bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Influence of South Pacific Convergence Zone Heating on the South Pacific Subtropical Anticyclone
Authors: Fahad Abdullah A. , Burls Natalie J. , Swenson Erik T. , Straus David M.
Published: February 2021

Subtropical anticyclones and midlatitude storm tracks are key components of the large-scale atmospheric circulation. Focusing on the Southern Hemisphere, the seasonality of the three dominant subtropical anticyclones, situated over the South Pacific, South Atlantic, and south Indian Ocean basins, has a large influence on local weather and climate within South America, southern Africa, and Australia, respectively. Generally speaking, sea level pressure within the Southern Hemisphere subtropics reaches its seasonal maximum during the winter season when the Southern Hemisphere Hadley cell is at its strongest. One exception to this is the seasonal evolution of the South Pacific subtropical anticyclone. While winter maxima are seen in the South Atlantic and south Indian subtropical anticyclones, the South Pacific subtropical anticyclone reaches its seasonal maximum during local spring with elevated values extending into summer. In this study, we investigate the hypothesis that the strength of the austral summer South Pacific subtropical anticyclone is largely due to heating over the South Pacific convergence zone. Using added-cooling and added-heating atmospheric general circulation model experiments to artificially change the strength of austral summer diabatic heating over the South Pacific convergence zone, our results show that increased heating, through increased upper-level divergence, triggers a Rossby wave train that extends into the Southern Hemisphere midlatitudes. This propagating Rossby wave train creates a high and low sea level pressure pattern that projects onto the center of the South Pacific subtropical anticyclone to intensify its area and strength.
Roles of Tropical Remote Forcings on the South China Sea Winter Atmospheric and Cold Tongue Variabilities
Authors: Ce Seow Marvin Xiang , Morioka Yushi , Tozuka Tomoki
Published: February 2021

Influences from the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans and atmospheric internal variability on the South China Sea (SCS) atmospheric circulation and cold tongue (CT) variabilities in boreal winter and the relative roles of remote forcings at interannual time scales are studied using observational data, reanalysis products, and coupled model experiments. In the observation, strong CT years are accompanied by local cyclonic wind anomalies, which are an equatorial Rossby wave response to enhanced convection over the warmer-than-normal western equatorial Pacific associated with La Niña. Also, the cyclonic wind anomalies are an atmospheric Kelvin wave response to diabatic cooling anomalies linked to both the decaying late fall negative Indian Ocean dipole (IOD) and winter atmospheric internal variability. Partially coupled experiments reveal that both the tropical Pacific air–sea coupling and atmospheric internal variability positively contribute to the coupled variability of the SCS CT, while the air–sea coupling over the tropical Indian Ocean weakens such variabilities. The northwest Pacific anticyclonic wind anomalies that usually precede El Niño–Southern Oscillation–independent negative IOD generated under the tropical Indian Ocean air–sea coupling undermine such variabilities.
When is a justice campaign over? Transitional justice, ‘overing’ and Bloody Sunday
Authors: Bentley Tom
Published: February 2021

This article explores the political, strategic and emotional issue of victim groups deciding to continue or discontinue central components of a justice campaign in the aftermath of receiving ‘truth’. Drawing on in-depth interviews, the article focuses on relatives and other stakeholders’ varying positions on (dis)continuing the annual Bloody Sunday commemoration march after the publication of the Report of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry and the UK Prime Minister’s apology for the massacre. I demonstrate that there has emerged an, at times, acrimonious schism between those who feel the apology and report were sufficient to stop the march and those who believe them to be insufficient. Thus, while much of the literature on political apology evaluates its effects on the dyadic relationship between victim and perpetrator, this article develops Sara Ahmed’s concept of ‘overing’ to demonstrate that the ostensible moment of truth can create unanticipated and deleterious intra-victim tensions. The article concludes by suggesting practical measures emerging from the findings that other justice campaigns may consider.
Optimal allocation of higher education resources based on fuzzy particle swarm optimization
Authors: Cui Jiangning
Published: February 2021

The development concept of higher education will have a direct impact on the development direction of higher education, because the concept usually reflects people's understanding of the law of higher education, and the current education concept restricts the scale, quality, structure and efficiency of higher education to a certain extent. Throughout the evolution of the world's higher education development concept, it has generally experienced the overall coordination of the economic growth, the internal and external laws, and the people-centered sustainable development. This paper hopes to provide effective help by joint intelligent algorithms. In this paper, the particle swarm optimization algorithm in intelligent optimization algorithm and the FCM algorithm in cluster analysis are studied in depth, and the two are merged together to propose a fuzzy clustering algorithm based on improved particle swarm optimization algorithm. The main research contents of this thesis include: Firstly, the PSO algorithm is improved, and the random search step levy flights and PSO algorithm are repeatedly called by the iterative mode by introducing the eagle strategy. After improvement, the ESPSO algorithm can achieve a balance between global search and local development, and make the particles have more satisfactory search ability and convergence effect. Then the improved PSO algorithm is integrated into the FCM algorithm to solve the above problems of the FCM clustering algorithm and improve the clustering effect. The experimental results show that the improved espso algorithm and FCM algorithm are suitable for actual data. The simulation results show that the algorithm has better clustering effect than the traditional clustering algorithm.
The relationship between public service employees’ personal resources and psychological well-being
Authors: Kotzé Martina
Published: February 2021

The study investigates the mediating role of psychological capital in the relationship between personal resources (mindfulness, self-leadership) and psychological well-being (burnout, work engagement) for a sample of 226 public sector employees in South Africa. Both mindfulness and self-leadership have a statistically significant positive influence on psychological capital, while psychological capital mediated the relationship between both mindfulness and work engagement, and mindfulness and burnout. psychological capital also mediates the relationship between both self-leadership and engagement, and self-leadership and burnout. Psychological capital has a statistically significant positive influence on work engagement and a statistically significant negative influence on burnout. The results show that mindfulness and self-leadership strategies can enhance psychological capital, reducing burnout and increasing engagement.

Point for practitioners

The public sector requires energised employees to serve the public despite demanding circumstances. Therefore, management must find ways to support employees in increasing work engagement levels and avoiding burnout. Since personal resources (mindfulness, self-leadership, psychological capital) are shown to enhance engagement and decrease burnout, managers and human resource managers can build these individual resources through training and development, and consider them in recruitment processes.
CFD modeling and validation of heat transfer inside an autoclave based on a mesh independency study
Authors: Zhu Junhong , Frerich Tim , Herrmann Axel S
Published: February 2021

Autoclave processing is the main technology used in the manufacturing of structural aerospace composite parts. To optimize the autoclave process, the thermal behavior of the part and mold can be investigated through simulations. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) provide a significant contribution to studies on heat transfer and airflow patterns, which are key points in an optimization applied to achieve a homogeneous temperature distribution inside composite parts. The solution is produced by solving the 3 D unsteady Navier–Stokes equations. This paper describes a systematic numerical study using the CFD approach to significantly improve the modeling efficiency of the heat transfer coefficient (HTC) inside an autoclave and maintain a high level of accuracy. Considering the modeling cost, calculation time, and accuracy of the results, a reasonable hybrid mesh is used based on a mesh independency study. The level of grid independence is examined using the general Richardson extrapolation method. In addition, a more robust autoclave model is presented, which is unaffected by the inlet turbulence. Further, the inlet fluid velocity and turbulence models have been identified as sensitive influencing factors. In this study, the Spalart–Allmaras turbulence model shows the best performance compared with the standard [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] SST models. Finally, the results are validated with the experimental data. The mean error of the simulated temperatures in the calorimeter for the front, middle and rear positions are [Formula: see text]C, [Formula: see text]C, and [Formula: see text]C, indicating a good agreement with the experiments. This paper provides guidelines on the use of a CFD simulation to predict the heat transfer during the autoclave curing process with high accuracy and reduced numerical effort.
The Moral Boundary Drawing of Class: Social Inequality and Young Precarious Workers in Poland and Germany
Authors: Trappmann Vera , Seehaus Alexandra , Mrozowicki Adam , Krasowska Agata
Published: February 2021

This article explores the relational and moral aspects of the perception of class structure and class identifications by young people in objectively vulnerable labour market conditions in Poland and Germany. Drawing on 123 biographical interviews with young people in both countries, it demonstrates that young precarious Poles and Germans tend to identify themselves against the ‘middle class’ – understood variously in the two countries – and attribute the sources of economic wealth and social status in their societies to individual merits and entrepreneurship. Positioning oneself in the broad middle and limited identification with the precariat is explained by the youth transition phase, country-specific devaluation of class discourses and the effects of individualisation.
Effect of process and nozzle structural parameters on the wrapping quality of core-spun yarns produced on a modified vortex spinning system
Authors: Pei Zeguang , Wang Xingbao , Li Zhimin , Xiao Lei , Bai Tao , Chen Ge
Published: February 2021

Vortex core-spun yarn containing a metal wire has a broad application prospect owing to the combination of its fasciated structure, durability, comfort, and its electrical properties. In this paper, three-dimensional numerical simulations on the flow characteristics inside the nozzle of a modified vortex spinning system for producing core-spun yarns are carried out to investigate the effect of some process and nozzle structural parameters—the nozzle pressure, distance between nozzle inlet and spindle, and protrusion length of the filament feeding tube—on the flow field. Using a machine vision system, experiments are also conducted to investigate the effects of these parameters on the wrapping defects of the vortex core-spun yarns which are then analyzed based on the simulation results. The number of wrapping defects on the yarn greatly decreases as the nozzle pressure increases from 4 × 105 Pa to 5 × 105 Pa. As the distance between nozzle inlet and spindle increases, the number of wrapping defects on the yarn first decreases and then increases. The effect of protrusion length of the filament feeding tube is found to be insignificant. This experimental and numerical study can provide a feasible way for optimizing the quality of the core-spun yarn produced on the modified vortex spinning system and analyzing the mechanism of the effects of parameters.
The Impact of Same versus Different Price Presentation on Travel Choice and the Moderating Role of Childhood Socioeconomic Status
Authors: Giroux Marilyn , Franklin Drew , Kim Jungkeun , Park Jooyoung , Kwak Kyuseop
Published: February 2021

When making travel decisions, consumers are frequently exposed to a multitude of options, including differing price levels for the same product or service across a range of online travel agencies. The current research investigates how the magnitude of price dispersion in online pricing can influence travelers’ product evaluations and purchase intentions. Specifically, we predict that travelers will prefer a hotel with no price dispersion to a hotel with different prices listed when the price difference is small, or narrow. However, when the price difference is more pronounced, or wide, travelers will prefer a hotel with price differences compared to a hotel with no price dispersion. Four experiments demonstrate that this effect is consistent across different contexts and categories. Additionally, based on life history theory, we argue that the relative preference for the same versus different price dispersion will be moderated by the travelers’ childhood socioeconomic status (SES).
Chemically modified soybean oils as plasticizers for silica-filled e-SBR/Br compounds for tire tread applications
Authors: Lovison Viviane Meyer Hammel , de Freitas Maurício Azevedo , Forte Maria Madalena de Camargo
Published: February 2021

Silica-filled styrene butadiene rubber (SBR)/butadiene rubber (BR) compounds plasticized with mineral oils are mainly used to produce green tire treads. Previous works have demonstrated that the partial replacement of naphthenic oil (ONAF) by bio-based oils can provide processing and performance improvements for rubber compounds, along with environmental benefits. In this study, two modified soybean oils (esterified, OEST or esterified and epoxidized, OEPX) were investigated with the aim of evaluating the complete replacement of ONAF and determining whether the chemical properties of the oils affect the performance of silica-filled E-SBR/BR compounds, using the compound with ONAF as a reference. The physical properties, curing characteristics, morphology, and dynamic mechanical behavior were evaluated. The use of the modified soybean oils decreased the optimal cure time while increasing the crosslink density and the abrasive wear resistance. Further, the compounds with both modified soybean oils showed a good balance of mechanical properties. The modified soybean oils decreased the glass transition temperature of the rubber compounds, thus acting as true plasticizers. At 0°C, the tan δ value of E-SBR/BR/OEPX increased relative to that of E-SBR/BR/ONAF, whereas at 60°C, the values of the compounds with both modified soybean oils showed slight increases. The tan δ values reveal that compared with E-SBR/BR/ONAF, E-SBR/BR/OEPX has better wet grip and a similar rolling resistance, whereas E-SBR/BR/OEST has a higher rolling resistance. Thus, both modified soybean oils can fully replace ONAF and appear to be extremely attractive plasticizers for use in silica-filled E-SBR/BR compounds employed as green tire treads for passenger cars.
A systematic decomposition approach of nonlinear systems by combining gap metric and stability margin
Authors: Ahmadi Mahdi , Haeri Mohammad
Published: February 2021

In this paper, in order to control a nonlinear dynamic system via multi-model controller, we propose a systematic approach to determine the nominal local linear models. These models are selected from the local models bank and results in a reduced nominal models set that provides enough information to design a multi-model controller. To determine the initial local models bank, gap metric is used so that the distance between two successive local models is smaller than a threshold value. Then, a systematic approach that aims to get a reduced nominal models bank is developed. Based on this approach, first, a binary gap matrix is defined by combining gap metric and stability information. Then, several rows of this matrix are selected such that the sum of them becomes a non-zero vector. The proposed approach along with a designed robust controller is validated on a pH neutralization regarding to its highly nonlinear behavior.
Making war and peace with emotion: Examining the Iraq and Iran cases via presidential speech and media coverage
Authors: Seaton Katherine , Wu H Denis
Published: February 2021

This study investigates emotions conveyed in US presidential speeches and media coverage regarding the Iraq War and the Iran nuclear deal during 2003 and 2015. The researchers gathered and examined news stories about the two policies, all official speeches delivered by George W Bush and Barack Obama, and opinion polls conducted during the respective six-month period in those two years. Nine discrete emotions were coded to capture the valence and volume in the speeches and news media content. The study finds that emotions appear more frequently in the Iraq discourse than in the Iran counterpart. President Bush used more negative emotions while President Obama employed more positive emotions. Emotion in the media coverage is constant and stable across the two policy periods; yet negative emotions are more prevalent than positive counterparts in the media despite distinct foreign policies. The study also examines public opinion trends toward the two policies for inferring potential linkage. This article contributes to the conceptual nexus among emotional persuasion, journalism pattern, and foreign policy-making process.
Parenting Style, Parental Personality, and Child Temperament in Children with Anxiety Disorders—A Clinical Study from India
Authors: Sahithya BR , Raman Vijaya
Published: February 2021

Background:

Anxiety disorders are common in children and contribute to adverse developmental outcomes. Although etiological models of child anxiety have identified various environmental factors, very few studies in India have examined these factors in children presenting with anxiety disorders. Therefore, the present study was designed to examine parenting styles, parental personality, and child temperament in children with anxiety disorders in an Indian outpatient setting.

Methods:

In total, 42 children with anxiety disorders and 42 typically developing children, matched on age and gender, were screened using Child Behavior Checklist, Color Progressive Matrices, and Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders Parent version. Their parents were screened using Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview 5.0, following which they filled the questionnaires for parenting styles, parent personality, and child temperament.

Results:

There were significant differences between the two groups on parenting style, parent personality, and child temperament. Anxiety disorder was positively associated with the father’s permissiveness and negatively with the mother’s authoritativeness and child’s sociability. A combination of parenting styles and child temperament explained 69% of the variances in child anxiety disorders. There were significant associations between parental personality, child temperament, and parenting style. Parent and child characteristics explained 14%–46% of the variances in parenting styles.

Conclusion:

Results of this study are generally consistent with Western studies outlining the influence of child temperament and parenting styles on child outcome and have important implications for clinical management of anxiety disorders.
How to train your robot with deep reinforcement learning: lessons we have learned
Authors: Ibarz Julian , Tan Jie , Finn Chelsea , Kalakrishnan Mrinal , Pastor Peter , Levine Sergey
Published: February 2021

Deep reinforcement learning (RL) has emerged as a promising approach for autonomously acquiring complex behaviors from low-level sensor observations. Although a large portion of deep RL research has focused on applications in video games and simulated control, which does not connect with the constraints of learning in real environments, deep RL has also demonstrated promise in enabling physical robots to learn complex skills in the real world. At the same time, real-world robotics provides an appealing domain for evaluating such algorithms, as it connects directly to how humans learn: as an embodied agent in the real world. Learning to perceive and move in the real world presents numerous challenges, some of which are easier to address than others, and some of which are often not considered in RL research that focuses only on simulated domains. In this review article, we present a number of case studies involving robotic deep RL. Building off of these case studies, we discuss commonly perceived challenges in deep RL and how they have been addressed in these works. We also provide an overview of other outstanding challenges, many of which are unique to the real-world robotics setting and are not often the focus of mainstream RL research. Our goal is to provide a resource both for roboticists and machine learning researchers who are interested in furthering the progress of deep RL in the real world.
Utility of intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging for giant cell tumor of bone after denosumab treatment: a pilot study
Authors: Furuta Taisuke , Kubo Tadahiko , Sakuda Tomohiko , Saito Taiichi , Kurisu Kaoru , Muragaki Yoshihiro , Adachi Nobuo
Published: February 2021

Background

Giant cell tumor of bone (GCTB) is an intermediate but locally aggressive neoplasm. Current treatment of high-risk GCTB involves administration of denosumab, which inhibits bone destruction and promotes osteosclerosis. However, denosumab monotherapy is not a curative treatment for GCTB and surgical treatment remains required. Denosumab treatment complicates surgery, and the recurrence rate of GCTB is high (20%–30%).

Purpose

To examine the utility of intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) for detection and reduction of residual tumor after denosumab treatment and to investigate the utility of iMRI, which is not yet widely used.

Material and Methods

We enrolled five patients who received denosumab for a median period of eight months (range 6–12 months). Surgery was performed when the degree of osteosclerosis around the articular surface was deemed appropriate. We performed iMRI using a modified operation table to identify residual tumor after initial curettage and evaluated the rate of detection of residual tumor by iMRI, intraoperative and postoperative complications, exposure time of iMRI, and operation time.

Results

Suspected residual tumor tissue was identified in all five cases and was confirmed by histopathology after additional curettage. The rate of detection of residual tumor by iMRI was 100%. Residual tumor was located in sites which were difficult to remove due to osteosclerosis. The iMRI was performed safely and without trouble. During the median follow-up period of 10 months (range 6–24 months), no adverse events or recurrences occurred.

Conclusion

Intraoperative MRI could contribute to the reduction of residual tumor tissue and it may prevent recurrence of GCTB after denosumab therapy.
Stalking Victimization and Emotional Consequences: A Cross-Cultural Comparison Between American and Spanish University Students
Authors: Fernández Cruz Victoria , Ngo Fawn T.
Published: February 2021

This paper entails a comparative study between a country that has criminalized stalking for almost three decades (the U.S.) and a nation that just recently outlawed the phenomenon (Spain). Employing a sample of American and Spanish university students, we examined the prevalence and types of stalking behaviors and victims’ emotional responses to their victimization. We also explored whether experiencing a particular category of stalking behaviors (i.e., surveillance and approach stalking) triggers specific emotional responses similarly among American and Spanish victims. We found more than two-thirds (36%) of the Spanish students ( n = 638) and almost half (48%) of the American students ( n = 411) reported that they have experienced the unwanted or intrusive behaviors included in our study. We also found relative to Spanish victims, American victims were significantly more likely to encounter approach stalking and report feeling anxious, angry, depressed, sick, and suicidal as a result of their victimization. Implications of our findings and directions for future research are discussed.
The interactions between wildfires, bamboo and aerosols in the south-western Amazon: A conceptual model
Authors: Bae Jiyong , Kim Daehyun
Published: February 2021

Wildfires, bamboo and aerosols are becoming topics of research interest in the south-western Amazon because their impact on local ecosystems may influence the future climate on Earth. Their interaction is particularly important because it can self-amplify, potentially leading to unexpected consequences such as a decrease in carbon storage capacity due to the dominance of bamboo ecosystems after fire. This article synthesizes the discrete pieces of knowledge on each of these components to develop a conceptual model of wildfires–bamboo–aerosols relationships and to identify future research agendas. The interaction between wildfires and bamboo is controversial because the answer to whether bamboo significantly enhances the probability of wildfire events remains elusive. However, the ongoing deforestation of the Amazon is a possible trigger for increased interactions between wildfires and bamboo. A positive feedback likely exists in an area where aerosols produced by wildfires induce subsequent wildfires. Aerosols can form an oversupply of cloud condensation nuclei, which delays rainfall. Alternatively, they can absorb solar radiation and cool the Earth’s surface, which suppresses cloud formation. Little research has been conducted on the relationship between bamboo and aerosols in the Amazon. However, there is some indirect evidence that bamboo can be a significant producer of aerosols, which then affect wildfires by changing rainfall patterns. Our integrative approach will help to identify the triangular relationship between wildfires, bamboo and aerosols.
“We Are at Risk Too”: The Disparate Mental Health Impacts of the Pandemic on Younger Generations: Nous Sommes Aussi à Risque: Les Effets Disparates de la Pandémie Sur la Santé Mentale des Générations Plus Jeunes
Authors: El-Gabalawy Renée , Sommer Jordana L.
Published: February 2021

Objectives:

The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in profound global impact, with older adults at greater risk of serious physical health outcomes. It is essential to also understand generational differences in psychosocial impacts to identify appropriate prevention and intervention targets. Across generational groups, this study examined: (1) rates of precautions and adaptive and maladaptive health behaviors, (2) differences in levels of anxiety, and (3) rates of COVID-related concerns during Wave 1 of COVID-19 in Canada.

Participants:

We analyzed data from 2 Canadian population-based data sets: the Canadian Perspective Survey Series: Impact of COVID-19 survey ( N = 4,627; March 29 to April 3, 2020), and Crowdsourcing: Impacts of COVID-19 on Canadians—Your Mental Health ( N = 45,989; April 24 to May 11, 2020).

Measures:

We categorized generational age group. Participants self-reported changes in behaviors and COVID-related concerns, and a validated measure assessed anxiety symptoms.

Results:

There are generational differences in behavioral responses to the pandemic. Adaptive health habits (e.g., exercise) were comparable across groups, while changes in maladaptive health habits (e.g., substance use) were highest among younger age groups, particularly Millennials (15 to 34 years old). COVID-related precautions were also highest among the younger generations, with Generation X (35 to 54 years old) exhibiting the highest rate of precautionary behavior. Results also revealed that the highest rate of clinically significant anxiety is among Millennials (36.0%; severe anxiety = 15.7%), and the younger generations have the highest rates of COVID-related concerns.

Conclusion:

These early data are essential in understanding at-risk groups given the unpredictable nature of the pandemic and its potential long-term implications.
Teaching Indo-Islamic poetry: Sexuality in the global classroom
Authors: Naved Shad
Published: February 2021

The article argues that a critical encounter with pre-modern literatures from the national past is long overdue under the impact of a globalized discourse of sexuality. Its effects are already felt at the level of both pedagogy and literary reading, one reconstituting the other, in the ‘global classroom’, a self-conscious pedagogical space imagined by the new educational policy to bring about a globally accredited cultural homogeneity. The case study comes from teaching erotic poetry at an Indian university, from the joint literary complex of Hindi and Urdu in South Asia, a theme uncomfortably located in national culture not just because of its sexuality but its association with non-national linguistic elements which the article terms ‘Indo-Islamic’. The overlapping of the sexual modern with the Indo-Islamic resurfaces a tension in the nationalized body of literary writing in Hindi/Urdu, the major ‘national’ languages of South Asia. This encounter of erotic poetry in old Hindi and Urdu with globalized sexuality, the article shows, offers a chance to reflect on how literary studies are being reshaped by the assumptions of a monolingual, monocultural global sexuality in our nationalist times.
Exploring the Impacts of Zoning and Upzoning on Housing Development: A Quasi-experimental Analysis at the Parcel Level
Authors: Dong Hongwei
Published: February 2021

This study investigates the impacts of upzoning and higher density zoning on housing development at the parcel level in the city of Portland (Oregon) during the period from 2000 to 2017. The study uses a quasi-experimental design to compare upzoned parcels and parcels in higher density zones with their corresponding control parcels that are identified through propensity score matching. The study shows that both upzoning and higher density zoning led to significantly greater development probabilities, higher development densities, and more housing supply. Upzoning could be an effective policy tool for increasing housing supply, particularly when it is applied to vacant and underutilized parcels.
Quality and Reliability of YouTube for Patient Information on Facial Fillers
Authors: Patel Manish J. , Patel Mit M. , Abud Brittany T. , Cristel Robert T.
Published: February 2021

YouTube proves to be a source of health information for patients. This is the first study to analyze the source reliability and educational value of YouTube videos on facial filler treatments. On August 12, 2020, YouTube.com was queried using the keywords “facial filler” or “dermal filler” or “fillers.” A total of 100 were initially reviewed in which 74 videos met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. Video characteristics were recorded, and each video was graded for source reliability and educational value by using the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria and the Global Quality Score (GQS), respectively. Furthermore, each video was assessed to determine whether there was discussion of 5 different topics that were deemed to be useful to patients prior to undergoing a facial filler treatment. A total of 74 videos met the inclusion criteria and had an average length of 436 seconds (7 minutes and 16 seconds), 146 805 views, 1906 likes, 73 dislikes, and 241 comments. Forty-five videos (61%) were posted with an intention to educate patients, whereas 29 videos (39%) were posted with an intention to describe a patient’s experience with facial filler treatment. Patient education videos were found to have a significantly higher educational value ( PGQS < .001). Patient experience videos showed no difference in reliability score ( PJAMA > .05) to patient education videos, but patient experience videos were found to have lower educational value compared with patient education videos ( PGQS < .001). In addition, both categories are not providing sufficient information for informed decision-making prior to treatment deemed by the 5 selected categories we found most informative. As patients will continue to seek educational material online, clinicians should use this information to help primarily educate patients with standardized and accurate information about their treatment.
In vitro and in vivo effectiveness of a novel injectable calcitonin-loaded collagen/ceramic bone substitute
Authors: Wu Karl , Chen Yu-Chun , Lin Shang M , Chang Chih-Hung
Published: February 2021

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a novel calcitonin-loaded calcium phosphate composite bone cement in vitro and in vivo. The novel composite bone cements were composed of NuROs injectable bone graft substitute, type I collagen, and/or salmon calcitonin. The setting time, porosity, wettability, compressive strength, compressive modulus, and crystallographic structures of cement specimens were determined. Degradation rate, calcitonin release rate, and osteoinductivity were assessed in vitro. In addition, osteogenic effect was examined in a rabbit model of femoral defect. The results revealed that addition of collagen/calcitonin did not substantially alter physical properties and degradation rate of bone cement specimens. Calcitonin was released into culture medium in a two-phase manner. Osteogenic effect of conditioned medium derived from calcitonin containing bone cement was observed. Finally, de novo bone growth and bone mineralization across the bone defect area were observed in rabbits after implantation of composite bone cement specimens. In conclusion, this novel calcitonin-loaded composite calcium phosphate bone cement exhibits biocompatibility, bioresorbability, osteoinductivity, and osteoconductivity, which may be suitable for clinical use.
Ceftazidime-Induced Neurotoxicity in an 80-Year-Old Female With Renal Dysfunction: A Case Report
Authors: Amirouche Laetissia , Cerulli-Kanellopoulos Alexandra , Landry Sébastien , LeBlanc Véronique C. , Léger Ghislain
Published: February 2021

Neurological toxicity is a relatively rare adverse reaction reported in elderly patients treated with cephalosporins. We present a case of ceftazidime-induced encephalopathy in the context of acute kidney injury in an 80-year-old female treated for a Pseudomonas aeruginosa prosthetic joint infection. During the course of treatment, the patient developed sudden confusion and disorientation. The patient’s mental state progressively worsened, eventually leading to intubation and admission to the intensive care unit. As imaging and laboratory analyses revealed no alternative causes explaining the patient’s symptoms, ceftazidime was stopped under the suspicion of drug-induced neurotoxicity. Shortly after ceftazidime discontinuation, the patient’s condition drastically improved and returned to baseline within 5 days. This case reveals the potential severity of cephalosporin-induced neurotoxicity in elderly patients and highlights the importance of quickly detecting such adverse events in order to prevent dire outcomes.
Numerical study on significance of wave amplitude, wavelength and aspect ratio on heat transfer and fluid flow characteristics in circular wavy MC heat sink design
Authors: Kumar Valaparla Ranjith , Balasubramanian Karthik , Kumar K Kiran
Published: February 2021

In this study, hydrothermal characteristics in a circular wavy microchannel (CWMC) design under laminar flow conditions with uniform heat flux is numerically studied. Parametric studies in an innovative CWMC design were carried out at various wave amplitudes, wavelengths and aspect ratios. Three dimensional numerical study was performed in the Reynolds number (Re) range from 100 to 300 with uniform heat flux (50 W/cm2) applied at bottom of the channel, treating copper as channel material and water as working fluid. The obtained results were compared to sinusoidal wavy microchannel (SWMC).The results showed that heat transfer and fluid flow characteristics were significantly influenced by wave amplitude, wavelength and aspect ratio. Velocity vectors and contours were presented to understand the heat transfer and fluid flow characteristics. Stream-wise local Nusselt number, overall performance factor, span-wise velocity and temperature variation are also presented. It is concluded that CWMC with higher wave amplitude, smaller wave length and smaller aspect ratio gives higher heat transfer augmentation with corresponding pressure drop penalty.
Alendronate promotes the gene expression of extracellular matrix mediated by SP-1/SOX-9
Authors: Wang L , Mi B , Zhang Y , Yan H , Zhu H
Published: February 2021

Background and purpose:

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease with significant degenerative changes of articular cartilage, which is reported to be closely related to the integrity of chondrocytes extracellular matrix (ECM). Alendronate belongs to the family of bisphosphonates with promising cartilage repair function. In the present study, the effects of Alendronate on the gene expression of chondrocytes ECM and the potential mechanism will be investigated to explore the potential therapeutic property of Alendronate on OA.

Methods:

Human SW1353 chondrocytes were stimulated with 1 and 2 μM Alendronate for 12 h. The gene expression of Col2α1, COL9α2, and Acan in the treated chondrocytes was determined by qRT-PCR. QRT-PCR and western blot analysis were used to evaluate the expression level of SOX-9 in the treated chondrocytes. The expression level of SP-1 was checked by qRT-PCR and immunostaining. SiRNA against SP-1 was transfected into chondrocytes to knockdown the expression of SP-1. The levels of p-ERK1/2 and total ERK1/2 were examined using western blot analysis. TNF-α was used to induce an OA-like in vitro model in the chondrocytes for therapeutic evaluations.

Results:

Treatment with Alendronate increased the levels of ECM related genes ( Col2α1, COL9α2, and Acan) in a dose-dependent manner through increasing the expression of SOX-9, a central regulator of ECM genes. Additionally, our findings demonstrate that the effects of Alendronate in the expression of SOX-9 are mediated by SP-1 as silencing of SP-1 abolished these effects. Notably, Alendronate increased the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and inhibition of ERK1/2 using its specific inhibitor U0126 blocked the expression of SP-1. Finally, we found that treatment with Alendronate could rescue TNF-α-induced reduction of Col2α1, COL9α2, Acan and SOX-9.

Conclusion:

Our data indicated that Alendronate might promote the gene expression of extracellular matrix through SOX-9 mediated by the ERK1/2/SP1 signaling pathway.
Supporting diversity in person-centred care: The role of healthcare chaplains
Authors: Brady Vivienne , Timmins Fiona , Caldeira Sílvia , Naughton Margaret Theresa , McCarthy Anne , Pesut Barbara
Published: February 2021

Aim:

To explore healthcare chaplains’ experience of providing spiritual support to individuals and families from minority religious and non-religious faiths and to identify key elements of the role.

Background:

Currently, there is limited research uncovering the essential elements of healthcare chaplaincy, specifically with reference to religious and/or spiritual diversity, and as interprofessional collaborators with nurses and midwives in healthcare.

Research design and participants:

Using phenomenology, we interviewed eight healthcare chaplains from a variety of healthcare settings in the Republic of Ireland. Data were analysed using a seven-step framework comprising Moustakas’ (1994) modification of the Van Kaam method of data analysis.

Ethical considerations:

Ethical approval was granted by the university and the principles of informed consent applied.

Findings:

Three main themes emerged: what the chaplain brings; components of ritual, minority faith or no faith; and practising chaplaincy. Subthemes included ‘offering’, ‘awareness and insight’, ‘acceptance and empathy’, ‘skilled companionship’, ‘presence’, ‘a confidant and holder of hope’ and ‘a vital resource’.

Discussion and conclusions:

The healthcare chaplain is a key collaborator in facilitating holistic person-centred care and in supporting healthcare professionals. Chaplaincy services are an essential but largely unrecognised and potentially cost-effective component of interprofessional team working.

Relevance to clinical practice:

This study has illuminated key aspects of the healthcare chaplain’s role as interprofessional collaborator in person-centred care, in navigating diversity and ensuring respect and dignity for the person irrespective of religious or spiritual care needs.
Battering the Way to Establish a Global Identity: iD Growth Strategy
Authors: Nandini A. Satya , Zachariah Minu
Published: February 2021

The sight of a large number of refrigerated trucks with ready-to-cook (RTC) food loaded into them to assist the homemaker was a fascinating scene in the premises of the fast-growing fresh food company iD Fresh Food in Bangalore. The person who shaped his identity through a new-age food start-up brand iD Fresh was Mr. P.C. Musthafa (PC). Resisting all odds in his life, he dared to venture into RTC Indian cuisine ingredients like idly, 1 dosa batter, 2 and made it an extraordinary homemaker experience. The thought of making branded and hygienic batter struck Musthafa and his cousins while sitting in their grocery store when they noticed the batter from an external supplier ran out of stock several times. Moreover, there were hygiene and quality complaints about the product. This provoked them to start their own idly–dosa batter business to provide hygienic, 100% natural RTC batter without any preservatives, chemicals or artificial flavours. Therefore, in 2005, they decided to give it a try with an initial investment of Indian Rupees (INR) 50,000. PC was not satisfied with the growth from INR 2 million to INR 2,400 million. He and his team are visualizing to reach INR 10 billion by 2023–2024 and want to become the most sought-after brand worldwide. With an untapped market potential of 90% in India, its products are currently sold across fifteen cities in India, UAE and the United States. Despite this, they plan to expand their business to North America, Europe and Asia in the next 5 years. Hence, the founder was contemplating various options for their growth strategies to venture into foreign markets.
Understanding industry emergence through entrepreneurship from a social movement perspective
Authors: Lechner Christian , Pervaiz Abeer
Published: February 2021

Industry emergence is a complex phenomenon. The entrepreneurship literature has been characterized by individualistic explanations (‘hero’ entrepreneurs), complemented by institutional approaches. Sociology studies can offer alternative explanations for industry emergence. We draw from the concepts of Social Movements to frame the process of industry emergence in its initial phase. We synthesize the theoretical research on social movements, entrepreneurship, and industry emergence in an effort to develop a conceptual framework to improve our understanding of the pre-emergence of an industry. Our main contribution lies in understanding entrepreneurship, and thus industry emergence, as a community process in which multiple actors eventually result in a reduced number of early start-ups, which gives rise to a new industry. In addition, we propose that the type of movement will lead to different enablers and barriers to industry emergence.
Evaluation of a real-time RT-PCR panel for detection of SARS-CoV-2 in bat guano
Authors: Anis Eman , Turner Greg , Ellis Julie C. , Di Salvo Andrew , Barnard Amanda , Carroll Susan , Murphy Lisa
Published: February 2021

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is an ongoing global health concern. The exact source of the virus has not been identified, but it is believed that this novel coronavirus originated in animals; bats in particular have been implicated as the primary reservoir of the virus. SARS-CoV-2 can also be transmitted from humans to other animals, including tigers, cats, and mink. Consequently, infected people who work directly with bats could transfer the virus to a wild North American bat, resulting in a new natural reservoir for the virus, and lead to new outbreaks of human disease. We evaluated a reverse-transcription real-time PCR panel for detection of SARS-CoV-2 in bat guano. We found the panel to be highly specific for SARS-CoV-2, and able to detect the virus in bat guano samples spiked with SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA. Our panel could be utilized by wildlife agencies to test bats in rehabilitation facilities prior to their release to the wild, minimizing the risk of spreading this virus to wild bat populations.
The Novel Coronavirus and Undocumented Farmworkers in the United States
Authors: Matthew Olayemi O. , Monaghan Paul F. , Luque John S.
Published: February 2021

The Covid-19 pandemic has greatly impacted frontline workers’ health in 2020. The objective of this commentary is to evaluate some of the challenges faced by undocumented farmworkers in the context of the current global pandemic and possible risk mitigation strategies. Undocumented farmworkers make considerable contributions to the U.S. economy and food production, but they are at an elevated risk for contracting Covid-19. Their risk is compounded by their employment and legal status, as well as their poor working and living conditions which makes it difficult for them to observe Covid-19 precautionary measures. U.S. immigration policy disincentivizes undocumented farmworkers from seeking healthcare services. Contact tracing challenges could be overcome by gaining trust with subsequent increased testing and care. Extending eligibility of safety net programs for undocumented farmworkers will help to ease the burden of Covid-19, thereby improving their overall health and productivity.