bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A dialectical approach to the politics of learning in a major city police organization
Authors: Bristow Alexandra , Tomkins Leah , Hartley Jean
Published: February 2021

In this paper we develop a dialectical approach to the organizational politics of learning, exploring complexity, tensions and asymmetries. Turning this kaleidoscopic lens on our empirical setting, a major city police organization, we mix the blue light of police vehicles into Driver’s (2002) ‘fluorescent’ light of office workplaces, fragmenting the brightness of ‘Utopian sunshine’ and the darkness of ‘Foucauldian gloom’ perspectives on organizational learning, and making visible a wider spectrum of political colours of learning. We identify four interdependent political modalities of learning: empowering, coercive, insurgent and palliative and explore how they interplay in complex and contradictory ways. We note that, whilst mainstream and critical literatures tend to focus on organizational learning as, respectively, empowering and coercive, and to a lesser extent insurgent, much of the politics of learning in our study converges in the palliative modality, where the emphasis is on learning-to-cope (rather than learning-to-thrive, learning-to-comply or learning-to-resist). We show that the palliative modality of learning is in many ways an outcome of the dynamic and complex engagement between the other three modalities. We discuss the implications of our findings for a more nuanced understanding of learning as political, and of the relationship between organizational learning and power.
How to make elite experiments work in International Relations
Authors: Dietrich Simone , Hardt Heidi , Swedlund Haley J.
Published: February 2021

For decades, many International Relations (IR) scholars did not engage in elite experiments, because they viewed it as too risky, too costly, or too difficult to implement. However, as part of a behavioral turn in IR, a growing number of scholars have begun to adopt the method in their own research. This shift raises important questions. Under what conditions do elite experiments add value to IR scholarship? How can scholars overcome the logistical and ethical challenges of sampling such an elusive group? This article makes an original conceptual contribution to methodological debates on the role of behavioral approaches by analyzing experiments on foreign policy elites. We analyze the method’s strengths and weaknesses, evaluate ethical considerations, and present what is—to the best of our knowledge—the most comprehensive set of implementation guidelines. Our article draws on recently published IR research and argues that the payoffs from elite experiments are well worth the effort.
A contingency perspective on learning and instruction in physical education
Authors: Wibowo Jonas , Dyson Ben
Published: February 2021

In this article, we focus on the contingency between learning and instruction in physical education (PE). We argue that the complex interconnectedness of teachers’ instruction and students’ learning processes should be studied using a unit of analysis that expresses the relationship between the two factors. A contingency perspective foregrounds the individual differences between different learners and how a teacher regards these differences. Furthermore, it has the potential to provide a precise lens for empirical research on how the students’ situations shape the evolution of the teaching--learning process. Based on scaffolding research and adaptive teaching research, which draws on socio-constructivist foundations, we call this unit of analysis ‘contingency’. We outline a framework of research that suggests depicting contingency dimensions, respective instructional continua, and contingency rules when investigating contingency in PE. Furthermore, autonomy as a core contingency dimension for PE and methodological issues will be discussed.
Destination green equity and its moderating role of travel satisfaction
Authors: Wong IpKin Anthony , Lu Mengwei Vivienne , Ou Juanjuan , Hu Rong , Wang Han
Published: February 2021

Being sustainable reflects a need to appreciate tourist demands in line with the needs of the local community, industry, and environment. In other words, there should be measures to assess a place’s sustainable practices from the eye of the beholders. This study works to develop the concept of destination green equity, which is defined as tourist perception of a destination’s environmental initiatives, and explores its moderating role in the relationship between product and destination satisfaction. Drawing on the goal setting/striving theoretical stream of work, we propose a moderation model of green equity for the relationship between tourism product and destination satisfaction. Based on a sample of over 400 tourists, results reveal that a place’s green equity moderates the effect of food/transportation satisfaction in that the effect is more acute for the high green equity group. This study contributes to the literature by showcasing how environmental initiatives such as recycling and reducing energy consumption could ultimately elevate tourist satisfaction with a destination’s food and transportation offerings. The four-item green equity measure offers scholars and practitioners with a fairly simple and yet comprehensive way to assess a destination’s ecological achievement from the viewpoint of tourists. It also opens an avenue for assessing a place’s greening efforts and the conditioning impacts of such efforts on tourists.
Evaluation of digital slit-lamp videos for paediatric anterior segment telemedicine consultations
Authors: Mulchandani Divya , Reiser Bibiana J , Ho Tiffany C , Reid Mark W , Stewart Carly , Lee Thomas C , Nallasamy Sudha
Published: February 2021

Introduction

This study aimed to assess the validity of telemedicine consultations using digital slit-lamp videos to detect anterior segment pathology in a paediatric population.

Methods

A paediatric anterior segment specialist simultaneously performed and recorded anterior segment examinations using the Topcon digital-ready slit lamp. Components of the examination included the eyelids/eyelashes, conjunctiva/sclera, cornea, anterior chamber, iris and lens. Masked to clinical findings, a paediatric ophthalmologist reviewed and graded the live video feed transmitted at 4 Mbps. At least three months later, both ophthalmologists graded the stored videos. We compared the sensitivity, specificity, percent agreement and weighted kappa (κ) of diagnosing anterior segment pathologies via live-streamed and store-and-forward video clips compared to the in-person standard examination.

Results

Examinations of 89 eyes from 45 children (5–17 years old) with known anterior segment pathology were included. Agreement between live-streamed and in-person standard examinations for conjunctiva/sclera, anterior chamber, iris and lens findings was almost perfect (sensitivity 89–96%, specificity 95–100%, κ = 0.87–0.97). Substantial agreement was found for cornea pathology (sensitivity 88%, specificity 90%, κ = 0.72), and moderate agreement was found for eyelids/eyelashes pathology (sensitivity 54%, specificity 92%, κ = 0.46). Store-and-forward results were similar, though slightly better for eyelids/eyelashes and slightly worse for conjunctiva/sclera.

Discussion

Digital slit-lamp videos hold promise for synchronous and asynchronous telemedicine in diagnosing paediatric anterior segment pathologies.
Building a specialized lexicon for breast cancer clinical trial subject eligibility analysis
Authors: Jung Euisung , Jain Hemant , Sinha Atish P , Gaudioso Carmelo
Published: February 2021

A natural language processing (NLP) application requires sophisticated lexical resources to support its processing goals. Different solutions, such as dictionary lookup and MetaMap, have been proposed in the healthcare informatics literature to identify disease terms with more than one word (multi-gram disease named entities). Although a lot of work has been done in the identification of protein- and gene-named entities in the biomedical field, not much research has been done on the recognition and resolution of terminologies in the clinical trial subject eligibility analysis. In this study, we develop a specialized lexicon for improving NLP and text mining analysis in the breast cancer domain, and evaluate it by comparing it with the Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT). We use a hybrid methodology, which combines the knowledge of domain experts, terms from multiple online dictionaries, and the mining of text from sample clinical trials. Use of our methodology introduces 4243 unique lexicon items, which increase bigram entity match by 38.6% and trigram entity match by 41%. Our lexicon, which adds a significant number of new terms, is very useful for matching patients to clinical trials automatically based on eligibility matching. Beyond clinical trial matching, the specialized lexicon developed in this study could serve as a foundation for future healthcare text mining applications.
Effects of immersive storytelling on affective, cognitive, and associative empathy: The mediating role of presence
Authors: Cummings James J , Tsay-Vogel Mina , Cahill Tiernan J , Zhang Li
Published: February 2021

Popular claims of virtual reality systems serving as ‘empathy machines’ often fail to consider (a) the cognitive mechanisms driving the effects of technological immersion on empathy and (b) the conceptualization of empathy as a multidimensional construct. More, recent research has yielded mixed empirical support. This study investigates how dimensions of psychological presence—perceived self-location, sense of copresence, and judgments of social realism—mediate the effect of immersion on cognitive, affective, and associative empathy. Findings indicate that experiencing a news story via 360° video on a head-mounted display led to stronger self-location and copresence than engaging with the same video via desktop or reading a text version. While only copresence increased cognitive empathy, both self-location and copresence facilitated affective empathy. Whereas self-location and copresence enhanced associative empathy, social realism decreased it. These results highlight the value of a multidimensional conceptualization of empathy in investigating the prosocial potential of immersive media.
Comparison of standards for chemical protective clothing on performance requirements and measurements
Authors: Chen Qing , Zheng Rong , Fu Bailu , Yang Xin , Lin Jing , Fan Jintu
Published: February 2021

Chemical protective clothing is widely used by emergency teams in certain industries and such as fire-fighting and medical protection fields. Due to the differences of assessment, specific requirements for target products, and test methods, the relevant standards for such clothing vary greatly. By analyzing standards on chemical protective clothing, this study summarized their differences in assessment items and test methods for basic performances such as seam strength, leak tightness, permeability by liquid/gas chemicals, resistance to ignition, liquid repellency and penetration by liquids.
Process development and compression behavior of innovative 3D bi-directional flat-knitted spacer-reinforced composites
Authors: Pourheidar Shirazi Mohammad , Hasani Hossein
Published: February 2021

3D knitted fabrics are regarded as a viable option for advanced composite materials. Flat-knitted spacer fabrics (FKSF) which are in the category of 3D knitted structures have attracted many attentions due to outstanding characterizations such as high formability and good impact behavior. These structures consist of two surface layers which are linked together by multiple knitted connecting layers. Despite the merits of 3D-FKSFs as composite reinforcements, they have some structural restrictions such as limited thickness. This study aims to develop and characterize bi-directional 3D knitted spacer structures which could be replaced with conventional FKSFs. In the developed structures, the upper and lower surface layers are connected together by two truncated pyramids which can be configurated in any dimensions using an innovative knitting technique. For providing a report regarding their compression behavior, these 3D structures were produced in two different thicknesses on an electronic flat knitting machine. Then, they were impregnated with epoxy resin via vacuum resin transfer molding and the cured composites were subjected to compression force. The results revealed that their compression behavior is similar to the behavior of conventional honey-comb sandwich structures.
New Faces, New Neighbors? How Latino Population Growth and Lending Expansion Shapes the Neighborhood Racial and Ethnic Composition for White and Latino Homebuyers
Authors: Hyde Allen , Fischer Mary J.
Published: February 2021

Fueled by increased socioeconomic status (SES), geographic mobility, and access to lending, Latino home buying expanded during the recent housing boom. However, less is known about the types of neighborhoods Latino homebuyers accessed during this time. To address this gap, we explore how SES, mortgage type, and the metropolitan racial and ethnic context affected the racial and ethnic composition of neighborhoods for new white and Latino homeowners. We use data from the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act to explore these processes in 317 U.S. metropolitan areas from 2000 to 2010. Overall, we find evidence supporting both spatial assimilation theory and place stratification theory: while increased SES and loan amounts led to more white neighbors for both white and Latino homebuyers, subprime loans and the racial and ethnic context of metropolitan areas continue to constrain neighborhood attainment for Latinos.
Spontaneous Intramural Esophageal Hematoma Secondary to Thrombolysis in the Setting of Pulmonary Embolism
Authors: Taghavyan Nina Jalily , Mashayekh Arshide , Pouraliakbar Hamid Reza , Moosavi Jamal , Shafe Omid , Mohebbi Bahram , Sadeghipour Parham
Published: February 2021

Intramural hematoma of the esophagus (IHE) represents a rare condition on the spectrum of esophageal injuries. The most common symptoms are hematemesis, epigastric pain or retrosternal chest pains, odynophagia, and dysphagia. Early recognition of IHE is important as it may mimic other diseases such as myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism, Mallory–Weiss tears, Boerhaave’s syndrome, ruptured aortic aneurysms, and aortic dissection. Computed tomography is the preferred investigation method, and treatment is usually conservative. We herein present 2 cases of IHE associated with catheter-directed thrombolysis in the setting of pulmonary embolism.
Developing Positive Data Cultures in High-Stakes Environments: The Role of School Leaders
Authors: Lasater Kara , Albiladi Waheeb S. , Bengtson Ed
Published: February 2021

Data use is considered a key lever in school improvement processes, but the punitive pressure of high-stakes accountability can influence whether or not data use is enacted in ways which facilitate improvement. School leaders must learn to respond to high-stakes accountability in ways which lead teachers to feel safe, efficacious, and agentic with data use, and they must orient teachers to recognize data use as a mechanism for improvement. The following case describes how two leaders at Milo School District uniquely responded to high-stakes accountability and ultimately influenced the type of data culture created within their schools.
Devaluation of a conditioned reinforcer requires its reexposure
Authors: Stahlman W David , Elliott Cheyenne RE , Leising Kenneth J
Published: February 2021

A change in motivational state does not guarantee a change in operant behaviour. Only after an organism has had contact with an outcome while in a relevant motivational state does behaviour change, a phenomenon called incentive learning. While ample evidence indicates that this is true for primary reinforcers, it has not been established for conditioned reinforcers. We performed an experiment with rats where lever-presses were reinforced by presentations of an audiovisual stimulus that had previously preceded food delivery; in the critical experimental groups, the audiovisual stimulus was then paired a single time with a strong electric shock. Some animals were reexposed to the audiovisual stimulus. Lever-presses yielding no outcomes were recorded in a subsequent test. Animals that had been reexposed to the audiovisual stimulus after the aversive training responded less than did those that had not received reexposure. Indeed, those animals that were not reexposed did not differ from a control group that received no aversive conditioning of the audiovisual stimulus. Moreover, these results were not mediated by a change in the food’s reinforcement value, but instead reflect a change in behaviour with respect to the conditioned reinforcer itself. These are the first data to indicate that the affective value of conditioned stimuli, like that of unconditioned ones, is established when the organism comes into contact with them.
The effectiveness of the loci method as a mnemonic device: Meta-analysis
Authors: Twomey Conal , Kroneisen Meike
Published: February 2021

The “loci method” is a popular mnemonic device that involves visualising and recalling items at specific points along a familiar route. The loci method has been used for thousands of years, and by many successful memory athletes; yet there have been relatively few educational and clinical applications, possibly owing to empirical uncertainty. The current meta-analysis of 13 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) mostly based in university settings demonstrated the effectiveness of the loci method as a mnemonic device, with a medium effect size ( g = 0.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.45, 0.85]; I2 = 45.5%). The effect size remained at similar levels in further analyses adjusting for publication bias, the impact of removing each study, setting, control conditions, outliers, and number of loci method sessions. High risk of experimental bias was indicated, however, as the vast majority of studies did not report procedures to minimise biases relating to random sequence generation and allocation concealment. Overall, this meta-analysis of predominantly university-based RCTs has provided good initial support for the loci method as a mnemonic device and this may encourage future investigations and applications, particularly in educational settings, where it has the potential to improve recall of information relevant to academic success.
Training-dependent transfer within a set of nested tasks
Authors: Rennie Joseph P , Jones Jonathan , Astle Duncan E
Published: February 2021

Extended practice on a particular cognitive task can boost the performance of other tasks, even though they themselves have not been practised. This transfer of benefits appears to be specific, occurring most when tasks are very similar to those being trained. But what type of similarity is most important for predicting transfer? This question is addressed with a tightly controlled randomised design, with a relatively large sample ( N = 175) and an adaptive control group. We created a hierarchical set of nested assessment tasks. Participants then trained on two of the tasks: one was relatively “low” in the hierarchy requiring just simultaneous judgements of shapes’ spikiness, whereas the other was relatively “high” requiring delayed judgements of shapes’ spikiness or number of spikes in a switching paradigm. Using the full complement of nested tasks before and after training, we could then test whether and how these “low” and “high” training effects cascade through the hierarchy. For both training groups, relative to the control, whether or not an assessment task shared a single specific feature was the best predictor of transfer patterns. For the low-level training group, the overall proportion of feature overlap also significantly predicted transfer, but the same was not true for the high-level training group. Finally, pre-training between-task correlations were not predictive of the pattern of transfer for either group. Together these findings provide an experimental exploration of the specificity of transfer and establish the nature of task overlap that is crucial for the transfer of performance improvements.
Time is of the essence: Exploring temporal and spatial organisation in episodic memory
Authors: Clark Dan PA , Bruno Davide
Published: February 2021

There is disagreement in the literature as to whether episodic memory maintains an inherent temporal organisation, that is, whether learned items are necessarily organised along some temporal dimension or whether temporal organisation is a task-specific occurrence. The current series of experiments explored this issue. In Experiment 1, we tested whether temporal or spatial contiguity was present in an incidental encoding task where either strategy (but not both together) could be employed at test. In Experiment 2, we attempted to facilitate the use of a spatial retrieval strategy at test by asking participants to recall the location where target items had been displayed at study, after incidental encoding. Experiment 3 explored the role of study-test congruency by informing participants at encoding that they would be tested on either their memory for the temporal sequence or spatial locations, and then testing both at retrieval. Finally, Experiment 4 employed a masking task at encoding to ensure participants could not predict the true nature of the task, despite it being incidental, and a surprise free recall task. Predominantly, participants displayed recall performance consistent with temporal contiguity, although there was evidence for spatial contiguity under certain conditions. These results are consistent with the notion that episodic memory has a stable and predictable temporal organisation.
Effects of acute aerobic and resistance exercise on episodic memory function
Authors: Loprinzi Paul D , Loenneke Jeremy P , Storm Benjamin C
Published: February 2021

Accumulating research provides suggestive evidence that acute aerobic exercise may, potentially, enhance episodic memory function post-exercise. Limited research has evaluated whether acute resistance exercise may also enhance episodic memory post-exercise. Furthermore, whether these two exercise modalities have a differential effect on post-exercise episodic memory is relatively unknown. To address these research questions, three experimental studies were conducted ( N = 104) among young adults (18–25 years). The experiments implemented acute bouts of aerobic or resistance exercise for 15 min. Episodic memory was comprehensively evaluated post-exercise with a list-learning paradigm and a computerised assessment of what-where-when aspects of episodic memory. Various manipulations (e.g., between vs. within-group) of the study design were implemented across the experiments. Across these three experiments, we failed to find consistent evidence of either type of acute exercise affecting episodic memory performance post-exercise.
Transfer effects in auditory temporal preparation occur using an unfilled but not filled foreperiod
Authors: Crowe Emily M , Los Sander A , Schindler Louise , Kent Christopher
Published: February 2021

How quickly participants respond to a “go” after a “warning” signal is partly determined by the time between the two signals (the foreperiod) and the distribution of foreperiods. According to Multiple Trace Theory of Temporal Preparation (MTP), participants use memory traces of previous foreperiods to prepare for the upcoming go signal. If the processes underlying temporal preparation reflect general encoding and memory principles, transfer effects (the carryover effect of a previous block’s distribution of foreperiods to the current block) should be observed regardless of the sensory modality in which signals are presented. Despite convincing evidence for transfer effects in the visual domain, only weak evidence for transfer effects has been documented in the auditory domain. Three experiments were conducted to examine whether such differences in results are due to the modality of the stimulus or other procedural factors. In each experiment, two groups of participants were exposed to different foreperiod distributions in the acquisition phase and to the same foreperiod distribution in the transfer phase. Experiment 1 used a choice-reaction time (RT) task, and the warning signal remained on until the go signal, but there was no evidence for transfer effects. Experiments 2 and 3 used a simple- and choice-RT task, respectively, and there was silence between the warning and go signals. Both experiments revealed evidence for transfer effects, which suggests that transfer effects are most evident when there is no auditory stimulation between the warning and go signals.
The participation of Palestinian-Israeli politicians in public and commercial television and radio in Israel as capability
Authors: Shomron Baruch , Schejter Amit
Published: February 2021

This study examines how media representations of Palestinian-Israeli politicians, can help community members realize their capabilities. The study’s database is comprised of 1,207 interviews conducted with Palestinian-Israeli politicians on news and current affairs programs on the three national television channels and the two national radio stations in Israel, for 24 months (2016-2017). We identified and analyzed the differences in the modes of representation between national and local Palestinian-Israeli politicians and between Palestinian-Israeli parliament members in the Joint List and Palestinian-Israeli parliament members in Zionist parties, all through the capabilities prism. In this study, we demonstrated how different types of Palestinian-Israeli politicians may potentially affect the realization of different political functions and capabilities. Analyzing political representations in the media through the theoretical framework of the ‘capabilities approach’ contributes to a more comprehensive insight into the roles the media can play promoting people’s wellbeing and human rights, relative to traditional media theories.
The role of the surgical care practitioner during the COVID-19 pandemic: An audit of experiences
Authors: Fletcher Nicholas , Russell Bradley , Broughton Jonathan
Published: February 2021

Introduction

The Surgical Care Practitioner is a medical associate profession role, working to an advanced level, undertaken by registered nurses, operating department practitioners or physiotherapists, on completion of a Royal College of Surgeons accredited course. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to all heath care professionals needing to adapt to help support the health care system as it tackles its effect.

Aim

Audit of roles undertaken by Surgical Care Practitioners during the COVID-19 pandemic in the context of Royal College of Surgeons (2014) Curriculum to review the utilisation of this medical associate profession role.

Method

The online questionnaire service, SurveyMonkey®, was used to collect data on the activities being undertaken by the Surgical Care Practitioner during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results

Eighty Surgical Care Practitioners from across seven different surgical specialties within the United Kingdom completed the online survey. Nearly half stated that they remained mostly working in their substantive role, just less than a third helped in critical care units, with the remaining redeployed in equal shares to emergency departments or assisting on wards with nurses and as part of medical teams. A brief description of their activities was also recorded.

Conclusion

This audit has demonstrated the versatility of the Surgical Care Practitioner and ability to adapt during the pandemic.
From sofa to frontline: The digital mediation and domestication of warfare
Authors: Asmolov Gregory
Published: February 2021

Much attention has been dedicated to how digital platforms change the nature of modern conflict. However, less has been paid to how the changes in the nature of warfare affect everyday lives. This article examines how digital mediation allows a convergence of the domestic environment and the battlefield by offering new ways for participation in warfare. It contributes to the discussion of how new participatory affordances change the nature of conflicts and whether they empower users or offer institutional actors more control over users. To this end, this research explores the transformation of domestic spaces, mediated via memes, as digital artefacts of participatory culture (see Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century, 2009, by Henry Jenkins). Building on the notion of domestication (see Domesticating the Revolution: Information and Communication Technologies and Everyday Life, 1993, by Roger Silverstone), the article conducts a discursive analysis of memes referring to the notion of ‘sofa warfare’ – an ironic description of internet users taking part in conflict without leaving their own sofas – in the context of the Russia–Ukraine conflict.
Targeted inhibition of β-catenin alleviates airway inflammation and remodeling in asthma via modulating the profibrotic and anti-inflammatory actions of transforming growth factor-β1
Authors: Huo Rujie , Tian Xinli , Chang Qin , Liu Dai , Wang Chen , Bai Jingcui , Wang Runjuan , Zheng Guoping , Tian Xinrui
Published: February 2021

Background:

TGF-β1 is a key cytokine involved in both airway inflammation and airway remodeling in asthma because of its anti-inflammatory and profibrotic effect. In our previous study, we found that knockdown of cytosolic β-catenin alleviated the profibrogenic effect of TGF-β1 without influencing its anti-inflammatory effect. However, the exact role of targeting β-catenin in asthma is not yet fully demonstrated. In the present study, we investigated the effect and mechanism of targeting β-catenin in OVA-challenged asthmatic rats with airway inflammation and remodeling features.

Methods:

We integrated experimental asthma model and asthma related cell model to explore the effect of targeting β-catenin on airway inflammation and remodeling of asthma.

Results:

Blocking β-catenin with ICG001, a small molecule inhibitor of β-catenin/TCF via binding to cAMP-response elementbinding protein, attenuated airway inflammation by increasing levels of anti-inflammation cytokines IL-10, IL-35 and decreasing levels of T helper (Th)2 cells and Th17 cytokine. Suppressing β-catenin by ICG001 inhibited airway remodeling via reducing the level of TGF-β1 and the expressions of Snail, MMP-7, MMP-9 and, up-regulating expression of E-cadherin, down-regulating expressions of α-SMA and Fn. Inhibition of β-catenin with ICG001 suppressed TGF-β1 induced proliferation and activation of CCC-REPF-1, blocked TGF-β1 induced epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) of RLE-6TN.

Conclusion:

Blockade of β-catenin/TCF not only prevents TGF-β1 induced EMT and profibrogenic effects involved in pathological remodeling of airway, but also alleviates airway inflammation in asthma by balancing pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine. In conclusion, targeting β-catenin specifically via inhibition of β-catenin/TCF might be a new therapeutic strategy for asthma. The reviews of this paper are available via the supplemental material section.
Selection Into Advanced Courses in Middle and High School Among Low-Income, Ethnically Diverse Youth
Authors: Ricciardi Courtney , Winsler Adam
Published: February 2021

This study assesses the excellence gap by examining those who enroll in advanced, honors, and advanced placement (AP) classes among a low-income and a majority-Latinx population. Prospective longitudinal data come from a diverse, urban sample ( N = 32,885) where 82.2% of the students received free or reduced price lunch. We examined numerous predictors (i.e., demographics, school readiness skills, prior academic competence) for eventual enrollment in an advanced course (middle school advanced, honors in middle and high school, and AP courses in high school) via multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results suggest that demographic factors (socioeconomic status, ethnicity, English-language learner status) often played a smaller role in advanced course enrollment after controlling for school-entry skills and prior academic competence with the exception of AP courses, where demographic effects persisted. Implications include targeted early intervention to get qualified students in poverty enrolled in academically advanced courses.
New Clamp-PID Algorithm for Automated Glucose Clamps Improves Clamp Quality
Authors: Benesch Carsten , Kuhlenkötter Mareike , Nosek Leszek , Heise Tim
Published: February 2021

Background:

In automated glucose clamp experiments, blood glucose (BG) concentrations are kept close to a predefined target level using variable glucose infusion rates (GIRs) determined by implemented algorithms. Clamp quality (ie, the ability to keep BG close to target) highly depends on the quality of these algorithms. We developed a new Clamp algorithm based on the proportional-integral-derivative (PID) approach and compared clamp quality between this and the established Biostator (BS) algorithm.

Methods:

In numerical simulations, the PID-based algorithm was optimized in silico. The optimized Clamp-PID algorithm was tested in in vitro experiments and finally validated in vivo in a small ( n = 5) clinical study.

Results:

In silico, in vitro, and in vivo experiments showed better clamp quality for the new Clamp-PID algorithm compared with the BS algorithm: precision and absolute control deviation (ACD) decreased from 3.7% to 1.1% and from 2.9 mg/dL to 0.6 mg/dL, respectively, in the numerical simulation. The in vitro validation demonstrated reductions in precision (from 3.3% ± 0.1% (mean ± SD) to 1.4% ± 0.4%) and in ACD (from 2.3 mg/dL ± 0.4 mg/dL to 0.8 mg/dL ± 0.2 mg/dL), respectively. In the clinical study, precision and ACD improved from 6.5% ± 1.3% to 4.0% ± 1.1% and from 3.6 mg/dL ± 0.9 mg/dL to 2.2 mg/dl ± 0.6 mg/dl, respectively. The quality parameter utility did not change.

Conclusions:

The new Clamp-PID algorithm improves the clamp quality parameters precision and ACD versus the BS algorithm.
Two New Acylated Sucroses From the Roots of Canna indica L. and Their Antioxidant Activity
Authors: Anh Luu The , Hieu Nguyen , Trang Do Thi , Huu Tai Bui , Van Kiem Phan
Published: February 2021

Two new acylated sucroses, (6- O-axetoxyl)- β-d-fructofuranosyl-(2→1)-(6- O-feruloyl- α- d-glucopyranoside (1) and (6- O-axetoxyl)- β-d-fructofuranosyl-(2→1)-(6- O-( E)- p-coumaroyl- α- d-glucopyranoside (2), and four known compounds, 2-(3′,4′-dihydroxyphenyl)-1-propanol-4′- O-[4′′′-hydroxy-3′′′,5′′′-dimethoxybenzoyl-(→6′′)- β-d-fructofuranoside (3), tryptophol glucoside (4), corchonoside C (5), and 2-hydroxy-5-(2-hydroxyethyl)phenyl β-d-fructofuranoside (6), were isolated from the roots of Canna indica L. (Cannaceae). Their structures were determined by extensive analysis of HR-ESI-MS, 1D, and 2D NMR spectral data, as well as by comparison of these with those reported in the literature. Antioxidant activity of compounds 1-6 were evaluated by peroxyl radical absorbance capacity assay. Compounds 1 and 3 neutralized high amounts of peroxyl radical. At a concentration of 1 µM, their ORACROO* values were 3.07 ± 0.15 and 4.27 ± 0.30, respectively, many times greater than that of trolox, which was used as an internal standard. At 10 µM, the peroxyl radical absorbance capacity of compounds 1 and 3 exhibited equivalents to 15.60 ± 0.22 and 24.91 ± 0.43 times the net protection by 1 µM of trolox.
In the Moment: Fostering Mindfulness and Reducing Stressors in the Healthcare Workplace
Authors: Valipoor Shabboo , Bosch Sheila J.
Published: February 2021

While healthcare design research has primarily focused on patient outcomes, there is a growing recognition that environmental interventions could do more by promoting the overall quality of care, and this requires expanding the focus to the health and well-being of those who deliver care to patients. Healthcare professionals are under high levels of stress, leading to burnout, job dissatisfaction, and poor patient care. Among other tools, mindfulness is recommended as a way of decreasing stress and helping workers function at higher levels. This article aims to identify potential environmental strategies for reducing work-related stressors and facilitating mindfulness in healthcare settings. By examining existing evidence on workplace mindfulness and stress-reducing design strategies, we highlight the power of the physical environment in not only alleviating stressful conditions but intentionally encouraging a mindful perspective. Strategies like minimizing distractions or avoiding overstimulation in the healthcare environment can be more effective if implemented along with the provision of designated spaces for mindfulness-based programs. Future research may explore optimal methods and hospital workers’ preferences for environments that support mindfulness and stress management. The long-term goal of all these efforts is to enhance healthcare professionals’ well-being, reignite their professional enthusiasm, and help them be resilient in times of stress.
Scent in the Context of Live Performance
Authors: Spence Charles
Published: February 2021

Ambient smell has long been a feature of live performance, no matter whether its presence was intentional or not. While, once upon a time, the incidental presence of malodour was an inevitable feature of proceedings, the deliberate use of scent can actually be traced all the way back to the earliest rituals. This review attempts to trace the long history of scent’s use in processions, pageants, and, most important, performance. From Shakespeare’s time onward, scent has been used as an atmospheric/ambient cue. It has been used to create a certain mood, to trigger memories/nostalgia, and, on occasion, it has also served a narrative role. While the use of scent has often been merely illustrative (or pleonastic), there have been numerous occasions where olfactory stimulation has taken on a far more important evaluative role, critical or otherwise. Most often, this has been in the theatre, but also on occasion in the context of the opera, musical, ballet, and comedy too. In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in scenting live performance/entertainment, especially in the context of highly immersive and experiential multisensory events. While high-tech solutions to scent delivery have been a prominent feature of its use in the cinema, low-tech solutions have more often been incorporated in the live-performance setting. This and a number of other important differences between scent’s use in the theatrical versus cinematic setting are highlighted.
Association of immune-checkpoint inhibitors and the risk of immune-related colitis among elderly patients with advanced melanoma: real-world evidence from the SEER–Medicare database
Authors: Almutairi Abdulaali R. , Slack Marion , Erstad Brian L. , McBride Ali , Abraham Ivo
Published: February 2021

Background:

The use of anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (anti-CTLA4) therapy (ipilimumab) and anti-programmed cell-death 1 (anti-PD1) agents (nivolumab and pembrolizumab) in advanced melanoma have been associated with immune-related adverse events (irAEs) including colitis. We aimed to estimate the incidence and the risk of colitis in elderly patients with advanced melanoma treated with anti-CTLA4 and anti-PD1 in the real-world setting.

Methods:

Elderly patients (age ⩾ 65 years) diagnosed with advanced melanoma between 2011 and 2015 and treated with anti-CTLA4 or anti-PD1 agents were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)–Medicare data. We estimated the risk of colitis from start of treatment up to 90 days from the last dose of therapy. We used the log-rank test and logistic regression with adjustment for potential confounders using the inverse probability of treatment weighting method. We conducted several sensitivity analyses.

Results:

A total of 274 elderly patients with advanced melanoma were included in our cohort. The risk of colitis was similar between anti-PD1 users and anti-CTLA4 users based on log-rank test ( p = 0.17) and logistic regression [odds ratio (OR) = 0.35, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) 0.04–2.79]. Sensitivity analyses for patients with all-stage melanoma showed a significantly lower risk of colitis in anti-PD1 compared with anti-CTLA4 treated patients based on log-rank test ( p = 0.017) and logistic regression (OR = 0.21, 95%CI 0.09–0.53).

Conclusion:

Elderly with advanced melanoma treated with anti-CTLA4 or anti-PD1 had a similar risk of developing colitis. However, there was a statistically significant difference in the risk of colitis between anti-CTLA4 or anti-PD1 users among all-stage-melanoma patients.

Plain Language Summary

Risk of colitis (inflammation of the large intestine) in elderly patients with melanoma treated with immune-checkpoint inhibitors (a group of medications that uses the patient’s immune system to fight cancer) While the anti-cancer agents known as immune-checkpoint inhibitors have had a great impact on the treatment of melanoma, they may also have side effects. This study estimated the risk of colitis, a chronic inflammation of the colon, in elderly patients with melanoma treated with anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (anti-CTLA4) or anti-programmed cell-death 1 (anti-PD1) agents, using data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)–Medicare linked database. Overall, we found that the risk of colitis was not different between anti-PD1 users and anti-CTLA4 users with advanced-stage melanoma. However, after including patients across all stages of melanoma, we found a significantly lower risk of colitis with anti-PD1 compared with anti-CTLA4.
Outcomes of patients hospitalized for acute pulmonary embolism by obstructive sleep apnea status
Authors: Joshi Aditya A. , Hajjali Raef H. , Gokhale Avantee V. , Smith Triston , Dey Amit K. , Dahiya Garima , Lerman Joseph B. , Sajja Aparna P. , Kanwar Manreet , Raina Amresh
Published: February 2021

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a major cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is increasingly recognized in the aging population, especially with the rising obesity epidemic. The impact of OSA on inpatient mortality in PE is not well understood. We used the Nationwide Inpatient Sample databases from 2005 to 2016 to identify 755,532 acute PE patients (age≥18 years). Among these, 61,050 (8.1%) were OSA+. Temporal trends in length of stay, inpatient mortality, and its association with OSA in PE patients were analyzed. The proportion of PE patients who were OSA+ increased from 2005 to 2016. OSA+ PE patients were younger and predominantly men. Despite a higher prevalence of traditional risk factors for inpatient mortality in OSA+ patients, OSA was associated with a lower risk of mortality in PE patients (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval; p: unadjusted 0.56, 0.53–0.58; p < 0.0001 and adjusted 0.55, 0.52–0.58; p < 0.0001). Overall mortality and length of stay in PE patients decreased over time. Relative to OSA– patients, there was a slight increase in mortality among OSA+ PE patients over time, although the length of stay remained unchanged between the two groups. In conclusion, OSA+ PE patients had a lower inpatient mortality compared to OSA– patients despite a higher prevalence of traditional mortality risk factors. Secondary pulmonary hypertension related to OSA with preconditioning of the right ventricle to elevated afterload may potentially explain the protective effect of OSA on mortality in PE. However, mechanistic studies need to further elucidate the links behind this association.
Pulmonary arterial hypertension‐associated genetic variants in combined post‐capillary and pre‐capillary pulmonary hypertension: a case report
Authors: L Chomette , S Caravita , C Dewachter , M Abramowicz , JL Vachiery , Antoine Bondue
Published: February 2021

Predisposing factors for the development of a pre‐capillary component in pulmonary hypertension associated with left heart disease remain elusive. We report the case of a patient with persistent combined post‐capillary and pre‐capillary pulmonary hypertension after cardiac transplantation, in whom a rare BMPR2 variant was found.
Common bile duct obstruction caused by a helminth in a cat in the UK: ultrasonographic findings, histopathology and outcome
Authors: Venier Francesca , Compagnone Krizia , Kerins Annette , Rosa Chantal
Published: February 2021

Case summary

An 11-year-old neutered female domestic shorthair cat presented to our hospital with a 5-day history of vomiting, lethargy, anorexia and hyperbilirubinaemia, despite intravenous fluid therapy, gastroprotectants and antibiotic treatment. An abdominal ultrasound revealed a markedly distended common bile duct (diameter 6.2 mm). The cystic duct and intrahepatic bile ducts were also dilated. A linear structure formed by two parallel hyperechoic lines was identified in the common bile duct and could be traced to the duodenal papilla. The cat underwent laparotomy for surgical decompression of the biliary tree. A tubular, brown-coloured structure was retrieved from the common bile duct. Histological examination was consistent with a degenerate helminth. The cat recovered uneventfully from the surgery and its demeanour and appetite improved rapidly over the following days. Liver and gallbladder wall histopathology was consistent with bacterial cholangitis and cholecystitis. Escherichia coli was cultured from both bile and liver parenchyma.

Relevance and novel information

To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of extrahepatic biliary duct obstruction caused by a helminth in a cat in the UK. We hypothesised that the obstruction had been caused by the aberrant migration of an intestinal nematode that became lodged in the duodenal papilla. Ultrasound allowed prompt diagnosis and guided the treatment decision.
Cultural obstacles to women’s political empowerment in India and Bangladesh: A comparative perspective
Authors: Prodip Mahbub Alam
Published: February 2021

This comparative case study explores the cultural obstructions that women members in reserved seats confront with regards to their political empowerment at the local council level – in the Gram Panchayat in India and the Union Parishad in Bangladesh. Primary data was collected from West Bengal in India and Rajshahi in Bangladesh between July 2018 and February 2019. The results are mixed, and varied significantly from country to country. Patriarchal behaviours are less dominant in the workplace for Indian women, whereas major challenges for Bangladeshi women come from their male colleagues. Proxy representation is still a significant form of male domination in India, while this is not a serious issue in Bangladesh. However, the interference of politicians is another form of male domination which restricts women from effective participation in local councils in India and Bangladesh. Harassment is extensively used to control women in politics in Bangladesh, whereas this is less exercised in India. Religion is no longer a dominant barrier to women’s political participation in either countries. Women members in both countries should fight against patriarchal behaviour and male domination in order to create an environment where they can talk about women’s interests in the decision-making process.