beneficial in general, considering their low ability to improve the precision of estimates without introducing bias and inability to yield valid confidence intervals or to identify true confounders.
Wide variability in colorectal cancer screening uptake by general practitioner: Cross-sectional study
Authors: Martellucci Cecilia Acuti , Flacco Maria E , Morettini Margherita , Giacomini Giusi , Palmer Matthew , Fraboni Stefania , Pasqualini Francesca
Published: August 2021

Objectives

Despite several interventions, colorectal cancer (CRC) screening uptake remains below acceptable levels in Italy. Among the potential determinants of screening uptake, only a few studies analysed the role of general practitioners (GPs). The aim was to evaluate the variation in screening uptake of the clusters of subjects assisted by single GPs.

Setting

Ancona province, Central Italy.

Methods

Cross-sectional study, including all residents aged 50–69 years, who were offered the public screening programme with biannual faecal immunochemical tests. Demographic (of all GPs) and screening data (of all eligible residents) for years 2018–2019 were collected from the official electronic datasets of the Ancona Local Health Unit. The potential predictors of acceptable screening uptake, including GP's gender, age, and number of registered subjects, were evaluated using random-effect logistic regression, with geographical area as the cluster unit.

Results

The final sample consisted of 332 GP clusters, including 120,178 eligible subjects. The overall province uptake was 38.0% ± 10.7%. The uptake was lower than 30% in one-fifth of the GP clusters, and higher than 45% in another fifth. At multivariable analysis, the significant predictors of uptake were younger GP age ( p = 0.010) and lower number of registered subjects ( p < 0.001). None of the GP clusters with 500 subjects or more showed an uptake ≥45%.

Conclusions

The wide variation across GPs suggests they might substantially influence screening uptake, highlighting a potential need to increase their commitment to CRC screening. Further research is needed to confirm the role of the number of registered subjects.
Increasing, Stable, or Decreasing? The Dynamics of Family Harmony Involving Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Qualitative Research
Authors: Fauziah Nailul , Hartini Nurul , Hendriani Wiwin , Suminar Dewi Retno , Nurdibyanandaru Duta
Published: August 2021

Purpose: To investigate the dynamics of family harmony involving children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methodology: Research was conducted using an instrumental case study on 20 participants (10 couples). Data were analyzed in two stages: quantitative content analysis and qualitative thematic analysis. Result: Results indicate the strengthening dynamics of family harmony involving children with ASD. Specifically, parents increasingly develop closeness as they focus on parenting. The commitment between husband and wife is also strengthened as they develop supportive communication patterns and search for various solutions to overcome conflicts and crises in the family. In dealing with conflicts, for example, the role of each family member is clearly delineated, and discussion among family members is encouraged. Other factors that affect family harmony include family acceptance of child’s condition, extended moral and material support by the family, the process and progress of child care, length of marriage, length of care for children, family income, and level of education of parents. Differences exist between the determinants of family harmony in families with children with ASD and those of a general family. Applications/Originality/Value: The condition of children with ASD might strengthen family harmony. Family harmony is an important concept, but the research on the dynamics of family harmony involving children with ASD is limited.
Opportunities and Challenges Ahead for University-Based Evaluator Education Programs, Faculty, and Students
Authors: LaVelle John M. , Donaldson Stewart I.
Published: August 2021

The profession of evaluation continues to grow, generating more demand for evaluation services than can be fulfilled by the supply of well-trained evaluation practitioners. In this brief forum article, we discuss the current state of evaluator education in the United States and the ways in which university-based programs support the development of evaluation practitioners and scholars. We then discuss the opportunities and challenges university-based programs face, focusing on program design, the challenges of being an evaluation-focused faculty member, and the specific needs of evaluation graduate students. We conclude by providing a research agenda for evaluation scholars interested in advancing the knowledge base about university-based evaluator education.