bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Arquitetura performativa: o uso de materiais responsivos e fabricação digital em experiência de ensino
Authors: Taparello Gladys Ilka Klein , Luciano Patrícia Turazzi , Secchi Carla Cristina , Vaz Carlos Eduardo Verzola
Published: April 2021

A arquitetura pode ser definida como uma composição de espaço, eventos e movimento, influenciada pelo meio, usuários e acontecimentos (GÓMEZ, 2006). Nesse contexto insere-se a arquitetura performativa, abrangendo conceitos de desempenho e de apresentação artística (LENZ; CELANI, 2015), assistida por pesquisas técnicas sobre smart material, que relacionam a composição dos materiais com suas variações de comportamento às alterações nos ambientes (ADDINGTON; SCHODEK, 2005). Nesse viés, a madeira, com suas características de resposta ao ambiente, pode ser reavaliada como material responsivo (HENSEL, 2011), em pesquisas sobre componentes responsivos de duas camadas: uma passiva de material sintético, e outra ativa de madeira, para uso como recobrimento de fachadas (HOLSTOV; BRIDGENS; FARMER, 2015; REICHERT; MENGES; CORREA, 2015). Esta pesquisa explorou o uso de madeiras brasileiras como material responsivo em componentes de duas camadas; e investigou a introdução deste conteúdo como atividade prática sobre arquitetura performativa em ateliê de graduação, em uma oficina de curta duração, com base na pesquisa de Davidova e Sevaldson (2016). Uma estrutura de MDF possibilitou explorar o uso dos elementos responsivos de madeira, produzidos na oficina, como geradores de espaços transitórios e seu comportamento em ambiente real, que teve registro fotográfico, durante um mês, com variação de umidade entre 47% e 90%. Observou-se que, ao trabalhar manualmente com um material familiar, os alunos assimilaram a importância do entendimento do comportamento dos materiais e das tecnologias que se pretende aplicar no edifício, para conciliar as demandas do projeto com as características do local no qual se insere.
Implementação da norma de desempenho NBR 15575:2013: estudo de caso em Recife/PE
Authors: Morais Gabriela Alves Tenório de , Lordsleem Júnior Alberto Casado , Andery Paulo Roberto Pereira
Published: April 2021

A dificuldade da indústria da construção civil em implementar a norma de desempenho NBR 15575:2013 é uma realidade que tem marcado o cenário contemporâneo. Diante desse quadro, este trabalho tem por objetivo identificar e avaliar a implementação da NBR 15575:2013 em empresas construtoras e incorporadoras. A pesquisa teve natureza descritiva e a estratégia adotada foi o estudo de casos realizados na cidade de Recife/PE. A metodologia contemplou o levantamento de dados, a descrição e a análise crítica das ações desenvolvidas pelas empresas e o estabelecimento de soluções para a implementação. Identificou-se que as principais ações para implementação foram: realização da análise de riscos do entorno da obra; contratação de novas especialidades de projeto; exigência em contrato do atendimento à NBR 15575:2013; elaboração do Perfil de Desempenho da Edificação e do Plano de Controle Tecnológico; solicitação de compra de materiais por especificação de desempenho; treinamento das equipes de execução, e; revisão dos manuais dos usuários. Diante do exposto, acredita-se que a presente pesquisa contribui para nortear as empresas construtoras e incorporadoras, bem como para auxiliar na implementação de normativas de caráter semelhante à NBR 15575:2013.
International Evidence Based Reappraisal of Genes Associated With Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy Using the Clinical Genome Resource Framework
Authors: James Cynthia A. , Jongbloed Jan D.H. , Hershberger Ray E. , Morales Ana , Judge Daniel P. , Syrris Petros , Pilichou Kalliopi , Domingo Argelia Medeiros , Murray Brittney , Cadrin-Tourigny Julia , Lekanne Deprez Ronald , Celeghin Rudy , Protonotarios Alexandros , Asatryan Babken , Brown Emily , Jordan Elizabeth , McGlaughon Jennifer , Thaxton Courtney , Kurtz C. Lisa , van Tintelen J. Peter
Published: April 2021

Background:

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is an inherited disease characterized by ventricular arrhythmias and progressive ventricular dysfunction. Genetic testing is recommended, and a pathogenic variant in an ARVC-associated gene is a major criterion for diagnosis according to the 2010 Task Force Criteria. As incorrect attribution of a gene to ARVC can contribute to misdiagnosis, we assembled an international multidisciplinary ARVC Clinical Genome Resource Gene Curation Expert Panel to reappraise all reported ARVC genes.

Methods:

Following a comprehensive literature search, six 2-member teams conducted blinded independent curation of reported ARVC genes using the semiquantitative Clinical Genome Resource framework.

Results:

Of 26 reported ARVC genes, only 6 (
PKP2
,
DSP
,
DSG2
,
DSC2
,
JUP
, and
TMEM43
) had strong evidence and were classified as definitive for ARVC causation. There was moderate evidence for 2 genes,
DES
and
PLN
. The remaining 18 genes had limited or no evidence.
RYR2
was refuted as an ARVC gene since clinical data and model systems exhibited a catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia phenotype. In ClinVar, only 5 pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants (1.1%) in limited evidence genes had been reported in ARVC cases in contrast to 450 desmosome gene variants (97.4%).

Conclusions:

Using the Clinical Genome Resource approach to gene-disease curation, only 8 genes (
PKP2
,
DSP
,
DSG2
,
DSC2
,
JUP
,
TMEM43
,
PLN
, and
DES
) had definitive or moderate evidence for ARVC, and these genes accounted for nearly all pathogenic/likely pathogenic ARVC variants in ClinVar. Therefore, only pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants in these 8 genes should yield a major criterion for ARVC diagnosis. Pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants identified in other genes in a patient should prompt further phenotyping as variants in many of these genes are associated with other cardiovascular conditions.
Inflated Estimates of Proportional Recovery From Stroke
Authors: Bowman Howard , Bonkhoff Anna , Hope Tom , Grefkes Christian , Price Cathy
Published: April 2021

The proportional recovery rule states that most survivors recover a fixed proportion (≈70%) of lost function after stroke. A strong (negative) correlation between the initial score and subsequent change (outcome minus initial; ie, recovery) is interpreted as empirical support for the proportional recovery rule. However, this rule has recently been critiqued, with a central observation being that the correlation of initial scores with change over time is confounded in the situations in which it is typically assessed. This critique has prompted reassessments of patients’ behavioral trajectory following stroke in 2 prominent papers. The first of these, by van der Vliet et al presented an impressive modeling of upper limb deficits following stroke, which avoided the confounded correlation of initial scores with change. The second by Kundert et al reassessed the value of the proportional recovery rule, as classically formulated as the correlation between initial scores and change. They argued that while effective prediction of recovery trajectories of individual patients is not supported by the available evidence, group-level inferences about the existence of proportional recovery are reliable. In this article, we respond to the van der Vliet and Kundert papers by distilling the essence of the argument for why the classic assessment of proportional recovery is confounded. In this respect, we reemphasize the role of mathematical coupling and compression to ceiling in the confounded nature of the correlation of initial scores with change. We further argue that this confound will be present for both individual-level and group-level inference. We then focus on the difficulties that can arise from ceiling effects, even when initial scores are not being correlated with change/recovery. We conclude by emphasizing the need for new techniques to analyze recovery after stroke that are not confounded in the ways highlighted here.
Global Value Chain Upgrading and Business-academia Collaborations: Case Studies of Successful Innovators
Authors: Paliokaitė Agnė , Jašinskaitė Elžbieta , Tiits Marek
Published: April 2021

The article links upgrading in the global value chains with the triple helix concept by focusing on business-academia collaborations that played a part in firms’ capacity to upgrade. Both are crucial for Central Eastern European countries, which face the need to restructure their economies and escape the “middle income trap”. The article asks the following research question: how can public policy encourage business-academia collaboration or other types of activities that contribute to firm upgrading? Data on four different case studies in Lithuania is analysed to answer this question. Results indicate that building endogenous technological capacity through a variety of business-university collaboration types is needed to attract higher-value foreign direct investment and facilitate intersectoral and functional global value chain upgrading. Furthermore, besides research and development, educating and training the labour force are likely to be even more poweful drivers for business-academia collaboration in Central and Eastern Europe.
An Unequal Pandemic: Vulnerability and COVID-19
Authors: Robinson Laura , Schulz Jeremy , Ragnedda Massimo , Pait Heloisa , Kwon K. Hazel , Khilnani Aneka
Published: April 2021

This collection sheds light on the cascading crises engendered by COVID-19 on many aspects of society from the economic to the digital. This issue of the American Behavioral Scientist brings together scholarship examining the various ways in which many vulnerable populations are bearing a disproportionate share of the costs of COVID-19. As the articles bring to light, the unequal effects of the pandemic are reverberating along preexisting fault lines and creating new ones. In the economic realm, the rental market emerges during the pandemic as an economic arena of heightened socio-spatial and racial/ethnic disparities. Financial markets are another domain where market mechanisms mask the exploitative relationships between the economically vulnerable and powerful actors. Turning to gender inequalities, across national contexts, women represent an increasingly vulnerable segment of the labor market as the pandemic piles on new burdens of remote schooling and caregiving despite a variety of policy initiatives. Moving from the economic to the digital domain, we see how people with disabilities employ social media to mitigate increased vulnerability stemming from COVID-19. Finally, the key effects of digital vulnerability are heightened because the digitally disadvantaged experience not only informational inequalities but also aggravated bodily manifestations of stress or anxiety related to the pandemic. Each article contributes to our understanding of the larger mosaic of inequality that is being exacerbated by the pandemic. By drawing connections between these different aspects of the social world and the effects of COVID-19, this issue of American Behavioral Scientist advances our understanding of the far-reaching ramifications of the pandemic on vulnerable members of society.
History, Memory and Community in Cistercian Normandy (12th–13th Centuries)
Authors: Allen Richard
Published: April 2021

While the textual production of Normandy’s Cistercian abbeys has not lacked for scholarly attention, a detailed study of Cistercian historical writing in the duchy remains to be written. This article looks in small part to fill this historiographical gap by examining those historical works produced in and copied by the Cistercian abbeys of Normandy between the beginning of the 12th and the end of the 13th centuries. In doing so, it aims to shed new light on the sorts of historical texts copied or written by Normandy’s White Monks. It contextualises these works within the historiographical culture of both the duchy itself and the wider Cistercian world, and shows how the Cistercians of Normandy played a distinctive role in the transmission of key historical texts, among them the universal chronicle of Sigebert of Gembloux (c. 1030–1112) and Einhard’s Vita Karoli Magni. It includes a ‘reconstruction’ of the so-called Chronicon Gofferni.
The Intentional Compassion Framework for school communities
Authors: Kennedy Carla J , Gardner Fiona , Southall Anne
Published: April 2021

Objective:

This article offers a framework to guide schools in developing a compassionate culture. Using a social constructionist/critical perspective, five spheres of work are identified to help schools achieve this goal. Framing death, dying and bereavement from a health promoting perspective, they involve challenging current cultural perceptions, creating a culture of support, creating a grief-informed culture, establishing a culture of reflection and reflexivity, and developing a whole school plan.

Setting:

Eight rural primary school communities in central Victoria, Australia.

Method:

Constructivist grounded theory with interviews and analysis occurring concurrently, allowing categories to develop alongside new questions to explore participants’ thinking and priorities.

Results:

Participants’ insights, knowledge and priorities fostered understanding and led to the five strategies for change that underpin this framework.

Conclusion:

Study participants’ desire for a societal, cultural shift in how to understand death, dying and bereavement issues in school communities serves as an important foundation for change.
Prevalence of Effective Audit-and-Feedback Practices in Primary Care Settings: A Qualitative Examination Within Veterans Health Administration
Authors: Hysong Sylvia J. , SoRelle Richard , Hughes Ashley M.
Published: April 2021

Objective

The purpose of this study is to uncover and catalog the various practices for delivering and disseminating clinical performance in various Veterans Affairs (VA) locations and to evaluate their quality against evidence-based models of effective feedback as reported in the literature.

Background

Feedback can enhance clinical performance in subsequent performance episodes. However, evidence is clear that the way in which feedback is delivered determines whether performance is harmed or improved.

Method

We purposively sampled 16 geographically dispersed VA hospitals based on high, low, consistently moderate, and moderately average highly variable performance on a set of 17 outpatient clinical performance measures. We excluded four sites due to insufficient interview data. We interviewed four key personnel from each location ( n = 48) to uncover effective and ineffective audit and feedback strategies. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed qualitatively using a framework-based content analysis approach to identify emergent themes.

Results

We identified 102 unique strategies used to deliver feedback. Of these strategies, 64 (62.74%) have been found to be ineffective according to the audit-and-feedback research literature. Comparing features common to effective (e.g., individually tailored, computerized feedback reports) versus ineffective (e.g., large staff meetings) strategies, most ineffective strategies delivered feedback in meetings, whereas strategies receiving the highest effectiveness scores delivered feedback via visually understood reports that did not occur in a group setting.

Conclusions

Findings show that current practices are leveraging largely ineffective feedback strategies. Future research should seek to identify the longitudinal impact of current feedback and audit practices on clinical performance.

Application

Feedback in primary care has little standardization and does not follow available evidence for effective feedback design. Future research in this area is warranted.
Social Cohesion and Community Resilience During COVID-19 and Pandemics: A Rapid Scoping Review to Inform the United Nations Research Roadmap for COVID-19 Recovery
Authors: Jewett Rae L. , Mah Sarah M. , Howell Nicholas , Larsen Mandi M.
Published: April 2021

Shock events uncover deficits in social cohesion and exacerbate existing social inequalities at the household, community, local, regional, and national levels. National and regional government recovery planning requires careful stakeholder engagement that centers on marginalized people, particularly women and marginalized community leaders. The aim of this rapid scoping review was to inform the United Nations Research Roadmap for the COVID-19 Recovery, based on Pillar 5 of the United Nations Framework for the Immediate Socioeconomic Response to COVID-19: Social Cohesion and Community Resilience. We present a summary of key concepts across the literature that helped situate this review. The results include a description of the state of the science and a review of themes identified as being crucial to sustainable and equitable recovery planning by the United Nations. The role of social cohesion during a disaster, particularly its importance for upstream planning and relationship building before a disaster occurs, is not well understood and is a promising area of future research. Understanding the applicability of social cohesion measurement methodologies and outcomes across different communities and geographies, as well as the development of new and relevant instruments and techniques, is urgently needed in the context of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Social work education in Turkey at the crossroads: An analysis of educational trends and socio-political context in a historical perspective
Authors: Acar Hakan , Polat Gonca
Published: April 2021

Similar to the trajectory in many countries, social work education in Turkey developed in the aftermath of World War II, the foundations of which were shaped along international dynamics rather than local context. In this regard, there has been an ongoing debate on localization of social work education. This article discusses the historical trajectory of social work education in Turkey through a systematic review of literature and analysis of data collected by semi-structured interviews with key informants. The implications of neoliberalism for the social work profession in Turkey reflect a dual framework where the human rights perspective co-exists with a faith-based approach.
Using the Electronic Health Record to Characterize the Hepatitis C Virus Care Cascade
Authors: Christy Shannon M. , Reich Richard R. , Rathwell Julie A. , Vadaparampil Susan T. , Isaacs-Soriano Kimberly A. , Friedman Mark S. , Roetzheim Richard G. , Giuliano Anna R.
Published: April 2021

Objectives

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is one of the main causes of hepatocellular carcinoma. Before initiating a multilevel HCV screening intervention, we sought to (1) describe concordance between the electronic health record (EHR) data warehouse and manual medical record review in recording aspects of HCV testing and treatment and (2) estimate the percentage of patients with chronic HCV infection who initiated and completed HCV treatment using manual medical record review.

Methods

We examined the medical records for 177 patients (100 randomly selected patients born during 1945-1965 without evidence of HCV testing and 77 adult patients of any birth cohort who had completed HCV testing) with a primary care or relevant specialist visit at an academic health care system in Tampa, Florida, from 2015 through 2018. We used the Cohen κ coefficient to examine the degree of concordance between the searchable data warehouse and the medical record review abstractions. Descriptive statistics characterized referral to and receipt of treatment among patients with chronic HCV infection from medical record review.

Results

We found generally good concordance between the data warehouse abstraction and medical record review for HCV testing data (κ ranged from 0.66 to 0.87). However, the data warehouse failed to capture data on HCV treatment variables. According to medical record review, 28 patients had chronic HCV infection; 16 patients were prescribed treatment, 14 initiated treatment, and 9 achieved and had a reported posttreatment undetected HCV viral load.

Conclusions

Using data warehouse data provides generally reliable HCV testing information. However, without the use of natural language processing and purposeful EHR design, manual medical record reviews will likely be required to characterize treatment initiation and completion.
Inspiring Pre-service English Language Teachers to Become ELF-aware
Authors: Soruç Adem , Griffiths Carol
Published: April 2021

As English as a lingua franca (ELF) continues its global expansion, the need to deal with related pedagogical questions becomes more urgent. Although there have been some studies on ELF-aware students, there is also a need for inspiring ELF-aware teachers, especially at the pre-service stage so that they begin their professional lives with an ELF-aware mindset. The study reported here aimed to explore the views of a group of pre-service teachers ( N = 24) after exposure to a variety of awareness-raising tasks. Data gathered by interviews and a questionnaire suggested that good ELF-aware teachers have seven main characteristics: they give less value to error correction and more to intelligibility, they respect linguistic and cultural identity, and they are open-minded, tolerant, willing to allow choice, and realistic about language use in the real world. These characteristics are exemplified and discussed, and recommendations are made for on-going development of the ELF-aware teacher.
Identification of dynamic contact parameters between contact roller and filament package
Authors: Ma Xunxun , Li Shujia , Yu Haiyan , Wang Shengze , Wang Yongxing
Published: April 2021

During the high-speed winding of polyester filament, a contact roller must be applied to press on the filament package’s surface to ensure the filament is placed stably and precisely on the package surface. Thus, a twin-rotor system with contact coupling characteristics between the contact roller and the filament package is formed. Identifying the contact parameters between the contact roller and the package are prerequisite to precisely analyze the dynamic behavior of the winding system, as well as to determine the technical parameters. In this paper, an approach was proposed to identify the equivalent contact stiffness and contact damping coefficients by means of coordination through experiment and simulation. First, based on the forced non-resonance method of a single-degree-of-freedom system, the testing scheme was drawn up in consideration of the winding process parameters. Then, an experimental device for the twin-rotor system was developed, and the dynamic contact parameters just in the working frequency band corresponding to low linear speed of winding were obtained by the experiment, due to the requirement of the forced non-resonance theory and economic limitations of the experimental device. Third, the basic parameters including equivalent radial Young’s modulus and damping ratio of the package were obtained through experimental test. Furthermore, the contact parameters in the working frequency band corresponding to high linear speed of winding were obtained through simulation. Finally, the curve fitting of contact parameters was finished; in addition, the comparative results between the simulation and the experiment are in good agreement. The dynamic contact parameters present nonlinear frequency variation characteristics.
Electromagnetic interference shielding with absorption-dominant performance of Ti3C2TX MXene/non-woven laminated fabrics
Authors: Zhang Hengyu , Chen Jianying , Ji Hui , Wang Ni , Feng Shuo , Xiao Hong
Published: April 2021

Electromagnetic interference (EMI)-shielding materials with remarkable shielding effectiveness (SE) based on dominant absorption are highly desirable, especially if they are also flexible and lightweight. Herein, we prepared MXene (Ti3C2TX, TX-=O,-OH,-F)-based lightweight and absorption-dominant EMI-shielding non-woven fabrics. In view of the porosity and soft properties of textiles, as well as the unique high conductivity and hydrophilicity of Ti3C2TX MXene, Ti3C2TX MXene was coated on the fiber skeleton of three different non-woven fabrics made from polyester, cotton, and calcium alginate. The conductive layer formed by Ti3C2TX MXene on the fiber led to heterogeneous interfaces. They improved the multiple reflection of electromagnetic waves among Ti3C2TX MXene sheets and then contributed to the attenuation of the electromagnetic waves. Among all the samples, calcium alginate/Ti3C2TX MXene reached a maximum SE of 25.26 dB at 12.4 GHz with the fabric thickness of 3.17 mm. Cotton/Ti3C2TX MXene achieved maximum SSEt (ratio of specific shielding effectiveness (SSE) to thickness) of 2301.95 dB cm2g−1 at 1.36 mm with a loading of Ti3C2TX MXene of only 5.77mg/cm3. Further, fabric thickness, layer number, conductivity, and substrate type were selected to analyze the EMI-shielding mechanism.
Characterization of a natural surfactant from an essential oil from neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) for textile industry applications
Authors: Siqueira de Azevedo Sá Christiane , Ladchumananandasivam Rasiah , Rossi Cátia GFT , Silva Rita K da , Camboim Wilka da Silva , Zille Andrea , Padrão Jorge , Silva Késia K de Oliveira Souto
Published: April 2021

Surfactants are multipurpose active compounds and are ubiquitously present in detergents. Detergent demand spiked due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, further alerting to the need to replace petrochemical synthetic surfactants with natural and renewable surfactants to mitigate further environmental damage. The neem tree ( Azadirachta indica A. Juss) is a fast-growing tree that provides a multitude of commodities, namely neem oil. Neem oil possesses insecticidal and medicinal activity. This work reports the extraction and characterization of a surfactant from neem oil (SNO), displaying a yield of approximately 100%. SNO exhibited suitable detergent characteristics with a high potential to be used as a cleansing agent for textile applications, such as high pH value (10.1), suitable foaming of 1.5 cm and a critical micelle concentration of nearly 0.12 g mL−1. In addition, SNO showed a moderate bactericidal activity against Escherichia coli and bacteriostatic activity against Staphylococcus aureus, both common nosocomial pathogens. Therefore, SNO has a good potential to be used in medical textile applications due to its detergent and bactericidal properties. Finally, an economical overview of the SNO production process was assessed, underscoring its viability.
“Our Tongue-Cut God, Respond to Us”: Prayer of Righteous Anger and Communal Lament as Theology of the Oppressed
Authors: Shin Wonchul
Published: April 2021

This article offers a theological reflection on prayer of anger and lament as a formative source for the oppressed in constructing and embodying their own theology. For this purpose, particular attention is paid to Kim Heunggyum’s scandalous prayer-song “The Father of Minjung,” which was widely sung by Korean minjung amid their political resistance against the authoritarian regimes in the 1980s. This article historically traces this prayer-song’s original context and developmental stages and analyzes its use of cross-genre that blends the styles and structures of the minjung-gayo and the lament psalms. Theological reflection on this prayer-song focuses on particular religious affections, righteous anger and communal lament, shaped by the Korean minjung’s collective performance to sing this prayer-song as a means of political resistance. By drawing on Audre Lorde, Johann Baptist Metz, and Emmanuel Levinas, this article points out limitations of Barth’s theology of prayer and presents how Kim’s prayer-song that evokes righteous anger and communal lament served as a formative source for the Korean minjung in doing their own critical and incarnational theology.
Prophets and Sour Grapes: Wrestling with Theological Traditions in Homiletical Theology
Authors: Lee Mason
Published: April 2021

Homiletical Theology understands the work of preaching to be continuing the “unfinished” task of theology. Embracing a fundamentally provisional nature, homiletical theology understands its work as the continual negotiation of the message of the Gospel with the contexts into which preaching speaks. This unfinished quality raises questions for how the preacher, in their theological task, navigates the various theological traditions they encounter. Using the example of the “sour grapes” proverb found in both Jeremiah and Ezekiel, this article explores how Scripture itself wrestles with theological traditions to consider how present-day homiletical theologians might continue to wrestle with their “unfinished” task.
Student Preparedness and Success in Introductory Psychology
Authors: Altman William S. , Pena-Shaff Judith B. , Nicholls Craig , Domingo Cassandra
Published: April 2021

Background:

Reading comprehension and writing ability are critical to students’ success in introductory psychology. However, these generally are not prerequisites. There is conflicting evidence with regard to the effectiveness of remedial reading and writing classes for students with low placement exam scores.

Objectives:

To explore whether ACCUPLACER® test scores help predict performance in introductory psychology, and the effectiveness of reading and writing remediation classes in helping students, particularly those with low ACCUPLACER® scores.

Method:

Logistic regression analyses were used, to explore whether ACCUPLACER® test scores helped predict performance, and whether completing remediation classes helped students pass, controlling for ACCUPLACER® and WritePlacer® scores, at an upstate New York community college, between the years 2010 and 2015.

Results:

Placement test scores did help to predict successful course completion. There was not a statistically significant difference in successful course completion between students who passed the remedial courses and those who did not take them.

Conclusions:

Success in introductory psychology requires college-level reading and writing. Remedial courses’ value in students’ success in this class appears relatively small or non-significant.

Teaching Implications:

We propose solutions that may be more effective, involving embedding the remediation in the course, or in closely linked ancillary sections.
Training and development model for municipal frontline staff
Authors: Wessels Rochelle G
Published: April 2021

The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa states that public servants must deliver services to improve the general welfare of the citizens. The public servants therefore have a duty to the citizens to deliver effective and efficient public services that will be to the satisfaction of the citizens to improve their well-being. However, this is not the case since service delivery protests have become the norm, with citizens regularly protesting about the services received from the various municipalities. Citizens are not happy about the level of service delivery received and therefore take to the streets to render their unhappiness. The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality is no exception, as service delivery protests have also plagued the municipality and during 2016, the media referred to the protests as Tshwane burning. The municipal frontline staff are at the coalface of service delivery and are often the only public servants that the citizens come into contact with. The municipal frontline staff deliver services to the public on a daily basis and should possess the necessary knowledge, skills, behaviours, attitudes and competencies to deliver professional services. This article will describe what the Customer Care Consultants think should be included in the design of an essential model for training and development for Customer Care Consultants at the City of Tshwane, as they are at the forefront of service delivery. It does so by drawing on an extensive case study using a qualitative questionnaire toexplore the views and perceptions of the municipal frontline staff. The article seeks to add to the body of knowledge by critically analysing the views provided by the Customer Care Consultants on the content for a training and development modelfor Customer Care Consultants at the City of Tshwane. This study reports on research undertaken for the author’s doctoral research conducted during 2018 and culminates in a training and development model for municipal frontline staff.
“Opportunity Blocked”: Deaf People, Employment and the Sociology of Audism
Authors: O’Connell Noel
Published: April 2021

Although many studies have examined deaf people’s lived experiences of audism in various contexts, relatively little research has examined such experiences in the area of employment, particularly in Ireland. There is, therefore, a dearth of research focusing on the underlying causes of the employment discrimination which deaf people continue to experience. The term “audism” has been widely used in deaf studies literature to describe a set of assumptions that promote the unequal treatment of individuals on the basis of hearing (dis)ability. In this study, I use qualitative analysis of interviews with eight deaf adults to examine the impact of audism on the lived experience of employment discrimination. My main objective was to examine the effects and causes of discrimination which prevent access to employment opportunities. The findings indicate that the three levels of audism—individual, institutional and internalized—had the effect of creating blocks and barriers to employment opportunities for deaf people. The results also point to stigma, stereotyping and prejudice as underlying causes of discrimination. The study concludes by discussing the implications of the results for conceptualizations of discriminatory behaviors on the part of employers.
Using Classroom Clickers to Increase Academic Engagement for Elementary School–Aged Students With Disabilities
Authors: Watson Tiffany , Berry Brian
Published: April 2021

Student engagement is a critical feature to the teaching and learning dynamic that takes place in the classroom. Technology is often used as a means for increasing student engagement, and Student Response Technology (SRT), where students use handheld clickers to respond during classroom instruction, is one form of technology used to do this. The current study examined the effect of SRT on student engagement in elementary classrooms for students with disabilities. A multiple baseline across participants design was used to measure student engagement across several areas, including rate of participation and on-task behavior. Both visual and statistical analysis yielded a relationship between use of SRT and two areas of engagement: student’s participation and on-task behavior.
Opinion on the Use of Animal Models in Nonclinical Safety Assessment: Pros and Cons
Authors: Sura Radhakrishna , Hutt Julie , Morgan Sherry
Published: April 2021

Nonclinical evaluation of human safety risks for new chemical entities (NCEs) is primarily conducted in conventional healthy animals (CHAs); however, in certain instances, animal models of diseases (AMDs) can play a critical role in the understanding of human health risks. Animal models of diseases may be especially important when there is a need to understand how disease conditions associated with the intended indication might impact risk assessment of NCEs or when CHAs lack the human-specific target of interest (receptor, etc). Although AMDs have potential benefits over CHAs, they also have limitations. Understanding these limitations and optimizing the AMDs of interest should be done prior to proceeding with studies that will guide development of NCE. The purpose of this manuscript is to provide an overview of the major pros and cons of utilization of AMDs in nonclinical safety assessment.
United in earnest: First pilot sites for increased surgical capacity for rheumatic heart disease announced by Cardiac Surgery Intersociety Alliance
Authors: Enumah Zachary O , Bolman Ralph M , Zilla Peter , Boateng Percy , Wilson Barry , Kumar AS , Chotivatanapong Taweesak , Beyersdorf Friedhelm , Pomar Jose , Sliwa Karen , Eiselé Jean-Luc , Dearani Joseph , Higgins Robert
Published: April 2021

Background

Rheumatic heart disease affects more than 33,000,000 individuals, mostly from low- and middle-income countries. The Cape Town Declaration on Access to Cardiac Surgery in the Developing World was published in August 2018, signaling the commitment of the global cardiac surgery and cardiology communities to improving care for rheumatic heart disease patients.

Methods

As the Cape Town Declaration formed the basis for which the Cardiac Surgery Intersociety Alliance was formed, the purpose of this article is to describe the history of the Cardiac Surgery Intersociety Alliance, its formation, ongoing activities, and future directions, including the announcement of selected pilot sites.

Results

The Cardiac Surgery Intersociety Alliance is an international alliance consisting of representatives from major cardiothoracic surgical societies and the World Heart Federation. Activities have included meetings at annual conferences, exhibit hall participation for advertisement and recruitment, and publication of selection criteria for cardiac surgery centers to apply for Cardiac Surgery Intersociety Alliance support. Criteria focused on local operating capacity, local championing, governmental and facility support, appropriate identification of a specific gap in care and desire to engage in future research. Eleven applications were received for which three finalist sites were selected and site visits conducted. The two selected sites were Hospital Central Maputo (Mozambique) and King Faisal Hospital Kigali (Rwanda).

Conclusions

Substantial progress has been made since the passing of the Cape Town Declaration and the formation of the Cardiac Surgery Intersociety Alliance, but ongoing efforts with collaboration of all committed parties—cardiac surgery, cardiology, industry, and government—will be necessary to improve access to life-saving cardiac surgery for rheumatic heart disease patients.
The Revenge of Sovereignty on Government? The Release of Neoliberal Politics from Economics Post-2008
Authors: Davies William
Published: April 2021

Liberal government, as analysed by Foucault, is a project of measured, utilitarian political activity, that takes ‘population’ as its object, dating back to the late 17th century. The rise of nationalism, authoritarianism and populism directly challenges this project, by seeking to re-introduce excessive, gratuitous and performative modes of power back into liberal societies. This article examines the relationship and tensions between government and sovereignty, so as to make sense of this apparent ‘revenge of sovereignty on government’. It argues that neoliberalism has been a crucial factor in the return of sovereignty as a ‘problem’ of contemporary societies. Neoliberalism tacitly generates new centres of sovereign power, which have become publicly visible since 2008, leading to a dramatic resurgence of discourses and claims to ‘sovereignty’.
Home palliative care professionals perception of challenges during the Covid-19 outbreak: A qualitative study
Authors: Franchini Luca , Varani Silvia , Ostan Rita , Bocchi Ilenia , Pannuti Raffaella , Biasco Guido , Bruera Eduardo
Published: April 2021

Background:

Home palliative care services have played an essential role during the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak by providing symptom control, drug procurement, and psychological support for frail patients and their families unable to leave their homes.

Aim:

To understand how home palliative care professionals were affected by the outbreak, describing changes and challenges in their daily work as well as their reactions to the Covid-19 pandemic in Italy.

Design:

Qualitative study conducted using telephone semi-structured interviews, with thematic analysis.

Setting/participants:

Thirty home care professionals working for an Italian non-profit organization which provides home palliative care for cancer patients and their families.

Results:

Three main themes were identified. The first theme showed both patient-related and practice-related challenges participants faced in their daily work, requiring the implementation of different communication methods and patient and family education on risk prevention. The second theme showed the perception of increased responsibility and being the only landmark for family played a decisive role in participants’ positive attitude. The third theme highlighted the participants’ perception of the critical role of a home care setting in this emergency situation.

Conclusions:

The first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic brought many challenges and stressors for home palliative care professionals. On the other side, they reported a satisfaction with their critical role in carrying out their work with patients at risk.
Parent-Implemented Oral Vocabulary Intervention for Children With Down Syndrome
Authors: LeJeune Lauren M. , Lemons Christopher J. , Hokstad Silje , Aldama Rebeca , Næss Kari-Anne B.
Published: April 2021

Young children with Down syndrome (DS) often demonstrate impaired oral vocabulary development; however, few intervention studies have focused on this population. One promising method to improve the oral vocabulary of young children with DS may be to train their parents to intervene at home. In this study, we used tele-education methods (e.g., videoconferences, email) to coach parents to implement an adapted version of Down Syndrome LanguagePlus (DSL+). Four children with DS (ages 5–6 years) participated in the multiple probe across behaviors (i.e., stories) single-case research design study. Increasing trends during baseline and data variability precluded confirmation of a functional relationship; however, results indicated that all participants increased their scores on mastery measures of targeted vocabulary. Three of the four parents implemented DSL+ with high fidelity and responded favorably to social validity interviews.
Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid: a case report
Authors: Xin Sixu , Li Wei , Yuan Ning , Shen Chao , Zhang Dongdong , Chai Sanbao
Published: April 2021

Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid (PSCCT) is a rare and rapidly progressive malignancy that carries a poor prognosis. PSCCT is easily misdiagnosed as acute thyroiditis or as another thyroid malignancy. We have reported a 76-year-old woman who presented with progressive neck pain for 1 month. Thyroid function tests revealed subclinical thyrotoxicosis. Ultrasound disclosed a solid nodule with calcification in the right thyroid lobe. Laboratory findings included neutrophilic leukocytosis and an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. The patient’s condition was diagnosed as subacute thyroiditis, and she was treated with cefixime and ibuprofen. However, her treatment response was poor. She was then treated with oral prednisone. Her neck pain gradually resolved. The patient subsequently developed dysphagia, choking, dyspnea, and dysphonia with an insidious onset. Further examinations including computed tomography and painless gastroscopy revealed that the volume of the thyroid gland had increased significantly, extending to the anterior superior mediastinum. The trachea and esophagus were stenotic because of external compression. Partial thyroidectomy and tracheotomy were performed under extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. The diagnosis of PSCCT was established via histopathology and immunohistochemistry.
Estimating the Prevalence of Mental and Substance Use Disorders: A Systematic Approach to Triangulating Available Data to Inform Health Systems Planning
Authors: Vigo Daniel , Jones Wayne , Dove Naomi , Maidana Daniel E. , Tallon Corinne , Small Will , Samji Hasina
Published: April 2021

Objective:

To estimate the prevalence of specific mental and substance use disorders (MSUDs), by age and sex, as a first step toward informing needs-based health systems planning by decision-makers.

Methods:

We developed a conceptual framework and a systematic methodology for combining available data sources to yield prevalence estimates for specific MSUDs. Data sources used included published, peer-reviewed literature from Canada and comparable countries, Canadian population survey data, and health administrative data from British Columbia. Several well-established methodologies including systematic review and meta-analyses of published prevalence estimates, modelling of age- and sex-specific distributions, and the Global Burden of Disease severity distribution model were incorporated in a novel mode of triangulation.

Results:

Using this novel approach, we obtained prevalence estimates for 10 MSUDs for British Columbia, Canada, as well as prevalence distributions across age groups, by sex.

Conclusion:

Obtaining reliable assessments of disorder prevalence and severity is a useful first step toward rationally estimating service need and plan health services. We propose a methodology to leverage existing information to obtain robust estimates in a timely manner and with sufficient granularity to, after adjusting for comorbidity and matching with severity-specific service bundles, inform need-based planning efforts for adult (15 years and older) mental health and substance use services.
Isolation of hydrodynamic parameters for the fibre length attrition in injection-moulded short-fibre polymer composites
Authors: Ruiz María P , Pontes António J V , Ludueña Leandro N
Published: April 2021

A comprehensive study of the fibre breakage mechanisms during mould filling in injection moulding of short-fibre polymer composites requires the isolation of the main parameters promoting fibre length attrition. In this work, hydrodynamic parameters such as injection flow rate and residence time in the range of injection moulding were isolated, and their effect on fibre length attrition was studied. Fibre breakage was quantified by means of a capillary rheometer attached to an injection moulding machine minimising fibre-equipment interactions. Fibre breakage increased linearly as a function of injection flow rate in the range of 30–120 cm3.s−1. It was also found that residence time in the order of milliseconds had a significant effect on fibre breakage. The results shown that longer fibres had less breakage probability, which contradicts the buckling failure theory for brittle fibres in a simple shear flow. This result was attributed to the similar rotation period of the fibres in comparison with the test residence times.
L’influence de l’appartenance sociale et de la créativité sur les comportements de consommation immoraux des nouveaux adolescents: une étude cross-culturelle auprès des 16–24 ans
Authors: Maille Virginie , Gentina Elodie , Zhen Li
Published: April 2021

Pourquoi les adolescents s’engagent-ils dans des comportements de consommation immoraux, comme changer un prix ou mentir pour obtenir une remise ? S’appuyant sur la théorie du besoin d’appartenance sociale, une étude sur 1326 adolescents de 16 à 24 ans, brésiliens, chinois, américains, et français, démontre la coexistence de deux relations contraires entre l’appartenance au groupe de pairs et le jugement de comportements de consommation immoraux : une relation directe où les adolescents se sentant les plus intégrés sont ceux dont le jugement est le plus sévère, mais aussi une relation indirecte, où l’appartenance sociale augmente l’auto-efficacité créative, qui rend à son tour plus indulgent vis-à-vis des comportements immoraux. Le poids respectif des chemins directs et indirects varie avec la culture nationale, ici le pays de résidence et la valeur d’individualisme/collectivisme. Au Brésil et en Chine, de culture collectiviste, le chemin direct domine. Aux Etats-Unis et en France, plus individualistes, le chemin est indirect.