bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Value of Immune-Related Genes Signature in Osteosarcoma Based on Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis
Authors: Wang Xin , Gan Li , Ye Ju , Tang Mengjie , Liu Wei
Published: May 2021

Background. Osteosarcoma (OS) is a serious malignant tumor that is more common in adolescents or children under 20 years of age. This study is aimed at obtaining immune-related genes (IRGs) associated with the progression and prognosis of OS. Method. Expression profiling data and clinical data for OS were downloaded from the Therapeutically Applicable Research to Generate Effective Treatments (TARGET) database. ESTIMATE calculates immune scores and stromal scores of samples and performs the prognostic analysis. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to find modules correlated with immune and stromal scores. Cox regression analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analysis were used to explore IRGs associated with OS prognosis and construct and validate a hazard score model. Finally, we verified the expression and function of EVI2B in OS. Results. WGCNA selected twenty-eight IRGs, 10 of which were associated with OS prognosis, and LASSO further obtained three key prognostic genes. A prognostic model of EVI2B was constructed, and according to the risk score model, patients in the high-risk group had a worse prognosis than those in the low-risk group, and the prognosis was statistically significant in the high- and low-risk groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the prognostic model’s accuracy and externally validate the independent GSE21257 cohort. The results of immunohistochemical staining and qPCR showed that EVI2B was a tumor suppressor gene. The differential genes in the high- and low-risk groups were analyzed by enrichment analysis of GO and KEGG, indicating that the EVI2B model is associated with immune response. Conclusion. In this study, IRG EVI2B is closely related to OS’s prognosis and can be used as a potential biomarker for prognosis and treatment of OS.
Age at Diagnosis of Heart Failure in United States Veterans With and Without HIV Infection
Authors: Erqou Sebhat , Jiang Lan , Choudhary Gaurav , Lally Michelle , Freiberg Matthew , Lin Nina H. , Shireman Theresa I. , Rudolph James L. , Wu Wen‐Chih
Published: May 2021

Background

Although HIV is associated with increased risk of heart failure (HF), it is not known if people living with HIV develop HF at a younger age compared with individuals without HIV. Crude comparisons of age at diagnosis of HF between individuals with and without HIV does not account for differences in underlying age structures between the populations.

Methods and Results

We used Veterans Health Administration data to compare the age at HF diagnosis between veterans with and without HIV, with adjustment for difference in population age structure. Statistical weights, calculated for each 1‐year strata of veterans with HIV in each calendar year from 2000 to 2018, were applied to the veterans without HIV to standardize the age structure. We identified 5093 veterans with HIV (98% men, 34% White) with first HF episode recorded after HIV diagnosis (median age at incidence of HF, 58 years), and 1 425 987 veterans without HIV (98% men, 78% White) with HF (corresponding age, 72 years), with an absolute difference of 14 years. After accounting for difference in age structure, the adjusted median age at HF diagnosis for veterans without HIV was 63 years, 5 years difference with veterans with HIV (
P
<0.001). The age differences were consistent across important subgroups such as preserved versus reduced ejection fraction and inpatient versus outpatient index HF.

Conclusions

Veterans with HIV are diagnosed with HF at a significantly younger age compared with veterans without HIV. These findings may have implications for HF prevention in individuals with HIV. Future studies are needed to make the findings more generalizable.
Changes in Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Cardiovascular Events in the Elderly Population
Authors: Yang Pil‐Sung , Jang Eunsun , Yu Hee Tae , Kim Tae‐Hoon , Pak Hui‐Nam , Lee Moon‐Hyoung , Joung Boyoung
Published: May 2021

Background

This study examines changes in the ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) status and whether these changes are associated with incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality in the elderly Asian population.

Methods and Results

In the Korea National Health Insurance Service–Senior cohort aged ≥60 years, 208 673 participants without prior CVD, including 109 431 who showed changes in CVH status, were assessed. The association of the changes in cardiovascular risk factors with incident CVD was assessed from 2004 to 2014 in the elderly (aged 60–74 years) and very elderly (≥75 years) groups. During the follow‐up period (7.1 years for CVD and 7.2 years for mortality), 19 429 incident CVD events and 24 225 deaths occurred. In both the elderly and very elderly participants, higher CVH status resulted in a lower risk of CVD and mortality. In the very elderly participants, compared with consistently low CVH, consistently high CVH (subhazard ratio, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.23–0.73) was associated with a lower risk of CVD. This trend was consistently observed in the elderly population. In the very elderly participants, total cholesterol level was not informative enough for the prediction of CVD events. In both the elderly and very elderly groups, body mass index and total cholesterol were not informative enough for the prediction of all‐cause mortality.

Conclusions

In both the elderly and very elderly Asian populations without CVD, a consistent relationship was observed between the improvement of a composite metric of CVH and the reduced risk of CVD. Body mass index and total cholesterol were not informative enough for the prediction of all‐cause mortality in both the elderly and very elderly groups.
Comparing Effect Estimates in Randomized Trials and Observational Studies From the Same Population: An Application to Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Matthews Anthony A. , Szummer Karolina , Dahabreh Issa J. , Lindahl Bertil , Erlinge David , Feychting Maria , Jernberg Tomas , Berglund Anita , Hernán Miguel A.
Published: May 2021

Background

To understand when results from observational studies and randomized trials are comparable, we performed an observational emulation of a target trial designed to ask similar questions as the VALIDATE (Bivalirudin Versus Heparin in ST‐Segment and Non–ST‐Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction in Patients on Modern Antiplatelet Therapy) randomized trial. The VALIDATE trial compared the effect of bivalirudin and heparin during percutaneous coronary intervention on the risk of death, myocardial infarction, and bleeding across Sweden.

Methods and Results

We specified the protocol of a target trial similar to the VALIDATE trial, then emulated the target trial in the period before the VALIDATE trial took place using data from the SWEDEHEART (Swedish Web System for Enhancement and Development of Evidence‐Based Care in Heart Disease Evaluated According to Recommended Therapies) registry—the same registry in which the trial was undertaken. The target trial emulation and the VALIDATE trial both estimated little or no effect of bivalirudin versus heparin on the risk of death or myocardial infarction by 180 days (target trial emulation risk ratio for death, 1.21 [95% CI, 0.88 – 1.54]; VALIDATE trial hazard ratio for death, 1.05 [95% CI, 0.78 – 1.41]). The observational data, however, could not capture less severe cases of bleeding, resulting in an inability to define a bleeding outcome like the trial, and could not accurately estimate the comparative risk of death by 14 days, which may be the result of intractable confounding early in follow‐up or the inability to precisely emulate the trial’s eligibility criteria.

Conclusions

Using real‐world data to emulate a target trial can deliver accurate effect estimates. Yet, even with rich observational data, it is not always possible to estimate the short‐term effect of interventions or the effect on outcomes for which data are not routinely collected.
Taxonomic notes on owlflies from Pakistan (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae: Ascalaphinae)
Authors: HASSAN MUHAMMAD ASGHAR , LIU XINGYUE
Published: May 2021

Taxonomic notes are presented on the former Ascalaphidae (owlflies), now subfamily Ascalaphinae of the family Myrmeleontidae from Pakistan. An updated checklist of new records is provided that accounts for all known 15 genera and 22 species from Pakistan, excluding the species of the tribe Palparini. Geographical distribution maps and an updated identification key to all known genera and species from Pakistan are also given. We synonymized two monotypic genera, Horischema Mészáros & Ábrahám, 2003 and Perissoschema Mészáros & Ábrahám, 2003 both as junior synonyms of Ogcogaster Westwood, 1847 based on very similar male genitalia and external morphological characters. Moreover, Perissoschema evae Mészáros & Ábrahám, 2003 is treated as a junior synonym of Ogcogaster segmentator Westwood, 1847. We recorded three genera for the first time from Pakistan, i.e., Acheron Lefèbvre, 1842, Glyptobasis McLachlan, 1873, and Suphalomitus van der Weele, 1909. To more completely resolve the generic or specific status of those poorly known species from Pakistan, broader sampling throughout the country is needed.
Is the Two-Stage Construction Approach Better for Maturation and Long-term Patency of the Transposed Brachiobasilic Arteriovenous Fistulas?
Authors: Hong Joon H.
Published: May 2021

The transposed brachiobasilic arteriovenous fistula is often constructed by employing a two-stage procedure for better maturation and long-term patency, but its validity on overall outcomes remains controversial. A single-center’s experience is presented herein, comparing one- and two-stage approaches on 229 consecutive first-time arteriovenous access constructed in the upper arm with a loop configuration and an obtuse anastomosis angle that provide favorable flow dynamics. The one- and two-year patency rates were equivalent between the two approaches, but the fistula rate was greater and the maturation time was shorter with the one-stage procedure.
Power resources and successful trade union actions that address precarity in adverse contexts: The case of Central and Eastern Europe
Authors: Trif Aurora , Paolucci Valentina , Kahancová Marta , Koukiadaki Aristea
Published: May 2021

Is it possible for trade unions to fight precarity in an adverse global context? Although existing research suggests this is possible, there is limited understanding of the interplay of resources that enable unions to address precarity in deregulated markets. This study employs a power resource approach to investigate how unions overcome their external constraints. It draws upon 130 in-depth interviews with key informants across nine Central and Eastern European countries to investigate successful and unsuccessful union actions in sectors with differing external resources. In each sector, unions that mobilise their internal resources have been able to reduce various precarity dimensions, such as low wages, lack of voice, and irregular working time. The results reveal that unions whose objectives are based on convincing win–win discourses can make strides, acting as drivers of change in precarity patterns even in unfavourable conditions. Moreover, the study introduces a multi-dimensional conceptualisation of union success, identifying union actions that result in measurable improvements in precarity dimensions for all worker types. To deepen understanding of the role unions play in fighting precarity in adverse contexts, future research could investigate union actions that improve a wider range of precarity dimensions for all workers.
A Comprehensive Study of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Approaches in Confronting the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic
Authors: Rahman Md Mijanur , Khatun Fatema , Uzzaman Ashik , Sami Sadia Islam , Bhuiyan Md Al-Amin , Kiong Tiong Sieh
Published: May 2021

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has spread over 219 countries of the globe as a pandemic, creating alarming impacts on health care, socioeconomic environments, and international relationships. The principal objective of the study is to provide the current technological aspects of artificial intelligence (AI) and other relevant technologies and their implications for confronting COVID-19 and preventing the pandemic’s dreadful effects. This article presents AI approaches that have significant contributions in the fields of health care, then highlights and categorizes their applications in confronting COVID-19, such as detection and diagnosis, data analysis and treatment procedures, research and drug development, social control and services, and the prediction of outbreaks. The study addresses the link between the technologies and the epidemics as well as the potential impacts of technology in health care with the introduction of machine learning and natural language processing tools. It is expected that this comprehensive study will support researchers in modeling health care systems and drive further studies in advanced technologies. Finally, we propose future directions in research and conclude that persuasive AI strategies, probabilistic models, and supervised learning are required to tackle future pandemic challenges.
Parenting for Child Development: The development and preliminary pilot of a parenting intervention to reduce violence against children in Papua New Guinea
Authors: Robinson Gary , Moss Simon , Jones Yomei
Published: May 2021

Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a low-income country experiencing high rates of family violence and child maltreatment. Child protection services are under-developed, and few tertiary-trained social workers are employed by them. A research team was commissioned to develop a parenting programme for implementation in remote provinces. After development and co-design of the programme, a pre- and post-evaluation was conducted in 10 communities to test the programme’s potential to facilitate change. Measures of harsh parenting, family well-being and parental attitudes were translated by experienced academics and administered to parents by a team of staff and students from a local university. Responses were subjected to factor analyses. A series of paired-sample t-tests was conducted to ascertain change in parents’ reported family well-being and use of harsh disciplinary practices (sample n = 159). Encouraging numbers of caregivers attended the programme in all sites. The analysis of change between pre- and post-programme scores revealed statistically significant reductions in verbal abuse and corporal punishment, and in harsh parenting overall, with reductions in partner violence and family difficulties contributing to improvements in family well-being. The evaluation indicates that with further development, this programme could be implemented as a primary prevention measure to complement child protection services. To consolidate the programme’s future implementation by building the pool of trained personnel, links with social work education should be further developed.
Comfort Level in Caregivers of Palliative Care Patients and Affecting Factors: What Should We Know?
Authors: Sayin Kasar Kadriye , Yildirim Yasemin , Bulut Ulku
Published: May 2021

Caregivers are an important source of support for patients in palliative care. Comfort is an important concept in nursing care for both patients and their families, and nurses aim to increase comfort. The aim of the study was to determine the comfort level and influencing factors in caregivers of palliative care patients. The research sample consisted of 102 caregivers related to palliative care patients. The data were obtained with an Individual Information Form, the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) and the End of Life Comfort Scale (Caregiver/Family). The study was conducted in the palliative care clinic of Aksaray University Training and Research Hospital between October 2018 and April 2019. There was a significant relationship between the total comfort score of the caregivers and the patient's performance status, the caregivers' age, their economic situation, the length of the caregiving period and receiving help in care (social support) ( p < 0.05). Providing comfort is an important function and challenge for holistic nursing care, as comfort is a lifelong need in health and disease. Caregivers in the risk group should be aware of this issue and necessary precautions should be taken.
Long-term results of triple valve repair in rheumatic heart disease
Authors: Kaskar Ameya , Rao Rahul , Mehra Siddhant , Bohra Deepak , Makwana Rohan , Rao Parachuri V
Published: May 2021

Background

The aim of this study is to analyze the clinical outcomes of triple valve repair for rheumatic heart disease in terms of both early results and long-term benefits.

Methods

Between January 2008 and December 2016, all the patients who underwent triple valve repair for rheumatic heart disease were included in this study.

Results

Thirty-eight patients underwent triple valve repair procedure for rheumatic heart disease at our institute. Mean age was 33 years; 60.5% were females. Techniques used to achieve mitral valve repair were: commisurotomy (n = 26), prosthetic ring annuloplasty (n = 9), posterior teflon annuloplasty (n = 23), leaflet shaving (n = 14), implantation of neochordae (n = 5) and pericardial patch augmentation of mitral valve leaflets (n = 6). For aortic valve repair, the techniques used were: commisurotomy (n = 23), leaflet shaving (n = 16), pericardial patch augmentation (n = 3), subcommisural plication (n = 10), free margin plication (n = 2) and free margin resuspension (n = 1). Tricuspid valve repair was performed using modified Devega's technique (n = 32), commisurotomy (n = 9) and posterior annular plication (bicuspidization) (n = 5). The operative mortality was 0%. There was no primary repair failure. Estimated survival at the end of 1 year, 5 years and 10 years was 100%, 91.6% and 65.8%, respectively. Overall freedom from reintervention at 1, 5 and 10 years was 100%, 96.4% and 61.4, respectively.

Conclusion

Triple valve repair provided satisfactory early and long-term results in this challenging subset of patients and can be considered as an acceptable option for significant triple valve disease due to the absence of anticoagulation-related events.
To Jurassic Park via Australia: A case study showing how dramatherapy enabled the creation and maintenance of embodied metaphors to support recovery from early psychosis
Authors: Combes Louise , A Bradley Lauren
Published: May 2021

This case study shows how Dramatherapy can engage clients with communication difficulties, which exclude them from standard mental health pathways in early intervention in psychosis services. Deliberately prioritising the client’s newfound modes of expression to shape the narrative within, it is evident Dramatherapy processes; embodiment, projection and role enabled this client to create and then inhabit his own playful metaphors. These metaphors continued to facilitate every-day life challenges.

During his Dramatherapy relationship, the client within this case study transitioned from supported accommodation to his own property, progressed to residential rehabilitation for alcohol misuse and finally engaged in cognitive behavioural therapy. From feedback interviews we know he continued to create and use his own protective metaphors 10 months after drama therapy ended. He returned to education as part of his plan to seek appropriate employment and was discharged to his GP.
Dramatherapy and Fairytale: Entering the fantastic reality
Authors: Schubert Maria
Published: May 2021

A magical, transitional space connects Dramatherapy and Fairytale. A space isolated, consecrated and forbidden, within which special rules occur. The description of this space talks about “temporary worlds,” as Johan Huizinga describes for Play, “within the usual world, dedicated in doing an act independent from our everyday practical lives.” It is there, that the dramatherapeutic stage allows us to enter this magic, transitional space that transforms itself from a wooden floor into a space where important and serious acts happen—even if they make us cry out with laughter. Therefore, within the context of Play, Fairytale, and Dramatherapy, the dramatherapeutic stage allows the person to exit, for a while, its real life and routine, and enter a magic world, a world that allows the unconscious to be expressed and relieved in a safe way. In this article, the author will explore the way Dramatherapy and Fairytale interconnect through the mediation of aesthetic distance which in both disciplines allows the clients and the dramatherapist to enter the liminal space of fantastic and/or dramatic reality and explore traumatic and painful events and issues of the clients’ life.
Peripheral cannulation for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation yields superior neurologic outcomes in adult patients who experienced cardiac arrest following cardiac surgery
Authors: Levy Lauren E , Kaczorowski David J , Pasrija Chetan , Boyajian Gregory , Mazzeffi Michael , Krause Eric , Shah Aakash , Madathil Ronson , Deatrick Kristopher B , Herr Daniel , Griffith Bartley P , Gammie James S , Taylor Bradley S , Ghoreishi Mehrdad
Published: May 2021

Background:

Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) for refractory cardiac arrest has improved mortality in post-cardiac surgery patients; however, loss of neurologic function remains one of the main and devastating complications. We reviewed our experience with ECPR and investigated the effect of cannulation strategy on neurologic outcome in adult patients who experienced cardiac arrest following cardiac surgery that was managed with ECPR.

Methods:

Patients were categorized by central versus percutaneous peripheral VA-extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) cannulation strategy. We reviewed patient records and evaluated in-hospital mortality, cause of death, and neurologic status 72 hours after cannulation.

Results:

From January 2010 to September 2019, 44 patients underwent post-cardiac surgery ECPR for cardiac arrest. Twenty-six patients received central cannulation; 18 patients received peripheral cannulation. Mean post-operative day of the cardiac arrest was 3 and 9 days (p = 0.006), and mean time between initiation of CPR and ECMO was 40 ± 24 and 28 ± 22 minutes for central and peripheral cannulation, respectively. After 72 hours of VA-ECMO support, 30% of centrally cannulated patients versus 72% of peripherally cannulated patients attained cerebral performance status 1–2 (p = 0.01). Anoxic brain injury was the cause of death in 26.9% of centrally cannulated and 11.1% of peripherally cannulated patients. Survival to discharge was 31% and 39% for central and peripheral cannulation, respectively.

Conclusions:

Peripheral VA-ECMO allows for continuous CPR and systemic perfusion while obtaining vascular access. Compared to central cannulation, a peripheral cannulation strategy is associated with improved neurologic outcomes and decreased likelihood of anoxic brain death.
Spectrum of uropathogens and their susceptibility to antimicrobials in pregnant women: a retrospective analysis of 5-year hospital data
Authors: Matalka Ala’a , Al-Husban Naser , Alkuran Oqba , Almuhaisen Lama , Basha Asma , Eid Mahmoud , Elmuhtaseb Mohammad S , Al Oweidat Khaled
Published: May 2021

Objective

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are common during pregnancy. Identification of antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of microorganisms in pregnant women is important to select the most appropriate antimicrobial. We assessed common uropathogens in pregnant women with UTI and antimicrobial susceptibility, to guide empirical antibiotic selection.

Methods

In this retrospective study, we analyzed mid-stream urine culture and antibiotic susceptibility data from pregnant women who attended Jordan University Hospital during 2014 to 2018. Data were collected from patients’ charts and urine cultures, and sensitivity results were extracted from the laboratory electronic system. We calculated descriptive statistics and determined correlations among pathogens and antibiotics.

Results

We examined 612 positive urine cultures from 559 pregnant women, including 163 (29.2%) inpatients. Escherichia coli (29.4%) was the most frequently identified microorganism, followed by coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) (21.6%). All bacterial isolates were sensitive to aztreonam, chloramphenicol, fosfomycin, ofloxacin, pefloxacin, piperacillin, and colistin sulfate; 87.5% were sensitive to amikacin. Only 15.79%, 18.93%, and 17.91% were sensitive to oxacillin, nalidixic acid, and erythromycin, respectively.

Conclusion

E. coli and CoNS were the most commonly identified microorganisms in this study. We found increased antibiotic resistance in Enterobacter species. The chosen antimicrobial therapy in pregnancy should be determined by sensitivity/resistance and fetomaternal safety.
Effect of focused cardiopulmonary ultrasonography on clinical outcome of septic shock: a randomized study
Authors: Li Li , Ai Yuhang , Wang Xiaoting , Zhang Hongmin , Ma Xinhua , Huang Li , Ai Meilin , Peng Qianyi , Zhang Lina
Published: May 2021

Objective

To investigate the effect of focused ultrasonography on clinical outcomes of septic shock.

Methods

Patients with septic shock were randomized into an integrated cardiopulmonary ultrasonography (ICUS) group and conventional (CON) group. Within 1 hour of admission, the ICUS group underwent ICUS examination for hemodynamic decision-making, while the CON group received standard treatment. The primary endpoint was 28-day mortality after admission. The secondary endpoints were cumulative fluid administration in the first 6, 24, and 72 hours; use of vasoactive drugs; lactate clearance; duration of ventilation; and ICU stay.

Results

Ninety-four qualified patients were enrolled (ICUS group, 49; CON group, 45). ICUS showed no significant effect on 28-day mortality. Within the initial 6 hours, the ICUS group tended to have a higher fluid balance and fluid intake than the CON group. The duration of vasopressor support was shorter in the ICUS group. There were no differences in the cumulative fluid infusion within 24 or 72 hours, lactate clearance, ICU stay, or duration of ventilation.

Conclusions

The initially focused ICUS did not affect the clinical outcomes of septic shock, but it tended to be associated with a higher fluid balance within the initial 6 hours and shorter duration of vasopressor support.
Development and external validation of a nomogram predicting overall survival after curative resection of colon cancer
Authors: Wang Shuanhu , Liu Yakui , Shi Yi , Guan Jiajia , Liu Mulin , Wang Wenbin
Published: May 2021

Objective

To develop and externally validate a prognostic nomogram to predict overall survival (OS) in patients with resectable colon cancer.

Methods

Data for 50,996 patients diagnosed with non-metastatic colon cancer were retrieved from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Patients were assigned randomly to the training set (n = 34,168) or validation set (n = 16,828). Independent prognostic factors were identified by multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis and used to construct the nomogram. Harrell’s C-index and calibration plots were calculated using the SEER validation set. Additional external validation was performed using a Chinese dataset (n = 342).

Results

Harrell’s C-index of the nomogram for OS in the SEER validation set was 0.71, which was superior to that using the 7th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer TNM staging (0.59). Calibration plots showed consistency between actual observations and predicted 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival. Harrell’s C-index (0.72) and calibration plot showed excellent predictive accuracy in the external validation set.

Conclusions

We developed a nomogram to predict OS after curative resection for colon cancer. Validation using the SEER and external datasets revealed good discrimination and calibration. This nomogram may help predict individual survival in patients with colon cancer.
Photophobia in migraine: A symptom cluster?
Authors: Wilkins Arnold J , Haigh Sarah M , Mahroo Omar A , Plant Gordon T
Published: May 2021

Photophobia is one of the most common symptoms in migraine, and the underlying mechanism is uncertain. The discovery of the intrinsically-photosensitive retinal ganglion cells which signal the intensity of light on the retina has led to discussion of their role in the pathogenesis of photophobia. In the current review, we discuss the relationship between pain and discomfort leading to light aversion (traditional photophobia) and discomfort from flicker, patterns, and colour that are also common in migraine and cannot be explained solely by the activity of intrinsically-photosensitive retinal ganglion cells. We argue that, at least in migraine, a cortical mechanism provides a parsimonious explanation for discomfort from all forms of visual stimulation, and that the traditional definition of photophobia as pain in response to light may be too restrictive. Future investigation that directly compares the retinal and cortical contributions to photophobia in migraine with that in other conditions may offer better specificity in identifying biomarkers and possible mechanisms to target for treatment.
Towards sustainable property? Exploring the entanglement of ownership and sustainability
Authors: Degens Philipp
Published: May 2021

This article explores the relation between ownership and sustainability on a conceptual level. It specifically examines different imaginaries of sustainable property by asking how private property rights and their restrictions are conceptualized as instruments for sustainability. To do so, conflicting notions of property that underlie Western jurisprudence and political theory are contrasted. This brings us to the identification of two major traditions in property thought that build on atomist or relational conceptions of society and property, respectively. Property might be conceived as an owner’s exclusive control over an object, or as a ‘bundle of rights’ that comprises entitlements, restrictions, and obligations to various actors. Largely within the paradigm of modernization as a trajectory of sustainability, these two fundamental traditions in property theory relate to different approaches to encode sustainability into property law: i) propertization, i.e. the extension of private property forms, as in the case of carbon emissions trading schemes; ii) the acknowledgment of social and environmental obligations inherent to property, illustrated by the social obligation norm in German law.
Is digitalization a problem solver or a fire accelerator? Situating digital technologies in sustainability discourses
Authors: Lenz Sarah
Published: May 2021

Starting from the framework of the ‘futures of sustainability’ this article asks whether or not digital technologies are discursively framed in such a way that they can offer a solution to socio-ecological problems. The initial observation is that the mediation and interactions of digitalization and sustainability have recently been the subject of political debates. Using the mapping procedure of situational analysis, the discourses around digital technologies as they emerge in the ideal-typical paths of sustainability – modernization, transformation and control – are identified and presented. The results show that similar technologies provoke varying discourses in the three possibility spaces of future sustainability, which can also be attributed to different normative foundations.
Automated detection and quantification of transverse cracks on woven composites
Authors: Meyer Christopher S , Bonyi Enock , Drake Kyle , Obafemi-Babatunde Taofeek , Daodu Aimanosi , Ajifa Demilade , Bigio Amber , Taylor Justin , Haque Bazle Z (Gama) , O’Brien Daniel J , Gillespie John W , Aslan Kadir
Published: May 2021

Various loading conditions—cyclic, quasi-static, and dynamic—can induce transverse matrix cracks in cross-ply and woven composite structures. Identification and quantification of this damage on a composite’s surface can provide valuable information on the overall damage state of the structure. This work seeks to develop automated methods for identifying and quantifying transverse matrix crack damage on the surface of composites. To this end, model plain weave glass–epoxy composite specimens were developed that were consistent in geometry and manufacturing process and for which the loading conditions and resulting damage quantity and damage mode could be controlled. High-resolution images (80 megapixel) were captured of the model composite specimen surfaces. These images were then subjected to a manual transverse crack identification method, which established a control with known quantity and spatial location of transverse cracks. Two automated methods were developed to identify and quantify transverse cracks. The first used 8-bit (256 shades of gray) images, an ImageJ preprocessing step, and finally used MATLAB to identify the damage. The second used 16-bit (65,536 shades of gray) images processed directly by MATLAB (no ImageJ preprocessing) to identify the damage. It was found that the 8-bit method more accurately assessed the quantity of transverse cracks because the preprocessing step reduced error-causing high-contrast artifacts (e.g., reflections, composite material inconsistencies, dirt, and ink/marks). Finally, binned scatterplot maps indicating damage quantity and spatial location were created to provide at-a-glance assessment of composite damage condition.
Individual Risk, Country-Level Social Support, and Bullying and Cyberbullying Victimization Among Youths: A Cross-national Study
Authors: Deryol Rustu , Wilcox Pamela , Stone Sandra
Published: May 2021

This study examined the relationships between three life domains—physical health, risky/deviant lifestyle, and psychosocial adjustment—and traditional bullying and cyberbullying victimization among youths in 23 countries.

Methods: We first estimated logistic regression models that examined the relationships between indicators of physical health, risky/deviant lifestyle, and psychosocial adjustment using 23 distinct national samples. This analysis also allowed us to observe patterns of similarity and dissimilarity across countries regarding the correlates of for traditional bullying and cyberbullying victimization. Next, we estimated multilevel models of bullying victimization that combined data across 21 countries and estimated the effects of a country-level indicator of quality of human development (IHDI) in interaction with individual-level indicators of physical health, risky/deviant lifestyle, and psychosocial adjustment.

Results: There were both cross-country similarities and differences regarding the individual-level correlates of traditional bullying and cyberbullying victimization. Additionally, countries that had relatively greater quality of human development tended to exhibit lower prevalence of traditional and cyberbullying victimization. Finally, country-level quality of human development conditioned relationships between individual level factors and both traditional and cyberbullying victimization.

Conclusions: Findings suggest that student-level bullying-prevention programs should address risk/protective factors across three student life domains, with some risk/protective factors seemingly universally relevant. Moreover, cross-level interactions suggest that enhancing country-level quality of human development can also play an important role in youth bullying prevention.
“Helping Somebody Else Has Helped Me Too”: Resilience in Rural Women With Disabilities With Experiences of Interpersonal Violence
Authors: Aguillard Kimberly , Gemeinhardt Gretchen , McCurdy Sheryl , Schick Vanessa , Hughes Rosemary
Published: May 2021

The concept of resilience, the ability to “bounce back,” from adversity, can inform interpersonal violence interventions and victim assistance services. Unfortunately, though women with disabilities (WWD) experience high rates of all forms of violence and multiple layers of adversity, existing resilience research overlooks this populations’ experiences, perspectives, and resilience strategies. The impairment, socially misperceived as a personal tragedy, precludes individuals with disabilities from being considered resilient; rather, they are designated almost universally as “at risk” or “vulnerable.” This study aims to remedy this gap in understanding and scholarship. This qualitative study engaged 33 rural women with diverse disabilities who experienced violence to learn about how they cultivated resilience to support recovery and growth after experiencing abuse. Women described key personal qualities and supportive networks and services, such as internal drive, connectedness, dedication, healthy and helpful outlets, and an evolution of thoughts and behaviors. Counter to prevailing perceptions of WWD as dependent and helpless, women described how living with a disability honed strengths fundamental to their resilience. Women also described an “altruism born of suffering” wherein their experiences of violence contributed to a desire to give back and help others in difficult circumstances.

Women’s insights help to build a more comprehensive understanding of effective strategies and supports to bolster WWD’s resilience. These findings inform interventions and promote approaches to build on women’s strengths and resourcefulness.
Head Trauma in a Community-Based Sample of Victims of Intimate Partner Violence: Prevalence, Mechanisms of Injury and Symptom Presentation
Authors: Meyer Jessica E. , Jammula Varna , Arnett Peter A.
Published: May 2021

Objective.

The present study aimed to explore the prevalence of subconcussive head trauma, traumatic brain injury (TBI), potential hypoxic events, and hypoxic brain injury (HBI) in victims of physical intimate partner violence (IPV). The study also aimed to characterize the injury presentation and mechanisms of injury in this population.

Method.

A group of 47 female participants with a history of at least one relationship that included physical violence completed a structured interview assessing for subconcussive hits, TBI, and HBI. Participants ranged in age from 19 to 55, and had an average of 15.3 years of education. Forty-four participants completed the structured interview in person and three participants completed the interview over the phone.

Results.

The majority of participants reported sustaining at least one impact to the head and approximately half of the participants sustained at least one impact that resulted in a mild TBI. Approximately half of the participants experienced at least one incident of having difficulty breathing due to a violent act from their partner, and approximately one-third of participants reported symptoms consistent with mild HBI. The most common mechanisms of injury were being hit with a closed fist and being strangled.

Conclusions.

The high levels of head trauma observed in this study highlight the need for clinical and community providers to screen victims of physical IPV for head trauma. The unique characteristics of this population (female sex, high frequency of injuries, and presence of HBIs) indicate that research evaluating the cognitive effects of injuries in this population is needed.
Association of Behavioral Phenotypes With Changes in Sleep During a Workplace Wellness Program
Authors: Waddell Kimberly J. , Changolkar Sujatha , Szwartz Gregory , Godby Sarah , Patel Mitesh S.
Published: May 2021

Purpose:

Examine changes in sleep duration by 3 behavioral phenotypes during a workplace wellness program with overweight and obese adults.

Design:

Secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial

Setting:

Remotely monitored intervention conducted across the United States

Subjects:

553 participants with a body mass index ≥25

Intervention:

Participants were randomized to 1 of 4 study arms: control, gamification with support, gamification with collaboration, and gamification with competition to increase their physical activity. All participants were issued a wrist-worn wearable device to record their daily physical activity and sleep duration.

Measures:

The primary outcome was change in daily sleep duration from baseline during the 24 week intervention and follow-up period by study arm within behavioral phenotype class.

Analysis:

Linear mixed effects regression.

Results:

Participants who had a phenotype of less physically active and less social at baseline, in the gamification with collaboration arm, significantly increased their sleep duration during the intervention period (30.2 minutes [95% CI 6.9, 53.5], P = 0.01), compared to the control arm. There were no changes in sleep duration among participants who were more extroverted and motivated or participants who were less motivated and at-risk.

Conclusions:

Changes in sleep during a physical activity intervention varied by behavioral phenotype. Behavioral phenotypes may help to precisely identify who is likely to improve sleep duration during a physical activity intervention.
A less evaluative measure of Big Five personality: Comparison of structure and criterion validity
Authors: Wood Joshua K , Anglim Jeromy , Horwood Sharon
Published: May 2021

Researchers and practitioners have long been concerned about detrimental effects of socially desirable responding on the structure and criterion validity of personality assessments. The current research examined the effect of reducing evaluative item content of a Big Five personality assessment on test structure and criterion validity. We developed a new public domain measure of the Big Five called the Less Evaluative Five Factor Inventory (LEFFI), adapted from the standard 50-item IPIP NEO, and intended to be less evaluative. Participants ( n = 3164) then completed standard (IPIP) and neutralized (LEFFI) measures of personality. Criteria were also collected, including academic grades, age, sex, smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise, protesting, religious worship, music preferences, dental hygiene, blood donation, other-rated communication styles, other-rated HEXACO personality, and cognitive ability (ICAR). Evaluativeness of items was reduced in the neutralized measure. Cronbach's alpha and test-retest reliability were maintained. Correlations between the Big Five were reduced in the neutralized measure and criterion validity was similar or slightly reduced in the neutralized measure. The large sample size and use of objective criteria extend past research. The study also contributes to debates about whether the general factor of personality and agreement with socially desirable content reflect substance or bias.
Interaction Rituals and Sexual Commerce in Thailand’s Erotic Bars
Authors: Weitzer Ronald
Published: May 2021

This article explores bar prostitution as a distinct sexual arena. Drawing on fieldwork in six red-light districts in Thailand, the article identifies key structural and interactional features of the bars located in these areas. The analysis draws on an “interaction rituals” framework to elucidate scripted encounters between workers and customers, successive ritual chains, and the way departures or “broken chains” help to confirm the existence and vitality of normative chains. I argue, further, that the bars are organized around a distinctive moral economy—a courting-and-dating model—that allows sex workers and their clients to simultaneously downplay their involvement in prostitution and form affective ties with one another. Due to this framing, bar prostitution can be distinguished from most other types of prostitution, where opportunities for destigmatization are either minimal or nonexistent.
Experimental investigation of the effect of active flow control on the wake of a wind turbine blade
Authors: Maleki GholamHossein , Davari Ali Reza , Soltani Mohammad Reza
Published: May 2021

An extensive experimental investigation was conducted to study the effects of Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD), on the flow field of an airfoil at low Reynolds number. The DBD was mounted near the leading edge of a section of a wind turbine blade. It is believed that DBD can postpone the separation point on the airfoil by injecting momentum to the flow. The effects of steady actuations on the velocity profiles in the wake region have been investigated. The tests were performed at α = 4 to 36 degrees i.e. from low to deep stall angles of attack regions. Both surface pressure distribution and wake profile show remarkable improvement at high angles of attack, beyond the static stall angle of the airfoil when the plasma actuation was implemented. The drag calculated from the wake momentum deficit has further shown the favorable role of the plasma actuators to control the flow over the airfoil at incidences beyond the static stall angle of attack of this airfoil. The results demonstrated that DBD has been able to postpone the stall onset significantly. It has been observed that the best performance for the plasma actuation for this airfoil is in the deep stall angles of attack range. However, below and near the static stall angles of attack, plasma augmentation was pointed out to have a negligible improvement in the aerodynamic behavior.
Geometrically nonlinear static and dynamic analysis of CNT reinforced laminated composite plates: A finite element study
Authors: Adhikari Balakrishna , Singh BN
Published: May 2021

In this paper, a finite element study is conducted using the Green Lagrange strain field based on vonKarman assumptions for the geometric nonlinear static and dynamic response of the laminated functionally graded CNT reinforced (FG-CNTRC) composite plate. The governing equations for determining the nonlinear static and dynamic behavior of the FG-CNTRC plate are derived using the Lagrange equation of motion based on Reddy's higher order theory. Using the direct iteration technique, the nonlinear eigenvalues for analyzing the free vibration response are obtained and the nonlinear dynamic responses of the FG-CNTRC plate are encapsulated based on the nonlinear Newmark integration scheme. The impact of the amplitude of vibration on mode switching phenomena and the consequence of the duration of the pulse on the free vibration regime of the plate are outlined. Also, the effect of time dependent loads is studied on the normal stresses of the plate. Furthermore, the impact on the nonlinear static and dynamic response of the laminated FG-CNTRC plate of various parameters such as span-thickness ratio (b/h ratio), aspect ratio (a/b ratio), different edge constraints, CNT fiber gradation, etc. are also studied.
Barriers to HIV treatment adherence among adults living with HIV in the eastern Dominican Republic
Authors: Bast Elizabeth S. , Stonbraker Samantha , Halpern Mina , Lowenthal Elizabeth , Gross Robert
Published: May 2021

Despite access to nationally supplied antiretroviral treatment, viral load suppression rates remain suboptimal in the Dominican Republic. Counseling and support services are available but mainly targeted to those identified as having the most need. At Clínica de Familia La Romana (CFLR) in La Romana, all patients undergo a structured baseline interview including exploration of expected barriers to care. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of a random sample of patients at CFLR with treatment initiation between 1 January 2015 and 1 December 2017 to determine if self-identified barriers to HIV care predict viral load suppression. Viral load suppression occurred in 63% of the 203 patients evaluated. Lack of food ( n = 19) was significantly associated with lack of viral suppression (OR 3.0, 95% CI 1.14–7.87). Nondisclosure of HIV status ( n = 24) showed evidence for a protective effect (OR 0.33; 95% CI 0.11–1.0). Further steps should be taken to address food insecurity as well as to understand associated barriers to care among individuals with food insecurity.