bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhanced Feedback between Shallow Convection and Low-Level Moisture Convergence Leads to Improved Simulation of MJO Eastward Propagation
Authors: Liu Yan , Tan Zhe-Min , Wu Zhaohua
Published: October 2021

Recent study indicates that the non-instantaneous interaction of convection and circulation is essential for evolution of large-scale convective systems. It is incorporated into cumulus parameterization (CP) by relating cloud-base mass flux of shallow convection to a composite of subcloud moisture convergence in the past 6 h. Three pairs of 19-yr simulations with original and modified CP schemes are conducted in a tropical channel model to verify their ability to reproduce the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO). More coherent tropical precipitation and improved eastward propagation signal are observed in the simulations with the modified CP schemes based on the non-instantaneous interaction. It is found that enhanced feedback between shallow convection and low-level moisture convergence results in amplified shallow convective heating, and then generates reinforced moisture convergence, which transports more moisture upward. The improved simulations of eastward propagation of the MJO are largely attributed to higher specific humidity below 600 hPa in the free troposphere to the east of maximum rainfall center, which is related to stronger boundary layer moisture convergence forced by shallow convection. Large-scale horizontal advection causes asymmetric moisture tendencies relative to rainfall center (positive to the east and negative to the west) and also gives rise to eastward propagation. The zonal advection, especially the advection of anomalous specific humidity by mean zonal wind, is found to dominate the difference of horizontal advection between each pair of simulations. The results indicate the vital importance of non-instantaneous feedback between shallow convection and moisture convergence for convection organization and the eastward MJO propagation.
Hope Cultures in Organizations: Tackling the Grand Challenge of Commercial Sex Exploitation
Authors: Sawyer Katina B. , Clair Judith A.
Published: October 2021

Many organizations struggle with tackling grand challenges. Research has shown that coordinating and collaborating are central to these endeavors, but the emotions inherent in doing so have been overlooked. From a two-year narrative ethnographic study of an organization tackling the grand challenge of commercial sex exploitation, we build a key theoretical insight about the role of hope culture in the pursuit of grand challenges. We define hope culture as a set of assumptions, beliefs, norms, and practices that propagate hopeful thoughts and behaviors in pursuit of an organization’s goals. We show that when a hope culture is stronger, organizations more vibrantly engage with the grand challenge—the well-being of organizational members flourishes, and organizations ambitiously pursue their goals. When the strength of a hope culture flags, the opposite occurs. Two core mechanisms appear to drive the strength of a hope culture in these contexts: (1) narrative sensemaking of “triggering” organizational events and (2) emotional contagion. Our results demonstrate how hope cultures wax and wane in strength over time, operating as double-edged swords in organizations seeking to tackle grand challenges, with both positive and negative downstream implications. We offer rich, much-needed theory about the emotional realities of tackling grand challenges, as well as necessary guidance on how organizations might hope for a brighter future in the face of adversity.
Emotions During the COVID-19 Crisis: A Health Versus Economy Analysis of Public Responses
Authors: Vemprala Naga , Bhatt Paras , Valecha Rohit , Rao H. R.
Published: October 2021

People all over the world were under severe stress and were concerned about their health after a devastating pandemic struck the world in the form of a novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in late December 2019. Many nations imposed strict lockdowns and quarantines, causing citizens to maintain social isolation, throwing many companies to a halt. Thousands of people took to Twitter during these challenging circumstances to express their feelings about being caught in the middle of a storm. Twitter witnessed an outpouring of emotions ranging from fear, anger, and sadness associated with the spread of a novel virus that has no known cure, to voices of support and trust for nations’ official response to the pandemic. In studying the emotional response (anger, fear, and sadness) on Twitter about the COVID-19 crisis, we thus see a tale of two crises unfold—choosing health or economy. We capture collective emotions on social media and investigate the patterns and impact of these negative emotions during various stages of the disease outbreak. It also provides crucial insights to health officials and government agencies on communicating crisis information to the public via social media.
Examining the Risk of Recurring Use of Force Incidents Among Newly Hired Police Officers
Authors: Gullion Christi L. , Orrick Erin A. , Bishopp Stephen A.
Published: October 2021

Police force, though rare, has profound implications for citizens and officers involved and the community-at-large. It is vital for police agencies to review officer use of force, identify potential misconduct, and reduce repeated officer misconduct. Yet, little is known about what predicts subsequent uses of force and temporal distance between uses of force. The current study employs use of force data from a large, metropolitan police agency in the southwestern United States to examine the likelihood and timing between repeated uses of force. Results indicate officers may be affected by police-citizen encounters, as the likelihood of a subsequent use of force was reduced when their initial use of force occurred in neighborhoods with higher minority composition and the time to a subsequent use of force increased when their initial use of force resulted in citizen injury. For officers with a subsequent use of force, more than half had their next use of force within 3 months of their initial use of force, and 93% did so within a year of their initial use of force. Policy implications include enhanced supervision for new officers and accountability tools such as internal affairs and early intervention (EI) systems.
Guided evaluation activities to understand children’s experience of an obesity prevention programme
Authors: Tucker Kathryn , Ingram Maia , Martinez Diana , Sander Alicia , Flores Roxanna
Published: October 2021

Objective:

In this paper, we describe an approach to engage young children in evaluating the impact of La Vida Buena, a community health worker–led childhood obesity intervention for Latino children aged 5–8 years.

Design:

This paper describes the collaborative process used to pilot, refine, implement and evaluate evaluation activities, including a drawing and sorting activity, with child participants.

Setting:

La Vida Buena was implemented with Latino children aged 5–8 years and their parents or caregivers. The children were patients at a Federally Qualified Community Health Centre in a rural town on the US–Mexico Border. The intervention was implemented in a community setting.

Methods:

Participants were invited to participate in Guided Evaluation Activities during the 3-month and 6-month data collection points. Children participated in a drawing and sorting activity and discussion facilitated by teenage health facilitators or a community health worker. An observer took notes during the activities, and results were analysed by a university evaluator and La Vida Buena staff.

Results:

Findings demonstrated that the children understood some key messages of the class and identified important areas for improvement in the curriculum content and delivery.

Conclusion:

By designing evaluation methods that take the unique needs and perspectives of children into account, health promotion programmes can move beyond relying on parent-centric evaluation approaches and gain a deeper understanding of how children experience health intervention programmes.
Book review:A. Ravindra, Governing an Indian State: Karnataka in Focus
Authors: Vaddiraju Anil Kumar
Published: October 2021

A. Ravindra, Governing an Indian State: Karnataka in Focus. New Delhi: Siya Publishing House, 2018, xiv + 177 pp., ₹795.00.
Book review: Rumki Basu, Democracy and Public Policy in the Post-Covid-19 World: Choices and Outcomes
Authors: Srinivas V.
Published: October 2021

Rumki Basu, Democracy and Public Policy in the Post-Covid-19 World: Choices and Outcomes. Routledge, 2021, 217 pp., ₹3,029.69 (eBook).
Losing Years Doing Time: Incarceration Exposure and Accelerated Biological Aging among African American Adults
Authors: Berg Mark T. , Rogers Ethan M. , Lei Man-Kit , Simons Ronald L.
Published: October 2021

Research suggests that incarceration exposure increases the prevalence of morbidity and premature mortality. This work is only beginning to examine whether the stressors of the incarceration experience become biologically embedded in ways that affect physiological deterioration. Using data from a longitudinal sample of 410 African American adults in the Family and Community Health Study and an epigenetic index of aging, this study tests the extent to which incarceration accelerates epigenetic aging and whether experiences with violence moderate this association. Results from models that adjust for selection effects suggest that incarceration exposure predicted accelerated aging, leaving formerly incarcerated African American individuals biologically older than their calendar age. Direct experiences with violence also exacerbated the effects of incarceration. These findings suggest that incarceration possibly triggers a stress response that affects a biological signature of physiological deterioration.
Supporting Creative Musical Mindsets in Ensemble Learning
Authors: Schmidt Casey
Published: October 2021

This article suggests pathways for supporting habits of creativity and the development of creative mindsets in performance-ensemble learning spaces. The Wallas model of creative thought is used to frame the concept of creative musical mindsets. The author reflects on the assumptions and principles outlined in the stages of this influential model and suggests how facets of the model inform creative skill development in music learning. A developmental framework for creative musical mindsets and practical approaches to support habits of creativity in performance-ensemble learning are discussed.
Developing Musicianship through Chamber Ensembles: A Sequential Unit Design
Authors: Yackley Aaron
Published: October 2021

Shifting school schedules, small class sizes, and unpredictable instrumentation resulting from the global pandemic necessitated a creative approach to teaching ensemble music classes this year. In response to that challenge, I constructed a curriculum for developing independent musicianship through chamber music. Part independence, self-evaluation, communication skills, and practice strategies were key focuses during the term. This sequential approach to introducing chamber music can be transferred beyond a “pandemic schedule” with any ensemble regardless of experience level or instrumentation.
Hauntological cinema: Resisting epistemic erasure and temporal slippage with Sorry to Bother You
Authors: McGuinness Paul , Simpson Alex
Published: October 2021

Through a hauntological analysis of Boots Riley’s Afrosurrealist comedy, Sorry to Bother You (2018), we explore how fiction can empower sociologists to think beyond the limits of empiricism to better encounter experiences of erasure and senses of temporal disjuncture that characterise capitalist realism. The panoramic power of cinematic world-building enables representations of the ontologically reified but empirically elusive atmosphere of capitalist realism. Sorry to Bother You, we argue, rearticulates through Afrosurrealism the absurdity of capitalist realism’s whitewashing of its innately racialising violence. Drawing upon the thought of Mark Fisher (1968–2017) we examine the film’s central allegorical spectres: the code-switching comedy of the insidious White Voice, the body horror of the Equisapien human–horse hybrids, and the reality warping influence of shadowy megacorporation Worry Free. By resisting the empirical trappings of capitalist realism, hauntology is able to critique the wavering repression of the no longer and the not yet – the ignored legacies of unresolved traumas and a nostalgia for a future we were promised but never arrived. In response, Sorry to Bother You re-presents to a mass audience the spectre of a positive abolitionism and brings into focus an acid communist horizon using hauntological techniques that visualise experiences denied a presence under capitalist realism. This article aims to highlight the ontological and political potentialities of such works of art and their analysis.
Institutional Values in Judicial Review of Administrative Action: Re-Reading Attorney-General (NSW) V Quin
Authors: Blayden Lynsey
Published: October 2021

Owing to its focus on statutory interpretation, judicial review of administrative action in Australia has been perceived to be ‘formalist’, particularly when compared with review in comparable nations such as England. This led Michael Taggart to characterise review in Australia as ‘exceptionalist’. The judgment of Brennan J in Attorney-General (NSW) v Quin, in which Brennan J emphasised the importance of courts remaining away from ‘the merits’ of administrative decision-making while exercising the supervisory jurisdiction has become closely associated with the view that review in Australia is rigid and formalist. In this article, I re-evaluate the judgment of Brennan J and place it in the context of its facts and of its time. This helps to reveal that the approach to judicial review of administrative action set out by Brennan J in Quin should not be seen as formalist. Rather, both Brennan J’s approach and the contemporary ‘statutory approach’ to judicial review can be seen as informed by values connected with what are understood to be the appropriate functions of each institution of government found within the Australian political system.
Clinical Significance of Mast Cells in the Supraglottic Larynx of Children With Aerodigestive Disease
Authors: Mace Emily L. , Zhao Shilin , Lipscomb Brittany , Wootten Christopher T. , Belcher Ryan H.
Published: October 2021

Objective

To analyze the association of mast cells found on supraglottic biopsy of pediatric patients with common aerodigestive diseases.

Study Design

Cross‐sectional study.

Setting

Tertiary care children’s hospital.

Methods

A total of 461 pediatric patients undergoing otolaryngology aerodigestive procedures provided consent between 2014 and 2019, and biopsies of the supraglottic larynx were collected at the time of their surgery. Pathologists reviewed biopsies for the presence and number of mast cells per high‐power field. The patients’ electronic health records were reviewed for relevant demographic data and clinical diagnoses present at the time of biopsy. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the relationship of mast cells with odds of aerodigestive disease.

Results

Patients with mast cells in their biopsy had significantly higher odds of asthma (odds ratio [OR], 2.02; 95% CI, 1.17‐3.46), gastroesophageal reflux disease (OR, 2.36; 95% CI, 1.47‐3.77), laryngomalacia (OR, 2.98; 95% CI, 1.80‐4.94), laryngeal anomalies (OR, 2.32; 95% CI, 1.52‐3.55), and obstructive sleep apnea (OR, 2.16; 95% CI, 1.35‐3.45). When mast cells were evaluated as a continuous variable, there was a nonlinear relationship between increasing mast cell count and odds of disease.

Conclusions

Mast cells are known to be associated with inflammatory conditions, though little is known about their presence in laryngeal inflammation. Results from our study demonstrate an association between mast cells in the pediatric larynx and asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease, laryngomalacia, laryngeal anomalies, and obstructive sleep apnea. Our study also showed a nonlinear relationship between number of mast cells and odds of disease diagnosis.
‘Yes, I can hear you now …’ Online working with probationers in the Netherlands: New opportunities for the working alliance
Authors: Sturm Annelies , Robbers Sylvana , Henskens Renée , de Vogel Vivienne
Published: October 2021

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, online supervision has increased markedly, including within the Dutch probation services. In the present research, we systematically collected and analysed both clients and probation officers’ experiences of working online in the prior year. Although the clients were generally positive about remote supervision, some expressed that they missed the personal contact. According to most of the probation officers, remote working is flexible (efficient, saves time, travel costs), appropriate for certain phases of the probation process (especially at a later stage when a working alliance has been established) and particularly suitable for probationers with mild problems and low risk profiles. The general experience was that conversations are both more pragmatic and business-like, which, in turn, can produce both strengths and limitations. Once a foundation has been established, it appears to be possible to continue working remotely with clients, albeit the probation officers stressed that this depended on the type of client, type of offence and risk level.
Supine PCNL-5 year experience in a tertiary care center
Authors: Gupta Sandeep , Sandhu Ankit , Pal Dilip Kumar
Published: October 2021

Objective:

The prone position for percutaneous nephrolithomy (PCNL) has been widely practiced. There has been a shift from prone position to supine position which showed numerous benefits. The aim of our study is to describe the 5 year experience from the perspective of a tertiary care center using a modified Galdakao supine Valdivia position for total tubeless ultra mini supine PCNL, total tubeless supine PCNL, tubeless supine PCNL, and standard supine PCNL.

Material and methods:

We retrospectively reviewed the data of 90 patients who underwent supine PCNL at the tertiary care center during the period of 5 years from January 2017 to January 2021. The data collection was done from patients’ medical records. Pre operatively, complete examination of the patients with laboratory investigations were done. The modified Clavien classification system was used to classify the perioperative complications of PCNL.

Results:

Operative time was lowest for ultra mini supine PCNL (50 ± 10.4 min) compared to standard supine PCNL (58 ± 11.2 min). Stones were single in 54 patients and multiple in 40 patients with 4 patients with staghorn stones. The size of the stones in the largest dimension ranged from 1.2 to 5.5 cm.Complete clearance was achieved in 84 (89.7%) patients. Seven patients (7.2%) developed mild fever and four patients (4.5%) required blood transfusion.

Conclusion:

We found supine PCNL to be an immensely convenient, time-saving practice, and with higher stone free rate compared to prone PCNL. The different techniques of supine PCNL were also useful in patients with horseshoe kidney and calyceal diverticulum which resulted in good outcomes in these patients.
Narrative Literature Review Guided Approach of Inhaled Corticosteroid de-escalation in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Authors: Tomaich Anamarie , Klatt Shawnee , Nagy Michael W.
Published: October 2021

Objective: To review the 2020 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) report recommendations and create an algorithm to assist clinicians in determining which chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients qualify for inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) de-escalation. Data Sources: A literature search of MEDLINE/PubMed from 2002 to August 2021 was conducted using the search terms inhaled corticosteroids, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and de-escalation and review of the reference lists of identified articles for pertinent citations. Study Selection and Data Extraction: Relevant studies and articles were included if they focused on the utilization of ICS in COPD. Data Synthesis: The 2020 GOLD report only recommends triple therapy with ICS, long acting beta agonists, and long acting muscarinic antagonists for patients with frequent exacerbations, frequent hospitalizations, or elevated blood eosinophil counts. Despite this clear framework, patients are prescribed ICS without these characteristics. Available evidence suggests that these patients can be de-escalated from ICS therapy without concern for worsening lung function or exacerbations. Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice: Patients with COPD may be experiencing more risk than benefit on ICS therapy. Clinicians should be knowledgeable on how to evaluate patient therapy for appropriateness and know how to safely deprescribe ICS given their limited efficacy in many COPD patients. Conclusion: There remains no specific guidance on how to de-escalate patients off an ICS when the therapy is not indicated. Use of clinical evidence with stepwise algorithms can be models to approach de-escalation of ICS in patients with COPD.
A novel mathematical model including the wetness parameter as a variable for prevention of pressure ulcers
Authors: Öğülmüş Demircan Fadime , Yücedağ İbrahim , Toz Metin
Published: October 2021

Pressure ulcers are injuries caused by external conditions such as pressure, friction, shear, and humidity resulting from staying in the same position for a long time in bedridden patients. It is a serious problem worldwide when assessed in terms of hospital capacity, nursing staff employment and treatment costs. In this study, we developed a novel mathematical model based on one of our previous models to prevent pressure ulcers or delay injuries. The proposed model uses a human thermal model that includes skin temperature, hypothalamus temperature, regional perspiration coefficient, and unconsciously loss of water amount. Moreover, in our model, we defined a variable wetness parameter in addition to the parameters, pressure, temperature, and humidity. The proposed model is mathematically defined in detail and tested for a wide range of parameters to show the model’s effectiveness in determining the pressure ulcer formation risk. The model is also compared with a model from the literature that based on only the general parameters, pressure, temperature, and humidity. The obtained results showed that the model determines the risk of the occurrence of the pressure ulcer more precisely than the compared one.
Destabilising myths of origin: Collaborative storytelling and biopolitical communities in Wajdi Mouawad's Le Sang des promesses
Authors: Strole Nicholas A
Published: October 2021

This article analyses how diverse communities are formed through storytelling and mythmaking in Wajdi Mouawad's theatrical tetralogy, Le Sang des promesses (1999–2009). Mythic origin stories, which Mouawad's migratory characters collect and share on their journeys from one community to the next, draw individuals from their pasts on stage to act out the events from each narrative. Mouawad thus reveals how the theatre can serve as an ideal venue for spectators from diverse backgrounds to gather and experience the various conditions many migrants face. Drawing on Roberto Esposito's biopolitical theory of communitas and Lévi-Strauss's structuralist analysis of myth, this article argues that collaborative storytelling and mythmaking allow Mouawad's migratory characters to cross various types of borders and form unexpected communities that defy barriers of time and space.
Emotion as Information in Early Social Learning
Authors: Wu Yang , Schulz Laura E. , Frank Michael C. , Gweon Hyowon
Published: October 2021

The majority of research on infants’ and children’s understanding of emotional expressions has focused on their abilities to use emotional expressions to infer how other people feel. However, an emerging body of work suggests that emotional expressions support rich, powerful inferences not just about emotional states but also about other unobserved states, such as hidden events in the physical world and mental states of other people (e.g., beliefs and desires). Here we argue that infants and children harness others’ emotional expressions as a source of information for learning about the physical and social world broadly. This “emotion as information” framework integrates affective, developmental, and computational cognitive sciences, extending the scope of signals that count as “information” in early learning.
Book review: Tom Burgis, The Looting Machine
Authors: Kumar Randhir
Published: October 2021

Tom Burgis, The Looting Machine, Public Affairs, New York, U.S., 2015, 321 pp., ₹1,596.
Pandemic lineage 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus infection in farmed mink in Utah
Authors: Clayton Michael J. , Kelly E. Jane , Mainenti Marta , Wilhelm Amanda , Torchetti Mia Kim , Killian Mary Lea , Van Wettere Arnaud J.
Published: October 2021

Mink are susceptible to infection with influenza A virus (IAV) of swine and human origin. In 2019, a Utah mink farm had an outbreak of respiratory disease in kits caused by infection with the pandemic influenza A(H1N1)2009 virus [A(H1N1)pdm09]. In 3 wk, ~325, 1–2-wk-old kits died (10% mortality in kits). All deaths occurred in a single barn that housed 640 breeding females. No clinical signs or deaths occurred among adult mink. Five dead kits and 3 euthanized female mink were autopsied. All kits had moderate-to-severe neutrophilic and lymphohistiocytic interstitial pneumonia; adult mink had minimal-to-moderate lymphohistiocytic bronchointerstitial pneumonia. Immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR targeting the matrix gene detected IAV in lung of kits and adults. Virus isolation and genetic analysis identified the A(H1N1)pdm09 virus. The source of the virus was not determined but is thought to be the result of reverse zoonosis. Our case emphasizes the need for close monitoring on mink farms for interspecies transmission of IAV and for safe work practices on farms and in diagnostic laboratories. Additionally, a pandemic virus may continue to circulate at low levels long after the global event is declared over.
Caregiver Intervention Implementation Fidelity: An Empirical Investigation of a Multidimensional Model
Authors: Dynia Jaclyn M. , Guo Ying , Logan Jessica A. R. , Justice Laura M. , Kaderavek Joan N.
Published: October 2021

The extant literature on implementation fidelity has found mixed evidence for empirically establishing the dimensionality of implementation fidelity. The current study aims to add to this growing body of literature by examining implementation fidelity in a book-reading intervention for young children’s caregivers. Caregivers ( n = 291) implemented Sit Together and Read 2 (STAR 2) with their preschool-age children. These data indicated that implementation fidelity was determined to be a four-dimensional construct including adherence/dose, quality of delivery, participant responsiveness, and program differentiation. The main findings of this work are twofold: (a) implementation fidelity is a more complex construct than some previous descriptions, and (b) early childhood education research should aim to report on all aspects of implementation fidelity.
Silent but Damaging: Exploring the Link Between Air Pollution and Vocational and General Well-Being
Authors: Jo Yeseul , Lee Jeong Won , Lee Dongseop
Published: October 2021

Air pollution has become a daunting challenge with the potential to endanger people’s lives across the globe. However, little is known about the psychological and vocational implications of air pollution. Drawing on feeling-as-information theory, we investigate the within-person relationships of ambient air pollution with vocational and general well-being outcomes (i.e., career choice anxiety and state optimism) through the mediating mechanism of mood state. We tested our hypotheses using an experience sampling method (ESM) with survey data from 67 undergraduate students in South Korea collected over 10 consecutive days. Results showed that daily ambient air pollution predicted higher career choice anxiety and lower state optimism via an increased negative mood. Furthermore, the indirect relation of air pollution with career choice anxiety was found to be stronger for individuals with lower family socioeconomic status. In a supplementary study, we interviewed 16 undergraduate students in South Korea to explain the ESM results in greater depth. Theoretical and practical implications, as well as study limitations, are discussed.
COVID-19 Vaccine-Associated Thrombosis With Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS): A Systematic Review and Post Hoc Analysis
Authors: Hafeez Muhammad Usman , Ikram Maha , Shafiq Zunaira , Sarfraz Azza , Sarfraz Zouina , Jaiswal Vikash , Sarfraz Muzna , Chérrez-Ojeda Ivan
Published: October 2021

Background

A new clinical syndrome has been recognized following the COVID-19 vaccine, termed thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS). The following systematic review focuses on extrapolating thrombotic risk factors, clinical manifestations, and outcomes of patients diagnosed with TTS following the COVID-19 vaccine.

Methods

We utilized the World Health Organization's criteria for a confirmed and probable case of TTS following COVID-19 vaccination and conducted a systematic review and posthoc analysis using the PRISMA 2020 statement. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS V25 for factors associated with mortality, including age, gender, anti-PF4/heparin antibodies, platelet nadir, D-dimer peak, time to event diagnosis, arterial or venous thrombi.

Results

Of the 175 studies identified, a total of 25 studies with 69 patients were included in this systematic review and post hoc analysis. Platelet nadir ( P < .001), arterial or venous thrombi ( χ2 = 41.911, P = .05), and chronic medical conditions ( χ2 = 25.507, P = .041) were statistically associated with death. The ROC curve analysis yielded D-dimer (AUC = .646) and platelet nadir (AUC = .604) as excellent models for death prediction.

Conclusion

Adenoviral COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to trigger TTS, however, reports of patients having received mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are also present. Healthcare providers are recommended to maintain a high degree of suspicion among individuals who have received the COVID-19 vaccine within the last 4 weeks.
COVID-19 Resulted in Lower Grades for Male High School Students and Students With ADHD
Authors: Breaux Rosanna , Dunn Nicholas C. , Langberg Joshua M. , Cusick Caroline N. , Dvorsky Melissa R. , Becker Stephen P.
Published: October 2021

Objective:

Researchers have speculated that the COVID-19 pandemic may expand the academic performance gap experienced by at-risk students. We examined learning experiences during the 2020 to 2021 school year and the impact the pandemic has had on high school student grade point average (GPA), including predictors of change in GPA from 2019–2020 to 2020–2021.

Method:

Participants were 238 adolescents (55.5% male), 49.6% with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), in the United States. Adolescents reported on their GPAs via online surveys.

Results:

GPA significantly decreased on average from 2019–2020 to 2020–2021 school year. ADHD status and biological sex significantly moderated change—students with ADHD and male students reported decreased GPA, whereas students without ADHD and female students’ GPA did not change. Low income and Black/Latinx students had lower GPAs in both school years.

Conclusion:

It is imperative that additional supports be provided for at-risk students to help them catch up on missed learning during the pandemic.
Access to computers
Authors: Greenwood J A
Published: October 2021

In one of Duncan Dowson’s talks on the early attempts to solve the elastohydrodynamic lubrication problem, he commented that progress only became possible when he and Gordon Higginson were granted private access to the University computer at weekends. And how these words brought back memories! For John Tripp and I could never have solved our numerical problem without the courtesy of the Norwalk State Technical College allowing us access to its computer out of term. That was in 1964. In this century, such a story is hard to believe, when every researcher has on his own desk, for his own use, a computer more powerful than either of the two referred to above. It seems worth recalling how computing has changed in my scientific lifetime.
Estimation of sample size in randomized controlled trials in multiple sclerosis studying annualized relapse rates: A systematic review
Authors: Poncet-Megemont Louis , Pereira Bruno , Rollot Fabien , Sormani Maria Pia , Clavelou Pierre , Moisset Xavier
Published: October 2021

Background:

In multiple sclerosis (MS) studies, the most appropriate model for the distribution of the number of relapses was shown to be the negative binomial (NB) distribution.

Objective:

To determine whether the sample-size estimation (SSE) and the analysis of annualized relapse rates (ARRs) in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were aligned and compare the SSE between normal and NB distributions.

Methods:

Systematic review of phase 3 and 4 RCTs for which the primary endpoint was ARR in relapsing remitting MS published since 2008 in pre-selected major medical journals. A PubMed search was performed on 30 November 2020. We checked whether the SSE and ARR analyses were congruent. We also performed standardized (fixed α/β, number of arms and overdispersion) SSEs using data collected from the studies.

Results:

Twenty articles (22 studies) were selected. NB distribution (or quasi-Poisson) was used for SSE in only 7/22 studies, whereas 21/22 used it for ARR analyses. SSE relying on NB regression necessitated a smaller sample size in 21/22 of our calculations.

Conclusion:

SSE was rarely performed using the most appropriate model. However, the use of an NB model is recommended to optimize the number of included patients and to be congruent with the final analysis.
“Engines and Wagons”: The Challenges and Options of Conserving Railway Heritage
Authors: Chitima Simbarashe Shadreck
Published: October 2021

Zimbabwe has a rich railway heritage that includes rail engines, wagons, coaches, trolleys, ticket rooms, rail stations, and tracks. The National Railway Museum of Zimbabwe (NRMZ) has a long history in providing railway transport and have contributed to the social, economic, and political lives of Zimbabweans. The NRMZ is the only institution that collects, preserve, and display railway heritage. This study investigates the effectiveness of the NRMZ in conserving railway heritage. This study employed qualitative research methodology. It is revealed that railway collections are deteriorating at unprecedented levels. The major agents of deterioration include relative humidity, temperature, pollution, pests and rodents as well as human factors. The study concludes that the NRMZ is employing ineffective conservation strategies and the museum is likely to lose more collections if they do not prioritize preventive conservation, develop collections, and disaster management policies.
Are Regional Differences in Psychological Characteristics and Their Correlates Robust? Applying Spatial-Analysis Techniques to Examine Regional Variation in Personality
Authors: Ebert Tobias , Gebauer Jochen. E. , Brenner Thomas , Bleidorn Wiebke , Gosling Samuel D. , Potter Jeff , Rentfrow P. Jason
Published: October 2021

There is growing evidence that psychological characteristics are spatially clustered across geographic regions and that regionally aggregated psychological characteristics are related to important outcomes. However, much of the evidence comes from research that relied on methods that are theoretically ill-suited for working with spatial data. The validity and generalizability of this work are thus unclear. Here we address two main challenges of working with spatial data (i.e., modifiable areal unit problem and spatial dependencies) and evaluate data-analysis techniques designed to tackle those challenges. To illustrate these issues, we investigate the robustness of regional Big Five personality differences and their correlates within the United States (Study 1; N = 3,387,303) and Germany (Study 2; N = 110,029). First, we display regional personality differences using a spatial smoothing approach. Second, we account for the modifiable areal unit problem by examining the correlates of regional personality scores across multiple spatial levels. Third, we account for spatial dependencies using spatial regression models. Our results suggest that regional psychological differences are robust and can reliably be studied across countries and spatial levels. The results also show that ignoring the methodological challenges of spatial data can have serious consequences for research concerned with regional psychological differences.
One-pot synthesis and biological evaluation of (2E,4E)-4-arylidene-2-styryl-5-oxopyrrolidine derivatives
Authors: Kong Ling-Qi , Zhu Xiu-Lian , Chen Qin-Hua , Wu Lun , Wang Hong-Mei , Ke Li-Na , Zeng Xiao-Hua
Published: October 2021

Many marine alkaloids possess interesting structures and antitumor activities. Thus, we have synthesized (2 E,4 E)-4-arylidene-2-styryl-5-oxopyrrolidine derivatives of the marine alkaloids, rhopaladins A–D. The cytotoxicities of these derivatives against C-33A, CaSki, SiHa, HeLa, HepG2, and LO2 cells are evaluated by MTT assays. The results show that (2 E,4 E)-2-(4-chlorostyryl)-4-benzylidene- N-cyclohexyl-1-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-oxopyrrolidine-2-carboxamide significantly inhibits cancer cell proliferation, with IC50 values against C-33A, CaSki, SiHa, HeLa, and HepG2 cells of 5.56, 9.15, 12.5, 21.4, and 14.5 μM, respectively, and an IC50 value of 86.77 μM against the normal LO2 cell line.
Canadian general internal medicine residents’ perception of a pedagogical tool of online cases in obstetric medicine
Authors: Cumyn Annabelle , Sauvé Nadine , St-Onge Christina
Published: October 2021

Background

Sufficient exposure to rarer medical problems around pregnancy is a challenge during short rotations in obstetric medicine (OM). A Canadian research group created online clinical cases, the CanCOM cases, to overcome this.

Methods

We conducted an exploratory study to document the use and perceived utility of the CanCOM cases. 77 residents doing an OM rotation participated in our study. We used a survey to document their perception of CanCOM cases (12 items, 7-point scale), clinical exposure to several conditions (pre and post rotation; 41 items, 7-point scale) and use of the educational tool (1 item, 4-option scale).

Results

CanCOM cases was perceived as an accessible and useful tool. Participants completed a median of 6/20 cases (range 1–20), and highly recommended the cases (6.48 ± 0.73 SD on a 7-point Likert scale).

Conclusion

Despite some technical limitations, CanCOM cases was shown to contribute to clinical exposure to rare but essential medical conditions.
Use of patient reported experience measure and patient reported outcome measures to evaluate differences in surgical or non-surgical management of humeral shaft fractures
Authors: Athanatos Lambros , Sandean Darren P , Burgula Maitravaarun , Lee Bethan , Pandey Radhakant , Singh Harvinder P
Published: October 2021

Background

The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of patient reported experience measures (PREMs) in humeral shaft fractures managed with or without surgery against patient reported outcome measures (PROMs).

Methods

Adult patients treated for a humeral shaft fracture between June 2015 and August 2017 were included in non-surgery and surgery (early and late surgery) groups. The PREM questionnaire was based on patient and clinician feedback obtained during focus groups and was posted to patients. PROMs included the short form-12 (SF-12) and visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain, stiffness, function and satisfaction.

Results

Eighty-one patients responded, 54 patients were treated in a brace and 27 with surgery (13 early, 14 late). There was moderate positive correlation between PREM and VAS satisfaction and function and moderate negative correlation with VAS pain and stiffness. There was also moderate positive correlation between PREM and SF-12 mental and weak positive correlation with SF-12 physical. The late surgery group had poorer PREMs (expectations, p = 0.002 and friends & family test, p = 0.0001) and PROMs (VAS satisfaction, p = 0.005) compared to the early surgery group.

Conclusions

PREMs can be used in conjunction with PROMs to improve the patient's quality of care and as a means of identifying, at an early stage, those patients not doing well and to offer surgery.
Thinking Europe’s “Muslim Question”: On Trojan Horses and the Problematization of Muslims
Authors: Bracke Sarah , Hernández Aguilar Luis Manuel
Published: October 2021

Understanding the ways in which Muslims are turned into “a problem” requires an analytic incorporating the insights gained through the concepts of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim racism into a larger frame. The “Muslim Question” can provide such a frame by attending to the systematic character of this form of racism, explored here through biopolitics. This article develops a conceptualization of Europe’s “Muslim Question” along three lines. First, the “Muslim Question” emerges as an accusation of being an “ alien body” to the nation, often expressed through the Trojan horse legend. Second, the “Muslim Question” is elaborated through demands of integration and assimilation, in which the production of difference entangles with calls and measures to regulate Muslims. And third, the “Muslim Question” is brought to life upon the terrain of gender and sexuality, as the imaginary of threat at the heart of the “Muslim Question” is a replacement conspiracy centered on birthrates.
Experiences of infection prevention and control in clinical practice of nursing students in the Greater Accra Region, Ghana: An exploratory qualitative study
Authors: Appiah Evans Osei , Appiah Stella , Menlah Awube , Baidoo Michael , Awuah Dorothy Baffour , Isaac Nimako Boansi
Published: October 2021

Introduction:

Globally, infections acquired from hospitals pose a major obstacle to patients’ safety. Health care workers, especially, nursing students are at high risk for Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs) as they are always in contact with clients. Therefore, this study aims to explore experiences of infection prevention and control in the clinical practice of nursing students in the Greater Accra Region, Ghana.

Methods:

The study utilized a qualitative exploratory design to interview 42 participants (7 focus groups, comprising of 6 members each). A purposive sampling technique was employed to select the participants, who were engaged in 50–90 min’ focus group discussions. Data collection lasted for 3 months and was analyzed using content analysis. NVivo version 12 Software was used to identify recurrent themes from the transcribed data

Results:

The results revealed two main themes: preventive practices against hospital-acquired infections and barriers toward infection prevention practices. The subthemes under the preventive practices were as follows: views on HAIs preventive practices, barrier nursing, hand washing and use of sanitizers, aseptic techniques, and sterilization. Increased workload, lack of superior support, and inadequate resources emerged under the barriers toward infection prevention practices.

Conclusion:

It was concluded from the study that most of the student nurses had adequate information about HAIs and wish to adhere to the Infection prevention protocols. However, the participants observed poor infection prevention practices among the staff they were learning from. It is therefore recommended that more attention is focused on infection prevention and control in clinical practice among nurses.
The diagnostic challenge of adenocarcinoma in pulmonary nodular lymphoid hyperplasia
Authors: Savić Vuković Anita , Kukuljan Melita , Dinter Morana , Jurinović Ksenija , Jonjić Nives
Published: October 2021

Pulmonary nodular lymphoid hyperplasia is a rare, nonneoplastic lymphoproliferative disorder mostly manifesting as one or more nodules or localized lung infiltrates. The lesion comprises reactive germinal centers with well-preserved mantle zones and sheets of interfollicular mature plasma cells, lymphocytes, histiocytes, and neutrophils. The radiological finding is not specific, and the diagnosis of pulmonary nodular lymphoid hyperplasia relies generally on pathohistological and immunohistochemical analyses. The most important differential diagnoses are extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue and immunoglobulin G4–related sclerosing disease. Nonetheless, we present a case of pulmonary nodular lymphoid hyperplasia in a 69-year-old woman with the diagnostic challenge of cytological atypia in alveolar spaces inside the lymphoid tissue, coexisting with the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the lepidic pattern. Therefore, this case highlights the importance of identifying these rare benign and reactive lymphoproliferative diseases given the risk of developing not only lymphoma but also carcinoma.
Research on Social Media Content Marketing: An Empirical Analysis Based on China’s 10 Metropolis for Korean Brands
Authors: Chen Xi , Shen Xiangdong , Huang Xiangmeng , Li Yu
Published: October 2021

Drawing from the Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT), this study explores the influences of the gratifications derived from the use of the WeChat on Chinese consumers’ purchase intention for South Korean brands. A total of 2,276 respondents from ten cities in China—Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Ji’nan, Nanjing, Zhengzhou, Wuhan, Chengdu, and Xi’an—were part of this study. Structural equation modeling (SEM) and PROCESS analysis was applied to examine the data. Gratifications that Chinese consumers receive from the WeChat, such as functional information, entertaining information, social interaction, brand interaction, and self-concept, positively influence their brand identity. In addition, the identity of South Korean brands positively correlated with consumer’s purchase intention in China. More importantly, by using a moderated mediation model, this research finds that the relationship between SNS (social networking service) content marketing and purchase intention is influenced by consumers’ regulatory focus and CSR performance of South Korean enterprises for COVID-19 in China. This study’s findings could extend the existing theoretical framework on applying the Uses and Gratifications Theory to social media. In addition, results are in line with those authors who suggest that local social media use may positively affect foreign brand promotion. Theoretical and practical implications are also discussed.
Analyzing Association Between Public Green Space and Self-Esteem Linked to Social Acceptance for Elderly Population in Dhaka
Authors: Rahman KM Atikur , Shorkar Md. Abu Naim
Published: October 2021

This study aims at assessing the association between the facilities of parks and social acceptance toward self-esteem for the elderly population (50 years and above) in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The facilities of parks include social services and infrastructural amenities. The study was carried out in a mixed-method technique, and data were collected from 203 elderly users of four parks selected by stratified random sampling. Participant observation was applied to support quantitative data. The participants were selected using exponential non-discriminative snowball sampling. Data were analyzed using multivariate regression analysis. The findings revealed: (a) Pleasant social services boost-up self-esteem for elderly users; (b) Elderly self-esteem linked to societal acceptance and social inclusion was enhanced by infrastructural facilities and safety measures. Dhaka conserves the need of increasing the number of age-friendly parks. Gerontologists, city governance, and urban planners extract information from the study to build age-friendly parks.