bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Performance Rewards of Human Capital Development in the Federal Government
Authors: Wesemann Andrew
Published: August 2021

Human capital is one of the most vital assets an organization possesses. Research has demonstrated that human capital is directly related to performance. Thus, there is a clear incentive for organizations to grow their human capital levels. Not surprisingly, then, organizations have created and employed a wide variety of managerial practices focused on further developing human capital within their employees. Yet even as the U.S. government faces forthcoming human capital shortages due to the ongoing retirements of a large segment of its workforce, empirical research investigating the impact of commonly used human capital development practices on performance in the public sector is scarce. Therefore, to gain a deeper understanding of this dynamic relationship, using U.S. federal personnel data, this study analyzes the impact of human capital development practices on agency performance. The results of longitudinal econometric analyses suggest that human capital development practices have positive effects on agency performance.
Assessment of Axillary Lymph Nodes for Metastasis on Ultrasound Using Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Tahmasebi Aylin , Qu Enze , Sevrukov Alexander , Liu Ji-Bin , Wang Shuo , Lyshchik Andrej , Yu Joshua , Eisenbrey John R.
Published: August 2021

The purpose of this study was to evaluate an artificial intelligence (AI) system for the classification of axillary lymph nodes on ultrasound compared to radiologists. Ultrasound images of 317 axillary lymph nodes from patients referred for ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration or core needle biopsy and corresponding pathology findings were collected. Lymph nodes were classified into benign and malignant groups with histopathological result serving as the reference. Google Cloud AutoML Vision (Mountain View, CA) was used for AI image classification. Three experienced radiologists also classified the images and gave a level of suspicion score (1–5). To test the accuracy of AI, an external testing dataset of 64 images from 64 independent patients was evaluated by three AI models and the three readers. The diagnostic performance of AI and the humans were then quantified using receiver operating characteristics curves. In the complete set of 317 images, AutoML achieved a sensitivity of 77.1%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 77.1%, and an area under the precision recall curve of 0.78, while the three radiologists showed a sensitivity of 87.8% ± 8.5%, specificity of 50.3% ± 16.4%, PPV of 61.1% ± 5.4%, negative predictive value (NPV) of 84.1% ± 6.6%, and accuracy of 67.7% ± 5.7%. In the three external independent test sets, AI and human readers achieved sensitivity of 74.0% ± 0.14% versus 89.9% ± 0.06% ( p = .25), specificity of 64.4% ± 0.11% versus 50.1 ± 0.20% ( p = .22), PPV of 68.3% ± 0.04% versus 65.4 ± 0.07% ( p = .50), NPV of 72.6% ± 0.11% versus 82.1% ± 0.08% ( p = .33), and accuracy of 69.5% ± 0.06% versus 70.1% ± 0.07% ( p = .90), respectively. These preliminary results indicate AI has comparable performance to trained radiologists and could be used to predict the presence of metastasis in ultrasound images of axillary lymph nodes.
Attribution of Responsibility for Pick Up Artist Issues in China: The Impacts of Journalist Gender, Geographical Location, and Publication Range
Authors: Xia Shilin , Chen Tianen
Published: August 2021

Pick-up artists (PUAs) apply strategies from evolutionary psychology to exploit women emotionally, sexually, and financially. In China, PUA issues have been garnering attention from journalists and news media. However, scholars have yet to explore how such issues have been portrayed in Chinese online news media, in particular the attribution of responsibility. The current study content-analyzed 115 Chinese online news articles related to PUA issues to explore whom the responsibility for causing and solving the issue is attributed, and investigated the influence of journalist gender, geographical location, and publication range on the attribution of responsibility. The results indicated that (a) the responsibility for both causing and solving the issue was attributed to perpetrators and the society frequently and to victims sporadically and (b) the attribution of responsibility differs across geographical locations or when the news websites are national as opposed to provincial. Directions for future studies were discussed.
Personalization of Medical Treatment Decisions: Simplifying Complex Models while Maintaining Patient Health Outcomes
Authors: Weyant Christopher , Brandeau Margaret L.
Published: August 2021

Background

Personalizing medical treatments based on patient-specific risks and preferences can improve patient health. However, models to support personalized treatment decisions are often complex and difficult to interpret, limiting their clinical application.

Methods

We present a new method, using machine learning to create meta-models, for simplifying complex models for personalizing medical treatment decisions. We consider simple interpretable models, interpretable ensemble models, and noninterpretable ensemble models. We use variable selection with a penalty for patient-specific risks and/or preferences that are difficult, risky, or costly to obtain. We interpret the meta-models to the extent permitted by their model architectures. We illustrate our method by applying it to simplify a previously developed model for personalized selection of antipsychotic drugs for patients with schizophrenia.

Results

The best simplified interpretable, interpretable ensemble, and noninterpretable ensemble models contained at most half the number of patient-specific risks and preferences compared with the original model. The simplified models achieved 60.5% (95% credible interval [crI]: 55.2–65.4), 60.8% (95% crI: 55.5–65.7), and 83.8% (95% crI: 80.8–86.6), respectively, of the net health benefit of the original model (quality-adjusted life-years gained). Important variables in all models were similar and made intuitive sense. Computation time for the meta-models was orders of magnitude less than for the original model.

Limitations

The simplified models share the limitations of the original model (e.g., potential biases).

Conclusions

Our meta-modeling method is disease- and model- agnostic and can be used to simplify complex models for personalization, allowing for variable selection in addition to improved model interpretability and computational performance. Simplified models may be more likely to be adopted in clinical settings and can help improve equity in patient outcomes.
Delta-volume radiomics of induction chemotherapy to predict outcome of subsequent chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced hypopharyngeal cancer
Authors: Su Che-Wei , Lee Jehn-Chuan , Chang Yi-Fang , Su Nai-Wen , Lee Pei-Hsuan , Dai Kun-Yao , Tai Hung-Chi , Leu Yi-Shing , Chen Yu-Jen
Published: August 2021

Introduction:

Induction chemotherapy (IC) followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) is recommended for larynx-preserving treatment of locally advanced hypopharyngeal cancer (LAHC). However, the conventional evaluation of response is not robust enough to predict the outcome of subsequent treatments. This study aimed to develop an imaging biomarker using changes in radiomic features in invasive tumor front (ITF) by IC to predict treatment outcome of subsequent CCRT in LAHC.

Methods:

From 2006 to 2018, 59 computed tomography (CT) scan images before and after IC in patients with LAHC were used to contour the gross tumor volumes (GTVs). A total of 48 delta-volume radiomics features were acquired from the absolute spatial difference of GTVs (delta-GTV) before and after IC, conceptually representing a consistent portion of ITF. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression (LASSO) was used to select features for establishing the model generating radiomic score (R score).

Results:

A model including 5 radiomic features from delta-GTV to predict better progression-free survival (PFS) of patients receiving subsequent CCRT was established. The R score was validated with all datasets (area under the curve 0.77). Low R score (<–0.16) was associated with improved PFS ( p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

The established radiomic model for ITF from radiomic features of delta-GTV after IC might be a potential imaging biomarker for predicting clinical outcome of subsequent CCRT in LAHC.
Preferences toward Bus Alternatives in Rural Areas of the Netherlands: A Stated Choice Experiment
Authors: Bronsvoort Kristel , Alonso-González María , Van Oort Niels , Molin Eric , Hoogendoorn Serge
Published: August 2021

Public transport in rural areas is under pressure because demand is low and dispersed. To reduce costs, flexible and on-demand services are often proposed as alternatives for conventional bus services. Conventional services are generally not suitable for rural areas, because the demand is low and dispersed. In this paper, a stated preference survey is designed to identify the preferences of rural bus users for alternative services. Other than the traditional bus, two other modes are included in this study: a demand responsive transport (DRT) service and an express bus service with bike-sharing services for last mile transport. Given the on-demand nature of these alternatives, flexibility- and reliability-related attributes are included in the stated preference survey. The results from the choice model indicate that the reliability and flexibility aspects do not have a large effect on the preference for the on-demand alternatives. Instead, cost, access and egress times, and in-vehicle time play a bigger role in individuals’ preferences toward the different alternatives. A sensitivity analysis shows that changes in the operational characteristics can make the on-demand alternatives more attractive. However, many bus users still prefer the conventional bus service over the on-demand alternatives.
Early Failure of a Polyvinyl Alcohol Hydrogel Implant With Osteolysis and Foreign Body Reactions in an Ovine Model of Cartilage Repair
Authors: Cercone Marta , Chevalier Jacqueline , Kennedy John G. , Miller Andrew D. , Fortier Lisa A.
Published: August 2021

Background:

Hemiarthroplasty using a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel synthetic implant has been suggested as a good alternative to arthrodesis for the treatment of hallux rigidus. However, failure rates as high as 20% have been recorded.

Purpose:

To characterize the pathological processes in bone, cartilage, and the synovial membrane after PVA hemiarthroplasty in an ovine model with 6 months of follow-up.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

A unilateral osteochondral defect (8-mm diameter × 10-mm depth) was made in the medial femoral condyle in 6 sheep. Animals were randomized to receive a PVA implant (n = 4) or to have an empty defect (n = 2) and were monitored for 6 months. Patellofemoral radiographs were obtained at monthly intervals, and quantitative computed tomography was performed at the end of the study. After death, the joints were macroscopically evaluated and scored. Osteochondral and synovial membrane histological findings were assessed using modified Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) and aseptic lymphocyte-dominated vasculitis-associated lesion (ALVAL) scoring systems. Immunohistochemistry using Iba1 was performed to evaluate activated macrophage infiltration.

Results:

Overall, 2 sheep with PVA implants were euthanized at 1 and 5 months because of uncontrollable pain and lameness (failed implants). Quantitative computed tomography showed that sheep with failed implants had 2.1-fold more osteolysis than those with successful implants. The sheep with failed implants had osteoarthritis with extensive glycosaminoglycan loss and cartilage fibrillation of the condyle and opposing tibial surface on histological examination. A foreign body reaction with severe chronic lymphoplasmacytic and granulomatous inflammation with giant cells was detected surrounding the implant. The synovial membrane ALVAL score was 9 of 19 and 14 of 19 in failed implants with synovial hyperplasia and lymphoplasmacytic and macrophage infiltration. In contrast, the synovial membrane in successful implants and empty defects was normal (ALVAL score = 0/19). Immunolabeling for Iba1 in failed implants confirmed extensive and dense macrophage infiltration within the condyle and synovial membrane, with the highest immunoreactive score (9/9).

Conclusion:

PVA hydrogel implants had a 50% failure rate with uncontrollable pain, severe osteolysis, inflammation, and foreign body reactions.

Clinical Relevance:

The failure rate and pathological characteristics of the PVA implants suggest that their use should not be continued in human patients without further in vivo safety studies.
Benchmarking Trauma in Child Welfare: A Brief Report
Authors: Dellor Elinam D. , Yoon Susan , Bunger Alicia C. , Himmeger Marla , Freishtler Bridget
Published: August 2021

Trauma exposure is common; however, considerably higher rates are reported in some vulnerable groups including adults and children involved in child welfare systems. In this context, early screening and service linkage may ameliorate its negative impact on the physical and mental well-being of adults and children alike. Using data from two Ohio-based child welfare interventions targeting co-occurring maltreatment and substance use (Ohio START 1 and EPIC2), the purpose of this brief report was to first describe the rate of trauma exposure among participating adults (Adverse Childhood Experiences or ACEs, N = 402), children 0–5 years (CTAC, N = 271) and youth 6–18 years (CTAC, N = 177), and second to benchmark observed rates against reported rates in other child welfare or similar populations across the United States. Results show that adults were exposed to 4.2 ACEs on average, a 24% increase over previous child welfare estimates. While mean CTAC scores were not significantly different among young children ages 0–5, older children reported on average 5.6 exposures which is 27% higher than previously reported estimates. Our findings highlight the difference in risk profiles between families involved child welfare due primarily to substance misuse and those without substance misuse concerns, or where substance misuse was not the primary cause of entry. We discuss implications for service provision and time-sensitive child welfare requirements.
The Impact of Main Street Revitalization on the Economic Vitality of Small-Town Business Districts
Authors: Van Leuven Andrew J.
Published: August 2021

The Main Street Program is a popular smaller-scale economic development strategy used to revitalize historic town centers across the rural United States. In this article, a difference-in-differences design using longitudinal business establishment data is implemented to estimate the program’s causal impact on job and establishment growth in downtown retail districts. Using a pooled sample of four Midwest states, the author found no significant effect of Main Street Program adoption on downtown jobs or establishments. However, for each individual state, a substantial degree of structural heterogeneity across states exists. Iowa emerges as a state where the Main Street Program appears to yield its hypothesized economic benefits to the downtown business districts of participating communities. These findings suggest that Main Street Program participation effects are not generalizable across states and that implementation and local context matter.
A systematic approach in remanufacturing for high efficiency and low cost: The selective parallel disassembly sequence planning
Authors: Zhang Lei , Wu Yuanfeng , Li Ziqi , Zheng Yu , Ren Yongqiang , Zhu Libin
Published: August 2021

With the growth of environmental awareness, remanufacturing and sustainable manufacturing have become hot issues. Disassembly is the first step and critical activity in remanufacturing. Traditional disassembly sequence planning (DSP) focusses on sequential disassembly. However, it is inefficient for complicated products because only one manipulator is employed to execute disassembly operations. Thus, this work focusses on parallel DSP (PDSP) and proposes a selective parallel disassembly sequence planning (SPDSP) methodology, which performs disassembly compared to sequential DSP and PDSP. In this paper, a mathematical model is used to describe the constraint and precedence relationships, and a parallel sequence model is designed for parallel disassembly. A novel hybrid genetic algorithm (NHGA) based-multi-objective model of SPDSP is proposed for optimisation. In this model, two indicators are integrated: disassembly time (including basic disassembly time, tool exchange time and direction change time) and disassembly costs. A transmission box is used as an instance, and a comparison with conventional genetic algorithm (GA), simulated annealing (SA) and tabu search (TS) is made to validate the practicality of the proposed methodology.
Investigation of fuel injection rate identification algorithm based on rail pressure fluctuation characteristics induced by injection
Authors: Ma Xuejian , Lei Yan , Qiu Tao , Wang Jingen , Yue Guangzhao
Published: August 2021

As an important part of the common-rail (CR) fuel system for diesel engines, the injector circulation capacity and the fuel injection mass flow rate vary with carbon deposition and wear, affecting the engine output performance. This study proposes a method to identify the fuel injection rate online, based on the rail pressure fluctuation characteristics induced by fuel injection. The control algorithm uses the signal from the existing rail pressure sensor; the diesel engine does not require modification or additional sensors. A quasi-dimensional model of the CR fuel system was built to analyse the rail pressure wave fluctuation characteristics, and a parameter K was defined as the pressure drop rate. Based on K, a control algorithm was proposed. A high-pressure fuel pump test rig was built to test the fuel injection performance under different operating conditions, and the experimental data were processed by wavelet transform. From the test data, the K of the CR system was analysed using the feedback of the rail pressure sensor. The experimental results show that the value of K increases with an increase in the initial pressure and injection pulse, and is independent of the injection mode. The algorithm is feasible, and works more accurately with a longer injection pulse and a lower pump speed. This method uses the existing rail pressure sensor, does not incur extra cost and has great potential for improving the injection accuracy.
Use of measured accelerations from a passenger rail car to evaluate ride quality and track roughness – A case study
Authors: Haji Abdulrazagh Parisa , Hendry Michael T , Gül Mustafa , Roghani Alireza , Toma Elton
Published: August 2021

Increasing traffic and speeds on passenger rail lines, and a short season for maintenance work, have motivated the industry to find new methods to assess the condition of existing infrastructure and determine where upgrades are required. In this study, acceleration data from the car body and axle boxes of a revenue car over 92 km of a Canadian passenger rail route in Ontario were collected for two purposes: first, to apply weighted filtering method according to ISO 2631-1997 standard as a technique to determine the locations which highly impact the ride quality and to investigate the effect of type of track features and speed on the ride quality; second, a new analytical method called the envelope of acceleration was applied to use the recorded accelerations to evaluate the alignment and surface roughness along the track. Since the alignment and surface roughness values are always positive and are calculated over a specified length (e.g. 9.5 m, 18.9 m, 38 m) an envelope technique was employed which uses spline interpolations over local maxima of the absolute magnitude of accelerations at every separated n samples corresponding to best fit with track roughness. The regression analysis between the envelope of accelerations and alignment and surface roughness presented a meaningful correlation and showed the applied method is a promising analytical technique to indicate rough sections of the track. The limitations to the application of envelope of acceleration are also discussed.
Non-Fourier bioheat model for bone grinding with application to skull base neurosurgery
Authors: Kabiri Ali , Talaee Mohammad Reza
Published: August 2021

Bone grinding is used to remove the skull bone and access tumors through the nasal passage during cranial base neurosurgery. The generated heat of the spherical diamond tool propagates and could damage the nerves or coagulate the arteries blood. Little is known about the non-Fourier behavior of heat propagation during bone grinding. Therefore, this study develops an analytical model of the hyperbolic Pennes bioheat transfer equation (HPBTE) to calculate the three-dimensional temperature and necrosis in the grinding region. In vitro experimental investigations were carried out, and the contact zone temperature was measured using an infrared thermography system to validate the proposed thermal model. The results demonstrate that the HPBTE provides more reliable temperature evaluation and thermal damage than Fourier or parabolic heat transfer equation (PHTE). Due to the low thermal diffusivity of the bone, the lower grinding feed rate leads to higher temperature amplitude and a smaller radius of the affected zone in the surface and depth of the bone. Also, the intensity of bone necrosis decreases with the increase of the feed rate, and the shape of the damage zone becomes stretched. This analytical model can assess the potential risk of the surgery before clinical trials. Also, it could be used for comparing the different operating conditions to minimize bone necrosis and improve the control process in neurosurgeries.
Congenital Nephrotic Syndrome and the Heart: Lest We Forget!
Authors: Bhattacharya Deepanjan , Kaur Anit , Dawman Lesa , Tiewsoh Karalanglin
Published: August 2021

We report a 2-month-old girl, presenting with anasarca in the early infancy, and was diagnosed to have congenital nephrotic syndrome. In view of a systolic murmur, echocardiography was done which revealed ostium secundum atrial septal defect and branch pulmonary artery stenosis. Genetic analysis was suggestive of single base pair duplication, resulting into frame shift mutation of NPHS1 (nephrin) gene.
Is Distance to Secondary School a Barrier to Secondary and Higher Education in India?
Authors: Das Bibhunandini , Das Amarendra
Published: August 2021

This article has examined the implications of distance to secondary school on the achievement of secondary and higher education in India. Using the 71st round of National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) data, the article found that distance to secondary school beyond 2–3 km reduces the chances of getting secondary and higher education. For female members, secondary schools located beyond 2–3 km become a barrier to secondary and higher education; however, the distance beyond 5 km matters for male members. Economically better-off households and larger households have higher chances of completing secondary and higher education. Scheduled tribe households and households with casual workers have fewer chances of getting secondary or higher education. The households living in states with better transport facilities to the secondary schools have higher chances of getting secondary and higher education.
Rethinking the measurement of occupational task content
Authors: Haslberger Matthias
Published: August 2021

Which tasks workers perform in their jobs is critical for how technological change plays out in the labour market. This article critically reviews existing measures of occupational task content and makes the case for rethinking how this concept is operationalised. It identifies serious shortcomings relating to the theoretical content and the empirical implementation of existing measures. Based on survey data from European Union countries between 2000 and 2015, it then introduces novel measures of routine task intensity and task complexity at the International Standard Classification of Occupations 1988 two-digit level that address these shortcomings. The indices will contribute to a more theoretically informed understanding of technological change and benefit both labour economists and sociologists in investigating the nature of recent technological change.
Molecular characterization of Sarcocystis spp. as a cause of protozoal encephalitis in a free-ranging black bear
Authors: Greenfield Jordan B. , Anderson Madison V. , Dorey Emily A. , Redman Elizabeth , Gilleard John S. , Nemeth Nicole M. , Rothenburger Jamie L.
Published: August 2021

A free-ranging juvenile male black bear ( Ursus americanus), found dead in Alberta, Canada, had severe nonsuppurative encephalitis. Lesions in the brain were most severe in the gray matter of the cerebral cortex, and included perivascular cuffs of lymphocytes and plasma cells, areas of gliosis that disrupted the neuropil, and intralesional protozoan schizonts. The left hindlimb had suppurative myositis associated with Streptococcus halichoeri. Immunohistochemistry and molecular analyses (PCR and sequencing of 4 discriminatory loci: 18S rDNA, ITS-1 rDNA, cox1, rpoB) identified Sarcocystis canis or a very closely related Sarcocystis sp. in the affected muscle and brain tissues. The main lesion described in previously reported cases of fatal sarcocystosis in bears was necrotizing hepatitis. Fatal encephalitis associated with this parasite represents a novel presentation of sarcocystosis in bears. Sarcocystosis should be considered a differential diagnosis for nonsuppurative encephalitis in bears.
Cognitive Processing in Digital Audio Workstation Composing
Authors: Duncan Renee
Published: August 2021

Music teachers have been thrust into a new world where digital learning is the new normal and use of technology has become more necessity than an added extra. While there are many new resources available, sometimes reexamining those more familiar can help repurpose them for digital learning. This article unearths the cognitive processes that occur when students interact with digital audio workstations (GarageBand and Soundtrap) both in classrooms and through online learning. The contents explicitly identify how cognitive processes might manifest in students’ learning, engagement, and work produced from two such programs: GarageBand and Soundtrap. The intent is to provide music educators with a practical and accessible resource to help guide an electronic composing curriculum.
Expectations of an Online-Self-Management Program for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Chen Su-Hui , Yu Kuang-Hui , Lee Yi-Hui , Shao Jung-Hua
Published: August 2021

This qualitative descriptive study aimed to explore expectations of patients and healthcare experts for an online self-management program for rheumatoid arthritis. Participants were recruited from rheumatology clinics, medical centers, and universities in Taiwan. Individual face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients ( n = 16) and healthcare experts ( n = 7). Content analysis of the interview data resulted in five subthemes for expectations of an online self-management program: information about how the disease trajectory would impact future health status, availability of opportunities for self-monitoring, opportunities to interact with fellow patients and healthcare providers, simplicity and ease-of-use of the program, and methods to facilitate patient-motivation. These subthemes formulated two overarching themes: content and format. An online self-management program for patients with rheumatoid arthritis should provide evidence-based information about disease variables and behaviors aligned with the specific needs of the individual and adopt strategies that encourage and increase motivation and confidence.
Self-Examination of Music Methods Teaching in a Reggio Emilia-Inspired Learning Community
Authors: Wolfe H. Ellie , Munroe Angela , Waters Heather D.
Published: August 2021

Music teacher educators have taken different approaches to enrich teaching-specific reflective practice through peer collaboration. In this study, three music teacher educators examined their experiences with the process of pedagogical documentation, a form of collaborative professional development from the Reggio Emilia Approach (REA). They met via video conferencing over the course of a semester to review key concepts related to the REA, share student artifacts, and discuss teaching contexts and considerations. Through this collaboration, participants found space for sharing successes, supporting personal reflection, troubleshooting, and revisiting ideas related to teaching and learning. They deepened their attunement to how teaching contexts continually shift and the affordances and challenges of incorporating the hundred languages (a concept from REA) in higher education.
Effectiveness of Educational Programs for Clinical Competence in Family Nursing: A Systematic Review
Authors: Gutiérrez-Alemán Teresa , Esandi Nuria , Pardavila-Belio Miren I. , Pueyo-Garrigues María , Canga-Armayor Navidad , Alfaro-Díaz Cristina , Canga-Armayor Ana
Published: August 2021

Evidence shows that applying family nursing theory to practice benefits the patient, the family, and nursing professionals, yet the implementation of family nursing in clinical practice settings is inconsistent and limited. One of the contributing factors may be related to insufficient or inadequate educational programs focused on family nursing. This article presents a systematic review of the research that has examined the effectiveness of family nursing educational programs aimed at promoting clinical competence in family nursing. Six databases were systematically searched and 14 studies met the inclusion criteria, generating three themes: general study characteristics, educational program components, and outcome measures. These educational programs reported effectiveness in developing family nursing knowledge, skills, and attitudes, but did not evaluate the nurses’ actual acquisition and implementation of family nursing clinical competencies. This review offers relevant implications for research and for family nursing education, especially when designing and evaluating future educational programs. Future research must more closely address the process and outcomes of best educational practices in family nursing education and how these are applied and evaluated in actual practice settings.
Factors Associated With the Intention to Begin Physical Activity Among Inactive Middle-Aged and Older Adults
Authors: Massie Ariane S. , Johnston Heather , Sibley Daniel , Meisner Brad A.
Published: August 2021

Factors that affect physical activity (PA) behavior change are well established. Behavioral intention is a strong psychological predictor of behavior; however, there is less research on the factors that affect the intention to increase PA participation specifically, especially among adults in mid and later life who are inactive. Using data from the Canadian Community Health Survey, which was informed by the transtheoretical model (TTM), this study investigated the relationships between a range of demographic and biopsychosocial factors with the intention to become physically active among 1,159 inactive adults aged 40 years and older. Comparisons were made between participants reporting the intention to begin PA in the next 30 days (TTM Preparation; n = 610), 6 months (TTM Contemplation; n = 216), or not at all (TTM Precontemplation; n = 333). First, multinomial logistic regression identified age, sex, ethnicity, education, restriction of activities, self-perceived health, and community belonging as factors significantly associated with 30-day PA intention, while age and ethnicity were significantly associated with 6-month PA intention, compared with those reporting no intention. Second, binary logistic regression revealed that education was the only factor that differentially associated with intention timeframe as participants with lower levels of education were less likely to report PA intention in 30 days compared with 6 months. Findings demonstrate key demographic, biopsychosocial, and temporal factors that warrant consideration for tailored PA promotion programs that aim to effectively address the constraints and barriers that negatively influence PA intention among middle-aged and older adults.
Personal Freedom and Social Responsibility in Slowing the Spread of COVID-19: A Rapid Qualitative Study
Authors: Vázquez Evelyn , Chobdee Julie , Nasrollahzadeh Niloufar , Cheney Ann
Published: August 2021

This rapid qualitative exploratory study focused on perceptions of adopting risk-reduction measures, such as face masks, on campuses within institutions of higher education in the United States. It was intended to identify safety measures to reduce virus spread and develop community-informed public health messaging to promote COVID-19 risk-reduction strategies within campus communities. This study was approved by the institutional review board where the study took place. A total of 113 stakeholders, including students, staff, and faculty attended one of nine focus groups. We use the socioecological model to illustrate the use of COVID-19 public health measures in private and public spaces and how macro-level processes, specifically sociocultural values of personal freedom and social responsibility shape the meaning and interpretation of COVID-19 public health measures. A rapid qualitative data analysis was conducted. This analysis was characterized by three steps: (1) transcription of the interviews, (2) completion of a summary template per focus group analysis (data reduction strategy), and (3) matrix analyses involving a cross-case analysis of the nine focus groups conducted. Based on study findings, we offer community-centered recommendations for safe and healthy reopening of large public research institutions. This article contributes to the foundation of scientific literature that qualitatively describes evidence-based strategies for safe reopening of places of education and employment in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Multifocal choroiditis and choroidal tuberculoma: Signs of presumed ocular tuberculosis
Authors: Belmonte Grau Marta , Acebes García Muxima , Jacobo González Guijarro Juan
Published: August 2021

The diagnosis of OTB (Ocular tuberculosis) is usually difficult to make. Definitive diagnosis requires the identification of M. tuberculosis organisms in ocular tissues or fluids, but samples are often difficult to obtain, and biopsy may be hard to justify. We describe a 50-years-old Maghreb male, who presented a multifocal choroiditis associated with a choroidal tuberculoma on the left eye. Based on positive QuantiFERON-TB-Gold test and suggestive clinical and radiographic findings, a diagnosis of presumed ocular tuberculosis was made. Serial swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) and widefield fundus retinographies during subsequent follow-up visits demonstrated the characterization of the atypical tuberculosis presentation and allowed the assessment of response to antitubercular therapy and oral steroids.
Tunneled femoral dialysis catheter: Practical pointers
Authors: Radhakrishnan Yeshwanter , Dasari Jayaprakash , Anvari Evamaria , Vachharajani Tushar J
Published: August 2021

One of the most challenging aspects of providing end-stage kidney disease care is to achieve adequate long-term access to the bloodstream to support hemodialysis (HD) therapy. Although upper extremity arteriovenous fistula remains the vascular access of choice for patients on HD, complications such as central venous stenosis, access thrombosis, or exhaustion of suitable access sites in the upper extremity, ultimately result in pursuing vascular access creation in the lower extremity. The current review focuses on the indications, contraindications, and clinically relevant practical procedural tips to successfully place a tunneled femoral dialysis catheter. The review highlights some of the prevailing misconceptions regarding femoral catheter placement practices.
Pediatric paraneoplastic neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder associated with ovarian teratoma
Authors: Tardo Lauren , Wang Cynthia , Rajaram Veena , Greenberg Benjamin M
Published: August 2021

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder is an inflammatory condition of the central nervous system typically manifesting as myelitis, optic neuritis, and/or area postrema syndrome. Here, we present a pediatric patient who developed symptoms consistent with area postrema syndrome with positive anti-aquaporin-4 (AQP4) antibodies who was also found to have an ovarian teratoma. Pathological specimens revealed the presence of aquaporin-4. This was felt to be the antigenic trigger that led to the patient’s condition. She suffered no further clinical attacks and seroconverted to negative AQP4 status upon teratoma removal. This case varies from others, in that the paraneoplastic presentation occurred in a pediatric patient and in that the patient has not required maintenance immunotherapy after teratoma removal.
Psychological well-being in childhood: The role of trait emotional intelligence, regulatory emotional self-efficacy, coping and general intelligence
Authors: Pauletto Marina , Grassi Michele , Passolunghi Maria Chiara , Penolazzi Barbara
Published: August 2021

Given the increase of mental health problems in youth, focusing on the promotion of psychological well-being is essential. Among the variables recognized as linked to children’s psychological well-being, trait emotional intelligence, emotional self-efficacy and coping seem to be crucial, whereas the role played by intelligence is still controversial. In the present study, we explored the combined effects of these variables, aimed at disentangling their unique contribution to psychological well-being of 74 children (41 males, mean age: 9.03 years). We administered verbal and reasoning tests as intelligence measures and self-report questionnaires to assess trait emotional intelligence, regulatory emotional self-efficacy, coping styles, psychological well-being. Correlations revealed two independent clusters of variables: a first cluster including intelligence indexes and a second cluster including psychological well-being, trait emotional intelligence, regulatory emotional self-efficacy and adaptive coping styles. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that only trait emotional intelligence and positive restructuring coping style significantly contributed to psychological well-being. This study highlights that, unlike general intelligence, trait emotional intelligence was associated to psychological well-being, whereas coping styles play a negligible role in explaining this relationship. These findings are valuable in identifying the most relevant factors for children’s adjustment and in enhancing emotion-related aspects in interventions for psychological well-being promotion.
Defining empathy: Interconnected discourses of virtual reality’s prosocial impact
Authors: Foxman Maxwell , Markowitz David M , Davis Donna Z
Published: August 2021

While a consumer revolution in virtual reality (VR) has piqued the interest of many fields, industries, and professions, it is unclear when, how, and to what degree the technology can elicit empathy. To better understand how the relationship between VR and empathy is communicated and defined, we performed qualitative and quantitative thematic analyses on popular ( N = 640) and academic articles ( N = 53) that included both terms. Findings revealed empathy is an aspirational term for journalists and researchers to showcase the potential of immersive media for prosocial change. Writers in both corpora suggested that empathetic experiences could lead to prosocial action through VR, but do not consistently define or measure empathy, given the inherent complexities surrounding the term. Drawing on seminal research in the field, we conclude with a definition of empathy related to immersive media.
Virtual reality perspective-taking at scale: Effect of avatar representation, choice, and head movement on prosocial behaviors
Authors: Herrera Fernanda , Bailenson Jeremy N
Published: August 2021

The present investigation examined the effect of avatar representation, choice, and head movement on prosocial behaviors and measures of presence after a virtual reality perspective-taking (VRPT) task. Participants were either represented by a set of virtual hands or had no representation during a VRPT task. Of those with hands, only half were able to choose their skin tone. Results showed that there was no significant advantage to having an avatar representation. However, if participants had an avatar and were able to choose their own skin tone, a higher proportion of participants performed prosocial behaviors and reported higher social presence scores compared with participants who had no choice. Regardless of condition, head rotations significantly predicted petition signatures such that the more participants rotated their heads side to side, the more likely they were to sign the petition. Moreover, when participants do not consistently rotate their head side to side, the proportion of petitions signed is on par with individuals who do not complete a VRPT task at all.
Experiencing organ failure in virtual reality: Effects of self- versus other-embodied perspective taking on empathy and prosocial outcomes
Authors: Li Benjamin J , Kyung Kim Hye
Published: August 2021

This study capitalizes on the unique capability of virtual reality (VR) to examine the efficacy of self- versus other-embodied perspective taking in promoting kidney donation in Singapore. The study used a 2 (self- vs other-embodied) × 2 (mirror vs photo presentation) between-subjects VR experiment ( N = 128), wherein participants played the role of a patient needing a kidney donation, either as themselves or as a typical organ-failure patient. Our findings showed that self-embodied perspective taking triggered self-oriented emotions (i.e. personal distress) and subsequently egoistic motivations that resulted in alternative prosocial behaviors (e.g. monetary donation, volunteering) than kidney donation. We found that embodying the other, rather than the self, had the practical benefit of inducing other-oriented emotions (i.e. empathy) and hence altruistic motivations that promoted kidney donation. This study clarified the conditions under which embodied perspective taking promoted different prosocial outcomes, and the specific mechanisms through which it achieved those outcomes.
Voices of the unsung: The role of social presence and interactivity in building empathy in 360 video
Authors: Pimentel Daniel , Kalyanaraman Sri , Lee Yu-Hao , Halan Shiva
Published: August 2021

360 video is considered an “empathy machine,” in part because it places audiences in the perspective of the other. Despite its popularity, its influence on empathy is not fully understood. Two possible mechanisms driving empathy within 360 video are social presence (sense of being with others) and interactivity (degree of control over media content). To elucidate how 360 videos can encourage empathic outcomes through these factors, a 2 (social presence: high/low) × 2 (interactivity: high/low) between-subjects experiment ( N = 110) was conducted testing 360 videos about Alaskan climate change refugees. Results demonstrate that social presence contributes to prosocial behaviors (donations) through empathic concern, an effect augmented by interactivity. Unexpectedly, the social presence manipulation also contributed to greater perceived interactivity. Collectively, results are promising and elucidate the role of social presence and interactivity in immersive storytelling.
“Tying your ngemb”: Negotiating identity in Senegalese wrestling
Authors: Hann Mark , Chevé Dominique , Wane Cheikh T
Published: August 2021

More than merely a combat sport, Senegalese wrestling combines professional athleticism with cultural traditions, political relations, and religious belief. For many young men in Senegal, wrestling also represents a model of success in otherwise challenging circumstances characterized by socio-economic crisis and increasing precarity. Young wrestlers must navigate and perform an elaborate set of identities in order to demonstrate their success—both within the sand-filled arenas in which fights take place, and in the complex social worlds which have emerged around the practice. Referring to a panoply of identity markers including ethnicity, religious affiliation, and village or neighborhood loyalty, wrestlers simultaneously demonstrate their alignment with dominant discourses around masculinity and urban knowledge. The article draws upon lengthy ethnographic research to explore the dynamic, contradictory, and hybrid processes of identity construction through which wrestlers present themselves to the world.
Numerical and experimental investigations of the early injection process of Spray G in a constant volume chamber and an optically accessible DISI engine
Authors: Pati Andrea , Paredi Davide , Welch Cooper , Schmidt Marius , Geschwindner Christopher , Böhm Benjamin , Lucchini Tommaso , D’Errico Gianluca , Hasse Christian
Published: August 2021

In this work, the Engine Combustion Network Spray G injector was mounted in the Darmstadt optical-accessible engine to study phenomena typical of multi-hole, early direct-injection events in spark-ignition engines characterized by tumble flow charge motion. Dedicated experimental measurements of both in-cylinder spray morphology and flow velocities before and after the injection process were carried out to assess the adopted numerical setup under real engine conditions. A dynamic secondary breakup model from the literature was coupled with an atomization multi-motion regime model. The model was validated against state-of-the-art ECN Spray G experiments for a constant-volume chamber under low evaporating condition. Then, the simulation of the spray injection in the engine was carried out and the achieved results were compared against the experimental data. Overall, good agreement between experiments and simulations was observed for the spray morphology and velocity fields in both cases. With reference to engine calculations the intake flow was seen to induce spray asymmetry. A partial vortex generated during the intake phase on the tumble plane interacts with the spray, developing into a full vortex which induces an upward flow that stabilizes the spray. The upward flows below the intake valve increase the dilution of the plume outside the tumble plane, which therefore exhibits reduced penetration. Moreover, the intake valves protect from the energetic intake flow the recirculation vortex generated at the tip of the plumes that lie outside the tumble plane. The intake flow helps fuse the vapor fuel clouds of the individual plumes near the injector tip, obtaining a vapor fuel with a shape like that generated by a horseshoe multi-hole injector. Finally, a phenomenological model of the interaction between the multi-hole injector jets and the engine intake flow was introduced to describe the spray evolution in a typical DISI engine.