bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social Model Hospice Residential Care Homes: Whom Do They Really Serve?
Authors: Melekis Kelly , Weisse Carol S. , Alonzo Jovanna D’ , Cheng Alice
Published: January 2023

Background

Most prefer to die at home, but the Medicare Hospice Benefit does not cover custodial care, making it difficult for terminally ill patients with housing insecurity and/or caregiver instability to access hospice care at home.

Objectives

To examine the characteristics of patients who received end-of-life care in community-run, residential care homes (RCHs) operating under the social model hospice.

Methods

A retrospective chart review of 500 residents who were admitted to one of three RCHs in Upstate New York over a 15-year period (2004-2019).

Results

Patients served by the RCHs included 318 (63.6%) women and 182 (36.4%) men aged 34-101 (M = 77.8). The majority (94.9%) were Caucasian and most had cancer diagnoses (71.6%). Prior to admission, most (93%) patients resided in a private residence, and nearly half (47%) lived alone, but most (81.7%) had full- or part-time caregivers. Nearly all patients were admitted either directly from a hospital (47.5%) or private home (47.2%). Over half (52%) were admitted to RCHs within a month of hospice enrollment, and 20.1% enrolled concurrent with admission. While the average length of stay was 21 days, 50% died within 10 days of admission.

Conclusions

Community-run RCHs represent a unique approach for improving access to hospice home care for patients with home insecurity and/or caregiver instability, yet most patients had prior caregiver coverage and were admitted from a hospital or home setting, suggesting there is a need for community care settings for patients unable to remain at home in the final weeks or days prior to death.
Experiential Education Programs: Fertile Environments for Identity Formation
Authors: Meerts-Brandsma Lisa , Melton Theresa , Sibthorp Jim
Published: January 2023

Background: Understanding how contextual elements within educational environments relate to identity formation can help educators design experiences intended to support identity formation processes. Purpose: This study examined identity formation among students enrolled in immersion semester high schools and how contextual elements and identity formation actions influence identity formation process profiles. Methodology: Data were collected from middle to late adolescents using the Dimensions of Identity Development Scale, and analyzed using latent profile analysis, crosstabulation, and regression. Conclusions: The findings showed that thinking about values and beliefs in school is related to increased identity exploration and that the teacher–student relationship and novelty in these contexts facilitates thinking about values and beliefs. Students prone to rumination may particularly benefit from the supportive environment, which can increase the likelihood that they discuss their values and beliefs. Implications: Experiential educators working with middle to late adolescents who want to help their participants engage in identity formation should prioritize teacher–student relationships, novel experiences, and a supportive community.
Mechanical properties and damage constitutive model of coal specimen with different moisture under uniaxial loading
Authors: Xu Qiang , Yao Qiangling , Yu Liqiang , Zhu Liu , Chong Zhaohui , Li Yinghu , Li Xuehua
Published: January 2023

The moisture content has an important influence on the strength and stability of coal pillar dams in underground reservoirs. In this paper, the uniaxial compression test was performed on coal samples with three different moisture contents, to study the mechanical properties of them under water intrusion condition. The results show that, water has a significant damaging and softening effect on the mechanical properties of the samples. As the moisture content grows of coal samples, the peak strength and elastic modulus fall exponentially while the peak strain increases exponentially. In addition, the energy characteristics of coal samples with different moisture contents under uniaxial compression were analyzed. The releasable elastic strain energy, dissipated energy and total input energy all experience a decline with water content, and the proportion of the releasable strain energy in the total energy drops. The capacities of energy storage and strain energy release of coal samples both fall under influence of moisture, and more energy was transformed. Given this result, the damage variable on the basis of energy dissipation was introduced to explore the influence of moisture contents on the damage variable of coal samples and the damage evolution equations of coal samples with three different moisture contents were calculated from the results of uniaxial loading tests. Finally, the compaction coefficient considering the influence of immersion time was proposed to describe the compaction degree and being used to amend the damage constitutive model obtained, and the fitted results of the models were compared to experimental data. Results show that the values of damage variables increase exponentially with strains, and the modified damage constitutive equation can give a more accurate description of the compressive deformation of coal samples that contain varying contents of moisture.
Safety and Efficacy of Mek Inhibitors in the Treatment of Plexiform Neurofibromas: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Cacchione Antonella , Fabozzi Francesco , Carai Andrea , Colafati Giovanna Stefania , Baldo Giada del , Rossi Sabrina , Diana Martino , Megaro Giacomina , Milano Giuseppe Maria , Macchiaiolo Marina , Crocoli Alessandro , De Ioris Maria Antonietta , Boccuto Luigi , Secco Domitilla Elena , Zama Mario , Agolini Emanuele , Tomà Paolo , Mastronuzzi Angela
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Plexiform neurofibromas (PN) represent the main cause of morbidity in patients affected by Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1). Until recently, surgery has been the main treatment option in these patients, but it is burdened with a low efficacy rate and a high incidence of side effects as well as recurrence. In recent years, MEK inhibitors (MEKi) such as selumetinib and trametinib have shown great promise.

Methods

We retrospectively describe a single center cohort of NF1 patients affected by PN1 and treated with MEKi since 2019 to 2021. Patients recruited in the study were affected by PN that were not eligible to complete surgical excision, symptomatic or with major cosmetic deformation or functional neurological deficits.

Results

Most patients experienced improvement in clinical symptoms and quality of life, with reduction or stabilization of lesions. However, no complete response was achieved. The most common adverse effects involved the skin, affecting every patient. Importantly, no life-threatening adverse effects occurred.

Conclusions

In our experience, MEKi treatment has been shown to be both safe and effective in improving symptomatology and quality of life.
Prognostic Value of Inflammatory and Nutritional Markers for Patients With Early-Stage Poorly-to Moderately-Differentiated Cervical Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Guo Jianfei , Lv Weiqing , Wang Zehua , Shang Yun , Yang Fan , Zhang Xiaomin , Xiao Keyuan , Zhang Shangyunduo , Pan Xiaoqi , Han Yan , Zong Liang , Hu Wenqing
Published: January 2023

Background

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), systemic immune-inflammatory index (SII), systemic inflammation response index (SIRI), and Onodera’s prognostic nutritional index (OPNI) have been reported as prognostic markers for various cancers. We evaluated the prognostic value of the NLR, PLR, MLR, SII, SIRI, and OPNI for poorly-to moderately-differentiated cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC).

Patients and Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the cases of 109 patients with early-stage poorly-to moderately-differentiated CSCC who underwent radical surgery at our institution in 2014-2017. The optimal cutoff points for the NLR, PLR, MLR, SII, SIRI, and OPNI were determined by receiver operating characteristic curves. Overall survival was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method. We performed a multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazard regression model to determine the independent prognostic indicators for early-stage poorly-to moderately-differentiated CSCC.

Results

The appropriate cutoff points were: NLR, 1.72; PLR, 111.96; MLR, .24; SII, 566.23; SIRI, 1.38; and OPNI, 52.68. The OS of the patients with a high OPNI ( P = .04), low SII ( P = .03), or low SIRI ( P = .01) was significantly better. The uni- and multivariate analyses identified only the OPNI as an independent prognostic marker for early-stage poorly-to moderately-differentiated CSCC ( P = .04 and P = .02).

Conclusion

The OPNI is an independent prognostic marker for early-stage poorly-to moderately-differentiated CSCC; the NLR, PLR, MLR, SII, and SIRI are not.
Clouds with silver linings: how mobilization shapes the impact of coups on democratization
Authors: Dahl Marianne , Gleditsch Kristian Skrede
Published: January 2023

There is a long-standing debate over the impact of coups on democratization. Some argue that coups can help promote transitions to democratic rule. Yet, others contend that coups often spur increased repression and autocratization, undermining hopes of democratic reform. We argue that both democratic and autocratic changes are more likely after a coup and that popular mobilization plays a crucial role in shaping the post-coup trajectory. Democratization is more likely when coups occur in the presence of significant popular mobilization. A coup reveals cracks within a regime, and the combination of pressure from within and threat from below during popular mobilizations fosters greater incentives to promise democratic reform. In the absence of popular mobilization, autocratic rule is more likely, especially when a coup is successful. We test our argument on the combined effect of popular mobilization and coups on changes in democracy in a global dataset, considering the specific dates of events and institutional changes, the outcomes of coups, and using decay functions to capture persistent effects. The analysis provides strong support for our argument, with the key findings robust across a number of alternative tests. Our analysis underscores the value of examining variation in the context of coups to understand their likely political consequences.
Demographic and regional trends of peripheral artery disease-related mortality in the United States, 2000 to 2019
Authors: Issa Rochell , Nazir Salik , Khan Minhas Abdul Mannan , Lang Jacob , Ariss Robert W , Kayani Waleed Tallat , Khalid Mirza Umair , Sperling Laurence , Shapiro Michael D , Jneid Hani , Gupta Rajesh
Published: January 2023

Introduction:

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a common progressive atherosclerotic disease associated with significant morbidity and mortality in the US; however, data regarding PAD-related mortality trends are limited. This study aims to characterize contemporary trends in mortality across sociodemographic and regional groups.

Methods:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-Ranging OnLine Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) was queried for data regarding PAD-related deaths from 2000 to 2019 in the overall sample and different demographic (age, sex, race/ethnicity) and regional (state, urban–rural) subgroups. Crude and age-adjusted mortality rates (CMR and AAMR, respectively) per 100,000 people were calculated. Associated annual percentage changes (APC) were computed using Joinpoint Regression Program Version 4.9.0.0 trend analysis software.

Results:

Between 2000 and 2019, a total of 1,959,050 PAD-related deaths occurred in the study population. Overall, AAMR decreased from 72.8 per 100,000 in 2000 to 32.35 per 100,000 in 2019 with initially decreasing APCs followed by no significant decline from 2016 to 2019. Most demographic and regional subgroups showed initial declines in AAMRs during the study period, with many groups exhibiting no change in mortality in recent years. However, men, non-Hispanic (NH) Black or African American individuals, people aged ⩾ 85 years, and rural counties were associated with the highest AAMRs of their respective subgroups. Notably, there was an increase in crude mortality rate among individuals 25–39 years of age from 2009 to 2019.

Conclusion:

Despite initial improvement, PAD-related mortality has remained stagnant in recent years. Disparities have persisted across several demographic and regional groups, requiring further investigation.
Understanding the relationship between sleep and quality of life in type 2 diabetes: A systematic review of the literature
Authors: Laverty Bróna , Puthezhath Jayanandan Sreelakshmi , Smyth Sinéad
Published: January 2023

Living with type 2 diabetes (T2D) can elicit psychological distress and diminish quality of life (QoL) in patients. Research has also elucidated a link between sleep and quality of life. Thus, the current review aimed to clarify the relationship between sleep and QoL in T2D patients, and determine the prevalence of sleep problems in this cohort. A systematic search across four databases yielded 23 relevant studies, which were synthesized narratively. Between 17.8 and 79% of patients had sleep problems, and a direct, significant relationship was established between sleep and QoL. An indirect relationship between sleep and QoL was established through exacerbation of psychological factors and biological symptoms of T2D. Findings are clinically relevant and highlight the importance of screening for sleep problems during routine patient appointments. Future research should employ either longitudinal or prospective study designs to enable further understanding of the intricacies of this relationship.
Experimental investigation of cold formed high strength steel tubular joints subjected to moment loading
Authors: Kim Seon-Hu , Lee Cheol-Ho , Ryu Ihyun , Park Sihyung
Published: January 2023

In recent years, simple design methods for high strength steel tubular joints have been proposed by several design standards. According to these standards, the design resistance of high strength steel joints is obtained from the same design equations used for mild steel joints, but the resistance should be reduced properly by applying the material factor and/or the design yield stress. The material factor is a direct reduction factor to design resistance which generally corresponds to 0.9 for 460-grade and 0.8 for 700-grade steels, while the design yield stress (or fu/ fy limit) is a measure to account for the low fu/ fy ratios of high strength steels. In this study, a recent experimental program on moment-loaded high strength steel tubular joints is reported, which covered both circular (CHS) and rectangular (RHS) hollow section joints and both in-plane bending (IPB) and out-of-plane bending (OPB) moments. Based on the test results and additional test data collected from available database, the design equations, material factor, and design yield stress recommended by the revised draft of EN 1993-1-8 (prEN 1993-1-8) are evaluated for moment-loaded tubular joints made of grade 700 steels. It is shown that the prEN 1993-1-8 equations, combined with the material factor and design yield stress, generally provide conservative moment resistances for 700-grade tubular X and T-joints. However, based on the experimental implication that nonuniform stress distribution may cause an early fracture in CHS joints, it is suggested that the effective width, which is usually considered only for RHS joints, be considered also for CHS joints subjected to OPB.
Should we uprate social benefits for inflation as a matter of Article 1 Protocol 1?
Authors: Hartmann-Cortés Kevin
Published: January 2023

Would a Convention State breach any property rights if it does not adjust its social security benefits for inflation? This article discusses under which circumstances Article 1 Protocol 1 (A1P1) of the European Convention on Human Rights may require Convention States to uprate the real value of social benefit entitlements as a consequence of inflation. The methodology followed was both doctrinal and analytical legal research based on the European Court of Human Rights’ (ECtHR) case law. The text firstly considers why A1P1 may be engaged. The argument holds that lack of indexation of social benefits has a similar effect to their legislative reduction when it comes to the peaceful enjoyment of social security benefits. Afterwards it explores what follows for Convention States. Considering the literature on ‘positive’ obligations and A1P1, the article constructs a plausible case under which A1P1 would require Convention States to uprate (at least partially) a segment of social benefit entitlements.
The metamorphoses of cultural capital in a neoliberal and multicultural era: Towards a comparative approach
Authors: Sapiro Gisèle
Published: January 2023

This review essay of Fields, Capitals, Habitus first discusses how this in-depth inquiry into the lifestyles and cultural practices in Australia contributes to the rich discussions sparked by the publication and translation of Bourdieu's Distinction. It then turns to research directions that this survey opens up, especially in comparative perspective, in the context of neoliberalism and multiculturalism. One of these directions is to study the rise of Indigenous capital. A second is to compare the way that transnational, Indigenous and migrant cultures challenge the national habitus. A third invites researchers to compare more systematically gendered practices across fields and countries, a study that should be supplemented by the impact of the feminisation of cultural intermediaries.
Unravelling the microstructure – indentation creep resistance relationships for friction stir welded modified 9Cr-1Mo steel and LN-type 316 stainless-steel dissimilar joints
Authors: Venkata krishna A. , Lakshminarayanan A. K. , Vasantharaja P. , Vasudevan M.
Published: January 2023

In this article, the indentation creep characteristics and the microstructures are assessed for the friction stir welded modified 9Cr-1Mo steel and LN-type 316 SS dissimilar joint. Microstructures are characterized for the post-weld heat treated and indentation crept samples at different conditions with optical microscopy, scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Distinct heat-affected zones were revealed with the refined and reformed martensite (α′) and austenite (γ) structures that formed in view of the distinct thermal conductivity property and the differences in lower critical(Ac1) and upper critical(Ac3) transformation temperatures. The size of prior austenite grain sizes was found to be varied significantly at the different regions. Indentation creep data were acquired in distinct weld zones at 873, 898 and 923 K. Zone-wise indentation depth, steady-state creep behaviour (SSCR) and activation energy ( Q) were evaluated and correlated with the microstructures. The formation of small prior austenitic grain (PAG) structures and the grain boundary vacancies has led to maximum creep deformation (86.83%) at the heat affected zone of the modified 9Cr-1Mo steel. Furthermore, the reduction in lath structures and the formation of tiny α′ with soft substructures have lowered the hardness values to around 210  ±  21 HV, which is 20 HV less than the post weld heat treated sample. In the stir zone, the presence of dynamically refined and rich γ along with fine α′ layers has improved the steady-state creep rate of 9.112 E-7, which is less than the modified 9Cr-1Mo steel and the heat affected zone at modified 9Cr-1Mo side. The coarse austenite structures that existed in the LN-type 316 base metal have resisted more creep damage and exhibited high activation energy (i.e. 490 kJ mol−1) than the stir zone and heat affected zone of the LN-type 316 SS.
Evidence informed fatherhood program: An evaluation
Authors: Daniels Charles C.
Published: January 2023

Black fathers with histories of incarceration and trauma have multiple stressors that interfere with their ability to navigate life in the community, parent their children, and develop self-parenting skills that promote the healthy regulation of their emotions. The origins of these stressors are connected to racism, masculine stereotypes, and histories of trauma. Improving these skills has the potential to put fathers in control of their response to life distress instead of feeling controlled by it. This study sought to examine the Evidence Informed Fatherhood Program (EIFP) and its efficacy as defined by the rates of recidivism, parental engagement, life distress, emotional regulation, and basic needs attainment. The sample comprised 551 fathers (N = 551), most of whom were Black (n = 534), drawn from administrative data from Father's UpLift. The study examined the effectiveness of the program by studying the change in scores at three points in time, namely during the baseline entry into the program, and three and six months after entry.

Findings

The baseline findings showed that about 95% of all participants needed assistance with basic needs, including obtaining housing, employment, and bank accounts. The results showed a statistically significant and dramatic decrease in life distress scores and an equally dramatic increase in emotional regulation scores.

Applications

The findings show that EIFP is effective in helping Black fathers gain self-parenting skills, address the trauma they experience as Black men in a racialized society, and reduce recidivism among them.
Young adults’ protest participation and mental health
Authors: Kwan Chi Kin
Published: January 2023

This article explores how political fluctuations can negatively affect young adults’ psychosocial well-being, by using the case of Hong Kong's Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill Movement. The study included both individual and focus group interviews to collect the experiences and perspectives of 25 youths, 13 teachers, and 12 social workers within a qualitative paradigm. The data were coded independently by the author and research assistant.

Findings

Four major themes related to young adults’ psychosocial well-being: (a) mental health deterioration, (b) tension in family relations, (c) problems in peer relations, and (d) decreasing trust in teachers and social workers. The findings not only reveal the relevance of political issues to contemporary youths’ well-being, but also display a possible vicious circle among negative psychosocial environment, psychosocial strain, and poor environment.

Applications

There is a pressing need for social workers to be better prepared for dealing with young adults’ psychosocial issues that arise from political conflicts. This article contributes to the literature by considering the role of psychosocial factors in maintaining or reinforcing youth participation in protests. Unconventional strategies should be developed by social workers to reach youth activists and help relieve emotional and psychological pressures caused by political unrest. Suggestions for fostering post-conflict reconciliation in the community are also offered.
Does mentoring improve the health of people in the community? A realist evaluation
Authors: Suurmond Jeanine , Kruithof Kasper , Harting Janneke
Published: January 2023

Mentoring is an intervention aimed at strengthening social networks of individuals by providing one-to-one support to develop a social network. While there is a lack of insight into how the social network intervention “mentoring” affects health outcomes, we used a realist evaluation approach to find out for whom and under what circumstances mentoring affects health. The study was conducted in the Netherlands. In phase 1, an initial program theory of mentoring was developed based on a group interview with participants and professionals engaged in mentoring, complemented by documents (previous studies, descriptions of interventions). In phase 2, the program theory was tested using interviews with 23 participants before and 16 after mentoring.

Findings

Mentoring strengthened the social network when two conditions were met. Firstly, mentoring coaches needed to be trained. Secondly, participants needed to have a pre-existing—albeit small—network and need to have some social skills. If the social network was strengthened, mentoring increased self-esteem and self-confidence and decreased experiences of depression and loneliness of participants through three mechanisms: (1) participants were acknowledged and their individual needs were accepted; (2) individual coping resources were improved; (3) capabilities to initiate the search for a social network and to be involved in a social network were realized.

Applications

Mentoring is a useful intervention to increase self-esteem and self-confidence and decrease experiences of depression and loneliness of participants if the two conditions are met. Therefore, mentors should be carefully trained to acknowledge and respond to participants’ individual needs for social bonds.
A targeted approach to multiculturalism: The case of the Roma minority in Europe
Authors: Guérard de Latour Sophie
Published: January 2023

The article assesses Will Kymlicka’s targeted approach to cultural rights by focusing on the case of the Roma minority in Europe. In Multicultural Odysseys, Kymlicka praises the European management of Roma issues as a promising way to overcome the flaws of the generic approach to cultural rights that dominates European minority rights otherwise. The article intends to evaluate Kymlicka’s statement in two ways : it combines an empirical study of the arguments that justify the institutional targeting of the Roma in the Council of Europe and a normative analysis about the specific type of transnational minority that these populations seem to form. The empirical part of the paper casts doubts on the assumption that cultural recognition matters primarily in the case of the Roma. The normative part of the paper argues that the concept of transnational minority gains more normative consistency when it is understood in terms of political mobilization against racial oppression than when it is justified in terms of cultural recognition. It concludes that Iris M. Young’s “politics of difference” provides a fruitful normative approach to make sense of the Roma’s claims of justice in Europe and that it is as such likely to refine and possibly complete the targeted to approach to multiculturalism.
Memories reminisced, reconciled, renewed: Hong Kong male consumers’ wardrobes and their search for a congruent self
Authors: Tse Tommy , von Pezold Johanna
Published: January 2023

Previous research on fashion, clothing and accessorising practices typically stressed either the symbolic and identity-creating or practical and habitual functions of fashion, often neglecting its affective, emotive and mnemonic aspects. Drawing on affective theory and the agency of things, we theorise how the affects, feelings and emotions attached to active and inactive fashion objects evoke and are evoked by the consumer’s ongoing reminiscence, reconciliation, and renewal of memories. Remapping the intricate relationship among consumers, memory, affect, and fashion objects, this article employs wardrobe study interviews to reconceptualise the clothing consumption, storage and disposal practices of male fashion consumers in Hong Kong and their trans-temporal self-memory-object relationships. Interviewing 21 gay male participants while physically going through their wardrobes together reveals the mnemonic abilities of clothes and accessories to bring up the past, their functioning as emotive devices, and the process of how affective, unpatterned feelings and sensations are reminisced, reconciled and renewed through fashion. These unique theoretical and methodological approaches make it possible to delve deeper into consumers’ intimate material and sensual relationships with clothing and accessory items, which are often used to make sense of incongruent memories and future fantasies, also enabling their ongoing mediation of unresolved affective experiences and curation of a linear cultural script of personal development.
Researching the marginalised bottom of the pyramid in Africa: Lessons and prospects for inclusive, relevant practices
Authors: Chikweche Tendai , Lappeman James , Egan Paul
Published: January 2023

Africa is home to 27 of the world’s 28 poorest, marginalised and most vulnerable countries. There are limited studies on the challenges and opportunities of researching marginalised consumers in Africa, even though more than 440 million marginalised consumers consume products and services that require market research. This paper aims to critically identify and discuss the challenges and opportunities for researching marginalised consumers in Africa using insights from empirical studies conducted in various countries between 2009 and 2022. The paper proposes a conceptual framework that outlines the methodological and operational challenges and enablers for market research and concludes with practical guidelines of considerations that researchers should take for researching the marginalised in Africa.
Planning and Crisis, Planning in Crisis
Authors: Fawaz Mona
Published: January 2023

How does a profession that prides itself on standing for the common good and working through action –not mere analysis or gesturing- demonstrate its effectiveness in a city devastated by intractable political, economic, financial, health, and social crises? In this essay, I dive into the current context of planning in Beirut (Lebanon) where I have been deeply engaged for decades. Recognizing that planning is deeply embedded in the making of the ongoing overlapping crises in the country, I propose three pathways for thinking about a possible positive role for planning in these circumstances: (i) to (re)construct a source of legitimacy for planning by reconsidering who has custody over the planning process and how the legitimacy of planning is secured; (ii) to accept a “tactical” practice in which grand schemes are replaced with tentative, experimental, and incremental micro-interventions that may succeed or not in reaching an integrated vision and, (iii) to activate the performative dimension of planning, its ability to imagine shared spaces and allow for transgressing contemporary limited realities.
Compromise in Political Theory
Authors: Spang Friderike
Published: January 2023

This review article provides a topic-centered overview of the state of compromise in political theory, where compromise is increasingly discussed as a promising approach to dealing with disagreement in politics and society. Given the growing literature on compromise, a systematic approach to the topic is due. The first sections are focused on clarifying the concept of compromise, while the remainder of the article offers different perspectives on those aspects of compromise that are subject to debate.
Technocratic Ministers in Office in European Countries (2000–2020): What’s New?
Authors: Vittori Davide , Pilet Jean-Beniot , Rojon Sebastien , Paulis Emilien
Published: January 2023

Although Europeans are favourable towards the idea of being governed by ‘independent experts’, and despite the burgeoning literature on technocratic ministers, we still miss important information about the profiles of technocrats in government. This article provides new insights into the characteristics of non-partisan, non-elected ministers and the roles they perform once in government based on a Technocratic Ministers’ Dataset covering all governments in 31 European countries from 2000 to 2020. First, we show that average share of technocratic (as opposed to partisan) ministers in European cabinets rose from 9.5% to 14.2% over the last two decades. This increase is characteristic of all macro-regions, except Scandinavian countries. Second, technocratic ministers are assigned to a diversity of portfolios and not just finance and economy, which, respectively, account for only 15% of technocratic ministers. Finally, technocratic ministers do not hold office for shorter periods of time than partisan ones, except when they are part of caretaker cabinets.
“Economic Insecurity and the Racial Attitudes of White Americans”
Authors: Melcher Cody R.
Published: January 2023

The two dominant paradigms in the study of white Americans’ racial attitudes—symbolic racism and group position theory—while fundamentally differing with regard to theoretical orientations and causal emphases, concur in their rejection of individual-level economic circumstances—typically operationalized through either conventional measures of class or direct racial threats to whites’ personal lives—as a meaningful determinant of whites’ racial attitudes. This article argues that these existing measures do not sufficiently consider the subjective dimension of individuals’ economic well-being. As such, conclusions drawn from the relative lack of association between these measures and racial attitudes are likely overstated. Utilizing a measure of affective economic insecurity—anxiety concerning one’s economic circumstances—a strong correlative relationship is shown to exist between this dimension of individual-level economic circumstances and whites’ racial attitudes. Specifically, it is shown that affective economic insecurity is related to whites’ level of racial resentment, their perception of racialized labor market competition, and their attitudes toward immigration. A causal relationship between affective economic insecurity and perceptions of racialized labor market competition is established through an original survey experiment.
The value of serum TRAP1 in diagnosing small cell lung cancer and tumor immunity
Authors: Tan Li-Ming , Ke Shi-Peng , Li Xu , Ouyang Tang-Lin , Yu Li-Qing , Yu Jia-Li , Wang Ya-Kun , Yang Qi-Jun , Li Xiao-Hang , Yu Xia , Li Hua , Hu Xiao-Yan
Published: January 2023

This study set out to investigate the clinical significance of serum tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated protein 1 (TRAP1) in diagnosing small cell lung cancer (SCLC) with different clinical stages, and to compare the diagnostic efficiency with neuron-specific enolase (NSE), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9). Besides, to analyze the role of serum TRAP1 in tumor immunity. A total of 91 patients with SCLC, 99 patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), 102 patients with pulmonary nodules (PN), and 75 healthy people were included. The concentrations of serum TRAP1 was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). NSE, CEA, and CA19-9 were detected by chemiluminescence. The results showed that level of TRAP1 in Group SCLC was lower than other three groups ( P < 0.01), whereas NSE in SCLC was significantly higher than the others ( P < 0.01), and the levels of CEA and CA19-9 were higher than healthy people and PN patients ( P < 0.01). There was a significant difference in TRAP1 levels between patients with limited-stage disease SCLC (LD-SCLC) and extensive-stage disease SCLC (ED-SCLC) ( P < 0.0001). The sensitivity and specificity of TRAP1 in diagnosing LD-SCLC were 0.964 and 0.560, respectively, and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.819. The sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing ED-SCLC were 0.810 and 0.868, respectively, and the AUC was 0.933, which showed high diagnostic value. The AUC of these two groups can be increased to 0.946 and 0.947 in combination of four biomarkers, effectively improving the diagnosis rate of SCLC. Our findings have revealed that serum TRAP1 has high diagnostic value for SCLC and high diagnostic sensitivity for LD-SCLC. It is a potential biomarker for SCLC. Combined detection can effectively improve the diagnosis rate of SCLC. TRAP1 may be secreted into the circulation by mature immune cells and participates in tumor immunity as a carrier of tumor antigens.
Patient characteristics associated with delayed neurological improvement following acute ischemic stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Kobeissi Hassan , Ghozy Sherief , Seymour Trey J , Bilgin Cem , Liu Michael , Kadirvel Ramanathan , Brinjikji Waleed , Rabinstein Alejandro A , Kallmes David F
Published: January 2023

Background

Delayed neurological improvement (DNI) is a phenomenon that involves patient improvement in the absence of early neurological change following treatment for acute ischemic stroke. The patient characteristics associated with this condition are largely unexplored.

Methods

Following the PRISMA guidelines, a systematic review of the English language literature was conducted using PubMed, Embase, Web of science, and Scopus. We calculated pooled odds ratios (ORs), mean differences (MDs), and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to test the association between patient characteristics and achievement of DNI.

Results

Seven studies, with 3266 patients, were included in our analysis. All studies reported a different definition of DNI, with five studies focusing on rates of good functional outcome at 90 days post-treatment in the absence of early neurological improvement. Use of intravenous thrombolytics was associated with increased rates of DNI (OR 1.96, 95% CI 1.28 to 3.00; p = 0.002). Atrial fibrillation was associated with decreased rates of DNI (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.57 to 0.82; p < 0.001), as was hypertension (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.53 to 0.83, p < 0.001), and diabetes mellitus (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.56 to 0.90; p = 0.005). On average, patients who achieved DNI were 6.30 years younger than their non-DNI counterparts ( MD −6.30, 95% CI −9.19 to −3.41; p < 0.001). There were modest associations between male sex and DNI (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.74, p = 0.042), and smoking and DNI (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.59, p = 0.027).

Conclusions

DNI is a phenomenon that is not presently well understood. Lack of uniformity among definitions of DNI hinders efforts to explore DNI and the factors associated with its occurrence. Future studies should work to establish a consensus definition of DNI to determine its causes and significance more accurately.
Who May Represent a Nation in Upheaval? The Concept of Representation during the Polish November Uprising, 1830–1831
Authors: Kuligowski Piotr , Marzec Wiktor
Published: January 2023

This article investigates the changing ideas of representation during one of the European upheavals of the 1830s, the Polish November Uprising. Studying the Polish Sejm proceedings, we ask about the impact of the uprising and warfare on revamping the concept of representation. A representative, parliamentary, but not yet democratic order emerged under the conditions of reduced sovereignty. We demonstrate how pragmatic considerations in times of war ushered in non-descriptive and non-imperative representation and how the struggle for legitimacy helped introduce the idea of the government's responsibility to the nation. Although the broadening of citizenship beyond the nobles was still debated only concerning possible land reform, the push and pull of the frontline situation and transnational diffusion and learning spurred on fundamental changes. The 1831 Sejm was a threshold for modern parliamentarism in Poland, bringing its earlier endogenous developments in line with European drift towards representative government.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of sexually transmitted infection prevention practices among Ethiopian young people
Authors: Anbesu Etsay Woldu , Aychiluhm Setognal Birara , Alemayehu Mussie , Asgedom Dejen Kahsay , Kifle Mearg Eyasu
Published: January 2023

Objective:

Approximately 178.5 million new cases of treatable sexually transmitted infections are thought to be diagnosed each year among young people worldwide who are between the ages of 15 and 24 years. The results regarding sexually transmitted infection prevention studies in Ethiopia are not consistent. Therefore, the objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the pooled prevalence of sexually transmitted infection prevention methods among young people in Ethiopia.

Methods:

The systematic review was developed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. Between 5 January and 18 May 2022, published studies were searched using online databases such as PubMed, CINAHL, African Online Journal, and Google Scholar. The quality of the study was evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument. A random-effects model was used for the statistical analysis using STATA version 14 software.

Results:

A total of 3331 studies were searched, and five studies with a total of 1925 participants were included in the final meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of preventive practice toward sexually transmitted infections was 54% (95% confidence interval: 44, 64). According to a subgroup analysis based on regional state, the prevalence was highest in the southern region, at 66% (95% CI: 59, 73), and lowest in the Amhara region, at 42% (95% confidence interval: 38, 45). Institution-based studies had high heterogeneity, according to a subgroup analysis based on study setting ( I2 = 95.39%, p value 0.001).

Conclusion:

Almost one in every two young people is engaged in preventive practices. This is lower than the World Health Organization global health sector strategy target (70%) for sexually transmitted infections. A subgroup analysis based on regional state and study setting showed a variation in the prevalence of preventive practices and significant heterogeneity among the regions.
A mixed-methods analysis of the role of online social support to promote psychological wellbeing in new mothers
Authors: Henton Sally , Swanson Vivien
Published: January 2023

Objective

Perinatal mental health problems affect between 1 in 3 and 1 in 10 women globally. Using social media could offer helpful support to new mothers to mitigate this. This research examines the impact of online social support on parental stress, and the mediating effect of maternal wellbeing. The goal is to improve understanding of how to optimise online maternal support to improve anxiety and reduce long-term stress for mother and child.

Design

A mixed-methods, convergent parallel design (QUANT-QUAL) is adopted to facilitate examination of the complex association between constructs.

Methods

A Qualtrics online survey was administered via social media to mothers of children under two (n = 151). Quantitative multiple regression analyses assessed perceptions of online social support overall and in separate domains (Social Networking Sites Usage and Needs Scale) as a predictor of parental stress (Parental Stress Scale) and the potential mediation effect of mental wellbeing (Short Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale). Purposely designed survey open-text questions allowed participants to describe the detail and impact of online support experiences and common stresses and formed the basis of a qualitative reflexive thematic analysis examining online support and maternal mental health.

Results

Mixed-method findings indicate that mothers perceiving more value in online support have higher stress levels and lower wellbeing than others. Mental wellbeing was a partial mediator of the relationship between online support and parental stress. Non-significant statistical effects were reinforced by qualitative themes indicating online support provided safe guidance, peer solidarity and parenting escape.

Conclusions

Maternal online support was predominantly used to cope with high stress, explaining positive stress correlations. Statistically, online coping strategies contributed little to mental wellbeing. Nevertheless, online support was regarded as a valuable and reassuring tool by some participants. Health professionals could improve perinatal anxiety coping by facilitating quality online support networks.
Early or delay? The most suitable rehabilitation protocol for “no man's land” injury: Meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis—20 years trends
Authors: Setiawan Celleen Rei , Karna Made Bramantya , Sutheno Andrew , Febyan Febyan , Gunawan Dary
Published: January 2023

Objective: The aim of this study is to analyze various rehabilitation protocol and determine which methods will yield a better outcome. Methods: The database reports were searched within 1990 until 2020, using PubMed, Cochrane library database, Ovid, Medline, and the other several published trials. A statistical analysis was made from Review Manager and Trial Sequential Analysis (TSA). Result: The mean of rerupture rate is 3.3% (n = 8) in the combination protocol and 8% (n = 48) in controlled active motion (CAM) protocol. Meta-analysis found no significant difference between Kleinert versus CAM in rerupture rate. Furhtermore, we found no significant difference in Duran versus CAM in rerupture rate. In TSA, the Z-curve does not cross both of the trial sequential boundaries, a further trial with larger sample will be required. The TSA of flexion contracture CAM versus Kleinert was indicated that CAM protocol may be superior than Kleinert to reduce the incidence of flexion contracture with the range of mean flexion contracture 6.6% (n = 18) in CAM to 23.6% (n = 76) in Kleinert protocol. Conclusion: Current meta-analysis proposed that the combination technique will result less rerupture incidence and better functional outcome in flexor zone II injuries than other techniques. The CAM method also results in less flexion contracture than others. However, a further meta-analysis with larger sample trials seems to be required to confirm this review's conclusion.
Ethnic segregation on linguistic landscapes
Authors: Hong Seong-Yun , Kim Yeorim , Lee Yongchae
Published: January 2023

This work presents a novel approach to studying ethnic segregation from the perspective of linguistic landscapes. Numerous street-level images accumulated over the last two decades have enabled the exploration of linguistic landscapes at a larger scale than ever before. Since the prevalence of a specific language in a public space implies the linguistic group inhabiting the area, its careful evaluation can reveal the degree of segregation between linguistically different ethnic groups. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, we applied it to the linguistic landscape of Seoul, South Korea. Using a large set of street-level images collected from an online map platform, we measured the levels of segregation between Korean and Chinese signs from 2010 to 2018. The levels of segregation on the street-level images were different to a certain extent from those of residential segregation. While residential segregation gradually increased between 2010 and 2018, except for 2011, more fluctuations were observed in linguistic segregation. This finding is likely because a linguistic landscape is shaped mainly by advertising signs, banners, and billboards in commercial areas, and such commodified urban spaces change more dynamically to attract inhabitants and visitors. These results suggest that the proposed approach can offer an alternative way of understanding the complex socio-demographic phenomenon from a new perspective, as with other emerging data sources in the era of big data.