bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Violence of Fat Hatred in the “Obesity Epidemic” Discourse
Authors: Gailey Jeannine A.
Published: February 2021

The concern globally over the “obesity epidemic” has become one of the most widely discussed social problems over the last twenty or so years. There is an intense focus from the media, popular culture, government agencies, and medical community about the harms of “obesity,” which includes strategies for eradicating the “obesity epidemic.” Public discussions of “excess weight” typically imply that fat persons are responsible for their body size, and public health policy recommendations follow from that assumption. Through the voices of 74 women of size, I demonstrate the ways in which the “obesity epidemic” discourse is a form of symbolic violence. Interviewees discussed countless acts of public humiliation, blocked opportunities, and fears about attending appointments with health care practitioners because of the stigma, discrimination, and mistreatment they receive. Moreover, the anti-fat rhetoric made interviewees feel responsible for the oppression. The violence manifested through the “obesity epidemic” rhetoric creates and perpetuates the phenomenon of hyper(in)visibilty, a phenomenon where marginalized bodies are simultaneously paid tremendous attention and dismissed. I conclude by urging sociologists to include body size in their intersectional research, teaching, and activism.
Markets, Cultures, and the Politics of Value: The Case of Assisted Reproductive Technology
Authors: Salter Brian
Published: February 2021

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is a global market engaging a variety of local moral economies where the construction of the demand–supply relationship takes different forms through the operation of the politics of value. This paper analyzes how the market–culture relationship works in different settings, showing how power and resources determine what value will, or will not, accrue from that relationship. A commodity’s potential economic value can only be realized through the operation of the market if its cultural status is seen to be legitimate. At the same time, local moral economies and their associated social orders are potentially susceptible to the destabilizing implications of new commodities. The formal or informal organization of power relationships in the market–culture interaction can enable potential value to become manifest and tangible over time or block its path. The interaction is steered through national institutional sources of cultural authority embedded in state and religion, where the visible contest in the politics of value is conducted. Increasingly, that interaction finds its expression in transnational institutions of governance where the struggle for control of the cultural agenda reflects the global nature of the ART market.
Fictive Kin Networks among African Americans, Black Caribbeans, and Non-Latino Whites
Authors: Taylor Robert , Chatters Linda , Cross Christina J. , Mouzon Dawne
Published: February 2021

Using data from the National Survey of American Life, we investigated the social and demographic correlates of fictive kin network involvement among African Americans, Black Caribbeans, and non-Latino Whites. Specifically, we examined the factors shaping whether respondents have fictive kin, the number of fictive present kin in their networks, and the frequency with which they received support from fictive kin. Overall, 87% of respondents had a fictive kin relationship, the average network size was 7.5, and 61% of participants routinely received fictive kin support. Affective closeness and contact with family, friends, and church members were positively associated with fictive kin relations. Age, region, income, and marital and parental status were related to fictive kin network involvement, though these associations varied by race/ethnicity. Collectively, findings indicate that fictive kin ties extend beyond marginalized communities, and they operate as a means to strengthen family bonds, rather than substitute for family deficits.
Paternal Response to Ultrasound Predicts Increased Paternal-Fetal Attachment
Authors: Tolman Richard M. , Walsh Tova , Bybee Deborah , Davis Neal , Reed Lauren A. , Safyer Paige , Singh Vijay
Published: February 2021

Utilizing data from a longitudinal online survey of couples expecting their first child, this study sought to examine the trajectory of paternal-fetal attachment across the three trimesters of pregnancy. Expectant fathers (N=124) who completed at least the first two assessments were included in the analysis. Attachment was assessed using the Paternal Antenatal Attachment Scale, and paternal response to the ultrasound was measured with a four-item scale developed for this study. Longitudinal multilevel regression was used to model change in paternal-fetal attachment across assessments. Paternal-fetal attachment increased among all fathers, including those who showed less response to ultrasound and those who reported the pregnancy as mistimed or undesired. However desired pregnancy and stronger paternal response to ultrasound were associated with a larger increase in paternal-fetal attachment. The findings of the study have implications for the support of paternal-fetal attachment in health care and other settings.
Sourcing the source: Bald Eagle Jasper quarries and the Houserville Habitation Complex
Authors: Murtha Timothy M , Scheetz Barry E
Published: February 2021

The construction of a road extension of Park Avenue through the Pennsylvania State University’s agricultural fields offered an opportunity to reinvestigate, in more detail, the Tudek jasper quarry site (36CE238). The original investigation was led by Dr. James Hatch and graduate students from the University’s Department of Anthropology. Initial studies yielded in excess of 27,000 artifacts that were used in this analysis. Our reinvestigation resulted in the construction of a detailed outline of the quarry site and the pattern of usage of the materials from the site. Additionally, radiocarbon dating indicated that the site was intensively utilized for a long period of time (3500 BC to 1500 AD) and confirmed that, like many quarry sites, the activities included primary materials collection and testing, reduction of the lithic materials for transport to another location where the final finishing of tools took place. Moreover, the availability of raw material likely changed through time and across the quarry. Observed color changes in the jasper suggest some heat treatment on site, primarily during later time periods.
Impact of University Website Usability on Satisfaction: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach
Authors: Karani Anushree , Thanki Heena , Achuthan Sarla
Published: February 2021

One of the many ways through which the universities can communicate with students is through their website, which is considered as the face of the organization. It also represents the organization as a whole, its culture, value and vision. The current study aimed to check the usability of Gujarat Technological University’s website from students’ perspective and to find its association with satisfaction. The current study tried to address the gap in the literature, wherein in the Indian context, the majority studies were conducted in the context of library website only. The current study has adopted a quantitative approach, where a single cross-sectional research design has been used with convenience sampling. The present study had adapted the Website Usability Evaluation (WEBUSE) scale. A total of 577 students from the fields of management, computer science, and engineering have responded to the structured questionnaire. The structural equation model of the study revealed that all the four dimensions of website usability were positively associated with satisfaction, whereas content, organization and readability criterion had the most influence on satisfaction followed by user interface design, performance and effectiveness and navigation and links. The study strongly recommends the university to maintain up-to-date content, organize it well and it should be readable for the students in order to maximize the satisfaction with the website.

JEL Codes: I230, M150
Perceived impact of automation on university library services by library personnel in South West, Nigeria
Authors: Ajani Florence Olabisi , Buraimo Olayinka
Published: February 2021

This study aimed at assessing the status of library automation, the impact of automation on library services and challenges university library is facing in maintaining automated system towards effective library services delivery. The population in this study consists of 697 library personnel in 9 university libraries in Southwest Nigeria. A structured questionnaire Appendix A ) was used for data collection. In all, 335 questionnaires were distributed but only 309 were found usable, which gave a response rate of 92.2%. Findings revealed that library automation in university libraries in South West Nigeria was partial. Library automation has a positive impact on library services. Lack of technical support from the vendor, lack of funding, attitude of library personnel and technophobia among were among the challenges faced.
The effects of information structure in the processing of word order variation in the second language
Authors: López-Beltrán Priscila , Johns Michael A , Dussias Paola E , Lozano Cristóbal , Palma Alfonso
Published: February 2021

Traditionally, it has been claimed that the non-canonical word order of passives makes them inherently more difficult to comprehend than their canonical active counterparts both in the first (L1) and second language (L2). However, growing evidence suggests that non-canonical word orders are not inherently more difficult to process than canonical counterparts when presented with discourse contexts that license their information structure constraints. In an eye-tracking experiment, we investigated the effect of information structure on the online processing of active and passive constructions and whether this effect differed in monolinguals and L1-Spanish–L2-English speakers. In line with previous corpus studies, our results indicated that there was an interaction between word order and information structure according to which passive sentences were much more costly to process with new–given information structure patterns. Crucially, we failed to find evidence that the effect of information structure on word order constraints in comprehension differed between monolingual and L2 speakers.
ECMO in COVID-19—prolonged therapy needed? A retrospective analysis of outcome and prognostic factors
Authors: Dreier Esther , Malfertheiner Maximilian Valentin , Dienemann Thomas , Fisser Christoph , Foltan Maik , Geismann Florian , Graf Bernhard , Lunz Dirk , Maier Lars Siegfried , Müller Thomas , Offner Robert , Peterhoff David , Philipp Alois , Salzberger Bernd , Schmidt Barbara , Sinner Barbara , Lubnow Matthias
Published: February 2021

Background:

The role of venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV ECMO) in patients with COVID-19-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) still remains unclear. Our aim was to investigate the clinical course and outcome of those patients and to identify factors associated with the need for prolonged ECMO therapy.

Methods:

A retrospective single-center study on patients with VV ECMO for COVID-19-associated ARDS was performed. Baseline characteristics, ventilatory and ECMO parameters, and laboratory and virological results were evaluated over time. Six months follow-up was assessed.

Results:

Eleven of 16 patients (68.8%) survived to 6 months follow-up with four patients requiring short-term (<28 days) and seven requiring prolonged (⩾28 days) ECMO support. Lung compliance before ECMO was higher in the prolonged than in the short-term group (28.1 (28.8–32.1) ml/cmH2O vs 18.7 (17.7–25.0) ml/cmH2O, p = 0.030). Mechanical ventilation before ECMO was longer (19 (16–23) days vs 5 (5–9) days, p = 0.002) and SOFA score was higher (12.0 (10.5–17.0) vs 10.0 (9.0–10.0), p = 0.002) in non-survivors compared to survivors. Low viral load during the first days on ECMO tended to indicate worse outcomes. Seroconversion against SARS-CoV-2 occurred in all patients, but did not affect outcome.

Conclusions:

VV ECMO support for COVID-19-induced ARDS is justified if initiated early and at an experienced ECMO center. Prolonged ECMO therapy might be required in those patients. Although no relevant predictive factors for the duration of ECMO support were found, the decision to stop therapy should not be made dependent of the length of ECMO treatment.
Numerical modeling of blood flow in the internal jugular vein with the use of computational fluid mechanics software
Authors: Simka Marian , Latacz Paweł
Published: February 2021

Objectives

To determine the site and nature of altered hemodynamics in pathological internal jugular veins.

Method

With the use of computational fluid mechanics software we simulated blood flow in 3 D models of the internal jugular veins that exhibited different morphologies, including nozzle-like strictures in their upper parts and valves in the lower parts.

Results

In a majority of models with nozzle-like strictures, especially those positioned asymmetrically, abnormal flow pattern was revealed, with significant flow separation and regions with reversed flow. Abnormal valves had no significant impact on flow in a case of already altered flow evoked by stricture in upper part of the vein.

Conclusions

In our jugular model, cranially-located stenoses, which in clinical practice are primarily caused by external compression, cause more significant outflow impact respect to endoluminal defects and pathological valves located more caudally.
Understanding the global diffusion of B2B E-commerce (B2B EC): An integrated model
Authors: Alsaad Abdallah , Taamneh Abdallah , Sila Ismail , Elrehail Hamzah
Published: February 2021

Using institutional theory, this study offers an integrated framework that describes the diffusion of business-to-business e-commerce within a country. The model specifies the role of national institutional frameworks, international institutional pressures, and market complexity in business-to-business e-commerce diffusion. We test this model using archival, cross-sectional data from 146 countries for the period from 2013 to 2016. The study also compares the roles of these factors in business-to-business e-commerce diffusion across developed and developing countries. The results suggest that national institutional frameworks, international institutional pressures, and market complexity contribute positively to business-to-business e-commerce diffusion and that the influence of these variables varies according to the degree of a country’s development. Theoretical, research, and managerial implications of the study are also discussed.
Dexmedetomidine for hyperactive delirium at the end of life: An open-label single arm pilot study with dose escalation in adult patients admitted to an inpatient palliative care unit
Authors: Thomas Benjamin , Lo Wing-Shan Angela , Nangati Zivai , Barclay Greg
Published: February 2021

Background:

Terminal delirium, specifically the hyperactive delirium subtype at the end of life, is common in palliative care patients. Standard care often involves sedation to alleviate distress. The alpha2-adrenoreceptor agonist dexmedetomidine may have promise in terminal delirium, due to its properties of decreasing delirium and permitting rousable sedation.

Aim:

This study aimed to describe the effect of dexmedetomidine on delirium and sedation, when delivered via continuous subcutaneous infusion (CSCI) in patients with terminal delirium.

Design:

The trial was prospectively registered in the ANZCTR database (ACTRN12618000658213) and conducted in accordance with CONSORT (pilot study extension). Twenty-two adult patients were treated with a CSCI of dexmedetomidine with a two-tier dose schedule, low and high dose. Delirium severity was measured by the Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale (MDAS, target <13), and sedation by the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale, Palliative Version (RASS-PAL, target −1 to −3).

Results:

All patients had a response to dexmedetomidine as measured by decrease in MDAS after initiation; 59% required escalation to high dose to maintain control of delirium. All responses to high dose were sustained. RASS-PAL scores showed significant variability, however mean scores remained within target range on both doses, and the majority of patients were rousable. Fifty percent of patients treated crossed over to standard care; no patients who crossed over were experiencing moderate-severe delirium. Predominant reason for crossover was family request for deeper sedation.

Conclusion:

Dexmedetomidine shows potential for the management of terminal delirium with improved interactivity. Further research is needed to determine efficacy compared to current standard care.
‘Not bullet proof’: The complex choice not to seek a civil protection order for intimate partner violence
Authors: Messing Jill Theresa , Bagwell-Gray Meredith E , Ward-Lasher Allison , Durfee Alesha
Published: February 2021

Protection orders (POs) are one legal system resource available to survivors of intimate partner violence. Many survivors choose not to obtain a PO, yet prior research has not examined the perspectives of these survivors. This study examined the open-ended survey responses ( n = 308) regarding the choice not to obtain a PO by survivors residing in emergency shelters in the United States. Content analysis indicated that many survivors made deliberate decisions to not seek safety through this venue. Survivors indicated that a PO may increase their partner’s violence, identified substantial barriers, evaluated a PO as unnecessary, preferred alternative strategies, were dealing with complex partner dynamics, and chose to protect their loved ones by not seeking a PO. Women with marginalized identities, in particular, indicated that there are multiple costs to seeking interventions within the legal system. Structural changes are needed within the legal system to facilitate access to justice for survivors.
Selective effects of serotonin on choices to gather more information
Authors: Livermore James JA , Holmes Clare L , Cutler Jo , Levstek Maruša , Moga Gyorgy , Brittain James RC , Campbell-Meiklejohn Daniel
Published: February 2021

Background:

Gathering and evaluating information leads to better decisions, but often at cost. The balance between information seeking and exploitation features in neurodevelopmental, mood, psychotic and substance-related disorders. Serotonin’s role has been highlighted by experimental reduction of its precursor, tryptophan.

Aims:

We tested the boundaries and applicability of this role by asking whether changes to information sampling would be observed following acute doses of serotonergic and catecholaminergic clinical treatments. We used a variant of the Information Sampling Task (IST) to measure how much information a person requires before they make a decision. This task allows participants to sample information until satisfied to make a choice.

Methods:

In separate double-blind placebo-controlled experiments, we tested 27 healthy participants on/off 20 mg of the serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) citalopram, and 22 participants on/off 40 mg of the noradrenergic reuptake inhibitor atomoxetine. The IST variant minimised effects of temporal impulsivity and loss aversion. Analyses used a variety of participant prior expectations of sampling spaces in the IST, including a new prior that accounts for learning of likely states across trials. We analysed behaviour by a new method that also accounts for baseline individual differences of risk preference.

Results:

Baseline preferences demonstrated risk aversion. Citalopram decreased the expected utility of choices and probability of being correct based on informational content of samples collected, suggesting participants collected less useful information before making a choice. Atomoxetine did not influence information seeking.

Conclusion:

Acute changes of serotonin activity by way of a single SRI dose alter information-seeking behaviour.
Pursuing Justice-Driven Inclusive Education Research: Disability Critical Race Theory (DisCrit) in Early Childhood
Authors: Love Hailey R. , Beneke Margaret R.
Published: February 2021

Multiple scholars have argued that early childhood inclusive education research and practice has often retained racialized, ableist notions of normal development, which can undermine efforts to advance justice and contribute to biased educational processes and practices. Racism and ableism intersect through the positioning of young children of Color as “at risk,” the use of normalizing practices to “fix” disability, and the exclusion of multiply marginalized young children from educational spaces and opportunities. Justice-driven inclusive education research is necessary to challenge such assumptions and reduce exclusionary practices. Disability Critical Race Theory extends inclusive education research by facilitating examinations of the ways racism and ableism interdependently uphold notions of normalcy and centering the perspectives of multiply marginalized children and families. We discuss constructions of normalcy in early childhood, define justice-driven inclusive education research and its potential contributions, and discuss DisCrit’s affordances for justice-driven inclusive education research with and for multiply marginalized young children and families.
Optical coherence tomography of arteriolar diameter and capillary perfusion during spreading depolarizations
Authors: Anzabi Maryam , Li Baoqiang , Wang Hui , Kura Sreekanth , Sakadžić Sava , Boas David , Østergaard Leif , Ayata Cenk
Published: February 2021

Spreading depolarization (SD) is associated with profound oligemia and reduced oxygen availability in the mouse cortex during the depolarization phase. Coincident pial arteriolar constriction has been implicated as the primary mechanism for the oligemia. However, where in the vascular bed the hemodynamic response starts has been unclear. To resolve the origin of the hemodynamic response, we used optical coherence tomography (OCT) to simultaneously monitor changes in the vascular tree from capillary bed to pial arteries in mice during two consecutive SDs 15 minutes apart. We found that capillary flow dropped several seconds before pial arteriolar constriction. Moreover, penetrating arterioles constricted before pial arteries suggesting upstream propagation of constriction. Smaller caliber distal pial arteries constricted stronger than larger caliber proximal arterioles, suggesting that the farther the constriction propagates, the weaker it gets. Altogether, our data indicate that the hemodynamic response to cortical SD originates in the capillary bed.
Public Corruption and Pension Underfunding in the American States
Authors: Liu Cheol , Mikesell John , Moldogaziev Tima T.
Published: February 2021

Unfunded public pension obligations represent a great challenge for policy makers in the American states. We posit that a part of pension underfunding relates to the level of public corruption. Empirical findings in the article show that funding ratios in public pension funds are inversely related to the incidence levels of corruption in the state, with other fiscal, political, and institutional covariates held constant. We show that this can happen through higher pension benefits, lower actuarially required contributions (ARCs), lower percentage of actual ARC contributions, and poorer investment outcomes. Based on empirical estimates, we find that a reduction of corruption by one standard deviation around the mean would permit the states to save on pension benefits by 10.24% annually (or US$1,894.64 per recipient), increase required ARC by 4.40%, increase actual ARC contributions by 8.46%, and improve investment returns by 4.72%. Therefore, policies to reduce public-sector corruption, or to improve the insulation of pension funds in relatively more corrupt environments, can make a significant contribution toward tackling the public pension underfunding crisis in the American states.
The Administrative Presidency and Federal Service
Authors: Roberts Robert N.
Published: February 2021

Through the 20th and early 21st century, the United States has seen the growth of the administrative presidency. As political polarization has made it much more difficult for a presidential administration to push public policy initiatives through Congress, presidential administrations have become much more dependent on executive orders, policy statements, federal rulemaking, and nonenforcement policies to implement their agenda. Presidential administrations have also attempted to exert much greater control over the actions of federal employees with policymaking and policy implementation responsibilities. The article argues that the modern administrative presidency has become a serious threat to the nation’s democratic values and institutions. The article also argues that in the wrong hands, the administrative state may do great harm. Finally, the article argues that the discipline of public administration must end its love affair with the administrative presidency. The danger of misuse of the administrative state has just become too serious to permit presidential administrations to coerce career civil servants to put the ideological interests of a President over the public interest. To help control this serious problem, the article argues that the discipline of public administration should help to empower federal employees to serve as guardians of constitutional values by providing them the tools necessary to uncover and make known instances of abuse of power by presidential administrations intent upon ignoring the constitutional foundations of the administrative state.
Hardness of Motion Planning with Obstacle Uncertainty in Two Dimensions
Authors: Shimanuki Luke , Axelrod Brian
Published: February 2021

We consider the problem of motion planning in the presence of uncertain obstacles, modeled as polytopes with Gaussian-distributed faces (PGDFs). A number of practical algorithms exist for motion planning in the presence of known obstacles by constructing a graph in configuration space, then efficiently searching the graph to find a collision-free path. We show that such an exact algorithm is unlikely to be practical in the domain with uncertain obstacles. In particular, we show that safe 2D motion planning among PGDF obstacles is [Formula: see text]-hard with respect to the number of obstacles, and remains [Formula: see text]-hard after being restricted to a graph. Our reduction is based on a path encoding of MAXQHORNSAT and uses the risk of collision with an obstacle to encode variable assignments and literal satisfactions. This implies that, unlike in the known case, planning under uncertainty is hard, even when given a graph containing the solution. We further show by reduction from [Formula: see text]-SAT that both safe 3D motion planning among PGDF obstacles and the related minimum constraint removal problem remain [Formula: see text]-hard even when restricted to cases where each obstacle overlaps with at most a constant number of other obstacles.
Evaluating intracranial artery dissection by using three-dimensional simultaneous non-contrast angiography and intra-plaque hemorrhage high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging: a retrospective study
Authors: Tang Min , Gao Jinglong , Gao Jie , Yan Xuejiao , Zhang Xin , Li Longchao , Xia Zhe , Lei Xiaoyan , Zhang Xiaoling
Published: February 2021

Background

There was no previous report on the three-dimensional simultaneous non-contrast angiography and intra-plaque hemorrhage (3D-SNAP) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequence to diagnose intracranial artery dissection (IAD).

Purpose

To improve the diagnostic accuracy and guide the clinical treatment for IAD by elucidating its pathological features using 3D-SNAP MRI.

Material and Methods

From January 2015 to September 2018, 113 patients with suspected IAD were analyzed. They were divided into IAD and non-IAD groups according to the spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) criteria. All patients underwent 3D-SNAP, 3D-TOF, T2W imaging, 3D-PD, 3D-T1W-VISTA, and 3D-T1WCE) using 3.0-T MRI; clinical data were collected. The IAD imaging findings (intramural hematoma, double lumen, intimal flap, aneurysmal dilatation, stenosis, or occlusion) in every sequence were analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of each sequence.

Results

There was a significant difference in the probability of intramural hematoma, relative signal intensity of intramural hematoma, double lumen, stenosis, or occlusion signs on 3D-TOF, T2W, 3D-PD, 3D-T1W-VISTA, 3D-SNAP, and 3D-T1WCE sequences ( P<0.05). The 3D-SNAP and 3D-T1WCE sequences were most sensitive for diagnosing intramural hematoma and displaying double-lumen signs, respectively. The diagnostic efficiency of the 3D-SNAP sequence combined with 3D-T1WCE was the highest (area under the curve [AUC] 0.966). The AUC value of the 3D-SNAP sequence (AUC 0.897) was slightly inferior to that of 3D-T1W enhancement (AUC 0.903).

Conclusion

3D-SNAP MRI is a non-invasive and effective method and had the greatest potential among those methods tested for improving the diagnostic accuracy for IAD.
Pirarubicin-loaded CalliSpheres® drug-eluting beads for the treatment of patients with stage III–IV lung cancer
Authors: Bi Yonghua , Shi Xiaonan , Yi Mengfei , Han Xinwei , Ren Jianzhuang
Published: February 2021

Background

CalliSpheres® beads (CB) have been used recently for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the safety and effect of drug-eluting bead transarterial chemoembolization (DEB-TACE) in patients with stage III–IV lung cancer are still unknown.

Purpose

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of DEB-TACE with pirarubicin-loaded CB for the treatment of stage III–IV lung cancer.

Material and Methods

From July 2016 to April 2020, 29 patients with stage III–IV primary lung cancer underwent DEB-TACE with pirarubicin-loaded CB. The objective response rate (ORR) was the primary endpoint; the secondary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

Results

Twenty-nine patients received DEB-TACE with pirarubicin-loaded (median 60 mg) CB, with no severe adverse events or treatment-related deaths. After DEB-TACE, hemoptysis disappeared within 1–3 days in all patients, and the symptoms of cough or expectoration were significantly improved in 12 patients. ORR and disease control rate at one, three, and six months after DEB-TACE were 39.3% and 96.4%, 26.1% and 69.6%, and 29.4% and 58.8%, respectively. The median PFS was 6.3 months (range 1.1–30.1 months), and the three-, six-, and 12-month PFS rates were 70.2%, 50.1%, and 27.1%, respectively. The median OS was 10.2 months (range 1.1–44.6 months), and the three-, six, and 12-month OS rates were 87.9%, 68.6%, and 39.8%, respectively.

Conclusion

DEB-TACE with pirarubicin-loaded CB is safe, feasible, and well-tolerated for patients with stage III–IV lung cancer, and symptom control was a potential benefit of treatment.
Association between metabolic syndrome and calcium oxalate stone risk in Chinese individuals: a nomogram prediction model
Authors: Wu Baisuo , Xie Junhao , Guo Junyi , Wang Jinbo , Lang Hongjuan
Published: February 2021

Objective

This retrospective study explored the association between calcium oxalate (CaOx) stones and metabolic syndrome. It also developed and validated a nomogram to aid in the prediction of CaOx stones.

Methods

This case-control study enrolled 150 patients with CaOx stones and 635 individuals without urolithiasis from October 2016 to October 2018. Student’s t-test, the chi-squared test, and logistic univariate and multivariate regression analyses were used. A nomogram for prediction of CaOx stones was established based on independent associated factors. The concordance index and calibration curves were plotted to determine nomogram accuracy.

Results

Female sex, age ≥66 years, blood pressure (systolic pressure ≥130 mmHg and/or diastolic pressure ≥85 mmHg), and blood uric acid level independently influenced the risk of CaOx stones, according to multivariate logistic regression analysis; these factors were included in the nomogram. The concordance index was 0.701 (95% confidence interval: 0.658–0.737). The standard curve showed a robust fit with the calibrated predictive curve.

Conclusions

Female sex, age ≥66 years, elevated blood pressure, and blood uric acid level independently influenced the risk of CaOx stones. Our nomogram for the prediction of CaOx stones may provide a clinical basis for the assessment of CaOx stone and facilitate early prevention efforts.
Noninvasive radiomics-based method for evaluating idiopathic central precocious puberty in girls
Authors: Jiang Hongyang , Shu Zhenyu , Luo Xiaoming , Wu Meizhen , Wang Mei , Feng Qi , Chen Junfa , Lin Chunmiao , Ding Zhongxiang
Published: February 2021

Objective

Traditional approaches that involve measuring the height and volume of the pituitary by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are unreliable. We investigated the use of a more accurate method using texture analysis to evaluate idiopathic central precocious puberty (ICPP) by MRI.

Methods

In total, 352 texture features of the pituitary were extracted from 12 healthy girls and 18 girls with ICPP. A LASSO regression model and linear regression model were used to create the prediction model. Pearson’s correlation analysis and receiver operating characteristic curves were used to evaluate the predictive performance.

Results

The radiomics score had a significant linear relationship with the luteinizing hormone concentration and the luteinizing hormone/follicle-stimulating hormone ratio. The radiomics score showed better predictive performance than traditional pituitary measurements. The area under the curve of the radiomics score, pituitary height, and variable combinations was 0.759 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.583–0.936), 0.681 (95% CI, 0.483–0.878), and 0.829 (95% CI, 0.681–0.976), respectively.

Conclusion

Combination of the radiomics score with pituitary height measurements allows for better evaluation of the pituitary during diagnostic imaging, indicating satisfactory potential for efficacy assessments.
Visual Cortex Alterations in Early and Late Blind Subjects During Tactile Perception
Authors: Ankeeta A. , Senthil Kumaran S. , Saxena Rohit , Dwivedi Sada N. , Jagannathan Naranamangalam R.
Published: February 2021

Involvement of visual cortex varies during tactile perception tasks in early blind (EB) and late blind (LB) human subjects. This study explored differences in sensory motor networks associated with tactile task in EB and LB subjects and between children and adolescents. A total of 40 EB subjects, 40 LB subjects, and 30 sighted controls were recruited in two subgroups: children (6–12 years) and adolescents (13–19 years). Data were acquired using a 3T MR scanner. Analyses of blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD), functional connectivity (FC), correlation, and post hoc test for multiple comparisons were carried out. Difference in BOLD activity was observed in EB and LB groups in visual cortex during tactile perception, with increased FC of visual with dorsal attention and sensory motor networks in EB. EB adolescents exhibited increased connectivity with default mode and salience networks when compared with LB. Functional results correlated with duration of training, suggestive of better performance in EB. Alteration in sensory and visual networks in EB and LB correlated with duration of tactile training. Age of onset of blindness has an effect in cross-modal reorganization of visual cortex in EB and multimodal in LB in children and adolescents.
“I hate this part right here”: Embodied, subjective experiences of listening to aversive music
Authors: Peltola Henna-Riikka , Vuoskoski Jonna Katariina
Published: February 2021

Although the majority of previous research on music-induced responses has focused on pleasurable experiences and preferences, it is undeniable that music is capable of eliciting strong dislike and aversion as well. To date, only limited research has been carried out to understand the subjective experience of listening to aversive music. This qualitative study explored people’s negative experiences associated with music listening, with the aim to understand what kinds of emotions, affective states, and physical responses are associated with listening to aversive music. One hundred and two participants provided free descriptions of (1) musical features of aversive music; (2) subjective physical sensations, thoughts and mental imagery evoked by aversive music; (3) typical contexts where aversive music is heard; and (4) the similarities and/or differences between music-related aversive experiences and experiences of dislike in other contexts. We found that responses to aversive music are characterized by embodied experiences, perceived loss of agency, and violation of musical identity, as well as social or moral attitudes and values. Furthermore, two “experiencer types” were identified: One reflecting a strong negative attitude toward unpleasant music, and the other reflecting a more neutral attitude. Finally, we discuss the theoretical implications of our findings in the broader context of music and emotion research.
The effect of varying encoding conditions on jazz, instrumental, and choral musicians’ memorization accuracy: Implications for music literacy
Authors: Lohmeyer Aaron
Published: February 2021

The primary purposes of this study were (1) to determine the effect of three encoding conditions (singing, playing, studying silently) on participants’ music memorization accuracy; (2) to examine potential differences between choral, jazz, and concert band musicians’ accuracy in completing the music memorization task; and (3) to determine whether ensemble affiliation yielded any performance advantages among the three presentation conditions. Three folk melodies were selected for memorization under the three encoding conditions. Participants ( N = 81) had 75 s to commit each melody to memory while studying silently, singing, or playing on a keyboard. Participants then notated the three melodies using conventional staff notation. A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures on one factor revealed significant differences based on participants’ ensemble affiliation. A Tukey’s honest significant difference (HSD) post hoc test revealed the jazz group had higher accuracy scores than the band group. No significant differences were found based on encoding conditions, and no significant interactions were found between the encoding conditions and ensemble groups. The experiment is framed by questions related to memory, reading, and differing notions of literacy.
The secondary circuit of capital and the making of the suburban property boom in postcrisis Chinese cities
Authors: Zhang Mengzhu , Qiao Si , Yan Xiang
Published: February 2021

Drawing on Harvey’s capital switching thesis, this study develops a heterodox approach from a crucial perspective to China’s post-2016 nationwide property boom. We trace the roots of this suburban property boom to the 2008 global financial crisis and investigate its nature as a solution to China’s post-2008 overaccumulation crisis. By scrutinising the serial policies formed at the central level, we unpack the continuous endeavours of the state in channelling excessive capital into city building and sustaining capital circulation in and out of land. Next, using Jiangyou as a case study and adopting Harvey’s theorisation of making the suburban property boom a state-mediated sociopolitical process to enable the realisation of surplus value in the secondary circuit of capital, we reveal why and how the local state collaborated with the central state, financial institutions and developers to create the suburban property boom. This study presents the actually existing secondary circuit of capital that occurred outside the Western context and in contemporary postcrisis capitalism and develops a state-centric approach to the secondary circuit of capital by bridging regulationist state theory and capital switch theory.
Assessing urbanization’s contribution to warming in mainland China using satellite-estimated air temperature data
Authors: Yao Rui , Wang Lunche , Huang Xin , Wu Xiaojun , Yang Liu , Niu Zigeng
Published: February 2021

The global surface air temperature (Ta) has increased significantly in the past several decades. However, it remains disputable how much effect rapid urbanization has had on warming trends in mainland China. In this study, a gridded Ta dataset was created using satellite data. Then, a series of satellite-based methods to evaluate the contribution of urbanization to warming were developed. Subsequently, the contribution of urbanization to warming during 2001–2018 was estimated. The national average Ta was found to have increased significantly (0.23°C/decade) in mainland China. At the national scale, the contribution of urbanization to warming was negligible (less than 1%) since built-up areas account for only approximately 2.66% of the area of China. At the regional scale, the contribution of urbanization was also small in most areas and was even negative in some areas. At the local scale, the contributions of urbanization to warming were 53.18%, 54.30% and 47.25% for the mean, maximum and minimum Ta, respectively, averaged for 31 major cities. This study demonstrated that the contribution of urbanization to warming was significant at the local scale, while the contribution of urbanization to large-scale warming was limited. The contribution of urbanization was underestimated at the local scale but overestimated at the national and regional scales by many previous studies due to the sparse and uneven distribution of meteorological stations.
More accurate less meaningful? A critical physical geographer’s reflection on interpreting remote sensing land-use analyses
Authors: Braun Andreas Christian
Published: February 2021

Land-use and land-cover analyses based on satellite image classification are used in most, if not all, sub-disciplines of physical geography. Data availability and increasingly simple image classification techniques – nowadays, even implemented in simple geographic information systems – increase the use of such analyses. To assess the quality of such land-use analyses, accuracy metrics are applied. The results are considered to have sufficient quality, exceeding thresholds published in the literature. A typical practice in many studies is to confuse accuracy in remote sensing with quality, as required by physical geography. However, notions such as quality are subject to normative considerations and performative practices, which differ between scientific domains. Recent calls for critical physical geography have stressed that scientific results cannot be understood separately from the values and practices underlying them. This article critically discusses the specific understanding of quality in remote sensing, outlining norms and practices shaping it and their relation to physical geography. It points out that, as a seeming paradox, results considered more accurate in remote sensing terms can be less informative – or meaningful – in geographical terms. Finally, a roadmap of how to apply remote sensing land-use analyses more constructively in physical geography is proposed.
Indigenous librarianship: Theory, practices, and means of social action
Authors: Gosart Ulia
Published: February 2021

This study maps the domain of indigenous librarianship. It conceives this field as constituted by theoretical, applied, and advocacy components. Indigeneity is theorized as an instrument that advances principles of indigenous rights in professional fields such as librarianship.

The study offers the prospect of a revision of the traditional theory of librarianship by applying to this theory a notion of “living knowledge,” which is prominent in indigenous scholarship. It overviews culturally sensitive practices of knowledge organization and management that constitute an applied component of indigenous librarianship.
State-of-the-Practice Review on the Use of Flocculants for Construction Stormwater Management in the United States
Authors: Kazaz Billur , Perez Michael A. , Donald Wesley N.
Published: February 2021

Construction stormwater practices have a vital role in protecting downstream water bodies from runoff that is typically characterized with large amounts of sediment and suspended solids. Most sediment control practices lack the capability to capture fine-sized soil particles that are responsible for causing elevated turbidity. Flocculation is a form of chemical treatment that uses flocculant particles as a binding bridge to form larger particles to enhance the gravitational settling process. The use of flocculants provides promising results for removing fine particles and treating construction stormwater. This study provides a comprehensive review of flocculants and their applications in construction stormwater treatment in the U.S. The study presents a literature review and results of a state-of-the-practice survey distributed to state departments of transportation. Results from 37 participating state agencies and data from specifications and design manuals for non-participating agencies were compiled to develop a comprehensive understanding of current uses and perceptions. Results indicated that 39% of state agencies currently use flocculants on construction sites. Within that, 54% of the state agencies rely on manufacturer guidance for dosage and application rates and only 23% require monitoring residual flocculant in downstream receiving waters. The potential risk of polluting downstream water bodies because of overdosage of flocculants related to inadequate application rates and techniques is the main concern of the state departments of transportation on flocculant usage. Understanding the perspective of the state agencies on flocculants will provide an insight into future research agendas for extending the use of flocculants in construction stormwater management.