bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on energy saving and environmental protection generator with hydrogen–oxygen–gasoline compound fuel
Authors: Chu Li-Ming , Hsu Hsiang-Chen , Huang Yong-Song , Su Wei-Ya , Hong Jyun-Yao , Wu Shih-Han
Published: September 2021

The generator is the most popular mobile power device and backup power device in the world. It is very important for human life. Therefore, it is important to develop more efficient combustion technology in order to save energy and reduce air pollution. In this paper, a novel technology of hydrogen and oxygen compound gasoline fuel is developed. Hydrogen and oxygen gases are produced from an electrolytic cell and then mixed with the intake gasoline and air. The compound fuel is sucked into the engine combustion chamber. The hydrogen and oxygen gases can be produced immediately without any storage device of hydrogen. The experimental results show that this technology can increase the power generation and decrease emission pollution due to promoting combustion efficiency. In addition, the spark plug seat temperature increases due to higher heat value of hydrogen. This technique can reduce carbon monoxide and HC, but increase carbon dioxide. The research and development of this technique can achieve the goals of energy saving, emission reduction, relative safety, easy refitting and low refitting expense. Moreover, this research possesses academic innovation and industrial application.
Neonatal exposure to sevoflurane caused learning and memory impairment via dysregulating SK2 channel endocytosis
Authors: Ke Wentao , Yu Xiangdi , Gao Yutong
Published: September 2021

Numerous studies have demonstrated that anesthetics’ exposure to neonates imposes toxicity on the developing brain but the underlying mechanisms need to be further elucidated. Our present study aimed to explore the role of small conductance Ca2+-activated potassium channel type2 in memory and learning dysfunction caused by exposing neonates to sevoflurane. Postnatal day 7 Sprague-Dawley rats and hemagglutinin-tagged small conductance Ca2+-activated potassium channel type2 channel transfected COS-7 cells were exposed to sevoflurane and the trafficking of small conductance Ca2+-activated potassium channel type2 channels was analyzed; furthermore, memory and learning ability was analyzed by the Morris water maze test on postnatal day30–35 (juvenile period). Our results showed that sevoflurane exposure inhibited small conductance Ca2+-activated potassium channel type2 channel endocytosis in both hippocampi of postnatal day 7 rats and hemagglutinin-tagged small conductance Ca2+-activated potassium channel type2 channel transfected COS-7 cells and the memory and learning ability was impaired in the juvenile period after sevoflurane exposure to neonatal rats. Herein, our results demonstrated that exposing neonates to sevoflurane caused memory and learning impairment via dysregulating small conductance Ca2+-activated potassium channel type2 channels endocytosis.
Numerical simulation of dynamic pressures on a novel drafting system and experimental study on yarn properties based on friction fields
Authors: Quan Jing , Cheng Longdi , Yu Jianyong , Xue Wenliang
Published: September 2021

The friction fields of a novel drafting device based on the ring spinning frame are investigated in terms of numerical simulation and experimental studies. In numerical simulation, the results demonstrate that the dynamic pressure distribution in the drafting zone is presented in the form of wave undulation in the main drafting zone. Besides this, the pressure peak greatly increases close to the front nip. The effect of different spacers and middle roller speeds on the pressure distribution was also simulated, which indicates that the dynamic pressure decreases strictly with increasing spacer size, while at middle roller speeds of 0.18 rad/s and 0.26 rad/s the pressure distributions only show a significant difference at the pins nip and not throughout the drafting zone. For experimental studies, the friction fields of the novel drafting device were tested with different spacers. The peaks of the friction field decrease with the increasing spacing in the main drafting zone. The friction force shows a wavy undulation in the direction of the middle roller nip to the front roller nip, and there is also a great increase in the peak of the friction force near the front roller nip. Analysis of the properties of the three yarns spun by the novel draft device under different spacers shows that changing the spacer affects the friction forces of the drafting zone and has a significant effect on the yarn evenness, imperfections, and strength, but not on the hairiness.
“Rusticall chymistry”: Alchemy, saltpeter projects, and experimental fertilizers in seventeenth-century English agriculture
Authors: Niermeier-Dohoney Justin
Published: September 2021

As the primary ingredient in gunpowder, saltpeter was an extraordinarily important commodity in the early modern world. Historians of science and technology have long studied its military applications but have rarely focused on its uses outside of warfare. Due to its potential effectiveness as a fertilizer, saltpeter was also an integral component of experimental agricultural reform movements in the early modern period and particularly in seventeenth-century England. This became possible for several reasons: the creation of a thriving domestic saltpeter production industry in the second half of the sixteenth century; the development of vitalist alchemical theories that sought a unified explanation for the “growth” of minerals, metals, and plants; the rise of experimental natural philosophy; and the mid-seventeenth-century dominance of the English East India Company in the saltpeter trade, which allowed agricultural reformers to repurpose domestically produced saltpeter in agriculturally productive ways. This paper argues that the Hartlib Circle – a loose network of natural philosophers and social reformers – adopted vitalist matter theories and the practical, experimental techniques of alchemists to transform agriculture into a more productive enterprise. Though their grandiose plans never came to fruition, their experimental trials to develop artificial fertilizers played an early role in the origins and development of saline chemistry, agronomy, and the British Agricultural Revolution.
Indigenous Social Movements and Institutional Reform: Mechanisms of Interest Representation in Three Colombian Municipalities
Authors: Velasco Marcela
Published: September 2021

In the 1990s, Colombia passed but unevenly enforced multicultural reforms to address indigenous rights. Parallel to this, decentralization laws delegated key aspects of interest intermediation to local governments. These reforms changed the political opportunity structure that framed the relationship between indigenous people and the state. Indigenous activists engaged nonindigenous authorities and institutions at the local level in contentious, cooperative, or competitive strategies of interest intermediation to redistribute assets, claim indigenous rights, and create coalitions committed to ethnic governance. These strategies involved various mechanisms including framing indigenous claims, mobilizing communities, and repurposing or revising existing institutions to help keep indigenous territories and communities together. The reforms opened new opportunities, and activists responded by sustaining contentious strategies of interest intermediation such as social protests and testing cooperative and competitive mechanisms to coordinate different jurisdictions, participate in local elections, build up broader constituencies, and increase coalitions to support indigenous rights.

En la década de 1990, Colombia aprobó reformas multiculturales para abordar los derechos indígenas, pero procedió a ejercerlas de manera desigual. Paralelamente, las leyes de descentralización delegaron aspectos clave de la intermediación de intereses a los gobiernos locales. Estas reformas cambiaron la estructura de oportunidades políticas que enmarcaba la relación entre los pueblos indígenas y el Estado. Los activistas indígenas involucraron a autoridades e instituciones locales no indígenas en estrategias de intermediación de intereses contenciosas, cooperativas o competitivas para redistribuir activos, reclamar derechos indígenas y crear coaliciones comprometidas con la gobernanza étnica. Estas estrategias implicaron diversos mecanismos, entre ellos la formulación de reclamos indígenas, la movilización de las comunidades y la reutilización o revisión de las instituciones existentes para ayudar a mantener unidos los territorios y las comunidades indígenas. Las reformas dieron lugar a nuevas oportunidades, y los activistas respondieron sustentando estrategias contestatarias de intermediación de intereses, como protestas sociales, y probando mecanismos cooperativos y competitivos para coordinar distintas jurisdicciones, participar en elecciones locales, construir grupos más amplios y aumentar las coaliciones en apoyo a los derechos indígenas.
Mixed-status Families in Northern Arizona: An Inductive Analysis of Legal Clinic Participation and the Gendered Dynamics of Emotional Care Work
Authors: Ravetta Emilia , Finch Jessie K
Published: September 2021

Fear of deportation and consequent separation of “mixed-status families” (those with citizen and non-citizen members) is a central issue facing immigrants today. Yet, there is a gap in sociological explorations of legal clinics designed to assist these families. Here, we examine parents of mixed-status families in danger of deportation who visited one such clinic: what factors drove them to seek legal help? While we explore theoretical implications related to legal violence, we also highlight ways to better reach these families and provide free legal services, particularly to women who seem to be primarily tasked with this work. Research was conducted through Northern Arizona Immigration Legal Services (NAILS). Using in-depth interviews with nine undocumented Mexican-born parents, mostly mothers, our findings reveal patterns that could aid NAILS and other legal support services in providing assistance to these families. Issues such as traditional gendered labor division within the family and the role of social workers were the most relevant themes in seeking legal help. These findings not only contribute to the growing sociological research on immigration and gender dynamics but can also help NAILS and other similar community organizations connect with immigrants in more efficient ways, particularly as it relates to the emotional care work of mothers in mixed-status families.
Jesuits and Jews, and the way we dare to think: A Jesuit’s reflections on James Bernauer’s Jesuit Kaddish
Authors: Clooney Francis X.
Published: September 2021

This essay explores James Bernauer’s Jesuit Kaddish as an extended reflection on the centuries-long troubled relationship between Jesuits and Jews, with attention to egregious instances of moral failure on the part of Jesuits. It investigates too Bernauer’s highlighting of instances of Jesuit spiritual resistance both to evil and to the undue prudence of cautious institutions. Forthright in weaving his own intellectual journey into the book, Bernauer movingly renders himself a theme for reflection, a scholar’s life-long interrogation of his own religious community, as gratitude, loyalty, and critical distance stand side by side. The concluding statement of Jesuit Repentance perfectly marks the transition from understanding to a performative expression of responsibility for the personal and systemic failures to which we are heirs.
The impact of a crisis on entrepreneurial orientation of family firms: The role of organisational decline and generational change
Authors: Moreno-Menéndez Ana M , Arzubiaga Unai , Díaz-Moriana Vanessa , Casillas José C
Published: September 2021

This article critically analyses entrepreneurial orientation (EO) in family firms after a major crisis, to investigate how firms with equal initial levels of EO reach different levels over time. Based on two alternative hypotheses (stability and convergence), we analysed whether the EO of family firms remains intact, strengthens, or weakens after a crisis. Based on an examination of a database of 151 family firms collected in 2004 and 2017, our findings reveal that compared to firms with higher pre-crisis EO levels, those with lower levels saw a larger increase post crisis. Furthermore, unlike the latter group, the former was able to maintain high pre-crisis levels even after the crisis. In addition, we also we found this relationship between pre-crisis and post-crisis EO levels to be influenced by two key periodic discontinuities, namely, organisational decline and generational change contingencies. These findings advance our understanding of temporal aspects of EO and heterogeneous entrepreneurial behaviour among family firms with significant implications for both theory and practice.
Successful use of ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve block for lower limb surgery in a patient with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: a case report
Authors: Jung Jaewoong , Lee Misoon , Chung Yang-Hoon , Cho Sung-Hwan
Published: September 2021

The number of patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is increasing. These patients have a reduced cardiorespiratory reserve. Therefore, preoperative evaluation is essential to determine the best type of anaesthesia to use in patients with HFrEF. A 70-year-old man with HFrEF was scheduled to undergo debridement of skin necrosis due to thrombotic occlusion of the right common iliac artery. He had undergone wound dressing changes under local anaesthesia every other day for several months, and treatment for heart failure was on-going. A sciatic nerve and fascia iliaca compartment block was performed under ultrasound guidance because of the patient’s cardiopulmonary function. After confirming adequate sensory blockage, surgery was performed without any haemodynamic instability or complications. Thereafter, debridement was performed twice more using the same block technique, and a skin autograft was also successfully performed. We successfully performed an ultrasound-guided sciatic nerve and fascia iliaca compartment block in a patient with HFrEF who was scheduled to undergo lower limb surgery. Peripheral nerve block is an alternative option for patients with HFrEF.
Equity Implications of Ride-Hail Travel during COVID-19 in California
Authors: Brown Anne , Williams Rik
Published: September 2021

COVID-19 has shocked every system in the U.S., including transportation. In the first months of the pandemic, driving and transit use fell far below normal levels. Yet people still need to travel for essential purposes like medical appointments, buying groceries, and—for those who cannot work from home—to work. For some, the pandemic may exacerbate extant travel challenges as transit agencies reduce service hours and frequency. As travelers reevaluate modal options, it remains unclear how one mode—ride-hailing—fits into the transportation landscape during COVID-19. In particular, how does the number of ride-hail trips vary across neighborhood characteristics before versus during the pandemic? And how do patterns of essential trips pre-pandemic compare with those during COVID-19? To answer these questions, we analyzed aggregated Uber trip data before and during the first two months of the COVID-19 pandemic across four regions in California. We find that during these first months, ride-hail trips fell at levels commensurate with transit (82%), while trips serving identified essential destinations fell by less (62%). Changes in ride-hail use were unevenly distributed across neighborhoods, with higher-income areas and those with more transit commuters and higher shares of zero-car households showing steeper declines in the number of trips made during the pandemic. Conversely, neighborhoods with more older (aged 45+) residents, and a greater proportion of Black, Hispanic/Latinx, and Asian residents still appear to rely more on ride-hail during the pandemic compared with other neighborhoods. These findings further underscore the need for cities to invest in robust and redundant transportation systems to create a resilient mobility network.
Study on Mechanical and Microscopic Properties of Nickel–Copper-Contaminated Soil Solidified by Cement, Fly Ash and Desulfurization Gypsum Under Carbonization Condition
Authors: Wang Qiang , Guo Xiaoliang , Li Man , Yang Jingdong , Cui Jinyang , Zhou Wenjun
Published: September 2021

The engineering characteristics of remediated soil are easily affected by CO2 erosion in nature. However, there are limited investigations on the mechanical and microscopic properties of heavy metal-contaminated soil. This study introduces effect of accelerated carbonization on the mechanical and microscopic properties of nickel–copper-contaminated soil, and the soil has been treated with a novel curing agent, formed by mixing cement, fly ash and desulfurization gypsum (CFG). The objective of the study is to ascertain CO2 erosion resistance of nickel–copper-contaminated soil solidified by CFG. Using unconfined compressive strength (UCS) tests, carbonization depth, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy, the sample’s characteristics are investigated under different carbonization times and heavy metal ion concentrations. The results demonstrate that the UCS of samples of Ni0Cu0, Ni0.02, and Ni0.4 decrease with the increasing carbonization time, while that of Ni1, Cu1, and Ni1Cu1 increase initially and then decrease; in addition, when the concentration of heavy metals is lower, the effect of carbonization on UCS of samples is more significant. Moreover, the carbonization depth of samples increases with the increasing carbonization time, and the prediction model is given. Furthermore, the microscopic analysis demonstrates that calcium carbonate is the main carbonization product. The decomposition of hydrated calcium silicate gel leads to poor integrity of the structure and more pores produced in samples, which is the main reason for the decrease of the UCS in the process of carbonization. The outcomes of this investigation provide a reference for the durability in practical engineering of heavy metal-contaminated soil solidified by CFG.
Integrating Unmanned Aircraft Systems into State Department of Transportation Highway Bridge Inspection Procedures: Challenges, Implications, and Lessons Learned
Authors: Plotnikov Michael , Collura John
Published: September 2021

Rapid proliferation of small, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) promises to revolutionize traditional methods used to carry out civil engineering surveys and analyses and conduct physical infrastructure inspections. One of the most promising areas of implementation of innovative UAS technology includes the integration of UAS into current state Department of Transportation (DOT) bridge inspections. While regular bridge inspections are paramount for road user safety, many traditional inspection methods and procedures are cumbersome, expensive, and time consuming; present significant hazards to both the traveling public and the inspection personnel; and are disruptive to normal operations of the transportation facilities. The results of recent studies indicate that UAS can serve as a useful tool in many highway bridge inspection procedures, while significantly reducing costs and time and improving safety. The major factors that affect the success of integrating UAS into the bridge inspection process relate to selection of the proper types of UAS platforms and avionics, data collection sensors and processing software, as well as conduct of task-specific pilot training. The paper provides an examination of current standard bridge inspection procedures and protocols currently carried out by state DOTs; an evaluation of state DOT experiences with the integration of UAS technology into bridge inspections; and an assessment of the issues and challenges associated with this technology. It is expected that this paper will be of interest to a wide range of stakeholders representing state and federal governments, academia, and industry.
Changing Trends in Long-Term Sentiments and Neighborhood Determinants in a Shrinking City
Authors: Park Yunmi , Kim Minju , Shin Jiyeon , Heim LaFrombois Megan E.
Published: September 2021

This research examined social media’s role in understanding perceptions about the spaces in which individuals interact, what planners can learn from social media data, and how to use social media to inform urban regeneration efforts. Using Twitter data from 2010 to 2018 recorded in one U.S. shrinking city, Detroit, Michigan, this paper longitudinally investigated topics that people discuss, their emotions, and neighborhood conditions associated with these topics and sentiments. Findings demonstrate that neighborhood demographics, socioeconomic, and built environment conditions impact people’s sentiments.
Old Media, New Gigs: The Discursive Construction of the Gig Economy in Australian News Media
Authors: Pangrazio Luci , Bishop Cameron , Lee Fiona
Published: September 2021

This article analyses the representation of the gig economy in three Australian newspapers from 2014 to 2019. ‘Gig work’ is defined as short term, contract or freelance employment and is seen by many social institutions as the future of work. Drawing on a corpus of 426 articles, Laclau and Mouffe’s discourse theory is used to examine the construction of the ‘gig economy’ in the cultural imaginary. Five key elements emerge, including: demographics of workers; working conditions; workers’ rights; resistance and regulation; and change and disruption. Despite multiple competing discourses evident across the newspapers, each constructs the gig economy as an inexorable phase in the evolution of the relationship between capital and the worker. The article critically analyses the construction of the discourse, including the difficulties of regulating gig economy platforms and the narrative of inevitability used to describe changes to work and life brought about by technology.
Effect of non-uniform heating on conjugate heat transfer performance for nanofluid flow in a converging duct by a two-phase Eulerian–Lagrangian method
Authors: Faizan Md. , Pati Sukumar , Randive Pitamber R
Published: September 2021

In this paper, the effect of non-uniform heating on the conjugate thermal and hydraulic characteristics for Al2O3–water nanofluid flow through a converging duct is examined numerically. An Eulerian–Lagrangian model is employed to simulate the two-phase flow for the following range of parameters: Reynolds number (100 ≤ Re ≤ 800), nanoparticle volume fraction (0% ≤  ϕ ≤ 5%) and amplitude of the sinusoidal heat flux ( A = 0, 0.5 and 1). The results reveal a similar affinity between the applied heat flux and local Nusselt number variation qualitatively, mainly at the middle of the duct. The results also indicate that there is a considerable enhancement of Nusselt number with the increase in Reynolds number and the thermal conductivity of wall materials. In addition, increasing the particle loading contributes to an enhanced rate of heat transfer. The heat transfer rate is lower for non-uniform heating when compared with the constant heat flux and the same can be compensated by the application of volume fraction of nanoparticles
Design, simulation, and experiment research on fast control system of steam turbine inlet valve
Authors: Liu Ying , Yin Xiaoju , Yi Yunlong , Li Xiaoxiao , Wang Liming
Published: September 2021

In this paper, a new fast control system of steam turbine inlet valve is designed, which is composed of the fast closing system and the fast opening system. For the first time, this paper proposes that the fast closing system is designed by means of the special structure of the slide valve in an oil servo motor on the basis of the transformation of the hydraulic control system of steam turbine inlet valve. For the first time, a differential oil discharge fast opening system is designed by use of two cartridge valves. The mathematical model of electro-hydraulic fast control system is presented. With the use of simulation software Advanced Modeling Environment for Simulation of engineering systems , the curves of parameters such as piston displacement, piston velocity, oil pressure of upper and nether cavities of oil servo motor, and flow flux of upper and nether cavities of oil servo motor are obtained. The fast closing time of the piston for whole journey from the simulation results is 0.36 s. The fast opening time of the piston for whole journey from the simulation results is 1.55 s. According to the designed structure of the fast control system, the fast control experiment system is built. The fast closing time of the piston for whole journey from the experiment results is 0.22 s. The fast opening time of the piston for the whole journey from the experiment results is 1.97 s. The simulation and experimental results show that the designed fast control system can realize the fast closing and fast opening of the inlet valve. The fast closing time of the fast control system is <0.5 s, and the fast opening time of the fast control system is <3 s, which meets the fast control time requirement of the steam turbine inlet valve. Compared with the existing fast control system products, the fast control system and the inlet valve servo regulation system share a set of oil sources. And the fast control system has the advantages of low cost, simple structure, easy implementation, etc.
Notoginsenoside R2 reduces Aβ25-35-induced neuronal apoptosis and inflammation via miR-27a/SOX8/β-catenin axis
Authors: Hu Yueqiang , Wu Lin , Jiang Lingfei , Liang Ni , Zhu Xiaomin , He Qianchao , Qin Hongling , Chen Wei
Published: September 2021

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has affected numerous elderly individuals worldwide. Panax notoginseng has been shown to ameliorate AD symptoms, and notoginsenoside R2 is a key saponin identified in this plant. Purpose: In the current study, we aimed to explore whether notoginsenoside R2 could improve the prognosis of AD. Methods: Herein, primary rat cortical neurons were isolated and they were treated with amyloid beta-peptide (A β) 25–35 oligomers. Cellular apoptosis was examined via flow cytometry and Western blotting. miR-27a and SOX8 mRNA expression levels were quantified by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, the interaction between miR-27a and SOX8 was investigated by utilizing a dual-luciferase reporter assay. Finally, an AD mouse model was established to validate the in vitro findings. Results: Notoginsenoside R2 alleviated A β25-35-triggered neuronal apoptosis and inflammation. During this process, miR-27a expression was decreased by notoginsenoside R2, and miR-27a negatively modulated SOX8 expression. Furthermore, activation of SOX8 upregulated β-catenin expression, thus suppressing apoptosis and neuroinflammation. Conclusions: Our animal experiments revealed that notoginsenoside R2 enhanced the cognitive function of AD mice and inhibited neuronal apoptosis. Notoginsenoside R2 ameliorated AD symptoms by reducing neuronal apoptosis and inflammation, thus suggesting a novel direction for AD pharmacotherapy.
Prediction of delayed neuropsychiatric sequelae after carbon monoxide poisoning via serial determination of serum neuron-specific enolase levels
Authors: Nah Sangun , Choi Sungwoo , Kim Gi Woon , Moon Ji Eun , Lee Young Hwan , Han Sangsoo
Published: September 2021

Background

Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) is released into serum when nerve cells are damaged, and the levels thereof are used to determine neurological prognosis in patients who have suffered cardiac arrest or stroke. Delayed neuropsychiatric sequelae (DNS), a major complication of carbon monoxide poisoning (COP), can be caused by inflammatory response which is a mechanism of neuronal injury in cardiac arrest and stroke. NSE is known as a predictor of neurological prognosis in ischemic brain injury after cardiac arrest, and it is also reported as a predictor of DNS in acute COP. When serum NSE is measured serially in cardiac arrest patients, the best time to predict neurological prognosis is known at 48–72 h, but there are no studies analyzing serial serum NSE in acute COP. Thus, we explored whether serum NSE levels measured three times at 24 h intervals after COP predicted the development of DNS.

Methods

This prospective observational study was conducted on patients treated for COP from May 2018 to April 2020 in a tertiary care hospital in Korea. Neuron-specific enolase levels were assessed 24, 48, and 72 h after presentation at hospital. We used logistic regression to explore the association between NSE levels and DNS development.

Results

The NSE level was highest at 48 h, and the difference between the DNS group and the non-DNS group was greatest on the same time point. On multivariable logistic regression analysis, the NSE level at 48 h of >20.98 ng/mL (odds ratio [OR], 3.570; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.412–9.026; P = .007) and the initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of <9 (OR, 4.559; 95% CI, 1.658–0.12.540; P = .003) was statistically significant for DNS development.

Conclusion

Early identification of those who will experience DNS in acute COP patients is clinically important for deciding treatment. In this study, we revealed that NSE level of >20.98 ng/mL at 48 h time point can be used as an independent predictor of DNS (OR, 3.570; 95% CI, 1.412–9.026; P = .007; AUC, 0.648).
Predictors for early readmission in patients hospitalized with new onset pediatric lupus nephritis
Authors: AH Guerra Angel , Garro Rouba , McCracken Courtney , Rouster-Stevens Kelly , Prahalad Sampath
Published: September 2021

Objective

The objective is to determine the 30-day hospital readmission rate following a hospitalization due to pediatric lupus nephritis of recent onset and characterize the risk factors associated with these early readmissions.

Methods

The study included 76 children hospitalized from 01/01/2008 to 4/30/2017 due to a new diagnosis of lupus nephritis. We calculated the 30-day hospital readmission rate and compared the characteristics of the patients that were readmitted to patients that were not readmitted using univariable and multivariable analysis.

Results

The 30-day readmission rate was 17.1%. Factors that predicted hospital readmission in unavailable analysis were male gender (38.5 vs 14.3%, p = 0.04), not receiving pulse steroids (30.8 vs 3.2%, p = < .001), receiving diuretic treatment (69.2 vs 34.9%, p = .02), receiving albumin infusions (46.2 vs 12.7%, p = .004), stage 2 hypertension on day one of admission (76.9 vs 41.3%, p = .02), a higher white blood cell count on discharge (13.7 × 103/mm3 vs 8.8 × 103/mm 3 , p = .023), need for non-angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) antihypertensive drugs (76.9 vs 46%, p = .042), and being discharged on nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (23.1 vs 4.8%, p = .025). Multivariable analysis demonstrated an increased risk of readmission for patients not treated with intravenous pulse methylprednisolone (IVMP) (OR = 17.5 (1.81–168.32) p = .013), and for those who required intravenous albumin assisted diuresis for hypervolemia (OR=6.25 (1.29–30.30) p = .022).

Conclusion

In all, 17% of children hospitalized due to new onset lupus nephritis were readmitted within 30 days of discharge. Absence of IVMP and receiving intravenous albumin assisted diuresis during initial hospitalization increase the risk of early readmission in new onset pediatric lupus nephritis.
Time and causality in the social sciences
Authors: Wunsch Guillaume , Russo Federica , Mouchart Michel , Orsi Renzo
Published: September 2021

This article deals with the role of time in causal models in the social sciences. The aim is to underline the importance of time-sensitive causal models, in contrast to time-free models. The relation between time and causality is important, though a complex one, as the debates in the philosophy of science show. In particular, an outstanding issue is whether one can derive causal ordering from time ordering. The article examines how time is taken into account in demography and in economics as examples of social sciences in which considerations about time may diverge. We then present structural causal modeling as a modeling strategy that, while not essentially based on temporal information, can incorporate it in a more or less explicit way. In particular, we argue that temporal information is useful to the extent that it is placed in a correct causal structure, thus further corroborating the causal mechanism or generative process explaining the phenomenon under consideration. Despite the fact that the causal ordering of variables is more relevant than the temporal order for explanatory purposes, in establishing causal ordering the researcher should nevertheless take into account the time-patterns of causes and effects, as these are often episodes rather than single events. For this reason in particular, it is time to put time at the core of our causal models.
Chronic Illness Management: Indian Workplace Perspective
Authors: Manchanda Arpita , Thakur Mahima
Published: September 2021

The present study aims to understand the perspectives of the employer representatives in Indian organizations about the management of chronic illnesses and the resultant disability. Legislative framework and Government of India initiatives were also visited upon to understand the environment prevailing for the Indian organizations in the context of employment of people with chronic illnesses. Qualitative research methodology of thematic analysis was preferred to capture various concerns and challenges faced by employer representatives in employing and maintaining employment of individuals with chronic illness and resultant disability. A total of 20 employer representatives were contacted, out of which 12 agreed to participate. The findings suggest that though visible disability has begun to be acknowledged and embraced in Indian organizations, the invisible and episodic disability caused by various chronic illnesses is still struggling to gather enough accommodation as a distinct diversity group in Indian organizations.
Provider–Recipient Dyadic Interactions: Impact of Service Quality on Customer Behaviours Using a Multi-Modelling Approach
Authors: Sharif Shahbaz , Lodhi Rab Nawaz , Ahmad Wisal , Iqbal Khurshed
Published: September 2021

Service-oriented industries now focus on capturing the encounter behaviours of both service providers and service recipients. It depends on the conditions of assessing the psychological needs of both parties in which the service provider provides services to the recipient and the recipient reciprocates service provider, in turn, to their services. Drawing from service encounter needs theory, this research has conducted two studies based on exploring the service provider–recipient dyadic encounter relationships between service quality and customer behaviours. By collecting data from 403 respondents from a broad range of service industries, study 1 found that service quality dimensions—reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy—were found to have a significant impact on customer satisfaction, but tangibility did not affect customer satisfaction. Interestingly, customer satisfaction is a psychological indicator of enhancing customer loyalty behaviours ( Zhang & Bloemer, 2008 ). So by surveying 361 respondents from different industries, study 2 was proposed to examine the notion that customer satisfaction mediates the relationship between service quality and customer loyalty behaviours—repurchase intention, word of mouth and willingness to pay more and to extend the literature of loyalty behaviours. Study 2 results show that there are significant mediating relationships between service quality and repurchase intention, words of mouth and willingness to pay more. Moreover, the research provides the guidelines, limitations and future directions.
Enerzi Microwave Systems: Growth Strategies in Emerging Market
Authors: Verma Deepak , Dewani Prem Prakash
Published: September 2021

In April 2018, Enerzi Microwave Systems Pvt. Ltd. (EMSPL), a company established by Dr Prakash, was selected as one of the best companies in the medium, small and micro enterprise category. Dr Prakash was very proud of his company’s achievements, but at the same time, he was anxious about its growth in the future. EMSPL, which started in a 200-sq ft space in Bengaluru, is now one of the leading industrial microwave heating systems suppliers. However, Dr Prakash is now facing a challenging situation—to find a path that can provide rapid growth to the company. There are multiple questions in front of Dr Prakash. Should EMSPL expand into different market segments or remain focussed on the current segment? Should EMSPL invest in new product development? His team has suggested four options that can help Dr Prakash make a decision. Dr Prakash needs to find the best possible option, which can provide rapid growth to the company.
Geometric design of 4D printed bilayer structures for accurate folding deformation
Authors: Liu Han , Liu Zhenyu , Duan Guifang , Tan Jianrong
Published: September 2021

Geometric parameters of 4D printed bilayer structure determine its deformation to a great extent. This paper proposed a geometric design method of 4D printed bilayer structures for accurate folding deformation. To precisely calculate the deformation, a folding deformation model of 4D printed bilayer structure is constructed considering thickness ratio and elastic modulus ratio. Then, for a target folding deformation, an adaptive surrogate-based optimization method is employed to obtain the geometric parameters of a given 4D printed bilayer structure. The numerical and physical experimental results show that the geometric parameters of 4D printed bilayer structure can be well designed by the proposed method.
Parent’s Lived Experience of Memory Making With Their Child at or Near End of Life
Authors: Clarke Terrie , Connolly Michael
Published: September 2021

Background:

Memory making is the process of creating mementos of a child with a life limiting condition, who may be at or near end of life, providing a tangible and visual connection to the child who has died.

Aim:

This study explored the lived experience a memory making process had on parents of children who were at or near end-of-life.

Design:

A qualitative approach was used. Hermeneutic phenomenology methods provided guidance to the data collection, with a more limited interpretative phenomenological analysis conducted.

Setting:

A purposive selected sample of 6 parents whose child had died and who had engaged in memory making participate. The sample was drawn from parents whose child had received care from a children’s hospice.

Results:

Individual interviews were conducted with 6 parents, all mothers. Three main themes emerged: Making the memories; the impact of memory making; and the end-of-life care journey. Parents experienced an overwhelmingly positive impact from memory making, as well as tangible and precious mementos that were created. The positive impact the process had on coping with grief and loss was also demonstrated, as well as the effect of helping to keep the deceased child’s memory alive and include them in conversation.

Conclusions:

The importance of skilled and sensitive staff with the ability to introduce the concept of memory making, and choice at end of life were highlighted by the parents who took part. Clinicians may benefit from understanding how memory making can positively impact the bereavement experience of parents whose child has died.
How Research Evidence is Defined, Acquired, and Shared Across Systems That Address Intimate Partner Violence
Authors: Lindhorst Taryn P. , Casey Erin A. , Willey-Sthapit Claire , Toews Barbara
Published: September 2021

This exploratory study examined the flow of research evidence through systems that address intimate partner violence (IPV), including victim services, law enforcement, and criminal justice organizations. Qualitative interviews with representatives of these disciplines assessed how respondents define, acquire, and share research evidence. Findings suggest that research evidence is defined more broadly in the field than in academic settings, and is accessed primarily from trusted intermediaries within professional networks. State IPV coalitions and victim service providers are key intermediaries across sectors. Findings suggest the need for more tangible supports to support sharing of research information within and across service sectors.
“We are Forgotten”: Forced Migration, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, and Coronavirus Disease-2019
Authors: Phillimore Jenny , Pertek Sandra , Akyuz Selin , Darkal Hoayda , Hourani Jeanine , McKnight Pip , Ozcurumez Saime , Taal Sarah
Published: September 2021

Adopting a structural violence approach, this article explores, with survivors and practitioners, how early coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic conditions affected forced migrant sexual and gender-based violence survivors’ lives. Introducing a new analytical framework combining violent abandonment, slow violence, and violent uncertainty, we show how interacting forms of structural violence exacerbated by pandemic conditions intensified existing inequalities. Abandonment of survivors by the state increased precarity, making everyday survival more difficult, and intensified prepandemic slow violence, while increased uncertainty heightened survivors’ psychological distress. Structural violence experienced during the pandemic can be conceptualized as part of the continuum of violence against forced migrants, which generates gendered harm.
Effectiveness of a Sexual Health Care Training to Enhance Psychiatric Nurses’ Knowledge, Attitude, and Self-Efficacy: A Quasi-Experimental Study in Southern Taiwan
Authors: Lu Mei-Jou , Li Jin-Biau , Wu Chia-Yi , Huong Pham Thi Thu , Hsu Pei-Chen , Chang Chiou-Rong
Published: September 2021

BACKGROUND:

Sexual health is a taboo issue in some societies. Limited assessments were conducted during nursing care in mental health services. It is unknown whether psychiatric nurses’ competencies would be enhanced through short training courses.

AIMS:

The present study employed a quasi-experimental design to evaluate the effectiveness of an 8-hour sexual health care training for psychiatric nurses to improve sexual health knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy in a teaching psychiatric hospital in southern Taiwan.

METHOD:

Volunteered psychiatric nurses were randomly assigned to the experimental or control group. The 8-hour training program contained sexual health knowledge and attitudes, case discussion, role play, and sexual identity or harassment issues. Each nurse received a pretest and a posttest in the 1-month period between August and September 2019. Descriptive and multivariate statistical analyses were used to evaluate the effects.

RESULTS:

Among the 75 psychiatric nurses, 43 were in the control group and 32 were in the experimental group. The two groups were not significantly different in the working year, gender, education, marriage, and other psychosocial variables. After the training, the overall performance of sexual health care knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy of the experimental group improved significantly than the controls.

CONCLUSIONS:

The sexual health care training program enhanced psychiatric nurses’ confidence and generally improved their sexual knowledge and attitudes. It is suggested that sexual health care needs to be highlighted during in-job training to augment the well-being and life quality of psychiatric patients.
A Replication of “Weathering Corruption” ( Journal of Law and Economics, 2008)
Authors: Cordis Adriana , Milyo Jeffrey
Published: September 2021

Previous research using data on convictions for corruption-related crimes from the Public Integrity Section (PIN) of the Department of Justice points to a positive correlation between the amount of corruption in a state and the amount of federal funds provided to the state for natural disaster relief. We take a closer look at the relationship between public corruption and disaster assistance and find little support for the hypothesis that the provision of federal disaster aid increases public corruption. Our analysis suggests instead that prior evidence of such a link arises from an unexplained correlation during the 1990s between disaster aid and convictions of postal employees for crimes such as stealing mail. Convictions for postal service crimes appear to account for a large fraction of the total federal convictions reported by PIN, which could have far-reaching implications, given that the PIN data have been used so extensively in the corruption literature.
How Does a Reduction in Mandated Medicaid Spending Affect Local Fiscal Behaviors? Evidence from New York State
Authors: Kim Yusun
Published: September 2021

In 2005, New York (NY) state capped the growth of county-level Medicaid spending, which abruptly decreased counties’ Medicaid outlay in both relative and absolute terms. This study exploits this discontinuity in county Medicaid outlay to estimate the impact of the relief mandate policy on county budgets and property tax levies. It bridges a gap in the public finance literature by addressing local government responses to a sudden decrease in the outlay of a large mandatory spending category. We find a compositional change but no income effect on non-Medicaid spending. However, the policy reduced the effective property tax rate significantly by 6.6 to 8.1 percent on average among affected NY counties after the enactment of the policy relative to control counties. This study advances our understanding of local fiscal responses to an intergovernmental fiscal policy that changes how state and local governments share the costs of a large public social insurance program.
A Reply to a Replication of “Weathering Corruption” ( Journal of Law and Economics, 2008): Different Data Produce Different Results
Authors: Leeson Peter T. , Sobel Russell S.
Published: September 2021

Cordis and Milyo replicate our study, which found a positive relationship between FEMA-provided disaster relief and public corruption in the US states. Our study used the corruption data that virtually every study of American corruption uses: PIN data. Using the same data, Cordis and Milyo find the same result. And using different corruption data from TRAC, they find a different result: no relationship between FEMA-provided disaster relief and public corruption. Unsurprisingly, different data produce different results. The meaning of that difference, however, is unclear, especially since the latter result, which implies that public actors do not respond rationally to incentives when making decisions regarding corrupt activities, contradicts the law of demand.