bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tourist Perception of the Value of Time on Holidays: Implications for the Time Use Rebound Effect and Sustainable Travel Practice
Authors: Kim Soheon , Filimonau Viachaslau , Dickinson Janet E.
Published: December 2021

Technological solutions to achieve energy efficiency and carbon reduction in tourism are unlikely to be sufficient alone. This is partly because of the rebound effect (RE) where consumer behavior can absorb some of or all the energy efficiency gains. Time savings from time-efficient technologies can intensify energy consumption, leading to the time use rebound effect (TRE). Research suggests that the TRE in tourism can be high, especially in relation to tourist travel, but its understanding is limited. This study aims to provide empirical evidence of the TRE by categorizing tourist groups that are most prone to its occurrence. An exploratory sequential mixed methods approach is employed. Key factors that influence the potential TRE occurrence include socio-demographic characteristics, holiday preferences, time/money availability, time perception/attitudes, and time use patterns on holiday. The “Busy explorer” cluster of tourists is most likely to show TREs. Implications and suggestions for future research are outlined.
Representative Bureaucracy, Institutional Support, and Clientele Need: The Case of Undocumented Students
Authors: Hawes Daniel P.
Published: December 2021

The theory of representative bureaucracy posits that passive representation is associated with improvements in policy outcomes for represented groups. This research examines the institutional conditions under which representative bureaucracy is enhanced or limited. It posits that the benefits of representation will be enhanced when institutional supports are stronger and when clientele need is greatest. Using a unique longitudinal, multi-level dataset, this paper tests competing theoretical conditions (including resource constraints, and task difficulty) under which representative bureaucracy is enhanced or constrained. The analysis tracks student-level performance of 400,000 undocumented students in Texas public schools from 2003 to 2011 providing a powerful empirical test as well as practical policy implications for administrators. It finds that the effects of representation are strongest when resources are abundant and clientele need is greatest. This suggests representative may be even more valuable to organizations than previously thought.
Bilateral Sensorineural Hearing Loss in the Setting of Acute Methamphetamine Overdose
Authors: Reich Jeremy S. , Sethi Harleen K. , Sataloff Robert T.
Published: December 2021

Substance abuse is a rare but known cause of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). We report a case of acute SNHL in a 28-year-old man following an overdose of methamphetamine and incidental ingestion of fentanyl. On initial encounter, he had moderate-to-severe hearing loss in the right ear and severe-to-profound hearing loss in the left ear in addition to acute kidney injury, liver failure, and lactic acidosis. The patient was treated with a two-week course of high-dose steroids and expressed a subjective improvement in hearing. This case highlights the importance of auditory testing following a drug overdose and is one of the only documented cases of hearing loss following methamphetamine use in recent years. There is a paucity of literature regarding the mechanism causing acute SNHL secondary to methamphetamines. Proposed etiologies include neurotransmitter depletion or reduced cochlear blood flow as possible causes of ototoxicity.
My Fight or Yours: Stereotypes of Activists From Advantaged and Disadvantaged Groups
Authors: Burrows Brooke , Selvanathan Hema Preya , Lickel Brian
Published: December 2021

In social movements, activists may belong to either the disadvantaged or the advantaged group (e.g., Black racial justice activists or White racial justice activists). Across three experimental survey studies, we examined the content of these stereotypes by asking participants to freely generate a list of characteristics to describe each target group—a classic paradigm in stereotype research. Specifically, we examined the stereotypes applied to Black and White activists within racial justice movements (Study 1, n = 154), female and male activists within feminist movements (Study 2, n =134), and LBGT and straight activists within Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender movements (Study 3, n =156). We found that the “activist” category was consistently differentiated into subcategories based on group status: Disadvantaged group activists were stereotyped as strong and aggressive, whereas advantaged group activists were stereotyped as altruistic and superficial. These findings underscore the importance of considering status differences to understand the social perception of activists.
Can Conspiracy Beliefs Be Beneficial? Longitudinal Linkages Between Conspiracy Beliefs, Anxiety, Uncertainty Aversion, and Existential Threat
Authors: Liekefett Luisa , Christ Oliver , Becker Julia C.
Published: December 2021

Research suggests that conspiracy beliefs are adopted because they promise to reduce anxiety, uncertainty, and threat. However, little research has investigated whether conspiracy beliefs actually fulfill these promises. We conducted two longitudinal studies ( NStudy 1 = 405, NStudy 2 = 1,012) to examine how conspiracy beliefs result from, and in turn influence, anxiety, uncertainty aversion, and existential threat. Random intercept cross-lagged panel analyses indicate that people who were, on average, more anxious, uncertainty averse, and existentially threatened held stronger conspiracy beliefs. Increases in conspiracy beliefs were either unrelated to changes in anxiety, uncertainty aversion, and existential threat (Study 2), or even predicted increases in these variables (Study 1). In both studies, increases in conspiracy beliefs predicted subsequent increases in conspiracy beliefs, suggesting a self-reinforcing circle. We conclude that conspiracy beliefs likely do not have beneficial consequences, but may even reinforce the negative experience of anxiety, uncertainty aversion, and existential threat.
Interested and Instrumental: An Examination of Instrumentality Regulation With Potential Romantic Partners
Authors: Chandler Kylie R. , Krueger Kori L. , Forest Amanda L. , Orehek Edward
Published: December 2021

Instrumentality—the extent to which one facilitates another person’s goal progress—has been described as the Rosetta Stone of attraction, and promotes closeness in ongoing relationships. Yet prior work has not examined whether people might regulate their instrumentality in contexts in which they desire (vs. do not desire) attraction or closeness with others. Four studies, employing imagined online scenario and in-lab experimental paradigms, examined whether people strive to be more instrumental to potential romantic partners (targets) under conditions that lead them to be more (vs. less) romantically interested in those targets. Single participants were more romantically interested in romantically available versus unavailable targets, which in turn, was associated with greater willingness to be instrumental. Results for romantically involved participants were less consistent. Implications and future directions are discussed.
Unintentional Inception: When a Premium Is Offered to Unintentional Creations
Authors: Fulmer Alexander G. , Reich Taly
Published: December 2021

Creations can be fundamentally intended or unintended from their outset. Past work has focused on intentional creations, finding that people place a premium on effort. We examine the role of unintentionality in the inception of creations in six studies using a variety of stimuli ( N = 1,965), finding that people offer a premium to unintentional creations versus otherwise identical intentional creations. We demonstrate that the unintentionality involved in the inception of a creation results in greater downward counterfactual thought about how the unintentional creation may have never been created at all, and this in turn heightens perceptions that the creation was a product of fate, causing people to place a premium on such creations. We provide evidence for this causal pathway using a combination of mediation and moderation approaches. Further, we illuminate that this premium is not offered when a negative outcome is ascribed to an unintentional creation.
Physical Attractiveness Biases Judgments Pertaining to the Moral Domain of Purity
Authors: Klebl Christoph , Rhee Joshua J. , Greenaway Katharine H. , Luo Yin , Bastian Brock
Published: December 2021

Research on the Beauty-is-Good stereotype shows that unattractive people are perceived to have worse moral character than attractive individuals. Yet research has not explored what kinds of moral character judgments are particularly biased by attractiveness. In this work, we tested whether attractiveness particularly biases moral character judgments pertaining to the moral domain of purity, beyond a more general halo effect. Across four preregistered studies ( N = 1,778), we found that unattractive (vs. attractive) individuals were judged to be more likely to engage in purity violations compared with harm violations and that this was not due to differences in perceived moral wrongness, weirdness, or sociality between purity and harm violations. The findings shed light on how physical attractiveness influences moral character attributions, suggesting that physical attractiveness particularly biases character judgments pertaining to the moral domain of purity.
Science for Others or the Self? Presumed Motives for Science Shape Public Trust in Science
Authors: Benson-Greenwald Tessa M. , Trujillo Alejandro , White Andrew D. , Diekman Amanda B.
Published: December 2021

Science can improve life around the world, but public trust in science is at risk. Understanding the presumed motives of scientists and science can inform the social psychological underpinnings of public trust in science. Across five independent datasets, perceiving the motives of science and scientists as prosocial promoted public trust in science. In Studies 1 and 2, perceptions that science was more prosocially oriented were associated with greater trust in science. Studies 3 and 4a & 4b employed experimental methods to establish that perceiving other-oriented motives, versus self-oriented motives, enhanced public trust in science. Respondents recommend greater funding allocations for science subdomains described as prosocially oriented versus power-oriented. Emphasizing the prosocial aspects of science can build stronger foundations of public trust in science.
The Social Consequences of Frequent Versus Infrequent Apologizing
Authors: Schumann Karina , Ritchie Emily G. , Forest Amanda
Published: December 2021

The effectiveness of interpersonal apologies is well established, but most existing research has examined the benefits of isolated apologies. How do apologies function when considered in the context of a transgressor’s apology baseline—the frequency with which they tend to apologize for their behavior? We examined whether people consider others’ apology baselines when evaluating both their character and specific apologies from them. In Study 1, participants judged a character with a high (vs. low) apology baseline as higher in communion and lower in agency. In Study 2, participants judged romantic partners with high (vs. low) apology baselines as higher in communion, but only lower in agency when they perceived these frequent apologies as low-quality. In both studies, having a high apology baseline was also indirectly associated with more favorable reactions to a specific apology via higher communion judgments, revealing the role of apology baselines in shaping conflict resolution processes.
Damaged Masculinity: How Honor Endorsement Can Influence Prostate Cancer Screening Decision-Making and Prostate Cancer Mortality Rates
Authors: Foster Stephen , Carvallo Mauricio , Wenske Matthew , Lee Jongwon
Published: December 2021

Prior research has established factors that contribute to the likelihood that men seek out prostate cancer screenings. The current study addresses how endorsing the ideology found in cultures of honor may serve as a barrier to prostate cancer screenings. Two studies were conducted which analyzed the impact of stigma on men’s decisions to seek out prostate cancer screenings (Study 1) as well as how prostate cancer deaths may be higher in the culture of honor regions due to men’s reticence to seek out screenings (Study 2). Results suggest that older, honor-endorsing men are less likely to have ever sought out a prostate cancer screening due to screening stigma and that an honor-oriented region (southern and western United States) displays higher rates of prostate cancer death than a non-honor-oriented region (northern United States). These findings suggest that honor may be a cultural framework to consider when practitioners address patients’ screening-related concerns.
Is Difficulty Mostly About Impossibility? What Difficulty Implies May Be Culturally Variant
Authors: O’Donnell S. Casey , Yan Veronica X. , Bi Chongzeng , Oyserman Daphna
Published: December 2021

Difficulty can signal low odds (impossibility) and high value (importance). We build on culture-as-situated cognition theory’s description of culture-based fluency and disfluency to predict that the culturally fluent meaning of difficulty is culture-bound. For Americans, the culturally fluent understanding of ability is success-with-ease-not-effort, hence difficulty implies low odds of ability. This may disadvantage American institutions and practices—learning requires gaining competence and proficiency through effortful engagement. Indeed, Americans (Studies 1, 3–8; N = 4,141; Study 2, the corpus of English language) associate difficulty with impossibility more than importance. This tendency is not universal. Indian and Chinese cultures imply that difficulty can equally signal low odds and value. Indeed, people from India and China (Studies 9–11, N = 762) are as likely to understand difficulty as being about both. Effects are culture-based; how much people endorse difficulty-as-importance and difficulty-as-impossibility in their own lives did not affect results.
Communicating allyship according to college students with deferred action for childhood arrivals
Authors: Kam Jennifer A. , Cornejo Monica , Mendez Murillo Roselia , Afifi Tamara D.
Published: December 2021

Given the stress that college students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) experience and their minoritized status, some colleges have offered allyship training that informs campus personnel of the unique experiences of DACA and DACA-ineligible students. Although such trainings are promising, limited research has explored what actions communicate allyship to undocumented college students, including those with DACA. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 40 DACA college students and identified six themes: (a) allyship as an action-oriented, lifelong learning process, (b) allyship through supportive communication, (c) allyship without judgment or abnormal treatment, (d) visible allyship through the creation of safe spaces, (e) allyship as advocacy, and (f) allyship without self-promotion. Academics and activists have conceptualized and critiqued allyship. Nevertheless, this study extends past work by considering how DACA college students view the communication of allyship, which is important if allyship is to be encouraged or challenged in higher education and elsewhere.
Existence and consequences of dormant features: Evidence from L2 acquisition of Chinese object ellipsis
Authors: Zhang Lulu
Published: December 2021

The current study investigates second language acquisition of Chinese object ellipsis to probe the development of features transferred from learners’ native language without robust confirming or disconfirming evidence in the second language (L2) input. It is argued that Chinese allows object ellipsis licensed by a verb with a [VCase] feature but not by a verb with a [Vnon-Case] feature. In contrast, Korean allows object ellipsis to be licensed by both types of verbs, whilst English prohibits both. An acceptability judgement task was conducted among first language (L1) English and L1 Korean L2 Chinese learners from elementary to advanced levels, with the results showing that the [Vnon-Case] feature was assembled in the Chinese grammars of English and Korean elementary L2 learners; however, it gradually lost its vigour and licensing power for object ellipsis in intermediate L2 grammars and was successfully removed from licensing object ellipsis in advanced L2 grammars. These findings support predictions by Yuan regarding a feature’s dormant status and modify Yuan’s predictions regarding a dormant feature’s consequences.
Navigating the New Normal: An S-O-R Perspective on Student Experiences of Environmental, Psychological, and Behavioral Changes During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Gupta Aditya , Ishida Chiharu
Published: December 2021

Although higher education has weathered many past challenges, none can compare with the magnitude and velocity of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Although students continued their academic careers despite hardships, as yet little is known about how they experienced and adapted to various pandemic-induced changes to their academic and personal lives. We address this gap through a qualitative exploration of student experiences of navigating the new normal which they were abruptly thrust into near the end of the Spring 2020 semester. Using a guided introspection methodology and a Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework, we unearth a dynamic process of psychological and behavioral changes that students experienced in response to the environmental changes brought about by the pandemic. We theorize that environmental dissolution and displacement trigger psychological reorientation, causing students to undertake behavioral practices of restructuration and reconfiguration that, over time, result in a degree of psychological revaluation. Our overall framework represents a fluid conceptualization that is not only more descriptive of real-world student progress but also more parsimonious in its account of key dimensions of student experience during the pandemic. We conclude by noting the implications of our framework for marketing educators and administrators, especially given the growing popularity of remote working.
Pulmonary lesions induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection in domestic cats
Authors: Patania Olivia M. , Chiba Shiho , Halfmann Peter J. , Hatta Masato , Maemura Tadashi , Bernard Kristen A. , Kawaoka Yoshihiro , Crawford LaTasha K.
Published: December 2021

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause of coronavirus disease 2019, which ranges from fatal disease in some to mild or subclinical in most affected individuals. Many recovered human patients report persistent respiratory signs; however, lung disease in post-acute infection is poorly understood. Our objective was to describe histologic lung lesions and viral loads following experimental SARS-CoV-2 infection in 11 cats. Microscopic evaluation at 3, 6, 10, or 28 days postinoculation (DPI) identified mild to moderate patchy interstitial pneumonia, bronchiolar epithelial damage, and occlusive histiocytic bronchiolitis. Based on immunohistochemistry, alveolar septal thickening was due to CD204-positive macrophages, fewer B and T lymphocytes, type II pneumocytes, and capillary proliferation with a relative dearth of fibrosis. In blood vessel endothelium, there was reactive hypertrophy or vacuolar degeneration and increased MHC II expression at all time points. Unexpectedly, one cat from the 28 DPI group had severe subacute regionally extensive lymphohistiocytic pneumonia with multifocal consolidation, vasculitis, and alveolar fibrin. Reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction identified SARS-CoV-2 RNA within the lung at 3 and 6 DPI, and viral RNA was below the limit of detection at 10 and 28 DPI, suggesting that pulmonary lesions persist beyond detection of viral RNA. These findings clarify our comparative understanding of disease induced by SARS-CoV-2 and suggest that cats can serve as an informative model to study post-acute pulmonary sequelae.
The psychological benefits of music-evoked nostalgia
Authors: Sedikides Constantine , Leunissen Joost , Wildschut Tim
Published: December 2021

We provide a narrative review of the nascent literature on the psychological benefits of music-evoked nostalgia. Music is a prevalent and influential source of nostalgia. Music-evoked nostalgia confers approach-oriented psychological benefits in the social domain (by fostering social connectedness), self-oriented domain (by raising self-esteem, instilling a sense of youthfulness, elevating optimism, and enhancing inspiration), and existential domain (by strengthening meaning in life and augmenting self-continuity). Music-evoked nostalgia also confers psychological benefits indirectly. For example, it elevates optimisms by fostering sequentially social connectedness and self-esteem. Also, by fostering social connectedness, it enhances inspiration, strengthens meaning in life, and augments self-continuity. Furthermore, music-evoked nostalgia serves to buffer individuals against discomforting states, such as sadness. We conclude by discussing music-evoked nostalgia in people with dementia, contemplating the role of individual differences and context, considering the possibility that music-evoked nostalgia serves physiological functions, and asking whether familiarity with the music is necessary for the evocation of nostalgia and its ensuing benefits.
Sexual Offenders With Intellectual Disabilities: An Exploratory Comparison Study in an Incarcerated U.S. Sample
Authors: Callahan Perry A. , Jeglic Elizabeth L. , Calkins Cynthia
Published: December 2021

Research indicates that individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) are overrepresented among sexual offenders, and that those with ID might differ from those without ID in terms of the etiology of offending behavior. Despite this, few studies have explored ID using incarcerated U.S. samples. The present study sought to identify relevant characteristics of this population by comparing individuals with and without ID who are incarcerated in the U.S. for sexual offenses. Archival records for 3,066 participants were used to determine demographic, historical, and offense-related characteristics. Participants with ID, including those with borderline ID, comprised 19.1% of the sample and displayed elevated rates of adverse childhood experiences and psychopathology. Contrary to previous research, participants with ID were no more likely to offend against children than those without ID. These findings help to elucidate the etiology of offending behavior among those with ID and inform on potential targets for intervention.
Persons With Histories of Traumatic Brain Injury and Problematic Sexual Behavior: An Exploratory Analysis
Authors: LeMay Carrie C. , Stinson Jill D.
Published: December 2021

Persons with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) who have engaged in problematic or illegal sexual behavior present with complex assessment and intervention needs yet remain understudied within the empirical literature. In the current exploratory analysis, important differences in adaptive and clinical functioning, adverse childhood experiences, and criminal offense history are examined in 25 persons with previous brain injury, 118 persons with intellectual disability but no known TBI, and 103 persons with no history of brain injury or intellectual disability, all of whom have engaged in problematic sexual behavior and who were residing in secure forensic inpatient care. Group differences were examined using comparisons of means and chi-squares. Results highlight important differences in education and employment experiences, diagnostic presentation, exposure to childhood maltreatment, and justice system involvement and characteristics of their sexual offense victims. Associations with prior literature and future research directions are discussed.
Health of Convicted Persons in the Third Generation of the Longitudinal Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development
Authors: Skinner Guy C. M. , Farrington David P.
Published: December 2021

Research suggests that convicted persons are more likely than non-convicted persons to suffer poor health. However, few longitudinal studies have investigated associations between health and offending across generations. Using the Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development, this article prospectively investigates the relationship between health and offending across generations and between genders. At the average age of 25, third generation convicted males and females reported a higher incidence of serious drug use than non-convicted persons. Convicted males reported a higher incidence of mental illness and self-harm, whereas convicted females reported a lower incidence of physical illness, mental illness, self-harm and hospitalizations when compared to non-convicted females. Convicted males reported a higher incidence of industrial accidents, sports injuries and fight injuries, but a lower incidence of road accidents, whereas convicted females were more likely to report road accidents. Like their fathers, convicted males show worse health compared to non-convicted individuals.
Coastal development in southwestern Bangladesh: understanding the interplay between storms and sea level rise
Authors: Haque Md. Masidul , Ghosh Manoj Kumer , Hoyanagi Koichi
Published: December 2021

Sea-level rise and sediment supply have influenced coastal morphology and sedimentation on Bangladesh’s southwestern Ganges‐Brahmaputra‐Meghna (GBM) delta coast. Satellite images and geological core from the Haringhata coastal region were analyzed to explain the morphological changes and to understand the influences on deposits. The results derived from satellite images indicate that the southern coastline experienced a retreat that ranges between 2.3 and 2.9 km. In contrast, the eastern and western coastline advanced. The erosion and accretion ratio was 0.29 from 1977 to 1989, while the ratio was higher 2.90–4.77 from 1989 to 2020. Two sedimentary facies were identified using 130 cm thick successions. A parallel to wavy laminated bluish gray mud facies of deeper part was deposited in a marine-influenced environment. A planar to hummocky cross stratified, gray to grayish white silty sand facies of storm overwash deposits overlies the mud facies with sharp contacts. Unimodal to bimodal grain distributions of sandy sediments suggest two sources: sand derived from the beach and mud carried by adjacent tidal rivers and resuspended offshore sediment. Coastline dynamics and sedimentation of the area were influenced by inequality of accommodation and sediment supply ratio in the river mouth. This occurs due to sea-level rise and deficit in upstream water and sediment discharge. Morphological change along the southwestern GBM delta coast was not only caused by wave energy, but also by rising sea levels which shifted sediment accommodation space landward.
An inverse relationship between moisture and grazing intensity in an arid mountain-basin system
Authors: Zhang Jun , Huang Xiao-zhong , Wang Jia-le , Bradshaw Richard HW , Wang Tao , Xiang Li-xiong , Luo De-rui , Wang Zong-li , Chen Fa-hu
Published: December 2021

Precipitation has been suggested as a crucial influencing factor in the primary productivity in arid and semi-arid regions, yet how moisture fluctuation in an arid mountain-basin system of the north Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau has affected human activities is poorly understood. Here, we reconstruct the variations of grazing intensity in high elevations and regional humidity based on independent and high-resolution records of Sporormiella-type coprophilous fungal spores and pollen grains in the same well-dated sediment core from Lake Tian’E in the western Qilian Mountains over the past 3500 years. We find that stronger grazing activity was associated with low regional effective moisture, and propose that the drier regional climate pushed people and their livestock into the mountainous areas. A notable exception was a reduction of human and grazing activities in arid region with high mountains during 380–580 CE caused by centennial-length dry and cold conditions. In addition, it is also noteworthy that intensified grazing activity occurred during 580–720 CE and after ∼1920 CE, corresponding to a warmer and wetter climate and diverse subsistence strategies with social developments in the lowlands of the Hexi Corridor. Our findings potentially provide a historical reference for understanding how ancient people adapted to the climate change in arid region with high mountains.
Optimization of the sintering temperature, cooling time and grain size parameters to reduce residual stresses of copper-aluminum functionally graded material using response surface methodology
Authors: Gheysarian Ahmad , Honarpisheh Mohammad
Published: December 2021

One of the urgent needs for the medical, aerospace and military industries is to combine materials with heat-resistant as well as flexible structures. To create such a property, a ceramic must be placed next to metal. FGM materials have such a property in terms of thickness. Functionally graded materials (FGM) are examples of materials with different properties in the thickness direction. In the functionally graded materials, different properties can be created, by changing the percent weight of materials in each layer. It is very important to study the number of residual stresses in these materials due to the fact that several materials with different properties are combined with each other. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of production parameters on the number of residual stresses in the aluminum-copper FGM part and also to optimize the production process of these materials. The results indicate that the number of residual stresses decreases with increasing the sintering temperature, cooling time of the sample as well as uniformity along the thickness. In the experiments, the maximum residual stress was 171 MPa, which was obtained for a grain size of 100 microns, sintering temperature of 600°C and cooling time of 24 h and the minimum value of pressure residual stress was 120 MPa, which was obtained for grain size of 20 microns, sintering temperature of 900°C and cooling time of 48 h. Also, finite element modeling of the process was performed and shown a good agreement with experimental results.
Estimation of haemodynamic changes in varicocele testis and results after microsurgical sub-inguinal varicocelectomy
Authors: Sharma Satyadeo , Shimpi Rajendra K
Published: December 2021

Introduction:

Varicocele is among the most frequently encountered, surgically correctable causes of male infertility. Since varicocele is a primary abnormality of testicular vessels, a thorough understanding of haemodynamic changes in the microcirculation of varicocele testis is needed.

Objectives:

To estimate changes in the microcirculation of varicocele testis and correlate them with symptomatic and semen parameters changes before and after varicocelectomy.

Material and methods:

This prospective, observational study includes 47 patients of age group 18–40 years who underwent microsurgical varicocelectomy during June 2016 to April 2018 at a tertiary medical institute. Testicular haemodynamic was evaluated using a colour spectral doppler study (PSV-Peak systolic velocity/ESV-End diastolic velocity/RI-Resistive index/PI-Pulsatility index). Semen analysis parameters and testicular blood flow were compared with pre-operative values.

Results:

RI in the capsular artery of varicocele affected testis, which was 0.61 ± 0.11 (mean ± SD), significantly reduced to 0.56 ± 0.09 (mean ± SD) in post-operative follow-up, indicating improved perfusion. Pre-operative sperm density was noted to be 15.94 ± 7.88 (mean ± SD), which improved to 28.41 ± 10.99, Progressive sperm motility from 33.81 ± 10.88 to 38.32 ± 9.21 and morphology from 36.13 ± 10.68 to 41.43 ± 9.29 on 6-month follow-ups ( p < 0.05).

Conclusion:

Varicocele testis is associated with altered testicular haemodynamic, which insults spermatogenesis. Microsurgical varicocelectomy with testicular artery and lymphatic preservation leads to correction of this altered haemodynamic state and improves the testicular microcirculation.
Social Isolation and Falls Risk: Lack of Social Contacts Decreases the Likelihood of Bathroom Modification Among Older Adults With Fear of Falling
Authors: Siefkas Anna C. , McCarthy Ellen P. , Leff Bruce , Dufour Alyssa B. , Hannan Marian T.
Published: December 2021

Fall prevention strategies exist, but little is known about factors that influence whether they are used. We assessed whether social isolation modifies the association between fear of falling (FOF) and bathroom environmental modification. Data were included from 2858 Medicare beneficiaries in the National Health and Aging Trends Study. FOF and social isolation were assessed at baseline (2011); new bathroom modifications were assessed 1-year post-baseline. Social network size was dichotomized as any versus no social contacts. Logistic regression assessed associations between FOF and bathroom modification. Effect modification between FOF and social isolation was assessed with multiplicative interaction terms. FOF was associated with increased odds of bathroom modification. We observed a statistically significant interaction between FOF and social isolation ( p = 0.03). Among those with no social contacts, FOF was associated with reduced odds bathroom modification that did not reach statistical significance (OR 0.5, 95% CI 0.2–1.3).
Preparation of artificial MSW leachate for treatment studies: Testing on black soldier fly larvae process
Authors: Grossule Valentina , Fang Ding , Yue Dongbei , Lavagnolo Maria Cristina , Raga Roberto
Published: December 2021

When approaching the study of new processes for leachate treatment, each influencing variable should be kept under control to better comprehend the treatment process. However, leachate quality is difficult to control as it varies dramatically from one landfill to another, and in line with landfill ageing. To overcome this problem, the present study investigated the option of preparing a reliable artificial leachate in terms of quality consistency and representativeness in simulating the composition of real municipal solid waste (MSW) leachate, in view of further investigate the recent treatment process using black soldier fly (BSF) larvae. Two recipes were used to simulate a real leachate (RL): one including chemical ingredients alone (artificial synthetic leachate-SL), and the other including chemicals mixed with artificial food waste (FW) eluate (artificial mixed leachate-ML). Research data were analysed, elaborated and discussed to assess simulation performance according to a series of parameters, such as Analytical representativeness, Treatment representativeness (in this case specific for the BSF larvae process), Recipe relevance, Repeatability and Flexibility in selectively modifying individual quality parameters. The best leachate simulation performance was achieved by the synthetic leachate, with concentration values generally ranging between 97% and 118% of the RL values. When feeding larvae with both RL and SL, similar mortality values and growth performance were observed.
A review on waste management and compost production in the Middle East–North Africa region
Authors: Hussein Lara , Uren Ceylan , Rekik Fatma , Hammami Zied
Published: December 2021

Over the last two decades, solid waste management in the Middle East–North Africa (MENA) region has been one of the major challenges due to increasing solid waste quantities and poor waste management practices. With the tremendously increasing amounts of organic waste, MENA countries are under great pressure and are facing the threats of acute air pollution, contamination of water bodies and climate change. As a result, these countries are adopting different methods to cope with this rising challenge of waste management, including composting. This review reports on the different MENA countries’ organic waste quantities, disposal methods, organic waste management practices and challenges, along with the potential use and demand of compost, where information is available. The reported data are from 2009 to 2021, with the bulk of the papers being from 2014 and onwards. The total amount of municipal waste collected in the 21 countries ranged from 0.56 million tons in Mauritania to 90 million tons in Egypt, with an average of 16.42 million tons, equivalent to 1.08 kg per capita waste generation per day. Around 55% of this material is biogenous. Many treatments and repurposing methods of this material are adopted in the MENA region, mainly through composting, as it presents one of the most sustainable solutions that lead to immediate climate change mitigation. This article also presents the biotic and abiotic stressors faced by this region, which in turn affect the successful implementation of composting solutions, and proposes some solutions based on different studies conducted.
Scaling up and Crowding out: How German Adult Education Centers Adapted Course Offers to Refugee Integration
Authors: Thomsen Stephan L. , Weilage Insa
Published: December 2021

Language skills are central to refugee integration and the availability of language courses could thus be a limiting factor. We explore how the most important provider of language courses in Germany, adult education centers (VHS), adapted their course supply to the refugee wave of 2015/2016. Our results highlight two channels through which the local environment can affect opportunities for participation in adult learning: First, exploiting the quasi-random allocation of refugees to counties, we causally estimate by how much VHS scaled up their German language course (DAF) supply as a reaction. Moreover, we show that DAF courses were created almost exclusively at the cost of other courses, that is, by crowding out. Second, we uncover heterogeneities in scaling success. VHS with more prior DAF course experience and larger VHS adapted better, which shows the relevance of initial conditions in course offers.
A Systematic Review of Meta-Analyses in Special Education: Exploring the Evidence Base for High-Leverage Practices
Authors: Nelson Gena , Cook Sara Cothren , Zarate Kary , Powell Sarah R. , Maggin Daniel M. , Drake Kevallyn R. , Kiss Allyson J. , Ford Jeremy W. , Sun Lin , Espinas Daniel R.
Published: December 2021

It is crucial that special education teachers are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to improve outcomes for students with disabilities. Despite federal legislation and efforts of the field to identify and disseminate evidence-based practices for students with disabilities, it is uncertain whether all special education teachers provide instruction based on the best available research. To better prepare special education teachers, McLeskey et al. proposed 22 high-leverage practices (HLPs). We conducted this systematic review of meta-analyses to provide an initial investigation of the experimental evidence reporting on the effectiveness of the HLPs for students with, or at risk for, a disability. Results indicated the largest amount of evidence from meta-analyses related to intensive instruction, explicit instruction, and social skills, with few meta-analyses reporting on collaboration and assessment. The results highlighted disproportional evidence according to disability categories. Implications for future research, practice, and teacher education are discussed.
A Systematic Quality Review of Technology-Aided Reading Interventions for Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Kim So Yeon , Rispoli Mandy , Mason Rose A. , Lory Catharine , Gregori Emily , Roberts Carly A. , Whitford Denise , David Marie
Published: December 2021

Technology has been widely used to teach reading skills to students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but the quality of research backing up this practice has not yet been fully investigated. The purpose of this review was to examine the quality of research on technology-aided reading interventions for students with ASD and summarize study characteristics of research studies with meeting the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) design standards. A total of 31 studies using group design ( n = 4) or single-case design ( n = 27) were systematically aggregated, and 16 studies (52%) met the WWC design standards. Study features related to participants, intervention, technology usage, and outcome variables were synthesized for these 16 studies. Results indicated that two types of technology (i.e., computer, iPad) were used to deliver reading instruction through software programs or support interventionist-directed reading instruction. Finally, implications for research and practice are discussed.
Addition of CT to Improve the Diagnostic Confidence for the Detection of Sacroiliac Joint Erosions in Patients with Equivocal MRI Findings
Authors: Nadeem Ibrahim M. , Munir Sohaib , Leung Vincent , Stubbs Euan
Published: December 2021

Purpose

To determine if CT can improve the diagnostic confidence for the detection of sacroiliac joint (SIJ) erosions in patients with equivocal MRI findings.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of adult patients who had an SIJ MRI and a subsequent SIJ CT within 12 months was conducted. Using a 5-point Likert scale, two reviewers evaluated the de-identified MRI and CT images in randomized order and in separate sessions to answer the question: “Does the patient have SIJ erosions?”. A Fisher’s exact test was used to analyze the difference in diagnostic confidence, and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to determine interrater reliability.

Results

54 patients were included in the analysis (average age, 43.9 years). The average time interval between initial SIJ MRI and subsequent CT was 14.4 weeks (range, 5.6–50.3 weeks). CT resulted in significantly more cases with definitive diagnostic confidence than cases with probable or equivocal confidence compared to MRI ( P < .001). Amongst cases with equivocal findings on MRI, 73.2% of cases had definitive diagnoses on CT. There was moderate interrater agreement for MRI, with an ICC of .490 [95% CI, .258–.669], and excellent agreement for CT, with an ICC of .832 [95% CI, .728–.899].

Conclusion

Overall, CT led to significantly increased diagnostic confidence and higher interrater reliability for the detection of SIJ erosions compared to MRI. Judicious use of CT may be useful in detecting SIJ erosions in patients with equivocal MRI findings.
“Everyone is Living in the Same Storm, but our Boats are all Different”: Safety and Safety Planning for Survivors of Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Schrag Rachel V. , Leat Sarah , Wood Leila
Published: December 2021

Survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual assault (SA) faced increased violence, new safety risks, and reduced services access in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. IPV and SA service providers have a critical role in safety planning and advocacy with survivors; however their patterns of working were dramatically impacted by changes brought on by the pandemic. Little is known about safety planning strategies and service adaptations employed in this context. Through semi-structured interviews with 33 service providers from across the United States, this study explores the experiences and perspectives of victim service agency staff with IPV and SA survivor safety and safety planning from March to December 2020. Qualitative data were analyzed using conventional content analysis. Four overarching themes related to survivor safety and safety planning emerged, including (1) “The violence is more severe, it’s more escalated,” describing an increase in the severity and frequency of violence; (2) “Perpetrating the violence through [technology],” describing a specific surge in technology based abuse (TBA) as the world shifted to virtual communication to facilitate social distancing; (3) “COVID-19 is now a tool in their toolbox,” describing the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and health guidance as a life generated risk that abusive partners used to further control and isolate their partner; and (4) “You just get real crafty,” highlighting the wide range of “work-arounds” and safety planning adaptations employed by victim service professionals trying to maintain services in a disrupted environment and in the face of evolving safety risks and increasing violence severity. These findings highlight the safety and safety planning challenges encountered as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded and the many creative strategies employed by service providers to adapt in the moment.
Patterns of Gender-Based Violence in Conflict-Affected Ukraine: A Descriptive Analysis of Internally Displaced and Local Women Receiving Psychosocial Services
Authors: Capasso Ariadna , Skipalska Halyna , Chakrabarti Urmi , Guttmacher Sally , Navario Peter , Castillo Theresa P.
Published: December 2021

Since 2014, a protracted armed conflict has afflicted eastern Ukraine, resulting in the displacement of over 1.4 million residents. The resulting humanitarian crisis has placed women, particularly displaced women, at greater risk of gender-based violence (GBV). In Ukraine, reports of GBV were higher following the start of the conflict (22.4% in 2014 vs. 18.3% in 2007), with displaced women suffering from GBV nearly three times more than non-displaced residents (15.2% vs. 5.3%). Many GBV incidents in Ukraine have been reported along the “contact line,” the border separating government from non-government-controlled areas. This study compares types of GBV experienced by displaced and local (non-displaced) women receiving psychosocial support in order to identify the gaps in services during a time of conflict. Data was collected by mental healthcare providers from 11,826 women (25.5% displaced; 74.5% local) aged 15 to 69 receiving psychosocial services in five conflict-affected regions from February 2016 to June 2017. Group differences were assessed using Pearson’s chi-squared or Fisher’s exact tests for categorical variables and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests for continuous variables. Overall, almost half of the women experienced intimate partner violence and psychological abuse. Compared to residents, displaced women were more likely to report non-domestic GBV incidents involving sexual and economic violence. Almost 8% of violent incidents against displaced women occurred at checkpoints or at reception centers for internally displaced persons (IDP) and 20% were perpetrated by armed men. Consistent with the literature, this study suggests that displaced women are more vulnerable to attacks by persons outside the home and by armed groups. Our findings underscore the need to expand violence prevention programs to address the unique vulnerabilities of displaced women before, during, and after displacement. Programs should be tailored to prevent violence within and outside the home. Increased prevention efforts are needed in areas with high concentrations of armed men, along the contact line, and at IDP reception centers to protect displaced women. This is particularly urgent in the context of increased GBV due to COVID-19.