bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improving Coherence between Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction through Formal and Informal International Lawmaking
Authors: Natoli Tommaso
Published: May 2022

Resolutions and other key documents adopted in the last few years by the international community provide that greater coherence and integration between law and policies on climate change adaptation (cca) and disaster risk reduction (drr) can lead to more efficient use of available resources, and more effective action in reducing human vulnerabilities and exposure to climate and disaster risks. Moving from the analytical background provided by the ‘informal international law’ theory (in-law), the purpose of this study is to evaluate how the combination of formal and informal law-making processes affects the coherent implementation of different normative instruments defining the current global agenda on climate risk governance. Normative developments in three different institutional contexts (the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction – ‘Sendai system’; and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement) will be assessed, in light of recent developments on the drafting, endorsement and implementation of relevant normative instruments. The analysis will be corroborated by references to the effects that greater synergies between these frameworks can generate at the regional and domestic levels, as demonstrated by evidence collected in three different countries (Fiji, the Philippines, and Dominica) between 2019 and 2021.
In the Spirit of His Time
Authors: Hila Janice
Published: May 2022

Jung’s conception, his articulation, and his relationship to the anima and animus and then more current thoughts and relationships to them, a deeper understanding of the archetype and its future manifestations in the unconscious are examined. When one considers how Jung developed his theory of the anima and animus and the gender-bias that he demonstrates in his articulation of the concept, one can understand why the concept was then, and continues to be, difficult to grasp. Jung was a product of his time and so it is with the changes in gender roles and the rise in awareness of the LGBTQ community that new ideas are surfacing about how to view the archetypes of anima and animus. Within this research, Hillman and other post-Jungian theorists lend their opinions and elucidations of the anima/animus archetype with major revisions and questions raised for consideration. Connections between contemporary gender issues are addressed, especially feminism and transgenderism. Questions for further research and consideration such as the relationship between psychic reality, biological reality, and neurological reality and the relationships between the individual unconscious and the collective unconscious in relation to gender are posed. To conclude, Jung seems to have moved into a place of greater wisdom and relation to his unconscious material over the course of his life, perhaps signalling future relations between anima and animus, i.e. the inner other gendered archetype, in both individuals and society.
Remembrance of the Ottoman Occupation
Authors: Pap Norbert , Reményi Péter , Kákai László , Glied Victor , Szalai Gábor , Kitanics Máté
Published: May 2022

Buildings of the burial complex of Suleiman the Magnificent were excavated between 2015–2019 in Szigetvár. This paper investigates why, despite the traditional anti-Muslim sentiments in the local community, the FIDESZ-KDNP failed to turn the Suleiman story into local political success after the 2015 migration crisis, during a period of extensive anti-Muslim campaigning. This analyses focuses on the opportunities, challenges and concerns of the creation of a Muslim pilgrimage site and cultural tourism attraction based on the death place of the Ottoman emperor. The Muslim rule in the early modern period has left deep memorial traces on Hungary. Despite the superficial similarities, opinions about Muslims in Szigetvár are more complex than in the wider Hungarian public and are influenced by acts of reconciliation and economic considerations. Results of a deep empirical research are presented on local identity and Muslim related sentiments in this paper.
From the Western Front to the Heights of Ankara
Authors: Akyüz Doruk
Published: May 2022

The Defence in Depth tactical doctrine was developed by the German Army during the First World War in order to overcome the increasing French and British offensive capability on the Western Front. This article attempts to analyse how the Turkish High Command accepted and implemented the German Defence in Depth doctrine as a guiding principle during the defensive and pivotal Battle of Sakarya (1921) as a part of the 1919–1922 war with Greece. Despite the sudden change of tactical doctrine and lack of experience, the Turkish Army successfully employed it, and the new tactics proved instrumental in the Turkish victory. Although the Germans designed this concept for trench warfare, the Battle of Sakarya proved that it could also be applied, with some modification, to a war of manoeuvre.
Intercountry Adoption Is a Child Protection Measure
Authors: van IJzendoorn Marinus H. , Bakermans-Kranenburg Marian J.
Published: May 2022

In their article on ‘Investigating historical abuses’ Yannick Balk, Georg Frerks and Beatrice de Graaf (2022) present an applied history of intercountry adoption to the Netherlands over the past 70 years and conclude that a moratorium on intercountry adoption is necessary because of the many adoption abuses. In this paper we comment on their aims, methods, results, and conclusions. Applied historical analysis without considering the numerous empirical studies on the effects of (de-)institutionalization is problematic if the application is to impact policy. Furthermore, using inaccessible archival material and opaque triangulation hinders replication. An estimate of the overall frequency of adoption abuses is absent. Any adoption abuse is a serious violation of children’s rights and needs to be addressed. However, we argue that their findings do not necessitate the recommendation to (temporarily) stop intercountry adoption at the expense of children in institutions for whom intercountry adoption would be the last resort.
Compact Continuous Wave Radar for Water Level Monitoring
Authors: Guan Shanyue , Bridge Jennifer A. , Davis Justin R. , Li Changzhi
Published: May 2022

There is a demand for noncontact, high-accuracy, high-spatial-resolution, wireless sensing technologies for various water level and coastal monitoring applications. This paper presents a low-cost, compact, easily configurable interferometry radar for noncontact water level monitoring, including its hardware design, signal processing algorithms, and wireless communication strategies. Interferometry radar measures distance by comparing the phase lag between reflected and transmitted signals. Water level measurements using this approach have been demonstrated in a solitary wave laboratory experiment, a field deployment observing wave run-up near Ponte Vedra, Florida, and a field deployment observing waves and tides in the Sparkill Creek located in Piermont, New York. The experimental results from the radars with millimeter-level accuracy have been compared with reference sensors and demonstrate the potential of continuous wave radar for water level observations.
Observations of the Discrete Propagation of a Mesoscale Convective System during RELAMPAGO–CACTI
Authors: Lombardo Kelly , Kumjian Matthew R.
Published: May 2022

During the early morning hours of 5 November 2018, a mature mesoscale convective system (MCS) propagated discretely over the second-most populous province of Argentina, Córdoba Province, during the Remote Sensing of Electrification, Lightning, and Mesoscale/Microscale Processes with Adaptive Ground Observations–Cloud, Aerosol, and Complex Terrain Interactions (RELAMPAGO–CACTI) joint field campaigns. Storm behavior was modified by the Sierras de Córdoba, a north–south-oriented regional mountain chain located in the western side of the province. Here, we present observational evidence of the discrete propagation event and the impact of the mountains on the associated physical processes. As the mature MCS moved northeastward and approached the windward side of the mountains, isolated convective cells developed downstream in the mountain lee, 20–50 km ahead of the main convective line. Cells were initiated by an undular bore, which formed as the MCS cold pool moved over the mountain ridge and perturbed the leeside nocturnal, low-level stable layer. The field of isolated cells organized into a new MCS, which continued to move northeastward, while the parent storm decayed as it traversed the mountains. Only the southern portion of the storm propagated discretely, due to variability in mountain height along the chain. In the north, taller mountain peaks prevented the MCS cold pool from moving over the terrain and perturbing the stable layer. Consequently, no bore was generated, and no discrete propagation occurred in this region. To the south, the MCS cold pool was able to traverse the lower-relief mountains, and the discrete propagation was successful.
Mechanism of MJO-Modulated Triggering on the Rainy Season Onset over the Indian Subcontinent
Authors: Xie Jinhui , Hsu Pang-Chi , Ray Pallav , Li Kuiping , Yu Weidong
Published: May 2022

As rainfed agriculture remains India’s critical source of livelihood, improving our understanding of rainy season onset timing in the region is of great importance for a better prediction. Using a new gridded dataset of rainy season characteristics, we found a clear phase relationship between the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) and the onset timing of the rainy season over the Indian subcontinent. A significantly high probability of rainy season onset is observed when the MJO convection stays over the western-central Indian Ocean. On the other hand, the rainy season onset is infrequent when the MJO is over the Maritime Continent and western Pacific. The MJO-associated convective instability with anomalous warm and moist air in the lower troposphere appears and grows during the period 10 days prior to the onset of rainy season, and drops substantially after the start of rainy season, suggesting its role as a trigger of rainy season onset. In contrast, the low-frequency background state (LFBS) with a period > 90 days favors a convectively unstable stratification even after the onset of the rainy season, supporting the succeeding precipitation during the entire rainy season. Based on the scale-decomposed moisture budget diagnosis, we further found that the key processes inducing the abrupt transition from a dry to a wet condition come mainly from two processes: 1) convergence of LFBS moisture by MJO-related circulation perturbations and 2) advection of MJO moisture anomalies by the background cross-equatorial flow toward the Indian subcontinent. The results may help provide a better and longer lead-time prediction of the rainy season onset over the Indian subcontinent.
Perceptions of Gender Disparities in Access to Surgical Care in Malawi: A Community Based Survey
Authors: Reid Trista , Kincaid Jennifer , Shrestha Riju , Strassle Paula D. , Maine Rebecca , Charles Anthony , Gallaher Jared , Manjolo Mphatso , Gondwe Jotham , Wren Sherry M.
Published: May 2022

Background

Gender disparities in surgical care exist but have been minimally studied, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This study explored perceptions and gender differences in health-seeking behavior and attitudes toward surgical care in Malawi among community members.

Methods

A survey tool was administered to adults ≥18 years old at a central hospital, district hospital, and two marketplaces in Malawi from June 2018 to December 2018. Responses from men and women were compared using chi-squared tests.

Results

Four hundred eighty-five adults participated in the survey, 244 (50.3%) men and 241 (49.7%) women. Women were more likely to state that fear of surgery might prevent them from seeking surgical care (29.1% of men, 43.6% of women, P = .0009). Both genders reported long wait times, medicine/physician shortages, and lack of information about when surgery is needed as potential barriers to seeking surgical care. More men stated that medical preference should be given to sons (17.1% of men, 9.3% of women, P = .01). Men were more likely to report that men should have the final word about household decisions (28.7% of men vs 19.5% of women, P < .0001) and were more likely to spend money independently (68.7% of married men, 37.5% of married women, P < .0001). Few participants reported believing gender equality had been achieved (61% of men and 66.8% of women).

Conclusions

A multi-pronged approach is needed to reduce gender disparities in surgical care in Malawi, including addressing paternalistic societal norms, education, and improving health infrastructure.
Chronic Critical Illness in Patients With Sepsis is Associated With Persistent Anemia, Inflammation, and Impaired Functional Outcomes
Authors: Carmichael Ethan D. , Apple Camille G. , Kannan Kolenkode B. , Gardener Anna , Anton Stephen , Efron Philip A. , Moldawer Lyle L. , Moore Frederick A. , Brakenridge Scott C. , Mohr Alicia M.
Published: May 2022

Introduction

Survivors of sepsis will progress towards rapid recovery (RAP) or enter a state of persistent organ dysfunction and chronic critical illness (CCI). Independently, anemia is known to be a significant factor in functional recovery of hospitalized patients. This study aims to analyze long-term hemoglobin levels and functional outcomes following RAP and CCI.

Methods

A prospective, cohort study was performed in septic patients who were stratified into RAP (N = 54) with ICU length of stay < 14 days or CCI (N = 63) with ICU length of stay > 14 days. CBC and plasma inflammatory markers were measured on the day of enrollment, weekly until day 42, then at 3 and 6 months. Functional outcomes using Zubrod scale, gait speed test, and total short physical performance battery (SPPB) were assessed at 3, 6, and 12 months.

Results

Mean age was 59 years (range: 20-83) and 62% were male. Hemoglobin was significantly decreased at 3 and 6 months in CCI compared to RAP (8.9* and 9.2* vs 10.4 and 11.1 g/dL), despite receiving significantly more red blood cell transfusions. CCI patients had persistent elevation of CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α. CCI patients had worse functional outcome with a significantly higher Zubrod score, and lower SPPB, and gait speed score at 3, 6, and 12 months.

Conclusion

Despite receiving more pRBC transfusions, CCI patients had a persistent anemia that was associated with chronic systemic inflammation and poor functional outcomes six months following sepsis. Alleviating prolonged inflammation could improve persistent anemia and functional outcomes in CCI patients.
The Impact of Sample Size and Various Other Factors on Estimation of Dichotomous Mixture IRT Models
Authors: Sen Sedat , Cohen Allan S.
Published: May 2022

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of different data conditions on item parameter recovery and classification accuracy of three dichotomous mixture item response theory (IRT) models: the Mix1PL, Mix2PL, and Mix3PL. Manipulated factors in the simulation included the sample size (11 different sample sizes from 100 to 5000), test length (10, 30, and 50), number of classes (2 and 3), the degree of latent class separation (normal/no separation, small, medium, and large), and class sizes (equal vs. nonequal). Effects were assessed using root mean square error (RMSE) and classification accuracy percentage computed between true parameters and estimated parameters. The results of this simulation study showed that more precise estimates of item parameters were obtained with larger sample sizes and longer test lengths. Recovery of item parameters decreased as the number of classes increased with the decrease in sample size. Recovery of classification accuracy for the conditions with two-class solutions was also better than that of three-class solutions. Results of both item parameter estimates and classification accuracy differed by model type. More complex models and models with larger class separations produced less accurate results. The effect of the mixture proportions also differentially affected RMSE and classification accuracy results. Groups of equal size produced more precise item parameter estimates, but the reverse was the case for classification accuracy results. Results suggested that dichotomous mixture IRT models required more than 2,000 examinees to be able to obtain stable results as even shorter tests required such large sample sizes for more precise estimates. This number increased as the number of latent classes, the degree of separation, and model complexity increased.
Safety and Efficacy Analysis of Apixaban Compared to Heparins in Hospitalized Non-Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients
Authors: Appiah Daniel , Quinn Nicholas J. , Messing Emily G. , Veltri Keith T.
Published: May 2022

Purpose: Heparin-based regimens are recommended for anticoagulation in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 though a study reported similar mortality with apixaban in critically ill hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Our pilot study sought to determine the differences in all-cause mortality, venous thromboembolism (VTE), and bleeding events between apixaban and therapeutic heparin-based regimens in hospitalized non-critically ill COVID-19 patients. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of non-critically ill COVID-19 patients aged ≥ 18 years admitted to 3 campuses of Montefiore Medical Center during the first (March 2020 to May 2020) and second (January 2021 to February 2021) COVID-19 surges, who received within 48 hours of admission and continued for ≥72 hours a therapeutic dose of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH), unfractionated heparin (UFH), or any apixaban dose for VTE prophylaxis. Outcomes data analyzed included mortality, suspected or imaging-confirmed VTE, and bleeding using a defined criteria. Results: Overall, 162 patients met eligibility for analysis. Baseline characteristics were similar between the 2 groups except liver and renal functions. Mortality occurred in 10 (13.3%) patients on apixaban and 23 (26.4%) patients on a heparin-based regimen ( P = .059). Confirmed VTE events were not different between the groups (8% vs 13.8%, P = .359), but higher incidence of bleeding occurred in heparin-based group (4% vs 52.9%, P < .001). Conclusion: There were no differences in mortality or confirmed VTE between apixaban and heparin-based regimens except for more bleeding events with the heparins. This study highlights the utility of apixaban in COVID-19.
What the public wants and how it is best served: forensic scientists’ perceptions of the drivers of public value creation
Authors: O’Connor Karl , Lasslett Kristian , Bunyan Sabrina , Duffy David
Published: May 2022

Government agencies are embracing the rhetoric of public value, but what does the empirical evidence tell us about drivers of its creation? One critical source of insight are the practitioners who turn public investment into public value through complex forms of labour. This article identifies how public value is interpreted and created by forensics scientists in the Criminal Justice System using Q Methodological interviews. The results indicate that two very similar types of forensic scientist exist The study finds that while the decisions of scientists are grounded in their expertise, their public value motivations are to ‘add value’ to the public through their science. They serve the citizen through their science. They do not serve the consumer, client or victim directly. The findings also indicate that there is a need to recognise hidden forms of value-added activity that take place upstream in public-value chains, ensuring that there are systems in place to maximise their impact downstream.

Points for practitioners

Forensic scientists are motivated to serve the public, not the consumer or customer. In order to build capacity within Criminal Justice Systems, agency leaders need to build a relationship based on mutual professional respect rather than a supplier–consumer relationship. If administrative reform is to be guided by academic research, practitioners should use the language of public value rather than the language of new public management. Public value is often created through inter-institutional value chains that can conceal the contribution of upstream value-added activity to desirable public outcomes. It is critical that the value-added process is traced on an inter-institutional basis, and maximised through effective forms of inter-institutional collaboration.
Colonial Hangover and ‘Invited’ Migration: Hong Kongers to the UK
Authors: Ullah A. K. M. Ahsan , Azizuddin Muhammad
Published: May 2022

Protests in Hong Kong over plans to allow extradition from Hong Kong to mainland China is going on since mid-2019. These reforms are seen as a threat to Hong Kongers’ freedom. The protesters expanded their demands for democratic reform and opposition to Beijing’s introduction to a new national security law. Following the continued protests, the UK government invited over five million Hong Kong residents to relocate to the country. The purpose of this article is to delve into why the UK welcomes Hong Kong residents to apply for citizenship. During the economic impact of COVID-19 and Brexit on the UK, this invitation raises questions about its intention. Since the Brexit referendum, immigration has plummeted, perhaps resulting in a labour shortage. This study has significant policy implications for Hong Kong, China and the UK.
Observational astronomy and the mapping of Brazil at the turn of the 20th century
Authors: Rezende Vergara Moema de
Published: May 2022

When, in 1822, Brazil declared its independence from Portugal, its vast territory was little known by the central government in Rio de Janeiro. There was a great need to create reliable maps that would delineate the new country’s boundaries. This paper aims to show how a practical application of astronomy, specifically geodesy, was vital in the efforts to build the nation. We follow the professional life of an astronomer, Luis Cruls, director of the National Observatory, professor at the Military School and chief researcher of several expeditions, to discuss the strength of geodesic and cartographic activities in Brazil at the end of the 19th century.
Experimental study of roving configuration’s influence on the flow field in a full-scale transparent pultrusion injection box
Authors: Hopmann Christian , Wruck Lorenz , Schneider Daniel , Fischer Kai
Published: May 2022

Resin injection pultrusion gains increasing attention as it enables the use of highly reactive resins and resins sensitive to environmental conditions, while also decreasing the emission of harmful volatile organic compounds. Nevertheless, a comprehensive understanding of the flow field based on the geometric characteristics within open injection boxes is lacking due to a multitude of interdependent parameters. In this research, a novel setup for an experimental evaluation of the flow field in injection pultrusion practically is proposed. The setup consists of a full size, two-dimensionally tapered, transparent injection box that is installed within a pultrusion line and is operated with non-reactive fluids. Investigations are conducted with two different guide plate setups. Pulling forces and filling degree are evaluated for four pulling speeds, four fiber volume fractions and for four fluids. The non-reactive fluids are three grades of sucrose solution and Mesamoll with viscosities ranging from 13 to 246 mPa.s.

Obtained pulling forces correlate linearly with the product of viscosity and pulling speed. Better fiber wettability properties and additional fiber guiding plates result in lower pulling forces. Backflow fill length displays an asymptotic correlation to pulling forces, indicating different governing mechanisms for these two phenomena. Backflow fill length corresponds directly with resin residence time, which ranges from about 10 to 3 min. The results indicate the possibility of manipulating pressure build-up and resin residence time separately, which would enable tailoring injection box cavity geometries systematically to a specific profile.
Response of glass/carbon hybrid composites subjected to repeated low velocity impacts
Authors: Donadio Federica , Ferraro Pietro , Lopresto V , Pagliarulo Vito , Papa Ilaria , Rippa Massimo , Russo Pietro
Published: May 2022

This work investigated the effect of repeated low-velocity impacts at different energy levels on vinyl ester composite laminates. In particular, hybrid composite laminates made by carbon woven fabric and glass woven fabric impregnated by vinyl ester resin were subjected to 1, 5 and 10 impacts for three different energy levels (U=5 J, 10 J and 20 J). The multi-impact damage evolution was studied by combining several non-destructive techniques such as Pulsed Thermography, Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometry and Ultrasonic C-scanning. Along with images of detected damaged areas, some impact parameters such as contact force, deflection and absorbed energy were provided.
A Hard Sell: The Nazi Film Ohm Krüger in Wartime France
Authors: Bowles Brett , Vande Winkel Roel
Published: May 2022

Historians of the Third Reich generally view Ohm Krüger (Hans Steinhoff, 1940), an anti-British historical drama set during the Boer War, as a triumph of Nazi propaganda, yet the film's distribution and reception in German-occupied territories have never been studied in depth. By offering a detailed comparison between the German original and a substantively reedited, French-dubbed version produced in 1941 under the title Le Président Kruger, as well as a politically and economically contextualized analysis of the film's distribution and reception in occupied and Vichy France, this article questions the persuasive power traditionally ascribed to Ohm Krüger to draw broader conclusions about the complexities of exporting Nazi propaganda to foreign markets in the volatile context of the Second World War.
Don’t turn around, der Kommissar’s in town: Political officers and coups d’état in authoritarian regimes
Authors: Matthews Austin S
Published: May 2022

How do dictators coup-proof their armed forces from within the barracks? Coup-proofing is an important aspect of autocratic survival, but execution can be challenging due to the secrecy of plots and the vast size of the armed forces. Counterbalanced state security forces are more effective at resisting coups, but less effective at noticing signs of plots before they can be launched. If dictators wish to prevent coup attempts from occurring in the first place, they may decide to recruit and commission cadres of loyalists directly into the armed forces as political officers, tasked with monitoring for and reporting signs of disloyalty within the ranks. This article explores the development and use of these political officers within dictatorships, arguing that they are especially effective at preventing coup attempts. It also makes the case that their institutional design, while effective at detecting coup plots, makes them less useful at resisting coups that have reached the execution phase. I test these arguments on a cross-national sample of dictatorships from 1950 to 2010, finding strong evidence that political officers are incredibly effective coup detectors, but not coup resisters. These findings have important implications, particularly as several resilient modern dictatorships continue to rule with well-developed political officer systems.
A new place for transport in urban network theory: The urban logistic network
Authors: Favero Giovanni , Serruys Michael-W. , Sugiura Miki
Published: May 2022

Transport history has developed in close association with urban network theory. However, this association has often remained implicit and not conceptualised. This article starts from an overview of the historiography on urban networks to question the limitations of historical urban network theory by highlighting the connection between an incomplete mapping of hinterlands and the prevalence of a neo-Christallerian model in the interpretation of their network shape. The concept of the “urban logistic network” is proposed as an alternative historical approach that focuses on the interaction between urban systems on the one hand, and transport and mobility on the other hand. In particular, it enables to clarify the conflated concepts of gateways and hinterlands and constructs a taxonomy that allows the examination of network patterns on a variety of geographical scales. It also identifies the variety of network shapes that are created in urban systems by different logistic connections.
Development of new mathematical models and their comparison with existing models for the prediction of compression pressure using the cut-strip method
Authors: Siddique Hafiz Faisal , Kus Zdenek , Militký Jiří , Havelka Antonin , Mazari Adnan Ahmad , Lubos Hes
Published: May 2022

Compression socks are a highly acclaimed textile garment for pressure exertion on the lower part of the leg (ankle). This part of the research explains the theoretical investigation of compression pressure by the modelization technique that helped to develop two new mathematical models by incorporating a few missing parameters for the measurement of compression pressure (kPa) and compared with existing models simultaneously. These new parameters including deformed width ( wf), true stress ( σT), logarithmic strain ( εT), true modulus (ET), and engineering stress ( σE)/strain ( εE)/modulus (EE) were incorporated and compared with Hook’s law ( k =  fx) used for elastic materials at the ankle position. Various brands of compression socks composed of similar fibrous combinations as well as the knit type were purchased. Initially they were hand-washed, put on the leg for marking, a square was marked, circular cut-strips were detached from the ankle portion of the compression socks, and they were then cut to a linear shape for all 13 sock samples. For this, all linear cut-strips were installed on a Testometric tensile testing machine and were extended to a fixed elongation of 65% of gauge length five times simultaneously, and were then extracted for different extension (mm) values considering the requisite practical elongation values (circumferential difference between leg and socks at the ankle portion). The models developed were compared with Hook’s law and Laplace’s law. The developed models were compared with compression pressure values measured using existing models statistically.
Partnerships to expand worksite wellness programs - A qualitative analysis of state and local health department perspectives
Authors: Kava Christine M. , Strait Michelle , Brown Meagan C. , Hammerback Kristen , Harris Jeffrey R. , Alongi Jeanne , Hannon Peggy A.
Published: May 2022

Chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes are the leading causes of death and disability in the U. S. Because the central mission of state and local health departments (HDs) is to protect, promote, and improve population health, these agencies are well-positioned to address risk behaviors for chronic disease. HD-employer partnerships could enhance worksite wellness programming, but few studies have explored this topic. Building upon previously published findings, the purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the context and environment for HDs’ delivery of worksite wellness programs, including interest, barriers, facilitators, and decision-making processes. We conducted 12 interviews with directors of state chronic disease programs, 21 interviews with local directors, and three focus groups with local staff. We performed a thematic analysis of the data. Key themes include the following: (1) worksite wellness programs delivered by HDs were diverse in topic and scope and delivered both internally (at the HD for their agency) and externally (for other employers); (2) decisions made about chronic disease prevention were largely driven by funding priorities, with federal, state, and local entities playing roles in the decision-making process; and (3) HDs expressed potential interest in worksite wellness program delivery, dependent upon staff capacity, available funding, and employer buy-in. Our results suggest that funding should be increased for and reallocated towards chronic disease prevention, including worksite wellness. To overcome HD barriers to program delivery, key funders and stakeholders should prioritize and communicate the importance of worksite wellness.
Hourly comparative assessment of photovoltaic thermal collector subjected to nanofluid for complete year: A case study of major cities in Pakistan
Authors: Khan Batoor , Sheikh Nadeem Ahmed , Castañeda-Robles Iván. E. , López-León Luis. D. , Tariq Rasikh
Published: May 2022

This research targets to present a case study on the annual comparative assessment of photovoltaic thermal collectors (PV/T) by using water and Ag/water nanofluid for five different cities in Pakistan. The assessment is conducted at monthly, daily, and hourly resolutions. PV/T collector is imitated through a set of energy balance based physical models which are solved numerically for two working fluids (i.e. water and Ag/water nanofluid) in a yearly simulation format (with hourly, daily, and monthly predictions) for five major cities of Pakistan (Taxila, Peshawar, Multan, Lahore, and Karachi). Detailed comparative assessment is carried out based on the performance indicators such as electrical efficiency, thermal efficiency, heat gain, and net electricity power generation. In the results section, hourly, daily, and monthly patterns of performance indicators using water and Ag/water nanofluid are reported, followed by a comparative study between the different cities having different climatic conditions. The sensitivity of nanofluid's mass flow rate and its particle concentration on the performance indicators is also reported, and the analysis of the sensitivity of the nanofluid characteristics on the pumping and the net useful power is also presented. Assessment has indicated that the overall efficiency for Taxila, Peshawar, Multan, Lahore, and Karachi cities are similar and around 66% despite having different latitude and longitudinal locations. While using silver nanofluid as a working fluid, compared to the usage of pure water as a working fluid, overall lesser efficiency is seen at around 63.80%, for selected cities.
Can Indian Independent Directors Ever be Independent?
Authors: Deb Rajat , Baruah Devi
Published: May 2022

The current study has attempted to assess whether the Indian independent directors are, in a true sense, independent. Extant Corporate Governance literature has postulated that independent directors protect non-controlling minority shareholders, and defend their interests by lending their expertise to strategy. In practice, they seldom reject any strategy proposed by the executive directors who represent the dominant shareholders’ viewpoints. Thus, the independent directors perform advisory roles rather than supervisory roles. The study has assayed that independent directors must cease being subservient to the executive directors and has concluded that mere regulatory changes are insufficient; motivational changes must also accrue to the cause.

JEL Classifications: G34, G38
Metastatic pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas: where are we?
Authors: Prinzi Natalie , Corti Francesca , Torchio Martina , Niger Monica , Antista Maria , Pagani Filippo , Beninato Teresa , Pulice Iolanda , Rossi Roberta Elisa , Coppa Jorgelina , Cascella Tommaso , Giacomelli Luca , Di Bartolomeo Maria , Milione Massimo , de Braud Filippo , Pusceddu Sara
Published: May 2022

Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs) can metastasize in approximately 15–20% of cases. This review discusses the available evidence on the biology and treatment of metastatic PPGLs. Chemotherapy is the first-line treatment option for this evolving and symptomatic disease. In patients with high MIBG uptake and positive PETGa-68, radiometabolic treatment may be considered. The efficacy of sunitinib has been shown in observational studies, and pembrolizumab has been evaluated in phase II clinical studies, while other agents investigated in this setting are anti-angiogenic drugs cabozantinib, dovitinib, axitinib and lenvatinib. As these agents' efficacy and safety data, alone or in combination, are scant and based on few treated patients, enrollment in clinical trials is mandatory. Future therapeutic options may be represented by DNA repair system inhibitors (such as olaparib), HIF2 inhibitors and immunotherapy.
Wildlife Trade and Law Enforcement: A Proposal for a Remodeling of CITES Incorporating Species Justice, Ecojustice, and Environmental Justice
Authors: Sollund Ragnhild
Published: May 2022

Wildlife trade is an increasing problem worldwide, whether legal or illegal. It causes species extinction, connects to organized crime and contributes to social unrest. Wildlife trade is regulated through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), a convention that includes most of the countries in the world. Even though wildlife trade is not necessarily breach of any law, wildlife trade still constitutes severe breaches of species justice, ecojustice, environmental justice, and animal rights. By employing these perspectives in the study of wildlife trade, the harms nonhuman animals suffer as victims of this trade receives a broader concern than that encompassed through conventional criminology. This article addresses nonhuman animal victimization through a theoretical lens that includes the justice perspective found in green criminology, and Nussbaum’s concept of dignified existence. Empirically the article is based on an ongoing research project: Criminal Justice, Wildlife Conservation, and Animal rights in the Anthropocene (CRIMEANTHROP). The article starts with an introduction, followed by theoretical outlining and a presentation of empirical findings. These findings are discussed using the theoretical perspectives mentioned above. The concluding discussion suggests a radical shift in the function of CITES, from trade to conditional aid.
Geography and ethics I: Placing injustice in the Anthropocene
Authors: Schmidt Jeremy J
Published: May 2022

This report on geography and ethics focuses on the conditions of ethics. It identifies the ethical stakes of how accounts of unequal anthropogenic impacts on the Earth are specified with respect to both injustice and to what are deemed viable futures. It centres arguments of Indigenous and Black scholars regarding kinship and intersectionality, and respective ethical practices of struggle, resurgence and rebellion against the mutual oppression of peoples of colour and the environment. I identify challenges these forms of grounded practices pose to more-than-human geographies and urge an approach to understanding ethical conditions as concrete concerns.
Social geography II: Space and Sociality
Authors: Ho Elaine Lynn-Ee
Published: May 2022

By drawing together recent geographical literature on assemblages, infrastructures and topology, this progress report examines how debates on the spatial ontologies and epistemologies of power have evolved in social geography. This report argues that the three forementioned approaches each illuminate certain qualities of the relationship between sociality and space, allowing researchers to advocate for a particular way of seeing and knowing the world. The three approaches are distinctive but may not be mutually exclusive. The report concludes by emphasising the need to consider what might be elided through our choice of spatial vocabularies and reflecting on how spatial theorising can promote social justice.
Ten Takeaways from the COVID-19 Pandemic for Transportation Planners
Authors: Kim Karl E.
Published: May 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has created significant challenges but also unprecedented opportunities for transportation researchers and practitioners. In this article, the major lessons and gaps in knowledge for those working in the transportation sector are identified, including the following: (1) integration between public health and transportation; (2) technology to support contact tracing and tracking of travelers; (3) focus on vulnerable, at-risk operators, patrons, and underserved members of society; (4) re-engineering of travel demand models to support social distancing, quarantine, and public health interventions; (5) challenges with Big Data and information technologies; (6) trust relationships between the general public, government, private sector, and others in disaster management; (7) conflict management during disasters; (8) complexities of transdisciplinary knowledge and engagement; (9) demands for training and education; and (10) transformative change to support community resilience. With a focus on transportation planning and community resilience, the lessons from the pandemic need to be shared and customized for different systems, services, modalities, and users. While many of the interventions during the pandemic have been based on public health, the management, response, recovery, adaptation, and transformation of transportation systems resulting from the crisis require multi-disciplinary, multi-jurisdictional communications and coordination, and resource sharing. Further research to support knowledge to action is needed.
COVID-19 and erythrocrine function: The roller coaster and danger
Authors: Al-kuraishy Hayder M , Al-Gareeb Ali I , Onohuean Hope , El-Saber Batiha Gaber
Published: May 2022

Erythrocrine function refers to erythrocytes’ ability to synthesize and release active signaling molecules such as ATP and nitric oxide (NO). Erythrocyte NO regulates its deformability and increases its perfusion and circulation that prevent tissue hypoxia. Recently, there is a connotation between SARS-CoV-2 infection and erythrocrine function due to alteration in the release of NO and ATP from erythrocytes. SARS-CoV-2 binds erythrocyte band3 protein, which has a similar characteristic of ACE2, leading to alteration of erythrocyte physiology like oxygen transport with development of hypoxia. Similarly, SARS-CoV-2 infection activates erythrocyte protein kinase C alpha (PKC-α), causing significant changes in the erythrocyte functions. The erythrocytes can bind SARS-CoV-2 and its active particles with subsequent virus delivery to the liver and spleen macrophages. Thus, the erythrocytes act as elimination for SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19. Moreover, the erythrocyte stored, release sphingosine-1 phosphate (S1P) improves endothelial and regulates lymphocyte functions. SARS-CoV-2 ORF8 protein binds the porphyrin part of hemoglobin heme at the β1 chain, causing hemolysis and dysfunctional hemoglobin to reduce oxygen-carrying capacity. In conclusion, SARS-CoV-2 infection and associated pro-inflammatory disorders lead to abnormal erythrocrine function with subsequent inflammatory complications and endothelial dysfunction due to deficiency of protective released molecules (NO, G1P, and ATP) from functional erythrocytes. In vitro, preclinical, and clinical studies are mandatory in this regard.
Origin of M2 Mϕ and its macrophage polarization by TGF-β in a mice intervertebral injury model
Authors: Kawakubo Ayumu , Miyagi Masayuki , Yokozeki Yuji , Nakawaki Mitsufumi , Takano Shotaro , Satoh Masashi , Itakura Makoto , Inoue Gen , Takaso Masashi , Uchida Kentaro
Published: May 2022

Introduction

Studies have identified the presence of M1 and M2 macrophages (Mϕ) in injured intervertebral discs (IVDs). However, the origin and polarization-regulatory factor of M2 Mϕ are not fully understood. TGF-β is a regulatory factor for M2 polarization in several tissues. Here, we investigated the source of M2 Mϕ and the role of TGF-β on M2 polarization using a mice disc-puncture injury model.

Methods

To investigate the origin of M2 macrophages, 30 GFP chimeric mice were created by bone marrow transplantation. IVDs were obtained from both groups on pre-puncture (control) and post-puncture days 1, 3, 7, and 14 and CD86 (M1 marker)- and CD206 (M2 marker)-positive cells evaluated by flow cytometry ( n = 5 at each time point). To investigate the role of TGF-β on M2 polarization, TGF-β inhibitor (SB431542) was also injected on post-puncture days (PPD) 5 and 6 and CD206 expression was evaluated on day 7 by flow cytometry ( n = 5) and real time PCR ( n = 10).

Results

The proportion of CD86+ Mϕ within the GFP+ population was significantly increased at PPD 1, 3, 7, and 14 compared to control. CD206-positive cells in GFP-populations were significantly increased on PPD 7 and 14. In addition, the percentage of CD206-positive cells was significantly higher in GFP-populations than in GFP+ populations. TGF-β inhibitor reduced CD206-positive cells and Cd206 expression at 7 days after puncture.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that M2 Mϕ following IVD injury may originate from resident Mϕ. TGF-β is a key factor for M2 polarization of macrophages following IVD injury.
Evaluation of Telephone-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation Services Delivered to Adults 65 and Older During the Early Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Ownbey Nicholas , Soukup Jeff , Fugate-Whitlock Elizabeth , Newsham Tina M. K.
Published: May 2022

This study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of a hybrid, telephone-based cardiac rehabilitation (TBCR) program implemented early in the COVID-19 pandemic compared with in-person, center-based programming offered prior to the pandemic. The focus was on older adults’ engagement and outcomes. Matched groups of hybrid and in-person cardiac rehabilitation (CR) participants were created from existing data and compared using t-tests and repeated measures ANOVAs. Qualitative interviews were conducted with participating CR staff then transcribed, coded, and analyzed for key themes. There were significant differences in body mass index and weight from pre-to post-CR within both hybrid and in-person groups. Despite this, CR staff believed exercise adherence was reduced in the hybrid group when compared to those in the in-person program. In the future, TBCR should be considered as an adjunct to in-person CR. Reluctance to prescribe exercise needs to be addressed through CR staff training.
Modeling of Online Learning Strategies Based on Fuzzy Expert Systems and Self-Directed Learning Readiness: The Effect on Learning Outcomes
Authors: Lasfeto Deddy Barnabas , Ulfa Saida
Published: May 2022

This study proposes an online learning model based on fuzzy expert systems to recommend learning contents that are most appropriate for facilitating more efficient learning. The process used two computer applications which are Matlab for fuzzy analysis and the learning management system Moodle platform for online learning environment. Besides, considering the learner themselves by their self-directed learning readiness as the moderating variable in this study. To examine the learning strategies, we used aptitude treatment interaction for the learning model. Statistical analysis is used to examine the effect of this strategy and the students’ self-directed learning readiness on the learning outcomes. We found that students who are taught by online learning strategies based on fuzzy expert systems have better learning outcomes than students who are given traditional online learning strategies. Students who have high self-directed learning readiness have higher learning outcomes than students who have low self-directed learning readiness in both online learning strategies. Students who have low self-directed learning readiness are more appropriate to learn by the online learning strategies based on fuzzy expert systems to improve their learning outcomes