bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
One-Pot Preparation of Ultra-Small Lipid-Polymer Nanoparticles Loaded with Cis-Platinum to Combat Lung Cancer
Authors: Cao Yue-Jiao , Li Zhi-Peng , Zhou Nan , Liu Jia-Ping
Published: August 2021

The cis-platinum (CDDP) is a first line chemotherapeutics drugs to combat lung cancer. However, its efficacy is largely limited due to the off-target delivery and multidrug resistance (MDR) upon in vivo applications. In order to solve this problem, here in our study, we prepared
ultra-small lipidpolymer nanoparticles (USLPNPs) using one-pot method and to load CDDP (USLPNPs-CDDP) for the effective lung cancer therapy. Our results showed that the size of USLPNPs-CDDP was 20 nm and the stability of this platform was high. The sustained drug release afforded the long-lasting
administration of CDDP to treat cancers. Most importantly, the USLPNPs-CDDP was able to bypass the CDDP resistance of A549/CDDP cells, which resulted in better anticancer benefits as compared to free CDDP both in vitro and in vivo.
Effects of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Neurological Function, Transforming Growth Factor Beta 1 and Nogo-A Expression in Stroke Rats
Authors: Hu Kang , Qu Gaojie
Published: August 2021

To investigate BMSCs’ effect on neurological function, TGF-β1 and Nogo-A expression in stroke rats. Rats were assigned into sham operation group, ischemia group (MACO rat model) and BMSCs group (BMSCs transplantation) followed by analysis of neurological function,
brain pathological changes, cerebral infarction volume, TGF-β1 and Nogo-A level by Western blot. Compared with sham operation group, the score of rats was significantly elevated in ischemic group and decreased in BMSCs group (P <0.05). Compared with sham-operated group,
ischemic group showed significantly increased cerebral infarction area (P <0.05) and BMSCs group had a significant decreased water level and brain infarct volume (P < 0.05). Compared with sham-operated group, ischemic group had more edema in the nerve cells with serious
vacuole, uneven cytoplasm staining and reduced number of neurons, which were all significantly improved in BMSCs group. Compared to sham group, ischemic group showed significantly reduced TGF-β1 and increased Nogo-A level (P <0.05), which were all reversed in BMSCs group
(P <0.05). BMSCs transplantation can significantly improve the nerve function of stroke rats, promote TGF-β1 secretion and inhibit Nogo-A expression.
Evaluation framework for sub-daily rainfall extremes simulated by regional climate models
Authors: Van de Vyver Hans , Van Schaeybroeck Bert , De Troch Rozemien , De Cruz Lesley , Hamdi Rafiq , Villanueva-Birriel Cecille , Marbaix Philippe , van Ypersele Jean-Pascal , Wouters Hendrik , Vanden Broucke Sam , van Lipzig Nicole P.M. , Doutreloup Sébastien , Wyard Coraline , Scholzen Chloé , Fettweis Xavier , Caluwaerts Steven , Termonia Piet
Published: August 2021

Sub-daily precipitation extremes are high-impact events that can result in flash floods, sewer system overload, or landslides. Several studies have reported an intensification of projected short-duration extreme rainfall in a warmer future climate. Traditionally, regional climate models (RCMs) are run at a coarse resolution using deep-convection parameterization for these extreme events. As computational resources are continuously ramping up, these models are run at convection-permitting resolution, thereby partly resolving the small-scale precipitation events explicitly. To date, a comprehensive evaluation of convection-permitting models is still missing. We propose an evaluation strategy for simulated sub-daily rainfall extremes that summarizes the overall RCM performance. More specifically, the following metrics are addressed: the seasonal/diurnal cycle, temperature and humidity dependency, temporal scaling and spatio-temporal clustering. The aim of this paper is: (i) to provide a statistical modeling framework for some of the metrics, based on extreme value analysis, (ii) to apply the evaluation metrics to a micro-ensemble of convection-permitting RCM simulations over Belgium, against high-frequency observations, and (iii) to investigate the added value of convection-permitting scales with respect to coarser 12-km resolution. We find that convection-permitting models improved precipitation extremes on shorter time scales (i.e, hourly or two-hourly), but not on 6h-24h time scales. Some metrics such as the diurnal cycle or the Clausius-Clapeyron rate are improved by convection-permitting models, whereas the seasonal cycle appears robust across spatial scales. On the other hand, the spatial dependence is poorly represented at both convection-permitting scales and coarser scales. Our framework provides perspectives for improving high-resolution atmospheric numerical modeling and datasets for hydrological applications.
Mechanisms of European summer drying under climate change
Authors: Tuel Alexandre , Eltahir Elfatih A. B.
Published: August 2021

The geography of Europe as a continental landmass, located between the arid Sahara and the cold high latitudes (both are dry in terms of absolute humidity), dictates the reliance during summer of Southern Europe (south of 45°N) on stored water from winter and spring, and of Northwestern Europe on a small concentrated low-level moisture jet from the North Atlantic. In a recent study, we explained the projected winter precipitation decline over the Mediterranean under climate change as due to shifts in upper tropospheric stationary waves and to the regional-scale land-water warming contrast. Here, based on the analysis of observations and output from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 models,we expand this theory further, documenting howthe winter precipitation decline expands into Southern Europe during spring, dictated by similar dynamical mechanisms, depleting soil moisture and setting the stage for drier summers via soil moisture-precipitation feedbacks. Over Northwestern Europe, an anomalous anticyclonic circulation west of the British Isles displaces the low-level moisture jet northwards, limiting moisture supply, and reducing low-level relative humidity (RH) and rainfall. Finally, we discuss how this comprehensive perspective of European summer climate change can help better understand the variations across model projections, and pave the way for their reduction.
Compressible EULAG Dynamical Core in COSMO: Convective-Scale Alpine Weather Forecasts
Authors: Ziemiański Michał Z. , Wójcik Damian K. , Rosa Bogdan , Piotrowski Zbigniew P.
Published: August 2021

This paper presents the semi-implicit compressible EULAG as a new dynamical core for convective-scale numerical weather prediction. The core is implemented within the infrastructure of the operational model of the Consortium for Small-Scale Modeling (COSMO), forming the NWP COSMO-EULAG model (CE). This regional high-resolution implementation of the dynamical core complements its global implementation in the Finite-Volume Module of ECMWF’s Integrated Forecasting System. The paper documents the first operational-like application of the dynamical core for realistic weather forecasts. After discussing the formulation of the core and its coupling with the host model, the paper considers several high-resolution prognostic experiments over complex Alpine orography. Standard verification experiments examine the sensitivity of the CE forecast to the choice of the advection routine and assess the forecast skills against those of the default COSMO Runge–Kutta dynamical core at 2.2-km grid size showing a general improvement. The skills are also compared using satellite observations for a weak-flow convective Alpine weather case study, showing favorable results. Additional validation of the new CE framework for partly convection-resolving forecasts using 1.1-, 0.55-, 0.22-, and 0.1-km grids, designed to challenge its numerics and test the dynamics–physics coupling, demonstrates its high robustness in simulating multiphase flows over complex mountain terrain, with slopes reaching 85°, and the flow’s realistic representation.
Quantitative Analysis of Manganese in Underwater Steel Samples Using Long–Short Double-Pulse Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy
Authors: Wang Zhenzhen , Rong Kai , Tanaka Seiya , Deguchi Yoshihiro , Cui Minchao , Yan Junjie
Published: August 2021

The long–short double-pulse laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LS-DP-LIBS) method was applied to qualitative and quantitative analyses of underwater steel samples to improve the detection ability of underwater measurement. The stable plasma intensity and discrete emission lines were detected using LS-DP-LIBS when comparing the measured results of single-pulse LIBS (SP-LIBS) and LS-DP-LIBS. The long pulse produces a cavitation bubble without plasma, and the short pulse induces the plasma of steel samples within the bubble. The detection features of LS-DP-LIBS for underwater steel samples were discussed in different intra-pulse delay time, long-pulse width, and delay time conditions when analyzing the measured spectra, the signal intensity of Fe(I) at 400.524 nm and 402.187 nm, Mn(I) at 404.136 nm, and intensity ratio of Mn(I) 404.136 nm/Fe(I) 402.187 nm. The results indicated that the plasma stability and spectral signal intensity were improved significantly with a long-pulse width of 80 µs in the intra-pulse delay time of 70 µs, which were appropriate for bubble formation and plasma generation. According to the discussion of the delay time effect, the state of generated plasma was almost stable from 650 ns to 850 ns. Manganese (Mn) contents in steel samples were analyzed quantitatively when measuring five steel samples with different Mn contents using LS-DP-LIBS in optimal experimental conditions. A strong linear dependence was observed with R2=0.9842, which demonstrated the feasibility and appropriateness of quantitative analysis for underwater measurement using LS-DP-LIBS.
The mechanisms of trust formation under different conditions of political identity: An experiment among Taiwanese voters
Authors: Yang Tien-Tun , Hsung Ray-May , Chen Shu-Heng , Du Ye-Rong , Lin Yi-Jr , Yen Nai-Shing , Wu Chien-Te , Liu Ho-Ling
Published: August 2021

Trust and cooperation within and between political identity groups are important issues for building a healthy civil society and democratic development. However, this research problem has seldom been analyzed under different political identity conditions by means of experimental design in Taiwan. Presidential elections have reproduced the polarization between two groups of voters supporting different presidential candidates. Therefore, in this article the authors are interested in whether political identity matters in trust exchanges among strangers. This study applies a three-stage trust game experiment to examine how trust is developed within pairs of subjects with either the same or different political identity. In the first stage subjects were randomly matched in pairs as trustor and trustee, and their political identities were not disclosed. In the second stage the pairs were still randomly matched, but each subject was informed of their partner’s political identity. In the final stage each subject could choose the preferred political identity of his/her partner. There were two mechanisms of trust-behavior formation under different identity conditions. The first mechanism was political identity. Supporters of presidential candidate Ma Ying-Jeou were more trustful than supporters of candidate Tsai Ing-Wen. Under the condition of subjects knowing their partner’s political identity, the identity effect became strongly significant in stages 2 and 3 of the experiment, especially for that of the Ma–Ma group. The second mechanism was mutuality. The mutuality effect was very significant in all three stages of the trust experiment, and that effect was stronger for those who voted for Tsai.
Work physical activity culture and need support impacts on physical activity outcomes
Authors: Thomas Erica M , Martin Jeffrey , McCaughtry Nathan , Kulik Noel , Fahlman Mariane
Published: August 2021

Objective:

To test Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and examine whether employee perceptions of the workplace physical activity (PA) culture have statistically significant effects on PA behaviour and attitudes, as mediated by the three basic psychological needs.

Design:

Cross-sectional survey.

Setting:

Furniture manufacturer in the Midwest, USA.

Method:

Full-time employees with access to PA resources and facilities at work were surveyed ( N = 546; age range = 18–65) on the following measures: demographics, independent variables (PA need supportiveness of work environment, PA norms, social support for PA, employer value of PA and importance of PA), dependent variables (PA at work, PA leisure and PA attitudes) and mediators (psychological need satisfaction in PA for autonomy, competence and relatedness). Standard univariate statistics described the study population. Structural equation modelling (SEM) assessed the associations between independent, dependent and mediator variables.

Results:

Results from this study indicate PA and attitude towards PA are influenced by perceptions of the environment and various aspects of workplace culture. Statistically significant paths were found within the SEM model between attitude and social support, injunctive norms and PA value; PA done at work and autonomy need satisfaction, competence need satisfaction and descriptive norms; and PA done in leisure time and PA value.

Conclusion:

In the sample surveyed, work PA culture influences PA behaviour and attitudes. Different aspects of work PA culture influence PA performed at work compared to PA in leisure time.
Interventions to support the mental health of survivors of modern slavery and human trafficking: A systematic review
Authors: Wright Nicola , Jordan Melanie , Lazzarino Runa
Published: August 2021

Background:

Modern slavery is a term which incorporates a range of exploitative situations that involve the violation of human rights and the subjugation of individuals. It presents a significant public health concern. Post-release, survivors of modern slavery have complex mental health needs. Whilst mental health provision is a component of international and national policy, the delivery of evidence-based support remains a gap in the global anti-slavery response.

Aim:

To identify and synthesise the evidence base for mental health interventions developed and evaluated for use in a post-slavery survivor population.

Methods:

A systematic literature review was undertaken. The review protocol was prospectively registered with PROSPERO and followed the PRISMA guidance in its reporting. A multi-stage search strategy was utilised to retrieve studies. Quality appraisal was undertaken using the QualSyst tool. Due to heterogeneity in study design, a narrative approach to synthesising the findings was undertaken.

Results:

Nine studies met the final inclusion criteria. The narrative synthesis clustered the studies in three themes: study design and population; type of intervention; and outcomes reported. The included studies focussed on specific subpopulations, namely child soldiering, child labour or sex trafficking.

Conclusion:

This review has highlighted not only important theory-practice gaps in relation to the provision of evidence-based mental health support but scant evidence limited to specific sub-groups (child soldiering, child labour or sex trafficking). The emphasis placed on PTSD within the interventions tested risks mental health support becoming exclusionary to those with other needs. When assessing intervention efficacy, the complex socio-political context in which survivors exist as well as the increasing emphasis on holistic care, personal recovery and lived experience need to be considered. Taking this into account, the case can be made for the inclusion of a wider range of non-clinical outcomes in the assessment of mental health intervention effectiveness.
Liberal Internationalism, Decolonization, and International Accountability at the United Nations: The British Dilemma
Authors: Venosa Robert D.
Published: August 2021

Even as policymakers in both the United States and Britain agreed that decolonization should be gradual, the principles and institutions that the Americans advocated undermined the very prospect of the sort of gradual change they claimed to prefer. At the heart of the matter was the notion of political accountability to an international organization. While American policymakers assumed that such accountability would – and should – be established after the Second World War, British policymakers recognized that the mere assent to the principle of international political accountability would lead to the pressure to decolonize more rapidly. American policymakers would constantly reassure their British counterparts that the commitments to international accountability which they had undertaken under American pressure were safely restricted to the moral and legal realm and would therefore not undermine their ability to govern in the colonies. But policymakers in Britain accurately predicted that once admitted in principle, the moral commitment to political accountability to the international community would become a political weapon against the colonial powers. The American conviction – which stemmed from a thoroughgoing liberal internationalism – that the colonial powers could persuade the anti-colonial powers to moderate their stance and sympathize with the dilemmas of decolonization was refuted time and again.
The Challenge of Being Both Local and Global: Bicultural Identity Integration among Indigenous Ladakhi Youth in Delhi
Authors: Ozer Simon , Benet-Martínez Veronica , Schwartz Seth J.
Published: August 2021

Ladakhi emerging adults have been exposed to cultural globalization through interaction with tourists and media, as well as through prolonged stays at globalized university contexts in major Indian cities. This globalization process has been hypothesized as detrimental to psychological health, in part because it poses the challenge of integrating a local Ladakhi identity with a global Western cultural identity. In the present study, we examined how exposure to cultural globalization and bicultural identity integration (tendency to bring together one’s local and global identities) moderates the positive links of Ladakhi and Western cultural orientation with psychological well-being among Ladakhis studying in Delhi ( N = 196). We found that exposure to cultural globalization did not affect the positive association between cultural orientation and psychological well-being. Moreover, bicultural harmony and blendedness were associated with a weaker relationship between Ladakhi cultural orientation and psychological well-being and, additionally, a stronger association between Western cultural orientation and well-being. Our results highlight contemporary challenges related to being both local and global in a culturally globalized context.
The Assistant Principalship: A Keystone or a Stepping Stone
Authors: Schmittou David M.
Published: August 2021

Schools are dynamic environments surrounded by static brick and mortar. Schools are a complex entanglement of systems clinging to normalcy led and composed of individuals seeking growth and progress. There is constant turnover as students move through the systems, gaining mastery, seeking support, and receiving guidance. Employees similarly move often as they change roles and responsibilities, as cultures emerge and evolve, and as individuals retire, are hired, or move on to other positions, commonly referred to as “job rotation.” This constant change affects a school’s culture and climate as each is achieved through sustained efforts. When change is present within the school leadership, specifically those identified as assistant principals within their organizational hierarchy, the impact on school culture may be even more dramatic than the effects felt with the turnover of students and teachers.
Protest Demobilization In Post-Revolutionary Settings: Trajectories To Counter-Revolution And To Democratic Transition
Authors: Pilati Katia , Acconcia Giuseppe , Suber David Leone , Chennaoui Henda
Published: August 2021

This article examines two outcomes of demobilization in post-revolutionary contexts, democratic transition and counter-revolution. Complementing elite-driven approaches, we argue that the way demobilization ends is conditional upon the capacity of challengers to promote enduring alliances. Following a paired controlled comparison, we analyse two cases, Egypt and Tunisia and processes of alliance building and fragmentation preceding the 2013 coup d’Etat in Egypt, and the adoption of a new Constitution in 2014 in Tunisia. Data from semi-structured and in-depth interviews were collected through fieldwork in multiple localities of Egypt and Tunisia between 2011 and 2019. Results show that the fragmentation of the challengers’ coalition in post-revolutionary Egypt contributed to a counter-revolution while, in Tunisia, challengers’ alliances rooted in the pre-revolutionary period lasted throughout the phase of demobilization and supported a democratic transition. We conclude by discussing some alliance-based mechanisms accounting for a democratic transition: intergroup trust-building, brokerage and ideological boundary deactivation.
Citizens go digital: A discursive examination of digital payments in Singapore’s Smart Nation project
Authors: Tan Gordon Kuo Siong
Published: August 2021

The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated digitalisation efforts in many countries as they try to contain the virus. With the physical handling of cash posing as a potential virus transmission risk, digital payments have become important in the urgent transition to a cashless society and a key feature of smart city projects. Critical analyses have typically framed smart cities as neoliberalist developmental projects that see the partnering of the state with private corporations. However, it is unclear how the smart city emerges under the technocratic inclinations of the developmental state. Focusing on the digital payments project under Singapore’s Smart Nation initiative, this paper unpacks the discursive practices employed in mobilising citizen support for electronic payments through a critical analysis of publicly available government materials and recent initiatives. The discourse surrounding digital payments is bound up in narratives surrounding economic competitiveness, technological progress and public health and safety, and strongly rooted in a technocratic governance ethos that limits genuine citizen participation in shaping smart payments technologies. This paper argues that such discursive framings represent a missed opportunity to build a smart city that is truly citizen-centric. This reorientation requires more bottom-up and grassroots-based modes of governance that reformulate smart citizenship into one that pays greater attention to the affective and social contexts behind digital technologies.
Prevalence of Loneliness and Related Factors Among Older Adults in Taiwan: Evidence From a Nationally Representative Survey
Authors: Huang Pi-Hua , Chi Mei-Ju , Kuo Chien-Lin , Wu Shu-Fang Vivienne , Chuang Yeu-Hui
Published: August 2021

Background

Loneliness is a common problem among older populations, and very few studies have examined loneliness among older adults in Taiwan.

Aim

This study aimed to understand the prevalence of loneliness and factors associated with it among older adults in Taiwan.

Methods

Data from the Taiwan Longitudinal Study of Aging collected in 2015 were analyzed and involved 4588 participants aged ≥65 years. The outcome variable was a self-reported loneliness question, and independent variables included demographic characteristics, a self-reported health status, physical function, number of comorbidities, cognitive function, and social support. A multivariate logistic regression was used to identify predictors of loneliness.

Results

The prevalence of loneliness among older adults in Taiwan was 10.5%. The multivariate logistic regression showed that old persons who were male, lived alone, perceived that they had a poor health condition, had no spouse, had no job, and had poor emotional support had higher likelihood of feeling lonely.

Conclusions

This study investigated loneliness in a nationally representative sample of older adults and revealed that one-tenth of this older population might experience loneliness which requires immediate action. Special attention should be given to the aforesaid factors in older adults to identify problems and provide interventions as early as possible in order to prevent loneliness and thus reduce the resultant negative effects on physical and mental conditions. Appropriate interventions should be developed to prevent or ameliorate feelings of loneliness among older populations using rigorous research designs such as randomized controlled trials.
Social Media and Academic Impact: Do Early Tweets Correlate with Future Citations?
Authors: Vaghjiani Nilan G , Lal Vatsal , Vahidi Nima , Ebadi Ali , Carli Matthew , Sima Adam , Coelho Daniel H
Published: August 2021

Objective

This study aims to determine whether social media platforms (SMPs) can influence article impact as measured by citations.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study that analyzed articles published in the top ten otolaryngology journals by the Eigenfactor score in January 2015. Total accumulated twitter mentions and citations were recorded in 2021. The main outcomes examined the difference in citations, tweets, article types, and author counts accumulated over a 5-year period for all articles that were either tweeted or non-tweeted.

Results

3094 articles were included for analysis. The average article was cited 11.2 ± 13.2 times and tweeted 2.10 ± 4.0 times. Sixty-four percent of the articles had at least one tweet. Over the study period, there was a statistically significant difference in mean number of citations between tweeted articles (12.1 ± 15.0) vs non-tweeted articles (9.6 ± 10.5) citations, representing a 26% difference ( P < .001). Review articles had the highest mean citations (19.4 ± 23.4), while editorials had the lowest mean citations (2.8 ± 6.9). Tweets peaked in the year of publication, but citations continued to rise in the subsequent years. Tweeted articles’ peak citation rate change was +1.27 mean citations per year, compared to +.99 mean citations per year in non-tweeted articles. The mean author count in tweeted articles (5.40 ± 3.1) was not significantly different than mean author count in non-tweeted articles (5.19 ± 2.65, P = .0794).

Conclusion

These data suggest a moderate correlation between tweets and article citations, but a clear difference in the number of citations in articles tweeted vs those with no tweets. Thus, dissemination of knowledge may be impacted by social media platforms such as Twitter.
Virtual reality for pain management in advanced heart failure: A randomized controlled study
Authors: Groninger Hunter , Stewart Diana , Fisher Julia M , Tefera Eshetu , Cowgill James , Mete Mihriye
Published: August 2021

Background:

Hospitalized patients with advanced heart failure often experience acute and/or chronic pain. While virtual reality has been extensively studied across a wide range of clinical settings, no studies have yet evaluated potential impact on pain management on this patient population.

Aim:

To investigate the impact of a virtual reality experience on self-reported pain, quality-of-life, general distress, and satisfaction compared to a two-dimensional guided imagery active control.

Design:

Single-center prospective randomized controlled study. The primary outcome was the difference in pre- versus post-intervention self-reported pain scores on a numerical rating scale from 0 to 10. Secondary outcomes included changes in quality-of-life scores, general distress, and satisfaction with the intervention.

Setting/participants:

Between October 2018 and March 2020, 88 participants hospitalized with advanced heart failure were recruited from an urban tertiary academic medical center.

Results:

Participants experienced significant improvement in pain score after either 10 minutes of virtual reality (change from pre- to post −2.9 ± 2.6, p < 0.0001) or 10 minutes of guided imagery (change from pre- to post −1.3 ± 1.8, p = 0.0001); the virtual reality arm experienced a 1.5 unit comparatively greater reduction in pain score compared to guided imagery ( p = 0.0011). Total quality-of-life and general distress scores did not significantly change for either arm. Seventy-eight participants (89%) responded that they would be willing to use the assigned intervention again.

Conclusion:

Virtual reality may be an effective nonpharmacologic adjuvant pain management intervention in hospitalized patients with heart failure.

Trial Registration:

ClinicalTrials.gov database (NCT04572425).
Fertility preservation strategies for patients with lymphoma: a real-world practice survey among Fondazione Italiana Linfomi centers
Authors: Viviani Simonetta , Dellino Miriam , Ramadan Safaa , Peracchio Claudia , Marcheselli Luigi , Minoia Carla , Guarini Attilio
Published: August 2021

Background:

Improvement in the prognosis of lymphomas in recent decades has allowed focus on reducing long-term toxicity of treatment, including infertility. The aim of this study was to assess the fertility preservation knowledge and practices among hematologic centers affiliated with Fondazione Italiana Linfomi (FIL) in Italy.

Methods:

A survey questionnaire was provided to 152 FIL centers between December 2019 and December 2020.

Results:

Responses from 58 centers (38%) were received. All respondents reported informing patients about treatment-related gonadotoxicity. A minority of patients (10% female, 20% male) refused fertility preservation due to personal reasons. The most common fertility preservation options offered to female patients were mature oocyte cryopreservation (43.1%), ovarian tissue cryopreservation (6.9%), and mature oocyte or ovarian tissue cryopreservation (39.7%). Six centers (10.3%) did not perform any procedures. All centers offered sperm cryopreservation for male patients. Challenges regarding the time intervals between lymphoma diagnosis and fertility consultation (up to 20 days) as well as between consultation and fertility preservation procedure (up to 40 days) were revealed.

Conclusions:

This survey provides insight into fertility preservation practices among Italian hematologic centers and points out an urgent need to improve close cooperation between hematologists and fertility preservation specialists in order to avoid unacceptable delays in lymphoma treatment.
‘Not Christian, Civil or Human Creatures, But Heathen or Rather Savage and Brute Beasts’: Andrew Trollope and the ‘Reform’ of Ireland in the 1580s
Authors: Heffernan David
Published: August 2021

The closing years of the reign of Elizabeth I (1558–1603) saw a hardening of attitudes among many of the New English in Ireland towards the Irish and Old English communities there. Historians have concentrated on a number of works which exemplify this attitude, notably Edmund Spenser’s A View of the Present State of Ireland. This article focuses on an earlier proponent of this outlook, a wandering lawyer, Andrew Trollope. In the 1580s, Trollope composed two extensive treatises on Ireland which contain some of the most vituperative attacks written by a Tudor commentator on the Irish, their character, religion and society. Often commented upon, though never examined in detail, this article provides the first in-depth assessment of Trollope’s writings.
After the Foxconn Suicides in China: A Roundtable on Labor, the State and Civil Society in Global Electronics
Authors: Chan Jenny , Distelhorst Greg , Kessler Dimitri , Lee Joonkoo , Martin-Ortega Olga , Pawlicki Peter , Selden Mark , Selwyn Benjamin
Published: August 2021

We seek to tackle myriad problems of a global production system in which China is the world’s largest producer and exporter of consumer electronics products. Dying for an iPhone simultaneously addresses the challenges facing Chinese workers while locating them within the global economy through an assessment of the relationship between Foxconn (the largest electronics manufacturer) and Apple (one of the richest corporations). Eight researchers from Asia, Europe and North America discuss two main questions: How do tech behemoths and the Chinese state shape labor relations in transnational manufacturing? What roles can workers, public sector buyers, non-governmental organizations and consumers play in holding multinational corporations and states accountable for human rights violations and assuring the protection of worker interests? We also reflect on the possibility that national governments, the electronics industry and civil society groups can collaborate to contribute to improved labor rights in China and the world.
Evaluation of optimum condition to improve the microstructure in hot-rolled medium carbon steel by elimination of coarse pearlite patches
Authors: Mishra Adityakumar , Kayal Sibnath
Published: August 2021

The present study is aimed to eliminate the undesirable microstructure in the real working condition of the steel unit. In this work, the microstructure of hot-rolled medium carbon steel (grade 45C8) is studied for application in the automotive industry. The effect of the temperature and rolling rate on the microstructure has been thoroughly investigated by analyzing the microstructure containing ferrite and pearlite phases after each trial run of hot-rolled steel. The desired microstructure of fine ferrite and pearlite is very much essential in hot-rolled medium carbon steel for better strength and uniform properties of the material. The formation of coarse pearlite is undesirable, which may lead to breakage during drawing and hardness variation in the hot-rolled steel. Therefore, this study is focused to find the optimum condition for achieving the microstructure containing uniform distribution of fine pearlite and ferrite without the presence of blocky pearlite patches.
Model-based event-triggered adaptive formation control for underactuated surface vehicles via the minimal learning parameter technique
Authors: Zhang Guoqing , Yu Wei , Li Jiqiang , Zhang Weidong
Published: August 2021

This article presents an adaptive neural formation control algorithm for underactuated surface vehicles by the model-based event-triggered method. In the algorithm, the leader–follower structure is employed to construct the formation model. Meanwhile, two new coordinate variables are introduced to avoid the possible singularity problem that exists in the polar coordinate system. Furthermore, the event-triggered mechanism is developed by constructing the adaptive model in a concise form. Related state variables and control parameters are required to be updated only at the event-triggered instants. Thus, the communication load between the controller and the actuator could be effectively reduced. Besides, for merits of the radial basis function neural network and the minimal learning parameter techniques, only two adaptive parameters are employed to compensate for the effects of the model uncertainties and the external disturbances. With the Lyapunov theory, all signals in the closed-loop system are proved to be semi-global uniformly ultimately bounded. Finally, numerical simulations are conducted to illustrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed algorithm.
Precision force control of an underactuated stance leg exoskeleton for human performance augmentation
Authors: Chen Shan , Han Tenghui , Dong Fangfang , Lu Lei , Liu Haijun , Tian Xiaoqing , Han Jiang
Published: August 2021

Lower limb exoskeleton which augments the human performance is a wearable human–machine integrated system used to assist people carrying heavy loads. Recently, underactuated lower limb exoskeleton systems with some passive joints become more and more attractive due to the advantages of smaller weight, lower system energy consumption and lower cost. However, because of the less of control inputs, the existed control methods of fully actuated exoskeletons cannot be extended to underactuated systems, which makes the robust controller design of underactuated lower limb exoskeletons becomes more challenged. This article focuses on the high-performance human–machine interaction force control design of underactuated lower limb exoskeletons with passive ankle joint. In order to solve the reduction of control inputs, the holonomic constraint from the wearer is considered, which help transform the dynamics of 3-degree-of-freedom underactuated exoskeleton in joint space into a 2-degree-of-freedom fully actuated system in Cartesian space. A two-level interaction force controller using adaptive robust control algorithm is proposed to effectively address the negative effect of various model uncertainties and external disturbances. In order to facilitate the control parameter selection, a gain tuning method is also presented. Comparative simulations are carried out, which indicate that the proposed two-level interaction force controller achieves smaller interaction force and better robust performance to various modeling errors and disturbances.
Critical Reflections on the Konyak Naga Ethnography
Authors: Chophy G. Kanato
Published: August 2021

The Konyak Nagas who inhabit the state of Nagaland in Northeast India have generated considerable anthropological interests since the colonial period. This eastern Naga tribe was mentioned in several colonial reports, but they came into prominence in anthropological literature, following Fürer-Haimendorf’s ethnographic monograph The Naked Nagas: Head-hunters of Assam in Peace and War. Fürer-Haimendorf had conducted fieldwork in Wakching village in the present Mon district between 1936 and 1937, setting off a new genre of ethnographic writing on the Naga tribes.

Sifting through Fürer-Haimendorf’s writings, this article attempts a critical analysis of Konyak society and culture in light of recent developments in ethnographic studies. As argued, the Konyak Nagas are far removed from the colonial representations, but they still suffer from exotic imageries in the popular imagination that, in turn, has influenced ethnographic works. This article reflexively analyzes the Konyak Naga ethnography against the backdrop of a rapid sociocultural change facing the community.
Banking or Under-banking: Spatial Role of Financial Inclusion and Exclusion
Authors: Yadav Rajat Singh , Siva Reddy Kalluru
Published: August 2021

Access to bank account is only a part of the problem when we talk of financial inclusion because several people with a bank account are not necessarily using them to deposit their savings or carry out transactions. This article makes an attempt to examine the reasons for low utilisation of banking facilities. It employs financial inclusion insights (FII) data for Indian population to find out an outcome of financial inclusion (and thus social inclusion as well) based on the usage of banking services with covariates like financial literacy, the probability that any financial service is accessible to the respondent in terms distance, type of mobile phone and spatial density. We use truncated probit model to measure the incidence of under-banking. Our findings show that there is a negative association between supply-side constraints and usage of banking services, implying that low access to financial services in time and space stands as a hindrance to financial inclusion. Further, we find from the financial inclusion and exclusion map at the district level that even though economic agents intend to participate in the space in which he/she is living is not much inclusive.
A Brexit last call: The strange practice of pre-Brexit opt-ins
Authors: Luckner Johannes Graf von
Published: August 2021

As long as the UK’s membership in the EU lasted, it had a special position within the Union. This could be seen particularly well in a peculiar practice that has largely gone unnoticed in the public, namely a series of opt-in decisions that the UK took prior to Brexit but after the Brexit referendum. This contribution raises the question of whether the UK used the pre-Brexit period as a type of ‘last call’, trying to get everything it could of its membership before it ended. To do so, it studies five opt-in decisions, examining their subject matter, the effects of the opt-ins and the outcome of the Brexit negotiations in order to understand the UK’s reasons for integrating further into the EU before withdrawing from it. Uncovering various political and practical motivations, it comes to the conclusion that the initial impression of a ‘last call behaviour’ is not justified.
Understanding perceived social support among women with personality disorder clusters
Authors: Kavanagh Bianca E , Mohebbi Mohammadreza , Quirk Shae E , Pasco Julie A , Williams Lana J
Published: August 2021

Objective:

This study aimed to understand perceived social support (PSS) among women with personality disorder (PD). We also investigated potential differences in PSS according to PD clusters (clusters A, B, C).

Methods:

Women ( n = 718) from the Geelong Osteoporosis Study completed the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MPSS) and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Disorders. Multivariable regression and analyses of covariance were employed, controlling for psychiatric and sociodemographic confounders.

Results:

After age-adjustment, PD (any) and the PD clusters were negatively associated with PSS across all subscales. Bonferroni-adjusted pairwise comparisons revealed lower: significant other PSS for cluster A; family PSS for cluster C, friend PSS for clusters B and C; and total PSS for clusters B and C.

Conclusion:

Aspects of PSS were predominantly lower among women with cluster B and C PDs.
Primary Care Pharmacist Practice Models Shape the Comprehensive Medication Management Process
Authors: Mulrooney Mary , Smith Marie
Published: August 2021

Pharmacists are well positioned to collaborate with primary care providers (PCPs) to conduct comprehensive medication management (CMM). However, depending on organizational needs and pharmacist staffing resources, different pharmacist practice models have been implemented. In this commentary, we (1) describe 2 common pharmacist practice models in primary care settings, (2) explain variations in the CMM process based on 2 practice models, and (3) outline outcomes and implications of this expanded CMM process. By tailoring the CMM process to their practice model, pharmacists can follow consistent delivery of CMM services to create a common understanding among patients, PCPs, and other care team members.
“Going Virtual Helped Me Learn That I Can Handle Everything”: Campus Magazine Production as a High Impact Practice During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Lance Zoe L. , Reynolds Chelsea J.
Published: August 2021

This case study documents a large, 4-year university magazine’s transition to virtual instruction during the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using theoretical frameworks from Kuh’s work on high impact practices (HIPs), this analysis offers empirical evidence that virtual student newsrooms may provide impactful learning experiences during crisis situations. Based on interviews, surveys, and newsroom observation, 23 magazine staff members reported improvements in their professional self-efficacy as they overcame logistics challenges and interpersonal hurdles similar to working media professionals. The case study also identifies strengths and weaknesses of crisis pedagogy. Implications for post-pandemic pedagogy and course planning are discussed.
How Higher Education Faculty in Egypt Perceive the Effects of Covid-19 on Teaching Journalism and Mass Communication: Perspectives From the Global South
Authors: Badr Hanan , Elmaghraby Sara
Published: August 2021

The article critically examines how faculty in journalism and mass communication perceive the Covid-19 impact on higher education in Egypt. Using an online survey ( N = 135) and 14 in-depth interviews in spring–summer 2020, the article contextualizes the faculty’s ambivalent perceptions within the diffusion of innovation theory. The article bridges a gap in the existing literature by localizing this disrupted delivery in relation to the broader challenges and opportunities for diffusion of digital innovations in higher education. The results nuance the debate on digital education beyond a techno-determinist focus on digital skills to encompass societal awareness of regional and culture-specific digital inequalities.
Teaching Global Communication During COVID-19: Challenges, Mitigation, and Lessons Learned
Authors: Workneh Téwodros W. , Lin Mei-Chen
Published: August 2021

Higher education institutions in the United States resorted to remote instruction after the disruption caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The disjointed nature of this transition of managing the academic crisis needs to be critically engaged. By examining the experiences of global communication faculty at a midsize Midwestern university, this study attempts to reflect on the circumstances, challenges, and some unexpected outcomes of the phenomenon. Based on testimonies generated from the authors’ experiences and interviews conducted with instructors, the study outlines lessons learned from the adoption of media technology and offers insights on reimagining global communication pedagogy in the post-pandemic period.
Suddenly Apart, Yet Still Connected: South African Postgraduate Journalism Students’ Responses to Emergency Remote Teaching and Learning
Authors: Jordaan Marenet , Groenewald Anneli
Published: August 2021

Qualitative interviews with postgraduate journalism students at a South African residential university inform this exploratory study on emergency remote teaching (ERT) during the Covid-19 national lockdown. The aim of the study was to interrogate and describe the students’ personal experiences related to ERT and the way their initial expectations for the academic year were disrupted. The findings indicate that students struggled to adapt to ERT due, in part, to unequal access to infrastructure and an inability to regulate their home environment. A key finding of the study is that students relied heavily on peer support to encourage and motivate them during this period of disruption.
COVID-19 Effects on Communication Course and Faculty Evaluations
Authors: LeBlanc H. Paul
Published: August 2021

Student evaluations of teaching (SETs) are utilized by universities as one component in assessing course effectiveness, despite evidence in the research regarding their validity. With the global COVID-19 pandemic, many universities rapidly transitioned teaching modalities from face-to-face to online learning, regardless of the faculty experience. This study investigates the effects on SETs of the rapid transition in teaching modalities for all sections of courses occurring during COVID-19 compared with all sections of courses taught within a Communication department at a large public research university over the past 8 years. The results indicate moderate effects from the rapid transition to online learning.