bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Yoga and music intervention to reduce depression, anxiety, and stress during COVID-19 outbreak on healthcare workers
Authors: Vajpeyee Manisha , Tiwari Shivam , Jain Kavita , Modi Pamil , Bhandari Prem , Monga Guneet , Yadav Lokendra Bahadur , Bhardwaj Himani , Shroti Akhilesh Kumar , Singh Shivoham , Vajpeyee Atulabh
Published: April 2021

Aim:

To investigate impact of Yoga and Music Intervention on anxiety, stress, and depression levels of health care workers during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Methods:

This study was conducted to assess psychological responses of 240 healthcare workers during COVID-19 outbreak. We used Yoga and Music Intervention in normal and abnormal subjects based on Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-42 (DASS-42).

Results:

Of all 209 participants, 105 (50.23%) had symptoms of depression (35.88%), anxiety (40.19), and stress (34.92%) alone or in combination. The data suggest that there is significant improvement in test scores after intervention. Majority of persons with abnormal score exhibited improved DASS-42 score on combined interventions of Yoga and music compared to control group. Even subjects without abnormalities on DASS-42 score also showed improved DASS-42 scores in intervention ( n = 52) group compared to nonintervention ( n = 52) group.

Conclusions:

Our findings highlighted the significance of easily available, simple, inexpensive, safe nonpharmacological interventions like Yoga and Music therapy to overcome stress, anxiety, and depression in present times.
Effects of CNTs addition on the microstructure and microhardness of stainless steel alloy/carbon-manganese non-alloyed steel welding
Authors: dos Reis Marcos AL , de Sousa Mário ES , Ferreira André A , Carneiro Íris SM , de Melo Clarissa H , Júnior Marcionilo NS , Vieira Manuel F
Published: April 2021

In recent years some progress has been made about the addition of Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) in the stainless steel metal matrix by pulsed Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (P-GTAW). Despite that, there is lack of information regarding to microstructural modifications induced by CNTs in dissimilar welding. In this sense, we present the welding of nanocomposite based on Nickel/Carbon Nanotubes-stainless steel 316L alloy (Ni/CNTs-SS 316L), as the welding metal, on carbon-manganese (C-Mn) non-alloyed structural steel, as the base metal. The microstructure of manufactured specimens with/without nanocomposite was characterized by: optical microscopy; Raman spectroscopy; scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and electron backscattering diffraction (EBSD). Moreover, Vickers tests were performed from the welding metal (WM) to the base metal (BM) before/after temper treatment in order to investigate the microhardness changes. The results show that dilution rate and grain size for specimen with nanocomposite was higher than without nanocomposite; the CNTs affected the misorientation angle and texture of the WM; the topside microhardness from WM with Ni-CNTs was on average 30.40% higher than BM; and, in transverse cross-section microhardness was 31% higher than control sample on average at fusion line zone. These results indicate that addition of CNTs in the metallic matrix by dissimilar welding is a fertile ground for new studies applicable to manufacturing industry.
A micromechanical model of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic and steel hybrid laminate composites
Authors: Sung Minchang , Ahn Hyunchul , Jang Jinhyeok , Kwon Dongil , Yu Woong-Ryeol
Published: April 2021

The fracture strain of carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRPs) within CFRP/steel hybrid laminate composites is reportedly higher than that of CFRPs due to transverse compressive stress induced by the steel lamina. A micromechanical model was developed to explain this phenomenon and also to predict the mechanical behavior of CFRP/steel hybrid laminate composites. First, the shear lag theory was extended to calculate stress distributions on fibers and matrix material in a CFRP under multiaxial stress condition, considering three deformation states of matrix (elastic and plastic deformation and fracture) and the transverse compressive stress. Then, the deformation behavior of CFRP was predicted using average stress in the ineffective region and the Weibull distribution of carbon fibers. Finally, the mechanical properties of CFRP/steel hybrid laminate composites were predicted by considering the thermal residual stress generated during the manufacturing process. The micromechanical model revealed that increased transverse compressive stress decreases the ineffective lengths of partially broken fibers in the CFRP and results in increased fracture strain of the CFRP, demonstrating the validity of the current micromechanical model.
COVID-19 in Southeast Asia: Implications for workers and unions
Authors: Ford Michele , Ward Kristy
Published: April 2021

The labour market effects in Southeast Asia of the COVID-19 pandemic have attracted considerable analysis from both scholars and practitioners. However, much less attention has been paid to the pandemic’s impact on legal protections for workers’ and unions’ rights, or to what might account for divergent outcomes in this respect in economies that share many characteristics, including a strong export orientation in labour-intensive industries and weak industrial relations institutions. Having described the public health measures taken to control the spread of COVID-19 in Indonesia, Cambodia and Vietnam, this article analyses governments’ employment-related responses and their impact on workers and unions in the first year of the pandemic. Based on this analysis, we conclude that the disruption caused to these countries’ economies, and societies, served to reproduce existing patterns of state–labour relations rather than overturning them.
The Process of “Pushing Out”: Accumulated Disadvantage across School Punishment and Math Achievement Trajectories
Authors: Jabbari Jason , Johnson Odis
Published: April 2021

Students drop out of school for a variety of reasons, yet are “pushed out” when they exhibit traits that are deemed undesirable to school officials, such as misbehavior and academic failure. While much of the previous research on pushouts views the phenomenon as a discrete occurrence often attributed to either misbehavior or academic failure, we recognize the underlying relationships between punishment and achievement, and therefore conceptualize pushing out as a process of both disciplinary involvement and academic exclusion over time. Using structural equation modeling (SEM) with a nationally representative longitudinal study of high school students (HSLS-09), we find that significant relationships among punishment and math achievement (including math attitudes, ability, and course-taking) have the effect of pushing students out of high school over time. We note the importance of race and ethnicity within these relationships and close with a discussion of policy implications.
Latino Men and Masculinities: A Multi-Institution Study of Community College Transfer Experiences
Authors: Rodriguez Sarah L. , Blaney Jennifer M. , Vasquez Marissa C. , Salinas Cristobal
Published: April 2021

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate how Latino men’s conceptions of masculinities influenced their attitudes and behaviors during the transition from community colleges to 4-year institutions. Method: A phenomenological approach was used to explore the lived experiences of 34 Latino men across Texas, California, and Florida. Each participant was interviewed twice; all data were recorded, transcribed, and coded for themes. Results: Findings suggest that, although prior conceptions of masculinities can sometimes provide positive tools during transfer, these conceptions also cause challenges as men negotiate incongruences between their masculine identity and what is required to succeed in college. Participation in on-campus men’s groups and student organizations can help Latino students navigate these incongruences and negotiate their own intersectional identities and conceptualizations of masculinities in light of their new environment. Contributions: This study demonstrates that Latino men continue to face challenges related to masculinities and identity conflicts during the community college to 4-year institution transfer process. Future research might further investigate how the multiple, intersecting identities of Latino men (e.g., sexuality, class) influence masculinities and transfer experiences. Implications for practice include a recommendation that institutions consider creating on-campus spaces and learning environments to support men in navigating masculinities.
Mistake or Manipulation? Conceptualizing Perceived Mis- and Disinformation among News Consumers in 10 European Countries
Authors: Hameleers Michael , Brosius Anna , Marquart Franziska , Goldberg Andreas C. , van Elsas Erika , de Vreese Claes H.
Published: April 2021

In the midst of heated debates surrounding the veracity and honesty of communication, scholarly attention has turned to the conceptualization of mis- and disinformation on the supply-side of (political) communication. Yet, we lack systematic research on the conceptualization of perceived mis- and disinformation on the demand-side. Original survey data collected in ten European countries ( N = 6,643) shows that news consumers distinguish general misinformation from disinformation. Yet, the high correlation between the two dimensions indicates that disinformation perceptions may be regarded as a sub-type of misinformation perceptions in which intentional deception is a core element. This paper aims to make a contribution to the misinformation and media credibility literature by proposing a first conceptualization of perceived untruthfulness corresponding to increasing levels of cynicism and skepticism toward the factual status and honesty of information.
Analysis of the development of competences in a Brazilian master of public administration
Authors: Avaristo João Augusto de Campos , Ubeda Cristina Lourenço
Published: April 2021

This paper aims to analyze the main competences developed by graduates of a professional master’s degree in Brazilian public administration. For this purpose, the research developed (i) a theoretical framework to present the main competences for public sector professionals, (ii) a bibliometric analysis with the scientific publications about development of competences in public administration between 2009 and 2019, and (iii) an investigation of the graduates’ profile in the Brazilian professional master’s degree surveyed with a standard score. Finally, a map of investigated competences was elaborated, identifying the development levels according to the graduate’s perception acquired along a postgraduate program. These competences were distributed into four categories: high, medium, low and very-low development levels.
Whitewashing diverse voices: (de)constructing race and ethnicity in Spanish-language television dubbing
Authors: Bernabo Laurena
Published: April 2021

When television programs are translated for global audiences, languages are changed, but so too are constructions of diverse identities. Characters who are Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC) undergo transformations in order to be intelligible outside of their original national contexts; such transformations might reinforce these characters’ difference or eliminate it, effectively whitewashing BIPOC voices. This article unpacks this phenomenon by investigating the translation of diverse characters through the lens of the many industrial norms and constraints that shape the dubbing industry. Using the international Fox hit Glee (2009–2015) as an entry point for exploring the role of dubbing in Latin America, this study complicates conventional notions about global media’s imperialist and hybridizing implications by tracing political economy and industrial practices onto the dubbing of Black, Latinx, and Asian television characters.
“No Place for Old Men”: Immigrant Duration, Wage Theft, and Economic Mobility among Day Laborers in Denver, Colorado
Authors: Galemba Rebecca , Kuhn Randall
Published: April 2021

Day laborers are a highly vulnerable population, due to their contingent work arrangements, low socioeconomic position, and precarious immigration status. Earlier studies posited day labor as a temporary bridge for recent immigrants to achieve more stable employment, but recent studies have observed increasing duration of residence in the United States among foreign-born day laborers. This article draws on 170 qualitative interviews and a multi-venue, year-long street corner survey of 411 day laborers in the Denver metropolitan area to analyze how duration in the United States affects day laborers’ wages, work, and wage theft experiences. Compared to recent immigrants, foreign-born day laborers with longer duration in the United States, we found, worked fewer hours and had lower total earnings but also had higher hourly wages and lower exposure to wage theft. We draw on qualitative interviews to address whether this pattern represented weathering, negative selection, or greater discernment. Rather than upward or downward mobility, long duration immigrant day laborers had more jagged incorporations experiences. Interviews suggest that day laborers draw on experience to mitigate the risk of wage theft but that the value of experience is undercut by the fierce competition of daily recruitment, ultimately highlighting the compounding vulnerabilities facing longer duration and older immigrant day laborers. The article highlights duration as an understudied precarity factor which can adversely impact the economic assimilation of long duration immigrants who persist in contingent markets like day labor.
A Global Meta-analysis of the Immigrant Mortality Advantage
Authors: Shor Eran , Roelfs David
Published: April 2021

A large body of research on the “Healthy Immigrant Effect” (or “Paradox”) has reported an immigrant mortality advantage. However, other studies do not find such significant effects, and some even present contradictory evidence. This article is the first systematic meta-analysis that investigates the immigration-mortality relationship from a global perspective, examining 1,933 all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risk estimates from 103 publications. Our comprehensive analysis allows us to assess interactions between origin and destination regions and to reexamine, on a global scale, some of the most notable explanations for the immigrant mortality advantage, including suggestions that this paradox may be primarily the result of selection effects. We find evidence for the existence of a mild immigrant mortality advantage for working-age individuals. However, the relationship holds only for immigrants who moved between certain world regions, particularly those who immigrated from Northern Africa, Asia, and Southern Europe to richer countries. The results highlight the need in the broader migration literature for an increased focus on selection effects and on outcomes for people who chose not to migrate or who were denied entry into their planned destination country.
Cerebral critical closing pressure and resistance-area product: the influence of dynamic cerebral autoregulation, age and sex
Authors: Panerai Ronney B , Haunton Victoria J , Llwyd Osian , Minhas Jatinder S , Katsogridakis Emmanuel , Salinet Angela SM , Maggio Paola , Robinson Thompson G
Published: April 2021

Instantaneous arterial pressure-flow (or velocity) relationships indicate the existence of a cerebral critical closing pressure (CrCP), with the slope of the relationship expressed by the resistance-area product (RAP). In 194 healthy subjects (20–82 years, 90 female), cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV, transcranial Doppler), arterial blood pressure (BP, Finapres) and end-tidal CO2 (EtCO2, capnography) were measured continuously for five minutes during spontaneous fluctuations of BP at rest. The dynamic cerebral autoregulation (CA) index (ARI) was extracted with transfer function analysis from the CBFV step response to the BP input and step responses were also obtained for the BP-CrCP and BP-RAP relationships. ARI was shown to decrease with age at a rate of −0.025 units/year in men (p = 0.022), but not in women (p = 0.40). The temporal patterns of the BP-CBFV, BP-CrCP and BP-RAP step responses were strongly influenced by the ARI (p < 0.0001), but not by sex. Age was also a significant determinant of the peak of the CBFV step response and the tail of the RAP response. Whilst the RAP step response pattern is consistent with a myogenic mechanism controlling dynamic CA, further work is needed to explore the potential association of the CrCP step response with the flow-mediated component of autoregulation.
Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase inhibitor ameliorates mouse aging-induced cognitive impairment
Authors: Zeng Min , Wei Tao-Feng , Chen Cong , Shen Chen , Gao Tong-Yao , Xie Xian , Wu Ming , Lu Yun-Bi , Zhang Wei-Ping
Published: April 2021

Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) is the key enzyme for the synthesis of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) in the salvaging pathway. Though NAMPT inhibitors such as FK866 were originally developed as anti-cancer drugs, they also display neuroprotective effects. Here we show that the administration of FK866 at 0.5 mg/kg (ip, qod) for four weeks, i.e., ∼1% of the dose used for the treatment of cancer, significantly alleviates the aging-induced impairment of cognition and locomotor activity. Mechanistically, FK866 enhanced autophagy, reduced protein aggregation, and inhibited neuroinflammation indicated by decreasing TNFα, IL-6, GFAP, and Iba1 levels in the aged mouse brain. Though FK866 did not affect the total NAD and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) levels in the mouse brain at the dose we used, FK866 increased nicotinamide (NAM) level in the young mouse brain and decreased NAM level in the aged mouse brain. On the other hand, FK866 did not affect the serum glucose, cholesterol, and triglyceride of young and aged mice and exhibited no effects on the various indices of young mice. Thus, the NAMPT inhibitor can be repurpose to counteract the cognitive impairment upon aging. We also envision that NAMPT inhibitor can be used for the treatment of age-related neurodegenerative diseases.
Damage to the central nucleus of the thalamus via atypical Holmes tremor: a case report
Authors: Zhao Huan , Shi Min , Yang Fang , Yang Dongdong , Hou Xiaolin , Yang Xuhong
Published: April 2021

Holmes tremor (HT) is a rare symptomatic movement disorder characterized by a combination of resting, postural, and action tremors. HT is usually caused by lesions in the brain stem, thalamus, and cerebellum, and the pathogenesis is believed to be related to the nigrostriatal pathway and/or the cerebello–thalamo–cortical pathway. Many medications have been used to treat HT with various degrees of effectiveness. We herein present a case involving an elderly woman who developed atypical HT 23 months after cerebral hemorrhage. The atypical HT manifested as a tremor of the right limb with involuntary flexion of the distal five fingers of the right upper limb. Imaging findings suggested the existence of an old hemorrhage in the left thalamus. Specifically, diffusion tensor imaging data of the whole brain and multimodal three-dimensional medical imaging revealed significant white matter microstructural changes in the centromedian nucleus of the left thalamus. Treatment with high-dose oral levodopa was not efficient, but the symptoms gradually decreased in severity and disappeared 1 month after switching to oral clonazepam treatment.
Two different patterns of lung adenocarcinoma with concomitant EGFR mutation and ALK rearrangement
Authors: Zhao Dashi , Fan Jun , Peng Li , Huang Bo , Zhu Yili , Shi Heshui , Dai Xiaofang , Nie Xiu
Published: April 2021

Epidermal growth factor receptor ( EGFR) mutations and anaplastic lymphoma kinase ( ALK) rearrangements are considered mutually exclusive in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), especially in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAC). However, sporadic cases harboring concomitant EGFR and ALK alterations have been increasingly reported. There is no consensus opinion regarding the treatment of patients positive for both molecular alterations. NSCLC with EGFR/ ALK coalterations should be separated into two subtypes: unifocal and multifocal LUAC. Here, we present an overview of the available literature regarding this rare group of patients to provide useful suggestions for therapeutic strategies.
Lymphoma in Psittacine Birds: A Histological and Immunohistochemical Assessment
Authors: Gibson Daniel J. , Nemeth Nicole M. , Beaufrère Hugues , Varga Csaba , Garner Michael M. , Susta Leonardo
Published: April 2021

In psittacine birds, round cell neoplasms that originate from lymphocytes, plasma cells, histiocytes, or mast cells are sporadic and poorly described. The lack of morphological and immunohistochemical diagnostic criteria or grading schemes make specific diagnoses and prognoses challenging. We assessed cases of psittacine birds diagnosed with round cell neoplasia from 3 North American veterinary diagnostic laboratories to describe the diagnostic features of these tumors. For all cases, demographic data, anatomic distribution, histological features, and immunoreactivity for T (CD3) and B (Pax5 and MUM-1) cell markers were assessed using tissue microarrays and whole slide mounts. Thirty-eight psittacine birds representing 14 species were included. Tumors were mainly infiltrative and multicentric, were composed of homogenous sheets of round to polygonal cells, and commonly presented with a high mitotic count (average 21 mitoses per high-power field). Based on Pax5 immunoreactivity, B-cell lymphoma was most common (19/38 [50%]), and was significantly associated with involvement of the gastrointestinal and urogenital systems. Of the 38 cases, 6 (16%) were consistent with T-cell lymphoma, 3 (8%) with plasma cell tumor, and 3 (8%) were double-reactive for both B- and T-lymphocyte markers. This is the first study to describe morphologic and immunohistochemical features of round cell neoplasia in a large number of psittacine birds, and provides benchmark data for future studies aimed at elucidating the diagnosis and prognosis of these neoplasms. These data also provide useful information about reactivity of commercially available antibodies as lymphocyte markers in tissues of multiple psittacine species.
Extracellular Vesicles: Novel Opportunities to Understand and Detect Neoplastic Diseases
Authors: Bongiovanni Laura , Andriessen Anneloes , Wauben Marca H. M. , Hoen Esther N. M. Nolte-’t , de Bruin Alain
Published: April 2021

With a size range from 30 to 1000 nm, extracellular vesicles (EVs) are one of the smallest cell components able to transport biologically active molecules. They mediate intercellular communications and play a fundamental role in the maintenance of tissue homeostasis and pathogenesis in several types of diseases. In particular, EVs actively contribute to cancer initiation and progression, and there is emerging understanding of their role in creation of the metastatic niche. This fact underlies the recent exponential growth in EV research, which has improved our understanding of their specific roles in disease and their potential applications in diagnosis and therapy. EVs and their biomolecular cargo reflect the state of the diseased donor cells, and can be detected in body fluids and exploited as biomarkers in cancer and other diseases. Relatively few studies have been published on EVs in the veterinary field. This review provides an overview of the features and biology of EVs as well as recent developments in EV research including techniques for isolation and analysis, and will address the way in which the EVs released by diseased tissues can be studied and exploited in the field of veterinary pathology. Uniquely, this review emphasizes the important contribution that pathologists can make to the field of EV research: pathologists can help EV scientists in studying and confirming the role of EVs and their molecular cargo in diseased tissues and as biomarkers in liquid biopsies.
A novel intra-ventricular assist device enhances cardiac performance in normal and acutely failing isolated porcine hearts
Authors: van Dort Daniël IM , Thannhauser Jos , Morshuis Wim J , Geuzebroek Guillaume SC , Duncker Dirk J
Published: April 2021

Background:

We recently demonstrated that a novel intra-ventricular membrane pump (IVMP) was able to increase the pump function of isolated beating porcine hearts. In follow-up, we now investigated the impact of the IVMP on myocardial oxygen consumption and total mechanical efficiency (TME) and assessed the effect of IVMP-support in acutely failing hearts.

Methods:

In 10 ex vivo beating porcine hearts, we studied hemodynamic parameters, as well as arterial and coronary venous oxygen content. We assessed cardiac power (CP), myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2), and TME (CP divided by MVO2) under baseline conditions and during IVMP-support. Additionally, five isolated hearts were subjected to global hypoxia to investigate the effects of IVMP-support on CP under conditions of acute heart failure.

Results:

Under physiological conditions, baseline CP was 0.36 ± 0.10 W, which increased to 0.65 ± 0.16 W during IVMP-support (increase of 85% ± 24, p < 0.001). This was accompanied by an increase in MVO2 from 18.6 ± 6.2 ml/min at baseline, to 22.3 ± 5.0 ml/min during IVMP-support (+26 ± 31%, p = 0.005). As a result, TME (%) increased from 5.9 ± 1.2 to 8.8 ± 1.8 (50 ± 22% increase, p < 0.001). Acute hypoxia-induced cardiac pump failure reduced CP by 35 ± 6%, which was fully restored to baseline levels during IVMP-support in all hearts.

Conclusion:

IVMP-support improved mechanical efficiency under physiological conditions, as the marked increase in cardiac performance only resulted in a modest increase in oxygen consumption. Moreover, the IVMP rapidly restored cardiac performance under conditions of acute pump failure. These observations warrant further study, to evaluate the effects of IVMP-support in in vivo animal models of acute cardiac pump failure.
Harnessing the Chaplain’s Capacity to Identify Unmet Palliative Needs of Vulnerable Older Adults in the Emergency Department
Authors: Hamill Howard Elizabeth , Schwartz Rachel , Feldstein Bruce , Grudzen Marita , Klein Lori , Piderman Katherine M. , Wang David
Published: April 2021

Objective: To explore chaplains’ ability to identify unmet palliative care (PC) needs in older emergency department (ED) patients. Methods: A palliative chaplain-fellow conducted a retrospective chart review evaluating 580 ED patients, age ≥80 using the Palliative Care and Rapid Emergency Screening (P-CaRES) tool. An emergency medicine physician and chaplain-fellow screened 10% of these charts to provide a clinical assessment. One year post-study, charts were re-examined to identify which patients received PC consultation (PCC) or died, providing an objective metric for comparing predicted needs with services received. Results: Within one year of ED presentation, 31% of the patient sub-sample received PCC; 17% died. Forty percent of deceased patients did not receive PCC. Of this 40%, chaplain screening for P-CaRES eligibility correctly identified 75% of the deceased as needing PCC. Conclusion: Establishing chaplain-led PC screenings as standard practice in the ED setting may improve end-of-life care for older patients.
Towards a Postcolonial Critical Realism
Authors: Tinsley Meghan
Published: April 2021

This article proposes postcolonial critical realism (PCR) as an ontological framework that explains the structuring relationship between racialized, colonial discourses and the social world. Beginning with the case study of the global climate crisis, it considers how scholars and activists have made sense of the present crisis, and how their discourses reflect and reproduce the climate crisis at large. To theorize the relationship between racialized, power-laden discourses and material reality, it derives five tenets of PCR: first, colonial discourses underlie, and interact with, material structures; second, coloniality is global and made visible through differential events and experiences; third, subaltern lived experiences reveal the nature of reality at large; fourth, coloniality is power-laden, sticky, and often invisible; and finally, decolonization must target all three domains of the social world and their interactions. The article concludes by considering how this framework might enrich anticolonial thought in the social sciences, as well as social movements.
Incidence of Fever Associated With Dexmedetomidine in the Adult Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Peterson Jacob , Thomas Wendy , Michaud Christopher , Parker Jessi
Published: April 2021

Background:

Published literature has described the temporal relationship of dexmedetomidine with elevated temperatures, but there is limited data to quantify the incidence of fever in ICU patients receiving dexmedetomidine.

Objective:

The primary objective of this study was to estimate the incidence of temperature greater than or equal to 38.5°C in ICU patients receiving dexmedetomidine.

Methods:

This was a retrospective cohort study of ICU patients who received dexmedetomidine with a propensity-matched subgroup analysis comparing dexmedetomidine fever patients to non-fever patients. Patients 18 years of age and older admitted between November 2017 and August 2018 who received continuous dexmedetomidine for 6 or more hours were eligible for inclusion. Included patients with a temperature of great than or equal to 38.5°C while receiving dexmedetomidine were established as having dexmedetomidine-related fever.

Results:

Of 882 eligible ICU patients, 404 dexmedetomidine patients were included in the study. Sixty-one patients (15.1%) met the definition for the primary endpoint. Forty-two patients who received dexmedetomidine but experienced no fever were matched for multivariate analysis. The fever group received a higher mean maximum infusion rate (0.98 µg/kg/h ± 0.43 vs. 0.68 µg/kg/h ± 0.42, P < 0.001) and a longer median duration of dexmedetomidine (43.0 hours [range 7-711] vs. 24.3 hours [6-148], P = 0.001) compared to the non-fever group.

Conclusion:

Fever greater than 38.5°C was observed in 15.1% of ICU patients while receiving dexmedetomidine. Prospective studies are warranted to validate these findings.
Impact of Automated Notifications on Prescription Abandonment
Authors: Gunderson Erik G. , Newell Bradley J. , Rohling Brent J. , Melton Brittany L. , Robertson Amy D.
Published: April 2021

Background:

Prescription abandonment impacts patients’ quality of life and disease progression. In addition, prescription abandonment can increase total healthcare costs.

Objective:

This study compared effects of automated telephone calls (ATC), automated text messages (ATM), and control on prescription abandonment rates with Medicare defined Star Rated medications. The secondary objective compared prescription abandonment rates between age groups (18-64 versus ≥ 65 years) within each arm.

Methods:

This was a retrospective observational analysis from a regional division of a large community-based pharmacy chain. Star Rated medication prescriptions consisting of hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors, renin-angiotensin system antagonists, and non-insulin type 2 diabetes mellitus medications were included. Prescriptions for patients who activated or deactivated automated notification enrollment during the study period were excluded.

Results:

A total of 31,056, 33,278, and 20,299 prescriptions were included in the analysis of ATC, ATM, and control arms, respectively. Prescription abandonment occurred on 726 (2.3%) prescriptions within ATC arm, 864 (2.6%) prescriptions within ATM arm, and 513 (2.5%) prescriptions within control arm (p = 0.099). Prescription abandonment occurred on 390 (2.6%) prescriptions for 18-64 and 336 (2.1%) prescriptions for 65 years or older within the ATC arm (p = 0.002). Prescription abandonment occurred on 251 (2.9%) prescriptions for 18-64 and 262 (2.3%) prescriptions for 65 years or older within the control arm (p = 0.006).

Conclusion:

No difference in rates of prescription abandonment existed between each automated notification arm on Star Rated medications. ATC notifications decreased rates of prescription abandonment when utilized by patients 65 years or older.
Unprovoked Dystonic Reaction in a Child Taking Long-Term Methylphenidate
Authors: Pagliaro Alyssa , Mattio Brianna , Paulson Nicholas , Fromm Christian , Vidal Jennifer
Published: April 2021

In this report, we discuss the case of a 9-year-old male with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) on long-term methylphenidate and guanfacine who experienced acute orofacial dystonia that resolved immediately with the administration of benztropine. Current literature describes various cases of methylphenidate-induced dystonia, but ours appears to be the first reported instance of spontaneous dystonia without a recent change in dose or medication change. This may suggest the possibility of methylphenidate-induced dystonia spontaneously occurring several years after initiation.
Effect of atomizing rapid solidification spherical abrasive finishing on the surface quality of copper-nickel alloy
Authors: Cui Tonglei , Zhang Guixiang , Cui Yuntao , Jiang Linzhi , Zhu Peixin , Du Jiajing
Published: April 2021

To improve the surface roughness of Copper-Nickel alloy (Cu-Ni alloy) and explore the effect of magnetic abrasive finishing on the surface hardness and hydrophobicity of Cu-Ni alloy, the spherical magnetic abrasives are prepared by atomizing rapid solidification method. The effects of various process parameters on the surface quality of Cu-Ni alloy are explored, and the optimal process parameters of magnetic abrasive finishing of Cu-Ni alloy are obtained. The Neodymium-Iron-Boron permanent magnetic pole is used to grind the workpiece with XK7136C CNC milling machine. Three dimensional profilometer, metallographic microscope, and digital Vickers hardness tester are used to analyze the surface morphology of the workpiece. The hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity of the workpiece are measured by a contact angle goniometer. The effects of spindle speed, feeding rate, processing distance, and abrasive filling amount on the surface quality of workpiece are investigated by the orthogonal experiment and the single factor test. When the spindle speed is 1300 r/min, the feeding rate is 13 mm/min, the processing distance is 1.2 mm, and the abrasive filling amount is 2.0 g, the surface roughness of Cu-Ni alloy decreases from 0.212 to 0.023 μm and the hardness increases from 114 to 119.8 hv. Finally, the mirror effect of Cu-Ni alloy is achieved. When the optimal test parameters are used, the surface roughness of Cu-Ni alloy can be effectively reduced in a short time. The surface quality of the workpiece is improved, the surface hardness of the workpiece is affected to a certain extent, and the service life of the workpiece is prolonged.
A novel coupling strategy for automated vehicle’s longitudinal dynamic stability
Authors: Cheng Shuo , Mei Ming-ming , Guo Shi-yong , Li Liang , Liu Cong-zhi , Chen Xiang , Wu Xiu-heng
Published: April 2021

The autonomous vehicle has been developed widely, and attracted much attention of global automotive industry. Wherein, longitudinal dynamics control is one of the most crucial issues of autonomous vehicles. The throttle-by-wire (TBW) control could implement the acceleration command through adjusting the throttle opening, thus control the driving torque of the fuel autonomous vehicle. However, an automated vehicle controlled by traditional TBW in low-friction road conditions could reach large slip ratio region, which could adversely cause the loss of vehicle longitudinal dynamic stability. To tackle the mentioned issues, this paper proposes an adaptive sliding-mode control (SMC) algorithm to optimize tire slip speed of the automated vehicle. When the intervention conditions of active acceleration are satisfied, the TBW can take over the throttle opening control instead of the driver. Firstly, the SMC can calculate an intervention of the effective torque input based on tire torque balance dynamics. Moreover, a traction control system (TCS) and TBW coupling strategy based on the logic threshold method is put forward to response the optimum slip speed curve. Thus, during the vehicle starting process, a three-layer control strategy consisting of TBW, torque control, and pressure control of TCS is involved. Finally, real-car snow and ice road tests are carried out, and experimental results demonstrate great performance of the proposed strategy in complicated low-friction road.
Hill-starting a heavy haul train with a 24-axle locomotive
Authors: Wu Qing , Yang Xiangjian , Jin Xihong
Published: April 2021

Head-end trains are more efficient than Distributed Power trains in terms of train marshalling. This paper studied an unprecedent real-world engineering problem to hill-start a long heavy haul train at a 1.2% up-hill gradient by using a 14400 kW 24-axle AC electric locomotive (maximum traction force 2280 kN). Longitudinal Train Dynamics simulation were conducted to assess five potential driving strategies in terms of train speed and in-train forces. The simulation results show that the locomotive can hill-start the heavy haul train with 80% traction throttle. However, maximum locomotive coupler forces (1840 kN) exceeded coupler knuckle yield strength (1780 kN) of the original coupler system design. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the implications of train starting resistance for train speeds and in-train forces. The study recommends increasing coupler knuckle yield strength to 2450 kN. The increased knuckle yield strength is still lower than that of the chassis, which is able to meet system design requirement; it also enables the locomotive to hill-start by using traction throttles of 80, 90, and 100% with safety factors of 1.3, 1.2 and 1.1 respectively.
Age-Related Changes in Spatial Navigation Are Evident by Midlife and Differ by Sex
Authors: Yu Shuying , Boone Alexander P. , He Chuanxiuyue , Davis Rie C. , Hegarty Mary , Chrastil Elizabeth R. , Jacobs Emily G.
Published: April 2021

Accumulating evidence suggests that distinct aspects of successful navigation—path integration, spatial-knowledge acquisition, and navigation strategies—change with advanced age. Yet few studies have established whether navigation deficits emerge early in the aging process (prior to age 65) or whether early age-related deficits vary by sex. Here, we probed healthy young adults (ages 18–28) and midlife adults (ages 43–61) on three essential aspects of navigation. We found, first, that path-integration ability shows negligible effects of sex or age. Second, robust sex differences in spatial-knowledge acquisition are observed not only in young adulthood but also, although with diminished effect, at midlife. Third, by midlife, men and women show decreased ability to acquire spatial knowledge and increased reliance on taking habitual paths. Together, our findings indicate that age-related changes in navigation ability and strategy are evident as early as midlife and that path-integration ability is spared, to some extent, in the transition from youth to middle age.
A unified approach to power and sample size determination for log-rank tests under proportional and nonproportional hazards
Authors: Tang Yongqiang
Published: April 2021

Log-rank tests have been widely used to compare two survival curves in biomedical research. We describe a unified approach to power and sample size calculation for the unweighted and weighted log-rank tests in superiority, noninferiority and equivalence trials. It is suitable for both time-driven and event-driven trials. A numerical algorithm is suggested. It allows flexible specification of the patient accrual distribution, baseline hazards, and proportional or nonproportional hazards patterns, and enables efficient sample size calculation when there are a range of choices for the patient accrual pattern and trial duration. A confidence interval method is proposed for the trial duration of an event-driven trial. We point out potential issues with several popular sample size formulae. Under proportional hazards, the power of a survival trial is commonly believed to be determined by the number of observed events. The belief is roughly valid for noninferiority and equivalence trials with similar survival and censoring distributions between two groups, and for superiority trials with balanced group sizes. In unbalanced superiority trials, the power depends also on other factors such as data maturity. Surprisingly, the log-rank test usually yields slightly higher power than the Wald test from the Cox model under proportional hazards in simulations. We consider various nonproportional hazards patterns induced by delayed effects, cure fractions, and/or treatment switching. Explicit power formulae are derived for the combination test that takes the maximum of two or more weighted log-rank tests to handle uncertain nonproportional hazards patterns. Numerical examples are presented for illustration.
Antecedents of the Youngster’s Awareness About Financial Literacy: A Structure Equation Modelling Approach
Authors: Dogra Pallavi , Kaushal Arun , Sharma Rishi Raj
Published: April 2021

Financial literacy has been identified as an important functional area that attains a special concern in the Indian government policies and plans specially designed for the financial market. SEBI has issued various guidelines and awareness programs towards investment financial products, digital payment systems, consumer protection and so on. Therefore, the purpose of the present article is to analyze the level of financial literacy among youngsters in India. The study examined the relationship between the antecedents of financial literacy, that is, financial attitude, financial knowledge and financial behavior. The theoretical purposed model was tested with the help of primary data that was collected with the help of the self-structured questionnaire. A total of 647 responses were obtained from the respondents belonging to the holy city Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India. To identify the financial literacy antecedents and their inter-relationship, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling were applied to the collected data. The findings indicated that in the case of the Indian population, financial attitude and financial behavior were significantly associated with financial literacy. The moderation analysis reveals that males are more particular about financial knowledge and financial behavior in comparison to females. Respondents belonging to the age group of 26–30 years have better financial knowledge. Respondents who have income more than ₹800 thousand and below two years have more financial knowledge. This article contributes to the theoretical body of knowledge by providing insights about the interesting topic of financial literacy by identifying its antecedents. The study also highlights the impact of the demographic variables as moderators on the antecedents of financial literacy. The outcomes of the study are vital for the government in the designing of public policies. The findings are helpful for the educational program designers for the outlining of the programs and syllabus for the subjects taught in the schools and colleges. The findings are useful for the bank managers to understand the psychological behavior as well as demographic variables for the effective marketing and communication of their financial products.
Innovation Challenges in South Asia: Evidence from Bangladesh, Pakistan and India
Authors: Kabadurmus Fatma Nur Karaman
Published: April 2021

In literature, the implications of resource constraints for innovation outcomes are conflicting. A broad body of empirical research focuses on the negative impacts of such constraints, most of which use data from advanced economies. However, recently some scholars argue that in emerging economies, innovation occurs in spite of and even because of the poor investment environment. Using firm-level data from South Asia, which provides a good natural example for such poor investment environment, and where innovation tigers like India continue to thrive, we investigate whether internal barriers such as lack of human capital and financial capital are indeed barriers for firms in the region. Our findings for India provide empirical support for the literature on resource-constrained innovation, while results for Pakistan support earlier contributions within the conventional innovation literature. For Bangladesh, however, neither human nor financial resources but firm-characteristics such as size and foreign ownership promote innovation more. Findings are validated across sub-samples of small and medium-sized enterprises and non-exporters, which are more likely to face such constraints.
Social Justice and Social Work Curriculum at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
Authors: Onalu Chinyere E. , Okoye Uzoma O.
Published: April 2021

Purpose:

With increasing incidents of injustices in Nigeria, concerns for social justice have been topical. Social workers are expected to be at the fore of campaigns and implementation of social justice, hence, the question of their preparedness to match these expectations. This article sets out to ascertain whether the content of the curriculum of the Department of Social Work, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, meets these expectations.

Method:

Focus group discussion and in-depth interviews were used to collect data from purposively selected 20 undergraduates and four postgraduates.

Results:

Findings show that the students believe that the curriculum has enough social justice content though there is a need for review and change in delivery methods.

Discussion:

The incorporation of social justice into the curriculum encourages its application by practitioners. It is important to introduce more courses on social justice to impact more on the students and train teachers on better delivery methods.
Using Creative Genograms in Family Social Work to Integrate Subjective and Objective Knowledge About the Family: A Participatory Study
Authors: Huss Ephrat , Kapulnik Erga
Published: April 2021

Genograms are widely used in family therapy as a way of visually mapping out systems and recurring family patterns. Creative genograms enable families to phenomenologically self-define recurring themes and issues, thus combining both historical, but also, experiential data on the same page. This participatory research gathers the self-defined, phenomenological experience of family social workers who experienced creative genograms firstly on themselves and then administered it with their clients: Examples are analyzed within the text. The findings point to the usefulness of including creative genograms in family social work contexts to intensify information, engagement, and stimulation and to re-perceive calcified problems through new visual terms. Challenges were the unfamiliarity of art language and fear of being “diagnosed” through art. Ways to overcome these challenges and to utilize the benefits were discussed. A theoretical understanding of social versus psychological art is outlined. The specific tool of the creative genogram enabled us not only to provide a clear directive tool for family social workers but also to demonstrate the ways that social art corresponds to and can enhance the aims of family social workers in more detail.