bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Connecting the dots on Canada’s connected battlespace
Authors: Budning Kevin , Wilner Alex , Cote Guillaume
Published: February 2021

A “connected battlespace” (CB) aims to leverage emerging technologies, such as low Earth orbit satellites, internet of things devices, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence, in order to collect, process, and disseminate large quantities of data in real time, thereby providing decision-makers with the ability to respond to threats faster and with more precision. Despite its promise, as a concept, a CB is still misunderstood, underdeveloped, and understudied. In an effort to fill this gap, this policy brief describes several key findings derived from an expert stakeholder workshop that the authors convened in July 2020. Workshop participants probed several questions about the development of Canada’s CB infrastructure, touching on a number of themes, including alliance partnerships, emerging technology, procurement, national security, and defence strategy. Our article synthesizes and analyzes key discussions held during this workshop.
Quebec, Scotland, and substate governments’ roles in Canadian and British trade policy: Lessons to be learned
Authors: Paquin Stéphane , Rioux X. Hubert , Eiser David , Roy Graeme , Wooton Ian
Published: February 2021

Following Brexit (the withdrawal of the UK from the EU and the European Atomic Energy Community at the end of 31 January 2020), the British government stated that it hoped to reach a new trade agreement with Canada to be modelled after the Canada–EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, the first free-trade deal for which Canadian provinces were directly involved at every stage of negotiations. In the UK, while there are mechanisms for the involvement of devolved regions in European policy, there is no clear constitutional doctrine as to the roles they should play in elaborating trade policy more generally. Moreover, the asymmetric nature of the UK’s devolution system complicates the involvement of its devolved governments in trade negotiations. By providing a specific focus on the cases of Quebec and Scotland, this article provides a comparison of substate governments’ roles in trade negotiation and trade promotion. It concludes that, while there seems to be only limited scope for substate governments’ formal input into future trade negotiations, their trade and investment promotion organizations allow them to pursue different objectives over trade outcomes within a unified national framework.
Trade Rage: Audience Costs and International Trade
Authors: Casler Don , Clark Richard
Published: February 2021

Politicians frequently issue public threats to manipulate tariffs but only sometimes follow through. This behavior theoretically ought to generate audience costs. We therefore test the validity of audience costs in trade war settings through a vignette-based survey experiment. The vignettes describe a hypothetical situation involving the U.S. and a second country (China, Canada, or unspecified) with whom the U.S. has a trade deficit. The president (Democrat, Republican, or unspecified) either maintains the status quo, threatens to impose tariffs and backs down, or threatens to impose tariffs and follows through. Our findings highlight differences between security and trade conflict when it comes to audience costs and presidential approval. While Americans sanction the president for issuing a threat to raise tariffs, they generally support backing down. Regression modeling and text analysis of a free response question from our surveys suggest this is because consumers are wary of paying the costs of tariffs.
The Health and Social Needs of Patients Discharged From the Emergency Department With Suspected COVID-19
Authors: Khidir Hazar , DeLuca Michael , Macias-Konstantopoulos Wendy L. , Samuels-Kalow Margaret , Jasrasaria Rashmi , Risley Kristen , Liburd Kendra , Adjei Vanessa , Yun Brian J.
Published: February 2021

Health-related social needs (HRSNs), such as food or housing insecurity, are important drivers of disparities in outcomes during public health emergencies. We describe the development of a telehealth follow-up program in Boston, Massachusetts, for patients discharged from the emergency department after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing to identify patients with worsening clinical symptoms, to screen for unmet HRSNs, and to deliver self-isolation counseling and risk-reduction strategies for socially vulnerable people. We prioritized telephone calls to patients with public health insurance and patients without primary care physicians. In the first 43 days of operation, March 30–May 12, 2020, our intervention reached 509 patients, with 209 (41.1%) patients reporting an HRSN, most commonly related to food, housing, or utilities. Thirty-one (6.1%) patients required assessment by a clinician for clinical worsening. This public health intervention may be useful for other institutions developing programs to address the social and health needs of patients discharged with suspected COVID-19.
Estimating and Characterizing COVID-19 Deaths, Puerto Rico, March–July 2020
Authors: Azofeifa Alejandro , Valencia Diana , Rodriguez Carmen J. , Cruz Maritza , Hayes Devin , Montañez-Báez Edén , Tejada-Vera Betzaida , Villafañe-Delgado Joshua E. , Cabrera Jessica J. , Valencia-Prado Miguel
Published: February 2021

Objectives

Using the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) classification guidelines, we characterized coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)–associated confirmed and probable deaths in Puerto Rico during March–July 2020. We also estimated the total number of possible deaths due to COVID-19 in Puerto Rico during the same period.

Methods

We described data on COVID-19–associated mortality, in which the lower bound was the sum of confirmed and probable COVID-19 deaths and the upper bound was excess mortality, estimated as the difference between observed deaths and average expected deaths. We obtained data from the Puerto Rico Department of Health COVID-19 Mortality Surveillance System, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Electronic Disease Surveillance System Base System, and the National Center for Health Statistics.

Results

During March–July 2020, 225 COVID-19–associated deaths were identified in Puerto Rico (119 confirmed deaths and 106 probable deaths). The median age of decedents was 73 (interquartile range, 59-83); 60 (26.7%) deaths occurred in the Metropolitana region, and 140 (62.2%) deaths occurred among men. Of the 225 decedents, 180 (83.6%) had been hospitalized and 93 (41.3%) had required mechanical ventilation. Influenza and pneumonia (48.0%), sepsis (28.9%), and respiratory failure (27.1%) were the most common conditions contributing to COVID-19 deaths based on death certificates. Based on excess mortality calculations, as many as 638 COVID-19–associated deaths could have occurred during the study period, up to 413 more COVID-19–associated deaths than originally reported.

Conclusions

Including probable deaths per the CSTE guidelines and monitoring all-cause excess mortality can lead to a better estimation of COVID-19–associated deaths and serve as a model to enhance mortality surveillance in other US jurisdictions.
On-the-Job Treatment of Employees With Disabilities: A Grounded Theory Investigation
Authors: Koch Lynn C. , Glade Rachel , Manno Christine M. , Zaandam Aten , Simon Lauren S. , Rumrill Phillip D. , Rosen Christopher C.
Published: February 2021

Workplace mistreatment is common for workers with and without disabilities. Overt forms of mistreatment in the workplace (e.g., abuse, bullying, harassment) have been well studied; however, less is known about more subtle forms of workplace mistreatment for employees with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to examine how workers with disabilities are treated on the job, the types of mistreatment present in the workplace, the consequences involved (if any), the courses of action taken (if any), and workers’ satisfaction with the outcomes of actions taken. We used a grounded theory approach to learn from 26 employees with disabilities about their experiences with workplace treatment. Primary themes that emerged from the data were (a) the emotional toll of being mistreated on the job; (b) attempting to “grin and bear it,” as one participant described it, to avoid mistreatment; (c) a desire to feel a sense of belongingness at the workplace; and (d) the intersection of disability characteristics, individual characteristics, and work environment characteristics that influences how people with disabilities are treated on the job. Implications are presented for understanding the role that rehabilitation counselors play in helping workers and employers to respond to mistreatment of employees with disabilities.
Feasibility study to detect occupant thermal sensation using a low-cost thermal camera for indoor environments in Indonesia
Authors: Faridah Faridah , Waruwu Memory Motivanisman , Wijayanto Titis , Budiarto Rachmawan , Pratama Raditya Cahya , Prayogi Septian Eka , Nadiya Nur Muna , Yanti Ressy Jaya
Published: February 2021

This paper concerns the feasibility study of 7 classes of thermal sensation detection in Indonesia's indoor environment using a low-cost thermal camera through face skin temperature. This study is required as an initial step to build a thermal comfort sensor system of HVAC control systems to produce a comfortable indoor environment with minimum and efficient energy use. The feasibility study was started by studying the thermoregulation system of respondents in Indonesia through measuring their body and facial skin temperatures under heating and cooling conditions, including their relationship with thermal sensations. The facial skin temperature variable, which is covered by four measurement points, namely forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin, represents the MST variable by the coefficient of determination of 0.54. The thermal sensation detection algorithm based on Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is 35.7% of accuracy. The thermal sensation questionnaire with 7 class categories is unsuitable for Indonesian respondents, and the number of the category classes predicted too much compared to the number of inputs. The detection algorithm has better accuracy with a smaller number of classes, namely 52.2% and 68.70% for the 5 and 3 classes of thermal sensation.

Practical application: The air conditioning buildings system is possible to influence a thermal environmental control system to meet the occupants' thermal comfort level requirement in an indoor environment if the system is equipped with a sensor that can detect the occupants' thermal sensations. The thermal camera can be used as a non-contact sensor, detecting the occupant’s thermal sensation by reading the occupant's face skin temperature in an indoor environment.
Measuring Public Speaking Anxiety: Self-report, behavioral, and physiological
Authors: Gallego Ana , McHugh Louise , Penttonen Markku , Lappalainen Raimo
Published: February 2021

Self-reports are typically used to assess public speaking anxiety. In this study, we examined whether self-report, observer report, and behavioral and physiological reactivity were associated with each other during a speech challenge task. A total of 95 university students completed a self-report measure of public speaking anxiety before and after the speech challenge. Speech duration (i.e., behavioral measure), physiological reactivity, as well as speech performance evaluated by the participants and observers were also recorded. The results suggest that self-reported public speaking anxiety predicts speech duration, as well as speech quality, as rated by the participants themselves and observers. However, the physiological measures were not associated with self-reported anxiety during the speech task. Additionally, we observed that socially anxious participants underrate their speech performance in comparison to their observers’ evaluations.
Image Analysis for Ultrasound Quality Assurance
Authors: Aljahdali Majed H. , Woodman Alexander , Al-Jamea Lamiaa , Albatati Saeed M. , Williams Chris
Published: February 2021

The quality assurance (QA) of ultrasound transducers is often identified as an area requiring continuous development in terms of the tools available to users. Periodic evaluation of the transducers as part of the QA protocol is important, since the quality of the diagnostics. Some of the key criteria determining the process of developing a QA protocol include the complexity of setup, the time required, accuracy, and potential automation to achieve scale. For the current study, a total of eight different ultrasound machines (12 transducers) with linear transducers were obtained separately. The results from these 12 transducers were used to validate the protocol. WAD-QC was used as part of this study to assess in-air reverberation patterns obtained from ultrasound transducers. Initially, three in-air reverberation images obtained from normal transducers and three obtained from defective transducers were used to calculate the uniformity parameters. The results were applied to 12 other images obtained from independent sources. Image processing results with WAD-QC were verified with imageJ. A comparison of raw data for uniformity showed consistency, and using controls based on mean absolute deviation yielded identical results. WAD-QC can be considered as a powerful mechanism for quick, efficient, and accurate analysis of in-air reverberation patterns obtained from ultrasound transducers.
Evaluation of Dental Practices Changes During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Brazil
Authors: Rossato Mayara Delfino Sentone , Gregorio Danielle , de Almeida-Pedrin Renata Rodrigues , Maia Luciana Prado , Poli Regina Celia , Berger Sandrine Bittencourt , Fernandes Thais Maria Freire
Published: February 2021

Dentists are healthcare professionals who are at high risk of infection and transmission of the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). The primary objective of the present study was to evaluate the changes in clinical practice made by Brazilian dentists during the COVID-19 pandemic. From June 22 to July 13, 2020, an online questionnaire was sent to dentists using Google Forms. After providing consent, 1,178 dentists answered questions regarding their knowledge and clinical experiences related to COVID-19. Data were analyzed using Chi-square, Fisher’s exact, or Kruskal–Wallis tests, with a significance level of 5%. Brazilian dentists significantly changed their routine dental practices. Biosafety measures were added in their offices by 98% of the dentists, increasing operating costs for 88.3% of dentists. Greater discomfort due to the increase in personal protection equipment (PPE) worn during the pandemic was reported by 58.6%. Furthermore, 84.2% reduced heir hours of service. It was found that the dentists decreased their workload, used additional PPE, and took additional biosafety measures.
The politics of authoritarian empowerment: Participatory pricing in China
Authors: Qin Xuan , He Baogang
Published: February 2021

Partial and perceived empowerment in the practice of public hearings, widely spreading across China since the late 1990s and still operating today, is puzzling. Citizens enjoy the right to participation, information, and formal equality but their political empowerment is constrained without the right to elect and dismiss officials there. This article examines the politics of ‘authoritarian empowerment,’ which combines partial empowerment and sophisticated control, and separates psychological empowerment from political empowerment. Through such a delicate combination and separation, citizens are partially empowered, paradoxically, to prevent their full empowerment. Our study is a supplement to the previous study of authoritarian deliberation (consultation) and phantom democracy, discloses the deficiency of the literature on local deliberative democracy in China, and enriches the literature on sophisticated authoritarian innovation in Southeast Asia. The article is based on documented research, interviews with 469 non-participants and 72 participants, and an in-depth case study in Shanghai.
Using a Developmental Approach to Evaluation Capacity Building in Home Visiting
Authors: Zaid Susan , Sparr Mariel , Peplinski Kyle , Denmark Nicole , Curtin Pooja Gupta
Published: February 2021

The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program, administered by the Health Resources and Service Administration in collaboration with the Administration for Children and Families, provides evidence-based home visiting services across 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories. MIECHV invests in comprehensive technical assistance (TA) to support and build the capacity of awardees to conduct rigorous evaluations of their programs. Throughout the course of the evaluation process, awardees received TA from the Design Options for Home Visiting Evaluation project. Between 2011 and 2020, over 173 state-led evaluations have been conducted. Individual technical assistance (TA) modalities included conference calls, emails, interactive and individualized webinars, developing and sharing resources, and involvement of content experts. When issues and challenges were identified across multiple awardees, Design Options for Home Visiting Evaluation (DOHVE) delivered targeted group TA to awardees with common needs that may benefit from peer-to-peer learning. When cross-cutting issues and challenges were identified, DOHVE used universal approaches such as webinars and guidance documents that were made available to all awardees.Through the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program, efforts have been taken to promote awardee capacity by targeting all phases of the evaluation process, including planning, implementing, and disseminating findings and providing TA that is responsive and tailored to meet awardee-specific needs. This approach enabled DOHVE to support MIECHV awardees in expanding knowledge of their programs and the evidence base on home visiting. Lessons learned from TA provision highlight the importance of developing feasible plans and providing ongoing support during implementation.
The Impact of MassPAT on Opioid Prescribing Patterns for Otolaryngology Surgeries
Authors: Rubin Samuel , Wulu Jacqueline A. , Edwards Heather A. , Dolan Robert W. , Brams David M. , Yarlagadda Bharat B.
Published: February 2021

Objective

Determine whether opioid prescriber patterns have changed for tonsillectomy, parotidectomy, and thyroidectomy after implementation of the Massachusetts Prescription Awareness Tool (MassPAT).

Study Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Single‐center tertiary care hospital.

Methods

Patients were included if they received tonsillectomy, parotidectomy, or thyroid surgery at Lahey Hospital and Medical Center (Burlington, Massachusetts) between October 1, 2015, and October 1, 2019. Prescribing patterns were compared prior to implementation of MassPAT, October 1, 2015, to October 14, 2016, to postimplementation of MassPAT, October 15, 2016, to October 1, 2019. Quantity of opioids prescribed was described using total morphine milligram equivalents (MME). Data were analyzed using univariate analysis, multivariate analysis, and trend line using line of best fit.

Results

A total of 737 subjects were included in the study. There was a downward trend in the quantity of opioids prescribed for all 3 surgeries during the study period. There was a significant difference in the quantity of opioids prescribed pre‐ and postimplementation of MassPAT for tonsillectomy (647.70 ± 218.50 MME vs 474.60 ± 185.90 MME, P <. 001), parotidectomy (241.20 ± 57.66 MME vs 156.70 ± 72.99 MME, P <. 001), and thyroidectomy (171.20 ± 93.77 MME vs 108.50 ± 63.84 MME, P <. 001). There was also a decrease in the number of patients who did not receive opioids for thyroidectomy pre‐ and post‐MassPAT (7.56% vs 24.14%).

Conclusion

We have demonstrated that there is an association with state drug monitoring programs and decrease in the amount of opioids prescribed for acute postoperative pain control for common otolaryngology surgeries.
Indian Medical Students with Depression, Anxiety, and Suicidal Behavior: Why Do They Not Seek Treatment?
Authors: Arun Praveen , Ramamurthy Parthasarathy , Thilakan Pradeep
Published: February 2021

Background:

Identification of barriers to mental healthcare seeking among medical students will help organize student mental health services in medical colleges across India. This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of depression, anxiety disorders, and suicidal behavior among medical students and to identify the potential barriers to mental healthcare seeking among them.

Methods:

In this cross-sectional observational study, the medical students from a medical college in South India were asked to complete a structured pro forma for sociodemographic details, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7),and Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R). The barriers to mental healthcare seeking were assessed using the mental health subscale of Barriers to Healthcare Seeking Questionnaire for medical students. A cut-off of 15 was used for determining the presence of depression on PHQ-9. A cut-off of 10 on GAD-7 indicated the presence of anxiety disorder, and a cut-off of 7 on SBQ-R indicated suicidal risk.

Results:

Out of the 425 participants, 59 (13.9%) were found to have depression (moderately severe or severe) and 86 (20.2%) were found to have anxiety disorders (moderate or severe). A total of 126 (29.6%) students were found to have a suicidal risk. Preference for informal consultations, concerns about confidentiality, and preference for self-diagnosis were the most commonly reported barriers to mental healthcare seeking. Students with psychiatric disorders perceived more barriers to mental healthcare seeking than students without psychiatric disorders.

Conclusions:

One-fourth of the medical students were detected to have depression and/or anxiety disorders. Establishing student mental health services, taking into account the perceived barriers, will go a long way in improving medical students’ mental well-being.
Illiberal democratic attitudes and support for the EU
Authors: van der Brug Wouter , Popa Sebastian Adrian , Hobolt Sara B , Schmitt Hermann
Published: February 2021

Are those who support the core values of liberal democracy also more likely to support the European Union? In this article, we study the relationship between EU support and support for the principles of liberal democracy among citizens in the 28 EU member states, using data from the European Election Studies 2019. Our findings demonstrate that supporters of liberal principles of democracy tend to be more supportive of the EU, while supporters of more direct forms of citizen influence are more Eurosceptic. We argue that this may be in part due to the design of the EU with strong institutional checks-and-balances, but a weak link to citizens. Attitudes towards liberal democracy are less structured than previous research suggests. Yet, the structuration of attitudes towards liberal democracy and the association between these attitudes and EU support is stronger in contexts where the role of the institutions of liberal democracy is more contested. This reconfirms that elite cues are essential for the formation of structured mass attitudes.
Collateral flow at circle of Willis in healthy condition
Authors: Abdi Mohsen , NavidBakhsh Mahdi
Published: February 2021

Experimental simulation of cerebrovascular system would be very beneficial tool to evaluate millions of human body cascade sequence. The Circle of Willis (CoW) recently named Cerebral Arterial Circle (CAC) is a main loop structure of cerebral circulatory system which positioned at the cranium base. In this research, we investigate cerebral artery flow pattern in cerebral arteries including afferent, Willisian, and efferent arteries of CAC emphasizing on communicating and connecting arteries which are main routes in CAC and as a risky sites when autoregulation is occurred in terminal parts of middle cerebral arteries (MCAs) by PMMA (Polymethyl methacrylate) chip and high quality camera which depict Sequential images. This novelty study analyze flow pattern in CAC that have been challenging subject area for many years which have investigated by scientists yet, because flow pattern in CAC indicate complication progression. This research tries to construct new platform in cerebral circulation analyzing method by reliable experimental in-vitro approach. The outcomes of this study demonstrate that communicating arteries especially anterior communicating artery (ACoA) is main artery in CAC flow distribution.
Improvement in quality of life with treatment of chronic venous disease: A longitudinal observational study in Kandy, Sri Lanka
Authors: Low Zhen Luan , Allen John Carson , Østbye Truls , Galketiya Kuda Banda , Keong Si Ying Julienne , Tan Hiang Khoon
Published: February 2021

Objective

This study assessed the improvement in Quality of Life (QoL) of Chronic Venous Disease (CVD) patients in Sri Lanka following treatment.

Methods

This was a prospective observational study of 58 newly or previously diagnosed CVD patients. QoL was assessed by the 14-item ChronIc Venous dIsease quality of life Questionnaire (CIVIQ-14) at 4 and 8 weeks after treatment.

Results

At 8 weeks, the improvement in Global score from baseline was greatest in the surgical group with adjusted least squares mean of 23.5 (p < 0.001) followed by the non-surgical group at 13.3 (p < 0.001). There was no significant improvement in the no-treatment group at 0.333 (p = 0.950). Similar results were obtained for Pain and Physical domain scores at 8 weeks. Likewise, at 4 weeks, Global score and Pain and Physical domain scores showed significant improvement in the surgical and non-surgical groups (all p < 0.001) only.

Conclusion

Both surgical and non-surgical treatments improved QoL of CVD patients.
The Role of AI Attribution Knowledge in the Evaluation of Artwork
Authors: Gangadharbatla Harsha
Published: February 2021

Artwork is increasingly being created by machines through algorithms with little or no input from humans. Yet, very little is known about people’s attitudes and evaluations of artwork generated by machines. The current study investigates (a) whether individuals are able to accurately differentiate human-made artwork from AI-generated artwork and (b) the role of attribution knowledge (i.e., information about who created the content) in their evaluation and reception of artwork. Data was collected using an Amazon Turk sample from two survey experiments designed on Qualtrics. Findings suggest that individuals are unable to accurately identify AI-generated artwork and they are likely to associate representational art to humans and abstract art to machines. There is also an interaction effect between attribution knowledge and the type of artwork (representational vs. abstract) on purchase intentions and evaluations of artworks.
Multiagent chemotherapy including IrIVA regimen and maintenance therapy in the treatment of desmoplastic small round cell tumor
Authors: Ferrari Andrea , Bergamaschi Luca , Chiaravalli Stefano , Pecori Emilia , Diletto Barbara , Alessandro Ombretta , Giandini Tommaso , Livellara Virginia , Sironi Giovanna , Casanova Michela
Published: February 2021

This study reports the treatment feasibility and efficacy of a novel multiagent intensive treatment program for young patients with desmoplastic small round cell tumor. This small series includes three patients and should be seen as a first suggestion of integration of the dose density and the maintenance chemotherapy concept. The IrIVA regimen (irinotecan, ifosfamide, vincristine, and actinomycin-D) is added—used at a short interval between chemotherapy administrations—at more classic intensive ifosfamide–based regimens. The vinorelbine and low-dose oral cyclophosphamide maintenance therapy is added at the end of conventional chemotherapy to achieve an antiangiogenic effect.
How does music performance anxiety relate to other anxiety disorders?
Authors: Wiedemann Anna , Vogel Daniel , Voss Catharina , Hoyer Jana
Published: February 2021

Music performance anxiety (MPA) is considered a social anxiety disorder (SAD). Recent conceptualizations, however, challenge existing MPA definitions, distinguishing MPA from SAD. In this study, we aim to provide a systematic analysis of MPA interdependencies to other anxiety disorders through graphical modeling and cluster analysis. Participants were 82 music students ( Mage = 23.5 years, SD = 3.4 years; 69.5% women) with the majority being vocal (30.5%), string (24.4%), or piano (19.5%) students. MPA was measured using the German version of the Kenny Music Performance Anxiety Inventory (K-MPAI). All participants were tested for anxiety-related symptoms using the disorder-specific anxiety measures of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed., DSM-5), including agoraphobia (AG), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder (PD), separation anxiety disorder (SEP), specific phobia (SP), SAD, and illness anxiety disorder (ILL). We found no evidence of MPA being primarily connected to SAD, finding GAD acted as a full mediator between MPA and any other anxiety type. Our graphical model remained unchanged considering severe cases of MPA only (K-MPAI ⩾ 105). By means of cluster analysis, we identified two participant sub-groups of differing anxiety profiles. Participants with pathological anxiety consistently showed more severe MPA. Our findings suggest that GAD is the strongest predictor for MPA among all major DSM-5 anxiety types.
Anxiety Mediates the Link Between Psychopathy and Aggression in NGRI Acquittees
Authors: Thomson Nicholas D. , Kevorkian Salpi , Galusha Carla , Wheeler Elizabeth M. A. , Ingram Lindsay
Published: February 2021

Psychopathy has been long associated with anxiety, and anxiety has been argued to play an important role in psychopathy-related behaviors, such as aggression. However, these associations have not yet been explored in Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGRI) Acquittees. The goals of the present study were to test the correlations between the 4-facet psychopathy construct and anxiety, and to assess whether anxiety mediates the association between psychopathy and aggression. In a sample of 81 NGRI acquittees, anxiety was positively related to the lifestyle facet. When testing the mediating role of anxiety on the psychopathy-aggression link, the results showed that low anxiety mediated the link between the interpersonal facet and aggression. By contrast, high anxiety mediated the link between the lifestyle facet and aggression. These results highlight the disparate associations between specific psychopathy features and anxiety in predicting aggressive behavior. The present findings demonstrate that violence reduction strategies may need to become more tailored to individual needs when it comes to reducing risk among people with varying levels of psychopathic traits and serious mental illness.
The information needs and behaviour of the Egyptian elderly living in care homes: An exploratory study
Authors: Mansour Essam
Published: February 2021

The purpose of this study is to investigate the information-seeking behaviour of the Egyptian elderly, including their information needs. A sample of 63 elderly people living in care homes was taken. It was divided into five focus groups. Of the 63 elderly people, 40 were men (63.5%) and 23 women (36.5%). Almost half (47.6%) ranged in aged from 61 to 70. About a quarter (23%) of them held a high school diploma. The highest percentage (28.6%) was labelled as average-income people. The highest percentage (60.3%) was also found to be widows or widowers. The types of information used most by the Egyptian elderly related to physical, medical/health, social, rational and recreational needs. Their information sources varied between formal and informal sources. Nearly two-thirds (63.5%) of them showed that limited knowledge, lack of interest, poor information awareness, aging, loneliness and health problems were the most significant obstacles they faced when seeking information.
Effect of Medialization of the Trochlear Groove and Lateralization of the Tibial Tubercle on TT-TG Distance: A Cross-sectional Study of Dysplastic and Nondysplastic Knees
Authors: Paiva Mathias , Blønd Lars , Hölmich Per , Barfod Kristoffer Weisskirchner
Published: February 2021

Background:

Tibial tubercle–trochlear groove (TT-TG) distance is often used as a measure of lateralization of the TT and is important for surgical planning.

Purpose:

To investigate if increased TT-TG distance measured on axial magnetic resonance images is due to lateralization of the TT or medialization of the TG.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A total of 84 knees (28 normal [NK], 28 with trochlear dysplasia [TD], and 28 with patellar dislocation without TD [PD]) were examined. The medial border of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) was chosen as the central anatomic landmark. The distance from the TT to PCL (TT-PCL) was measured to examine the lateralization of the TT. The distance from the TG to the PCL (TG-PCL) was measured to examine the medialization of the TG. Between-group differences were investigated by use of 1-way analysis of variance.

Results:

The mean values for TT-TG distance were 8.7 ± 3.6 mm for NK, 12.1 ± 6.0 mm for PD, and 16.7 ± 4.3 mm in the TD group ( P < .01). The mean values for TT-PCL distance were 18.5 ± 3.6 mm for NK, 18.5 ± 4.5 mm for PD, and 21.2 ± 4.2 mm in the TD group ( P = .03). The mean values for TG-PCL distance were 9.6 ± 3.0 mm for NK, 7.1 ± 3.4 mm for PD, and 5.1 ± 3.3 mm in the dysplastic group ( P < .01).

Conclusion:

The present results indicate that increased TT-TG distance is due to medialization of the TG and not lateralization of the TT. Knees with TD had increased TT-TG distance compared with the knees of the control group and the knees with PD. The TT-PCL distance did not differ significantly between groups, whereas the TG-PCL distance declined with increased TT-TG.
Lumbopelvic Control and the Development of Upper Extremity Injury in Professional Baseball Pitchers
Authors: Laudner Kevin , Wong Regan , Evans Daniel , Meister Keith
Published: February 2021

Background:

The baseball-throwing motion requires a sequential order of motions and forces initiating in the lower limbs and transferring through the trunk and ultimately to the upper extremity. Any disruption in this sequence can increase the forces placed on subsequent segments. No research has examined if baseball pitchers with less lumbopelvic control are more likely to develop upper extremity injury than pitchers with more control.

Purpose:

To determine if baseball pitchers who sustain a chronic upper extremity injury have less lumbopelvic control before their injury compared with a group of pitchers who do not sustain an injury.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

A total of 49 asymptomatic, professional baseball pitchers from a single Major League Baseball organization participated. Lumbopelvic control was measured using an iPod-based digital level secured to a Velcro belt around each player’s waist to measure anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) deviations (degrees) during single-leg balance with movement and static bridge maneuvers. During a competitive season, 22 of these pitchers developed upper extremity injuries, while the remaining 27 sustained no injuries. Separate 2-tailed t-tests were run to determine if there were significant differences in lumbopelvic control between groups ( P < .05).

Results:

There were no significant between-group differences for the stride leg (nondominant) during the bridge test in either the AP ( P = .79) or the ML ( P = .42) directions, or either direction during the drive leg bridge test ( P > .68). However, the injured group had significantly less lumbopelvic control than the noninjured group during stride leg balance in both the AP ( P = .03) and the ML ( P = .001) directions and for drive leg balance in both the AP ( P = .01) and the ML ( P = .04) directions.

Conclusion:

These results demonstrate that baseball pitchers with diminished lumbopelvic control, particularly during stride leg and drive leg single-leg balance with movement, had more upper extremity injuries than those with more control. Clinicians should consider evaluating lumbopelvic control in injury prevention protocols and provide appropriate exercises for restoring lumbopelvic control before returning athletes to competition after injury. Specific attention should be given to testing and exercises that mimic a single-limb balance task.
High rate of infection eradication following cementless one-stage revision hip arthroplasty with an antibacterial hydrogel coating
Authors: Pellegrini Antonio , Legnani Claudio
Published: February 2021

Purpose:

We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the outcomes of one-stage revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) following periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) in terms of eradication of the infection, improvement of pain and joint function. We hypothesized that this treatment strategy could lead to satisfying results in selected patients after preoperative microorganism isolation.

Methods:

Ten patients underwent cementless one-stage revision hip arthroplasty with antibacterial hydrogel coating for the treatment of an infected THA. Inclusion criteria were: the presence of a known organism with known sensitivity, patients non-immunocompromised with healthy soft tissues with minimal or moderate bone loss. Mean age at surgery was 69.4 years. Assessment included objective examination, Harris hip score, visual analog scale pain score, standard X-rays.

Results:

At a mean follow-up of 3.1 years (range, 2–5 years), none of the patients had clinical or radiographic signs suggesting recurrent infection. Follow-up examination showed significant improvement of all variables compared to pre-operative values ( p < 0.05). Radiographs did not show progressive radiolucent lines or change in the position of the implant.

Conclusions:

One-stage revision THA with antibacterial hydrogel coated implants represents a safe and effective procedure providing infection eradication and satisfying subjective functional outcomes in selected patients.
A history of the struggle against racism in the social unconscious of group analysis
Authors: Blackwell Dick
Published: February 2021

Institutional racism is a social unconscious process. It is the collective operation of shared unconscious assumptions and values that exist in groupings and cultures such as group analytic institutions where individuals may consciously believe they are not racist. In such cultures this conscious belief is protected by unconscious processes of denial, avoidance and negation. Attempts to address the issue within group analysis reveal some of its problematic dynamics.
Making worlds from literature: W.E.B. Du Bois’s The Quest of the Silver Fleece and Dark Princess
Authors: Adamik Verena
Published: February 2021

While W.E.B. Du Bois’s first novel, The Quest of the Silver Fleece (1911), is set squarely in the USA, his second work of fiction, Dark Princess: A Romance (1928), abandons this national framework, depicting the treatment of African Americans in the USA as embedded into an international system of economic exploitation based on racial categories. Ultimately, the political visions offered in the novels differ starkly, but both employ a Western literary canon – so-called ‘classics’ from Greek, German, English, French, and US American literature. With this, Du Bois attempts to create a new space for African Americans in the world (literature) of the 20th century. Weary of the traditions of this ‘world literature’, the novels complicate and begin to decenter the canon that they draw on. This reading traces what I interpret as subtle signs of frustration over the limits set by the literature that underlies Dark Princess, while its predecessor had been more optimistic in its appropriation of Eurocentric fiction for its propagandist aims.
DNA fragmentation of sperm in automobile painters
Authors: Irnandi Dicky Faizal , Hinting Aucky , Yudiwati Rina
Published: February 2021

Reproductive health is a major concern for workers constantly exposed to chemicals at work, especially in developing countries. The problems mainly stemmed from chronic exposure to the chemicals contained in paint thinner, which is mainly toluene, used during automobile painting. Unfortunately, in Indonesia, there is no study on the reproductive health of male workers in automobile workshops, especially in relation to spermatogenesis. This study aimed to explore the possibility of reproductive problems, namely spermatozoa DNA fragmentation, among male workers in an automobile workshop in Malang. We recruited workers who have worked as automobile painters for years at an automobile workshop in Malang and have been chronically exposed to thinner. Semen samples were collected from 15 automobile workshop workers who were married and had children. Twelve office workers were used as the control group. The two groups of semen samples were tested with the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling assay combined with propidium iodide and analyzed by flow cytometry. The results showed a significant difference between DNA fragmentation of the control group and workshop workers at 14.9% and 47.66%, respectively. Risk factor analysis showed a significant increase in risk factors ( p = 0.001). Taken together, chronic exposure to paint thinner in those engaged in painting at the automobile workshop increased the risk of DNA fragmentation in spermatozoa. Our study highlighted the importance of health education for the risked workers on minimization of exposure, which could be recommended to the health policy makers.
Media Use and Men’s Approval of Intimate Partner Violence in Honduras
Authors: Forsyth Selina , Ward Kaitlin P.
Published: February 2021

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a widespread issue that affects millions of individuals each year. Prior research suggests that IPV approval is associated with an increased likelihood of IPV perpetration. However, scant research has examined predictors of IPV approval, and even less has examined the predictors of IPV approval in Latin America. Social cognitive theory describes the acquisition of ideas, values, attitudes, and behaviors through social observation, including through media. This study uses social cognitive theory to examine the effects of media use on men’s approval of IPV in Honduras, while controlling for demographic variables and IPV risk factors. We hypothesized that greater engagement with media (via television, radio, and newspapers or magazines) would be associated with decreases in the approval of IPV. Using ordinal logistic regression, we analyzed data from the Men’s Survey Module of the 2011–2012 Honduras Demographic and Health Survey. The final sample included 4,760 currently partnered men. Results suggest that listening to the radio one or more times per week was associated with greater IPV approval, while newspaper/magazine and television use were not significantly associated with IPV approval. Education, marital status, increased age at first cohabitation, and having a female partner or someone else making decisions about earnings were all protective against IPV approval. Further investigation into the content of Honduran radio and other media is called for in order to inform interventions to reduce acceptance of IPV.
Does COVID-19 offer English school leaders the opportunity to rethink schools?
Authors: Jopling Michael , Harness Oliver
Published: February 2021

COVID-19 has closed schools, forced examinations to be abandoned and led to concerns about the negative educational and social effects on children and young people. This short article uses responses to two short surveys of school leaders in the West Midlands and North East of England to explore their views on whether and how schools can be rethought following the disruption of COVID-19.
Examining the Role of Peer Support on Work Experiences for Young Women With Disabilities
Authors: Hirano Kara A. , Khurana Atika , Lindstrom Lauren , DeGarmo David
Published: February 2021

This study examined the protective effect of perceived peer support on involvement in work experiences in a sample of 366 young women receiving special education services in 26 high schools. Career self-efficacy and career outcome expectations are well-established predictors of behaviors aimed at achieving career goals, such as obtaining work experiences. Hence, we also evaluated their role as mediators of the hypothesized effect of perceived peer support on work experiences. Regression analyses (accounting for clustering within schools) revealed that perceived peer support had an indirect effect on work experiences, with the effect being channeled through career self-efficacy, but not through career outcome expectations. Although perceived peer support was significantly associated with career self-efficacy and career outcome expectations, only career self-efficacy predicted work experiences at follow-up. Our findings suggest that perceived peer support, a relatively malleable factor, can promote career self-efficacy and career outcomes for this population.
Development and Validation of a Career Sustainability Scale
Authors: Chin Tachia , Jawahar I. M. , Li Genyi
Published: February 2021

While prescriptions based on anecdotal data and theoretical accounts of career sustainability abound, empirical research has been hampered by the lack of a scale to measure career sustainability. Thus, the primary purpose of this study is to develop and validate a new measure of career sustainability. In Study 1, we relied on Chin, Li, Jiao, Addo, and Jawahar’s framework to develop a measure of career sustainability. We then conducted two studies to provide preliminary construct validity evidence. In Study 2, we show that scores on Career Sustainability Scale are related to career plateaus and career satisfaction in predictable ways. In Study 3, we show that career sustainability is positively related to psychological well-being, and this relationship is stronger for gig workers who are freelancers than for conventional workers. We discuss implications for research and practice and hope that our new measure facilitates empirical research on career sustainability.
A Latent Profile Analysis of Living a Calling, Burnout, Exploitation, and Work–Life Imbalance
Authors: Shin Joo Yeon , Kim Eunseok , Ahn Jina
Published: February 2021

Research has predominantly focused on the positive aspects of living a calling (LC), hence more attention needs to be given to its potentially negative aspects. The current study examined profiles of 237 South Korean working adults, defined by individuals’ scores on LC, burnout, exploitation, and work–life imbalance from a person-centered perspective. Then, we examined the role of psychological capital, organizational support, and adequate compensation in predicting profile membership. Lastly, we examined mean differences across class membership in the levels of job satisfaction and work-related psychological and physical symptoms. Latent profile analysis identified three distinct profiles of individuals: the adaptive, average, and maladaptive. Psychological capital, organizational support, and adequate compensation predicted a higher likelihood of membership into the adaptive group, compared to the average group. The adaptive group showed the highest job satisfaction and the lowest work-related psychological symptoms. Implications for calling-related interventions and directions for future research are discussed.