bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Retention in Medical Care Among Insured Adolescents and Young Adults With Diagnosed HIV Infection, United States, 2010-2014
Authors: Tanner Mary R. , Bush Tim , Nesheim Steven R. , Weidle Paul J. , Byrd Kathy K.
Published: June 2021

Objectives

Retention in care is a critical component of effective HIV treatment, and adolescents and young adults are at higher risk of inadequate retention than older adults. The objective of our study was to examine the patterns of retention in care among adolescents and young adults with HIV infection by analyzing Medicaid and commercial health insurance claims data.

Methods

We evaluated retention in care for HIV-diagnosed adolescents and young adults aged 13-24 using the 2010-2014 MarketScan Medicaid and MarketScan Commercial Claims health insurance databases. The study period extended 36 months from the date of the first claim with a code for HIV or AIDS. We determined the unweighted proportion retained in care for the Medicaid and Commercial Claims cohorts for months 0-24 and 25-36. We assessed associations between demographic characteristics and retention in care using logistic regression.

Results

A total of 378 adolescents and young adults were in the Medicaid cohort and 1028 in the Commercial Claims cohort. In the Medicaid and Commercial Claims cohorts, respectively, 186 (49%) and 591 (57%) adolescents and young adults were retained in care during months 0-24. In the Medicaid cohort, 113 (73%) people retained in care and 69 (45%) people not retained in care during months 0-24 were retained in care during months 25-36. In the Commercial Claims cohort, 313 (77%) and 94 (31%) retained and not retained people, respectively, were found to be in care during months 25-36.

Conclusions

Notable proportions of HIV-diagnosed adolescents and young adults are not adequately retained in care; public health interventions tailored to this population are needed.
How the timing of cooperation affects innovation outcomes: An agent-based model of postponing the coupled search process
Authors: Liu Jie , Ma Tieju
Published: June 2021

Organizations may face the problem of whether and when they should cooperate with others to accomplish a novel task. Prior literature answers this problem based on the transaction costs of cooperation, but ignores the effect of cooperation timing on innovation outcomes. Will postponing cooperation influence innovation outcomes? We develop a conceptual agent-based search and learning model to explore this question. We find that the timing of cooperation, the initial mental representations, and the search strategy jointly determine innovation search outcomes. Agents with initial mental representations that are inclined towards suboptimal outcomes can benefit more from postponing cooperation when the search strategy is exploitative. This study inserts the practical innovation problem into the framework of adaptive learning models and provides a novel perspective from which to understand the timing of cooperation.
The coronavirus and the temporal order of capitalism: Sociological observations and the wisdom of a children’s book
Authors: Suckert Lisa
Published: June 2021

The coronavirus is not only a medical threat but also collides with the temporal logic inherent to capitalism. While capitalism demands constant growth, acceleration and efficiency, the outbreak urges societies to reduce, slow down and be patient. This article provides a sociological comment on the pandemic that focuses on the role of time and temporality. It explores the multiple ways in which the required responses to Covid-19 are at odds with the temporal order of capitalism. In the midst of crisis, the specific features, contradictions and weaknesses of the time regime governing modern societies become even more apparent – and make sociological scrutiny more necessary than ever. While this comment relates to the insights provided by the sociology of time, it uses a children’s book to illustrate its argument. Drawing on Michael Ende’s story of the orphan girl Momo and the grey gentlemen who steal people’s time, I recapture the main features of capitalism as a time regime: measurement and commodification of time, temporal expansion, acceleration, appropriation of the future, and unequal temporal autonomy. The current pandemic challenges both individual and collective temporalities that are governed by these temporal imperatives of capitalism. I conclude with reflections on the feasibility of a more sustainable temporal order that Michael Ende’s novel hints at and suggest how sociological research could support such an endeavour in the current crisis.
Outer-suburban politics and the financialisation of the logistics real estate industry: The emergence of financialised coalitions in the Paris region
Authors: Raimbault Nicolas
Published: June 2021

Logistics real estate is a type of property rarely covered in the existing literature on the financialisation of property markets. The emergence of specialised international real estate firms, which act as developers, investors and property fund managers, means that the logistics real estate industry has taken a unique financialisation path. The present article explains the specific features of the financialisation of the logistics real estate industry and contributes to the understanding of the financialisation of outer-suburban governance. Based on a qualitative analysis of the European logistics real estate market and case studies conducted in the Greater Paris region, the article combines an analysis of the sociotechnical mediations of financial circuits in the logistics built environment with the study of emerging local public–private coalitions formed to develop logistics zones. As such, it will be seen that the domination of integrated global firms in logistics real estate depends on their capacity to form local coalitions.
Discharging loin sinus: Unusual manifestation of ruptured horseshoe kidney
Authors: Mohanty Debajyoti , Srivastava Niraj Kumar , Borkar Nitin Bhajandas
Published: June 2021

We present a 20-year-old man with a chronic discharging sinus in the left loin arising from a horseshoe kidney with a large pelvicalyceal calculus on its left side. The left moiety was non-functional, so a left hemi-nephrectomy, together with excision of the whole fistula tract, was carried out. Histopathology was suggestive of chronic interstitial nephritis. Patients with horseshoe kidney are prone to development of renal stones and their associated complications. The unfamiliar anatomy of horseshoe kidneys may increase the complexity of any surgical procedure. Radiological investigations are pivotal in identification of the underlying renal pathology; they may also delineate a fistula tract as in our case.
Criminal Expertise and Sexual Violence: Comparing the Crime-Commission Process Involved in Sexual Burglary and Sexual Robbery
Authors: Reale Kylie S. , Beauregard Eric , Chopin Julien
Published: June 2021

Criminal expertise relates to the notion that some individuals may develop domain-specific offending skills that differentiate them from those with less skills or experience (i.e., novices). In the expertise literature, burglary has emerged as a distinct type of “expert” offense, therefore the current study sought to determine whether criminal expertise is more evident in the crime-commission process of sexual burglary compared to sexual robbery. We used binary logistic regression to compare the pre-crime, crime, and post-crime behaviors of 870 cases of hybrid sexual assault that occurred during the commission of either a burglary ( N = 319) (or) robbery ( N = 479), both of which involved personal theft from a stranger victim. Findings suggest that the crime commission process of sexual burglary involves a more sophisticated modus operandi and greater expertise in detection avoidance (e.g., strategies to protect their identity and destroying and removing evidence) compared to sexual robbery.
Remixing the Script? Associations Between Black-Oriented Media Consumption and Black Women’s Heteropatriarchal Romantic Relationship Beliefs
Authors: Avery Lanice R. , Stanton Alexis G. , Ward L. Monique , Trinh Sarah L. , Jerald Morgan C. , Cole Elizabeth R.
Published: June 2021

Black-oriented media may offer Black women an opportunity to produce and consume empowering messages that challenge heteropatriarchal relationship beliefs, but they may also foster their endorsement. Drawn by this paradox, we surveyed 597 undergraduate and graduate Black women aged 18 to 30 years to examine exposure to Black-oriented media and their association with the acceptance of heteropatriarchal relationship beliefs. Correlation and regression analyses showed that reading more Black magazines was associated with increased acceptance of heteropatriarchal relationship beliefs. Although it has been argued that media depictions of sexually agentic and empowered Black women may help disrupt and subvert the hegemonic nature of heteropatriarchal discourses in society, our findings suggest that some Black-oriented media may instead be associated with endorsing restrictive, scripted gender norms for intraracial romantic relationships.
The structural transformation and reburning characteristics of gas coal in Ningwu coalfield fire
Authors: Xin Haihui , Sun Jianguo , Tian Wenjiang , Zhou Banghao , Tang Zuo , Qi Xu Yao , Di Cui Cui , Zhong Xiao Xing , Wang De Ming
Published: June 2021

With the expansion of the scale of coal mining, the safety problems caused by the reburning of coal are becoming more and more serious. In this paper, the pyrolysis characteristics of gas coal and the exothermic characteristics of reoxidation of residues were studied by using a synchronous thermal analyzer. The functional groups of pyrolysis residues were tested, and the group content and characteristic structural parameters were calculated based on quantum chemistry method. The results show that with the increase of pyrolysis temperature, Volatile maximum separation rate (Vmax) and the change in the residual weight of the coal sample (ΔWvp) increase. The increase of temperature will lead to the decrease of hydroxyl and aliphatic hydrocarbon content in coal, and the increase of aromatic hydrocarbon. With the deepening of pyrolysis, the ignition point temperature of coal samples decreases first and then rises, the combustion intensity and combustion concentration are strengthened. The pyrolysis results show that 462.8°C is the critical temperature for the transition during pyrolysis. The ignition point of the residue is less affected by the pyrolysis conditions, and the ignition temperature of the raw coal and the pyrolysis residue varies within 330.57°C–334.98°C.
Clinical Factors Associated With the Outcomes of Long-Term Middle Ear Ventilation Tube Insertion in Pediatric Patients
Authors: Takai Shunsuke , Nomura Kazuhiro , Oda Kiyoshi , Ozawa Daiki , Irimada Mihoko , Ikeda Ryoukichi , Kakuta Risako , Katori Yukio , Ohyama Kenji
Published: June 2021

Background:

Ventilation tube (VT) insertion is the most common treatment for otitis media with effusion (OME). However, OME recurrence and persistent tympanic membrane (TM) perforation after VT removal are encountered in a certain percentage of such children.

Methods:

This study was performed to determine the outcomes of children who underwent long-term VT insertion. A total of 326 ears from 192 patients were analyzed. The associations among the patient age, sex, history of OME, history of repeated acute otitis media, placement duration, whether the VT had been removed intentionally or spontaneously, and the outcome (persistent TM perforation or OME recurrence) were analyzed. The outcomes of multiple VT tube insertions were also reviewed. We also analyzed whether or not local or general anesthesia was associated with the early spontaneous extrusion of the VT.

Result:

The OME recurrence and TM perforation rates were 29% (96/326 sides) and 17% (57/326 sides), respectively, for first insertions. In addition, 96 (29%) sides underwent ≥2 insertions. The shorter the duration for which the VT was retained in the middle ear, the more significant the rate of increase in OME recurrence. The OME recurrence was observed more often when VT was spontaneously removed than when intentionally removed. The rate of persistent TM perforation was significantly associated with male sex. Persistent TM perforation was not observed in patients who underwent 4 or 5 insertions. The anesthesia method did not significantly influence the timing of spontaneous extrusion of VT.

Conclusion:

The retention period of VT should be at least 2 years, and VT removal at the age of 7 might be a viable strategy. Multiple VT insertions are recommended for patients with recurrent OME. Ventilation tube under local anesthesia is an effective option for tolerable children.
Participation, Empowerment, and Evidence in the Current Discourse on Personalized Medicine: A Critique of “Democratizing Healthcare”
Authors: Roth Phillip H. , Bruni Tommaso
Published: June 2021

“Democratization” has recently become a popular trope in Western public discourses on medicine, where it refers to patient participation in the gathering and distribution of health-related data using various digital technologies, in order to improve healthcare technically and socially. We critically analyze the usage of the term from the perspective of the “politics of buzzwords.” Our claim is that the phrase works primarily to publicly justify the dramatic increase in the application of information and data technologies in healthcare and therefore fosters the corresponding industry. As a buzzword, “democratizing healthcare” is characterized by vagueness, which is why it receives meaning only through a word collective—a group of words that provide it with a context and are often used together with it. We examine key terms associated with “democratization” in the healthcare discourse—participation, empowerment, and personalized medicine—and show that the buzzword receives rhetorical power through the ambiguous reference to these concepts (those that are part of the word collective). As a consequence, the idea of “democracy” becomes diluted into meaning merely “access to,” and “healthcare” is reduced to the notion of a preventive, nonacute, monitored form of medical care.
Promoting Reflective Ability Through a Comprehensive Field Experience That Combined Video Analysis and Bug-In-Ear Coaching
Authors: Nagro Sarah A. , Regan Kelley , Coogle Christan , O’Brien Kristen M. , Raines Alexandra R. , Wade Clarissa B.
Published: June 2021

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of promoting special education teacher candidates’ reflective ability through a comprehensive field experience that combined (a) reflecting-on-action through video analysis with (b) reflecting-in-action through bug-in-ear coaching with real-time feedback. First, we implemented two concurrent single case designed studies to examine the functional relation between the comprehensive field experience and teacher candidates’ reflective ability. Second, we used qualitative methodologies to explore teacher candidates’ perceptions of the record, receive, review, reflect, revise comprehensive reflection cycle as a teacher preparation approach. Overall, special education teacher candidates across both cases ( N = 6) improved their reflective ability in relation to engaging in comprehensive reflection activities. Additionally, candidates identified many meaningful benefits of including comprehensive reflection in teacher preparation. Implications and limitations of these findings are discussed.
Functional perceptions of relational success and infidelity concerns for violators of gendered naming conventions in marriage
Authors: Drea Kelsey , Brown Mitch , Sacco Donald F.
Published: June 2021

Replicating and extending previous findings, we report two high-powered studies exploring how heterosexual men and women’s decisions to change or keep their surnames following marriage influence perceptions of various marital outcomes as a function of perceivers’ sexist attitudes. Participants in Study 1 evaluated men and women who indicated keeping or changing their surname after marriage, along with an articulated reason for their decision, specifically either to disrupt or reinforce gender norms. Study 2 removed the reasoning of their choice. Independent of participant gender or whether decision reasoning was provided, both studies demonstrated that targets who violated gendered naming norms (e.g., female keepers and male changers) were perceived more negatively than those who adhered to these norms (e.g., male keepers and female changers), particularly for participants higher in hostile sexism. We frame these findings from complementary evolutionary and sociocultural perspectives.
The influence of job satisfaction on entrepreneurial intention: A cross-level investigation
Authors: Li Jie , Yang Feifei , Qi Jipeng , Sun Ruijie , Geng Ruoshi
Published: June 2021

This article develops a framework to demonstrate how employee job satisfaction influences entrepreneurial intentions. Based on new institutional theory, we examine our hypotheses using data from 39,394 employees from 27 countries; the results indicate that job satisfaction has a negative effect on entrepreneurial intentions moderated by uncertainty avoidance at the country level. Furthermore, a cross-level three-way interaction indicates that entrepreneurship legitimacy is an important climate-level variable that influences the entrepreneurial intentions of employees. We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings and future research directions.
Treatment of Mooren’s ulcer coexisting with a pterygium using an intrastromal lenticule obtained from small-incision lenticule extraction: case report and literature review
Authors: He Na , Song Wei , Gao Ying
Published: June 2021

The coexistence of Mooren’s ulcer and a pterygium is an extremely rare ocular condition that has been infrequently reported in the literature to date. We herein present the first case of treatment of Mooren’s ulcer coexisting with a pterygium using a lenticule obtained by myopic small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE). A 61-year-old woman presented with a 3-month history of recurrent ocular pain and red eye caused by Mooren’s ulcer coexisting with a pterygium. She received topical immunosuppressive and anti-infection treatments for almost 3 months. However, her ocular symptoms and signs did not substantially improve. Therefore, we performed lamellar keratoplasty with a corneal lenticule obtained by SMILE, followed by pterygium excision combined with conjunctival autografting. The patient recovered well with no complications or recurrence 1 year postoperatively. Our success suggests that combined surgery may be an effective management for coexistence of Mooren’s ulcer and a pterygium if conservative treatments fail. A corneal lenticule obtained by SMILE can be used as the lamellar keratoplasty graft in such patients.
Analytical modeling of through depth strain induced by deep rolling
Authors: Han Kunpeng , Zhang Dinghua , Yao Changfeng , Tan Liang , Zhou Zheng , Zhao Yu
Published: June 2021

The material properties of the surface layer caused by deep rolling are closely related to the degree of strain hardening. It is of great significance to establish the prediction model of strain distribution to realize the surface strain control and improve the service performance of deep rolling parts. In this study, the analytical models of elastic-plastic strain based on the Hertz contact theory were established by two different methods. The accuracy of the analytical prediction model of elastic-plastic strain was examined by deep rolling simulation. Then, the influence of deep rolling parameters, such as rolling force, the ball diameter, and material on the elastic-plastic strain along the depth was studied and validated by the microhardness profiles along the depth. The results indicate that the analytical model established by the first method is more accurate, and the error between maximum elastic-plastic strain obtained by the first method and finite element (FE) simulation is 12.6%. The elastic-plastic strain along the depth increases with the increasing rolling force and decreases with the increasing ball diameter, and its effective depth increases with the increasing rolling force. The tungsten carbide ball generates more elastic-plastic strain than balls of the other two materials (silicon nitride and steel). In addition, the elastic-plastic strain profiles are in accordance with the change of microhardness along the depth. In a word, the model can be used to predict the strain distribution along the depth induced by deep rolling.
CGRP-antibodies, topiramate and botulinum toxin type A in episodic and chronic migraine: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Frank Florian , Ulmer Hanno , Sidoroff Victoria , Broessner Gregor
Published: June 2021

Background

The approval of monoclonal antibodies for prevention of migraine has revolutionized treatment for patients. Oral preventatives are still considered first line treatments as head-to-head trials comparing them with antibodies are lacking.

Methods

The main purpose of this study was to provide a comparative overview of the efficacy of three commonly prescribed migraine preventative medication classes. For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched the databases CENTRAL, EMBASE, and MEDLINE until 20 March 2020. We included RCTs reporting the 50% response rates for topiramate, Botulinum Toxin Type A and monoclonal antibodies against CGRP(r). Studies were excluded if response rates were not reported, treatment allocation was unclear, or if study quality was insufficient. Primary outcome measure were the 50% response rates. The pooled odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated with the random effects model. The study was registered at PROSPERO (CRD42020222880).

Findings

We identified 6552 reports. Thirty-two were eligible for our review. Studies assessing monoclonal antibodies included 13,302 patients and yielded pooled odds ratios for the 50% response rate of 2.30 (CI: 2.11–2.50). Topiramate had an overall effect estimate of 2.70 (CI: 1.97–3.69) with 1989 included patients and Botulinum Toxin Type A achieved 1.28 (CI: 0.98–1. 67) with 2472 patients included.

Interpretation

Topiramate, botulinum toxin type A and monoclonal antibodies showed higher odds ratios in achieving a 50% response rate compared to placebo. Topiramate numerically demonstrated the greatest effect size but also the highest drop-out rate.
A Modern Non-Western Thinker as a Subject of Intercultural Dialogue (Based on M. K. Gandhi’s Example)
Authors: Bitinayte Elena A.
Published: June 2021

An intercultural dialogue is the essential question in modernising societies. Non-Western thinkers (i.e., thinkers influenced by both traditional non-Western and modern Western cultures) are the active subjects of such intercommunications. Their existence on the joint of two civilisations forms their social, cultural and mental image. The intellectuals of this type are attached to both societies and at the same time, they are detached from each of them. Also, they play the role of mediators between two civilisations. These circumstances determine features of their participation in the intercultural dialogue: promote the understanding of two cultures by thinkers, obstruct the understanding of their ideas by compatriots and foreigners and help intellectuals to explain values and senses of one culture to representatives of another. These processes are illustrated in the article on M. K. Gandhi’s example. Consideration of the Indian thinker as a subject of intercultural communications reveals complexity of his views on the Western civilisation. The author comes to the conclusion that Gandhi was not a traditionalist and his rejection of modern Western civilisation means his call for shifting attention from the material sphere to the spiritual one.
Book review: Sanjeev Jain and Alok Sarin (eds.), The Psychological Impact of the Partition of India
Authors: Tanwar Raghuvendra
Published: June 2021

Sanjeev Jain and Alok Sarin (eds.), The Psychological Impact of the Partition of India. New Delhi: SAGE Publications, 2018, 241 pp., ₹850, ISBN: 9789352806508.
Book review: Milinda Banerjee, The Mortal God: Imagining the Sovereign in Colonial India
Authors: Basu Monmayee
Published: June 2021

Milinda Banerjee, The Mortal God: Imagining the Sovereign in Colonial India. Cambridge University Press, 2018, 435 pp., $120, ISBN: 9781107166561 (Hardback).
Book review: B. D. Chattopadhyaya, The Concept of ‘Bharatavarsha’ and Other Essays
Authors: Thakur Amrendra Kumar
Published: June 2021

B. D. Chattopadhyaya, The Concept of ‘Bharatavarsha’ and Other Essays. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2018 (first published for South Asia by Permanent Black, Delhi, 2018), x + 240 pp., ₹900, ISBN: 9781438471754.
Experimental and theoretical research on four-point bending performance of Nomex honeycomb sandwich panels
Authors: Xie Suchao , Feng Zhejun , Zhou Hui , Ma Wen , Jing Kunkun
Published: June 2021

In order to reveal the relationship between the four-point bending behaviour and structural parameters of Nomex honeycomb sandwich panels (NHSP), a comparison of the bending performance of sandwich panels with different specifications and directions was conducted. The ability of NHSP to improve the strength and stiffness of bare honeycombs and aluminium plates was also quantified. Furthermore, based on experimental data and existing theories, the critical relationship of each failure type of NHSP under four-point loading conditions was derived. The drawn bending failure map reveals the relationship between core layer performance parameters and failure types, which can provide guidance for the optimal design of sandwich structure in practical application.
Assessment of ergonomic exposure, work-related occupational injuries, and prevention: Child work in the brickfield industry in India.
Authors: Das Banibrata
Published: June 2021

Child labor is an infraction of fundamental human rights, and it prevents the children’s physical, psychosocial, and psychological development. In India, children have been working in different unorganized sectors as paid laborers. Children were found performing a fair amount of manual, rigorous tasks in the brickfield industry due to socioeconomic disadvantages. Child brickfield workers suffered from musculoskeletal pain and injuries due to working with a heavy physical workload, which hampers the overall quality of life. A study had been conducted among these child brickfield laborers from India during 2011–2017. The study found laceration (38.7% male and 36.9% female) as the primary injury followed by sprain and strain, scratches, avulsion, and fractures among child brickfield workers. The study shows that child workers are highly prone to injuries, mainly toe (23.9% male and 28.1% female), hands (22.0% male and 23.4% female), wrists, feet, ankles, and fingers. The injury rate among male and female child brickfield laborers was 7.64 and 9.52 per 1000 workers. The primary source of injuries in brickfields was due to falling from height. Several risk factors, including biomechanical, work stress, may play a key role in work-related injuries among child brickfield laborers.
As the Two-Child Policy Beckons: Work–Family Conflicts, Gender Strategies and Self-Worth among Women from the First One-Child Generation in Contemporary China
Authors: Liu Ye
Published: June 2021

How do women from the one-child generation make fertility choices and negotiate work–family relationships under the two-child policy? I address this question by using 82 in-depth interviews with siblingless women from the first one-child cohort. This study unifies Gerson and Peiss’s and Kandiyoti’s conceptual frameworks on boundaries and gender strategies but adds a new dimension of self-worth. The data reveal three different fertility strategies: rejection, acceptance and procrastination, each representing different negotiations with patriarchal boundaries and assessment of self-worth. In particular, the findings highlight how the patriarchal tactics – within the state, the workplace and individual families – are coordinated and transformed into widely available discourse on fertility duties, meritocracy and productivity, thus maintaining rigid patriarchal boundaries across private and public spheres. Rather than being subservient to multifaceted patriarchal power, women strategise to evaluate and validate their competing work–family identities through the language of moral, financial and/or status worthiness.
Embracing the chaos: Challenges and opportunities of an extracurricular experiential events management learning activity
Authors: Fulton Beverley
Published: June 2021

A comparison of the skills and qualities required in entrepreneurship and those expected in event management suggests similarities between the two disciplines and similar challenges for educators. While there has been increased interest in the education of entrepreneurs, discussion of events management education remains scarce. This account of practice provides an insight into some of the challenges and opportunities that arise when the confines and structure of a curriculum are removed, allowing both students and teacher to embrace the chaos of an unstructured extracurricular experiential learning activity.
Wind energy and the historic environment: A business-driven symbiosis approach
Authors: Xydis George A , Kremastioti Katerina , Panagiotidou Maria
Published: June 2021

The present study discusses alternative ways of achieving optimum energy efficiency for historic buildings in areas where sustainable energy projects are planned. About 25% of Europe’s building stock was constructed before the mid-20th century and despite EU’s strenuous efforts for the protection and conservation of historic buildings and complexes, achieving energy efficiency with the minimum or preferably no intervention remains as a requirement. The settlement of Monemvasia, has been selected as our case study. A model building was chosen, its special characteristics are presented, and four solutions to the energy efficiency upgrade of the building were tested: (a) the application of internal insulation, (b) a heat pump installation, (c) the application of roof insulation, and (d) the replacement of the internal doorframes. The four scenarios were simulated via the TEE-KENAK software and the percentage of the annual energy saved through the application of each one of the mentioned measures was estimated. The results proved that installing a heat pump and internal insulation would maximise energy savings. Coupling the energy demand of the settlement in correlation with a wind energy project in the wider area, and the available curtailment was explored. The results showed that if 300 houses decide on acquiring their electricity consumption from the local wind independent power producer, at a price of EUR 35/MWh, the possible profit from the market could reach EUR100,000 per year. Such a business-driven concept could be extrapolated and evolve into a holistic wind energy and historic environment symbiosis setting.
Ginkgolic acid induces apoptosis and autophagy of endometrial carcinoma cells via inhibiting PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in vivo and in vitro
Authors: Zhou L , Li S , Sun J
Published: June 2021

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the fourth most common malignancy in women in developed countries. The prognosis of EC is extremely poor, and it is an important factor that contributes to the death of patients. Therefore, studying EC pathogenesis and therapeutic targets, and exploring effective drugs are the primary tasks to improve the prognosis of EC. In the present study, we aimed to explore the function of ginkgolic acid (GA) in EC cell apoptosis and autophagy through PI3K/Akt/mTOR signal pathway in vitro and in vivo. Firstly, MTT assay and clone formation assay were employed to analyze the Ishikawa and HEC-1-B cell viabilities and proliferation after treatment with GA. The results showed that GA inhibited endometrial cancer cell survival. Flow cytometry assay and western blot assay were applied to examine the apoptosis and apoptosis related protein Bcl-2, Bax, Cleaved caspase-3 expression levels of Ishikawa and HEC-1-B cells after treatment with GA. Next, we applied western blot assay to analyze the autophagy associated proteins LC3I, LC3II, p62 and Beclin-1 in GA treated Ishikawa and HEC-1-B cells. We found that GA promoted apoptosis and induced autophagy of endometrial cancer cells. Meanwhile, western blot assay was also used to determine the expression levels of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signal pathway related protein and the results revealed that GA inhibited the activity of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Finally, we found that GA inhibited tumor growth in vivo through immunohistochemistry assay. In conclusion, GA induces apoptosis and autophagy of EC cells via inhibiting PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in vivo and vitro.
Level of Acculturation and Acculturative Stress Perceived by Asian Immigrant Women Married to South Korean Men
Authors: Kim Micah Angela , Ham Ok Kyung , Cho Insook , Lee Eun jin , Lee Bo Gyeong
Published: June 2021

Introduction:

Married immigrant women experience cultural conflicts due to different values, and customs. This study examined the factors associated with the acculturation and acculturative stress of Asian immigrant women in South Korea.

Method:

A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed. A total of 142 participants were recruited from Incheon Multicultural Centers in 2016 using a convenience sampling method. Acculturation and acculturative stress were measured by Suinn–Lew Self-Identity Acculturation Scale and Social Attitudinal Familial Environment. The data were analyzed using analysis of variance and multiple regression analysis.

Results:

Time since immigration was negatively associated with the level of acculturation, while alcohol consumption ( p < .050). Some demographic variables (age, religion, anxiety, and time since immigration) were associated with acculturative stress ( p < .050).

Discussion:

These findings can help health care providers to increase their awareness and be more sensitive when providing services to these women.
Cultivating Effective Teacher–Paraprofessional Collaboration in the Self-Contained Classroom
Authors: Barnes Tia N. , Cipriano Christina , Xia Yu
Published: June 2021

Teacher–paraprofessional collaboration plays an important part in the daily functioning of self-contained classrooms serving students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Unfortunately, few training opportunities are provided to teachers on how to supervise and collaborate with paraprofessionals in the classroom setting. In this article, we present best practices for developing effective teacher–paraprofessional collaboration.
Output feedback control of fractional order Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy singularly perturbed systems
Authors: Zhang Xuefeng , Han Zerui
Published: June 2021

This article focuses on the stabilization conditions of fractional order fuzzy singularly perturbed systems via state and static output feedback control with order 0 < α < 1, respectively. First, by an equivalent transformation, fractional order singularly perturbed systems are transformed into fractional order singular systems. Second, three stabilizing conditions under state feedback control are proposed. Then, based on the introduction of intermediate variables, static output feedback control condition in terms of strict linear matrix inequalities which guarantee the fractional order Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy singularly perturbed system to be stable is obtained. And the proposed conditions can overcome some drawbacks in the existing work. Finally, two examples are provided to show the effectiveness of the results in this study.
Social Features of Integration in Health Systems and Their Relationship to Provider Experience, Care Quality and Clinical Integration
Authors: Kerrissey Michaela , Tietschert Maike , Novikov Zhanna , Bahadurzada Hassina , Sinaiko Anna D. , Martin Veronique , Singer Sara J.
Published: June 2021

More is known about the structural features of health system integration than the social features—elements of normative integration (alignment of norms) and interpersonal integration (collaboration among professionals and with patients). We surveyed practice managers and 1,360 staff and physicians at 59 practice sites within 17 health systems (828 responses; 61%). Building on prior theory, we developed and established the psychometric properties of survey measures describing normative and interpersonal integration. Normative and interpersonal integration were both consistently related to better provider experience, perceived care quality, and clinical integration (e.g., a 1-point increase in a practice’s normative integration was associated with 0.53-point higher job satisfaction and 0.77-point higher perceived care quality in the practice, measured on 1 to 5 scales, p < .01). Variation in social features of integration may help explain why some health systems better integrate care, pointing to normative and interpersonal integration as potential resources for improvement.
Management of optic disc pit-associated maculopathy: A case series from a tertiary referral center
Authors: Muftuoglu Ilkay Kilic , Tokuc Ecem Onder , Karabas V Levent
Published: June 2021

Purpose:

To report outcomes of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) combined with internal limiting membrane (ILM) stuffing technique in patients with optic disc pit associated maculopathy (ODP-M).

Methods:

Data including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT), foveal center point thickness (FCP), and maximum height of fluid (max_fluid) (intraretinal or subretinal) were collected from the medical records of the patients.

Results:

Six eyes of six patients with a mean age of 28.0 ± 17.68 years (range: 9–53 year) underwent PPV + ILM plug surgery. The mean follow-up duration was 25.62 ± 26.11 months (range: 11.80–78.00 month) duration. The mean BCVA increased from 1.25 ± 1.04 logMAR (20/355, Snellen equivalent) to 0.86 ± 1.09 logMAR (20/144, Snellen equivalent) at last follow-up ( p = 0.043). Compared to baseline, CMT, FCP, and max_fluid significantly decreased at all visits after the surgery ( p < 0.05 for all visits). At last follow-up, 66.6% of the eyes (four eyes) showed complete resolution of fluid at a mean of 5.25 ± 4.99 months (range: 1–12 months) after the surgery.

Conclusion:

PPV with ILM plug seemed to be an effective surgical technique in ODP-M. Studies with longer follow-up and higher number of patients are needed to confirm our results.
Air Pollution and Emergency Department Visits for Disease of the Genitourinary System
Authors: Szyszkowicz Mieczysław , Schoen Stephanie , de Angelis Nicholas
Published: June 2021

The aim of this study is to determine associations between ambient air pollution and the number of emergency department (ED) visits for diseases of the genitourinary tract in Toronto, Canada. We used the National Ambulatory Care Reporting System (NACRS) database to obtain the related ED visits and developed statistical models using daily data on ED visits, temperature, relative humidity, and outdoor air pollution concentration levels. The NACRS database contains data on hospital-based and community-based ambulatory care. The environmental data were retrieved from the National Air Pollution Surveillance (NAPS) program. The NAPS is the main source of ambient air quality data in Canada. We considered 2 air quality health indexes and 6 air pollutants: daily means of fine particulate matter PM2.5, O3, CO, NO2, SO2, and also maximum 8-hour average ozone. For every air pollutant, we fit 270 models (15 lags × 18 strata). We found that same-day air pollution concentrations have the highest number of statistically significantly positive associations with ED visits for genitourinary health outcomes. A total of 133 positive associations were identified over the 14 days lag. In subgroup (strata) analysis, females older than 60 years of age were found to have the most positive associations. In particular, nitrogen dioxide was found to be highly associated with ED visits for females over 60; an increase in NO2 was associated with an increased relative risk (RR) of ED visits when lagged over 0, 1, and 2 days (RR = 1.040 [95% confidence interval: 1.028, 1.052], 1.020 [1.009, 1.032], and 1.025 [1.013, 1.036], respectively). The values of risks are reported for a 1 interquartile range increase in concentration (8.8 ppb). Our results suggest that urban ambient air pollution affect the number of ED visits due to genitourinary system conditions.
Are the most influential websites peer-produced or price-incentivized? Organizing value in the digital economy
Authors: Pazaitis Alex , Kostakis Vasilis
Published: June 2021

In 2006, Harvard Law School Professor Yochai Benkler proposed a wager to technology and society author Nicholas Carr. Benkler argued that by 2011 the most influential websites would be based on content produced by people engaged in peer production. Carr maintained that the lure of money and the corporate hierarchies will be more effective. So, after 15 years, who has really won the bet? Are the most influential websites peer-produced or price-incentivized? To address these questions, this paper discusses what peer production is in relation to price-incentivized production. The Carr-Benkler wager is used as a lens to examine the current social and political struggles in the digital economy, to unveil the adversary value systems underneath and the respective implications for organization. We conclude with some reflections on the controversies and ambiguities of peer production and a call for critical scholarship to engage in a deeper discussion on value and organization in the digital economy.
Prevalence, co-occurrence, and trajectories of pain, fatigue, depression, and anxiety in the year following multiple sclerosis diagnosis
Authors: Valentine Thomas R , Alschuler Kevin N , Ehde Dawn M , Kratz Anna L
Published: June 2021

Background:

Pain, fatigue, depression, and anxiety are common in multiple sclerosis, but little is known about the presence, co-occurrence, and trajectories of these symptoms in the year after multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis.

Objectives:

To determine, during the postdiagnosis year: (1) rates of pain, fatigue, depression, and anxiety; (2) rates of symptom co-occurrence; and (3) stability/change in symptom severity.

Methods:

Newly diagnosed adults with MS/clinically isolated syndrome ( N = 230) completed self-report measures of pain, fatigue, depression, and anxiety at 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after MS diagnosis. Clinical significance was defined based on standardized cutoffs. Descriptive statistics and Sankey diagrams characterized rates and trajectories.

Results:

Participants endorsed clinically significant symptoms at some point in the postdiagnosis year at rates of 50.9% for pain, 62.6% for fatigue, 47.4% for depression, and 38.7% for anxiety. A majority of patients exhibited co-occurring symptoms—21.3% with two, 19.1% with three, and 17.4% with four. The proportions of patients with clinically significant symptoms were generally stable over time; however, rates of symptom development/recovery revealed fluctuations at the individual level.

Conclusions:

Pain, fatigue, depression, and anxiety are prevalent in newly diagnosed MS. Prompt screening and evidence-based interventions are necessary if quality of life is to be optimized.
Articulate the missing: The role of religion in political modernity
Authors: Casola Stella
Published: June 2021

In this article, I argue that Habermas’s genealogical approach to modern reason and methodological agnosticism can lead us to a better understanding of the role of religion in our societies. I underline the relevance of Habermas’s awareness that ‘something is missing’ when we take faith out of modernity and consider the truths of philosophical reason to be infallible. Habermas succeeds in highlighting the complexity of the modern relationship between the religious and the secular domains, a relationship that is not merely epistemic, but also embodied in various practical relationships between religious and secular citizens. On this basis, and in the light of Habermas’s idea of modernity as an unfinished project, I argue that religion can be interpreted as a dimension allied to political modernity and democracy as well.
An enhanced symbiotic organisms search algorithm for design optimization of trusses with frequency constraints
Authors: Makiabadi Mohammad H , Maheri Mahmoud R
Published: June 2021

An enhanced symbiotic organisms search (ESOS) algorithm is developed and presented. Modifications to the basic symbiotic organisms search algorithm are carried out in all three phases of the algorithm with the aim of balancing the exploitation and exploration capabilities of the algorithm. To verify validity and capability of the ESOS algorithm in solving general optimization problems, the CEC2014 set of 22 benchmark functions is first optimized and the results are compared with other metaheuristic algorithms. The ESOS algorithm is then used to optimize the sizing and shape of five benchmark trusses with multiple frequency constraints. The best (minimum) mass, mean mass, standard deviation of the mass, total number of function evaluations, and the values of frequency constraints are then compared with those of a number of other metaheuristic solutions available in the literature. It is shown that the proposed ESOS algorithm is generally more efficient in optimizing the shape and sizing of trusses with dynamic frequency constraints compared to other reported metaheuristic algorithms, including the basic symbiotic organisms search and its other recently proposed improved variants such as the improved symbiotic organisms search algorithm (ISOS) and modified symbiotic organisms search algorithm (MSOS).
Flexural behavior of reinforced geopolymer concrete beams with recycled coarse aggregates
Authors: Zhang Haiyan , Wan Keyue , Wu Bo , Hu Zhonghao
Published: June 2021

Geopolymer recycled aggregate concrete (GRAC) is a new green construction material, which uses geopolymer as the binder and recycled concrete as aggregates. To compare the flexural performance of GRAC and ordinary recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) beams, static loading tests were conducted on seven GRAC beams and three RAC beams. The effects of the replacement ratio of recycled aggregates (RAs), the replacement patterns, and the reinforcement ratio on the flexural behavior of GRAC beams are evaluated. The test data show that the replacement ratio has no significant effect on the cracking pattern, failure mode, or bending capacity of GRAC beams, but the replacement pattern does have an effect. Under a given replacement ratio, replacing only the larger fraction of natural aggregates (NA) with RA improves the concrete strength and crack resistance of both RAC and GRAC beams, compared to that using same replacement percentage for all fractions. Due to the lower elastic modulus and strength of GRAC prepared in this study, the GRAC beams have lower height of neutral axis and greater deflection than RAC beams at the same load level and possess slightly lower cracking load, bending capacity, and ductility. The bending capacity of GRAC beams can be predicted by the formulas proposed for ordinary reinforced concrete beams in the Chinese code GB50010-2010, ACI 318-11, or BS EN 1992-1-1:2004 codes, but the safety margin is generally lower than that of ordinary reinforced concrete beams.