bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Examining the Effect of Interruptions at Different Breakpoints and Frequencies Within a Task
Authors: Powers Sarah A. , Scerbo Mark W.
Published: April 2021

Objective

The purpose was to explore how event segmentation theory (EST) can be used to determine optimal moments for an interruption relying on hierarchical task analysis (HTA) to identify coarse and fine event boundaries.

Background

Research on the effects of interruptions shows that they can be either disruptive or beneficial, depending on which aspects of an interruption are manipulated. Two important aspects that contribute to these conflicting results concern when and how often interruptions occur.

Method

Undergraduates completed a trip planning task divided into three subtasks. The within-subjects factor was interruption timing with three levels: none, coarse breakpoints, and fine breakpoints. The between-subjects factor was interruption frequency with two levels: one and three. The dependent measures included resumption lag, number of errors, mental workload, and frustration.

Results

Participants took longer to resume the primary task and reported higher mental workload when interruptions occurred at fine breakpoints. The effect of interruptions at coarse breakpoints was similar to completing the task without interruption. Interruption frequency had no effect on performance; however, participants spent significantly longer attending to interruptions in the initial task, and within a task, the first and second interruptions were attended to significantly longer than the third interruption.

Conclusion

The disruptiveness of an interruption is tied to the point within the task hierarchy where it occurs.

Application

The performance cost associated with interruptions must be considered within the task structure. Interruptions occurring at coarse breakpoints may not be disruptive or have a negative effect on mental workload.
Research on tourism management education under the background of new liberal arts construction
Authors: Zhai Lirong
Published: April 2021

The core significance of China’s development of “new liberal arts” is to comply with the general trend of new technological revolution and industrial transformation, and focus on the new tasks of innovation transformation and traditional culture transformation. The development of tourism education has entered a new historical construction stage, especially the construction of tourism management talents training system needs to integrate innovative elements. The progress of tourism education should not be complacent, but should actively integrate the development needs of the times. From the current analysis, there are considerable problems in the training objectives, curriculum system, teaching staff construction and practical teaching of tourism major in China. In this paper, the goal of the professional training as a starting point, from the above four levels to solve the problem put forward targeted suggestions, put forward the characteristics of tourism management professional training path.
Psychosocial functionality in depressive workers: A study on associated factors
Authors: de Almeida Prado Juliana , Santos Jair Lício Ferreira
Published: April 2021

Background:

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) has been shown a high prevalence and debilitating mental health. Most of the burden comes from reduced work functioning and frequent or long-term absenteeism.

Aims:

Describe psychosocial functionality in sample of workers with MDD and observe associated factors with sick-leave.

Methods:

Cross-sectional study. Participants were 172 formal workers with MDD according to Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. They were classified as active ( n = 76) or in sick leave ( n = 96). Functionality Assessment Short Test (FAST) was used and the variables were: personal, clinical, and occupational characteristics. Descriptive, bivariate and hierarchical multivariate analyses were conducted; significant with p < .05.

Results:

Most of the sample was female and <50. Workers in sick leave were older, less physically active, and presented worse scores in global and in each domain of functionality (FAST). High autonomy at working process, perceived stressing work, do not enjoy the work and low resilience to work adversities were significantly associated with sick leave ( p < .05). Regarding clinical characteristics of MDD, severity, clinical comorbidity and recidivate subtype were associated with sick leave outcome ( p < .05).

Conclusion:

Sick leave is an important indicator of global functionality. Effective strategies to reduce MDD burden ought to involve some perspectives: (1) Diagnosis and efficient treatment; (2) Promotion and monitoring of functionality and rehabilitation programs; (3) Subject-centered actions that help workers cope with adversities, mitigate stress, and increase satisfaction at work.
Masses and Historical Consciousness: Beauty and the Nation in Western Culture during the Atomic Age
Authors: Ciglioni Laura
Published: April 2021

The article proposes an analysis of atomic culture in the United States and Western Europe, during the first 20 years of the Cold War, in the light of George L. Mosse’s work and approach. It shows how ‘habits of mind’ and the ‘general mood’ concerning the atomic bomb and risk of nuclear war were profoundly intertwined with deep-seated representations of the nation. It also exemplifies how the romantic attitudes toward life analyzed by Mosse – the longing for ‘shelter’ felt by men and women the more the world demythologized, and their need for symbols, especially connecting man with nature and its permanence – played an extremely relevant role in shaping attitudes about the ‘atomic age’. The nuclear question is thus ‘framed’ within longer term attitudes and cultural responses to modern war, as well as put in context with Western postwar culture, as investigated by Mosse: a culture marked by a renewed fear of technology, nihilism and widespread fears of alienation, as well as the continued relevance of nationalism and respectability. The article mainly examines two national cases: the USA and France. In the final section, comparison with other European countries is proposed and some general conclusions advanced.
Post-Keynesian Macroeconomic Foundations for Comparative Political Economy
Authors: Stockhammer Engelbert
Published: April 2021

The global financial crisis and ensuing weak growth have increased interest in macroeconomic issues within comparative political economy (CPE). CPE, particularly the dominant Varieties of Capitalism approach, has based its analyses on mainstream economics, which limits analysis of the relation between distribution and growth and neglects the role finance plays in modern economies. It overstates the stability of the capitalist growth process and understates the potential effectiveness of government interventions. Baccaro and Pontusson have suggested a post-Keynesian (PK) theory of distribution and growth as an alternative. This article generalizes their point. PK theory highlights the instability of the growth process and lends itself to an analysis of income distribution and power relations. The article identifies the analysis of financialization and financial cycles, the understanding of neoliberal growth models, and the political economy of central banks as areas where PK economics provides specific insights for CPE. It also highlights that these arguments have important implications for government policy in an era of secular stagnation with ongoing social, distributional, and economic crises.
Wet compounding with pyrolytic carbon black from waste tyre for manufacture of new tyre – A mini review
Authors: Xu Junqing , Yu Jiaxue , He Wenzhi , Huang Juwen , Xu Junshi , Li Guangming
Published: April 2021

Pyrolysis offers a more focused alternative to waste tyres treatment. Pyrolytic carbon black (CBp), the main product of waste tyre pyrolysis, and its modified species can be applied to tyre manufacturing realizing its high-value utilization. Modified pyrolytic carbon black/natural rubber composites prepared by a wet compounding (WC) and latex mixing process have become an innovative technology route for waste tyre remanufacturing. The main properties and applications of CBp reported in recent years are reviewed, and the main difficulties affecting its participation in tyre recycling are pointed out. The research progress of using WC technology to replace dry mixing manufacturing of new tyres is summarized. Through literature data and comparative studies, this paper points out that the characteristic of high ash content can be well utilized if CBp is applied to tyre manufacturing. This mini-review proposes a new method for high-value utilization of CBp. The composite mixing of CBp and carbon nano-materials under wet conditions is conducive to the realization of their good dispersion in the rubber matrix. This provides a new idea for customer resource integration and connection of industry development between the tyre production industry and waste tyre disposal management.
Comparison of trace element mobility from MSWI ash before and after plasma vitrification
Authors: Oehmig Wesley N , Roessler Justin , Saleh Abdul Mulla , Clavier Kyle A , Ferraro Christopher C , Townsend Timothy G
Published: April 2021

A common perception of plasma arc treatment systems for municipal solid waste incineration ash is that the resulting vitrified slag is inert from an environmental perspective. Research was conducted to examine this hypothesis and to assess whether reduced pollutant release results from pollutant depletion during the process of the ash with plasma, or encapsulation in the glassy vitrified matrix. The concentrations of four discrete municipal solid waste incineration ash samples before and after plasma arc vitrification in a bench-scale unit were compared. Slag and untreated ash samples were leached using several standardized approaches and mobility among the four metals of interest (e.g. As, Cd, Pb and Sb) varied across samples, but was generally high (as high as 100% for Cd). Comparison across methods did not indicate substantial encapsulation in the vitrified slag, which suggests that reduced pollutant release from plasma arc vitrified slag is due to pollutant depletion by volatilization, not encapsulation. This has significant implications for the management of air pollution control residues from waste-to-energy facilities using plasma arc vitrification.
Linguistic Distance and Translation Differential Item Functioning on Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study Mathematics Assessment Items
Authors: Gökçe Semirhan , Berberoğlu Giray , Wells Craig S. , Sireci Stephen G.
Published: April 2021

The 2015 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) involved 57 countries and 43 different languages to assess students’ achievement in mathematics and science. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether items and test scores are affected as the differences between language families and cultures increase. Using differential item functioning (DIF) procedures, we compared the consistency of students’ performance across three combinations of languages and countries: (a) same language but different countries, (b) same countries but different languages, and (c) different languages and different countries. The analyses consisted of the detection of the number of DIF items for all paired comparisons within each condition, the direction of DIF, the magnitude of DIF, and the differences between test characteristic curves. As the countries were more distant with respect to cultures and language families, the presence of DIF increased. The magnitude of DIF was greatest when both language and country differed, and smallest when the languages were same, but the countries were different. Results suggest that when TIMSS results are compared across countries, the language- and country-specific differences which could reflect cultural, curriculum, or other differences should be considered.
It’s in You: Structural Sin and Personal Responsibility Revisited
Authors: Hamilton Brian
Published: April 2021

The language of structural sin is most often used to describe sin that inheres in laws, institutions, or social roles—in short, in the objective social architecture of our everyday lives. This article argues that structural sin should also be understood as including a subjective dimension, describing the determinate habits or dispositions instilled by sharing in the life of a particular society. Part of what is structured by structural sin, in other words, is agency itself. The reason that many theologians have resisted this idea is that it seems to undermine the conditions of moral responsibility. If our capacities for knowing and loving the good are always already concretely misshapen, can we rightly be held accountable for what we do? This article argues further that we can, drawing on the work of Judith Butler to sketch a fresh account of personal responsibility in the face of structural sin.
Research on compatibility and surface of high impact bio-based polyamide
Authors: Wang Yang , Zhang Yuhui , Xu Yuhan , Liu Xiucai , Guo Weihong
Published: April 2021

The super-tough bio-based nylon was prepared by melt extrusion. In order to improve the compatibility between bio-based nylon and elastomer, the elastomer POE was grafted with maleic anhydride. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) were used to study the compatibility and micro-distribution between super-tough bio-based nylon and toughened elastomers. The results of mechanical strength experiments show that the 20% content of POE-g-MAH has the best toughening effect. After toughening, the toughness of the super-tough nylon was significantly improved. The notched impact strength was 88 kJ/m2 increasing by 1700%, which was in line with the industrial super-tough nylon. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) were used to study the crystallization behavior of bio-based PA56, and the effect of bio-based PA56 with high crystallinity on mechanical properties was analyzed from the microstructure.
High prevalence and resistance rates of Mycoplasma genitalium among patients visiting two sexually transmitted infection clinics in the Netherlands
Authors: Hetem David J , Kuizenga Wessel Sophie , Bruisten Sylvia M , Braam Joyce F , van Rooijen Martijn S , Vergunst Clarissa E , Nijhuis Roel HT , Berns Mary , Brand Jean-Marie , van Dam Alje P
Published: April 2021

Mycoplasma genitalium is a well-known cause of urethritis in men and has been associated with cervicitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, and adverse obstetric outcomes in women. In this cross-sectional study, we determined the current prevalence of M. genitalium infection and the rate of macrolide resistance in M. genitalium isolates, in patients visiting two large Dutch sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics, to evaluate whether the recommendations in Dutch guidelines should be revised. In addition, risk factors for M. genitalium were identified. In total, 3225 patients were included. M. genitalium prevalence rates were 13.8% for all patients; 20.1% for men who have sex with men, 8.2% for men who have sex with women, and 12.6% for women. Macrolide resistance-associated mutations were detected in 66% of the patients infected with M. genitalium. Age, educational level, country of origin, number of sexual partners, HIV-positivity, infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and urethral symptoms in men were independently associated with M. genitalium infection. In conclusion, we found very high prevalence rates and macrolide resistance rates of M. genitalium in patients visiting STI clinics.
Effects of Trust and Threat Messaging on Academic Cheating: A Field Study
Authors: Zhao Li , Zheng Jiaxin , Mao Haiying , Yu Xinyi , Ye Jiacheng , Chen Hongyi , Compton Brian J. , Heyman Gail D. , Lee Kang
Published: April 2021

Morality-based interventions designed to promote academic integrity are being used by educational institutions around the world. Although many such approaches have a strong theoretical foundation and are supported by laboratory-based evidence, they often have not been subjected to rigorous empirical evaluation in real-world contexts. In a naturalistic field study ( N = 296), we evaluated a recent research-inspired classroom innovation in which students are told, just prior to taking an unproctored exam, that they are trusted to act with integrity. Four university classes were assigned to a proctored exam or one of three types of unproctored exam. Students who took unproctored exams cheated significantly more, which suggests that it may be premature to implement this approach in college classrooms. These findings point to the importance of conducting ecologically valid and well-controlled field studies that translate psychological theory into practice when introducing large-scale educational reforms.
Vegetation response to the Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) variability during the Late-Holocene from the central Indian core monsoon zone
Authors: Quamar Mohammad Firoze , Kar Ratan , Thakur Biswajeet
Published: April 2021

Pollen analysis and radiocarbon dating of a 1.4 m deep lacustrine sediment profile from Chhattisgarh State, central India, in the core monsoon zone (CMZ), has revealed the vegetation history, associated climate change and the Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) rainfall variability during the Late-Holocene. The pollen evidence suggests that between ca. 3000 and 2600 cal year BP, tree-savannah vegetation occurred in the region having a comparatively lesser monsoon rainfall. The forest expanded and culminated into an open-mixed tropical deciduous forest between ca. 2600 and 2200 cal year BP under a warm and moderately humid climate with an increase in monsoon rainfall. Subsequently, between ca. 2200 and 2000 cal year BP, the existing open-mixed tropical deciduous forest transformed into a mixed tropical deciduous forest under a warm and humid climate with further increase in monsoon rainfall. Finally, between ca. 2000 and 1800 cal year BP, a dense mixed tropical deciduous forest occupied the landscape under a regime of a warm and relatively more humid climate with further strengthening of the ISM. The gradual warming, and the climatic amelioration with the intensification of the ISM, during the Late-Holocene (ca. 2600–1800 cal year BP; ~650 BC to AD150) corresponds to the Roman Warm Period (RWP), recorded globally between 2500 and1600 cal year BP (~550 BC to AD ~350). Human activities were present around the study area, which varied according to the ISM variations. The present study provides insights into the gradual intensification of the monsoon since the last ca. 2600 cal year BP (between ca. 2600 and1800 cal year BP), and an increase in the ISM strength in the CMZ of India, against the generally weakening trend during the Late-Holocene.
Impaired olfactory neural circuit in patients with SLE at early stages
Authors: Chen Chen , Kong Wei , Liang Jun , Lu Jiaming , Chen Dajie , Sun Yi , Zhang Xin , Qing Zhao , Feng Xuebing , Sun Lingyun , Zhang Bing
Published: April 2021

Objective

To investigate the changes of olfactory function and odor-induced brain activation in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) at early stages compared with healthy controls.

Materials and Methods

Olfactory function and odor-induced brain activation in 12 SLE patients at early stages and 12 age, gender and education matched healthy controls were evaluated using olfactory behavior test and odor-induced task-functional magnetic resonance imaging (task-fMRI).

Results

No significant differences in olfactory behavior scores (including olfactory threshold, olfactory identification, and olfactory memory) were found in the patients with SLE at early stages compared with the healthy controls, while significantly decreased odor-induced activations in olfactory-related brain regions were observed in the patients. In the SLE group, the patients with better performance in the olfactory threshold test had significantly lower levels of anti-dsDNA antibody.

Conclusion

The current study demonstrated that significant alterations in odor-induced brain activations occurred prior to measurable olfactory decline in SLE at early stages, which provided a new method for early diagnosis of olfactory dysfunction in SLE.
High-performance magneto-rheological clutches for direct-drive actuation: Design and development
Authors: Pisetskiy Sergey , Kermani Mehrdad
Published: April 2021

This paper presents an improved design, complete analysis, and prototype development of high torque-to-mass ratio Magneto-Rheological (MR) clutches. The proposed MR clutches are intended as the main actuation mechanism of a robotic manipulator with five degrees of freedom. Multiple steps to increase the toque-to-mass ratio of the clutch are evaluated and implemented in one design. First, we focus on the Hall sensors’ configuration. Our proposed MR clutches feature embedded Hall sensors for the indirect torque measurement. A new arrangement of the sensors with no effect on the magnetic reluctance of the clutch is presented. Second, we improve the magnetization of the MR clutch. We utilize a new hybrid design that features a combination of an electromagnetic coil and a permanent magnet for improved torque-to-mass ratio. Third, the gap size reduction in the hybrid MR clutch is introduced and the effect of such reduction on maximum torque and the dynamic range of MR clutch is investigated. Finally, the design for a pair of MR clutches with a shared magnetic core for antagonistic actuation of the robot joint is presented and experimentally validated. The details of each approach are discussed and the results of the finite element analysis are used to highlight the required engineering steps and to demonstrate the improvements achieved. Using the proposed design, several prototypes of the MR clutch with various torque capacities ranging from 15 to 200 N·m are developed, assembled, and tested. The experimental results demonstrate the performance of the proposed design and validate the accuracy of the analysis used for the development.
“Did I Choose a Birth Control Method Yet?”: Health Care and Women’s Contraceptive Decision-Making
Authors: Manzer Jamie L. , Bell Ann V.
Published: April 2021

In the United States, unintended pregnancy is medicalized, having been labeled a health problem and “treated” with contraception. Scholars find women’s access to contraception is simultaneously facilitated and constrained by health care system actors and its structure. Yet, beyond naming these barriers, less research centers women’s experiences making contraceptive decisions as they encounter such barriers. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 86 diverse, self-identified women, this study explores how the medicalization of unintended pregnancy has influenced women’s contraceptive access and decision-making. We highlight the breadth of such influence across multiple contraceptive types and health care contexts; namely, we find the two most salient forces shaping women’s contraceptive decisions to be their insurance coverage and providers’ contraceptive counseling. Within these two categories, we offer crucial nuance to demonstrate how these oft-cited barriers implicitly and explicitly influence women’s decisions. Paradoxically, it is the health care system, itself, that both offers yet constrains women’s contraceptive decisions.
A simple wave/power flow analysis method for vibration control of large cable-frame structures
Authors: Tang Yaqiong , Wang Xiaokai , Zhou Xin , Liu Tianming
Published: April 2021

A cable-frame structure typically has low damping and a low fundamental frequency and is modally rich. It is likely to generate sustained vibration when disturbed. Unwanted vibration of such a structure must be caught and controlled to ensure its structural safety and design performance. To overcome the disadvantages of high frequency distortion and modal truncation arising from modal control methods, wave control methods have been suggested. However, they generally involve establishing and solving numerous wave equations, an expensive procedure that may make the vibration control for large and/or complex structures inefficient or even impractical. This study presents a simple analytical approach for the vibration control of large cable-frame structures. The approach is divided into two stages. First, the exact frequency-domain solution is obtained by a dynamic stiffness method in which the infinite degrees of freedom of each flexible component are reduced into only several degrees of freedom at its two endpoints. Second, formulas for calculating the local wave and power flow are deduced based on the global exact solution so that the local wave control information can be extracted from the global response solution. Using this approach, the dynamic response and wave and power flow analysis are carried out for two typical cable-frame structures, leading us to suggest several control measures for suppressing vibration. The approach, if proven to be effective, can be readily applied to vibration control of large cable-frame structures.
Beliefs About the Health Effects of Smoking Among Adults in the United States
Authors: Mills Sarah D. , Wiesen Christopher A.
Published: April 2021

The majority of U.S. adults believe that smoking is a cause of lung cancer, but research suggests that the percentage of adults who believe smoking causes other types of cancers and chronic disease is lower. This study examines the correlates of beliefs about several established health effects of smoking in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. Data for this study come from Wave 4 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study conducted from December 2016 to January 2018. Participants responded to questions assessing their beliefs about the health effects of smoking. Logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship between beliefs about the health effects of smoking and sociodemographic characteristics (smoker status, age, sex, education, race/ethnicity), exposure to antitobacco campaigns, smokers’ health, and nicotine dependence. The percentage of U.S. adults who endorsed a health effect can be caused from smoking ranged from 56.4% for blindness to 97.4% for lung disease. Respondents who were older, less educated, current or former smokers, and had less exposure to antitobacco campaigns were generally less likely ( p < .05) to endorse that an established health effect was caused by smoking. Smokers with lower nicotine dependence and worse health were generally more likely ( p < .05) to endorse that an established health effect was caused by smoking. In summary, knowledge about the health effects of smoking varies across health conditions. Public health would benefit from campaigns targeting segments of the population with less knowledge about the health effects of smoking.
Psychosocial Correlates of Meeting National Guidelines for Muscle-Strengthening Activities in Latinas
Authors: Benitez Tanya J. , Lopez Nanette , Haughton Jessica , Marcus Bess H. , Sallis James F. , Crespo Noe , Perez Lilian G. , Arredondo Elva M.
Published: April 2021

Background

Performing regular muscle-strengthening activity has numerous health benefits, including improvements in blood pressure, hemoglobin A1c, and lean body mass. Despite the disproportionate prevalence of lifestyle-related chronic disease in Latinas (diabetes, hypertension, obesity), most do not report meeting the national guidelines for muscle-strengthening activity. Existing physical activity (PA) research in Latinas has focused almost exclusively on aerobic PA. Our study examined Latinas’ sociodemographic and psychosocial correlates of meeting muscle-strengthening PA guidelines that can inform future PA interventions.

Method

A cross-sectional study of participants ( N = 436) enrolled in a randomized controlled trial promoting PA and cancer screening in Latinas was conducted, and t tests examined the associations between sociodemographic and psychosocial factors with self-reported muscle-strengthening activities. Hierarchical regression was conducted in separate blocks guided by the socioecological model (sociodemographic, individual, and interpersonal factors) to examine the independent contribution of each block to the outcome of meeting national guidelines for muscle-strengthening PA.

Results

Participants who met the national PA guidelines of ≥2 days/week of muscle-strengthening activities reported significantly higher social support for PA ( p < .001), greater use of behavioral strategies for PA ( p < .001), and lower barriers to PA ( p < .03) than those who did not meet the guidelines. Hierarchical binary logistic regression indicated behavioral strategies for PA was the only significant correlate of meeting the national guidelines for muscle-strengthening PA (odds ratio = 1.39, 95% confidence interval [1.18, 1.65], p < .001).

Discussion/Conclusion

Results support a hypothesis that instructing Latinas to use behavior change strategies could help them increase muscle-strengthening PA.
Urgent and non-emergent telehealth care for seniors: Findings from a multi-site impact study
Authors: Bernstein Paul , Ko Kelly J , Israni Juhi , Cronin Alexandria O , Kurliand Michael M , Shi Jiaxiao M , Chung Joanie , Borgo Lina , Reed Amanda , Kosten Larissa , Chang Anna Marie , Sites Frank D , Funahashi Tadashi , Agha Zia
Published: April 2021

Introduction

The global pandemic has raised awareness of the need for alternative ways to deliver care, notably telehealth. Prior to this study, research has been mixed on its effectiveness and impact on downstream utilization, especially for seniors. Our multi-institution study of more than 300,000 telehealth visits for seniors evaluates the clinical outcomes and healthcare utilization for urgent and non-emergent symptoms.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study from November 2015 to March 2019, leveraging different models of telehealth from three health systems, comparing them to in-person visits for urgent and non-emergent needs of seniors based on International Classification of Diseases, 10th edition diagnoses. The study population was adults aged 60 years or older who had access to telehealth and were affiliated with and resided in the geographic region of the healthcare organization providing telehealth. The primary outcomes of interest were visit resolution and episodes of care for those that required follow-up.

Results

In total, 313,516 telehealth visits were analysed across three healthcare organizations. Telehealth encounters were successful in resolving urgent and non-emergent needs in 84.0–86.7% of cases. When visits required follow-up, over 95% were resolved in less than three visits for both telehealth and in-person cohorts.

Discussion

While in-person visits have traditionally been the gold standard, our results suggest that when deployed within the confines of a patient’s existing primary care and health system provider, telehealth can be an effective alternative to in-person care for urgent and non-emergent needs of seniors without increasing downstream utilization.
Finishing the story: Narrative ritual in news coverage of the Umpqua Community College shooting
Authors: Alaimo Kathleen I
Published: April 2021

This article applies Victor Turner’s schema of ‘social drama’ to examine narrative rituals and the roles performed by a local and national newspaper in their coverage of the Umpqua Community College shooting that took place in October 2015. Textual analysis is used to compare stories from The Roseburg News-Review and the New York Times in terms of the narrative’s movement from breach, crisis, redress and finally to either reintegration or separation. This study finds that narrative patterns for the local and national newspapers do not parallel, suggesting differences in role perceptions. Instead, journalistic ritual is subject to the crisis, proximity to the tragedy and audience. The local outlet reinforces consensus with authority by focusing on victims and the grieving process to achieve the social good of healing and recovery; and the national newspaper challenges the status quo by focusing on the shooter and legislative reform. While the News-Review reaches reintegration by achieving a sense of normalcy, the New York Times stalls in a state of liminality. Both papers move the discourse on school shootings toward a societal ideal though neither narrative reaches the transformative discourse that has invoked national reflexivity noted in past instances of tragedy.
What drives selection of online children’s news articles?
Authors: van’t Riet Jonathan , Kleemans Mariska
Published: April 2021

Individual news consumers’ decisions to select specific news articles online are an important part of the present journalistic landscape, spurring scholars’ interest in ‘selective exposure’ and the factors that influence news selection. In the present study, we investigated predictors of young news consumers’ self-selection of individual news articles. We used a dataset containing information on upwards of 18,000 news articles that were published in the smartphone and tablet application of the Dutch children’s news television program. The dataset contained the headline of each published news article and the number of views that the article generated in the application. This made it possible to investigate which characteristics of the headlines were predictive of children’s selection of the article, that is, number of views. In particular, we investigated the effects of emotion and exemplification on selection. The results showed that anxiety-related information and the use of exemplars significantly increased an article’s likelihood of being selected by young news consumers. Information related to anger, sadness and positive affect did not significantly predict selection.
A pilot study of an anti-endotoxin Ig-enriched bovine colostrum to prevent experimental sepsis
Authors: Cross Alan S , Opal Steven M , Palardy John E , Shridhar Surekha , Baliban Scott M , Scott Alison J , Chahin Abdullah B , Ernst Robert K
Published: April 2021

Despite the dramatic increase in antimicrobial resistance, there is a dearth of antibiotics in development and few pharmaceutical companies working in the field. Further, any new antibiotics are likely to have a short shelf life. Ab-based interventions offer alternatives that are not likely to be circumvented by the widely prevalent antibiotic resistance genes. Bovine colostrum (BC)—the first milk after parturition, rich in nutrients and immune components—promotes gut integrity and modulates the gut microbiome. We developed a hyperimmune BC (HBC) enriched in Abs to a highly conserved LOS core region of Gram-negative bacteria by immunizing pregnant cows with a vaccine comprised of detoxified LOS from Escherichia coli O111 Rc (J5) mutant non-covalently complexed to group B meningococcal outer membrane protein (J5dLOS/OMP). This vaccine generated robust levels of anti-J5 LOS Ab in the colostrum. When given orally to neutropenic rats challenged orally with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, administration of HBC improved survival compared to non-immune rats, while both BC preparations improved survival compared to PBS controls. Elevated circulating endotoxin levels correlated with mortality. HBC and to a lesser extent non-immune BC reduced bacterial burden from the liver, lung, and spleen. We conclude that HBC and to a lesser extent BC may be effective supplements that improve outcome from lethal gut-derived disseminated infection and may reduce transmission of Gram-negative bacilli from the gastrointestinal tract.
Osteopathic medicine for fibromyalgia: a sham-controlled randomized clinical trial
Authors: Coste Joël , Medkour Terkia , Maigne Jean-Yves , Pérez Marc , Laroche Françoise , Perrot Serge
Published: April 2021

Background:

Patients with fibromyalgia (FM) frequently resort to osteopathic or chiropractic treatment, despite very weak supporting evidence. We aimed to assess the efficacy of osteopathic manipulation in FM in a properly controlled and powered randomized clinical trial.

Methods:

Patients were randomized to osteopathic or sham treatment. Treatment was administered by experienced physical medicine physicians, and consisted of six sessions per patient, over 6 weeks. Treatment credibility and expectancy were repeatedly evaluated. Patients completed standardized questionnaires at baseline, during treatment, and at 6, 12, 24, and 52 weeks after randomization. The primary outcome was pain intensity (100-mm visual analog scale) during the treatment period. Secondary outcomes included fatigue, functioning, and health-related quality of life. We performed primarily intention-to-treat analyses adjusted for credibility, using multiple imputation for missing data.

Results:

In total, 101 patients (94% women) were included. Osteopathic treatment did not significantly decrease pain relative to sham treatment (mean difference during treatment: −2.2 mm; 95% confidence interval, −9.1 to 4.6 mm). No significant differences were observed for secondary outcomes. No serious adverse events were observed, despite a likely rebound in pain and altered functioning at week 12 in patients treated by osteopathy. Patient expectancy was predictive of pain during treatment, with a decrease of 12.9 mm (4.4–21.5 mm) per 10 points on the 0–30 scale. Treatment credibility and expectancy were also predictive of several secondary outcomes.

Conclusion:

Osteopathy conferred no benefit over sham treatment for pain, fatigue, functioning, and quality of life in patients with FM. These findings do not support the use of osteopathy to treat these patients. More attention should be paid to the expectancy of patients in FM management.
The Structural Dilemma of Citizen Participation: The Interactive Influence of Social Status and Subjective Social Mobility
Authors: Tan Xuyun , Dou Xuejiao , Zhang Yue , Xing Cai , Bai Baoyu , Miao Ruikai
Published: April 2021

In the context of rapid social change, the perception of social stratification has far-reaching and complex influences on human psychology and behavior, including citizen participation. The current research explored the interactive influence of social status and subjective social mobility on citizen participation. Two studies used experimental methods to manipulate subjective social mobility and social status, respectively, to examine the interactive effect. Taken together, the results of both studies revealed that the interaction between social status and subjective social mobility had a significant influence on citizen participation: whereas citizen participation with high social status was not affected by subjective social mobility, citizen participation with low social status decreased with increases in subjective social mobility. This research established a combined dynamic and static analysis framework of social stratification structure, elucidating the current status of citizen participation under the influence of the interaction between social status and subjective social mobility, and providing a countermeasure reference for effectively promoting citizen participation.
Pulmonary arterial hypertension in pregnancy—a systematic review of outcomes in the modern era
Authors: Low Ting‐Ting , Guron Nita , Ducas Robin , Yamamura Kenichiro , Charla Pradeepkumar , Granton John , Silversides Candice K
Published: April 2021

Pregnancy is hazardous with pulmonary arterial hypertension, but maternal mortality may have fallen in recent years. We sought to systematically evaluate pulmonary arterial hypertension and pregnancy‐related outcomes in the last decade. We searched for articles describing outcomes in pregnancy cohorts published between 2008 and 2018. A total of 3658 titles were screened and 13 studies included for analysis. Pooled incidences and percentages of maternal and perinatal outcomes were calculated. Results showed that out of 272 pregnancies, 214 pregnancies advanced beyond 20 gestational weeks. The mean maternal age was 28 ± 2 years, mean pulmonary artery systolic pressure on echocardiogram was 76 ± 19 mmHg. Etiologies include idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (22%), congenital heart disease (64%), and others (15%). Majority (74%) had good functional class I/II. Only 48% of women received pulmonary arterial hypertension‐specific therapy. Premature deliveries occur in 58% of pregnancies at mean of 34 ± 1 weeks, most (76%) had Cesarean section. Maternal mortality rate was 12% overall (n = 26); even higher for idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension etiology alone (20%). Reported causes of death included right heart failure, cardiac arrest, pulmonary arterial hypertension crises, pre‐eclampsia, and sepsis; 61% of maternal deaths occur at 0–4 days postpartum. Stillbirth rate was 3% and neonatal mortality rate was 1%. In conclusion, pulmonary arterial hypertension in pregnancy continues to be perilous with high maternal mortality rate. Continued prospective studies are needed.
Environmental Education and Women: Voices From Pakistan
Authors: Imran Muhammad , Akhtar Samina , Chen Yuee , Ahmad Shabbir
Published: April 2021

This article aims at investigating the relevance of a gender perspective in societies where women are mainly responsible for the household and childcare. For this purpose, the activities of two environmental and women’s empowerment–related nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) from Pakistan, Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) and Aurat (woman) Foundation, have been investigated with the help of a case study methodology. Semi-structured interviews have been conducted with 12 females. Through a feminist approach, this study analyzes the goals, scope, and programs of the selected NGOs in environmental education, ecofeminism, and women’s empowerment. Empirical results suggest that when a woman is environmental-aware, she has the potential to make more sustainable choices, and thus educate other members of the family.
Leaching of nanoparticles from nano-enabled products for the protection of cultural heritage surfaces: a review
Authors: Brunelli Andrea , Calgaro Loris , Semenzin Elena , Cazzagon Virginia , Giubilato Elisa , Marcomini Antonio , Badetti Elena
Published: April 2021

The development of highly innovative techniques and technologies to enhance performance and technical sustainability of materials used in the field of cultural heritage conservation is providing conservators with innovative nanocomposites materials, including protective coatings, by merging the performances of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) with conventional chemicals. However, the human health and environmental risks that may potentially arise from these new materials are still largely unknown, requiring an adequate assessment and management along their entire life cycle. Concerns could emerge due to the leaching of the material containing NPs or of the NPs alone, especially during their use (exposure of the treated object to, e.g., heavy or acid rain) and disposal (when the wasted product is processed in, e.g., waste water treatment plants). To date, no standard leaching test methods have been specifically developed for nano-enabled products, with the consequent lack of data on the NPs potential exposure also in the field of cultural heritage. Therefore, an extensive review over the last 10 years by querying to the Scopus database “nanoparticles”, “leaching” and “coatings” has been herein reported to clearly highlight (i) the standard test methods used or adapted to estimate the NPs leaching from nano-based coatings; (ii) the available studies in which the NPs leaching from nano-based coatings was estimated without following any specific standard test method; (iii) the works focusing on other nanocomposite materials performances than leaching, in which standard test methods were applied, potentially useful to indirectly estimate NPs leaching. All the information gathered by this bibliographic search have been used to identify the most promising leaching tests for NPs estimation to be applied in the field of cultural heritage, especially for both large, e.g., building façades, and small, e.g., bronze works of art, surface areas from which the leaching of nano-based materials could be significant in terms of human health and ecological risks, based also on the (eco)toxicity of the leachate. The derived information can thus ultimately support effective risk management of innovative nano-enabled products, including the implementation of Safe by Design approaches.
Resistance‐guided isolation and characterization of antibiotic‐producing bacteria from river sediments
Authors: Arefa Nowreen , Sarker Ashish Kumar , Rahman Md. Ajijur
Published: April 2021

Background

To tackle the problem of antibiotic resistance, an extensive search for novel antibiotics is one of the top research priorities. Around 60% of the antibiotics used today were obtained from the genus Streptomyces. The river sediments of Bangladesh are still an unexplored source for antibiotic-producing bacteria (APB). This study aimed to isolate novel APB from Padma and Kapotakkho river sediments having the potential to produce antibacterial compounds with known scaffolds by manipulating their self-protection mechanisms.

Results

The antibiotic supplemented starch-casein-nitrate agar (SCNA) media were used to isolate antibiotic-resistant APB from the river sediments. The colonies having Streptomyces-like morphology were selectively purified and their antagonistic activity was screened against a range of test bacteria using the cross-streaking method. A notable decrease of the colony-forming units (CFUs) in the antibiotic supplemented SCNA plates compared to control plates (where added antibiotics were absent) was observed. A total of three azithromycin resistant (AZR) and nine meropenem resistant (MPR) isolates were purified and their antagonistic activity was investigated against a series of test bacteria including Shigella brodie, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas sp., Proteus sp., Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus cereus. All the AZR isolates and all but two MPR isolates exhibited moderate to high broad-spectrum activity. Among the isolates, 16S rDNA sequencing of NAr5 and NAr6 were performed to identify them up to species level. The analyses of the sequences revealed that both belong to the genus Streptomyces.

Conclusions

The results from these studies suggest that manipulation of the self-resistance property of APB is an easy and quick method to search for novel APB having the potential to produce potentially novel antibacterial compounds with known scaffolds.