bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Longitudinal Predictors of Informant-Rated Everyday Function in Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Divers Ross M. , De Vito Alyssa N. , Pugh Erika A. , Robinson Anthony , Weitzner Daniel S. , Calamia Matthew R.
Published: April 2022

Objective

To examine predictors of informant-reported everyday functioning in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and relations between everyday function and conversion to dementia.

Methods

Informants of participants (n = 2614) with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) were administered the Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ). Changes in dimensions of functional ability as determined by an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were examined over 3 years and participant predictors of change were examined using multilevel modeling (MLM).

Results

The FAQ consisted of 3 factors, multistep, finance, and memory/orientation daily tasks. Impairment in memory/orientation tasks was significantly higher than impairment in multistep tasks. Worse functioning was associated with greater depression, worse memory, worse speed/EF, higher years of education and identifying as White. There was variability in some of these associations with different FAQ factors. Impairments in financial and memory/orientation daily tasks predicted follow-up conversion to dementia.

Conclusions

Depression, speed/EF, and memory are consistently associated with domains of everyday functioning. Race, education, and age may be more variability associated with everyday functioning. Specific attention should be paid to subtle declines in the financial and memory/orientation domains as they may uniquely predict future dementia development. Depression may be a modifiable risk factor associated with functional impairment over time.
Persistence, Impairment, Disability and Unmet Treatment of Lifetime and 12-Month Anxiety Disorders in Black Men and Women, 50 Years of Age and Older
Authors: Jones Audrey L. , Rafferty Jane , Cochran Susan D. , Abelson Jamie , Mays Vickie M.
Published: April 2022

Objectives: To examine anxiety disorders in aging Black adults. Methods: Using nationally representative data from the National Survey of American Life, we estimated lifetime/12-month prevalence of anxiety disorders in Black men and women, age 50+ ( N = 1561). Disorder-specific persistence and severity, functional impairment, and mental health service utilization were investigated using multivariate regressions. Results: Black men and women who met criteria for anxiety disorders (lifetime prevalence=12.4%/18.3% in men/women) also demonstrated persistent disorders (percent meeting criteria = 40.3%–61.2%). Those with a 12-month anxiety disorder (6.2%/10.5% of men/women) typically reported severe task interference (38.3%–85.7%). Those with any 12-month anxiety disorder, compared to those without, experienced greater impairment in days out of role, work, family burden, cognition and, in women, mobility ( p’s < .05). Only 47.0%/65.2% of Black men/women with any lifetime anxiety disorder used mental health services. Discussion: Despite low prevalence, older Blacks with anxiety disorders experience substantial mental health burden in middle age and later.
Development of PAMAM dendrimer-modified magnetic polyoxometalate: A novel platform to reinforce mechanical and thermal properties of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A/isophorone diamine hardener epoxy
Authors: Maleki Behrooz , Jafari-Soghieh Fariba , Alinezhad Heshmatollah , Ghani Milad , Ali jamshidi
Published: April 2022

The present study explores the mechanical and thermal properties of DGEBA/IPD epoxy reinforced with dendrimer-functionalized magnetitepolyoxometalate nanoparticles. Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MNP’s) were stabilized and functionalized by the poly (amido-amine) dendrimer via encapsulation within dendrimer; afterwards, H9 [α-P2V3W15O62] polyoxometalate (POM) was modified with dendrimer-functionalized magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (DMNP’s). The polyoxometalate can be complexed with DMNP’s via protonation of dendrimer amino groups. In the next step, dendrimer-functionalized magnetitepolyoxometalate nanoparticles (DMNP’s-POM) were loaded into diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) epoxy resin. The DMNP’s-POM nanoparticles can initiate polymerizations of epoxy resin with isophorone diamine hardener (IPD); on the other hand, the terminal amino groups of the dendrimer in the DMNP’s-POM nanoparticles allow them to be covalently linked to the polymer matrix alongside the main amine hardener. The resulting epoxy/magnetitepolyoxometalate nanocomposites (DMNP’s-POM@EN 5%) are thoroughly characterized by FT-IR, FE-SEM, and XRD analysis. Probing thermal behaviors of epoxy/magnetitepolyoxometalate nanocomposites by TGA reveals that the resulting composites are degraded thermally through a simple one-step process with an initial degradation close to 340°C, and show significant stability toward heat. Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis indicates that no considerable agglomerate is formed during the synthesis process, and the incorporated nanoparticles somewhat limit the segmental motions of the epoxy macromolecular chains.
Tooth contact analysis of a non-involute rack and pinion system for off-shore application
Authors: Bonaiti Luca , Bosi Federico , Mottin Matteo , Gorla Carlo
Published: April 2022

A jack-up is an off-shore platform that, thanks to the capability of lowering its legs, is capable to elevate its hull from the water. Typically, the movement of the leg and the subsequent emersion of the jack-up is ruled by a rack-pinion system in which the pinion is a low number of teeth (typically 7 ÷ 8) spur gear. Recently, in order to reduce the contact pressure, it has been proposed to substitute the classical Involute (INV) profile of the pinion by a Multi Radius (MR) one. However, due to their intrinsic differences, the classical INV theory cannot be adopted directly as means to study the behaviour of the MR profile. Therefore, a Tooth Contact Analysis (TCA) procedure for the initial evaluation of a rack and MR pinion system is presented here. The aforementioned TCA enables to calculate relevant gear quantities (e.g. forces, velocities and contact pressure). Furthermore, thanks to the concept of coupled Transmission Error functions, it allows to evaluate, in the initial design phase, if the rack and pinion mesh occurs without impacts.
Effects of confinement and curvature on a jet in a supersonic cross-flow
Authors: Xiong Dapeng , Sun Mingbo , Yu Jiangfei , Hu Zhiwei , Yang Yixin , Wang Hongbo , Wang Zhengguo
Published: April 2022

To reveal the effects of confinement and curvature on the jet mixing in a supersonic cross-flow, large eddy simulations were conducted to study the jet in supersonic cross-flow in a channel and a pipe at a Mach number of 2.7. The comparison was based on an equal friction Mach number, friction Reynolds number, and Prandtl number. The synthetic eddy model was utilized to generate the inflow turbulent boundary layer. Our study shows the major counter-rotating vortex pair (CVP) was higher in the pipe than in the channel, while the trailing CVP was larger and appeared within the recirculating flow. The pipe had a stronger shock train than the channel due to the confinement and curvature of the pipe. The jet penetration of the pipe is 18.4% larger than that of the channel at x/ D = 10, and the stream velocity of the pipe is much more reduced behind the jet than in the channel. Three reasons for the higher mixing efficiency of the pipe are revealed according to our findings, including the larger and higher major CVP, the higher penetration, the stronger shock. The mixing efficiency of the pipe is 4.68% higher than that of the channel due to the above reasons at x/ D = 10.
When Are Similar Individuals a Group? Early Reasoning About Similarity and In-Group Support
Authors: Bian Lin , Baillargeon Renée
Published: April 2022

Beginning in infancy, children expect individuals in a group to care for and be loyal to in-group members. One prominent cue that children use to infer that individuals belong to the same group is similarity. Does any salient similarity among individuals elicit an expectation of in-group preference, or does contextual information modulate these expectations? In Experiments 1 and 2, 12-month-old infants expected in-group preference between two individuals who wore the same novel outfit, but they dismissed this similarity if one of the outfits was used to fulfill an instrumental purpose. In Experiment 3, 26-month-old toddlers expected in-group preference between two individuals who uttered the same novel labels, but they dismissed this similarity if the labels were used to convey incidental as opposed to categorical information about the individuals. Together, the results of these experiments ( N = 96) provide converging evidence that from early in life, children possess a context-sensitive mechanism for determining whether similarities mark groups.
Framing community in motion in the transregional Mediterranean: Madeleine Leroyer’s #387 disparu en Méditerranée and Merzak Allouache’s Normal!
Authors: Guenther Beatrice
Published: April 2022

Leroyer’s documentary, #387 disparu en Méditerranée (2019), tracks the attempt to reconstruct the identity of migrants lost off the coast of Libya whereas Allouache’s metatextual Normal! (2011) captures elliptically the effects of the Arab Spring in Alger. Through the lens of both films, the relevance of adopting a transregional approach in order to analyze communities in motion becomes apparent: Leroyer’s documentary shifts both in its geographical coordinates around the Mediterranean and in its inclusion of individuals working together across different languages whereas Allouache’s film explores the “connected differences” (Audre Lorde) of individuals associated with Algeria, sub-Saharan Africa and France and caught in the thrall of the Arab spring. Allouache’s and Leroyer’s films, screened at Montpellier’s annual Cinémed, clearly do contribute to the transregional network of Mediterranean cinema. The juxtaposition of the two films, which track migration at different points along the spectrum, brings to light the potential for community solidarity and resistance beyond a national scale without glossing over the shadow sides of transregionalism. Drawing on recent geo-political assessments of transregionalism (for instance, James W. Scott and Hans-Joachim Bürkner), this article investigates how the potential and the limits of transregional solidarity are imagined in Leroyer’s documentary, #387 disparu en Méditerranée, and Allouache’s docudrama, Normal!.
Effect of orifice size on liquid breakup dynamics and spray characteristics in slinger atomizers
Authors: Chakraborty Arnab , Sahu Srikrishna , Maurya Dalton
Published: April 2022

The ability of the rotary slingers to achieve fuel atomization by employing the rotational speed of the turbine shaft obviates the use of high-pressure fuel pump and makes those a popular choice for small gas turbine engines. Such atomizers contain arrays of orifices on their outer periphery for injection of the liquid into the combustion chambers. In the present work, we experimentally investigate the influence of the choice of orifice size on primary liquid breakup dynamics and spray characteristics in slinger atomizers. Three slinger discs with the same disc size and number of orifices but with different orifice size, d o (= 1 mm, 1.5 mm, and 2 mm) are examined in a high-speed slinger test rig for a range of rotational speed (2000–10,000 rpm) and liquid feed rate (0.2–1 lpm). The operating conditions are relevant to part-load and engine relighting conditions for which the selection of geometric parameters of the injector may play a crucial role in achieving the atomizer performance. In the current work, the liquid breakup process in the vicinity of the slinger orifices was visualized using front light illumination technique, whereas the pulse-shadowgraph technique was employed for droplet sizing. It is found that smaller orifice size promotes column mode of liquid breakup which results in larger primary liquid breakup length and subsequently results in larger Sauter mean diameter. The results highlight that the orifice size is an important design parameter as the liquid atomization in slinger atomizers is sensitive to the selection of orifice size especially for lower range of rotational speeds.
Buffer effect of turbine rim cavity on hot gas ingestion
Authors: Jia Xingyun , He Lidong , Liu Chunrui , Zhang Le
Published: April 2022

The rotor disc in the gas turbine creates a pump effect that entrains the fluid near it to radially outward. The hot gas in the mainstream enters the stator–rotor wheel space to maintain mass balance, leading to gas ingestion. The mechanism of the gas ingestion, and the spoiling effect of purge flow on mainstream, and the formation and transform mechanism of the source and core fluid regions in rotor–stator system are revealed in this research. In addition, a radial–radial–axial clearance rim seal (RRACS) is proposed to form a new stator–stator cavity to buff the ingestion flow. Numerical results show that the minimum mass flow rate for seal of the RRACS is 15.76% of the standard axial clearance rim seal.
Acupuncture in addition to usual care for patients with irritable bowel syndrome: a component network meta-analysis
Authors: Gan Yu , Huang Shi-Le , Luo Meng-Qi , Chen Min , Zheng Hui
Published: April 2022

Objective:

The efficacy of acupuncture alone in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is controversial, but the benefit of acupuncture added to usual care has rarely been studied. We aimed to examine the benefit of acupuncture added to usual care through network meta-analysis (NMA).

Methods:

PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) were searched from their inception to 1 July 2021, without any language restriction. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) testing the effect of acupuncture alone or acupuncture combined with usual care for IBS were included. The primary outcome was improvement of global IBS symptoms. Standard NMA was performed to compare differential combinations of acupuncture (including manual acupuncture (MA) and electroacupuncture (EA)), and component network meta-analysis (CNMA) was subsequently performed to determine whether acupuncture provided additional benefits to usual care. The effect size of an intervention was measured using relative ratio (RR).

Results:

We included 25 RCTs (n = 3041 participants) after screening 582 retrieved articles. Five RCTs were classified as low risk of bias. The results of standard NMA showed that MA combined with usual care ranked the most effective (sham acupuncture as common comparator; RR = 1.96 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.23 to 3.12)). The results of CNMA showed that MA was the most effective component (RR = 1.38 (95% CI, 1.12 to 1.70)) when added to usual care.

Conclusion:

Acupuncture provided additional benefits to usual care, and it might be considered as adjunctive therapy for patients who respond inadequately to usual care.
Thermal studies of hydrogels based on poly(acrylic acid) and its copolymers by differential scanning calorimetry: A systematic literature review
Authors: Sulaeman Ahmad Sofyan , Putro Permono Adi , Nikmatin Siti
Published: April 2022

This systematic literature review aims to study the thermal properties (TP) of poly(acrylic acid)-based hydrogels (PAA) by differential scanning calorimetry. The data sources were obtained from Google Scholar via Publish or Perish software from 2018 to 2020. The synthesis results show that most of the analysis of TP in PAA-based hydrogel consists of glass transition temperature ([Formula: see text]), melting temperature ([Formula: see text]), and enthalpy ([Formula: see text]). The subsequent thermal properties analysis is important for a new development and depth study in the future application.
The Impact of Belt and Road Initiative on the Economic Growth of Member Countries in Asia: A Spillover Effect on Economic Sectors
Authors: Oppong Emmanuel Owusu
Published: April 2022

This article highlights the various factors that have contributed to the success of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in various Asian countries. The findings of this study are to serve as guidelines for firms, individuals, governments, or any other entities willing to invest in Asian countries along the BRI. Similarly, the study identified critical sectors of the host nation’s economy that are impacted significantly by the BRI. On economic growth, BRI from mainland China has had a significant positive effect on the GDP growth rate of countries in Asia. The study also revealed that the human capital index and sharing a common language with mainland China has a significant positive effect on BRI in Asia. Furthermore, the previous year’s GDP growth rate of host countries has significant positive effects on various sectors of the economy—agriculture, manufacturing, trade and service. It indicates a significant spillover from the GDP growth rate resulting from BRI to other sectors of the economy.
Management of Pulmonary Hypertension in Preterm Infants—A Review
Authors: Kumaran Uthaya , Shenoi Arvind
Published: April 2022

Persistent pulmonary hypertension of newborn is being increasingly diagnosed in extremely premature infants, especially if associated with preterm prelabour rupture of membranes and lung hypoplasia. Late-onset pulmonary hypertension (PH) associated with bronchopulmonary dysplasia is because of pulmonary vascular remodeling and altered vasoreactivity. PH in both these settings is associated with around 20% increase in higher mortality and morbidity. The steps in the management of early-onset PH in these neonates, like in term infants, are supportive measures, oxygenation, lung recruitment, and ventilation. In extremely preterm infants, PH occurs because of the paucity of the pulmonary vascular bed and may not respond well to pulmonary vasodilators, such as iNO and sildenafil. Magnesium sulfate can be effective in reducing the pulmonary pressure, especially in resource-limited settings. Milrinone is considered in neonates with PH and poor cardiac function. In preterm infants with PH secondary to bronchopulmonary dysplasia, the emphasis is on oxygen therapy, nutrition, and correction of comorbidities along with some role of vasodilators.
A high acromion-greater tuberosity impingement index increases the risk of retear after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair
Authors: Xie Linghui , Xu Xinxian , Ma Baoxiang , Liu Haixiao
Published: April 2022

Background

No evaluation has been done on the relationship of the acromion–greater tuberosity impingement index (ATI) with retear after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR). Our purpose was to evaluate whether a higher ATI is associated with retear after ARCR.

Methods

132 patients received ARCR and underwent MRI scan at a one year follow-up to assess tendon healing, and the findings were graded no retear (NR), partial-thickness retear (PR) or full-thickness retear (FR). The ATI, the critical shoulder angle (CSA), acromion index (AI) and lateral acromial angle (LAA) were measured with postoperative radiographs. Functional scores were obtained preoperatively and at a one year follow-up.

Results

Postoperative Constant scores and ASES scores were significantly different between groups with inferior outcomes in the FR group ( p < 0.05 for all). The UCLA score was significantly better in the NR group compared with the PR and FR groups ( p < 0.05), and in the PR group compared with the FR group ( p < 0.05). For ATI and CSA, the values of the PR and FR groups were larger than the NR group ( p < 0.05 for all), but there were no significant differences between the PR and FR groups ( p > 0.05 for all). No significant differences were observed with regard to the AI and LAA ( p > 0.05, respectively). The repair integrity was positively related to the ATI (0.304, p < 0.05) and CSA (0.252, p < 0.05), but not related to the AI or LAA ( p > 0.05 for both). ATI was not related to any functional scores ( p > 0.05 for all).

Conclusion

This study revealed that the ATI was positively related to rotator cuff retear. Patients with retears had significantly greater ATIs after ARCR. Level of Evidence: III, case–control study.
More Than One Way to Tell a Story: A Configurational Approach to Storytelling in Crowdfunding
Authors: Anglin Aaron H. , Reid Shane W. , Short Jeremy C.
Published: April 2022

Entrepreneurship scholars argue that effective storytelling is critical to the fundraising process, yet scholars rarely examine how the inclusion of core story elements in resource appeals such as characters, plot, or setting impacts fundraising effectiveness. Drawing from narrative theory and research on narrative analysis, we examine how the inclusion of fundamental story elements impacts fundraising in 359 crowdfunding campaigns. We leverage a fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis to provide a holistic exploration of how story elements shape funding and reveal five storytelling configurations that yield superior funding performance. We then unpack the theoretical and practical implications of our findings to provide a deeper understanding of storytelling in resource acquisition.
Creative Counseling Strategies for Adolescents Working Through Grief
Authors: Matthews Dana , Finney Natasha , Owens Delila , Gordon Fawn , Morgan-Swaney Chase
Published: April 2022

Adolescence is a transitional period where a myriad of developmental changes will occur. Counselors working with grieving adolescents need to have a variety of techniques to use. Creative techniques have been found to be viable in coping with the death of a loved one. This article was crafted with the intent of exploring creative practices and strategies as viable treatment options for grieving adolescents.
Forecasting Stalking Recidivism Using the Guidelines for Stalking Assessment and Management (SAM)
Authors: Coupland Sarah H. , Storey Jennifer E. , Kropp P. Randall , Hart Stephen D.
Published: April 2022

We examined the long-term risk for stalking recidivism and the predictive validity of ratings made using the Guidelines for Stalking Assessment and Management (SAM) in 100 stalking offenders from a forensic clinic. Overall, 45 offenders were convicted of, charged with, or the subject of police investigation for stalking-related offenses during a potential time at risk that averaged 13.47 years. Survival analyses using the Cox proportional hazards model indicated that a composite score of the presence of SAM risk factors was significantly predictive of recidivism and had significant incremental validity relative to total scores on two scales commonly used in violence risk assessment, the Screening Version of the Hare Psychopathy Checklist–Revised (PCL:SV) and the Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (VRAG). Overall ratings of risk made using the SAM, however, were not significantly predictive of recidivism. We discuss the potential uses of the SAM in stalking risk assessment and provide recommendations for future research.
Responding to the Advanced Intellectual Needs of Talented Readers With Interdisciplinary Learning Opportunities
Authors: Reis Sally M. , Fogarty Elizabeth A.
Published: April 2022

Providing challenging curriculum in a literacy classroom of students whose reading abilities range widely can be a challenge. Integrating interdisciplinary book selections into a self-selected reading program, however, provides students with challenge by engaging them with big ideas. This article describes methods of integrating advanced interdisciplinary pedagogy into a reading approach, called the Schoolwide Enrichment Model in Reading (SEM-R) for talented readers. In this approach, introductions to thematically connected texts during book hooks encourage readers to engage with new topics, authors, and genres. Students build fluency and comprehension through independent reading with the support of teachers who point out connections among texts and ideas. Individual conferences allow teachers to determine each student’s need for support and challenge. Independent explorations allow students to delve into areas of interest and explore connections among topics through further reading, internet research, and writing projects. Investigating interdisciplinary ideas and complex themes can incorporate challenge for all readers but can be especially engaging and enriching for academically talented students who are also advanced readers.
Interdisciplinary in the Early Years: A Natural Possibility
Authors: Kaplan Sandra N.
Published: April 2022

This article describes how intra- and interdisciplinary learning experiences can activate the interests and capabilities among children in their early years. A developmental sequence delineates a series of stage-by-stage experiences describing the skill and content to be introduced and mastered in the teaching and learning process, which include developing readiness and receptivity, intradisciplinary thinking and learning, and interdisciplinary thinking and learning. The recognized differences among learners, the qualities inherent in providing advanced learning skills and concepts, and the development and reinforcement of basic and fundamental skills provides a readiness for more sophisticated learning in the early years. The importance of promoting understanding and facilitating the display of interests and capabilities among children in the early years can be activated by intra- and interdisciplinary learning experiences.
Managing Emotional Intensities of Gifted Students in Interdisciplinary Study
Authors: Sisk Dorothy A.
Published: April 2022

The emotional intensities of gifted students affect not only their learning, but the way they live and see the world. This article examines the Theory of Positive Disintegration of Dabrowski (1964 , 1972) to explore the inner world of the gifted. The five levels of development and five overexcitabilities of Dabrowski represent an abundance of physical, sensual, creative, intellectual, and emotional energy which cause inner turmoil, but can result in creative endeavors. The benefits of interdisciplinary learning to meet the emotional needs of gifted students are presented with examples of interdisciplinary studies of justice and forensics. XQ Institute is introduced as a resource for interdisciplinary study and significant learning, and a XQ school Da Vinci RISE High is discussed. Another resource Teachers Network is explored with an interdisciplinary study of Story Quilting. The culminating project of this article is an interdisciplinary study of giftedness as a theme to help advanced learners better understand themselves.
Tunable band gaps of axially moving belt on periodic elastic foundation
Authors: Lu Lei , Liu Fuyao , Wu Jihui
Published: April 2022

The present paper investigates the band structure of an axially moving belt resting on a foundation with periodically varying stiffness. It is concluded that the band gaps appear when the divergence of the eigenvalue occurs and the veering phenomenon of mode shape begins. The bifurcation of eigenvalues and mode shape veering lead to wave attenuation. Hence, the boundary stiffness modulation can be designed to manipulate the band gap where the vibration is suppressed. The contribution of the system parameters to the band gaps has been obtained by applying the method of varying amplitudes. By tuning the stiffness, the desired band gap can be obtained and the vibration for specific parameters can be suppressed. The current study provides a technique to avoid vibration transmission of the axially moving material by designing the foundation stiffness.
Co-occurrence of Eosinophilic/T-Cell Chorionic Vasculitis and Acute Chorionitis, Acute Chorionic Vasculitis, and Funisitis in a Term Placenta
Authors: Wright James R
Published: April 2022

Eosinophilic/T-cell chorionic vasculitis was initially defined as “a new form of chorionic vasculitis characterized by an infiltrate composed primarily of eosinophils and CD3+ T lymphocytes ... [that] occurs in the absence of any evidence of chorioamnionitis.” No subsequent reports have directly addressed whether histologic evidence suggestive of amniotic fluid infection should preclude its diagnosis. The case reported here describes a term placenta with mild acute chorionitis, moderate acute subchorionitis, mild acute chorionic vasculitis, and funisitis associated with multifocal eosinophilic/T-cell chorionic vasculitis. It shows unequivocally, with immunohistochemical staining, that eosinophilic/T-cell chorionic vasculitis and acute chorionic vasculitis can be seen and histologically distinguished in the same case. The paper shows how differing interpretations of inclusion and exclusion criteria by investigators have affected estimates of the incidence of this rare lesion. There is a need to harmonize diagnostic criteria; the report describes how cases with both entities can be documented carefully.
The Relationship Between Sleep Disturbance and Apolipoprotein E ε4 in Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s Disease Dementia: An Integrative Review
Authors: Wei Wanrui , Wang Kairong , Shi Jiyuan , Li Zheng
Published: April 2022

Background

Apolipoprotein E ε4 (APOE ε4) was shown to be a risk factor for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dementia. When coupled with sleep disturbance, APOE ε4 posed additional risks to cognitive impairment. But the literature on the association between sleep disturbance and the APOE ε4 status of persons who are cognitively impaired has not yet been systematically examined.

Objectives

To explore and synthesize the relationship between sleep disturbance and APOE ε4 status of adults with MCI and AD.

Methods

An integrative review was guided by Whittemore and Knafl’s methodology. Systematic searches identified studies with multiple sources published before May 20, 2021. A matrix and narrative synthesis was employed to organize and synthesize the findings. Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal tools (2020) were used to evaluate the quality of the selected studies.

Results

A total of 7 studies were included. APOE ε4 was associated with poor sleep quality in terms of the deterioration of nighttime total sleep time, 24-hour total sleep time, rapid eye movement, sleep efficiency, sleep latency, and wake after sleep onset in a population with MCI or AD. The interacted and adjusted relationship between sleep disturbance and APOE ε4 on the progression of cognitive decline was inconsistent.

Conclusions

There is evidence to support an association between sleep disturbance and APOE ε4 in individuals with cognitive impairment, but a further examination of the relationship between sleep parameters and APOE ε4 is warranted, especially as the causal or dose–response relationship remains unclear.
Effective Handwashing Practice in Dilla University Referral Hospital; Duration of Hand Rubbing and the Amount of Water as Key Enablers
Authors: Gebremeskel Kanno Girum , Diriba Kuma , Getaneh Birtukan , Melaku Abayneh , Eshete Soboksa Negasa , Agyemang-Badu Samuel Yaw , Negassa Belay , Alembo Awash , Tesfu Legesse Miheret , Cherenet Aneley , Genoro Abire Belayneh , Birhanie Aregu Mekonnen
Published: April 2022

Background:

Ineffective hand hygiene in healthcare settings is a global challenge that is associated with a high rate of nosocomial infections. The study aimed to measure the effectiveness of handwashing at Dilla University referral hospital.

Method:

This study consisted of 2 parts; the survey work and laboratory analysis. A total of 63 participants were selected to take surveys using an interviewer-administered questionnaire to collect the data regarding the socio-demographic and hand hygiene-related practices. A laboratory tests (swab test) was used to assess handwashing effectiveness from 63 participants by taking 126 swab test (63 before and after hand washing sessions). A swab test was collected from the palms of each participant before and after hand washing using a sterile technique. The cultures were then incubated aerobically overnight at 37°C, and examined for microbial growth. The bacterial load was reported as the number of colony-forming units (CFU).

Result:

The proportion of effective hand washing in Dilla University Referral Hospital was 82.5%. The mean colony-forming unit before and after handwashing were 55 and 2 CFU/ml, respectively with an average reduction of 94.6% in terms of CFU/ml. The mean amount of water used for effective handwashing was 336.03 (±219.46) ml. There was a significant mean difference in the amount of water used and duration of hand rubbing between effective and non-effective handwashing among the participants ( P < 0.01). The bacterial load before and after handwashing indicated that there was a significant (53.3 mean CFU) reduction in bacterial load after handwashing practice which indicated that the handwashing intervention in the Referral hospital was effective ( P < 0.01).

Conclusion:

The proportion of effective Hand washing in Dilla University referral Hospital was 82.5% with a 94.6% reduction in terms of (CFU/ml). The amount of water use and the duration of hand rubbing showed a significant difference in the reduction of the microbial load.
The use of machine learning and metaheuristic algorithm for wear performance optimization of AISI 1040 steel and investigation of corrosion resistance
Authors: Agrawal Rohit , Mukhopadhyay Arkadeb
Published: April 2022

AISI 1040 steel offers a wide range of industrial applications due to its mechanical characteristics and applicability. The present work investigates the wear performance of AISI 1040 steel under dry sliding conditions and its optimization using combined machine learning (ML) and metaheuristic algorithm. Sliding wear test were carried out on a pin-on-disc tribometer by varying the load (10–100 N), sliding speed (0.5–1.5 m/s) and sliding distance (400–1000 m). The test parameters were varied at three levels. Experiments were carried out following combinations in Taguchi's L27 orthogonal array (OA). Artificial neural network (ANN) was used to model the process parameters with wear rate. The trained network was optimized using genetic algorithm (GA) to predict optimal wear rate. This methodology has been termed as ANN-GA method. The results were compared with conventional Taguchi based and regression based GA optimization. A significant reduction in the wear rate could be realized due to optimization using ANN-GA method. This work also examined the corrosion behaviour of AISI 1040 steel exposed to 3.5% NaCl, 3.5% NaOH, 0.5 M H2SO4 and 3.5% NaCl + 0.5 M H2SO4 to simulate various corrosive environments encountered in industrial applications. A nobler corrosion potential was obtained in 3.5% NaOH. Investigations of corroded samples showed pitting corrosion in 3.5% NaCl, 0.5 M H2SO4 as well as combined chloride and sulphate attack. On the other hand, negligible corrosion was observed in 3.5% NaOH.
Labour market regulations and efficiency in tourism industry
Authors: Mamatzakis Emmanuel , Pegkas Panagiotis , Staikouras Christos
Published: April 2022

This study examines the effect of the labour market regulations on Greek tourism industry performance. The tourism industry, the steam engine of the Greek economy, always drives to enhance efforts to reach further savings in operating costs. However, the labour regulations that influence the tourism sector’s ability to adjust costs have not been thoroughly investigated. We present a novel methodology that permits the evaluation of the effect of labour market regulations on technical and allocative efficiency in one step. The empirical results demonstrate the complexity of the relationship between labour regulations and efficiency. Labour market liberalization is associated with improvements in allocative efficiency but may have opposite effects on technical efficiency. Policymakers should pay attention to these complicated interactions when planning reforms on labour market.

JEL codes: D24, D61, J30, J80, Z30
Hong Kong’s sex discrimination ordinance at twenty-five: Achievements, legislative change and continuing challenges
Authors: Barrow Amy
Published: April 2022

This article critiques Hong Kong’s Sex Discrimination Ordinance (SDO) as it turns 25, considering its achievements and impact, whilst highlighting continuing challenges for its operation. Although the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC), the statutory body responsible for investigating and conciliating discrimination complaints, has promoted the ordinance and disseminated evidence-based research on sex discrimination, sexual harassment and pregnancy discrimination, the limited number of litigated cases has inhibited the educative impact of how discriminatory practices are perpetrated across a range of settings including in employment and the provision of goods and services. Politically contentious exemptions persist, and recent law reform does not go far enough in addressing the limitations of the SDO. Drawing on case law and qualitative research interviews with members of the EOC, scholars and non-governmental organisations, this paper questions whether Hong Kong’s SDO is coming of age. The article concludes that despite it 25-year history, there is much works that remains to be done to enhance societal understandings of gender equality.
‘It’s my back…’; developing the coming to spinal clinic resource to improve the health literacy of young people with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and their parents
Authors: Bray Lucy , Wilkinson Catherine , Bruce Colin , Davidson Neil , Satchwell Candice , Carter Bernie
Published: April 2022

This study focussed on identifying the key concerns and information needs of young people with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) and their parents and examined what resources might help improve young people’s ‘participativeness’ and health literacy during clinic consultations. A qualitative participatory design underpinned the study. Workshops involving multiple methods were used to engage with young people with AIS and their parents, who were recruited through a regional children’s hospital. The study design was informed by patient and public consultation with eight young people and two parents. 10 young people (aged 14–16 years) and 11 of their parents participated in the study. Young people and their parents reported uncertainty and anxiety before coming to clinic and faced issues participating in the consultation, being involved in decision-making and understanding the information and language. These challenges resulted in unmet information needs. Young people’s health literacy relating to an AIS diagnosis and treatment is facilitated by them being prepared and informed before coming to clinic and be actively supported to be involved during the consultation. We collaboratively developed the ‘Coming to Spinal Clinic’ resource to help young people with AIS and parents prepare for and get the most out of their visit.
Reorientation of foreign memories in domestic political speech: Considerations and effects
Authors: Adams Tracy
Published: April 2022

Within the “politics of memory,” this study conceptually expands understanding of the role of political leaders as active producers of memory. By considering the growing exchangeability of ideas and meanings across cultural and national borders, analysis demonstrates how political leaders adapt and reorient transnational memory narratives’ most iconic events. However, deliberately relying on memories from across the border also embody additional functions that are not entirely focused on the domestic. Identifying three considerations that affect how memories are used in political speech: audience, context, and memory, this study shows that political leaders re-narrate, change, and revise foreign memories so that new meanings and utilizations are devised. These intertwining memories contribute to the blurring of frontiers, bringing to the fore the everlasting debate between history and memory, truth and post-truth, and the exalted role of politicians in the construction of past events.
Performance study of heat and mass transfer in a counterflow liquid to air membrane-based parallel-plate dehumidifier
Authors: Taous Abir , Ben Nasr Kaouther , Guizani Amen Allah
Published: April 2022

Liquid to air membrane energy exchanger (LAMEE) is the most important component in a liquid desiccant air conditioning system. Three main configurations of LAMEE are presented in the literature: co-current, counterflow, and cross-counter flow. In this paper, we evaluated the performance of a counterflow LAMEE dehumidifier in terms of its cooling capacity (CC) and moisture removal rate (MRR). A numerical model was developed and validated with experimental results. The impact of solution properties and inlet air characteristics on the LAMEE’s performance were investigated. Simulation results show that CC and MRR are enhanced by decreasing the temperature and increasing the concentration of the liquid desiccant simultaneously. In order to obtain an optimal performance of the LAMEE, the solution mass flow rate should be equal to or slightly higher than the inlet air mass flow rate. On the other hand, we found that both CC and MRR increase with increasing inlet air temperature and relative humidity. Even though solution properties and inlet air characteristics affect the MRR and the CC, they have a negligible effect on the required air sensible cooling to meet the supply air condition (Qsen). The characteristics of outlet air provided by the LAMEE are in a stable state condition, which proves that the LAMEE has a wide range of adaptability in different operating conditions.
Why stay with the police? How meaningfulness in life moderates the mediated effects of role stressors’ appraisals on anxiety and intention to leave the State Brazilian Police
Authors: Torres Cláudio V. , Glazer Sharon , Macedo Francisco Guilherme L. , Nascimento Thiago G.
Published: April 2022

Brazilian police officers’ increasing levels of work anxiety and intention to leave the job are consistent with other police forces around the world. Among the important variables that appear to be antecedents of these unwanted organizational outcomes are increasing role stressors associated with police work. We conjecture that how police officers appraise stressors would affect whether adverse outcomes prevail. Specifically, stressors appraised as challenges result in weaker adverse outcomes compared with stressors appraised as hindrances. We also anticipate that a boundary condition that might further attenuate adverse outcomes is having meaningfulness in life (MIL). Likewise, having low MIL can intensify the potential adverse outcomes of stressors appraised as hindrances. This study aims to investigate how role stressors appraised as either challenges or hindrances may influence anxiety and intention to leave among state police officers in the Brazilian Federal District (DF), as well as implications of MIL as a moderator variable of these relationships. Our hypotheses supported the mediating effect of role stressors’ appraisals in their prediction of police officers’ anxiety and intention to leave their job, and the moderator effects of MIL in these same relationships. Findings are discussed in terms of changes in police regulations and training programs aimed at increasing officers’ MIL and coping strategies to redirect how they appraise role stressors as challenges rather than as hindrances, which may lead to a healthier work experience for DF State Police officers.
Gain-probability diagrams in consumer research
Authors: Trafimow David , Hyman Michael R. , Kostyk Alena , Wang Ziyuan , Tong Tingting , Wang Tonghui , Wang Cong
Published: April 2022

Marketing scholars often compare groups that occur naturally (e.g., socioeconomic status) or due to random assignment of participants to study conditions. These scholars often report group means, standard deviations, and effect sizes. Although such summary information can be helpful, it can misinform marketing practitioners’ decisions. To avoid this problem, scholars should also report the probability that one group’s member will score higher than another group’s member, and by various amounts. In this vein, newly conceived gain-probability diagrams can depict relevant, concise, and easy-to-comprehend probabilistic information. These diagrams’ nuanced perspective can contradict traditional significance test and effect size implications.
Monitoring of new and existing stainless-steel reinforced concrete structures by clad distributed optical fibre sensing
Authors: Fernandez Ignasi , Berrocal Carlos G. , Almfeldt Sebastian , Rempling Rasmus
Published: April 2022

The implementation of structural health monitoring (SHM) systems in existing civil engineering structures could contribute to a safer and more resilient infrastructure as well as important savings. Due to their light weight, small size, and high resistance to the environment, distributed optical fibre sensors (DOFS) stand out as a very promising technology for damage detection and quantification in reinforced concrete (RC) structures. In this paper, the performance of DOFS featuring an external polymeric cladding with rough surface, to accurately assess deflection and crack width of a stainless-steel RC beam subjected to four-point bending is investigated. Several sensor positions, both embedded in the concrete and attached to the surface, are investigated in a multi-layer configuration. The study revealed that embedded sensors yield very accurate results regardless of the sensor position and the load level, that is, service or ultimate loads, being the sensor glued in a premade groove on the steel bar the most reliable solution for high-load levels. Conversely, externally deployed sensors for the assessment of existing structures, described attenuated values for the measured deflections, and, to some extent also the crack width, due to a loss of bond between the sensor and the surrounding concrete, already for service loads. Corrective methods to further use the obtained data are presented, yet the clad DOFS attached to the concrete surface described a significant drop of performance with increasing load levels, showing an important loss of data at 80% of the ultimate load.
A lay perspective on prioritization for intensive care in pandemic times: Vaccination status matters
Authors: Sprengholz Philipp , Korn Lars , Felgendreff Lisa , Eitze Sarah , Betsch Cornelia
Published: April 2022

During a pandemic, demand for intensive care often exceeds availability. Experts agree that allocation should maximize benefits and must not be based on whether patients could have taken preventive measures. However, intensive care units (ICUs) are often overburdened by individuals with severe COVID-19 who have chosen not to be vaccinated to prevent the disease. This article reports an experiment that investigated the German public's prioritization preferences during the fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic ( N = 1014). In a series of scenarios, participants were asked to decide on ICU admission for patients who differed in terms of health condition, expected treatment benefits, and vaccination status. The results reveal an in-group bias, as vaccinated individuals preferred to allocate more resources to the vaccinated than to the unvaccinated. Participants also favored admitting a heart attack patient rather than a COVID-19 patient with the same likelihood of benefiting from ICU admission, indicating a preference for maintaining regular ICU services rather than treating those with severe COVID-19. Finally, participants were more likely to admit a patient to intensive care when this meant withholding rather than withdrawing care from another patient. The results indicate that lay prioritizations violate established allocation principles, presaging potential conflicts between those in need of intensive care and those who provide and allocate it. It is therefore recommended that allocation principles should be explained to enhance public understanding. Additionally, vaccination rates should be increased to relieve ICUs and reduce the need for such triage decisions.