bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“Ready for What?”: Timing and Speculation in Alzheimer’s Disease Drug Development
Authors: Brenman Natassia F. , Milne Richard
Published: April 2021

“Readiness cohorts” are an innovation in clinical trial design to tackle the scarcity of time and people in drug studies. This has emerged in response to the challenges of recruiting the “right” research participants at the “right time” in the context of precision medicine. In this paper, we consider how the achievement of “readiness” aligns temporalities, biologies, and market processes of pharmaceutical innovation: how the promise of “willing bodies” in research emerges in relation to intertwined economic and biological time imperatives. Drawing on long-term engagement with the field of Alzheimer’s disease prevention and interviews with researchers from academia and the pharmaceutical industry, we describe the discursive construction and practical arrangement of readiness. This paper contributes to understandings of temporal specificity, or “timing,” within prevention research and casts critical light on the way this specificity—the threshold for “trial readiness”—relates to an opaque and highly speculative drug development pipeline. Extending the study of biomedical potential, as that which holds promise but may not yet exist, we consider how absences operate in adaptive trials. By highlighting these absences (“ready for what?”), we outline an opportunity for socio-ethical research to intervene in the speculative gaps of drug development.
Relationship, Choice, Health, and Typologies of Unpaid Care Labor for Older Adults
Authors: Tarter Robin , Mates Exu Anton , Lindauer Allison , Hassouneh Dena
Published: April 2021

Providing unpaid care labor to older adult friends and relatives is associated with deleterious health outcomes, especially among persons who feel they have no choice when taking on care responsibilities. We used hierarchical cluster analysis and structural equation modeling of data from the National Alliance for Caregiving’s Caregiving in the U.S. 2015 Survey to explore choice—outcome relationships. We identified three distinct care typologies, hands-on, household, and managerial care. Perceived lack of choice predicted emotional stress directly and indirectly through household and managerial care; predicted physical strain directly and indirectly through all care typologies; but only predicted negative health impact indirectly through mediation. Lack of choice had greater direct effects on emotional stress and negative health impact for adult–descendants compared to participants with other relationships with recipients, for whom the effects of lack of choice on outcomes were mediated through household and managerial care.
Spiritual Politics: New Age and New Left in West Germany around 1980
Authors: Häberlen Joachim C.
Published: April 2021

In the late 1970s, an increasing number of West German ‘alternative’ leftist authors and activists turned to spiritual ideas. A milieu that had once been characterized by what Timothy Scott Brown called a ‘scholarly-scientific imperative’ now turned to magic and mystics, fairy tales and stories about American Indians. The article explores this turn to spirituality within the ‘alternative left’ in West Germany around 1980. Drawing on a close reading of several books, mostly published by Munich’s famous left-wing publisher Trikont Dianus, the article argues that fairy tales, myths and accounts of American Indian shamans promised a deeper and more holistic understanding of the world that was beyond the grasp of rational scientific thinking, including Marxism. This holistic understanding of the world provided the basis for a form of politics focused on living in harmony: in harmony with oneself, not least in a bodily sense; in harmony with nature and the universe; and in harmony with the community and the past, which is why authors began to re-evaluate notions of Heimat (homeland), a notoriously right-wing concept. For leftists tired of the confrontational and often violent politics of the 1970s, such ideas proved appealing. The article suggests understanding the fascination with spiritualism as part and parcel of a moment when old, confrontational forms of politics were rapidly losing appeal and were replaced by a politics concerned with questions of self-hood. Spiritual politics were, to quote Michel Foucault, part of the struggles that attacked ‘not so much “such and such” an institution of power, or group, or elite, or class, but rather a technique, a form of power’, namely a power that determined ‘who one is’.
Investigating the Relationship Between Electronic Literacy and Quality of Life of the Elderly in Arak, Iran
Authors: Hatamnezhad Kiyana , Ghafari Ashtiyani Peyman , Seyedi Faranak
Published: April 2021

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between digital literacy and the quality of life of the elderly in Arak. The research is a descriptive survey in terms of applied purpose and terms of method and nature. The statistical population of the present study included all the elderly in Arak who were at least 64 years and older; 376 participants were selected using the sampling method. Participants were assessed with the help of digital literacy and quality-of-life questionnaires. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics (analysis of covariance) were used using the SPSS-21 software. The results showed that all parameters of digital literacy had a direct and significant effect on the quality of life of the elderly. Among the quality-of-life parameters, the impact of the physical environment health was less than that of the others.
Strategies of stratification: Regulating market access in the era of personalized medicine
Authors: Wadmann Sarah , Hauge Amalie Martinus
Published: April 2021

Personalized medicine raises the stakes of pharmaceutical market regulation. Drawing on pragmatist valuation studies and science and technology studies literature on personalized medicine and pharmaceutical markets, this article demonstrates how complex negotiations about the value of a pharmaceutical can constitute a market in various ways, while also shaping the concerned patient populations. Tracing the path of a pharmacogenetic treatment, Spinraza, from its approval by the European Medicines Agency to its adoption in the publicly funded Danish healthcare system, we show how the market was formatted through particular stratifications of the patient population. We conceptualize these seemingly technical moves as strategies of stratification, that is, the application of techniques to assemble and divide data – and what data are meant to represent – into groups delineated by certain characteristics. We argue that stakeholders’ use of strategies of stratification has important implications not only for market access, but also for the delineation of diseases and patient populations. Hence, it is crucial to make intelligible the mutual constitution of pharmaceutical markets and patient populations and the political efforts of delineating and connecting the two.
An Exploratory Study on the Role of Burnout and Devaluation among Staff in Psychiatric Correctional Facilities
Authors: Olson Lindamarie , Gearing Robin , Pérez Ramírez Berenice , Torres Luis R.
Published: April 2021

Correctional staff work in demanding job environments that can lead to increased burnout. Research aims were to determine the prevalence of burnout and devaluation of consumers (i.e., individuals in their care) and their families among correctional staff, examine associations between burnout and devaluation of consumers and their families, and determine significant predictors of burnout. This exploratory study investigated 30 correctional staff in a specialized psychiatric correctional facility for individuals with mental illness in Mexico City. Correctional staff experienced low to moderate burnout, reported high levels of devaluation of consumers (DCS), and low levels of devaluation of consumers’ families (DCFS). The implications of burnout on DCS and DCFS warrant large scale research and should compare burnout and devaluation in specialized psychiatric correctional facilities versus general correctional facilities.
Shrinking cities on the globe: Evidence from LandScan 2000–2019
Authors: Meng Xiangfeng , Jiang Zhidian , Wang Xinyu , Long Ying
Published: April 2021

Shrinking cities have spread across the globe in recent decades, characterizing significant population loss, economic decline, and decay in spatial quality. To maintain global economic prosperity in the context of urban shrinkage and support decision making in the direction, it is necessary to accurately identify shrinking cities on a global scale. We utilize redefined natural city boundaries and the LandScan dataset to identify and map shrinking cities experiencing population loss on the globe. As a result, we have identified 5004 shrinking cities worldwide, with a total area of 126,930 km2 during 2000–2019. The ratio of which in number and in area is 27% and 22%, respectively. The shrinking cities are clustered and mainly located in Europe, Eastern Asia, and northeastern United States. There are 41 countries with more than 20 shrinking cities on the globe. The number of shrinking cities in China reached 679, which is the most. Among the 41 countries, the median value of the natural cities’ shrinking ratios of Iraq, Iran, Austria, South Africa, Russia, Georgia, and Belarus is >50%, indicating that the urban population loss in these countries is relatively serious. Our findings can be used to inform decision makers and urban planners to adjust the “growth-oriented” planning paradigm and adopt precise strategies, to form a healthier urban development.
The era of digital transformation: Visualizing the geography of e-commerce usage in Turkey
Authors: Öztürk Sevim Pelin
Published: April 2021

It is noteworthy that volumes of e-commerce usage are spread over the population of the world, and the amount of transactions is quite high. In this sense, Turkey's situation is different from other countries. Although the volume of internet usage is similar to that of the world, the volume of e-commerce transactions is quite low. However, there is a stable increase in the e-commerce usage in Turkey. Between 2016 and 2020, the average annual growth rate of e-commerce usage has grown by 31% across the country. Considering the great increase in the e-commerce usage in Turkey, this study aims to visualize spatial distribution of the share of e-commerce usage over the provinces of Turkey. Findings of the research point out that the e-commerce usage shows a heterogeneous spatial distribution across Turkey. Due to the low population, in particular provinces (such as Kayseri and Karabük in Central Anatolia, Aydın in Aegean Region, and Van in East Anatolia), there is an expanding distortion around these cities regarding the ratio of e-commerce usage.
Treatment Strategies and Outcomes for Osteochondritis Dissecans of the Capitellum
Authors: Sayani Junaid , Plotkin Tobias , Burchette Daniel Timothy , Phadnis Joideep
Published: April 2021

Background:

The optimum management of osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the capitellum is a widely debated subject.

Purpose:

To better understand the efficacy of different surgical modalities and nonoperative treatment of OCD as assessed by radiological and clinical outcomes and return to sports.

Study Design:

Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

A systematic review of all treatment studies published between January 1975 and June 2020 was performed following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. A total of 76 clinical studies, including 1463 patients, were suitable for inclusion. Aggregate analysis and subgroup analysis of individual patient data were performed to compare the functional and radiographic outcomes between the various nonoperative and surgical treatment options for capitellar OCD. A unified grading system (UGS; grades 1-4) was developed from existing validated classification systems to allow a comparison of patients with similar-grade OCD lesions in different studies according to their treatment. Patient-level data were available for 352 patients. The primary outcome measures of interest were patient-reported functional outcome, range of motion (ROM), and return to sports after treatment. The influences of the capitellar physeal status, location of the lesion, and type of sports participation were also assessed. Each outcome measure was evaluated according to the grade of OCD and treatment method (debridement/microfracture, fragment fixation, osteochondral autograft transplantation [OATS], or nonoperative treatment).

Results:

No studies reported elbow scores or ROM for nonoperatively treated patients. All surgical modalities resulted in significantly increased postoperative ROM and elbow scores for stable (UGS grades 1 and 2) and unstable lesions (UGS grades 3 and 4). There was no significant difference in the magnitude of improvement or overall scores according to the type of surgery for stable or unstable lesions. Return to sports was superior with nonoperative treatment for stable lesions, whereas surgical treatment was superior for unstable lesions. Patients with an open capitellar physis had superior ROM for stable and unstable lesions, but there was no correlation with lesion location and the outcomes of OATS versus fragment fixation for high-grade lesions.

Conclusion:

Nonoperative treatment was similar in outcomes to surgical treatment for low-grade lesions, whereas surgical treatment was superior for higher grade lesions. There is currently insufficient evidence to support complex reconstructive techniques for high-grade lesions compared with microfracture/debridement alone.
Strategic overview of management of future solar photovoltaic panel waste generation in the Indian context
Authors: Rathore Neelam , Panwar Narayan Lal
Published: April 2021

Solar energy has become a leading solution to meet the increasing energy demand of growing populations. Solar photovoltaic technology is an efficient option to generate electricity from solar energy and mitigate climate change. Although the development and growth of solar photovoltaics has had a positive impact on energy system decarbonization, but end-of-life solar panels might become toxic waste if not properly disposed of. Presently in India, approximately 200,000 tonnes of solar photovoltaic waste are expected to be produced by 2030 and 1.8 million tonnes by 2050, by which time solar waste could grow to 60 million tonnes globally. Solar waste has recently been included in the category of waste electrical and electronic equipment to restrict the negative influence of continual development. Recent advancements have been focused only on increasing the efficiency of solar photovoltaic panels without considering the impact of waste solar panels on the environment and the issue of appropriate disposal of waste panels. Effective and ecofriendly methods for recycling end-of-life waste are rarely considered. There is a need to critically investigate and manage the disposal and recycling of solar panels waste. This review article addresses handling and recycling of solar waste, which will be present in large quantities after 25 years. We review multiple adopted technologies to recycle solar waste and technological advancement achieved while recycling photovoltaic waste. Further life cycle assessment of recycling technologies is also discussed.
Confronting Pension Reform: Public Employees’ Psychological Contract Breach, Negative Perception, Regret, and the Moderating Role of PSM
Authors: Mussagulova Assel , Chen Chung-An , Dennis Dong Hsiang-Kai
Published: April 2021

Although pension reform has been a global trend in the last couple of decades, public administration research has seldom addressed the issue of how targeted pension reforms affect civil servants. The goal of this study is to conceptualize pension reform as the breach of the psychological contract between the government and civil servants and to understand whether it leads to the experience of regret in civil servants over choosing a government career. In doing so, this study also explores the possible role of public service motivation (PSM) in moderating the experience of regret elicited by psychological contract breach as well as the negative perception of the pension reform. The analysis of the data collected from 944 Taiwanese public employees shows that (i) both psychological contract breach and negative perception trigger regret and (ii) PSM strengthens the impacts of psychological contract breach and the negative perception of the pension reform. The findings have critical implications for both practitioners handling pension reforms and researchers interested in building a theory of PSM.
Punctual Urbanisms: Rapid Planning Responses to Urban Problems
Authors: Landgrave-Serrano Monica , Stoker Philip , Crisman Jonathan Jae-an
Published: April 2021

Traditional urban planning projects require considerable time, political buy-in, and capital. Conversely, small-scale urban interventions can be executed quickly and inexpensively. However, the terms used to describe these projects—such as tactical, pop-up, temporary, or insurgent urbanism—are numerous and overlapping, making them hard to distinguish from each other. We suggest that a single unifying term, punctual urbanism, can capture these different urbanisms. To justify this choice, we provide definitions and examples, as well as an overarching framework for understanding these urbanisms on the basis of two dimensions: who is implementing them and what is their temporal scale.
Building Collaborative Evidence-Based Frameworks for Criminal Justice Policy
Authors: Brancale Julie , Blomberg Thomas G. , Siennick Sonja , Pesta George B. , Swagar Nic , Noorman Kaylee , Caswell Jonathan , Chouhy Cecilia
Published: April 2021

Researcher–policymaker/practitioner partnerships (RPPs) have emerged as a successful tool for translating research into policy and practice. However, the available research has focused on RPPs with law enforcement and correctional agencies. Notably absent are studies that describe and evaluate RPPs between researchers and legislative bodies. Specifically, questions remain about the establishment, unique constraints, best practices for effective implementation, and sustainability of partnerships between researchers and policymakers. This study contributes to the literature by describing a unique RPP between a university and a state legislature. Through this retrospective case analysis, we describe the steps taken to initiate the partnership, its implementation, and outcomes. Importantly, in the context of the prior research, we describe the lessons learned, next steps, and implications for partnerships with policymakers.
Relating within-person personality variability to organizational citizenship behavior and counterproductive work behavior: A resource-based perspective
Authors: Vossen Juul , Hofmans Joeri
Published: April 2021

Research on the effects of within-person personality variability has mainly focused on the consequences for subjective well-being. Drawing on a resource-based approach, we extend this field to the work domain, expecting that since deviating from one’s average trait level is resource intensive, it should relate negatively to behaviors that require the investment of additional resources, such as organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), while it should relate positively to behaviors that replenish one’s resources, such as counterproductive work behavior. Using two personality dimensions that are predictive for work-performance (conscientiousness and core self-evaluations), and a new variability index that is not confounded by the mean, we find an effect of personality variability on negative performance outcomes (counterproductive work behavior), while no relation is found with positive forms of extra-role performance (organizational citizenship behavior). These results were replicated across three separate experience sampling studies, confirming that, while within-person personality variability is related to performance, those relationships are relatively weak and they do not hold for every performance facet.
Preparation of the pistachio shell reinforced PLA biocomposites: Effect of filler treatment and PLA maleation
Authors: Altun Muslum , Celebi Mithat , Ovali Sabih
Published: April 2021

In this study, poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/pistachio shell (PS) biocomposites were fabricated by melt functionalization through a one-step compatibilization process in varying PS filler rates (0–30%). To enhance interfacial adhesion, alkaline-silane pre-treatment was applied to PS, and PLA was grafted with maleic anhydride (MA). The effect of filler ratio, pre-treatment, and maleation steps on the mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties of biocomposites was investigated. The tensile and flexural analysis showed that composites with optimum mechanical properties were obtained by blending 20% of pre-treated PS with maleated PLA. Mechanic and thermal analyses were performed to examine fiber/matrix surface compatibility. The mechanical analysis of biocomposites, such as tensile/flexural strength and modulus were determined with a universal testing machine. Thermal analysis and thermal degradation of biocomposites were determined by using Differential Scanning Calorimetry and TG/DTG. Morphological analysis performed by SEM proved that the composites prepared by maleated PLA and pre-treated PS showed better adhesion between the fiber and the matrix.
Treatment of Severe Hypertriglyceridemia With Insulin Infusions in Severe COVID-19: A Case Series
Authors: Thomas Caitlin M. , Vicent Martie , Moore Shawn , Ali Fahd , Wooten Leslie , Louzon Patricia R.
Published: April 2021

Purpose:

Rapid onset of severe hypertriglyceridemia was quickly recognized in critical COVID-19 patients. Associated causes have been due to secondary hemophagocytic lymphohystiocytosis (HLH) syndrome, medication-induced, or acute liver failure. Statins, omega-3 polyunsaturated acids, niacin, and fibrates are common oral lipid lowering therapy options in patients at risk for hypertriglyceridemia. The severity of hypertriglyceridemia in COVID-19 patients with triglyceride values reaching greater than 1,000 mg/dL put them at a heightened risk of pancreatitis and therefore an essential need to acutely lower their levels. We present a case series of 5 patients who achieved rapid triglyceride lowering through continuous insulin infusion therapy.

Methods:

A retrospective chart review of 48 critical COVID-19 patients who were admitted from March 22 to April 15, 2020 was conducted. Inclusion criteria consisted of mechanical ventilation and continuous insulin infusion to treat severe hypertriglyceridemia resulting with 5 eligible patients in this case report.

Results and Conclusion:

In addition to standard oral lipid lowering therapies, continuous insulin infusion successfully treated severe hypertriglyceridemia in critically ill COVID-19 patients. None of the patients experienced pancreatitis or hypoglycemia necessitating cessation of insulin. Further studies are needed to show the optimum dose and duration of insulin infusion as monotherapy and in combination with oral therapies.
Contour of the Day: Social Patterning of Time in Later Life and Variation in Reported Well-Being in Activities
Authors: Lam Jack , Garcia Joan
Published: April 2021

Objective: To contextualize experiences of activities during the day and investigate whether the contour of the day is correlated with well-being during activities. Methods: Drawing on American Time Use Surveys, we employ sequence and cluster analyses to create distinct typologies of daily life patterns, and bivariate analyses to describe whether well-being across activities varies by these typologies. Results: We identified four typologies characterized by different primary activity of the day: leisure (22.7%), TV (22.4%), housework (47.5%), and work (7.5%). Individuals in the work and leisure clusters tend to report more positive well-being and individuals in the housework and TV clusters tend to report more negative well-being in experiences of activities during the day. We also found that well-being experiences in the same activity differed across individuals in the different typologies. Conclusion: Understanding the daily life patterns of older adults may be important, given its correlation with well-being during activities.
NGO Roles and Anticipated Outcomes in Environmental Participatory Processes: A Typology
Authors: Greenspan Itay , Cohen-Blankshtain Galit , Geva Yinnon
Published: April 2021

Despite the plethora of research on environmental participatory processes, the forms of nongovernmental organization (NGO) involvement in these processes, and the influence of their involvement on participation outcomes, are still under-conceptualized. This article aims to develop a conceptual typology for NGO roles in environmental participatory processes and to suggest how these roles might be associated with participation outcomes. Following a review of public participation literature and NGO capacities, we present four prototypes of NGO roles along two axes: orientation axis and nature of involvement axis. The prototypes include Entrepreneur, Service-Provider, Enabler, and Partner. We then offer an empirical illustration of the typology using eight case studies across the globe and discuss how the four NGO roles might be associated with outcomes of participatory processes. The framework acknowledges the complex, sometimes limited, contribution of NGOs to participatory processes and suggests practical implications.
Entrepreneurship education in Namibia: A study of tertiary education classroom practices
Authors: Iipinge Selma M , Shimpanda Anna M
Published: April 2021

The notion of entrepreneurship education is critical in the context of Namibia’s endeavours to become a knowledge economy by 2030. This study highlights the profile of entrepreneurship educators, identifies the teaching methods used in teaching entrepreneurship and explores whether the teaching methods differ based on the target audience. Data were collected using a survey with open-ended questions sent to educators. This was followed up with scheduled interviews. The study finds that entrepreneurship educators are variously referred to as teachers, lecturers, trainers, facilitators and tutors, depending on the target audience and the organisation they work for. The results further reveal that educators use different teaching and training methods, which are accompanied by various tools that aid teaching and that vary depending on the target audience. As highlighted by the study, the entrepreneurship curriculum should be developed bearing in mind the diversity of target audiences.
An improved denoise method based on EEMD and optimal wavelet threshold for model building of OPAX
Authors: Chen Ke , Zhang Xiaodong , Liu Yubo , Ma Jun
Published: April 2021

To improve the accuracy of Operational Path Analysis with Exogeneous Inputs (OPAX) model by excluding the noise interference sufficiently in the vehicle operating condition data (time-domain vibration signal), the combined noise reduction method of Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (EEMD) and wavelet threshold was used. Since the noise content of each noisy intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) decomposed by EEMD is uncertain, the effective signal element in the less noisy IMFs affects the accuracy of the first-layer wavelet coefficients to estimate the noise variance, the EEMD and wavelet particle swarm optimization sample entropy threshold denoising (EEMD-WPSE) method is presented in terms of information entropy. In this method, the sample entropy of the eliminated noise is used as the information cost function, together with the particle swarm optimization algorithm to find the optimal wavelet threshold of each high-frequency noisy IMFs. After denoising the simulation signal, it is found that the combination of EEMD-WPSE threshold with hard threshold function, soft threshold function and half-soft threshold function identifying higher SNR and lower RMSE, are given to demonstrate the higher universality of the proposed method. The method is applied to the noise reduction processing of the automobile operating condition data for constructing the OPAX model, and the degree of similarity between the synthesized responses of the care-target point obtained by the OPAX model and the measured responses under the second order operational condition are observed, as it turned out, the calculation results of SNR and RMSE indicated that EEMD-WPSE can better promote the accuracy of OPAX model in terms of noise reduction.
Fuzzy control of nonlinear aeroelastic system based on neural network identification
Authors: Zhang Bo , Han Jing-Long , Yun Hai-Wei , Chen Xiao-Mao
Published: April 2021

This article presents a fuzzy control method for the limit cycle oscillation (LCO) suppression of nonlinear aeroelastic systems based on the neural network identification algorithm. A prototypical 2D wing section with a single control surface at the trailing edge of the main wing, which contains a symmetrical free play nonlinearity in the pitch degree of freedom, is modeled to illustrate the proposed method. A neural network is used to identify the fuzzy control rules from the existing LCO suppression input and output data. A new fuzzy control rate of the nonlinear aeroelastic system is obtained by adjusting the parameters of the fuzzy control surface. Numerical simulations are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.
The National Library of Latvia in the early stage of Covid-19 exit
Authors: Vilks Andris
Published: April 2021

The National Library of Latvia had to close for two and a half months when emergency situation was declared in Latvia. The library took proactive steps to protect its staff and ensure continuous on-line services to readers, as well as prepared re-opening plan with physical service transformation according to existing health and safety protocols. The National Library of Latvia engaged in different initiatives to diversify its products and services, including contribution of library data centre processing power to crowdsourcing initiative battling Covid-19. Library major achievement was to receive the license from the state copyright agency that allowed public access to copyright protected collections of books and periodicals from the Latvian National Digital Library throughout the entire Covid-19 crisis. Unlimited access to library digital collections was significant contribution in supporting general public, students and researchers during homestay period. The library re-opened in late May adapting to new normal and has strong future vision of improving information and communication technologies (ICT) of state cultural sector and implementing several international projects.
Education, secularism, and illiberalism: Marginalisation of Muslims by the French state
Authors: Hauser Jonathan
Published: April 2021

Laïcité, France’s idiosyncratic principle of secularism, is a unique term that today engenders state forms of illiberalism, especially against marginalised communities in France. French Muslims experience instances of discrimination and ‘othering’ as the state endorses illiberal policies in the name of laïcité. These state acts of symbolic violence transgress political geographies and affect French Muslims’ perceptions of identification, citizenship, and belonging. Building on nine interviews with French Muslim higher education students, this article demonstrates ways in which illiberalism operates in the lives of French Muslim higher education students. It identifies the role of the French secular school in the making of gendered Islamophobia. This article serves as means for better understanding the lived experiences of French Muslims and recognising the socio-political changes that need to be made in France to protect and empower marginalised groups against state illiberalism.
Can granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) ameliorate acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity?
Authors: Ahmed EA , Abd-Eldayem AM , Ahmed E
Published: April 2021

Acetaminophen (APAP) is often used as an antipyretic and analgesic agent. Overdose hepatotoxicity, which often results in liver cell failure and liver transplantation, is a severe complication of APAP usage. To save the liver and save lives from acute liver damage caused by APAP, the search for new strategies for liver defense is important. Wistar rats have been used for the induction of APAP hepatotoxicity. Elevated levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were evaluated for liver toxicity. In addition, the levels of hepatic tissue oxidative markers such as malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) increased while glutathione (GSH) was depleted and catalase (CAT) activity was curtailed. The biochemical findings were consistent with the changes in histology that suggested liver damage and inflammation. Treated rats with N-acetylcysteine (N-AC) and granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) showed a decrease in serum levels of ALT, AST and LDH, while the level of ALP in the G-CSF group was still high. After administration of APAP, treatment with N-AC or G-CSF substantially reduced the level of MDA and NO while maintaining the GSH content and CAT activity. Treatment with N-AC and G-CSF after administration of APAP has also attenuated inflammation and hepatocytes necrosis. The results of this study showed that G-CSF could be viewed as an alternative hepatoprotective agent against APAP-induced acute liver injury compared to N-AC.
Alamandine significantly reduces doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in rats
Authors: Hekmat Ava Soltani , Navabi Zahra , Alipanah Hiva , Javanmardi Kazem
Published: April 2021

Doxorubicin (DOX) is an anthracycline antibiotic. Despite its unwanted side effects, it has been successfully used in tumor therapy. Given that oxidative stress and inflammatory factors are essential to cardiotoxicity caused by DOX, we assumed that alamandine, which enhances endogenous antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory effects, may prevent DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. Rats received DOX (3.75 mg/kg) i.p on days 14, 21, 28, and 35 (total cumulative dose = 15 mg/kg) and alamandine (50 μg/kg/day) via mini-osmotic pumps for 42 days. At the end of the 42-day period, we evaluated hemodynamic parameters, electrocardiogram, cardiac troponin I (cTnI), superoxidase dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA), inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), IL-1β, NF-κB), apoptosis markers (caspase 3), and histopathology of haemotoxylin- and eosin-stained cardiac muscle fibers were evaluated. DOX significantly increased QT, corrected QT (QTc), and RR intervals. Alamandine co-therapy prevented ECG changes. Alamandine administration restored DOX-induced disruptions in the cardiac muscle architecture and vascular congestion. Alamandine co-therapy also alleviated other effects of DOX, including cardiac contractility, decreased systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. Moreover, alamandine co-therapy substantially decreased the elevation of oxidative stress markers, inflammatory cytokines, and caspase 3 in DOX-treated rats. The results suggest that alamandine reduced DOX-induced cardiotoxicity via antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic activities.
Prison libraries serving the ‘whole person’: A qualitative study
Authors: Mishra Shreya , Chaudhuri Manosi , Dey Ajoy Kumar , Tiwari Rishi , Singh Rupali
Published: April 2021

Incarceration is a traumatic life experience for both convicted and non-convicted individuals and life in prison is not easy to get through. However, prison administrations often establish different avenues for the prisoners to help them navigate through their incarceration. One such avenue is prison libraries. This study explores the influence of the prison library in the lives of eight incarcerated individuals, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. The study is based on the concept of the ‘whole person librarianship’ while using a phenomenological approach. The analysis resulted in the emergence of three broad themes: ‘Coming to term with incarceration’, ‘Library, a ray of hope’ and ‘Reinventing self through books’. The study expands our understanding of how the prison library can be a place that reduces stress and increases positive mental health by serving the ‘whole person’. Furthermore, it reduces stress and anxiety related to the state of liminality created by incarceration and gives inmates a purpose beyond prison. Thus, it helps them in making meaning of their situation, being mindful of themselves and their surroundings, healing them in the process, and supports their well-being. The findings suggest that books help the inmates to navigate their lives during incarceration.
Montagu Lomax: The background and motivation of a ‘remarkable man’ who spearheaded lunacy reform
Authors: Groves Clare , Hilton Claire
Published: April 2021

Doctor Montagu Lomax was a retired General Practioner, whose service in English lunatic asylums during the First World War inspired him to write The experiences of an asylum doctor: with suggestions for asylum and lunacy law reform. Published in 1921, the book acted as a catalyst for lunacy reform and stimulated improvements in the mental health services in the United Kingdom. Lomax spent the remainder of his retirement campaigning for lunacy reform. He suffered financial and personal hardship following the publication of the book and was castigated by his own profession. On the centenary of the publication of Experiences, this article explores the background and motivation of a remarkable man.
Dr Hetty Brenda Ockrim (1919–2007) and her medical legacy
Authors: Collins Kenneth
Published: April 2021

Dr Hetty Ockrim was a general practitioner in an inner-city Glasgow district for 43 years, before retiring in 1989. This paper looks at her career and her legacy through the pioneering oral history study she undertook, on retirement, with former patients, and the ‘Letters to No-one’ written at the time of her retirement but only discovered at the time of her death.
Voltaire and the politicization of medicine and science
Authors: Margo Curtis E , Harman Lynn E
Published: April 2021

The 17th and 18th centuries witnessed an intellectual movement known as the Enlightenment that made possible future revolutions such as the scientific. No person better characterizes the Enlightenment than Voltaire (1696–1976) who, in his book Philosophical Letters published in 1734, venerated the liberalism of English institutions while criticizing the ancien régime of France. He was convinced that the personal freedom the English enjoyed was responsible for their country's success, pointing to inoculation for smallpox and advances in science as evidence. His choice of smallpox inoculation and science as exemplars of empiricism, which maintained that knowledge is obtained through sensory experience, is revealing as it pinpoints political flashpoints that persist to this day. This paper explores how inoculation and science were employed by Voltaire to advance his political idea of liberty.
Obstacles to supranational operational police powers in the European union: Europol reform and the construction of trust between national police authorities
Authors: Lingenfelter Kerttuli , Miettinen Samuli
Published: April 2021

In the three decades since it was established in the context of a secretive and technocratic intergovernmental organization, Europol has evolved into a European Union agency with some, albeit limited, supranational capacities. This article overviews the gradual legal development of Europol’s powers and discusses the obstacles to creating a European federal police force. Limits to powers and accountability continue to frame discussions on EU’s operational criminal justice powers. While many EU agencies can lay claim to embryonic supranational enforcement agency, the EU Member States have closely guarded operational and prosecutorial enforcement powers. This guardedness still shows, especially in EU criminal justice agencies’ reliance on intergovernmental structures, such as colleges of national members, and mutually recognized but ultimately national decisions and judgments. Through the lens of its history, this article examines how and what kind of balance has been struck between accountability and competences in the current state of evolution toward Europol’s potential supranational authority.
The journey of EU criminal law on the ship of fools – what are the implications for supranational governance of EU criminal justice agencies?
Authors: Harding Christopher , Öberg Jacob
Published: April 2021

This article addresses supranational governance of EU criminal justice agencies from the perspective of the various agencies of policy and rulemaking who have contributed to the impressive developments in the field of EU criminal law. Taking as a working hypothesis the happenstance and haphazard character of this field of policy and law, it suggests that there is an absence of design. In the discussion the article proposes the Platonic analogy of the ‘ship of fools’ (Plato, Republic, Book VI) as an explanatory tool. The ship's captain is the guiding spirit of criminal law, but the crew of the ship, who have the power to take control, have diverse interests and ideas about how the ship should be taken to sea and navigated. The article addresses thematically and chronologically the development of EU criminal policy by means of this framework. Subsequently it discusses the extent to which the ‘ship of fools’ analogy is relevant to the development of EU criminal justice agencies, and to the emergence of a European Public Prosecutor. Underlying all this discussion is the uneasy sense that the true pilot of EU criminal law and policy has been displaced, in particular by ‘instrumental’ pilots of securitisation and effectiveness.
The EPPO and the pitfalls of actuarial justice
Authors: Wade Marianne L.
Published: April 2021

The article offers a critique of the current structure of the EPPO from a victim rights perspective. It observes that the creation of the EPPO revolutionizes the institutional set-up of EU criminal justice by creating a supranational body to address the enforcement gaps identified in the protection of the financial interests of the EU. Unsurprisingly, this breakthrough has met with resistance from the Member States, which have directed their scepticism into the structural, procedural and substantive provisions for this new office. By consequently tying the EPPO to national law in a plethora of instances, they have created a body which primarily addresses serious financial crimes within the framework of domestic criminal justice systems. However, these approaches are, in turn, heavily marked by a pragmatic concept of actuarial justice, with negotiation and plea-bargaining as the dominant practices across Europe. Article 40 of the EPPO Regulation ensures that there is scope for such practice to be adopted for cases falling within the EPPO’s competence. Highlighting the problems associated with prosecutorial deal-making, the article reflects upon the appropriateness of adopting such practice for the EPPO. It tentatively argues that a more honest recognition of the supranational nature of the EPPO (also reflected in its procedural rules) and of the type of victimization it seeks to address, might have instigated a productive dialogue ensuring the EPPO’s work is framed with reference to serving a community and securing victim protection. Above all, this would have constituted a significant step towards ensuring that the EPPO’s work is legitimate and perceived as such by the EU citizens it seeks to serve and protect from victimization.
Tumor staging in a Beagle dog with concomitant large B-cell lymphoma and T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Ferrari Alessandro , Cozzi Marzia , Aresu Luca , Martini Valeria
Published: April 2021

An 8-y-old spayed female Beagle dog was presented with peripheral lymphadenomegaly. Lymph node cytology and flow cytometry led to the diagnosis of large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL). We detected minimal percentages of LBCL cells in peripheral blood and bone marrow samples. However, a monomorphic population of neoplastic cells different from those found in the lymph node was found in the bone marrow. T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia was suspected based on flow cytometric immunophenotyping. PCR for antigen receptor rearrangement (PARR) revealed clonal rearrangement of both B-cell and T-cell receptors, and the presence of both neoplastic clones in the lymph node, peripheral blood, and bone marrow. The dog was treated with multi-agent chemotherapy but died 46 d following diagnosis. Tumor staging and patient classification are needed to accurately establish a prognosis and select the most appropriate therapeutic protocol.
Skills for Future Work (H2030): Multigroup Analysis in Professional and Baccalaureate Training
Authors: Chacón-Cuberos Ramón , Expósito-López Jorge , de la Guardia José Javier Romero-Díaz , Olmedo-Moreno Eva María
Published: April 2021

Purpose:

This study sought to validate the Skills for Future Work Scale for its use with professional/vocational training (PT) and baccalaureate students.

Methods:

A total of 1,159 students were recruited. Structural equation analysis was performed using IBM Amos Graphics®.

Results:

Excellent fit indices were obtained, forming a final scale composed of nine indicators and two factors. The first dimension was associated with cognitive skills and adaptability, grouping together the skills of finding meaning, adaptable thinking, and understanding management. The second dimension comprises collaborative skills, as social intelligence and virtual collaboration.

Discussion:

Collaboration skills were more developed within those undertaking PT, while baccalaureate students had more strongly developed mastery over new media. This scale allows to know effectively the development of the work skills set by the European Union in the 2030 horizon. These findings contribute interesting data regarding the development of training strategies to support insertion into the job market.
Black Youth and African-Centered Interventions: A Systematic Review
Authors: Lateef Husain , Amoako Emmanuel O. , Nartey Portia , Tan Jia , Joe Sean
Published: April 2021

Purpose:

This review discusses the effectiveness of African-centered interventions (ACIs) with Black youth.

Methods:

The authors conducted a comprehensive search of ACIs using electronic bibliographic databases to identify studies completed in the United States and reported in peer-reviewed journals. A total of 10 studies were identified that met the full inclusion criteria of the review.

Results:

Collectively, we found that ACIs are associated with positive outcomes in Black youths’ academic achievement, self-concept, cultural identity, and behaviors. However, there was a noteworthy amount of heterogeneity in studies’ methodological rigor.

Discussion:

The small number of studies identified support the need for additional research with high standards of methodological rigor to further determine the effectiveness of using ACIs over universal interventions with Black youth.