bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A novel extra-catheter guide wire technique for in situ exchange of dysfunctional tunnelled central venous hemodialysis catheter
Authors: Zhang Jianbin , Nie Qiangqiang , Xu Xiaojie , He Bin , Wang Xuming , Wang Feng , Liu Peng , Fan Xueqiang , Ye Zhidong
Published: May 2022

Background:

Tunneled central venous catheters (tCVC) exchange may be difficult in some situations. We retrospectively report our preliminary experience of a novel extra-catheter guide wire technique for exchange of dysfunctional tCVC.

Materials and methods:

Retrospectively analyze the demographics, treatment details and outcomes data of 39 patients received tCVC exchange from January 2018 to January 2019. According to whether guide wire could pass through the catheter lumen, patients were divided into in-catheter group and extra-catheter group. The technical successful rate, peri-operative complications, 1-month and 6-month catheter flow rate was recorded and compared between the 2 groups.

Results:

The final study population consists of 39 patients, including 16 in-catheter group and 23 extra-catheter group. The technical successful rate was 100% in both groups. All patients achieved restoration of line patency and completed at least 1 hemodialysis section. The 1-month (267.69 ± 20.12 vs. 274.13 ± 17.69, p = 0.604) and 6-month (255.81 ± 12.93 vs. 256.97 ± 11.20, p = 0.403) catheter flow rate was comparable between the 2 groups.

Conclusion:

The novel extra-catheter guide wire technique was helpful for in situ exchange of dysfunctional tunneled central venous hemodialysis catheters, especially when the guide wire could not pass through the catheter lumen.
Reliability and compliance of peripheral intravenous catheter documentation: A prospective observational study
Authors: Bahl Amit , Mielke Nicholas , Johnson Steven
Published: May 2022

Objective:

Proper documentation of the functionality and complications of peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVC) is the standard of care. This data can improve communication among team members about access concerns and highlight opportunities to improve PIVC care. Our objective is to determine if nursing personnel are compliant with institutional standards for documentation and documentation is reliable.

Methods:

This prospective observational analysis was conducted at a tertiary care academic center with 120,000 ED visits and 1100 hospital beds. Adults over 18 with a PIVC placed in the ED via palpation technique who were being admitted to regular medical/surgical wards were eligible. The primary outcome was compliance with PIVC documentation per institutional standards. Secondary outcomes included compliance subcategorized as insertion, daily assessment, and removal and reliability of assessments.

Results:

During July and August 2020, 77 patients were enrolled with a total of 1201 observations of PIVC compliance. PIVC documentation compliance was 86.0% (1033/1201). Compliance on insertion and removal was 93.3% (431/462) and 80.5% (186/231), respectively, with removal assessment being the least compliant at 49.4%. Daily catheter assessments were compliant 81.9% (416/508) of the time. PIVC documentation reliability was based on 693 total observations with 87.9% (609/693) reliability overall, and a reliability of 91.6% (423/462) and 74.9% (173/231) for insertion and removal, respectively. PIVC orientation had the highest reliability (98.7%) while post-removal assessment had the lowest reliability (45.5%).

Conclusions:

We observed moderate documentation compliance and reliability for PIVC assessments for catheters placed in the ED. Documentation of removal-related variables was the most deficient aspect of the assessments. Given the high rate of PIVC failure and its vast array of consequences, improvement of PIVC documentation of removal reasons is essential to better identify type and incidence of complications and help develop targeted solutions. Further larger studies are needed to survey PIVC documentation practices.
Land Use/Cover Changes and Surface Temperature Dynamics Over Abaminus Watershed, Northwest Ethiopia
Authors: Debie Ermias , Anteneh Mesfin , Asmare Tadele
Published: May 2022

The study investigates the impact of land use/cover changes on the dynamics of surface temperature in the Abaminus watershed, Northwest Ethiopia. Landsat-5 images of 1987, 1999, and 2010, and the Landsat-8 image of 2018 were used as the sources of data. The land use/cover changes were calculated using a land-use transition matrix. Data generated from household surveys were presented using percentage values to identify the driving forces of land use/cover changes. The land surface temperature (LST) result was quantified using the respective index equation. Results indicated that wetland, forest, shrublands, and grasslands declined by 96.6%, 72%, 77.7%, and 89.4% respectively over the analysis period. The encroachment of cultivation and overgrazing to marginal lands, weak institutional arrangement, sedimentation, high drainage of wetlands for crop production, and recurrent drought were the major driving forces behind the land use/cover change. Within this effect, the average land surface temperature was increased by 11.5°C, 3.22°C, and 2.02°C due to wetland loss, clearing of the forest, and decline of shrublands respectively for the last 31 years. LSTs had correspondingly decreased by 5.42°C and 3.77°C on the afforested barren surfaces and planted shrublands. Hence, there should be an improved institutional arrangement for managing open access resources through the participation of local people in the management for minimizing the increase of land surface temperature in the study watershed. Moreover, enclosure management and plantation of multipurpose species on degraded communal lands shall be scaled-up to significantly reduce land surface temperatures.
Is the effect of drugs in progressive MS only due to an effect on inflammation? A subgroup meta-analysis of randomised trials
Authors: Capanna Mirko , Signori Alessio , Sormani Maria Pia
Published: May 2022

Background:

It is unclear whether drugs approved for the treatment of progressive multiple sclerosis (PMS) are effective in disability progression only because of their effect on the inflammatory component of the disease.

Objective:

This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate whether the benefits of PMS treatments are mediated by its effect on the active component of the disease.

Methods:

We conducted a systematic search to identify randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials evaluating the efficacy of disease-modifying therapies on disability progression for primary or secondary PMS. The primary endpoint of the analysis was disability progression based on the expanded disability status scale. A subgroup meta-analysis evaluated the effects of treatment according to disease activity at baseline.

Results:

Twelve trials (a total of 8659 PMS cases) were selected. Analysis of the included trials demonstrated that treatment benefit appears to be mainly confined to the group with active disease (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.67; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.58–0.79) as compared to the group with inactive disease (HR = 0.90; 95% CI: 0.79–1.02, interaction test: p = 0.005).

Conclusions:

This study showed that the benefit of treating patients with PMS was mostly confined to those with the more active disease. Drugs targeting specific pathological processes leading to disability progression remain necessary.
Who still likes social democracy? The support base of social democratic parties reconsidered
Authors: Bremer Björn , Rennwald Line
Published: May 2022

Social democratic parties have experienced a profound electoral crisis in recent years. We study who still supports the centre-left by analysing two different ties to social democracy: vote choice and party identification. We develop a simple typology, which categorises voters into ‘core supporters’, ‘distant supporters’, ‘demobilised supporters’ and ‘non-supporters’. While demobilised supporters still identify with social democratic parties but do not vote for them, distant supporters vote for social democratic parties but do not identify with them. Based on data from the European Social Survey, we then show that working-class voters are more likely to be demobilised supporters than middle-class voters, whereas distant voters are a heterogeneous group. Union membership as well as more pro-redistribution and pro-immigration attitudes are positively correlated with being a core supporter. This helps us to re-evaluate the support base of social democratic parties and contribute to a better understanding of their current electoral crisis.
Electoral volatility and political polarization in developing democracies: Evidence from Latin America, 1993–2016
Authors: Moraes Juan A , Béjar Sergio
Published: May 2022

What explains political polarization across developing democracies? In contrast to extant studies, this article develops a novel argument that links electoral (in)stability at the party system level with varying levels of polarization. Specifically, we claim that increasing levels of electoral volatility generate high levels of uncertainty among partisan elites, which respond by setting clear policy positions that are frequently far away from the center in the ideological spectrum. As such, higher levels of volatility engender higher levels of polarization. Further, because the majority of party system change in developing democracies comes mainly from the emergence of new parties, we decompose the effects of stable party system volatility (for established parties) and replacement party system volatility (for newly competing parties) and hypothesize that higher levels of replacement volatility—as opposed to stable volatility—generate higher levels of polarization. Our main theoretical claims find strong qualitative and quantitative support.
Why is progressive policy reform in Kosovo uncertain, despite the accelerated power shift to the left?
Authors: Mustafa Artan , Berisha Butrint
Published: May 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the arrival in power, for the first time, of a left-wing majority in Kosovo. Nowhere in the Western Balkans and Europe was the impact of the pandemic on politics so salient and extensive. The power shift created an unlikely opportunity for progressive social policy change. However, as shown by policy responses during the first year of the pandemic, substantial policy change is still uncertain. Although political parties have begun to matter more in policy choices, expansive change is constrained by the broader unfavourable conjuncture involving, among others, the existing neo-liberal welfare regime, its feedback on policy learning, mobile right-wing actors with influence in state institutions and global organisations such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and European Union – all of which may rather favour the status quo.
Escape from air pollution: How does air quality in the place of residence shape tourism consumption?
Authors: Wang Luojia , Du Kerui , Fang Bin , Law Rob
Published: May 2022

Air quality has been demonstrated to be an important determinant influencing tourist decision making. In this paper, we investigate the effect of air quality in the place of origin on a resident’s tourism consumption and the moderating effect of household income on this relationship. We develop a conceptual framework to rationalize the effect and empirically examine it at the household level using China Labor-force Dynamics Survey data from 2016. The results show that poor ambient air quality increases tourism consumption. Furthermore, this relationship becomes stronger for the higher-income group: One standard deviation increase in the Air Quality Index would increase tourism expenditure as much as a 22.56% increase in family income. The methods of instrumental variable and functional-coefficient regression were employed for robustness analysis. These findings contribute to the literature by providing a new perspective for tourism demand studies and direct implications for tourism management and policy making.
Having skin in the game: How players purchase representation in games
Authors: Reza Alia , Chu Sabrina , Nedd Adanna , Gardner Daniel
Published: May 2022

Microtransactions are a relatively new feature of video game software involving the purchase of in-game items, often using real money. Players may use these transactions to purchase in-game advantages, or cosmetic features such as ‘skins’, which change the way a player’s avatar looks without influencing gameplay mechanics. Skins may be an opportunity for developers to offer – and players to purchase – alternative demographic appearances. In this article we examine some of the potential costs associated with skins beyond their price tag, especially those felt by players of color, given a normative – free – white default. While previous research has looked at player identity, representation in gaming media and players’ purchasing practices individually, few scholars have looked at the intersection between all three. We analyze this intersection within the practices of selling and purchasing skins in games. We distributed a survey through social media and to gaming communities online and analyzed 158 responses. We identify quantitative differences in responses of participants of color and White participants, such as participants of color spending more on average than white participants on skins in the games they play. We discuss qualitative themes we describe as quasi-acceptance and privileged allyship, that build on previous literature about how players of color interact with – and may feel resigned about – representation in games.
Smartphone assessment uncovers real-time relationships between depressed mood and daily functional behaviors after stroke
Authors: Bui Quoc , Kaufman Katherine J , Munsell Elizabeth GS , Lenze Eric J , Lee Jin-Moo , Mohr David C , Fong Mandy WM , Metts Christopher L , Tomazin Stephanie E , Pham Vy , Wong Alex WK
Published: May 2022

Introduction

The impact of depressed mood in daily life is difficult to investigate using traditional retrospective assessments, given daily or even within-day mood fluctuations in various contexts. This study aimed to use a smartphone-based ambulatory assessment to examine real-time relationships between depressed mood and functional behaviors among individuals with stroke.

Methods

A total of 202 participants with mild-to-moderate stroke (90% ischemic, 45% female, 44% Black) completed an ecological momentary assessment five times per day for 2 weeks by reporting their depressed mood and functional behaviors regarding where, with whom, and what activity was spent.

Results

Participants spent 28% of their wake-up time participating in passive leisure activities but spent the least time in physical (4%) and vocational (9%) activities. Depressed mood was concurrently lower when participants engaged in social activities (β = −0.023 ± 0.011) and instrumental activities of daily living (β = −0.061 ± 0.013); spent time with family members (β = −0.061 ± 0.014), spouses (β = −0.043, ± 0.016), friends (β = −0.094, ± 0.021), and coworkers (β = −0.050 ± 0.021); and were located in restaurants (β = −0.068 ± 0.029), and homes of family members (β = −0.039 ± 0.020) or friends (β = −0.069 ± 0.031). Greater depressed mood was associated with worse ratings in satisfaction, performance, and engagement of activities in concurrent (βs = −0.036 ± 0.003, −0.053 ± 0.003, −0.044 ± 0.003) and time-lagged models (βs = −0.011 ± 0.004, −0.012 ± 0.004, −0.013 ± 0.004).

Discussion

Smartphone-based ambulatory assessment can elucidate functional behaviors and associated mood after stroke. Findings support behavioral activation treatments to schedule social and instrumental activities for stroke survivors to reduce their depressed mood.
Pilot trial of a self-compassion intervention to address adolescents’ social media-related body image concerns
Authors: Mahon Ciara , Hevey David
Published: May 2022

Introduction: Self-compassion interventions reduce body dissatisfaction in adults but have not been extensively investigated in adolescents. A novel 5-week Digital Social Media Adolescent Resilience Training intervention grounded in Gilbert’s (2010) Compassionate Mind Training was adapted to address adolescent’s social media-related body image concerns. Method: A convenience sample of 102 adolescents, 54 girls (53%), 48 boys (47%), aged 15–17 years ( M=15.6, SD=0.46) were recruited from four mixed gender Irish Secondary Schools. Due to data loss because of Covid-19, analyses were conducted on data from 80 participants (24 boys, 56 girls). A mixed methods quasi-experimental design was used. Primary outcomes of self-compassion, self-criticism, social media comparisons and body image perceptions were quantitatively assessed at pre, post-intervention and 3-month follow up, while post-intervention focus groups qualitatively documented adolescents’ responses to the programme. Results: Qualitative data indicated that the programme was feasible and acceptable. Analyses revealed significant increases in body appreciation and body satisfaction in the experimental group from pre- to post-intervention. Girls exhibited significant increases in body appreciation and reductions in self-criticism, while boys exhibited increases in body satisfaction. Improvements in body satisfaction were observed at 3-month follow up. Conclusions: Findings indicate that self-compassion has potential to improve adolescent’s body image perceptions, but further research is warranted.
Introduction – Here versus There: Beyond comparison in queer and sexuality politics
Authors: Lalor Kay , Browne Kath
Published: May 2022

This special issue explores the simplification of common narratives that have developed in the wake of changing sexual and gender politics in the early part of the 21st Century into binarised narratives of a ‘here’ where sexual politics are ‘sorted’ and a ‘there’ which must ‘catch up’. In this introduction, we reflect on the challenges of attending to the historical, material, political and legal forces that give ‘here’ and ‘there’ geopolitical, discursive and geographic coherence, and discuss how the papers in the special issue explore, challenge and contest the dynamics that underpin the construction of ‘Here versus There’.
Exclusion of evidence in times of mass surveillance. In search of a principled approach to exclusion of illegally obtained evidence in criminal cases in the European Union
Authors: Panzavolta Michele , Maes Elise
Published: May 2022

The article discusses the rationales for excluding illegally obtained evidence in criminal cases starting from two recent judgments of the European Court of Justice on mass data collection. The two decisions concern the exclusion of evidence obtained as a result of the retention of metadata in breach of EU law. According to the ECJ, exclusion may be justified by on the basis of the principle of effectiveness and the consequent need to protect the suspects’ rights (protective principle). Based on its analysis of these recent cases, the article demonstrates how important the choice of a rationale for excluding evidence is. It discusses the different exclusionary principles that could be adopted and illustrates their practical implications. Finally, the article advances a proposal of a cascade system of principles for exclusion of evidence in the context of criminal proceedings in Europe.
Some observations on energy demand spectra for single-degree-of-freedom systems equipped with fluid viscous dampers
Authors: Zhou Ying , Song Ge , Sebaq Mohammed Samier
Published: May 2022

The ability of structural elements to absorb input energy through inelastic deformation and supplemental damping is a primary factor in determining structural damage during earthquake excitation. This study proposes an energy methodology for the seismic evaluation of single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) systems, considering the effect of fluid viscous dampers (FVDs). The FVD is characterized by supplemental damping ratio, [Formula: see text], and velocity power [Formula: see text]. A computer algorithm is developed for the numerical simulation of SDOF systems using nonlinear time history analysis, which is verified through a number of validation examples. This study focuses on issues related to input and hysteretic energies [Formula: see text] with particular emphasis on near-field records and their interrelationship with seismic response demand, which is defined as non-dimensional indices for SDOF systems without FVD and those equipped with FVD. The energy indices ([Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]) are the ratios of input and hysteretic energies to maximum displacement demand, respectively. The results show that the natural period [Formula: see text], ductility level [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] have a significant effect in the determination of energy spectra [Formula: see text]. The non-dimensional [Formula: see text] is a more stable and reliable indicator than [Formula: see text] to quantify the damage potential of ground motion. Finally, the observations of the energy approach provided in this study indicate that it can be used as a useful tool for developing energy-based guidelines for structures incorporating FVDs.
‘Hey lovely! Don’t miss this opportunity!’ Digital temporalities of wellness culture, email marketing, and the promise of abundance
Authors: Hendry Natalie Ann
Published: May 2022

For the wellness industry, email communication, albeit mundane, remains an essential practice even as wellness entrepreneurs embrace newer digital technologies. Drawing on ongoing insights from a larger Australian digital ethnographic project, I explore how these ‘wellness emails’ – electronic mail communication (outside of social media) that typically circulate wellness-related content through automated email list subscriptions – promise an always-ready, abundant space for transforming bodies and optimising health. These emails teach alternative bodily temporalities, distinct from the inhospitable biomedical time of mainstream healthcare, yet also employ time-critical marketing tactics and stories to drive attention, where recipients are encouraged both to not miss out on opportunities but also to respect their own ‘divine timing’. Such temporal flexibility of wellness culture, and its promise of abundance, contributes to its global expansion, where email offers personal and marketised engagement and, critically, a potential escape from social media censorship and public health scrutiny.
Changes in alcohol purchases from grocery stores after authorising the sale of stronger beverages: The case of the Finnish alcohol legislation reform in 2018
Authors: Uusitalo Liisa , Nevalainen Jaakko , Rahkonen Ossi , Erkkola Maijaliisa , Saarijärvi Hannu , Fogelholm Mikael , Lintonen Tomi
Published: May 2022

Aims: The Finnish alcohol law was reformed in January 2018. The availability of alcoholic beverages in grocery stores increased as the legal limit for retail sales of alcoholic drinks was raised from 4.7% to 5.5% alcohol, and the requirement of production by fermentation was abolished. We analysed how the inclusion of strong beers, ciders, and ready-to-drink beverages in grocery stores was reflected in alcohol purchases, and how these changes differed by age, sex, level of education and household income. Design: The study sample included 47,066 loyalty card holders from the largest food retailer in Finland. The data consisted of longitudinal, individual-level information on alcohol purchases from grocery stores, covering the time period between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2018. The volumes of absolute alcohol during a calendar year from beers, ciders, ready-to-drink beverages, and in total, were calculated. Alcohol purchases in 2017 and 2018 were compared. Results: There was no overall change in the total alcohol (0.04 [95% CI −0.03, 0.11] litres/year) or beer purchases (−0.05 [95% CI −0.11, 0.02] litres/year). Purchases of ready-to-drink beverages increased by 0.10 [95% CI 0.09, 0.11] litres/year (+ 84%). Total alcohol purchases increased in the three highest income groups, whereas they decreased in the two lowest groups ( p for the interaction < 0.0001). Conclusions: The increased purchases of alcohol as ready-to-drink beverages were, on the average, compensated for by a decrease in purchases of other alcoholic beverages. Higher prices probably limited the purchases among lower income groups and younger consumers, while the increase was sharper in higher income groups.
Identifying homogeneous healthcare use profiles and treatment sequences by combining sequence pattern mining with care trajectory clustering in kidney cancer patients on oral anticancer drugs: A case study
Authors: Baudrier Cyril , Tran Yohann , Delanoy Nicolas , Katsahian Sandrine , Sabatier Brigitte , Perrin Germain
Published: May 2022

Objective

We evaluated the ability of a coupled pattern-mining and clustering method to identify homogeneous groups of subjects in terms of healthcare resource use, prognosis and treatment sequences, in renal cancer patients beginning oral anticancer treatment.

Methods

Data were retrieved from the permanent sample of the French medico-administrative database. We applied the CP-SPAM algorithm for pattern mining to healthcare use sequences, followed by hierarchical clustering on principal components (HCPC).

Results and conclusion

We identified 127 individuals with renal cancer with a first reimbursement of an oral anticancer drug between 2010 and 2017. Clustering identified three groups of subjects, and discrimination between these groups was good. These clusters differed significantly in terms of mortality at six and 12 months, and medical follow-up profile (predominantly outpatient or inpatient care, biological monitoring, reimbursement of supportive care drugs). This case study highlights the potential utility of applying sequence-mining algorithms to a large range of healthcare reimbursement data, to identify groups of subjects homogeneous in terms of their care pathways and medical behaviors.
Can artificial intelligence improve cancer treatments?
Authors: Derbal Youcef
Published: May 2022

Artificial intelligence (AI) powered by the accumulating clinical and molecular data about cancer has fueled the expectation that a transformation in cancer treatments towards significant improvement of patient outcomes is at hand. However, such transformation has been so far elusive. The opacity of AI algorithms and the lack of quality annotated data being available at population scale are among the challenges to the application of AI in oncology. Fundamentally however, the heterogeneity of cancer and its evolutionary dynamics make every tumor response to therapy sufficiently different from the population, machine-learned statistical models, challenging hence the capacity of these models to yield reliable inferences about treatment recommendations that can improve patient outcomes. This article reviews the nominal elements of clinical decision-making for precision oncology and frames the utility of AI to cancer treatment improvements in light of cancer unique challenges.
‘COVID Casablanca’: A case of Dubai’s British social media influencers and postdigital intermedia geographies
Authors: Hurley Zoe
Published: May 2022

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, British social media influencers posted pictures and stories from Dubai. As a result, the emirate faced an intense backlash from the British media. This study considers the British media’s motivations for constituting Dubai as Orientalist ‘other’ while uncovering earlier imagined geographies of the Orient. The study develops the novel concept of ‘intermedia geographies’ to trace intertextual links, tales, texts, content, audiences and discourses, as dynamic constellations of the postdigital condition. Unique methods of postdigital critical discourse analysis are developed to map a corpus of 20 British magazine, tabloid and broadsheet newspaper articles, which are the jumping-off point to intertextual references to television, film and earlier Oriental narratives. Theorizing levels up from description to nuanced analysis to illustrate that the themes of content, stance and social actors’ positioning within the corpus are indicative of Britain’s siloed mainstream audiences and postdigital reinforcements of colonial discourse.
Evaluation of cracking resistance of warm mix asphalt incorporating high reclaimed asphalt pavement content
Authors: Dao Dong Van , Nguyen Ngoc-Lan , Nguyen May Huu , Ly Hai-Bang , Truong Van Quyet
Published: May 2022

Incorporating high Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) content in manufacturing Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) is more commonly used thanks to its economic efficiency and environmental effectiveness. However, when high RAP content is incorporated, the mixture's cracking tolerance needs to be controlled to achieve the durability of asphalt pavement. The present experimental work investigates the cracking tolerance of asphalt mixtures through a Flexibility Index (FI) and a Cracking Tolerance Index (CTIndex). For this purpose, warm-mix asphalt mixtures using Sasobit and Zycotherm additives are produced with RAP content at 30%, 40%, and 50%, respectively. The obtained results are also compared with Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) with RAP content at 0% and 30%. The results show that, compared with HMA using 30% RAP, WMA using Sasobit has lower FI (12.1%), and WMA using Zycotherm exhibits higher FI (58.64%). Similarly, WMA using Sasobit has a lower CTIndex (12.8%), and using Zycotherm has a higher CTIndex (105.6%), compared with HMA using the same RAP content. Moreover, the results also show that the FI and CTIndex of WMA using Zycotherm are higher than Sasobit with similar RAP content. These values decrease with increasing RAP content. Lastly, the RAP content that ensures cracking tolerance could reach 40% in WMA mixtures using Zycotherm.
Thermal and vibrational analysis of flax fiber composite and effect of the addition of expandable graphite
Authors: Singh Parul , Bala YG
Published: May 2022

Natural fiber composites are widely employed in various applications. Natural fiber offers outstanding mechanical qualities and a low weight-to-strength ratio compared to synthetic fiber. These materials cannot meet the job requirements in the automation, marine, and aircraft industries due to their extreme flammability. Various fire retardants can be employed to overcome this constraint. This research is focused on the qualities of flax fiber and how they alter when different quantities of expandable graphite are added. The thermal characteristics of the composite change after the inclusion of expandable graphite particles. The use of expandable graphite particles, which can resist greater temperatures, improves the thermal properties of composite materials. The thermal characteristics of flax fiber composite and expandable graphite flax fiber composites are compared; the expandable graphite flax fiber composite has more excellent thermal stability and flame resistance. Vibration testing was used to determine the dynamic properties of the sample. The logarithmic decrement technique derives damping parameters from the vibration response envelope curve. When compared to flax fiber composite, expandable graphite has better damping qualities. As a result, it can be concluded that adding expandable graphite particles to a composite material has a variety of effects on the composite's properties.
Exploring “ideological correction” in digital news updates of Portland protests & police violence
Authors: Forde Sydney L , Gutsche Robert E , Pinto Juliet
Published: May 2022

This paper critically examines 48 digital news updates to six New York Times online articles collected through 181 captures via the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine (WBM), a web scraping tool, pertaining to federal military and local police responses to Portland protests published in headlines, sources, quotes, hyperlinks, the order of information presented, and articles’ main thrusts of meaning. Through this analysis, we call for the notion of “ideological correction” to represent an additional element of the liquidity of journalism in this case — shifts in news explanations of single articles that altered the articles’ focus on and characterizations of law enforcement and protesters — sometimes even under the same, original headline and article URL.
How fact-checkers delimit their scope of practices and use sources: Comparing professional and partisan practitioners
Authors: Tsang Nathan L.T. , Feng Mengzhe , Lee Francis L.F.
Published: May 2022

Fact-checkers, as their names suggest, are supposedly agents who check the validity of “facts.” But in reality, how do fact-checkers delimit the scope of their practices? What sources do they use to establish the truth and falsity of the examined materials? Do the practices of different types of fact-checkers vary in these aspects? This study examines how professional and partisan fact-checkers deal with facticity during a protest movement in Hong Kong. The content analysis shows that partisan fact-checkers, when compared to professional fact-checkers, are less likely to restrict themselves to debunking factual claims, and they are more likely to provide no source information for the materials used. Posts addressing “misleading claims,” as opposed to factual claims, are where partisan inclinations are more clearly exhibited. Moreover, partisan fact-checkers used government information in ways consistent with their political predilection. Implications of the findings on our understanding of the fact-checking enterprise are discussed.
Measuring actual discretion of the European Commission: Using the discretion index to guide empirical research
Authors: Gastinger Markus , Heldt Eugénia C
Published: May 2022

One key question in the study of the European Union has always been the extent of Commission discretion. We take the discretion index, typically used by principal–agent scholars to measure the Commission's designed discretion, to measure its actual discretion. Commission designed discretion can today be computationally generated with sufficient accuracy across all secondary acts. The study of designed discretion thus reaches considerable maturity. Therefore, we argue that scholars should prioritize studying Commission actual discretion. We present a systematic and transparent investigative technique based on the discretion index, which we use as a roadmap to guide our empirical investigation. The index facilitates the accumulation of knowledge across policy areas and time by providing exact values for Commission discretion. We illustrate our approach with the Development Cooperation Instrument.
Embeddedness, values and entrepreneur decision-making: Evidence from the creative industries
Authors: Salder Jacob
Published: May 2022

This paper explores embeddedness in small firms from a foundational perspective and how these foundations effect resource dependency and business decision-making. Building on debates in firms embeddedness and its role in addressing questions of resource-limitation, the paper positions embeddedness as outcome of a value-set occurring within an organisation directly affecting resource decisions. Using case studies of six creative industries small and micro firms, it argues foundational embeddedness influences firm-based practices and relationships over conventional business logics. Certain flexibilities in this foundational embeddedness can be seen, responding to external challenges through formation of esoteric relations and iterative systems. The extent of this flexibility is however limited by the entrepreneurs’ willingness to compromise individual values. Foundational embeddedness is thus a necessary consideration in understanding entrepreneurial decision-making.
Access to the Disability Allowance in the Maldives: National coverage and factors affecting uptake
Authors: Hameed Shaffa , Banks Lena Morgon , Usman Sofoora Kawsar , Kuper Hannah
Published: May 2022

Disability-targeted cash transfers are increasingly used by governments in low- and middle-income countries as a tool to address poverty and exclusion among people with disabilities. However, in many settings, accurate estimates of coverage and an understanding of factors affecting uptake are needed for effective delivery. This study explores coverage of the Disability Allowance in the Maldives, an unconditional, non-means tested cash transfer (2000 MVR or US$130 per month) and factors affecting uptake. It uses mixed methods, combining data from a nationally representative population-based survey with qualitative research among people with disabilities who are and are not receiving the Disability Allowance. This research found that 25.6% of people with disabilities across the Maldives are receiving the Disability Allowance. Coverage was lowest for women, older adults, people living in the capital (Malé), wealthier households and people with sensory impairments. Factors affecting uptake included lack of information about the programme, perceptions of disability and eligibility criteria, geographical and financial factors, and stigma.
Symbolic identity building, ethnic nationalism and the linguistic reconfiguration of the urban spaces of the capital of Pristina, Kosovo
Authors: Demaj Uranela
Published: May 2022

This paper presents a historical study of the linguistic landscape (LL) of Pristina’s city center as an important site of contestation and competing symbolic identity constructions throughout Kosovo’s turbulent interethnic past. By means of historical linguistic evidence of the LL configuration of landmark establishments in the central promenade of the city, the paper illustrates the role of language in the construction of national identity and in this way, argues for the reconciliation of the study of symbolic nation building in Kosovo with language as an equally deserving dimension of investigation alongside other socio-political and social facets It is also argued that apart from its symbolic role to convey the specific ideological concepts of the dominant ethnic elites, the LL has been crucial in the construction of ethnocentric spaces, and has therefore been participatory in the creation of ethnic segregation which is the defining characteristic of Kosovo’s post-war ethnic configuration today.
Debunking mainstream anti-racism in the Spanish context: “Anti-rumour” strategies as a case of psychology-based anti-racism
Authors: Sebastiani Luca
Published: May 2022

Racism is hardly discussed in Spanish public debates: however, when approached through policy, it is generally understood either as violent acts committed by extremists, or as a matter of stereotypes/prejudices/lack of information about cultural Others. This article focuses on the latter understanding, as performed by Spanish “anti-rumour” strategies, a varied ensemble of initiatives aimed at dismantling stereotypes of migrants and racial minorities, mainly by encouraging better knowledge and empathy. By approaching these initiatives as a representative case of mainstream, psychology-based perspectives on anti-racism and drawing on fieldwork conducted in relevant Spanish locations, I focus on their main assumptions and theoretical/political implications. Despite the heterogeneity of such initiatives, the fieldwork analysis points to common flaws; particularly in the ways their “positive” narratives and allegedly inclusive approaches might foster narrow definitions of racism, silencing its institutional/structural/governmental dimensions and potentially normalizing racist power relations.
Memory and trauma in the Kurdistan genocide
Authors: Muhammad Kurdistan Omar , Hama Hawre Hasan , Hama Karim Hersh Abdallah
Published: May 2022

Memory and trauma are often considered to be interconnected social phenomena. Collective memory exists in every society, but when a particularly catastrophic event occurs, it leaves an impact on behavior, and enduring memories of a cultural trauma. This paper considers the changing social meanings of the Anfal, an act of genocide which occurred in Iraqi Kurdistan in 1988, and inquires whether the legacy of the Anfal can be most accurately characterized as a social memory or a cultural trauma. The paper uses a mixed methodology of historical research and a recent survey carried out among young people in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Using cross-course peer grading with content expertise, anonymity, and perceived justice
Authors: Vander Schee Brian A. , Stovall Tony , Andrews Demetra
Published: May 2022

Online instruction has helped colleges and universities to adjust to budget constraints, limited resources, and student preferences. One way for instructors to adapt to these new expectations is to gain efficiency in larger classes by using team-based assignments and peer grading. Although online peer grading has been used for some time, concerns with this approach include interpersonal pressures, competency, and fairness. These challenges may be overcome with cross-course peer grading. The purpose of the study was to assess the perceived effectiveness and perceived justice of having senior student teams in a capstone course anonymously grade written assignments submitted by novice student teams in an introductory course in the same discipline. The study took place using two sections of an online introductory course ( n = 159) and two sections of an online capstone course ( n = 75) at the same university using a case analysis assignment. No significant differences were found in instructor and peer-assigned grades. The results of this study show that senior students benefited by increasing their assessment confidence. Students who had their submissions graded experienced distributive and procedural justice. Therefore, instructors can more confidently utilize cross-course peer grading knowing there are educational benefits for both those doing the grading and those whose work is graded.
Linking “multi-dimensions” of relational governance and opportunism in a collectivist culture
Authors: Kaboré Somnoma Edouard , Sané Seydou
Published: May 2022

Transaction costs between actors in projects funded by multilateral institutions are high. And according to the theory of transaction costs, this could be explained by the omnipresence of opportunism. At the same time, these projects, like non-international projects, are exposed to high risk and socio-political complexity, including cultural complexity: local lifestyles, institutions, politics, laws and regulations, customs, practices, norms, languages, time zones, holidays, processes, contracts, conflicts and resources. It may then be difficult to exclude that the reduction of these costs may depend in particular on trust and relational norms in a collectivist culture. This research therefore aims to explore the influence of relational norms and trust on opportunism and to examine collectivist culture as antecedent to these dimensions of relational governance. The study is based on primary data collected by questionnaire from 76 international development project coordinators in Burkina Faso (West Africa). The structural equation method based on the partial least squares approach was used to test our hypotheses. Our results show that of the two dimensions of relational governance, trust is the one that has a negative and significant influence on opportunism. Furthermore, it appears that collectivist culture has a negative indirect effect on opportunism through trust. Our results make an interesting contribution by showing that using the aggregated form of relational governance rather than specific dimensions provides an imperfect and over-simplified picture of reality.
Strategic Use of Preference Stability Information for Product Evaluation
Authors: Hlédik Erika , Horváth Csilla
Published: May 2022

Preference stability can be a useful and supportive indicator for making strategic and tactical marketing decisions as it can assist short- and longer-term choices regarding product/brand characteristics and attributes. We provide a measurement approach combined with a model for strategic product/brand development decisions and subsequent marketing actions. Managers could use such insights when contrasting different attributes (e.g., design vs. camera of mobile phones) and also when making decisions about characteristics (e.g., different degrees of camera resolution of mobile phones). Such insights shall guide managers on where to invest and on how to leverage consumer preferences more effectively to generate sales for the company. We illustrate the use of our model of preferences and preference stability of product characteristics in three complementary studies (assessing yoghurt, energy drinks, and mobile phones).
Friendly judicial challenges from the North: The decision of the Canada Supreme Court in Nevsun Resources Ltd v Araya
Authors: Anderson Winston
Published: May 2022

The recent decision of the Supreme Court of Canada in Nevsun Resources Ltd v Araya and others (International Human Rights Program and others intervening) is worthy of the attention of the common law world. The case interrogated, albeit in relation to the preliminary issue of the striking out of a claim, significant aspects of the relationship between domestic law and customary international law. The doctrine of ‘act of state’ and the nature and extent of the incorporated norms of international law were examined in rich detail and the differing opinions by the Justices present important albeit conflicting guidance for their foreign counterparts. Other apex courts will have to make what they will of the Nevsun decision that it is possible that local corporations can be held liable in domestic law for breach of customary international norms in respect of their acts or those of their subsidiaries in foreign countries.
Lessons from Ireland's 2020 judicial conduct controversy
Authors: Cahillane Laura , Kenny David
Published: May 2022

The difficulties in balancing judicial independence and accountability, the importance of formal processes around the investigation of judicial conduct, and the need for clarity on the respective roles of the branches of government under the separation of powers were all issues that were highlighted by the recent controversy surrounding the conduct of a Supreme Court Judge in Ireland. This article considers the detail of the controversy, in the context of the Irish system governing judicial discipline and removal, analyses certain problems underlined by the episode, and finally reflects on lessons that may be helpful for any jurisdiction grappling with the complex issues involving judicial discipline and removal.
Legal controls of terms of insurance contracts in Nigeria: A comparative analysis
Authors: Anifalaje Kehinde
Published: May 2022

Conditions and warranties, which are generally referred to as policy terms in insurance contracts, are crucial in the determination of the rights and obligations of the contracting parties. The article examines the enforcement of policy terms in insurance contracts at common law and the legislative measures that have been deployed in some common law countries, including Nigeria, the United Kingdom and Australia, to ensure fairness as well as to balance the inequality in the bargaining power of the contracting parties. In as much as the principle of freedom of contract will generally be honoured by the court, the paper argues that through legislative intervention in policy terms in these countries, the principle is being discountenanced with, in appropriate cases, in order to effectuate the just and reasonable expectation of the insured. It concludes by proffering suggestions to identified lacunae in the Nigerian Insurance law.