bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Why Did They Protest? Stability and Change in the Opt-Out Movement, 2016–2018
Authors: Pizmony-Levy Oren , Saraisky Nancy Green
Published: November 2021

Background/context

One of the most prominent educational social movements in the United States during the past two decades has been the opt-out movement, in which parents and caregivers refuse to have their school-aged children sit for federally mandated tests. Although early responses by government officials framed the movement in terms of race, class, and gender, in truth we know little about the actual motivations that drive opt-out activists. We also know little about the extent to which the movement was affected by recent seismic changes in the political and policy spheres (e.g., the election of Donald J. Trump and the collapse of the Common Core State Standards).

Purpose/objective

In this study, we build on social movements theories to examine who was opting out and why, as well as whether these participants or their motivations changed over time. By doing so, we seek to build upon the existing literature by synthesizing the two primary theoretical perspectives on social movements and activism—uniting the focus on the social psychological determinants of individual activism with the focus on the role of external factors.

Research design

Our analysis is based on data from two waves of the National Survey on Opting Out. The first survey was conducted from January 20 to March 31, 2016 (n = 1,611); the second was conducted from March 7 to May 18, 2018 (n =1,298). The National Survey asked respondents to indicate the main reasons or motivations for their participation in the movement. With these data we use descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis to examine the extent to which participant motivations changed between 2016 and 2018. As part of this process we also examine the association between sociodemographic backgrounds and motivations.

Findings/results

The results of our analysis show both stability and change in the opt-out movement between 2016 and 2018. Although the data reveal certain sociodemographic changes in the composition of the movement, these changes in demographics do not fully account for shifts in activist motivations over time. We also find that much of the variation in motivation across key social categories (e.g., political ideology, teachers/nonteachers, and parents/nonparents) holds over time.

Conclusions/discussion

In contrast to common perceptions of the opt-out movement, which often portray parental concerns over their child's achievement as the predominant motivation for participation, our study reveals that activists in the movement indicate they are motivated by political and ethical ideas. Participants in the opt-out movement are more concerned with collective problems, such as the well-being of teachers, broad curriculum, and privatization of public education, than with individual challenges. Given the massive changes that took place in the political and policy spheres during our period of study, the degree to which activist motivation stayed constant is notable—suggesting that many of these motivations are insulated from politics.
The Opt-Out Movement in New York: A Grassroots Movement to Eliminate High-Stakes Testing and Promote Whole Child Public Schooling
Authors: Chen Zhe , Hursh David , Lingard Bob
Published: November 2021

Purpose

Over the last five years, approximately 50% of the students in Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island and 20% across New York State have opted out of the yearly standardized tests for third through eighth grade. This article focuses on two grassroots organizations, New York State Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE) and Long Island Opt Out (LIOO), the two parents who have been central to the organizations’ success, and the strategies and tactics that the two organizations have adopted to achieve such a high opt-out rate in New York.

Context

Since the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), third through eighth grade public school students have been required to take yearly standardized tests. The most recent version of the exams focused on assessing students, their teachers, and schools based on the Common Core State Standards. Many educators and parents have argued that the standards and assessments negatively affect student learning. In response, educators, parents, teachers, and students have lobbied and publicly testified in an effort to reduce the length of the exams, if not eliminate them. However, the testimonies have had almost no impact on the policymakers. Consequently, some parents concluded that the only way to influence policymakers is to get enough students to opt out of the tests so that the scores were not valid and thus could no longer be used to compare students and teachers within and across schools for accountability purposes.

Research Design

This study is drawn from a qualitative research project in which we conducted interviews to understand how the opt-out movement developed and the strategies it adopted in relation to high-stakes testing in New York. The interviews with two parent leaders from NYSAPE and LIOO are the main data source for this article.

Findings

NYSAPE and LIOO can be characterized as real grassroots social movements in that all members have input in the goals and organizing strategies, and unpaid leaders emerge from the membership. Further, because the organizations lack permanent funding, they have to be innovative in using media. By motivating and empowering others and using social media such as Facebook and Twitter, they built a large network and a strong base so that they could influence policymakers and respond quickly at the local and state levels.

Conclusion

Their organizing strategies exemplified the participatory and grassroots nature of the new social movements as theorized by McAlevey. The opt-out movement is pushing back not only against high-stakes testing but also against the larger neoliberal construction of parents as simply consumers of schooling, rather than as active, informed citizens. The movement also supports whole-child schooling.
Social Media Utilization in Discourse Coalitions: The Opt-Out Movement in Ohio
Authors: Evans Michael P. , Saultz Andrew , Winton Sue
Published: November 2021

Background

While journalists claim social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter have been central to the growth of the opt-out movement, there is a lack of empirical research that examines its use by participants. We address this gap by highlighting findings related to the usage of social media by opt-out participants in Ohio.

Purpose

This study examines how the ideologically diverse participants in the Ohio opt-out movement utilized social media to support their activism.

Subjects

183 Ohioans who opted their child(ren) out during the 2014–15 academic year completed a survey about their reasons for opting out. Fifteen of the survey respondents were also interviewed.

Research Design

This mixed methods study uses both survey data and qualitative interviews as sources of evidence.

Results

The findings show participants utilized social media for networking, knowledge acquisition, knowledge mobilization, and support. Social media was a valuable tool for coordinating the efforts of participants.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates how social media supported the development of a discourse coalition by enabling connections among actors with diverse political and philosophical beliefs and extending valuable networking opportunities across district and state lines.
Beyond Test Scores: “School Quality or Student Success” in State ESSA Plans
Authors: Portz John
Published: November 2021

Background

The federal Every Student Succeeds Act requires states to develop accountability measures in five indicator areas, including the new “school quality or student success” category. States also provide relative weights for each indicator.

Research Questions

This new indicator is an opportunity to further develop multiple accountability measures beyond the common focus on test scores. How did states respond to this opportunity? Why did states respond differently?

Research Design

A review of state ESSA plans is followed by regression analyses to help explain the different weights given by states to accountability indicators.

Findings

The average weight assigned to this new indicator is 11% at the elementary level and 20% at the high school level. There is a strong preference for measures of student success rather than institution-based measures of school quality. States giving this indicator the greatest weight are most influenced by a tradition of policy liberalism and, to a lesser degree, NAEP scores.

Conclusion

Most states are taking a limited and cautious approach to this new indicator. They continue an emphasis on test measures and assessing individual student performance. In a smaller number of states, there is a more significant movement toward the use of multiple accountability measures.
Reconstructing and Reorganizing Experience: Weaving a Living Philosophy
Authors: Rodgers Carol , Anderson Marti , Burkett Beverley , Conley Sean , Stanley Claire , Turpin Leslie
Published: November 2021

Background/Context

This study contributes to ongoing work in professional learning communities, self-study, and reflection. It offers a structure and a process rooted in a philosophy of practice grounded in various thinkers like Dewey, Rogers, Curran, Freire, Gattegno, Greene, and Carini.

Purpose/Objective

The purpose of this study is to explore the process of one teacher educator inquiry group that has lasted nearly 30 years, and which has sought to enact Dewey's notion of education, “that reconstruction or reorganization of experience that adds meaning to experience and increases ability to direct the course of subsequent experience.”

Research Design

Our research design mirrors the reflective inquiry process of our group, that is, how we researched is simultaneously what we researched. The process itself follows a structure for reflection outlined by Dewey in Rodgers. It begins with recollected experiences, descriptions of those experiences, and is followed by a “harvesting of themes,” through analysis and interpretation, to possible modes of “intelligent action.” The process is iterative and continuous.

Conclusions

Our conclusions go beyond mere descriptions of our process. We come to the realization that, as Greene writes, being “wide-awake” to the particularities of our lives and work; to live intentionally, deliberately, and morally; and to be aware of who and why we are, and are to each other, is essential to a democratic society.
How Distributed Leadership Facilitates Technology Integration: A Case Study of “Pilot Teachers”
Authors: Bingham Andrea J.
Published: November 2021

Background/Context

Schools and teachers are under immense pressure to adopt technology as a mechanism of educational equity. As such, it is important to understand what school-level practices can support more meaningful technology integration in classrooms. This is especially critical in a time (during the COVID-19 pandemic) when digital learning has been forcibly implemented nationwide, and scholars are voicing concerns that educational organizations’ choices about technology now may lead to lasting issues of power and control, new forms of student inequity, and other unexpected effects.

Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study

This study examines a blended personalized learning school—a school designed to offer a combination of computer-based learning experiences and face-to-face instruction—to demonstrate how leaders can help teachers integrate technology into their classrooms in a meaningful and sustainable way. The research question is: What school practices support teachers to successfully incorporate technology into the classroom?

Setting

The research site is Binary High School, a personalized learning charter high school in a large urban area that primarily serves historically disadvantaged students. Participants: The participants include the content teachers in Grades 9–11, as well as the school founder, the principal and assistant principal, the student services coordinator, data analysis coordinator, and the IT director.

Research Design

This research stems from a three-year qualitative case study of a high-tech personalized learning charter high school. I conducted 37 interviews with teachers, students, staff, and administrators and observed dozens of classes, several parent nights, and many professional development meetings and staff meetings. I also collected hundreds of physical and digital documents.

Findings/Results

The pilot teacher program supported technology integration and showed how distributed leadership practices—specifically, providing opportunities and building capacity for a more collaborative, horizontal leadership structure, supporting teacher professionalization, and sharing the responsibilities for leadership across stakeholders at multiple levels—can support technology-driven educational initiatives.

Conclusions/Recommendations

For schools interested in technology-based instructional models, a pilot teacher program similar to the one described in this article may be worth exploring. More generally, adopting a distributed perspective of leadership and drawing on practices that exemplify that perspective can help to engage teachers in schoolwide technology integration and classroom reform.
What Sticks and Why? A MoRe Institutional Framework for Education Research
Authors: Anderson Eleanor R. , Colyvas Jeannette A.
Published: November 2021

Context

For decades, educational leaders and researchers have faced a puzzle: Too often, promising new initiatives are adopted only to be quickly discontinued, while other longstanding practices persist despite efforts to undo them.

Purpose

We provide a framework for analyzing both change and persistence that we argue can shed new light on what sticks and why. Our MoRe institutional approach focuses analytic attention on self-activating modes of reproduction and their observable outcomes. Doing so allows for engagement with processes of both institutionalization and de-institutionalization.

Research Design

We make the case for our MoRe institutional framework by synthesizing across theoretical and empirical literature from both within and outside education. We address common treatments of persistence and change, as well as briefly review scholarship on institutional theory, and identify seven modes of reproduction structuring educational outcomes. We illustrate the utility of our approach concretely using the case of high-stakes testing. Synthesizing existing research across multiple levels of analysis, we demonstrate the ways that high-stakes testing is institutionalized via multiple mechanisms at multiple levels, while also analyzing possibilities for its de-institutionalization.

Recommendations

We conclude with implications for using the framework, focusing on strategies for supporting transformative equity-oriented change. These include processes for analyzing existing educational structures and identifying possible avenues for change, as well as design principles for protecting new practices from churn.
Learning to Teach to Argue: Case Studies in Professional Learning in Evidence-Based Science Writing
Authors: Ammah-Tagoe Naa , Caspary Kyra , Cannady Matthew A. , Greenwald Eric
Published: November 2021

Background/Context

The emphasis on scientific practices articulated by the National Research Council framework and the Next Generation Science Standards requires significant pedagogical shifts for U.S. science teachers.

Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study

This study provides a rare window into the challenges and opportunities teachers encounter as they introduce argument writing into their science classrooms with support from the National Writing Project's Inquiry into Science Writing project. The purpose of this study is to better understand the teacher-change process so as to inform the development of future professional development efforts.

Population/Participants/Subjects

Case studies were drawn from a professional development network led by the National Writing Project to support teachers in studying and improving their practice while sharing knowledge and benefiting from the expertise of others. The network included 28 middle school teachers at five writing project sites around the United States; the case studies presented in this article are based on the experiences of three of these teachers.

Intervention/Program/Practice

The Inquiry into Science Writing Project was a 2-year practitioner-driven professional learning experience seeking to better understand and support student practice around evidence-based science writing. During the duration of the project, teachers taught at least one lesson series culminating in written arguments by students each semester, and participated in two summer institutes, an ongoing national professional learning community, and monthly meetings of their local teacher research group.

Research Design

The study uses a qualitative comparative case study approach.

Data Collection and Analysis

The case studies draw on interviews, lesson artifacts, written teacher reflections, and samples of student work.

Conclusions/Recommendations

The study findings reinforce the complexity of the change process: The relationship between teachers’ knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes and their practice was not linear and unidirectional (i.e., change in attitude leads to change in practice) but rather iterative and mediated by both student work and the external supports they received. These findings confirm the need for sustained learning environments with features that promote enactment and reflection on student work to support teacher change. Further, they suggest that professional development providers should think about how to build habits of reflection into their own design processes, allowing space for feedback and learning from practitioners.
Between Infrastructural Experimentation and Collective Imagination: The Digital Transformation of the EU Border Regime
Authors: Trauttmansdorff Paul , Felt Ulrike
Published: November 2021

A central and formative ingredient in the governance of migration in the European Union (EU) is the continuous construction of a large-scale digital infrastructure to ensure border security. Although border and critical security studies have increasingly focused on the multiple aspects of techno-materiality and infrastructural devices of border control, less has been said about how such an infrastructure encodes and transmits collective future visions of border (in)security. Therefore, this paper analyzes the making of a sociotechnical imaginary of digital transformation of the EU border regime, specifically focusing on the role of eu-LISA, the European agency for the development and management of large-scale IT systems. Drawing on ethnographic observations and interview material, we analyze the ways in which this agency emerges as a site for assembling and rehearsing this sociotechnical imaginary, gradually transforming borders into sites of experimentation in the EU Schengen laboratory. As our case illustrates, studying the visionary dimensions of digital infrastructuring helps us to understand how imagination becomes collectivized and materialized, opens up or closes down sociotechnical realizations, and thus tacitly governs the project of digitally infrastructuring the EU border regime.
Profaning the Sacred: The Unorthodox Financial Activities of Catholic Clerics During the Napoleonic Period, 1796–1814
Authors: Korten Christopher
Published: November 2021

This article reveals for the first time how Catholic clerics survived financially during the Napoleonic period in Italy (1796–1814). Despite the very rich, 200-year historiography on one of the Church's most critical periods, there is almost nothing on how religious clerics coped at this time. Their institutions had been despoiled by the French, often in collaboration with locals, negating traditional forms of clerical income, such as alms or rental income from non-ecclesiastical properties. This caused clerics to search out unorthodox – at times, non-canonical – ways of eking out a living, either for themselves, their religious communities or both, as such distinctions were often blurred. Masses were monetized and traded; ecclesiastical paraphernalia composed of precious metals were smelted and commodified, and relics were sold for profit. The uncovering of these controversial acts by men who in normal times were upstanding reveals the desperation of the times and provides insight into the rich discussion on determining the degrees of separation (and overlap) between the sacred and profane.
Measuring factors influencing quality of software-as-a-service
Authors: Basiran Nurul Huda , Yusof Maryati Mohd.
Published: November 2021

Various industrial and business sectors use Software-as-a-Service due to its fast services. However, Software-as-a-Service providers face various challenges in providing high-quality services while simultaneously managing vast multi-tenant infrastructure models and increasingly complex user requirements. To address these problems, we identified those factors that affect the quality of Software-as-a-Service from the perspective of provider–user relationship and investigated how service providers can objectively improve user satisfaction. In a case study, we evaluated the perceived service quality of an information system in the public sector based on user satisfaction with the quality of external outsourcing service in terms of assurance, empathy, responsiveness, reliability, and communication. We identified new sub factors (commitment, skills, effectiveness, change management, business processes, and motivation) and proposed action steps that can guide best practices in ensuring Software-as-a-Service quality. These factors are greatly influenced by the communication between providers and users.
Factors related to the spontaneous passage of common bile duct stones through the papilla: a single-center retrospective cohort study
Authors: Ding Songming , Dong Shanjie , Zhu Hengkai , Wu Weilin , Hu Yiting , Li Qiyong , Zheng Shusen
Published: November 2021

Objective

Common bile duct (CBD) stones can spontaneously pass through the papilla. This study explored factors associated with stone passage by comparing differences in the clinical features of stones retained in the CBD and excreted stones.

Methods

Data were retrospectively collected for all patients who were hospitalized in our center between March 2016 and May 2021 with clinical, laboratory, or imaging evidence of CBD stones. All patients underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and were classified into two groups: group A (stones extracted by ERCP, n = 86) and group B (stones discharged before ERCP, n = 15). Demographic data, biochemical and radiological findings were compared between the groups.

Results

Stone size (0.82 vs. 0.33 cm), and levels of total bilirubin (58.2 vs. 28.8 μmol/L), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (416.7 vs. 193.9 U/L), alkaline phosphatase (191.9 vs. 123.1 U/L), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (603.7 vs. 37.2 U/mL), and α-L-fucosidase (37.4 vs. 22.6 U/L) were significantly higher in group A than in group B. Logistic regression analyses showed that stone size was the only factor significantly associated with spontaneous passage of CBD stones.

Conclusions

CBD stones less than 0.33 cm in size may be self-expelled through the papilla.
A shear center demonstration model using 3D-printing
Authors: Virgin Lawrence N
Published: November 2021

Locating the shear, or flexural, center of non-symmetric cross-sectional beams is a key element in the teaching of structural mechanics. That is, establishing the point on the plane of the cross-section where an applied load, generating a bending moment about a principal axis, results in uni-directional deflection, and no twisting. For example, in aerospace structures it is particularly important to assess the propensity of an airfoil section profile to resist bending and torsion under the action of aerodynamic forces. Cross-sections made of thin-walls, whether of open or closed form are of special practical importance and form the basis of the material in this paper. The advent of 3D-printing allows the development of tactile demonstration models based on non-trivial geometry and direct observation.
Listening to the buzz: Exploring the link between firm creation and regional innovative atmosphere as reflected by social media
Authors: Corradini Carlo , Folmer Emma , Rebmann Anna
Published: November 2021

This paper presents a novel approach to capture ‘buzz’, the vibrancy and knowledge exchange propensity of localised informal communication flows. Building on a conceptual framework based on relational economic geography, we argue the content of buzz may allow to probe into the character of places and investigate what is ‘in the air’ within regional entrepreneurial milieux. In particular, we analyse big data to listen for the presence of buzz about innovation – defined by discursive practices that reflect an innovative atmosphere – and explore how this may influence regional firm creation. Using information from 180 million geolocated Tweets comprising almost two billion words across NUTS3 regions in the UK for the year 2014, our results offer novel evidence, robust to different model specifications, that regions characterised by a relatively higher intensity of discussion and vibrancy around topics related to innovation may provide a more effective set of informal resources for sharing and recombination of ideas, defining regional capabilities to support and facilitate entrepreneurial processes. The findings contribute to the literature on the intangible dimensions in the geography of innovation and offer new insights on the potential of natural language processing for economic geography research.
The Ethnic Stacking in Africa Dataset: When leaders use ascriptive identity to build military loyalty
Authors: Harkness Kristen A.
Published: November 2021

Ethnicity has played a core role in the construction of African security institutions, with leaders often relying on coethnics to secure military loyalty. Such practices, termed ethnic stacking, likely have profound consequences for a range of important outcomes, from combat effectiveness to coup propensity to democratization. The Ethnic Stacking in Africa Dataset provides the first comprehensive data on the ethnic stacking practices of all African countries, from independence to 2018 (with 95.7% of leaders and 98.3% of country years recovered). This new data will allow scholars to better understand African militaries and their behavior and capabilities.
Arming for conflict, arming for peace? How small arms imports affect intrastate conflict risk
Authors: Mehltretter Andreas
Published: November 2021

Although a prevalent technology of conflict, the impact of small arms imports on the risk of intrastate conflict outbreak has not been examined so far. This article argues that small arms not only enhance general military capabilities, but also contribute to state capacities necessary for conflict prevention. These two mechanisms are incorporated in a formal model of power shifts. The derived hypotheses are tested on 146 countries for the period 1993–2014. Using split-population and penalized fixed-effects logit models as innovative estimation methods for rare-events data, small arms imports are found to have no or even a risk-reducing impact.
One-year Mortality of Cancer Patients with an Unplanned ICU Admission: A Cohort Analysis Between 2008 and 2017 in the Netherlands
Authors: van der Zee Esther N. , Termorshuizen Fabian , Benoit Dominique D. , de Keizer Nicolette F. , Bakker Jan , Kompanje Erwin J.O. , Rietdijk Wim J.R. , Epker Jelle L.
Published: November 2021

Introduction: A decrease in short-term mortality of critically ill cancer patients with an unplanned intensive care unit (ICU) admission has been described. Few studies describe a change over time of 1-year mortality. Therefore, we examined the 1-year mortality of cancer patients (hematological or solid) with an unplanned ICU admission and we described whether the mortality changed over time. Methods: We used the National Intensive Care Evaluation (NICE) registry and extracted all patients with an unplanned ICU admission in the Netherlands between 2008 and 2017. The primary outcome was 1-year mortality, analyzed with a mixed-effects Cox proportional hazard regression. We compared the 1-year mortality of cancer patients to that of patients without cancer. Furthermore, we examined changes in mortality over the study period. Results: We included 470,305 patients: 10,401 with hematological cancer, 35,920 with solid cancer, and 423,984 without cancer. The 1-year mortality rates were 60.1%, 46.2%, and 28.3% respectively ( P< .01). Approximately 30% of the cancer patients surviving their hospital admission died within 1 year, this was 12% in patients without cancer. In hematological patients, 1-year mortality decreased between 2008 and 2011, after which it stabilized. In solid cancer patients, inspection showed neither an increasing nor decreasing trend over the inclusion period. For patients without cancer, 1-year mortality decreased between 2008 and 2013, after which it stabilized. A clear decrease in hospital mortality was seen within all three groups. Conclusion: The 1-year mortality of cancer patients with an unplanned ICU admission (hematological and solid) was higher than that of patients without cancer. About one-third of the cancer patients surviving their hospital admission died within 1 year after ICU admission. We found a decrease in 1-year mortality until 2011 in hematology patients and no decrease in solid cancer patients. Our results suggest that for many cancer patients, an unplanned ICU admission is still a way to recover from critical illness, and it does not necessarily lead to success in long-term survival. The underlying type of malignancy is an important factor for long-term outcomes in patients recovering from critical illness.
Comparing Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Related to Military Sexual Trauma or Other Trauma Types: Baseline Characteristics and Residential Cognitive Processing Therapy Outcomes
Authors: Christ Nicole M. , Blain Rachel C. , Pukay-Martin Nicole D. , Petri Jessica M. , Chard Kathleen M.
Published: November 2021

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has called for improved assessment and intervention for survivors of military sexual trauma (MST) to mitigate deleterious sequalae, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Research on the impact of MST-related PTSD (MST-IT) on men is limited, and few studies have examined the differential effects of treatment across genders and MST-IT. Additionally, studies have utilized varying definitions of MST (e.g., sexual assault only vs. including sexual harassment), contributing to disparate outcomes across studies. Utilizing data from 343 veterans seeking residential cognitive processing therapy (CPT) for PTSD in VHA, this study examined the impact of MST-IT and gender on differences in demographic characteristics; pre-treatment severity of PTSD (overall and clusters), depression, and negative posttraumatic cognitions (NPCs); and post-treatment severity of these variables after accounting for pre-treatment severity. Results from 2x2 factorial ANOVAs found no differences in pre-treatment depression or overall PTSD by MST-IT, gender, or their interaction; however, MST-IT survivors presented with greater pre-treatment avoidance, global NPCs, and self-blame. Results from hierarchical linear regression models found only pre-treatment symptom severity significantly predicted post-treatment severity for overall PTSD and all NPCs. These findings suggest veteran survivors of MST-IT appear to benefit similarly from CPT delivered in a VHA residential PTSD program compared to veterans with other index traumas, regardless of gender. Although there were minimal post-treatment differences in PTSD and NPCs by MST-IT status and gender, residual symptoms related to negative cognitions and mood appear to differ across gender and MST-IT status. Specifically, in individuals without MST-IT, post-treatment PTSD symptoms of negative alterations in cognition and mood were higher in men than women. Moreover, women with MST-IT reported more symptoms of depression than both men with MST-IT and women without MST-IT. These findings suggest depressive symptoms decrease through residential PTSD treatment differentially by MST-IT status and gender and warrant further examination.
Conjugate heat transfer study of hypersonic flow past a cylindrical leading edge composed of functionally graded materials
Authors: John Bibin , Kusuma Chandrashekhara Sudhanva , Panneerselvam Vivekkumar
Published: November 2021

Aero-thermodynamic analysis of a cylindrical leading edge placed in a hypersonic stream is carried out using an in-house developed conjugate heat transfer (CHT) solver. Isotropic and functionally graded materials (FGM) are tested as heat shields to understand the effects of the material property on the flow structure and aerodynamic heating associated with the mutual coupling of fluid flow and heat transfer. A simplified partitioned approach is employed to couple the independently developed fluid flow and heat transfer solvers to perform conjugate heat transfer studies. This framework employs a cell-centred finite volume formulation with an edge-based algorithm. Both strong and loose coupling algorithms are implemented for the data transfer across the fluid–solid interface. A test case of hypersonic flow over a cylindrical leading edge composed of an isotropic material is considered to validate the accuracy and correctness of numerical formulation adopted in the in-house solver. The significance of solid domain materials on the conjugate heat transfer has been studied by considering both isotropic material and FGM. The loosely coupled CHT solver required 10 times less simulation time when compared with the strongly coupled CHT solver. The interface heat flux evolution over time showed a decreasing trend, whereas an increasing trend was for the interface temperature. The current study strongly recommends CHT analysis for the design of thermal protection system of space vehicles. The thermal performance of FGMs composed of various volume fractions of Zirconia and Titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) is assessed. The temperature distributions obtained from the CHT analysis shows that FGM with a power index of unity is a good material choice for thermal protection systems.
Recovery and effective utilization of waste heat from the exhaust of internal combustion engines for cooling applications using ANSYS
Authors: Gohar Ghulam Abbas , Khan Muhammad Zia Ullah , Raza Hassan , Ahmad Arslan , Raza Yasir , Manzoor Tareq , Arshad Zeeshan , Aslam Faraz , Ullah Muhammad Safi , Arif Musa
Published: November 2021

The exhaust gases from an internal combustion (IC) engine carry away about 75% of the heat energy which means only 25% of heat energy is operated for power production. A recovery unit at the exhaust outlet port can ensure heat exchange between different temperature fluids through conjugate heat transfer phenomena. This study represents heat recovery from exhaust gases that are emitted from IC engines which can be utilized in various applications such as vapor absorption refrigeration systems. In the present work, a new type of perforated fin heat exchanger for waste heat recovery of exhaust gases is designed using SolidWorks, and the flow field design of the heat recovery system is optimized using ANSYS software. Various parameters (velocity, pressure, temperature, and heat conduction) of hot and cold fluid have been analyzed. Inlet velocity of cold fluids including refrigerant (LiBr solution), water, and graphene oxide (GO) nanofluid have been adopted at 0.03 m/s, 0.165 m/s, and 0.3 m/s, respectively. Inlet velocity of hot fluid is taken as 2 m/s, 4 m/s, and 6 m/s, respectively, to develop a test matrix. The results showed that maximum temperature reduction by the exhaust is achieved at 104.8°C using graphene oxide nanofluids with an inlet velocity of 0.3 m/s and exit velocity of 2 m/s in the heat recovery unit. Similarly, temperature reduction by exhaust gases is acquired at 102 °C using water and 96.34 °C by using a refrigerant (LiBr solution) with the same exit velocity (2 m/ s). Furthermore, maximum effectiveness of 0.489 is also obtained for GO nanofluid when compared with water and the refrigerant. On the other hand, the refrigerant has the maximum log mean temperature difference from all fluids with a value of 224.4 followed by water and GO.
Harsh but Expedient: Dominant Leaders Increase Group Cooperation via Threat of Punishment
Authors: Chen Fan Xuan , Zhang Xinyu , Laustsen Lasse , Cheng Joey T.
Published: November 2021

Dominant leadership is, surprisingly, on the rise globally. Previous studies have found that intergroup conflict increases followers’ support for dominant leaders, but identifying the potential benefits that such leaders can supply is crucial to explaining their rise. We took a behavioral-economics approach in Study 1 ( N = 288 adults), finding that cooperation among followers increases under leaders with a dominant reputation. This pattern held regardless of whether dominant leaders were assigned to groups, elected through a bidding process, or leading under intergroup competition. Moreover, Studies 2a to 2e ( N = 1,022 adults) show that impressions of leader dominance evoked by personality profiles, authoritarian attitudes, or physical formidability similarly increase follower cooperation. We found a weaker but nonsignificant trend when dominance was cued by facial masculinity and no evidence when dominance was cued by aggressive disposition in a decision game. These findings highlight the unexpected benefits that dominant leaders can bestow on group cooperation through threat of punishment.
Brominated flame retardant TBPH induced oxidative damage and reduced the expression of memory-related proteins in mice, with no discernable impairment of learning and memory
Authors: Bao Zhang , Jing Yin
Published: November 2021

Bis(2-ethylhexyl)-2,3,4,5-tetrabromophthalate (TBPH) is one of the new brominated flame retardants with adverse neurobehavioral potential. These flame retardants are often added to household furnishings where children would come into contact with them. This study explores whether oral exposure to TBPH for 28 days would impair neurobehavioral function in mice and the role of curcumin (CUR) in this process. CUR is a natural antioxidant and is thought to be of use in the treatment of neurological toxicity due to its neuroprotective effects. Learning and memory of mice exposed to TBPH was investigated using the Morris water maze. Levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione (GSH) were determined to assess oxidative damage. Western blot was used to detect the expression of glucose-regulated protein 78-kDa (GRP78), PKR-like ER kinase (PERK), and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) in the hippocampus. End-point effects were evaluated through observing post-synaptic density protein-95 (PSD-95), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and phosphorylated cAMP response element binding protein (p-CREB). Although TBPH exposure alone does not impair learning and memory, oxidative stress markers and endoplasmic reticulum stress–associated proteins were adversely affected in exposed mice. TBPH could significantly decrease the levels of BDNF, p-CREB, and PSD-95 in the hippocampus, and these TBPH-induced neurotoxic effects were attenuated by CUR. These findings provide further understanding of the neurotoxic effects of TBPH and the protective effect of CUR on TBPH exposure.
Book review: Sarah Frier. 2020. No Filter: The Inside Story of how Instagram Transformed Business, Celebrity and Our Culture
Authors: Arora Ajay
Published: November 2021

Sarah Frier. 2020. No Filter: The Inside Story of how Instagram Transformed Business, Celebrity and Our Culture. Penguin Random House, pp. 352, $15.73, ISBN: 9781847942548 (Paperback).
Governance, Performance and Quality in Higher Education: Evidences from a Case Study
Authors: Nandi Emon
Published: November 2021

This article explores the link between modes of funding, governance and performance in higher education with the help of a case study involving three engineering colleges in West Bengal, India. It examines the major factors driving performances in the selected higher education institutions. It explains how the ability to adopt and implement performative policies depends on the objective functions, mode of funding and the reputation of the institutions. The findings suggest that the obsession with performance and its linkage with funding may not necessarily lead to a sustained and inclusive improvement in quality in the higher education sector. On the other hand, institutions driven by an objective of maximising prestige may ensure quality without any performative governance policies in place. The findings are contextualised in the larger debate about implementing neo-liberal policies for the improvement of quality in the higher education sector at the national and global level.
Experiences of Adult Men Who Are Homeless Accessing Care: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Henderson Marcus D. , McCurry Ian J. , Deatrick Janet A. , Lipman Terri H.
Published: November 2021

Introduction:

Homeless individuals experience increased rates of chronic physical and mental health conditions. They also experience difficulty accessing care and poor health outcomes compounded by social and economic factors, such as housing insecurity, unemployment, and limited social support. The purpose of this study was to describe the perceptions of homeless individuals related to their health and experiences accessing care.

Method:

Qualitative descriptive methods and content analysis were used to gather, analyze, and interpret the data and identify themes.

Results:

Three themes were identified: men who are homeless experience bias throughout their health care and interpersonal relationships, the best care is person-centered and considers patients’ priorities, and care coordination resources are inadequate.

Discussion:

The housing needs of homeless individuals are best contextualized by their health and social needs. In addition, their priorities must be taken into consideration to develop culturally congruent services that are appropriate and effective care for this population.
Does the Transversus Abdominis Plane Block Reduce Morbidity Following Iliac Crest Bone Harvest in Pediatric Patients With Alveolar Clefts?
Authors: Hashemi Sina , Ferraz dos Santos Beatriz , Chiasson Geneviève
Published: November 2021

Objective

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) block can reduce donor site morbidity among pediatric patients undergoing iliac crest bone grafting for repair of their alveolar cleft.

Design

This retrospective cohort study was carried out at the Division of Dentistry at the Montreal Children's Hospital. Medical charts of patients who underwent alveolar cleft bone grafting between January 2011 and January 2021 were reviewed and they were divided into two groups, intraoperative TAP block and intraoperative local anesthesia infiltration (control group). The outcomes measured were patients’ post-operative pain at the donor site, in-hospital narcotics requirements and length of stay.

Results

A total of 66 patients were included. There were no significant differences in pain scale among the TAP group and control group [1.9 (SD 2.5) and 1.3 (SD 2.1), respectively ( p = 0.23)]. The mean length of stay for both groups was 1 day. Interestingly, there was a significant higher proportion of patients who required in-hospital opioids (morphine) in the TAP block group when compared to the control group ( p = 0.03).

Conclusions

The results of our study suggest there may be no role for a TAP block in reducing pain and improving opioid stewardship.
Thromboembolic Rates Are Similar Between Intensive Care Unit and Nonintensive Care Unit Hospitalized Patients With Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2): A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Worth Heidi , Helmlinger Kasey , Raj Renju , Heidel Eric , Lands Ronald
Published: November 2021

High rates of thromboembolic events have been described in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Data regarding thromboembolic events in all hospitalized patients has been less frequently reported, raising concerns that thromboembolic events in non-ICU may be underrecognized. In addition, optimal anticoagulation type and dose is still unsettled at this time. This is a retrospective cohort study of 159 hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia during a 9-month period to determine an association between the frequency of thromboembolic rates and hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Secondary outcomes sought to investigate association of thromboembolic events with relation to place of admission, risk factors, anticoagulation, mortality, hospital length of stay, and discharge disposition. Among the cohort of 159 hospitalized patients who met criteria, 16 (10%) were diagnosed with a thromboembolic event. There were a total of 18 thromboembolic events with 12 venous and 6 arterial. Admission to the ICU was not associated with a higher frequency of thromboembolic events compared with non-ICU patients (37.5% vs 62.5%), p = .71. Patients with a thromboembolic event had a significantly higher mortality compared with those with no thromboembolic event (37.5% vs 13.3%), p = .012. Patients hospitalized with COVID-19 have increased rates of thromboembolic events, both venous and arterial, which contribute to a significant increase in mortality. However, the frequency of thromboembolism in patients admitted to the ICU was similar to events in non-ICU patients. We hope to increase awareness of the increased risk of hypercoagulability in all hospitalized patients with COVID-19 including non-ICU patients.
Chronic Refractory Immune Thrombocytopenia Is Associated With Variants in Immune Genes
Authors: Zhao Shasha , Ma Jingyao , Zhu Xiaojing , Zhang Jialu , Wu Runhui
Published: November 2021

The pathogenesis of chronic refractory immune thrombocytopenia (C/RITP) is mechanistically complex and considerably varies across patients. Few studies have focused on the genetic characteristics of C/RITP in children. The aim of this study was to analyze and summarize the clinical manifestations and genetic characteristics of C/RITP children with mutations in immune-related genes. In the study, 51 children with variants in immune-related genes (mutation group) and 103 children with no abnormal mutations (control group) were enrolled. Children in the mutation group showed severity of hemorrhage, a higher incidence of abnormal immunological indices, and an increased expression of SLE biomarkers. The number of peripheral T and B lymphocytes in the mutation group significantly increased. Nine patients (17.6%) had probable pathogenic variant genes associated with primary immunodeficiencies ( TNFRSF13B, CARD11, CBL, and RAG2), and 42 patients (82.4%) had variants of uncertain significance in 23 genes. C/RITP patients with variants in immune-related genes had more severe bleeding, abnormal immunological indices, and an increased expression of SLE biomarker. Next-generation sequenciong (NGS) might be a useful way to differentiate those patients from C/RITP.