bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MDMA/ecstasy use and psilocybin use are associated with lowered odds of psychological distress and suicidal thoughts in a sample of US adults
Authors: Jones Grant M , Nock Matthew K
Published: January 2022

Background:

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and rates within the United States have risen over the past two decades. Hence, there is a critical need for novel tools to treat suicidal ideation and related mental health conditions. 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)/ecstasy and classic psychedelics may be two such tools.

Aims:

The aim of this study was to assess non-causal associations between MDMA/ecstasy and classic psychedelic use and psychological distress and suicide risk.

Methods:

In this study, we examined the aforementioned associations among 484,732 adult participants in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2008–2019).

Results:

Lifetime MDMA/ecstasy use was associated with reduced odds of past year suicidal thinking (10% reduced odds; odds ratio (OR) = 0.90; 95% confidence interval, CI = (0.84–0.97); p < 0.01) and past year suicidal planning (OR = 0.88; 95% CI = (0.78–0.99); p < 0.05). Furthermore, lifetime psilocybin use was associated with reduced odds of past month psychological distress (OR = 0.78; 95% CI = (0.73–0.84); p < 0.001) and past year suicidal thinking (OR = 0.90; 95% CI = (0.83–0.96); p < 0.01). Finally, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) was associated with increased odds of past year suicidal thinking (OR = 1.07; 95% CI = (1.00–1.15); p < 0.05).

Conclusion:

MDMA/ecstasy and psilocybin use are associated with reduced odds of suicidal thinking and related outcomes—though experimental studies are needed to determine whether these associations are causal. These findings call for more research into the efficacy of MDMA/ecstasy and classic psychedelics for treating psychological distress and suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and for updated drug legislation that allows for further investigation into these substances.
Validation of the Psychological Insight Scale: A new scale to assess psychological insight following a psychedelic experience
Authors: Peill Joseph M , Trinci Katie E , Kettner Hannes , Mertens Lea J , Roseman Leor , Timmermann Christopher , Rosas Fernando E , Lyons Taylor , Carhart-Harris Robin L
Published: January 2022

Introduction:

As their name suggests, ‘psychedelic’ (mind-revealing) compounds are thought to catalyse processes of psychological insight; however, few satisfactory scales exist to sample this. This study sought to develop a new scale to measure psychological insight after a psychedelic experience: the Psychological Insight Scale (PIS).

Methods:

The PIS is a six- to seven-item questionnaire that enquires about psychological insight after a psychedelic experience (PIS-6) and accompanied behavioural changes (PIS item 7). In total, 886 participants took part in a study in which the PIS and other questionnaires were completed in a prospective fashion in relation to a planned psychedelic experience. For validation purposes, data from 279 participants were analysed from a non-specific ‘global psychedelic survey’ study.

Results:

Principal components analysis of PIS scores revealed a principal component explaining 73.57% of the variance, which displayed high internal consistency at multiple timepoints throughout the study (average Cronbach’s α = 0.94). Criterion validity was confirmed using the global psychedelic survey study, and convergent validity was confirmed via the Therapeutic-Realizations Scale. Furthermore, PIS scores significantly mediated the relationship between emotional breakthrough and long-term well-being.

Conclusion:

The PIS is complementary to current subjective measures used in psychedelic studies, most of which are completed in relation to the acute experience. Insight – as measured by the PIS – was found to be a key mediator of long-term psychological outcomes following a psychedelic experience. Future research may investigate how insight varies throughout a psychedelic process, its underlying neurobiology and how it impacts behaviour and mental health.
Beyond subject-making: Conflicting humanisms, class analysis, and the “dark side” of Gramscian political ecology
Authors: Jakobsen Jostein
Published: January 2022

This article examines conflicting conceptualizations of the human subject in political ecology and geography: Foucauldian views of “subject-making” and Gramscian views of “the person”. While Foucauldian work holds that the more complete exertion of power, the more coherent subject-making, Gramscian historical–geographical perspectives counter that, the more complete exertion of power, the more incoherent persons and their class-based collectivities. Outlining incongruities between these approaches, I argue that the “dark side” of Gramscian political ecology—with its emphasis on incoherence and fracture–allows geographers new nuance in understanding the human subject, although not without challenges to the actual writing of such scholarship.
“One Degree of Separation”: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of Canadian Mental Health Care User and Provider Experiences With Remote Care During COVID-19
Authors: Ceniti Amanda K. , Abdelmoemin Wegdan R. , Ho Keith , Kang Yudi , Placenza Franca , Laframboise Rachel , Bhat Venkat , Foster Jane A. , Frey Benicio N. , Lam Raymond W. , Milev Roumen , Rotzinger Susan , Soares Claudio N. , Uher Rudolf , Kennedy Sidney H.
Published: January 2022

Objectives

The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to a shift from in-person to remote mental health care. While remote care methods have long existed, their widespread use is unprecedented. There is little research about mental health care user and provider experiences with this transition, and no published studies to date have compared satisfaction between these groups.

Methods

Canadian mental health care users ( n = 332) and providers ( n = 107) completed an online self-report survey from October 2020 to February 2021 hosted by the Canadian Biomarker Integration Network in Depression. Using a mixed-methods approach, participants were asked about their use of remote care, including satisfaction, barriers to use, helpful and unhelpful factors, and suggestions for improvement.

Results

Overall, 59% to 63% of health care users and 59% of health care providers were satisfied with remote care. Users reported the greatest satisfaction with the convenience of remote care, while providers were most satisfied with the speed of provision of care; all groups were least satisfied with therapeutic rapport. Health care providers were less satisfied with the user-friendliness of remote care ( P < 0.001) than users, while health care users were less satisfied than providers with continuity of care ( P < 0.001). The use of a video-based platform was associated with remote care satisfaction among health care users ( P < 0.02), and qualitative responses support the importance of visual cues in maintaining therapeutic rapport remotely. The majority of users (55%) and providers (87%) reported a likelihood of using remote care after the pandemic.

Conclusions

Remote mental health care is generally accepted by both users and providers, and the majority would consider using remote care following the pandemic. Suggestions for improvement include greater use of video, increased attention to body language and eye contact, consistency with in-person care, as well as increased provider training and administrative support.
Comparing Fatal Encounters, Mapping Police Violence, and Washington Post Fatal Police Shooting Data from 2015–2019: A Research Note
Authors: Comer Benjamin P. , Ingram Jason R.
Published: January 2022

This research note empirically assessed similarities and differences among three open-source data sets from 2015-2019. Fatal police shooting incidents were compared across Washington Post, Mapping Police Violence, and Fatal Encounters data over a five-year period. One-way ANOVAs, bivariate correlations, and proportional percentage differences were used to examine mean differences, correlational strength, and yearly percentage difference trends. No significant mean differences were observed between Fatal Encounters, Mapping Police Violence, and Washington Post. With one exception, bivariate correlations between all three data source dyads were consistently strong. Percentage difference comparisons among data source dyads, however, revealed that the sources are becoming more dissimilar in their reporting of fatal shootings over time. Our results complement existing literature that has compared open-source police shooting data to government sources and suggest that the three data sources were strongly associated with one another from 2015-2019. Increasing differences between sources, however, necessitate continued inspection of the data across the various open-source platforms over time.
Effects of Perinatal Stroke on Executive Functioning and Mathematics Performance in Children
Authors: Li Eliza , Smithson Lisa , Khan Muhammad , Kirton Adam , Pei Jacqueline , Andersen John , Yager Jerome Y. , Brooks Brian L. , Rasmussen Carmen
Published: January 2022

The goal of this study was to examine executive functioning, math performance, and visuospatial processing skills of children with perinatal stroke, which have not been well explored in this population. Participants included 18 children with perinatal stroke (aged 6-16 years old) and their primary caregiver. Each child completed standardized tests of executive function and visuospatial processing skills, Intelligence Quotient (IQ), and math achievement. Performance on executive function, IQ, math, and visuospatial processing tests was significantly lower in children with perinatal stroke when compared to normative means. Poorer inhibitory control was associated with worse math performance. Increased age at testing was associated with better performance on visuospatial ability (using standardized scores), and females performed better than males on a test of inhibitory control. Children with perinatal stroke displayed a range of neuropsychological impairments, and difficulties with executive function (inhibition) may contribute to math difficulties in this population.
Clinical and molecular spectrum associated with Polymerase-γ related disorders
Authors: Jha Ruchika , Patel Harshkumar , Dubey Rachana , Goswami Jyotindra N. , Bhagwat Chandana , Saini Lokesh , K. Manokaran Ranjith , John Biju M. , Kovilapu Uday B. , Mohimen Aneesh , Saxena Apoorv , Sondhi Vishal
Published: January 2022

Background

POLG pathogenic variants are the commonest single-gene cause of inherited mitochondrial disease. However, the data on clinicogenetic associations in POLG-related disorders are sparse. This study maps the clinicogenetic spectrum of POLG-related disorders in the pediatric population.

Methods

Individuals were recruited across 6 centers in India. Children diagnosed between January 2015 and August 2020 with pathogenic or likely pathogenic POLG variants and age of onset <15 years were eligible. Phenotypically, patients were categorized into Alpers-Huttenlocher syndrome; myocerebrohepatopathy syndrome; myoclonic epilepsy, myopathy, and sensory ataxia; ataxia-neuropathy spectrum; Leigh disease; and autosomal dominant / recessive progressive external ophthalmoplegia.

Results

A total of 3729 genetic reports and 4256 hospital records were screened. Twenty-two patients with pathogenic variants were included. Phenotypically, patients were classifiable into Alpers-Huttenlocher syndrome (8/22; 36.4%), progressive external ophthalmoplegia (8/22; 36.4%), Leigh disease (2/22; 9.1%), ataxia-neuropathy spectrum (2/22; 9.1%), and unclassified (2/22; 9.1%). The prominent clinical manifestations included developmental delay (n = 14; 63.7%), neuroregression (n = 14; 63.7%), encephalopathy (n = 11; 50%), epilepsy (n = 11; 50%), ophthalmoplegia (n = 8; 36.4%), and liver dysfunction (n = 8; 36.4%). Forty-four pathogenic variants were identified at 13 loci, and these were clustered at exonuclease (18/44; 40.9%), linker (13/44; 29.5%), polymerase (10/44; 22.7%), and N-terminal domains (3/44; 6.8%). Genotype-phenotype analysis suggested that serious outcomes including neuroregression (odds ratio [OR] 11, 95% CI 2.5, 41), epilepsy (OR 9, 95% CI 2.4, 39), encephalopathy (OR 5.7, 95% CI 1.4, 19), and hepatic dysfunction (OR 4.6, 95% CI 21.3, 15) were associated with at least 1 variant involving linker or polymerase domain.

Conclusions

We describe the clinical subgroups and their associations with different POLG domains. These can aid in the development of follow-up and management strategies of presymptomatic individuals.
Indirect cytotoxicity evaluations of antibacterial raw silk fabric doped with calcium, copper and zinc on fibroblasts and osteoblasts
Authors: Chigama Hiroki , Kanetaka Hiroyasu , Furuya Maiko , Yokota Kotone , Kawashita Masakazu
Published: January 2022

Antibacterial materials are widely used to prevent hospital-acquired infections. In our previous report, metal (calcium, copper or zinc)-doped raw silk fabrics were shown to possess strong antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli. However, antibacterial materials may occasionally be harmful to the human body; thus, in this study, we investigated the cytotoxicities of extracts from metal-doped raw silk fabrics with respect to fibroblasts and osteoblasts indirectly. Calcium-doped raw silk fabric demonstrated cytocompatibility with fibroblasts. Contrarily, copper- and zinc-doped raw silk fabrics remarkably decreased the cell densities of fibroblasts, indicating their cytotoxic effects. This observation could be attributed to the high concentrations of the released copper or zinc ions. However, calcium-, copper- and zinc-doped raw silk fabrics did not demonstrate any cytotoxic effects on osteoblasts because a high concentration of the serum alleviated the effects of these metal ions released from the fabrics. Thus, calcium-doped raw silk fabric is a promising antibacterial material that does not induce strong cytotoxicity. This study will facilitate the design of materials that are both antibacterial and safe.
Creative Writing and Decolonizing Intersectional Feminist Critical Reflexivity: Challenging Neoliberal, Gendered, White, Colonial Practice Norms in the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Mayor Christine , Pollack Shoshana
Published: January 2022

Creative writing during the COVID-19 pandemic can serve as a decolonizing intersectional feminist method for critical self-reflexivity. We share responses to the prompt: “If my therapeutic practice came with a warning label in COVID-19, what would it say?” and provide an analysis of the neoliberalism, whiteness, and colonialism embedded in our creative writing and practice. Engaging in critical self-reflexivity through metaphor carries potential for revealing hidden gendered, racialized, colonial, and neoliberal biases and norms related to social work practice, particularly when done in a collaborative, dialogic manner. We conclude by providing possible creative writing prompts that might be used in social work practice, supervision, and teaching to advance existing practices of self-reflexivity in social work both during and beyond the pandemic.
Pathways to Employee Outcomes in a Workplace Health Promotion Program
Authors: Harris Jeffrey R. , Kava Christine M. , Chan Kwun C. Gary , Kohn Marlana J. , Hammerback Kristen , Parrish Amanda T. , Helfrich Christian D. , Hannon Peggy A.
Published: January 2022

Purpose

This study examined the relationship between employee outcomes and employer implementation of evidence-based interventions (EBIs) for chronic disease prevention.

Design

Cross-sectional samples collected at 3 time points in a cluster-randomized, controlled trial of a workplace health promotion program to promote 12 EBIs.

Setting

King County, WA.

Sample

Employees of 63 small, low-wage workplaces.

Measures

Employer EBI implementation; 3 types of employee outcomes: perceived implementation of EBIs; perceived employer support for health; and health-related behaviors, perceived stress, depression risk, and presenteeism.

Analysis

Intent-to-treat and correlation analyses using generalized estimating equations. We tested bivariate associations along potential paths from EBI implementation, through perceived EBI implementation and perceived support for health, to several employee health-related outcomes.

Results

The intent-to-treat analysis found similar employee health-related behaviors in intervention and control workplaces at 15 and 24 months. Workplaces implemented varying combinations of EBIs, however, and bivariate associations were significant for 4 of the 6 indicators of physical activity and healthy eating, as well as perceived stress, depression risk, and presenteeism. We did not find significant positive associations for cancer screening and tobacco cessation.

Conclusion

Our findings support broader dissemination of EBIs for physical activity and healthy eating, as well as more focus on improving employer support for employee health. They also suggest we need better interventions for cancer screening and tobacco cessation.
Analysis of vibrations in a diesel engine produced by Jatropha biodiesel using heterogeneous catalyst
Authors: Singh Aparna , Choudhary Akhilesh Kumar , Sinha Shailendra , Panchal Hitesh , Sadasivuni Kishor Kumar
Published: January 2022

Extensive consumption of fossil fuel has contributed to the worldwide decline of its reserves and detrimental effect on the environment. Therefore, it is essential to explore alternative option of fuel for diesel engine. The main objective of this research article is to optimize vibrations in a single-cylinder variable compression ratio diesel engine driven by Jatropha biodiesel blend. The heterogeneous catalyst (calcium oxide) is used to manufacture of biodiesel from Jatropha curcas oil by a process of transesterification. The optimization technique (Response Surface Methodology) has been employed to optimize root mean square acceleration of vibration by taking load, compression ratio (CR), and fuel injection pressure (FIP) as engine input parameters. Experiments were designed according to central composite design. The amplitude of the frequency domain signals is determined using Fast Fourier Transform and the influence of input parameters has been investigated in the frequency domain analysis of the vibration signatures. The adequacy and significance of the models have been checked by p-value and F value tests. Regression coefficients Adj. R2, R2, Pred. R2 were also found in acceptable range. The experimental outcome reveals that biodiesel yield of 81.6% was obtained at methanol-to-oil molar ratio of 12:1, reaction temperature of 65°C, reaction time of 3 h, and catalyst concentration of 5 wt%. Simultaneously, the model obtained a series of solutions based on the desirability criteria and proposed optimum setting of engine input parameters at a load of 2.59 kg, 17.94 CR, and 268.76 bar FIP for B30 blend. B30 blend generated root mean square acceleration of 4.46 m/s2 at above optimized conditions. A validation trial was conducted and the percentage of error for root mean square acceleration was found to be 2.3356% and 1.3039%, respectively, for B0 and B30 blend.
Process optimization for the production of biodiesel from Azolla Microphylla oil and its fuel characterization
Authors: Kannan T.R. , Selva Roji S. Sheeju , Agnes A.
Published: January 2022

The most competent and operative use of renewable feedstock is super critical for the production of biodiesel which has increased attention worldwide pertaining to aquatic fern Azolla. Maximizing the biodiesel yield by optimizing the process parameters of the low-frequency ultrasonic energy-assisted transesterification process of Azolla oil is the need of the hour for minimizing the production cost of biodiesel. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was applied using central composite rotatable design (CCRD) to find the best optimum reaction parameters for this transesterification process. The optimized reaction parameters arrived from the design of experiments were as following: methanol/Azolla oils molar ratio (A)  =  6.49 mole/mole, KOH catalyst concentration (B)  =  1.69 (weight% of oil), reactiion time (C)  =  34.74 min and reaction temperature (D)  =  38.87°C. The best higher theoretical predicted Azolla Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME) yield was Y  =  99.76% which is in well coincidence with the actual yield. The extracted Azolla biodiesel was tested for various fuel properties with standard test procedures and found to be in agreement with various Biodiesel standards and the results are promising in terms of utilizing Azolla oil as an inexhaustible and potentially economical source of biodiesel.
Orchestrators of coordination: Towards a new role of the state in coordinated capitalism?
Authors: Busemeyer Marius R , Carstensen Martin B , Emmenegger Patrick
Published: January 2022

Liberalization poses significant challenges for the continued provision of collective goods within coordinated market economies (CME). Extant scholarship suggests two dominant sets of responses. Either CMEs continue to rely on employer coordination, but only for a privileged core, leading to dualization. Or, in cases where the state enjoys high capacity, the state instead compensates for liberalization but ends up crowding out employer coordination. In both cases, the result is decreasing employer coordination. We argue that in CMEs, the state may also play the role of “orchestrator” by supporting the revitalization of employer coordination. It does so through the deployment of ideational and institutional resources that mobilize employers’ associations on a voluntary basis. Applying our framework to a core area of coordinated capitalism, vocational education and training, we show that in both Germany and Switzerland, this indirect and soft form of state intervention was instrumental for turning around their crisis-stricken vocational training systems.
A potential outcomes approach to defining and estimating gestational age-specific exposure effects during pregnancy
Authors: Schnitzer Mireille E , Guerra Steve Ferreira , Longo Cristina , Blais Lucie , Platt Robert W
Published: January 2022

Many studies seek to evaluate the effects of potentially harmful pregnancy exposures during specific gestational periods. We consider an observational pregnancy cohort where pregnant individuals can initiate medication usage or become exposed to a drug at various times during their pregnancy. An important statistical challenge involves how to define and estimate exposure effects when pregnancy loss or delivery can occur over time. Without proper consideration, the results of standard analysis may be vulnerable to selection bias, immortal time-bias, and time-dependent confounding. In this study, we apply the “target trials” framework of Hernán and Robins in order to define effects based on the counterfactual approach often used in causal inference. This effect is defined relative to a hypothetical randomized trial of timed pregnancy exposures where delivery may precede and thus potentially interrupt exposure initiation. We describe specific implementations of inverse probability weighting, G-computation, and Targeted Maximum Likelihood Estimation to estimate the effects of interest. We demonstrate the performance of all estimators using simulated data and show that a standard implementation of inverse probability weighting is biased. We then apply our proposed methods to a pharmacoepidemiology study to evaluate the potentially time-dependent effect of exposure to inhaled corticosteroids on birthweight in pregnant people with mild asthma.
‘When most I wink, then’ – what? Assessing the comprehension of literary texts in university students of English as a second language
Authors: Bauer Matthias , Glaesser Judith , Kelava Augustin , Kirchhoff Leonie , Zirker Angelika
Published: January 2022

This article introduces a test for literary text comprehension in university students of English as a second language. Poetry is especially suited for our purpose since it frequently shows features that offer challenges to comprehension in a limited space. An example is Shakespeare’s Sonnet 43, on which our test is based: it is suited for assessing not only if a text has been understood but also the ability of respondents to reflect on their own comprehension skills. We show that the test’s psychometric properties are satisfactory, and we demonstrate its validity by analysing relevant external indicators. Thus, we can show a direct link between general reading experience and text comprehension as tested: the more students read, the better do they perform. The collaboration of literary studies with psychometrics moreover allows for a statistically valid identification of specific challenges to comprehension and thus advance our knowledge of what readers find difficult. This will be of interest not only in a hermeneutic and linguistic perspective but also with a view to addressing those difficulties in an educational context. For example, asking someone whether they have understood an utterance (in this case: a line of poetry) does not elicit reliable answers. Being able to say how one has established the meaning of a line seems to be a more reliable indicator of actually having understood it.
A transitory phenomenon: German commanders and chiefs of staff, 1866–1918
Authors: DiNardo Richard L
Published: January 2022

This article examines the relationship between commanders and chiefs of staff during the period of the Wars of German Unification and the entirety of the Kaiserreich. The practice of pairing up a commander and a chief of staff was one that was specific to Germany. Traditional scholarship holds that in many cases, it was really the chief of staff who did all the thinking, while the commander was nothing more than a front man. The primary example of this was the relationship between Paul von Hindenburg and Erich Ludendorff. The problem is that unthinking historians have projected relationship of this particular duo on the rest of the imperial German army. One of the reasons for this was the presence of members of German royal families in high command positions. This article suggests that first, commanders, including royal family members, were far more influential than their chiefs of staff. In addition, the power wielded by chiefs of staff also reflected the nagging problem of battlefield communications, especially given the limitations of telephone and early wireless radio. Once these difficulties were eliminated by the collapse of the imperial regime, and the development of radio, the power of chiefs of staff was severely curbed by 1939. Thus, the relationship between commanders and chiefs of staff was at best a transitory phenomenon.
Survival Rate, Postdischarge Readmission Rate, Its Causes and Outcomes Among the Preterm Neonates Admitted in a Tertiary Care Centre, Northern India
Authors: Saini Daljit , Kaur Harpreet , Prajapati Manisha , Kaur Prabhjot Jot , Saini Shivani , Dhiman Himanshi , Kumari Bandna , Kalyan Geetanjli , Nagi Manisha , Thakur Mukta , Kumar Praveen
Published: January 2022

Objective:

To assess the survival rate, readmission rate, its causes, and outcomes among the preterm neonates that were discharged from the neonatal units of a tertiary care center of northern India.

Methods:

A retrospective study was conducted in neonatal units of a tertiary care center in northern India. Preterm neonates (<=35 weeks) were admitted in these neonatal units, and their parents were included as participants by total enumeration sampling between July–December 2018. The data was collected from the admission records for the last 6 months from neonatal intensive care unit and from the parents whose babies were discharged. The parents were telephonically interviewed regarding readmissions and mortality. The data relating to the sociodemographic profile of parents, clinical profile of preterm neonates, readmission profile of discharged preterm neonates, and risk predictors for readmission of preterm neonates was collected.

Results:

A total of 249 preterm neonates were admitted in 6 months. It was found that the survival rate was 197 (79.1%); the readmission rate was 23 (16.4%). Out of total readmitted, majority 22 (95.7) had low maternal education as risk predictor of readmissions, followed by habitats of rural area.

Conclusion:

Preterm neonates are at more risk for getting multiple readmissions as compared to other neonates. Thus, there is a need to find out the strategies to overcome the burden of readmissions.
The Impact of Foreign Direct Investment and Biomass Energy Consumption on Pollution in BRICS Countries: A Panel Data Analysis
Authors: Barış-Tüzemen Özge , Tüzemen Samet
Published: January 2022

The relationship between foreign direct investment and carbon emissions in the BRICS (Brazil, Russian Federation, India, China, and South Africa) countries for 1992–2017 is investigated in this study. Biomass energy consumption and per capita income variables are also added to the model as additional determinants of pollution. To test the pollution haven hypothesis, panel fixed-effects and random-effects models are employed. The findings show that an N-shaped association exists between foreign direct investment and CO2 in BRICS countries. In addition, the empirical results also suggest that there is both an inverted-U and an inverted-N-shaped connection between income and pollution. Finally, the quadratic fixed-effects model results imply that biomass energy consumption has significant contribution to environmental degradation in these countries. When the results are interpreted, BRICS countries are suggested to provide more incentives to renewable energy sources and accelerate the development of the green energy system to attract clean resources and prevent environmental degradation.
The Student Experiences of Teaching and Learning in Transnational Higher Education: A Phenomenographic Study from a British-Qatari Partnership
Authors: Yafei Khalifa Al , Ayoubi Rami M. , Crawford Megan
Published: January 2022

Transnational higher education (TNHE) of UK universities has been noticeably expanding during the last two decades in the Arab Gulf region, but few studies investigated qualitatively the different ways in which students in that region experience both teaching and learning. The aim of this study is to understand the ways that students conceptualise their learning and educational experiences at a British TNHE in Qatar. Employing a phenomenographic approach, we interviewed forty students in a TNHE UK programme within a Qatari higher education institution (HEI). The outcomes of our interviews generated three hierarchically related categories as follows: developing academic skills, acquiring self-learning skills, and acquiring employability skills. Our findings also suggest themes of interdependence in learning and transferability of skills developed by students. This study offers HEIs a better understanding and insight into the design of TNHE programmes that would respond to the students’ learning experiences and educational development.
Joint Labor and Environmental Networks’ Chemical Disaster Prevention Recommendations to the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board
Authors: Earthjustice Union of Concerned Scientists
Published: January 2022

More than 180 preventable incidents at hazardous chemicals facilities occur each year, resulting in deaths, injuries, evacuations, shelter in place orders, environmental contamination, and facility shutdowns with permanent job loss. As of June 17, 2021, the Chemical Safety Board (CSB) had nineteen open site investigations of incidents that in total killed thirty-two people, injured at least eighty-seven people, led to thousands of residents sheltering in place or evacuating, and resulted in many millions of dollars in property damage. This document outlines twenty-one practical and measurable actions that the CSB can take to rebuild its investigative and recommendations capacity; set clear priorities for agency action; reform its governance policies; and increase public transparency and engagement. The proposed actions address incident investigations, safety studies, safety recommendations, agency governance, and public transparency and engagement.
Establishing the Groundwork for Clinical Trials With Hiccupops® for Hiccup Palliation
Authors: Ehret Christopher J. , Jatoi Aminah
Published: January 2022

Objective

Because hiccup palliation remains an unmet clinical need, we report here on an early experience with Hiccupops, ® a patented product designed for the express purpose of providing a mechanism-based intervention for hiccup palliation.

Methods

Meter Health, the developer and manufacturer of this patented product, used a purposive sampling approach to allow individuals with hiccups and a desire for hiccup palliation to purchase their agent and then to report on its efficacy or lack thereof. The authors of this report were provided these outcome data and allowed to analyze, report, and publish with no input from Meter Health with the exception of comments on accuracy.

Results

This report focused on 43 surveys that were completed. In response to the question, “Did the Hiccupops work for the person they were purchased for?” 29 (67%) responded, “yes.” Seven individuals (16%) responded, “no;” and 7 (16%) were “not sure.” Write-in comments appeared to substantiate the effective palliative nature of the intervention: “A friend with 10 days of hiccups following… brain tumor surgery, after 2 days, they stopped!!!#.” Another noted the following: “I like that if my hiccups get painful they’re there as a quick relief.” Less favorable comments were also noted: “She couldn’t get past the…. taste.” Another read as follows: “They were not effective in stopping my father’s intractable hiccups…. I like that there is someone out there who cares about trying to stop people’s hiccups.”

Conclusions

This patented product appears to palliate hiccups in some individuals and merits further study.
Yolk Sac Tumor in a Recurrence of Colonic Adenocarcinoma With Shared Mutations in APC and TP53 Genes: A Case Report
Authors: Otani Tomoyuki , Kanemura Hiroaki , Kimura Masatomo , Mitani Seiichiro , Takeda Masayuki , Matsuki Mitsuru , Matsumura Noriomi , Satou Takao , Nakagawa Kazuhiko , Ito Akihiko
Published: January 2022

Only four cases of colorectal adenocarcinoma with a yolk sac tumor (YST) component have been reported in the English literature. No genetic investigation has been performed in these cases. We report a case of colorectal adenocarcinoma in which the recurrent tumor had a YST component. A 49-year-old woman presented with a pelvic tumor three years after endoscopic mucosal resection of sigmoid colon adenocarcinoma. The pelvic tumor consisted of an undifferentiated carcinoma component and a YST component. The serum alpha-fetoprotein level was elevated to 42 ng/mL. Treatment as conventional colorectal carcinoma produced some anticancer effects, but the patient died 14 months after the recurrence and 49 months after the EMR. With the help of the next-generation sequencing results of the recurrent tumor, APC c.835 − 8A > G and TP53 c.524G > A (p.R175H) mutations were identified by direct sequencing in both the primary and the recurrent tumors, confirming the relationship between the two metachronous tumors.
Research on acoustic behaviors of water pipelines with guide vanes
Authors: Wang Xianzhong , Li Ning , Yu Min , Lin Hongzhou , Ye Lili
Published: January 2022

In this paper, the pipeline with guide vanes was taken as the research object, the flow noise was studied based on the hybrid calculation method, then the acoustic-structure coupling method was introduced to study the vibration and radiation noise, and then explored the best position of the guide vanes. Based on the pipeline experimental platform and improved experimental methods, it was found that the guide vanes had a better noise reduction effect on the elbows; based on that, a simulation study was carried out on the elbow with guide vanes, and the mechanism of the guide vanes on the velocity field and pulsating pressure of the pipeline was explored. Finally, the noise reduction effect at different positions of the guide vanes under different flow speeds was studied. The results indicated that the guide vane at the middle of the elbow had the best effect on improving the flow field and reducing noise in the working conditions studied in this article, providing a calculation basis for the design of the guide vane.
Sexual Violence as a Key Predictor of Depressive Symptoms in Women: Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women and Families
Authors: Kim Young-taek , Cha Chiyoung , Lee Mi-ran
Published: January 2022

The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of violence on depressive symptoms in women. We analyzed panel data from the Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women and Families ( n  =  6,632). Exposure to sexual violence was a significant predictor of the onset of depressive symptoms. After adjusting for all covariates, other predictors included the perception of a poor or very poor health status than normal and participants in their 40s and 50s versus participants younger than 40 years. Assessing exposure to sexual violence might be beneficial for evaluating depressive symptoms in women who are newly diagnosed with depression.
Conducting and Evaluating Multilevel Studies: Recommendations, Resources, and a Checklist
Authors: González-Romá Vicente , Hernández Ana
Published: January 2022

Multilevel methods allow researchers to investigate relationships that expand across levels (e.g., individuals, teams, and organizations). The popularity of these methods for studying organizational phenomena has increased in recent decades. Methodologists have examined how these methods work under different conditions, providing an empirical base for making sound decisions when using these methods. In this article, we provide recommendations, tools, resources, and a checklist that can be useful for scholars involved in conducting or assessing multilevel studies. The focus of our article is on two-level designs, in which Level-1 entities are neatly nested within Level-2 entities, and top-down effects are estimated. However, some of our recommendations are also applicable to more complex multilevel designs.
Sample Selection in Randomized Trials With Multiple Target Populations
Authors: Tipton Elizabeth
Published: January 2022

Practitioners and policymakers often want estimates of the effect of an intervention for their local community, e.g., region, state, county. In the ideal, these multiple population average treatment effect (ATE) estimates will be considered in the design of a single randomized trial. Methods for sample selection for generalizing the sample ATE to date, however, focus only on the case of a single target population. In this paper, I provide a framework for sample selection in the multiple population case, including three compromise allocations. I situate the methods in an example and conclude with a discussion of the implications for the design of randomized evaluations more generally.
The Role of Distributional Overlap on the Precision Gain of Bounds for Generalization
Authors: Chan Wendy
Published: January 2022

Over the past ten years, propensity score methods have made an important contribution to improving generalizations from studies that do not select samples randomly from a population of inference. However, these methods require assumptions and recent work has considered the role of bounding approaches that provide a range of treatment impact estimates that are consistent with the observable data. An important limitation to bound estimates is that they can be uninformatively wide. This has motivated research on the use of propensity score stratification to narrow bounds. This article assesses the role of distributional overlap in propensity scores on the effectiveness of stratification to tighten bounds. Using the results of two simulation studies and two case studies, I evaluate the relationship between distributional overlap and precision gain and discuss the implications when propensity score stratification is used as a method to improve precision in the bounding framework.
The importance of attachment to an ideological group in multi-party systems: Evidence from Israel
Authors: Oshri Odelia , Yair Omer , Huddy Leonie
Published: January 2022

In this research, we examine the role of attachment to an ideological group as a source of stability in a volatile multi-party system. In two studies conducted in Israel ( N = 1320), we show that a multi-item Attachment to an Ideological Group (AIG) scale is strongly tied to vote choice and political engagement, and its effects are independent of, and more powerful than, issue-based ideology and partisan identity strength. Compared to individuals with a weak ideological attachment, those who score highly on the AIG scale are more likely to vote for a party from their ideological camp and participate in politics. Moreover, in two survey experiments, respondents high in AIG displayed stronger anger or enthusiasm—known harbingers of political action—in response to threat or reassurance to their ideological group’s status, attesting to a link between AIG and political engagement. Our findings underscore the importance of ideological group attachments in a volatile multi-party system.
Health professionals’ experiences of and attitudes towards mental healthcare for migrants and refugees in Europe: A qualitative systematic review
Authors: Peñuela-O’Brien E. , Wan M. W. , Edge D. , Berry K.
Published: January 2022

Migrants living in Europe constitute over half of the world's international migrants and are at higher risk of poor mental health than non-migrants, yet also face more barriers in accessing and engaging with services. Furthermore, the quality of care received is shaped by the experiences and attitudes of health professionals. The aim of this review was to identify professionals’ attitudes towards migrants receiving mental healthcare and their perceptions of barriers and facilitators to service provision. Four electronic databases were searched, and 23 studies met the inclusion criteria. Using thematic synthesis, we identified three themes: 1) the management of multifaceted and complex challenges associated with the migrant status; 2) professionals’ emotional responses to working with migrants; and 3) delivering care in the context of cultural difference. Professionals employed multiple strategies to overcome challenges in providing care yet attitudes towards this patient group were polarized. Professionals described mental health issues as being inseparable from material and social disadvantage, highlighting a need for effective collaboration between health services and voluntary organizations, and partnerships with migrant communities. Specialist supervision, reflective practice, increased training for professionals, and the adoption of a person-centered approach are also needed to overcome the current challenges in meeting migrants’ needs. The challenges experienced by health professionals in attempting to meet migrant needs reflect frustrations in being part of a system with insufficient resources and without universal access to care that effectively stigmatizes the migrant status.
Process-adapted temperature application within a two-stage rivet forming process for high nitrogen steel
Authors: Kuball C-M , Uhe B , Meschut G , Merklein M
Published: January 2022

Mechanical joining technologies like self-piercing riveting are gaining importance with regard to environmental protection, as they enable multi-material design and lightweight construction. A new approach is the use of high nitrogen steel as rivet material, which allows to omit the usually necessary heat treatment and coating and thus leads to a shortening of the process chain. Due to the high strain hardening, however, high tool loads must be expected. Thus, appropriate forming strategies are needed. Within this contribution, the influence of applying different temperatures for each forming stage in a two-stage rivet forming process using the high nitrogen steel 1.3815 is investigated. The findings provide a basic understanding of the influence of the temperature management when forming high nitrogen steel. For this purpose, the rivets are not formed at the same temperature in each stage, but an elevated temperature is applied selectively. Different process routes are investigated. First, cups are manufactured in stage 1 at room temperature, followed by stage 2 at 200°C. Second, cups are formed in stage 1 at 200°C and used for stage 2 at room temperature. By comparing the findings with results when applying the same temperature in both stages, it is shown that the temperature during the first forming operation has an effect on the forming behaviour during the second forming stage. The required forming forces and the resulting rivet hardness can be influenced by process-adapted temperature application. Furthermore, the causes for the temperature impact on the residual cup thickness in stage 1 are evaluated by a cause and effect analysis, which provides a deeper process understanding. The thermal expansion of the tool and the billet as well as the improved forming behaviour at 200°C are identified as the main influencing causes on the achieved residual cup thickness.
In the wake of the hostile environment: migration, reproduction and the Windrush scandal
Authors: Gedalof Irene
Published: January 2022

This article examines the place of reproduction in the UK migration policy popularly known as ‘the hostile environment’, introduced in 2012 by the Conservative–Lib Dem Coalition government, and the ‘Windrush scandal’ that followed. In order to think through how the reproductive sphere comes in to play in this policy and its consequences, I draw on theoretical insights from the work of Christina Sharpe and Saidiya Hartman, both of whom invite us to reflect on the ways in which the afterlife of enslavement and empire continues to impinge on the status of Black subjects, and the ways in which our notions of the maternal, reproduction, kinship and belonging are entangled in this process. I begin by examining the place of the reproductive sphere in the hostile environment policy itself, before moving on to discuss the Windrush scandal and the ways in which it can be seen as an attack on the reproductive needs of its victims. I then consider these findings further through an engagement with the work of Sharpe and Hartman, arguing that the scandal reveals ways in which we continue to live ‘in the wake’ of racialised understandings of the reproductive that mean that some people are refused the possibilities of attachment and affiliation, so that, in Hartman's words, theirs is ‘the perilous condition of existing in a world in which you have no investment’. In the final section, I respond to Sharpe's call for white people to ‘rend the fabric of the kinship narrative’ that produces these exclusionary terms of belonging and permits the repetition of such brutalities as the hostile environment.