bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Power Load Forecasting Model Based on FA-CSSA-ELM
Authors: Wang Zuoxun , Wang Xinheng , Ma Chunrui , Song Zengxu
Published: April 2021

Accurate and stable power load forecasting methods are essential for the rational allocation of power resources and grid operation. Due to the nonlinear nature of power loads, it is difficult for a single forecasting method to complete the forecasting task accurately and quickly. In this study, a new combined model for power loads forecasting is proposed. The initial weights and thresholds of the extreme learning machine (ELM) optimized by the chaotic sparrow search algorithm (CSSA) and improved by the firefly algorithm (FA) are used to improve the forecasting performance and achieve accurate forecasting. The early local optimum that exists in the sparrow algorithm is overcome by Tent chaotic mapping. A firefly perturbation strategy is used to improve the global optimization capability of the model. Real values from a power grid in Shandong are used to validate the prediction performance of the proposed FA-CSSA-ELM model. Experiments show that the proposed model produces more accurate forecasting results than other single forecasting models or combined forecasting models.
Research on E-Commerce Purchasing Model in Crude Oil Trade
Authors: Li Yunfei
Published: April 2021

Crude oil is the main raw material for the petrochemical industry and a major component of total production costs. It is also an indispensable resource for petrochemical enterprises. The implementation of crude oil e-commerce procurement by petrochemical enterprises can not only reduce the procurement cost of crude oil but also create good economic benefits in the field. It can also establish strategic partnerships with oil field enterprises to lay the foundation for the scientific development of enterprises. Based on the production of Company A and the “10 Million Tons Refining” project, this paper introduces the concept of e-commerce procurement for the problems in all aspects of crude oil procurement management. This paper deeply studies the e-commerce procurement theory, constructs the e-commerce procurement management implementation framework, and proposes that the scientific evaluation of crude oil suppliers is the key idea for petrochemical enterprises to implement enterprise e-commerce procurement management. At the same time, it also conducted an in-depth analysis of the internal and external environment of a company’s crude oil e-commerce procurement, conducted a comprehensive evaluation of existing crude oil suppliers and potential suppliers, and formulated corresponding procurement strategies. Results of the study show the success of the proposed study, and on the basis of the proposed study, researchers can devise new solutions in the field.
International Crimes or Ordinary Crimes? The ‘Dual Classification of the Facts’ as an Interpretive Method
Authors: Maculan Elena
Published: April 2021

Many domestic courts, when prosecuting atrocities committed in their dictatorial or warring past, have been facing a real dilemma: whether to classify the facts as ordinary crimes, foreseen by the domestic legislation prior to the facts and therefore consistent with the principles of legality and non-retroactivity, or as international crimes, which do not grant the same compatibility but allow to overcome the obstacles to prosecution imposed by statutory limitations and amnesties. The paper focuses on an interpretative method developed by several Latin American tribunals to overcome this impasse, by means of a combined application of the two criminal categories. Although this ‘dual classification of facts’ apparently solves the dilemma, it is flawed from both a methodological and substantive perspective. After scrutinising these problematic issues, the paper analyses some alternative interpretative proposals that may also allow to avoid impunity, but without impinging on fundamental principles of modern criminal law systems.
Transitional Justice, Institutions and Temporality: Towards a Dynamic Understanding
Authors: McAuliffe Pádraig
Published: April 2021

This article examines the impact of institutionalisation of governance, bureaucracy and rule of law on the timeframes employed for transitional justice. It argues that the urgency of transitional justice has consistently given way to temporally extended justice projects as state strength permits revision of initial leniency in terms of truth, criminal accountability and vetting, while state weaknesses compel the delay of projects pending institutional development or consolidation through long-term peacebuilding missions. Furthermore, a more recent focus on transformative social change that looks at economic root causes of conflict would require states and policy-makers to use a longer, multigenerational timeframe for action. In the absence of theoretical work on how these multi-generational commitments might be realised, this article draws on literature in the field of development to outline a plausible model for how transitional justice, peacebuilding and development are dynamically realised over time. It argues that for transitional justice to be even minimally transformative, it must be embedded in top-down developmental institutions of government sufficiently robust to implement recommendations. It must also be embedded in bottom-up developmental coalitions whose everyday political contests can shape the structure and effects of these institutions over time.
Be the First Investor to Eat Crabs in North Korea: Tips for Bilateral Investment Treaties
Authors: Ma Xuechan , Zhang Anran
Published: April 2021

As the last economic frontier in Northeast Asia, North Korea is a promising land but at the same time a risky land for foreign investment. The ‘dual-track’ policy of advancing both the political stability and economic development promoted by the present leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, has prompted the outside world to speculate that he is determined to gradually open the doors to the economy of North Korea to attract foreign investment as initial capital to mobilise domestic economic growth. By conducting a systemic and comparative analysis of the existing bilateral investment treaties (BIT s) signed by North Korea in the Kim Jong-il era, this article has put forward eight tips that can better prepare those daredevils who are interested in seizing the future opportunity to invest in North Korea in the present Kim Jong-un era. It is predicted that denuclearisation will bring a new era for North Korean BIT s.
Quantum (In)Justice: Rethinking the Calculation of Compensation and Damages in ISDS
Authors: Marzal Toni
Published: April 2021

The present article seeks to critically rethink the key issue of how compensation and damages are and should be calculated in the context of investor-State arbitration – the ‘quantum’ question, as is commonly referred to in arbitral practice. We will make three main claims: first that such calculations are premised on a fundamental consensus that presents the work of arbitrators in this area as essentially uncontroversial fact-finding operations and has led to an inflation of awards, second that this consensus is in reality built on a series of myths and unjustifiable assumptions, and third that the realization that this is so should lay the ground for more acceptable calculations.
WAGING WAR IN LATE ANTIQUITY
Authors: Sarantis Alexander
Published: April 2021

This paper identifies the decisive factors in the course and outcome of wars in Late Antiquity. While many of these factors are also significant to war in other periods, it is argued that an unprecedented level of fortification work, carried out by successive regimes, was the distinctive characteristic of late antique warfare. Rather than a negative, solely defensive measure, fortress cities, forts, watchtowers and cross walls gave the Romans a platform for aggressive campaigning within and beyond the frontiers of the empire. These defences enabled the Romans to control intelligence, supplies, manpower, and local hearts and minds within campaign arenas.
FORTIFICATION AND THE LATE ROMAN EAST: FROM URBAN WALLS TO LONG WALLS
Authors: Crow James
Published: April 2021

Fortifications are major surviving structures from the late antique world. This article demonstrates the great range of defences constructed across the East Roman Empire, beginning with a case study of the walls of Antioch based on late 18th c. engravings and revealing the scale of a major imperial 5th c. project now largely lost. The survey then reviews evidence from Asia Minor, where there is more limited evidence for new defences. On the eastern frontier, the great fortress cities are well known, but attention is drawn to fortified settlements within the frontier zone in both Roman Mesopotamia and the Balkan provinces. In the Balkan regions, however, a more elaborate response to security was the construction of a number of internal barrier walls, including the Anastasian Wall in Thrace and the newly discovered Haemus Gates. The conclusion assesses the role of fortification in the late antique world and considers the importance of providing multivocal interpretations across the frontiers of the East Roman Empire, engaging both the rich archaeological and textual sources.
SIEGE WARFARE AND COUNTER-SIEGE TACTICS IN LATE ANTIQUITY (ca. 250–640)
Authors: Whitby Michael
Published: April 2021

Although there are numerous remains of Late Roman walls and other defensive works, these offer little insight into how individual sieges progressed, and most of our knowledge about siege operations in Late Antiquity comes from literary sources, which, for different reasons, provide a wealth of information. Tactics and techniques were substantially the same as in earlier Roman and Hellenistic times, so that comparative evidence is relevant, and the main issue for debate is the switch from torsion-powered to traction artillery and who was responsible for this development.
LATE ROMAN MILITARY EQUIPMENT CULTURE
Authors: Coulston J. C. N.
Published: April 2021

The paper explores the cultural components of Late Roman military equipment through the examination of specific categories: waist belts, helmets, shields and weaponry. Hellenistic, Roman, Iron Age European, Mesopotamian- Iranian and Asiatic steppe nomad elements all played a part. The conclusion is that the whole history of Roman military equipment involved cultural inclusivity, and specifically that Late Roman equipment development was not some new form of ‘degeneration’ or ‘barbarisation’, but a positive acculturation.
AMMIANUS MARCELLINUS AND THE NISIBENE HANDOVER OF A.D. 363
Authors: Belcher Susannah
Published: April 2021

This article focuses on the Roman Emperor Jovian’s handover of Nisibis to the Persian King Shapur II in A.D. 363. This event is presented by an eyewitness, Ammianus Marcellinus, as a definitive moment in the history of the Roman State: when the empire’s endurance diverges substantially from her age-old pact with Iustitia (which he defines as the presiding causative deity) towards deeds which contravene the historian’s ideal of Rome and the responsibility of her agents to further her interests. Alongside this wider interpretation, the article considers the trauma of the handover for citizens of the strategically important city of Nisibis, and the contrasting portrait painted by Ephrem.
MILITARY INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE ROMAN PROVINCES NORTH AND SOUTH OF THE ARMENIAN TAURUS IN LATE ANTIQUITY
Authors: Howard-Johnston James
Published: April 2021

Rome’s eastern defences were re-modelled and extended from the 3rd c. to cope with the enhanced power of Persia under the Sassanian dynasty. There were four main phases of development—under the Tetrarchate, in the 4th, early 6th and later 6th c. A.D. The defensive system was well adapted to the terrain, with several distinct components: fortified cities, fortresses, forts, fortified highland redoubts, defended passes, support and lateral roads. A marked shift of attention north of the Armenian Taurus and an increasing reliance on Bedouin clients in the south characterised the final phase.
WARS WITHIN THE FRONTIERS: ARCHAEOLOGIES OF REBELLION, REVOLT AND CIVIL WAR
Authors: Christie Neil
Published: April 2021

Civil war is much documented by text, but far too little by archaeology. The later Roman world was one often afflicted by civil conflict and power struggles between rival emperors, generals and troops, and these all appear to have had serious impacts on communities, regions, economies and frontiers. In what ways though can archaeology offer a guide or additional insight into these many conflicts? Or are these wars intangible materially, despite their destructive human impact? This paper broadly considers the types of materials and evidence—from walls to coins—that might reveal something of the 3rd to 5th c. wars that damaged the Roman West in particular, and argues that much more weight needs to be placed on these internal traumas.
THE JUSTINIANIC RECONQUEST OF ITALY: IMPERIAL CAMPAIGNS AND LOCAL RESPONSES
Authors: Kouroumali Maria
Published: April 2021

This article examines a particular aspect of Justinian’s campaigns against the Ostrogoths in Italy, one that is often overlooked, yet one that is essential to the understanding of these wars, namely the nature of the relations among the three sides caught up in the conflict: Romans, Goths and Italians. This study shows, through careful examination of the primary sources, notably the account of Procopius, that the relations of the inhabitants of Italy with the two warring sides were dependent on the Italians’ needs and concerns to preserve their security, rather than on ideologically-driven alliances.
Silencing Anti-Silencing Function 1B Inhibited Proliferation and Migration of Cervical Cancer Cells and Promoted Apoptosis by Down-Regulating Chromatin Assembly Factor 1, Subunit B
Authors: Li Linxia , Yang Kaihan , Wan Jun , Xu Yi , Li Xiahui , Gao Qing
Published: April 2021

The expression of anti-silencing function 1B (ASF1B) in cervical cancer patients were previously reported, indicating its implications as a new candidate gene related to the development of cervical lesions and cancer. In this study, we investigated the possible role of ASF1B in cervical
carcinogenesis. ASF1B messenger RNA and protein expression was assessed in five cervical cancer cell line models, Hela, C-33A, SiHa, CaSKi, HCC-94 and normal cervical epithelium cell Ect. Gene silencing approach was employed to investigate the potential role of ASF1B in cellular growth, proliferation,
colony-forming ability, migration and invasion in Hela cells. Our data indicated that ASF1B was expressed in all cervical cancer cells at the gene and protein level. Gene silencing of ASF1B caused significant inhibition in cellular proliferation, colony-forming ability, migration and invasion
ability, and promote apoptosis of Hela cells. However, the biological effects of ASF1B silencing on Hela cells were reversing after down-regulating recombinant chromatin assembly factor 1, subunit B (CHAF1B). Collectively, our findings concluded that silencing ASF1B inhibits proliferation
and migration of Hela cells and promotes apoptosis by down-regulating CHAF1B.
Stop the Bleed®: Medical Students as Instructors of the Bleeding Control Basics Course
Authors: Evans Kelsey M. , Lake Bryan , Harrell Kelly M. , Longshore Shannon W. , Toschlog Eric A. , Walsh Danielle S.
Published: April 2021

Background

The Bleeding Control Basics (B-Con) Course was developed to teach lifesaving hemorrhage control techniques to the public. Currently, medical students (MS) without prior clinical experience (CE) may not act as autonomous instructors, limiting the instructor pool.

Purpose

To assess the bleeding control knowledge of MS (phase I) and compare the knowledge of students taught by a certified instructor vs a medical student (phase II).

Methods

Phase I: 20 MS, 6 with prior CE and 14 without clinical experience (NCE) completed a pre-course and post-course knowledge assessment. Results were assessed by independent sample t-tests. Phase II: 91 first-year MS were taught the B-Con Course by either a third-year MS (n = 45) or certified instructor (n = 46). An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was performed to compare scores by instructor type (certified vs MS) using prior CE and pretest scores as confounding variables.

Results

In Phase I, the CE group scored higher on the pretest assessment compared to the NCE group ( P = .003). All students improved in posttest scoring, and there was no difference in posttest scores between the groups ( P = .597). In Phase II, despite no difference in pretest scores between groups, the MS taught learners scored significantly higher on the posttest compared to the certified instructor group ( P < .01). Prior CE did not correlate to posttest scores ( P = .719).

Discussion

Medical students are as effective as certified instructors at conveying the B-Con learning objectives. Based on near-perfect assimilation of content by students, MS should be permitted to teach B-Con Courses.
Comparison of four high-throughput, automated immunoassays for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies
Authors: Oakey Jane , Haslam Shonagh , Brown Andrew , Eglin Janet , Houghton Brittany , Singleton Dawn
Published: April 2021

Background

A number of immunoassays have been developed to measure antibodies specific to SARS-CoV-2. More data is required on their comparability, particularly among those with milder infections and in the general practice population. The aim of this study was to compare four high-throughput automated anti-SARS-CoV-2 assays using samples collected from hospitalized patients and healthcare workers with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. In addition, we collected general practice samples to compare antibody results and determine seroprevalence.

Methods

Samples were collected from 57 hospitalized patients and nine healthcare workers at 14 days and at 28 days following confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Samples were also collected from 225 patients presenting to general practice. Four assays were used: Abbott Architect IgG, Beckman Coulter DxI 800 IgG, Roche Cobas e801 total antibody and Siemens Advia Centaur XPT total antibody.

Results

All four assays showed concordance at 14 days in 83.9% of hospitalized patients and in 66.7% of healthcare workers. All four assays showed concordance at 28 days in 88.4% of hospitalized patients and 77.8% of healthcare workers. The sensitivity to detect recent infection was higher for the IgG assays than the total assays. All four assays showed concordance of 95.1% in the general practice population. Seroprevalence ranged from 4.9 to 5.8% depending on the assay used.

Conclusions

All four assays showed excellent comparability, but it may be possible to obtain a negative result for any of the anti-SARS-CoV-2 assays in patients with confirmed previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. An equivocal range would be useful for all anti-SARS-CoV-2 assays.
Performance, Process, and Interpersonal Relationships: Explaining Principals’ Perceptions of Principal Evaluation
Authors: Nelson Jennifer L. , Grissom Jason A. , Cameron Margaux L.
Published: April 2021

Purpose: Multiple-measure principal evaluation systems have become commonplace in the past decade, but we do not know how principals perceive their evaluations under these regimes. This study analyzes how principals perceive evaluation in a state that was an early adopter of such a system. It describes how attitudes are explained by individual and contextual factors, performance ratings, and elements of the evaluation process. Research Methods: Using data from a statewide survey of Tennessee principals in three consecutive school years, we create an index of principal evaluation perceptions of evaluation, then employ regression analysis to predict principals’ attitudes with measures gleaned from survey and administrative data sources. Findings: High school and veteran principals have more negative views of their evaluations. Practice ratings from the principal’s supervisor, though not the overall evaluation score, are positively correlated with attitudes. Principals assigned ratings more often view evaluation more positively, even accounting for their rating, as do principals who have worked longer with their evaluator. We find no evidence that racial or gender matching between principals and raters leads to more positive perceptions, and in fact Black principals may perceive evaluation more negatively when their evaluator is Black. Implications: Our results suggest some directions for states and districts seeking to make evaluation more meaningful for principals. Principals appear to value both frequency of feedback and consistency in raters over time. These factors may be especially important for low-rated principals, veteran principals, and those in secondary schools, who may perceive less value from principal evaluation.
Getting SMART About Social Skills Interventions for Students With ASD in Inclusive Classrooms
Authors: Kasari Connie , Shire Stephanie , Shih Wendy , Almirall Daniel
Published: April 2021

Children with autism demonstrate considerable heterogeneity in their social skills and, therefore, their school intervention needs. No single intervention is expected to address the needs of all children with autism. In addition, not all evidence-based school interventions can be provided to all children with autism at all times. Thus, there is a need to understand how best to combine, sequence, and individualize social skills interventions to meet the heterogeneous needs of these children. Adaptive interventions (AIs) are prespecified sequences of decision rules used to guide schools in how best to combine, sequence, and individualize social skills interventions. However, there are currently no empirically derived AIs shown to improve social skills in schoolchildren with autism; moreover, there is a dearth of literature on the acceptability and feasibility of schoolwide, multilevel AIs that combine both environmental-level and individual-level interventions. The purpose of this study is to understand the acceptability and feasibility of four AIs in a SMART (sequential multiple-assignment randomized trial) implemented by educators and parents. The AIs include environmental (Remaking Recess, classroom supports) and individual interventions (parent assisted, peer mediated). Thirty-three elementary-age students with autism (male = 76%, Hispanic = 73%) were educated in 21 classrooms across seven schools by 25 teachers and 24 teaching assistants. Treatment expectations, acceptability, feasibility, and implementation data were collected over 18 weeks. Results indicated respondents were agreeable to treatment changes, but perceived feasibility was average and implementation was moderate. A number of lessons learned and proposed changes for scaling up are discussed.
‘We are all in this together’: Investigating alignments in intersectoral partnerships dedicated to K-12 food literacy education
Authors: Renwick Kerry , Powell Lisa Jordan , Edwards Gabrielle
Published: April 2021

Background:

Activities to foster food literacy in young people are increasingly common in schools, driven both by the public health sector and by curriculum mandates from education officials in government. In Canada, both Kindergarten–Grade 12 (K-12) classroom teachers and educators from community organisations deliver food literacy education programmes in schools, often framed as partnerships working in the interests of young people.

Objective:

The study examines the alignment between what both classroom teachers and community educators state are the desired outcomes for students of their food literacy education work and the topics/activities they engage in with students.

Design, setting and method:

We surveyed and interviewed teachers and community educators in British Columbia, Canada, and utilised participant observation and secondary data from food literacy education network activities.

Results:

Shared food literacy education goals and topics/activities were evident in the responses of classroom teachers and community educators. Teachers framed their food literacy education programmes around the curriculum-as-plan – in this case, the provincial curriculum known as the BC Curriculum – and then enacted a lived curriculum that students experienced in the classroom. Community educators offered programmes that were initially designed to meet their organisation’s focus, but which varied in terms of how much of the BC Curriculum was addressed.

Conclusion:

Our results show broad alignment between teachers and community educators in food literacy education goals and practices; however, there is potential to increase this alignment and build stronger partnerships that support teachers in enacting the BC curriculum and meeting the needs of their students.
Validation of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Risk Factors in Predicting MRSA Community-Acquired Pneumonia at an Academic Medical Center
Authors: Arieno Joelle , Seabury Robert , Kufel Wesley , Darko William , Miller Christopher D. , Paolo William , Cwikla Gregory , Riddell Scott , Probst Luke A. , Steele Jeffrey M.
Published: April 2021

Background: The 2019 Infectious Diseases Society of America community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) guidelines recommend antimethicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) therapy in patients with CAP based on previously identified risk factors for MRSA with an emphasis on local epidemiology and institutional validation of risk. Thus, we sought to assess the ability of guideline-recognized risk factors to predict MRSA CAP at our institution. Methods: This was a single-center, retrospective cohort study from January 2016 to March 2020. Patients were included if they were >18 years old, diagnosed with CAP, and had a MRSA nasal screen and respiratory culture obtained on admission. Patients were excluded if CAP diagnosis was not met, respiratory cultures were not obtained within 48 hours of antibiotic initiation, or they had cystic fibrosis. Sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, positive predictive value, and likelihood ratios (LR) were calculated using Vasser Stats 2019. Pre/post-test odds and pre/post-test probabilities were calculated using Excel 2019. Results: Of 705 screened patients, 221 were included. MRSA prevalence in CAP patients at our institution was 3.6%. History of MRSA isolated from a respiratory specimen had high specificity (98%), high positive LR of 20 (95% CI 5.3–74.8), and high post-test probability of 42.8%. Receipt of IV antibiotics during hospitalization within the past 90 days had a positive LR of 1.9 (95% CI 0.74–4.84). A positive MRSA nasal screen on admission had a positive LR of 6.9 (95% CI 4.0–12.1), negative LR 0.28 (95% CI 0.08–0.93), positive post-test probability of 20.7%, and negative post-test probability of 1.04%. Conclusion: Our study utilized institutional data to validate guideline recognized risk factors for MRSA CAP specifically at our institution. Risk factors including history of MRSA isolated from a respiratory specimen, and positive post-admission MRSA nasal screen were validated as significant risk factors; receipt of IV antibiotics during hospitalization within the past 90 days was not shown to be a risk factor for MRSA CAP based on our institutional data. Validated risk factors may help providers discern which patients with CAP at our institution would benefit most from empiric MRSA treatment.
A novel digital imaging method for measuring cashmere color and its application
Authors: Heng Chong , Shen Hua , Wang Fumei
Published: April 2021

The quality of cashmere, such as color and length, determines its price and application. In the current cashmere inspection system, color and length are tested by visual assessment, which is a subjective, time- and labor-consuming process. Herein, the goal of this research is to develop a new method of testing cashmere color using image analysis, and to study the application of color in length measurement. During the color measurement, cashmere was prepared under two sample placement methods, and color features including RGB, XYZ and Lab obtained by the new method were compared with the standard. The calculation method of optical index used in length testing was determined based on theoretical and experimental analysis. Experiments show that fixed weight and pressure are suited for cashmere color measurement. In RGB space, the correlation coefficients ( R2) between the two devices were calculated and were 0.990, 0.995 and 0.996 for parameters R, G and B, respectively. Good agreement also exhibited in XYZ space, with R2 equal to 0.994, 0.996 and 0.999 for X, Y and Z, respectively. This confirmed the accuracy of the proposed color measurement method in RGB and XYZ space. Finally, an accurate fibrogram was obtained by the proposed conversion model for calculating optical index from color values, which is the key curve to testing cashmere length. This study emphasis on methodological aspects and the results acquired are regarded as preliminary, as the experiments studied compose the first stage of research on the exploration of the application of image analysis on cashmere color measurement.
Understanding the Abortion Experiences of Young People to Inform Quality Care in Argentina, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Nigeria
Authors: Jacobson Laura E. , Ramirez Ana Maria , Bercu Chiara , Katz Anna , Gerdts Caitlin , Baum Sarah E.
Published: April 2021

Young people face social and structural barriers when accessing abortions. High-quality, sexual and reproductive healthcare is needed; however, literature on youth-informed abortion services is limited. This study assesses accounts of youth who obtained an abortion in Argentina, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Nigeria and provides recommendations to improve person-centered aspects of abortion quality. We analyzed 48 semi-structured interviews with clients recruited from clinics, safe abortion hotlines, and patent and proprietary medicine vendors. We coded transcripts and conducted a thematic analysis. The mean age was 21 years (range 16–24), and the majority had a first trimester, medication abortion. Prominent themes included access to information; privacy; stigma associated with age or marital status; the decision-making process; and comfort and rapport with providers. Youth-centered abortion care should anticipate the distinct needs of younger clients. Supportive providers have an important role in offering a non-judgmental service that makes young clients feel comfortable and prepared.
Formation pressure evolution and its causes for the reservoirs of the upper Triassic Xujiahe formation in the northeast portion of the Sichuan basin, China
Authors: Zhang Cunjian , Liu Jingdong , Jiang Youlu
Published: April 2021

Overpressure is one of the most important factors for oil and gas charging in petroliferous basins. Research on overpressure evolution and its formation mechanisms is of great significance for predicting formation pressures in oil and gas reservoirs before drilling. However, research methods addressing overpressure evolution are not without issues. Based on the measured formation pressures and fluid inclusions, the evolution of the formation pressures in the Xujiahe Formation in the northeast part of the Sichuan Basin was investigated by PVT and basin simulations and the causes of overpressure were also analyzed. The results show that overpressure in the continental strata began to develop at the bottom of the Middle Jurassic Shaximiao Formation. The pressure coefficients of the Upper Triassic Xujiahe Formation range from 1.01 to 1.90, and belong to the normal pressure and overpressure regimes. The present-day overpressure of the Xujiahe Formation is mainly caused by hydrocarbon generation and tectonic compression. The tight reservoirs are conducive to the formation and preservation of overpressure. The pressures in the Xujiahe Formation experienced two evolution processes, namely an “increase-decrease-increase” (eastern area) process and an “increase-decrease” (western area) process. Overpressure began to develop in the Middle Jurassic(J2) period. Due to the hydrocarbon generation taking place, the formation pressures increased rapidly from the Middle Jurassic(J2) period to the early Late Cretaceous (the early part of K2) period. The degree of development of overpressure in the western part of the study area was greater than that in the eastern part of the study during the critical charging period (J3–K1). Since the early Late Cretaceous, the formation pressure has gradually decreased due to tectonic uplift and erosion. From the Oligocene (E3) period to the present, the formation pressures have increased again in local areas due to tectonic compression.
Rock varnish record of the African Humid Period in the Lake Turkana basin of East Africa
Authors: Liu Tanzhuo , Lepre Christopher J , Hemming Sidney R , Broecker Wallace S
Published: April 2021

Rock varnish is a manganiferous dark coating accreted on subaerially exposed rocks in drylands. It often contains a layered microstratigraphy that records past wetness variations. Varnish samples from latest Pleistocene and Holocene geomorphic features in the Lake Turkana basin, East Africa display a regionally replicable microstratigraphy record of Holocene millennial-scale wetness variability and a broad interval of wetter conditions during the African Humid Period (AHP). Three major wet pulses in the varnish record occurred during the generally wet interval of the early Holocene (11.5–8.5 ka) when the lake attained its maximum high stand (MHS) at 455–460 m. A >23 m drop from the MHS occurred between 8.5 and 8 ka. Subsequently two additional wet pulses occurred during the early to middle Holocene (8–5 ka) when the lake occupied its secondary high stand at 445 m. Collectively, these five wet phases represent an extended wet interval coincident with the AHP in the region. One moderate wet phase occurred during the subsequent climatic transition from the humid to arid regime (5–4.3 ka) after the lake level dropped rapidly from 445 m to <405 m. Five minor wet phases took place during the overall arid period of the late Holocene (4.3–0 ka) when the lake level oscillated below 405 m. These findings indicate that the AHP terminated rapidly around 5 ka in the Turkana basin in terms of lake level drop, but the regional shift in relative humidity from the AHP mode to its present-day condition lagged for about 700 years until 4.3 ka, hinting at a gradual phasing out in terms of moisture condition. These findings further suggest that Lake Turkana overflowed intermittently into the Nile drainage system through its topographic sill at 455–460 m during the early Holocene and has become a closed-basin lake thereafter for the past 8 ky.
The signs and symptoms of Ernest Shackleton
Authors: Firth PG , Benavidez OJ , Fiechtner L
Published: April 2021

Ernest Shackleton, an accomplished Antarctic explorer, developed a life-threatening illness during the Discovery Antarctic expedition of 1901–4. His documented signs and symptoms included inflamed gums attributed to scurvy, severe dyspnea, and exercise intolerance, presenting in a setting of nutritional deficiency. Physical examinations at a later date, also following a prolonged diet of limited fresh food, revealed a pulmonary systolic murmur. Thiamine deficiency with cardiomyopathy, either alone or subsequently exacerbated by advanced scurvy, may have been a prominent cause of Shackleton’s condition.
Power, production and disorder: The decline of Sweden’s housing industrial complex and the origins of the present housing discontents
Authors: Blackwell Timothy
Published: April 2021

It is often assumed in housing and urban studies scholarship that the roots of Sweden’s present housing discontents are to be found in a neoliberal ‘system switch’ following the early-1990s banking crisis. This paper offers a different account, identifying and expounding how insuperable contradictions in Sweden’s complex of housing production, distribution and finance, from the 1970s onward, led to a marked deterioration in its much-lauded housing model. Advancing a historical institutionalist framework, the paper seeks to historically couch the processes and outcomes commonly associated with the contemporary neoliberal era and position them more concretely in relation to actors and their social relations through time. Using a range of data pertaining to housing finance, subsidies, house prices and building output, as part of a mixed-methods analysis, the paper explores how macroeconomic factors, mediated by interactions between the state and sectoral cleavages, influence urban and regional development aspects. The paper’s conceptual and methodological relevance to housing and urban studies scholarship thus extends beyond Sweden.
Dietary Intake Assessment, Severity of Symptoms, and Pain in Women with Fibromyalgia
Authors: Correa-Rodríguez María , Rueda-Medina Blanca , Casas-Barragán Antonio , Tapia-Haro Rosa María , Molina Francisco , Aguilar-Ferrándiz María Encarnación
Published: April 2021

A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess dietary intake in 92 FMS compared to 96 healthy control patients and to examine the potential associations between daily intake and pain and the severity of symptoms in women with FMS. The tender point count (TPC), the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR) were assessed. FIQ-R correlated negatively with phosphorus ( r = −.230, p = .028), iron ( r = −.320, p = 0.002), zinc ( r = −.238, p = .023), vitamin B1 ( r = −.218, p = .038), vitamin B6 ( r = −.123, p = .012), folic acid ( r = −.250, p = .017), and vitamin C ( r = −.217, p = .039). A negative correlation was also found between VAS pain and the intake of vitamin B6 ( r = −.322, p = .002). Lower intakes of certain micronutrients correlated with higher scores in FIQ-R and a lower intake of vitamin B6 correlated with higher scores in VAS pain, supporting the potential relevance of these micronutrients in the severity of symptoms and in levels of global pain in FMS women.
Narrating Global Literacies: Crossing Borders of Exclusion During a Time of Crisis
Authors: Sánchez Lenny , Ensor Tami
Published: April 2021

Although research endeavors on global-centric teaching and learning are increasing, there is much yet to understand on how classroom spaces can legitimize students’ capacities as globally literate members of society. In this article, we focus on the relational dimension of global literacies and examine how elementary students involved in a transnational partnership constructed relationality into online story exchanges with each other. We focus on four practices—communicating across language differences, sharing everyday worlds, pursuing connections, and embracing vulnerability.
Students’ Interpretations of a Persuasive Multimodal Video About Vaccines
Authors: Kiili Carita , Smith Blaine E. , Räikkönen Eija , Marttunen Miika
Published: April 2021

The present study investigated students’ ( N = 404) interpretations of the main message and use of modes in a persuasive multimodal video on vaccines. It also examined whether students’ topic knowledge, language arts grades, and self-identified gender were associated with their interpretations. Students analyzed a YouTube video in which two entertainers demonstrated the importance of vaccinating children. Students’ interpretations of the usefulness of vaccines varied in terms of quality of reasoning, which was associated with students’ topic knowledge. Notably, many students’ interpretations of the use of modes were incomplete, or they did not even mention certain modes in their response. The results suggest that students should be explicitly taught how to interpret different modes and their uses for argumentative purposes.
The ‘addict sexual script’: Addiction discourse among Israeli sex industry consumers
Authors: Lahav-Raz Yeela
Published: April 2021

This article discusses the sexual script of Israeli sex industry consumers who self-identify as addicts. It argues that the ‘addict sexual script’ provides both an explanation for out of control sexual behaviour and a channel for expressing the individual client’s ‘right’ to be acknowledged for their suffering in the process of buying sex. Thus, the addict sexual script becomes a coping strategy that, while internalising sex consumption as socially deviant behaviour, also serves as a strategic practice for negotiating and challenging masculine hegemonic ideals. It concludes that the willingness to stigmatise and victimise themselves as disempowered individuals becomes a turning point, which, paradoxically, empowers sex consumers as actors in the framework of consumer capitalism.
Needs-appropriate services for people with young onset dementia: The perspectives of healthcare professionals
Authors: Ottoboni Giovanni , Stamou Vasileios , Chirico Ilaria , De Riso Laura , Allione Luisa , Johannessen Aud , Chattat Rabih
Published: April 2021

Young onset dementia has become a growing challenge in national healthcare systems. Concerns about the situation have already been expressed; however, they mostly report the views of services end-users. Aimed at finding out useful further improvement, interviews documenting the working experiences of professionals addressing healthcare services to people with young onset dementia (YOD) were analysed qualitatively. The interviews resulted in four themes and twelve categories. The themes regarded services’ complexity and responsiveness, the levels of education and knowledge on YOD, the impact that serving people with YOD reflects on staff working experience and quality of life, and a series of proposals aimed at improving services by giving people with YOD and families the provision of care they deserve. Although some of the themes recapped the ones reported in the previous literature, the mixture of internally and externally driven instances represented in the themes depict the complexity of care delivery in the services. Findings are discussed in the light of a pragmatical framework capable of suggesting what changes services should implement to be timely responsive.
Prison employment and its conflict with therapeutic and counselling programmes: The experiences of Czech prison personnel
Authors: Mertl Jiří
Published: April 2021

The study investigates a specific issue in the Czech prison system: the conflict between prison employment and therapeutic/counselling programmes offered. Drawing on 55 semi-structured interviews with specialized prison personnel from 10 Czech prisons, I argue that prison employment is disproportionately prioritized over the programmes, which undermines and, in some cases, makes it impossible for the personnel to work with inmates on rehabilitation. Since the Czech Prison Service itself declares that most inmates have serious problems involving psychological traumas, drug abuse, and housing insecurity, it would be beneficial to prioritize rehabilitation programmes and then try to employ inmates. The conflict also contributes to an unsuccessful re-entry/resettlement process, which is regarded as a major problem in the Czech prison system and society.
The ethical impact of mandating childhood vaccination: The importance of the clinical encounter
Authors: Williamson Laura
Published: April 2021

Health ethics can justify the use of vaccination mandates. However, policies that pressurize parents to vaccinate their children can undermine traditional clinical ethics standards (e.g. autonomy and informed consent). The aim of this paper is to argue that the ethical impact of vaccination mandates can only be determined in the context of the clinical encounter. Public debate on the topic tends to be general in nature and, as a result, issues that require clarification to help sustain the trust of service users are underexamined. In addition, ethical debates are hampered by a toxic dichotomy in the public sphere between those (anti-vaccinators) who claim a move away from parental choice is necessarily a serious ethical violation; and others (often health scientists) who neglect serious consideration of ethical issues. This predicament permits flawed ethical claims to be made, and to remain unchallenged. Despite this, ethical concerns – including those relating to trust and individual freedom – are fundamental to sustaining confidence in vaccination. This has recently been highlighted by the Covid-19 pandemic which made accessing childhood vaccinations harder, leading to a further decline in uptake. The pandemic has also revealed the strength of public feeling towards infection control measures that restrict peoples’ freedoms. In this paper I argue that to minimize the ethical disruption associated with the use of vaccination mandates, it is essential to focus more attention on their impact in the clinic and to accurately identify the drivers of such tensions.
Advancing Trans-Affirming Practice to Recognize, Account for, and Address the Unique Experiences and Needs of Transgender Sexual Assault Survivors
Authors: Du Mont Janice , Friedman Burley Joseph , Hodgson Robyn , Macdonald Sheila
Published: April 2021

Transgender (trans) persons are sexually assaulted at high rates and often encounter barriers to equitable services and supports. The receipt of timely and appropriate postassault care, provided increasingly by specialized forensic nurses around the world, is critical in ameliorating the harms that accompany sexual assault. In order to adequately respond to the acute health care needs of trans clients and attend to longer term psychosocial difficulties that some experience, forensic nurses not only require specialized training but must also cultivate collaborative relationships with trans-positive health and social services in their communities. To meet this need, we describe our strategy to advance trans-affirming practice in the sexual assault context. We outline the design and evaluation of a trans-affirming care curriculum for forensic nurses. We also discuss the planning, formation, and maturation of an intersectoral network through which to disseminate our curriculum, foster collaboration, and promote trans-affirming practice across health care and social services in Ontario, Canada. Our approach to advancing trans-affirming practice holds the potential to address systemic barriers experienced by trans survivors and transform the response to sexual assault across other sectors and jurisdictions.
Presentation and Referral Patterns in Pediatric Closed Hand Fractures
Authors: Walsh Landis R. , Nuzzi Laura C. , Taghinia Amir H. , Labow Brian I.
Published: April 2021

Background

Although pediatric hand fractures are common and generally have good outcomes, they remain a considerable source of anxiety for non–hand surgeons, who are less familiar with these injuries. We hypothesized that this anxiety may manifest as inefficiency in referral patterns.

Methods

The records of pediatric patients with isolated, closed hand fractures without concurrent trauma seen at our institution by a hand surgeon between January 2017 and December 2018 were retrospectively reviewed.

Results

There were 454 patients included; 62.1% were men, and the mean age was 9.6 years at initial encounter. Most patients (89.6%) were treated nonoperatively and incurred few complications (0.5%). Roughly half of all cases (n = 262) initially presented to an outside provider. Of these, 24.0% (n = 64 of 262) were evaluated by 2+ providers before a hand surgeon. Most commonly, these patients were referred from an outside emergency department (ED) to our ED before hand surgeon evaluation (n = 45 of 64). Forty-seven patients required surgery; however, none were performed urgently. Although a greater proportion of 7- to 11-year-old patients saw 2+ providers prior to a hand surgeon ( P = .007), fewer required surgery ( P < .001).

Conclusions

Pediatric closed hand fractures are mainly treated nonoperatively and nonemergently with generally excellent outcomes. Our data suggest that many patients continue to be referred through the ED or multiple EDs/providers for treatment. These inefficient referral patterns demonstrate the need for better education for ED and primary care providers, as well as better communication between these providers and local pediatric hand surgeons. Advancements in these areas are likely to improve efficiency of care and decrease costs.