bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dynamics of the Transient Negative Eddy Response to Zonal-Mean Zonal Wind Variations
Authors: Lorenz David J.
Published: September 2022

Many studies have focused on the long-term positive feedback between annular mode zonal wind (U) perturbations and the eddy momentum fluxes (M). Lagged correlation analysis between U and M anomalies, however, shows that a transient period of negative eddy forcing follows the peak in zonal wind anomalies. This negative forcing is more ubiquitous than the positive feedback because it occurs for all U EOFs not just EOF1. It has been hypothesized that this response is either 1) an intrinsic feature of the eddies independent of the U or 2) caused by U-induced changes in Rossby wave reflection. Here it is shown that the response can be reproduced in a GCM by imposing a rapid change in U; therefore, mechanism 1 does not appear to be relevant. Furthermore, the transient response can be generated in a model when there are no turning latitudes; therefore, mechanism 2 does not appear to be relevant. Instead it is shown that the transient response is due to the adjustment of a preexisting eddy field to a change in the background wind. This transient effect is negative when the meridional scale of the U change is small enough compared to the waves, and vice versa. The sign of the initial response depends on the relative size of advection by U versus retrogression by the background vorticity gradient on the meridional tilt of the Rossby waves. Finally, it is shown that this transient response has a large damping effect on U variability.
Community Supervision and Employment
Authors: Capece Jesse
Published: September 2022

Evidence suggests that steady employment is a key component in reducing the likelihood that people under community supervision will return to prison. Largely unexplored, however, is the extent to which employment outcomes and self-perceptions of employability among people under community supervision are affected by stipulations mandated upon release from prison. These stipulations include measures like visits with a probation office, court appearances, or drug and mental health treatments. This article review research on the relationship between the stipulations of community supervision and employment outcomes. It presents evidence from a new study that explores relationships between release stipulations, probation officer support, feelings of employability, and employment outcomes. The new evidence suggests that there is a negative relationship between community supervision and employment outcomes and perceptions of employability. I argue for alternative policies that could productively reshape community supervision.
Community Supervision, Housing Insecurity, and Homelessness
Authors: Augustine Dallas , Kushel Margot
Published: September 2022

In recent decades, the United States has seen the simultaneous rise of mass incarceration and homelessness. The two crises are driven by the same structural factors and interact with one another, exacerbating their detrimental effects in a feedback loop. People under community supervision face many barriers to housing, putting them at high risk of experiencing homelessness in the months following release. People who experience homelessness are at heightened risk of criminal justice involvement for offenses like violating the terms of their community supervision as they engage in survival behaviors in public spaces. This article presents evidence-based approaches to improving housing strategies for reentry populations, preventing homelessness among those in community supervision, and rehousing members of the reentry community experiencing homelessness. It concludes with recommendations for policymakers interested in improving housing outcomes and overall reentry success for people on community supervision.
Donald Church Balfour (1882-1963) and The Balfour Self-Retaining Abdominal Retractor
Authors: Feliciano David V. , DuBose Joseph J.
Published: September 2022

Donald Church Balfour, MD (1882-1963), a legendary general surgeon at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, first described the Balfour self-retaining abdominal retractor in 1912. The retractor remains in use in 2022, 110 years after its development.
Nephrotic Syndrome – Different Risk of Venous Thromboembolism with Different Approaches to Justify Prophylactic Anticoagulation
Authors: Sutkowska Edyta , Fułek Michał , Fułek Katarzyna , Fortuna Paulina , Madziarska Katarzyna
Published: September 2022

All of the circumstances influencing any of the elements of Virchow’s Triad can increase the risk of venous thromboembolism. Assessing prothrombotic factors can sometimes be difficult. One of the examples of such a condition is nephrotic syndrome. In this condition at least two elements of Virchow’s triad are affected: physiological blood composition and the venous blood flow which is slowed down by the edema. Except for the cases mentioned in KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes), the use of anticoagulant drugs in the prophylaxis of VTE (Venous Thromboembolism) in nephrotic syndrome seems unclear. Nevertheless, due to the increased risk of VTE, it is worth implementing mechanical anticoagulant prophylaxis, which can also improve the quality of life of patients by reducing swelling. The article analyzes the current knowledge on the field and gives some proposals with low bleeding risk.
Factors Associated With Treatment Adherence to a Lifestyle Intervention Program for Children With Obesity: The Experience of a Large Tertiary Care Pediatric Hospital
Authors: Moran-Lev Hadar , Vega Yakov , Kalamitzky Nataly , Interator Hagar , Cohen Shlomi , Lubetzky Ronit
Published: September 2022

Early dropout and treatment adherence are main challenges in the treatment of children with obesity. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with attrition and adherence to weight loss intervention program. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all the children who entered the program for pediatric weight loss over 5 years and retrieved demographic and clinical characteristics. Attrition and adherence were documented. Ninety-two of the 248 enrolled children (52% women, mean age 11.1 ± 3.9 years, mean body mass index 31.1 ± 7 kg/m2) dropped out (37%). Dropping out correlated with male sex, low parental education, and self-referral to the clinic ( P < .05 for all). Adherence correlated with older age and the mother’s healthy lifestyle ( P < .05 for all). Sex, parental education, and referral source may predict treatment attrition. Early recognition of children at risk of attrition may help to facilitate better care of those children.
Direct-write 3D printing of UV-curable composites with continuous carbon fiber
Authors: Abdullah Arif M , Ding Yuchen , He Xu , Dunn Martin , Yu Kai
Published: September 2022

Continuous fiber-reinforced polymer composites, with their superior combinations of high stiffness, high strength, lightweight, and corrosion resistance, have been leading contenders in various applications ranging from aerospace to ground transportation. The integration with 3D printing allows the composite products to be customized quickly and fabricated inexpensively to meet unique specifications. However, the material-process-property relationships of 3D printed thermoset composites with continuous fiber are insufficiently explored in the field. In this work, a cost-effective 3D printing method is developed based on the direct ink writing method to print UV-curable composites reinforced with continuous carbon fiber. During the printing, the fiber tow is impregnated with an acrylate ink inside the printer head and then extruded onto the printer bed, where it is cured upon UV irradiation. The influences of different material and processing variables, such as the resin viscosity, nozzle size, printing speed, and substrate temperature, on the quality and mechanical properties of composites, are investigated. The porosity, stiffness, and strength of printed symmetric laminate are also examined. Finally, the 3D printing of composite structures and the conformal coating of curved surfaces along a defined printing path are demonstrated. The findings reported in this work could contribute to the rapid design and manufacturing of composite components with unprecedented mechanical properties and emerging functionalities for the automotive, defense, and aerospace industries.
Ankle Inversion Proprioception Impairment in Persons with Chronic Ankle Instability Is Task-Specific
Authors: Han Jia , Yang Zonghan , Witchalls Jeremy , Ganderton Charlotte , Adams Roger , Waddington Gordon
Published: September 2022

While investigators have often compared ankle proprioception between groups with and without chronic ankle instability (CAI), findings have been inconsistent. Possibly this is because ankle proprioceptive impairment in this population is task-specific. Thus, we aimed to compare ankle inversion proprioception in individuals with and without CAI in two task conditions: (i) when standing (not challenging) and (ii) when on a step-down landing (minimally-challenging). Ankle inversion proprioception was measured in both conditions for 38 recreational sport player volunteers with CAI ( n = 19) and without CAI ( n = 19). We used the Active Movement Extent Discrimination Apparatus (AMEDA) for the standing condition and the Ankle Inversion Discrimination Apparatus-Landing (AIDAL) for step-down landing. From analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests, CAI and non-CAI participants performed equally well on the AMEDA when standing; but the CAI group performed significantly worse than the non-CAI group on the AIDAL step-down landing task ( p = 0.03). Within the non-CAI group, the AIDAL proprioceptive scores, as area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC), were significantly higher than their AMEDA AUC scores ( p = 0.03), while there was no significant difference between AIDAL and AMEDA AUC scores in the CAI group. Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool CAIT scores were significantly correlated with AIDAL scores (Spearman’s rho = 0.391, p = 0.015), but not with the AMEDA scores; and there was no significant correlation between the AIDAL and AMEDA scores. Thus, an ankle inversion proprioceptive deficit was evident for persons with CAI on the step-down AIDAL, and in a dose-response way, but not evident on the standing AMEDA, suggesting that ankle proprioceptive impairment is task-specific. Selected proprioceptive tests must present some minimal degree of challenge to the ankle joint in a functional task in order to differentiate CAI from non-CAI participants.
Police-Specific physical performance of men and women with different body heights
Authors: Zedler Marvin , Goldmann Jan-Peter
Published: September 2022

Worldwide different criteria are used for dealing with body height as an access restriction for the police service, but none of the defined minimum heights is supported by scientific research. Therefore, the objectives of the present work were to analyse tall and short men and women on their police-specific physical performance and their interaction with police-related personal protective equipment (PPE) in police-specific situations. For this purpose, the entire work was divided into four sub-studies, which included both laboratory and field tests. Wearing PPE significantly ( p < 0.05) reduced vertical jump performance independently of body height. Resilience to external forces (impacts) and pulling force in different grip heights were significantly ( p < 0.05) reduced for shorter subjects. Short subjects needed significantly ( p < 0.05) more time for rescuing and recovering a person from a car than tall subjects. These results provide evidence that taller subjects perform superior in police-specific scenarios.
The Impact of COVID-19 Restrictions on Perceived Health and Wellbeing of Young Australian Sport and Physical Activity Participants
Authors: Elliott Sam , Eime Rochelle , Harvey Jack , Charity Melanie , Drummond Murray , Pankowiak Aurelie , Westerbeek Hans
Published: September 2022

This study investigated the impact of Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) restrictions on perceived health and wellbeing of young Australian sport and physical activity participants. A survey was conducted during the first COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns in Australia (May–June 2020). Health measures were tabulated against five respondent characteristics, including settings and modes of sport and physical activity, and comparisons made with chi-square tests. Findings indicate that male youth were significantly more likely to report better physical ( p = .001), general ( p = .014), and mental ( p ≤ .001) health compared to female youth. Individuals involved in both team and individual sport reported significantly better general ( p = .022) and physical health ( p = .003) compared to those involved in individual only sports or physical activity. While it is unclear if this is dose-related, team-based sport may encourage increased time in physical activity (i.e., dose) or social interactions, or a combination of both factors, which potentially buffers against declining health outcomes due to pandemic restrictions.
A Sample Size Formula for Network Scale-up Studies
Authors: Josephs Nathaniel , Feehan Dennis M. , Crawford Forrest W.
Published: September 2022

The network scale-up method (NSUM) is a survey-based method for estimating the number of individuals in a hidden or hard-to-reach subgroup of a general population. In NSUM surveys, sampled individuals report how many others they know in the subpopulation of interest (e.g. “How many sex workers do you know?”) and how many others they know in subpopulations of the general population (e.g. “How many bus drivers do you know?”). NSUM is widely used to estimate the size of important sociological and epidemiological risk groups, including men who have sex with men, sex workers, HIV+ individuals, and drug users. Unlike several other methods for population size estimation, NSUM requires only a single random sample and the estimator has a conveniently simple form. Despite its popularity, there are no published guidelines for the minimum sample size calculation to achieve a desired statistical precision. Here, we provide a sample size formula that can be employed in any NSUM survey. We show analytically and by simulation that the sample size controls error at the nominal rate and is robust to some forms of network model mis-specification. We apply this methodology to study the minimum sample size and relative error properties of several published NSUM surveys.
Innovative choledochoscope for simulation based training in resource limited setting
Authors: Sarkar Sucheta , De Uditangshu , Manna Saurav , De Utpal
Published: September 2022

Intraoperative choledochoscopy is on the rise. Simulated training is essential for proper handling of the instrument during laparoscopic bile duct exploration. The article describes a low budget innovative choledochoscope for simulated training in low resource setting.
Virtuous Shirking and Social Distance: Concept Measurement in the Context of Militarized Response to Nonviolent Revolution
Authors: Johnson Paul Lorenzo
Published: September 2022

As a concept-measurement exercise, this article explores social distance in the context of confrontations between soldiers and pro-democracy protesters. While existing work has applied this concept in terms of structural, mostly static factors, this article explores the use of potential dynamic measures for this concept. To show these situational factors at work and highlight their potential contribution as new measures for social distance, this article uses a research design that holds relatively constant the traditional, structural measures while varying the social-distance outcome experienced in each campaign. The cases employed are East Germany 1989, Romania 1989, and South Korea 1980. The article particularly focuses on the protest tactics of fraternization and messaging, as well as regime tactics affecting opportunities for each, confirming both as useful additional measures of the concept of social distance. It also nominates other potential measures based on evidence that emerges inductively in the case reviews.
Targeted Fathers’ Beliefs in a Just World
Authors: Torun Fuat , Torun Sebahat Dilek , Matthewson Mandy
Published: September 2022

This study compares targeted fathers’ beliefs in a just world with the beliefs of fathers who were divorced but not alienated from their children. Forty-two targeted fathers and 38 non-targeted fathers completed an online survey consisting of sociodemographic questions, the General Belief in a Just World Scale and Personal Belief in a Just World Scale. Targeted fathers reported lower beliefs in a just world than non-targeted fathers. Targeted fathers who reported that mental health and legal professionals have sufficient knowledge of parental alienation had higher belief in a just world scores than targeted parents who believed professionals have insufficient knowledge.
Compound betamethasone in the treatment of pain after supraspinatus tendon repair
Authors: Da Hu , Song Jian-Kuan , Liu Li , Zhou Liang
Published: September 2022

Objective

To investigate the effect of compound betamethasone on pain points of the supraspinatus tendon by local blocking therapy after repair surgery.

Methods

This non-randomised controlled trial included patients who underwent arthroscopic repair of supraspinatus tendon tears and who had long-term pain. At 3 months following surgery, patients were assigned to an experimental group, whose pain points were treated with compound betamethasone, or a control group who did not receive compound betamethasone. Visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Constant shoulder score for pain were determined at 3, 4, 5 and 6 months following surgery and analysed retrospectively.

Results

Of 38 included patients, there were no statistically significant between-group differences in VAS score, PSQI or Constant shoulder scores at 3 months following surgery. At 4, 5 and 6 months after surgery, the VAS score and PSQI were significantly lower, and the Constant shoulder score was significantly higher, in the experimental group versus controls.

Conclusions

Using compound betamethasone to locally block pain points after supraspinatus tendon repair surgery may significantly alleviate pain, improve sleep quality, facilitate functional shoulder exercise and achieve good shoulder function.
Repair of Timber Piles Using Ultra-High-Performance Concrete: Investigation of Load Transfer and Load-Carrying Capacity
Authors: Sosa Cardenas Carlos , Mantawy Islam M. , Azizinamini Atorod
Published: September 2022

Timber piles have been used for a long time in bridges and marine structures. Many of these structures have exceeded their service life and require maintenance or repair because of deterioration. To address this issue, repair/retrofit techniques utilizing ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) can provide many advantages, such as minimizing repair material amounts and high durability because of its superior mechanical characteristics. This paper presents preliminary tests to comprehend the behavior of composite specimens made of timber and UHPC, including the load transfer mechanism and load-carrying capacity. For load transfer between the timber pile and UHPC, push-off and slant shear tests were conducted on composite timber and UHPC specimens with different surface preparations for timber surfaces. It was concluded that because of the smoothness of the UHPC surface, mechanical connectors (nails) provided the highest interface shear strength between timber and UHPC. For the load-carrying capacity, several specimens were tested under compression loading and it was concluded that timber treatment before casting UHPC plays a vital role in restoring the load-carrying capacity of timber piles.
Inequality in Household Job Insecurity and Mental Health: Changes During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Donnelly Rachel , Zajdel Rachel , Farina Mateo P.
Published: September 2022

Using nationally representative data from the Household Pulse Survey (April 2020-March 2021), we examined how associations between household job insecurity and mental health changed throughout the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States ( n = 1,248,043). We also documented changes in the unequal distribution of job insecurity by race/ethnicity and educational attainment over time. We find that job insecurity was strongly associated with depression and anxiety throughout the study period, and the associations strengthened as the pandemic continued, especially in fall 2020. Moreover, racial/ethnic minorities with lower levels of educational attainment had the greatest risk of job insecurity, and educational disparities in job insecurity changed over time. Psychological distress during the pandemic, including disparities therein, must be considered a public health priority.
The Local and Network Effects of Rail Transit Network Expansion on Retail Property Values
Authors: Zhu Yi , Diao Mi
Published: September 2022

Using Singapore as an example, we find that the opening of new rail transit lines can boost retail property values in areas not only along the new lines (local effect) but also along the existing lines (network effect) due to the increase in network size. We also show the local effect of a new rail line changes over time at different development stages. Ignoring the time-varying local effect and the network effect could lead to biased estimates of the value-added of rail transit and misguide policy formation in rail transit investment, land value capture, and transit-oriented development.
Real-World Exploration Increases Across Adolescence and Relates to Affect, Risk Taking, and Social Connectivity
Authors: Saragosa-Harris Natalie M. , Cohen Alexandra O. , Reneau Travis R. , Villano William J. , Heller Aaron S. , Hartley Catherine A.
Published: September 2022

Cross-species research suggests that exploratory behaviors increase during adolescence and relate to the social, affective, and risky behaviors characteristic of this developmental stage. However, how these typical adolescent behaviors manifest and relate in real-world settings remains unclear. Using geolocation tracking to quantify exploration—variability in daily movement patterns—over a 3-month period in 58 adolescents and adults (ages 13–27) in New York City, we investigated whether daily exploration varied with age and whether exploration related to social connectivity, risk taking, and momentary positive affect. In our cross-sectional sample, we found an association between daily exploration and age, with individuals near the transition to legal adulthood exhibiting the highest exploration levels. Days of higher exploration were associated with greater positive affect irrespective of age. Higher mean exploration was associated with greater social connectivity in all participants but was linked to higher risk taking selectively among adolescents. Our results highlight the interplay of exploration and socioemotional behaviors across development and suggest that societal norms may modulate their expression in naturalistic contexts.
Evaluating the Impact of Coronavirus Disease-2019 Pandemic on Employer Branding, Employee Engagement and Employee Performance: A Moderation Study of Indian Information Technology Firms
Authors: Agarwal Tamanna , Arya Sandeep , Bhasin Kamini
Published: September 2022

Anchored in job demands–resources (JDR) theory and event system theory, this research investigates the impact of employer branding on employee engagement and employee performance in the backdrop of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. COVID-19 caused unprecedented changes in the workplace dynamics of the information technology (IT) firms in India, affecting employee engagement levels. Therefore, the moderating role of COVID-19 event strength is examined on the relationship between employer branding and employee engagement. The proposed hypotheses were examined by performing structural equation modelling on the data gathered from 791 employees of IT firms in India. Data were collected through a self-report survey using a questionnaire instrument consisting of measuring items adapted from the existing literature. The research findings suggest that significant affirmative relationships exist among employer branding, employee engagement and employee performance. Organizational commitment demonstrated a partial mediating effect on the relationship between employer branding and employee engagement. Further, the COVID-19 event strength positively moderated the relationship between employer branding and employee engagement, suggesting that employer branding practices are more crucial in organizations, which were heavily affected by the pandemic. This research offers significant insights for academic and human resource (HR) practitioners regarding the role of employer branding in enhancing employee engagement and employee performance during times of crisis.
EU fiscal governance and the managerial reformatting of neoliberal constitutionalism
Authors: Lovering Ian Alexander
Published: September 2022

This article analyses the EU’s Stability and Growth Pact (SGP) to challenge interpretations of neoliberalism as an international project. The fiscal rules of the SGP are a paradigmatic example of how neoliberalism uses constitutional techniques to put limits on national democracy. These rules, however, have never worked as intended with adherence having been the exception rather than the norm. Although scholars readily admit neoliberal rules misfire in practice, conceptualisations of neoliberalism have remained largely unscathed. In contrast, this article argues that techniques of budgetary planning have had a more crucial impact on neoliberal fiscal governance than legal rules. In the case of the SGP, supranational actors have been empowered not by their capacity to put constitutional limits on public expenditure, but by analysing and intervening in the purposes and uses of public finance through managerial techniques of budgetary planning. In making this argument, I argue that neoliberal rules matter to international fiscal governance only through their failure. Instead, supranational institutions have been empowered in the neoliberal era through a managerial reformatting of governance.
An integrated unified elasto-viscoplastic fatigue and creep damage model with characterization method for structural analysis of nickel-based high-temperature structure
Authors: Choi Hoil , Lim Hyoung Jun , Yun Gun Jin
Published: September 2022

This paper proposes an integrated unified elasto-viscoplastic fatigue and creep damage model with modified hardening equations to simulate the elasto-viscoplasticity, primary-secondary and tertiary creep, relaxation, cyclic softening, temperature-dependency, and creep-fatigue interaction (CFI) damage. For this purpose, we integrate the creep damage and fatigue damage model into the viscoplasticity-damage model to predict tertiary creep and cyclic softening behavior caused by creep and fatigue damage modes. Interaction effects between each damage mode are considered by the creep-fatigue interaction (CFI) damage scheme. This paper also introduces a genetic algorithm-based integrated characterization method that can effectively optimize material input parameters of the unified elasto-viscoplastic-damage material model with limited experimental data. Implicit Euler's backward iteration scheme is adopted to improve the convergence and accuracy of solutions. The proposed material model is implemented in UMAT for finite element (FE) analysis of high-temperature structures under cyclic-dwell loading. Experimental data of tensile, dwell, creep, and cyclic loading at various temperatures are used to verify the model. Finally, full-scale turbine blade FE analysis is performed under anisothermal conditions. The proposed material modeling framework can also be utilized for other high-temperature structures, such as power plants, leading-edge nose cones, etc.
Effect of charge coefficient on directional fracture of slotted charge
Authors: Li Xianglong , Fang Cheng , Wang Jianguo
Published: September 2022

The transmission dynamic caustics test system was carried out for blasting comparative experiments, considering varied apertures and the same charge for the same slit (symmetrical slit), investigating the effect of uncoupled charge blasting of the in-slotted charge on the propagation direction of blasting cracks. The test findings indicate that the uncoupling coefficient between the hole wall and the slit cartridge significantly affects the crack propagation direction. When the uncoupling coefficient is 1.42, the left and right main cracks form a near-horizontal angle, and reach a length of 15.5 cm. When the uncoupling coefficients are 1.71 and 1.28, the deviation angle of the main fracture is great, the propagation distance is short, and the number of secondary cracks is high, there is a trend of oscillation attenuation. Therefore, the combined action of the detonation gas and the blast stress wave has the greatest influence on fracture propagation. The appropriate uncoupling coefficient increases the quasi-static effect of the detonation gas in the direction of the slit, decreasing the impact of the detonation wave on the blast hole. The initial stress wave peak value of the wall reinforces the energy-focused directional jet effect of the slit pipe, increasing the fracture propagation distance in the slit direction. Under conditions of energy conservation, the crack propagation in the non-slit direction is inhibited.
Prevalence and molecular characterization of shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in animal source foods and green leafy vegetables
Authors: Gökmen Mukadderat , İlhan Ziya , Tavşanlı Hakan , Önen Adem , Ektik Nisanur , Göçmez Enise Begüm
Published: September 2022

Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC) has emerged as important enteric foodborne zoonotic pathogens of considerable public health significance worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of the top seven STEC serotypes and to identify these serotypes in samples of animal source foods and vegetables. A total of 294 samples including 84 meat samples, 135 milk and dairy product samples and 75 green leafy vegetable samples were tested. The samples were harvested in mTSB-broth pre-enriched with novobiocin and then were tested by amplifying 16S shiga toxin ( stx1/2), and eae genes using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (m-PCR) assay. A total of 260 (88.4%) samples were positive for E. coli and 29 (11.1%) of them were positive for shiga toxin, and eae genes. The positive samples were cultivated on CHROMAgar STEC and the colonies were evaluated for top seven STEC by m-PCR. The top seven STEC serotypes were detected in 27 (93.1%) of the samples: the STEC O111 serotype in 11 (40.7%) beef samples, STEC O45 in 3 (11.1%) chicken, STEC O145 in 6 (22.2%) parsley, 3 (11.1%) lettuce, 1 (3.7%) spinach, and 1 (3.7%) cheese, and STEC O103 in 2 (7.4%) lettuce samples. None of the samples was found positive for STEC O26, O121, and O157 serotypes. This study highlights the fact that the top seven STEC group poses a great risk in terms of food safety and public health in both animal source foods and vegetables.
Assessing Potential Intermediate Host Snails of Urogenital Schistosomiasis, Human Water Contact Behavior and Water Physico-chemical Characteristics in Alwero Dam Reservoir, Ethiopia
Authors: Deribew Ketema , Erko Berhanu , Tiku Mereta Seid , Yewhalaw Delenasaw , Mekonnen Zeleke
Published: September 2022

Introduction:

Urogenital schistosomiasis is one of public health problems in lowland areas of Ethiopia. The disease is caused by Schistosoma haematobium. Freshwater Bulinus snails are intermediate hosts for the parasite transmission. The aim of the study was to assess intermediate host snails of urogenital schistosomiasis, human water contact behavior and physico-chemical characteristics of Alwero Dam reservoir.

Methods:

Bulinus snails were sampled from 12 sites of Alwero Dam. Bulinus snails were collected, identified and examined for natural schistosome infections. A total of 206 people were interviewed to determine human water contact behavior. The water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solid, salinity and conductivity of the water were determined.

Results:

Of 1125 Bulinus snails collected, 72 (6.4%) were infected with echinostome cercariae but none of them were infected with schistosome cercariae. The abundance of Bulinus species did not show significant variation across seasons ( P = .61). Occurrence of Bulinus species was significantly higher in stony substratum than sandy substratum ( P = .01). Of the total 206 participants, 119 (57.8%) had water contact activities like washing clothes, bathing or swimming. Majority of respondents (70.0%) reported that they visited the dam reservoir once or twice a week, while 16.5% and 13.6% reported that they visited the dam 3 to 5 times a week and daily, respectively. Moreover, 72.3% of the respondents had reported they had history of urogenital schistosomiasis infection. The mean water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solid, electric conductivity, and salinity of the dam water was 28.6°C, 7.07, 5.75 mg/l, 90.0 ppm, 124.8 µS/cm, and 50.0 ppm, respectively.

Conclusion:

At Alwero Dam, Bulinus snails were highly abundant and the human water contact activities were frequent. Therefore, the community awareness creation should be made to reduce water contact with snail infested water to prevent risk of urogenital schistosomiasis infection.
Organisational perspectives on boring prison work: Between emancipation and paranoia
Authors: Mikkelsen Elisabeth Naima
Published: September 2022

Boredom may take different forms depending on the setting. However, most existing literature portrays it as a negative phenomenon for both individuals and organisations. While boredom is studied primarily via controlled laboratory experiments and questionnaire-based studies, past research has been criticised for neglecting to understand workers’ experiences of boredom in real-world work settings. Drawing on a qualitative case study comprising of interviews with prison officers and ethnographic fieldwork in two Danish prisons, this article explores workers’ experience of boredom embedded in specific organisational work practices of repetitive routines, waiting and meaningless tasks. It shows that workers may take an organisational perspective on their experience of boredom, rather than a personal one, acknowledging the tedious features of work but nevertheless emphasising their organisational value. I use a phenomenological approach to sensemaking to deepen the understanding of how workers’ protests against boredom may not be only destructive but may sometimes take creative forms, leading to positive organising. Drawing on these findings, I extend our understanding of boredom at work.
Listening to the call of boredom at work: A Heideggerian journey into Michel Houellebecq’s novels
Authors: Culié Jean-Denis , Meyer Vincent , Philippe Xavier
Published: September 2022

From the very first organizational theories, boredom at work has been closely linked to the issue of time. However, studies on boredom have often considered the phenomenon as a mere behavioral outcome of organizational processes or practices and have built on an instrumental approach, neglecting its deeper manifestations. Following recent calls to tackle boredom as a fundamental issue in organization studies, we build on Heidegger’s framework to delve into superficial, retrospective, and profound boredom. This phenomenological approach enables us to go beyond the instrumental view of boredom, revealing the close links between boredom at work, time, and authenticity. To this end, we adopt a genuine empirical tool, immersed in the eight novels of the famous French writer, Michel Houellebecq, a unique observer of contemporary workers. Our findings help us to highlight two contributions. First, we argue that in trying to divert their employees from boredom by creating and developing “passing the time” activities, organizations only reinforce boredom at work, leading them to an unauthentic relationship with time and being. Second, we delve into the meanders of profound boredom at work and suggest that by listening to its call, individuals may unveil what truly matters to them and find a way to reach authenticity at work.
Justifying the bored self: On projective, domestic, and civic boredom in Danish retail banking
Authors: du Plessis Erik Mygind , Just Sine Nørholm
Published: September 2022

In the wake of the financial crisis, Danish retail bankers have experienced a marked increase in mundane administrative tasks, which do not conform to what they expect their work lives to be. Seeking to understand how the bankers cope with this, the paper conducts a qualitative inquiry into the identity work of Danish retail bankers, focusing on the ways in which they reconcile experiences of boredom with their work-identity. Drawing on pragmatic sociology, this reconciliation is conceptualized as individual justifications of boredom through different orders of worth. The paper identifies three justifications of boredom: (1) Projective boredom posits boring administrative tasks as unwanted and problematic. This justification is generally in line with currently dominant empirical and theoretical accounts of the financial sector and finds no justification for boredom, seeking, instead, to eliminate it. (2) Domestic boredom justifies the boring tasks as a duty performed by the humble and respectable banker, who is concerned with their status in the local community and whose sense of pride has been damaged by the many scandals in the sector. Finally, (3) civic boredom justifies boredom as a sacrifice made by the selfless banker who acts in the interest of the common good, understood as a more responsible, and less greedy, financial sector. Here, the meaninglessness of specific tasks is transcended in the service of a higher purpose, which helps the individual sustain an identity as a solidary professional.
Digital hostility, subjectivity and ethics: Theorising the disruption of identity in instances of mass online abuse and hate speech
Authors: Cover Rob
Published: September 2022

The experience of hostility, hate speech and adversarial behaviour in everyday online spaces has increased substantially in recent years, with known health and mental health outcomes for users. This paper argues that due to the ‘massified’ form of contemporary hostility experienced in the internet ‘pile on’, a new framework for understanding and remedying hostility is required. This paper draws on Judith Butler’s theories of identity to present an account of digital hostility as cultural and as having a negative effect on the identities and selfhood of users. It discusses the impact of the online pile-on, shaming and the ways in which hostility positions victims as ungrievable subjects. The essay recommends new ethical approaches grounded in the recognition of subjects as vulnerable, arguing that cultural ethics approaches are valuable not only as public pedagogies but for development of technological solutions and moderation interventions to help prevent hostility and hate speech.
Modelling of extreme uniform temperature for high-speed railway bridge piers using maximum entropy and field monitoring
Authors: Dai Gonglian , Wang Fen , Chen Y. Frank , Ge Hao , Rao Huiming
Published: September 2022

Due to the atmospheric temperature and solar radiation, the effects of temperature variation in bridge structures should be considered. Such variation induces notable deformations and movements, jeopardizing the safety of bridges and high-speed trains operations. However, the temperature action is a random process and its distribution is difficult to determine. The existing methods for analyzing structural temperatures are insufficient to meet the precision requirement. Therefore, the accurate prediction of extreme structural temperatures relates to the accurate evaluation on the bridge safety. This paper proposes a robust and accurate model for predicting the extreme structural temperature of a bridge. A field experiment, spanning over 2 years, was carried out on a high-speed railway bridge; and the long-term (56-years) atmospheric temperature data was adopted. Probabilistic models for the structural temperature were established using the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) model and the Generalized Pareto distribution (GPD) model; and the predictions on the uniform structural temperature ( T u) with 50 and 100 years return periods are presented. Additionally, the performance between the MaxEnt model and the GPD model is compared, based on the estimates with different return levels. The results show that the MaxEnt model is more stable and is significantly robust to the variation of sample sizes; and indicates that the MaxEnt model reduces the uncertainty of outcomes and avoids the high risk of bias. The MaxEnt model has a great potential to the applications of the extreme value analysis with small sample size. It offers a wider applicability and helps solve practical problems.
Influence lines-based model updating of suspension bridges considering boundary conditions
Authors: Lin Shi-Wei , Du Yan-Liang , Yi Ting-Hua , Yang Dong-Hui
Published: September 2022

The boundary conditions of the main girder are complicated for suspension bridges. And they have a significant impact on the static and dynamic response of the structure. This study proposes a model updating method based on influence lines considering boundary conditions. First, rotational and translational spring elements are used to simulate the boundary conditions of the main girder. Then, rotational spring stiffness is estimated by constructing a sensitive objective function based on the influence lines. Translational spring stiffness is estimated by constructing a sensitive objective function based on the temperature-induced displacements at both ends of the girder. To improve calculation efficiency, a Gaussian process model is used instead of the finite element model (FEM). The estimation of boundary conditions is expressed as an optimization whose main goal is to iteratively estimate the boundary conditions to minimize the objective functions. After the boundary conditions are determined, the influence lines-based model updating is carried out by using the adaptive metamodel global optimization method. To validate the proposed method, a long-span suspension bridge is taken as a case study. The results show that the boundary conditions of the main girder have been successfully estimated. The accuracy of the model updating is improved after the boundary conditions are considered. The updated FEM with accurate boundary conditions can be a benchmark model for bridge damage identification or condition assessment.
Vulnerable or resilient? The response of informal settlements to COVID-19: The case of urban village communities in Beijing
Authors: Dong Ying , Wang Shunyi , Lin Aiping , Wang Fang
Published: September 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought topics of the impact, response and adaptation of cities in emergencies to the forefront. When compared with formal settlements, the problems faced by informal settlements are more prominent. We propose the framework of an actor-network theory, substantiated by an empirical study of three typical informal settlements in Haidian District, Beijing, in which the process, characteristics and internal mechanism of the spatial reconstruction of the informal settlements in response to COVID-19 are closely scrutinised. Human actors such as local governments, community volunteers, landlords, tenants and non-human actors all participated in the response to COVID-19 according to their goal vision and political logic, with the local government as the core driving force, forming an integrated actor network. Rooted in the special locality of informal settlements, the actor network was both hierarchical and flexible, and its inherent dynamism has proven to be efficient during COVID-19, resulting in social adaptation and spatial reconstruction. This study contributes to the cautiously optimistic estimate of similar urban community resilience in terms of global epidemics and enriches the understanding of their interlacing dynamics from the perspective of spatial reconstruction.
Geographical variation in orthopedic procedures in Norway: Cross-sectional population-based study
Authors: Holsen Maria , Hovind Veronica , Bedane Haji K. , Osvoll Knut I. , Gjertsen Jan-Erik , Furnes Ove N. , Walsh Mary E. , Ingebrigtsen Tor
Published: September 2022

Background:

Standardized surgery rates for common orthopedic procedures vary across geographical areas in Norway. We explored whether area-level factors related to demand and supply in publicly funded healthcare are associated with geographical variation in surgery rates for six common orthopedic procedures.

Methods:

The present study is a cross-sectional population-based study of hospital referral areas in Norway. We included adult admissions for arthroscopy for degenerative knee disease, arthroplasty for osteoarthritis of the knee and hip, surgical treatment for hip fracture, and decompression with/without fusion for lumbar disk herniation and lumbar spinal stenosis in 2012–2016. Variation in age and sex standardized rates was estimated using extremal quotients, coefficients of variation, and systematic components of variation (SCV). Associations between surgery rates and the socioeconomic factors urbanity, unemployment, low-income, high level of education, mortality, and number of surgeons and hospitals were explored with linear regression analyses.

Results:

Knee arthroscopy showed highest level of variation (SCV 10.3) and decreased in numbers. Variation was considerable for spine surgery (SCV 3.8–4.9), moderate to low for arthroplasty procedures (SCV 0.8–2.6), and small for hip fracture surgery (SCV 0.2). Higher rates of knee arthroscopy were associated with more orthopedic surgeons (adjusted coefficient 24.8, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.7–47.0), and less urban population (adjusted coefficient −13.3, 95% CI: −25.4 to −1.2). Higher spine surgery rates were associated with more hospitals (adjusted coefficient 22.4, 95% CI: 4.6–40.2), more urban population (adjusted coefficient 2.1, 95% CI: 0.4–3.8), and lower mortality (adjusted coefficient −192.6, 95% CI: −384.2 to −1.1). Rates for arthroplasty and hip fracture surgery were not associated with supply/demand factors included.

Conclusions:

Arthroscopy for degenerative knee disease decreased in line with guidelines, but showed high variation of surgery rates. Socioeconomic factors included in this study did not explain geographical variation in orthopedic surgery.
Where is the EU–UK relationship heading? A conjoint survey experiment of Brexit trade-offs
Authors: Hix Simon , van der Linden Clifton , Massie Joanna , Pickup Mark , Savoie Justin
Published: September 2022

The Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) is the start of a new relationship between the UK and the European Union (EU). As the consequences of Brexit unfold, there will be pressure to change the TCA, either in a “softer” or “harder” direction. To determine the potential medium-term direction of the EU–UK relationship, we conducted a conjoint survey experiment with a sample of British voters, where we asked them to choose between different hypothetical package deals. When faced with such choices, British citizens overall mostly support a softer relationship in which the UK applies EU regulatory standards in return for greater access to the single market. However, Leave voters most often support a much harder trade-off of full regulatory sovereignty but continued restrictions on UK exports.