bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A design of bionic soft gripper for automatic fabric grasping in apparel manufacturing
Authors: Su Junqiang , Wang Nan , Zhang Fan
Published: November 2022

As a robot end-effector, the soft gripper shows good flexibility and adaptability in the process of grasping the fabric, which provides a new solution for garment production automation. In this article, a soft gripper like a high-heeled shoe was proposed which can separate the fabric layer by layer with high effectiveness. First, by observing the action of human hands grasping fabric, a soft gripper with a fixed finger and a movable finger was designed. Then, the structural parameters, such as the height difference between the fixed finger and the movable finger, the finger’s opening width, and the thickness of cavity of the designed soft finger are determined through force analysis and finite-element analysis. Further, a method was proposed to evaluate the positioning precision after the transportation of cutting pieces. Finally, soft grippers with three different parameters were made by three-dimensional printing to test their performance in grasping fabrics, and the accuracy of separating pieces of fabric layer by layer and the precision of positioning the fabric were tested, respectively. The results show that when the soft gripper with d = 1 mm is used to grasp different fabrics, the accuracy of layer-by-layer separation is above 90%. After the gripper is opened and the fabric is released, the positioning precision of most fabrics gets a tolerance of ±1 mm. Experimental results show that the soft gripper designed in this paper can behave like human hands to operate the motion of grasping fabrics in the manufacturing of garments.
Impedance evaluation of textile electrodes for EEG measurements
Authors: Rahman S M Musfequr , Mattila Henna , Janka Marika , Virkki Johanna
Published: November 2022

In this paper, we evaluated the impedance of textile electrodes for electroencephalography measurements. We compared the commercially available standard dry silver/silver chloride dry electrodes, copper-based, and silver-based textile electrodes by measuring impedance on the skin. First, on dry skin, the impedance range of the electrodes was 93–350 kΩ at 0 min; after 60 min, the range was 20–56 kΩ. The commercial electrode showed the lowest impedance of 20 kΩ, and the silver-based textile electrode showed the highest impedance of 56 kΩ in dry skin conditions after 60 min. When tap water was applied as an electrolyte, the impedance range was 13–15 kΩ at 0 min; after 60 min, the range was 17–22 kΩ for all three types of electrodes. In this case, the copper-based textile electrode showed the lowest impedance of 17 kΩ and the commercial electrode showed the highest impedance of 22 kΩ after 60 min. When saline water was applied as an electrolyte, at 0 min, the impedance range was 8–11 kΩ; after 60 min, the range became 11–12 kΩ for all three types of electrodes. Thus, all electrodes showed similar results. It was concluded that the copper-based textile electrodes were more suitable than the silver-based textile electrodes and comparable to commercial electrodes regarding impedance in all three skin conditions.
A Field Wide Snapshot of Student Learning Outcomes in the Technical and Professional Communication Service Course
Authors: Griffith Jessica , Zarlengo Tanya , Melonçon Lisa
Published: November 2022

Using the technical and professional communication service course as the site for research, and student learning outcomes (SLOs) as the specific focus, we gathered, coded, and analyzed 503 SLOs from 93 institutions. Our results show the top outcomes are rhetoric, genre, writing, design, and collaboration. We discuss these outcomes and then we offer programmatic implications drawn from the data that encourage technical and professional communication program administrators and faculty to use common SLOs, to improve outcome development, and to reconsider the purpose of the service course for students.
The Shadow of Lives Lost in the Mediterranean Over Europe
Authors: Aidnik Martin
Published: November 2022

Europe’s treatment of refugees provides growing evidence that the continent is losing its moral compass, and that Europe is increasingly callous – so-called Fortress Europe. Brute force, deterrence, including pushbacks and barbed wire fences have become the instruments with which European governments have responded to irregular migration and refugees. This article seeks to bring to the fore the contradiction between the EU’s self-proclaimed values — human dignity and human rights — and the callous policies of nation states and the EU’s migration regime. My main focus lies on the calamitous conditions of refugees and the thousands of deaths that have occurred in the Mediterranean Sea since 2015, the year that refugees fleeing Syria’s civil war started making their way to Europe. Importantly, the Mediterranean is the deadliest border in the world; it is the veritable global epicenter of lethal border crossings. Drawing on contemporary critical theory, I undertake a humanist critique of the European status quo. The EU, as a force for a better, more livable world, is on its way to becoming irrelevant, something that was evident well before the Covid-19 pandemic. This is what is principally at stake today.
Surgical treatment of a chronic thoracoabdominal dissection with false lumen thrombosis and true lumen compression determining multivisceral ischemia
Authors: Montanari Francesca , Donati Tommaso , Farina, Piero , Tshomba Yamume
Published: November 2022

Introduction

The treatment of a chronic type B aortic dissection can be challenging and need a precise and multidisciplinary planning.

Materials and Results

A 62-year-old man presented to our hospital with acute aortic thrombosis on chronic thoracoabdominal dissection with bowel and kidney ischemia. He was submitted to urgent open surgical treatment with replacement of thoracoabdominal aorta and reimplantation of celiac trunk, superior mesenteric artery and right renal artery. During the intervention the visceral perfusion was provided with a modified Gott shunt; while the lower limb perfusion was provided by an existing right axillo-femoral and femoro-femoral bypass. The patient had a favorable course and did not report any complications.

Conclusion

The ideal management strategy of complex post-dissection conditions has to be tailored on the single patient’s features to provide the maximal efficacy and safety. If the endovascular treatment is not viable, open surgery represents a valid option.
Preliminary analysis of the clinical feasibility of a practice intervention derived from the occupational therapy intervention process model for patients with stroke in the convalescence stage
Authors: Choji Yuki , Kobayashi Ryuji
Published: November 2022

Introduction:

This study lays the groundwork for the Occupational Therapy Intervention Process Model (OTIPM) run by occupational therapy practitioners for patients with stroke. We explored the feasibility of a treatment approach based on the OTIPM for patients with stroke and the clinical feasibility of evaluating the degree of a collaborative relationship between patients and occupational therapists.

Method:

This pilot trial was conducted as a one-group pre-test–post-test study and two-group comparison on 16 patients with stroke in the convalescence stage. We used the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS), Functional Independence Measure, Japan Stroke Scale of Motor Function, and the Collaborative Relationship Scale between clients and occupational therapists to assess outcomes.

Results:

Patients demonstrated a significant improvement on the outcome measures after intervention. Moreover, the good collaborative relationship group demonstrated significantly higher process skills in AMPS and satisfaction in COPM than the poor collaborative relationship group.

Conclusion:

This preliminary study revealed that short-term OTIPM for patients with stroke may be a feasible clinical practice. In addition, evaluating the degree of the difference in the collaborative relationship between patients and occupational therapists would be a feasible clinical practice.
A double-edged sword: The conditional properties of elite network ties in the financial sector
Authors: Young Kevin L , Marple Timothy , Heilman James , Desmarais Bruce A
Published: November 2022

Existing scholarship suggests a deep relationship between elite connections and policy making in the financial sector. But are elite ties between private industry and government a resource for private industry, or a liability? We find that they can be either, depending on the circumstances. We analyze the associations of elite ties within numerous policy-making processes in the financial sector by measuring the network closeness between firms and government regulators. We then relate these measures of network closeness to a range of actual regulatory outcomes, from highly politicized bank bailouts to meetings with regulators both in crisis environments and in more detailed technocratic policy-making. Our findings point to the importance of institutional context in differentiating the role that elite ties might play in different circumstances. Within financial regulatory policy-making, while social ties between firms and regulators matter, they matter in different ways within different institutional contexts.
Abortion Stigma: Imagined Consequences for People Seeking Abortion Care in the United States
Authors: Baker Majel R. , Papp Leanna J. , Crawford Brandon L. , McClelland Sara I.
Published: November 2022

Prior to and since the 2022 Dobbs decision, U.S. state laws have endorsed individuals surveilling and punishing those associated with abortion care. This practice presents an urgent need to understand the characteristics of abortion stigma, particularly the perspectives of individuals with stigmatizing beliefs. To examine the concept and characteristics of abortion stigma, we interviewed 55 individuals about whether they thought there should be consequences for getting an abortion and, if so, what the consequences should be. Adults from three states (Michigan, Kansas, and Arizona) were purposively sampled to include a range of abortion identities and levels of religious engagement. We used reflexive thematic analysis to code and interpret the data. Participants imagined consequences including financial penalties, incarceration, and forced sterilization. Three themes highlighted how abortion was described as violating the law, women's gender roles, and religious doctrine; accordingly, abortion was imagined as deserving of negative consequences, although abortion was legal in all states during data collection. We argue that these imagined consequences relied on carceral logics and interconnected sexist, racist, and classist stereotypes that reflect and reproduce abortion stigma. This study deepens the understanding of abortion stigma from the perspective of the stigmatizer, underscoring the danger of legislation grounded in stigmatizing beliefs. Online slides for instructors who want to use this article for teaching are available on PWQ's website at http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/suppl/10.1177/03616843221131544 .
Altered M1/M2 polarization of alveolar macrophages is involved in the pathological responses of acute silicosis in rats in vivo
Authors: Zhang Zhaoqiang , Wu Xiao , Han Guizhi , Shao Bo , Lin Li , Jiang Shunli
Published: November 2022

Alveolar macrophages play a vital role in the development of acute silicosis, but the dynamic changes of M1 and/or M2 phenotypes have not been elucidated. In this study, acute silicosis models of rat were established by a one-time dusting method, and the rats were sacrificed after 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28 days. The polarity states of macrophages were assessed by measuring the M1/M2 marker genes of alveolar macrophages and the M1/M2 marker proteins in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. The pathological changes of lung tissues were examined with hematoxylin and Eosin and Masson’s trichrome staining. Our results showed that in the early stages, alveolar macrophages were mainly polarized into M1; with time, the polarization of M2 gradually became dominant. Microscopic sections showed significant pathological responses of inflammation and fibrosis. This work suggested that the alteration of alveolar macrophage polarization was involved in the lung pathologic responses to acute silicosis.
Matters of the Heart: Childhood Maltreatment, Religious Transitions, and Cardiovascular-Related Problems over the Life Course
Authors: Upenieks Laura , Thomas Patricia A.
Published: November 2022

Objectives:

Childhood maltreatment is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular-related problems, the leading cause of death in the United States. Drawing from cumulative inequality theory, this study considers whether transitions in religious attendance moderate the deleterious impact of childhood maltreatment on long-term cardiovascular risk.

Methods:

We utilize over 35 years of prospective panel data from the National Longitudinal Study of Youth from the United States (1979–2015).

Results:

Our findings suggest that decreases in religious attendance between adolescence and adulthood (from high to low, and high to moderate attendance) were associated with elevated cardiovascular-related risk for those abused as children. Neither stable high attendance nor increases in attendance buffered against the impact of childhood abuse on cardiovascular-related problems.

Discussion:

We illustrate the importance of incorporating the role of stability and change in religious attendance across the life course and suggest directions for future research.
The (R)evolution of the Social Entrepreneurship Concept: A Critical Historical Review
Authors: Teasdale Simon , Bellazzecca Enrico , de Bruin Anne , Roy Michael J.
Published: November 2022

The contested concept of social entrepreneurship has gained particular prominence in academic literature over the last few decades. To explore how patterns of understandings relating to social entrepreneurship have emerged and shifted over time, we undertook a critical historical review focusing on the most highly cited social entrepreneurship articles in each of five time periods over the last 30 years. We identify four thematic areas—conceptualization, theoretical approaches, the search for data, and social change outcomes—characteristic of each period, allowing us to plot the terrain of social entrepreneurship scholarship over time. We show how patterns emerge across these themes over time and relate our analysis to wider developments in the field. In concluding, we discuss how the concept has been theoretically and conceptually enriched by an ability to accommodate critique.
Study on added damping due to resistive shunting on cantilever, simply supported beam, and effect on the variation of amplitude at resonance
Authors: Gurubrahmam K , Ramamohan Rao T , Chandra Sekhar Reddy M
Published: November 2022

The current work determines the piezoelectric damping of resistively shunted beams induced by resistors through joule heating. To predict this damping, a piezoelectric patch [Formula: see text] is attached to the surface of a cantilever beam. The current work emphasizes the effect of various parameters on damping added to the cantilever beam through the energy dissipation approach. This work analyzes different methods for predicting added damping. Results from different approaches rely on the base structure modeshape. Using the energy dissipation method from voltage generation, estimated added damping, included a stepped beam model to account for the curvature of the beam with PZT. Further, the same is validated with existing literature and found to be consistent. With the energy dissipation approach, including the stepped beam model compared with experimental literature data, the accuracy of the adopted beam model is validated. Few critical observations were made, such as the location of the PZT patch plays a vital role in determining the required added damping for a particular mode. This optimal location was the nodal location of the other modes. The location of the piezoelectric patch is an important parameter to achieve the required added damping for a particular mode. The optimal location of PZT to achieve maximum added damping for a particular mode may lie at the nodal location of other modes. This optimal location is addressed by rigorous experiments on a simply-supported beam initially and further correlated to a cantilever beam with the help of an energy dissipation approach. The energy dissipation model is correlated and validated for cantilever beam straight PZT on cantilever beams and a simply supported beam. In practical situations, in ambient conditions, environmental effects may result in a change of resonant frequency and thus amplitude. This variation may alter the base and shunt damping performance attributed to air damping. We have experimentally investigated the influence of air damping for base damping (inherent) and added damping (PZT).
Study on the leakage in water-injected twin-screw steam compressor
Authors: Tian Yafen , Yuan Hao , Geng Yanting , Zhao Zhaorui
Published: November 2022

Steam compressor shows great energy-saving potential in mechanical vapor compression and high-temperature heat pump systems. However, leakage remains a huge problem for compressor performance improvement and design optimization. In this article, a thermodynamic model with detailed leakage flow model was developed for the working process in water-injected twin-screw compressor. Altogether, leakage in different paths and heat and mass transfer between injected liquid and compressed vapor were considered. Compared with experimental results, the accuracy of predicted efficiency is within ± 5% for all tested operating conditions. In the validated model, leakage flow in five leakage paths and their effects on compressor efficiency was investigated. Results indicate that leakage can reduce volumetric efficiency by up to 50.2%, while the injected water liquid vaporization can improve volumetric efficiency by 7.9% at 5000 r·min−1. The leakage through contact line (CL), tip sealing (TS) line, and discharge end face (DE) show the most important impact on compressor efficiency, while the leakage through blow hole (BH) and suction end face (SE) has little impact on compressor efficiency. Compared with zero leakage under certain conditions, the reduction of volumetric efficiency caused by CL, TS line, and DE can reach up to 22.4%, 20.4%, and 12.7%, respectively. Reducing clearances of the above three leakage paths can efficiently improve the performance of steam compressor, especially for CL.
Hydroxychloroquine use reduces mortality risk in systemic lupus erythematosus: A systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies
Authors: Cai Tiantian , Zhao Jing , Yang Yanping , Jiang Yanfei , Zhang Jin-an
Published: November 2022

Objective

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is widely used in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but its effects on the mortality have not reached a definite conclusion. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to assess whether HCQ use could reduce the risk of mortality in SLE patients.

Methods

PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane database were searched from inception to April 17, 2022 without language restrictions to explore the relationship between HCQ use and SLE mortality. The relative risk (HR) was pooled using the STATA software.

Results

A total of 21 studies with a pooled patient population of 26,037 were included in the study, including 14 studies on the association between HCQ alone and mortality risk and seven studies on the association between HCQ/chloroquine (CQ) and mortality risk. The pooled findings suggested that HCQ significantly reduced the overall mortality risk of SLE (pooled HR 0.46, 95% CI 0.38–0.57, p < 0.001). In subgroup analysis of SLE complications, HCQ use also decreased the risk of death in SLE patients with renal (HR=0.43, 95% CI 0.26–0.70, p = 0.001) and cardiopulmonary involvement (HR=0.37, 95% CI= 0.25–0.54, p < 0.001). In addition, HCQ use was also protective against the risk of mortality in SLE patients in different regions, such as Asia (HR=0.46, 95% CI=0.33–0.64, p < 0.001), Europe (HR= 0.40, 95% CI = 0.22–0.71, p = 0.002), and America (HR=0.52, 95% CI= 0.42–0.64, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Our data suggested that HCQ use was associated with a reduced risk of mortality in patients with SLE.
Am I safe? An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Vulnerability as Experienced by Patients With Complications Following Surgery
Authors: Sutton Elizabeth , Booth Lesley , Ibrahim Mudathir , McCulloch Peter , Sujan Mark , Willars Janet , Mackintosh Nicola
Published: November 2022

Abdominal surgery carries with it risks of complications. Little is known about patients’ experiences of post-surgical deterioration. There is a real need to understand the psychosocial as well as the biological aspects of deterioration in order to improve care and outcomes for patients. Drawing on in-depth interviews with seven abdominal surgery survivors, we present an idiographic account of participants’ experiences, situating their contribution to safety within their personal lived experiences and meaning-making of these episodes of deterioration. Our analysis reveals an overarching group experiential theme of vulnerability in relation to participants’ experiences of complications after abdominal surgery. This encapsulates the uncertainty of the situation all the participants found themselves in, and the nature and seriousness of their health conditions. The extent of participants’ vulnerability is revealed by detailing how they made sense of their experience, how they negotiated feelings of (un)safety drawing on their relationships with family and staff and the legacy of feelings they were left with when their expectations of care (care as imagined) did not meet the reality of their experiences (care as received). The participants’ experiences highlight the power imbalance between patients and professionals in terms of whose knowledge counts within the hospital context. The study reveals the potential for epistemic injustice to arise when patients’ concerns are ignored or dismissed. Our data has implications for designing strategies to enable escalation of care, both in terms of supporting staff to deliver compassionate care, and in strengthening patient and family involvement in rescue processes.
Methylation of CpG Sites as Biomarkers Predictive of Drug-Specific Patient Survival in Cancer
Authors: Neary Bridget , Lin Shuting , Qiu Peng
Published: November 2022

Background:

Though the development of targeted cancer drugs continues to accelerate, doctors still lack reliable methods for predicting patient response to standard-of-care therapies for most cancers. DNA methylation has been implicated in tumor drug response and is a promising source of predictive biomarkers of drug efficacy, yet the relationship between drug efficacy and DNA methylation remains largely unexplored.

Method:

In this analysis, we performed log-rank survival analyses on patients grouped by cancer and drug exposure to find CpG sites where binary methylation status is associated with differential survival in patients treated with a specific drug but not in patients with the same cancer who were not exposed to that drug. We also clustered these drug-specific CpG sites based on co-methylation among patients to identify broader methylation patterns that may be related to drug efficacy, which we investigated for transcription factor binding site enrichment using gene set enrichment analysis.

Results:

We identified CpG sites that were drug-specific predictors of survival in 38 cancer-drug patient groups across 15 cancers and 20 drugs. These included 11 CpG sites with similar drug-specific survival effects in multiple cancers. We also identified 76 clusters of CpG sites with stronger associations with patient drug response, many of which contained CpG sites in gene promoters containing transcription factor binding sites.

Conclusion:

These findings are promising biomarkers of drug response for a variety of drugs and contribute to our understanding of drug-methylation interactions in cancer. Investigation and validation of these results could lead to the development of targeted co-therapies aimed at manipulating methylation in order to improve efficacy of commonly used therapies and could improve patient survival and quality of life by furthering the effort toward drug response prediction.
From theory to practice: Understanding the long-term impact of an L2 writing education course on writing teachers
Authors: Yu Shulin , Zhang Yiran , Liu Chunhong , Lee Icy
Published: November 2022

Research on second language (L2) writing tends to focus much more on student learning of writing than teachers’ teaching and learning of the teaching of writing. While a few studies have considered the influence of formal education on teachers’ L2 writing instruction, such as by examining the changes in teacher beliefs and practices across one semester (Lee, 2010), little is known about the long-term impact (e.g., 2 or 3 years) of such training on the professional development of L2 writing teachers. The present study adopted a multiple-case study approach to examine the long-term effects of a course on teaching L2 writing on five teachers of writing who taught writing in different contexts (primary school, secondary school, private language training center, and university) in the Chinese EFL context and how the teachers may apply the theoretical knowledge and recommended pedagogies presented in such a course. Drawing upon multiple sources of data, including interviews, stimulated recalls, and teaching materials, this study revealed that despite the peripheral position of writing in current L2 literacy education, training teachers to teach L2 writing can have both immediate and lasting effects on their thinking, practices, and learning as L2 writing teachers. The course enhanced the teachers’ understanding of L2 writing and writing instruction and enabled them to adopt new pedagogies and feedback practices, whereas previously they had neglected writing instruction and taught writing based on their prior learning experiences. However, the teachers’ teaching experience determined their appropriation of the new pedagogies when contextual constraints such as students’ language proficiency, limited class hours, and exam pressure hindered their adoption of the changes. The study draws attention to L2 teachers’ knowledge gaps (thinking), their teaching practices, and their learning to teach writing (learning) and elucidates the impact of educating language teachers to teach writing across various educational settings.
World of origin: The contagious ingredient of monastic products
Authors: Paquier Marie-Catherine , Morin-Delerm Sophie , Pecot Fabien
Published: November 2022

This paper addresses the question of the resources that consumers rely on when faced with products that communicate very little. When consumers purchase items from Christian abbeys, this question is particularly significant given that these organizations, while sharing a common history, are spatially dispersed. Through qualitative interviews with purchasers of monastic products, our research confirms the contagion process from products’ origin to consumers, and proposes the new concept of World of Origin (WOO), a cloud-like representation serving as an extrinsic source of meaning and acting as a substitute for strong brand narratives. Distinct from Country of Origin, terroir, brand aura, and heritage, WOO is an addition to the marketing conceptual toolbox, facilitating a thinner grain analysis of consumption phenomena. The contagious power of WOO enriches the research on the context’s influence and enables a discussion of the consequences of consumers themselves creating embellished or even false inventions of the past.
Consumption networks in times of social distancing: Towards entrained solidarity
Authors: Fuschillo Gregorio , D’Antone Simona
Published: November 2022

How does solidarity gel together disjointed entities in a web of social relations? This study examines how solidarity catalyzes unconnected entities (people, things, and institutions) in a consumption network by analyzing Spesasospesa.org, an Italian consumption network that was developed during lockdowns resulting from Covid-19. We find that solidarity enables the emergence of this network because of three main practices: (1) synchronization, (2) appropriation, and (3) narration. Solidarity has typically been depicted in the consumer culture literature as a given trait of consumer collectives, but our study shows that solidarity in fact plays a key role in gelling social links at the nexus of antistructure and structure. Therefore, our research extends past literature on consumer sociality by unveiling the role that entrained solidarity plays in the emergence of consumption networks in times of social distancing.
Weekly Versus Intermittent Progress Monitoring in Mathematics: A Conceptual Replication and Pilot Study
Authors: Mason Erica N. , Lembke Erica S.
Published: November 2022

Replication studies in special education are necessary to strengthen the foundation upon which instruction and intervention for students with disabilities are built. J. Jenkins et al. (2017) found intermittent reading fluency progress monitoring schedules did not delay decision-making and were similar in decision-making accuracy to the traditional weekly progress monitoring schedule. Results of the current pilot study, although underpowered, conceptually replicated the original claims and extended their work by investigating their questions in the area of mathematics computation. Implications for research and practice are shared.
An exploratory study on the role of occupational therapists in home-based rehabilitation team in South Korea
Authors: Lim Young-Myoung , Lee Jae-Shin , Kim Su-Kyoung , Cha Tae-Hyun , Yoo Doo-Han , Kim Hee
Published: November 2022

Introduction: Cooperation among rehabilitation team members is essential in the home-based rehabilitation setting. Q-methodology that can quantitatively analyze the subjectivity of members of the rehabilitation team was used to explore the role of occupational therapists (OTs) in home-based rehabilitation. Methods: The Q-methodology process was implemented in five steps: Step 1 - Representative statements about the role of OTs were collected through in-depth interviews, open questionnaires, and literature reviews (Q-sample); Step 2 - A total of 34 rehabilitation team members (physical therapists, OTs, social workers, nutritionists) were recruited (P-sample); Step 3 - The statements were classified according to their subjective perspective (Q-sort); Step 4 - Factor analysis was performed based on the correlation among the responses from the participants (Q-factor analysis); Step 5 - The awareness factor for roles was interpreted (Interpretation of awareness factors). Results: The roles of OTs perceived by members of the home-based rehabilitation team were formed into five factors (A) Adaptation within home environments; (B) Professional development; (C) Reliable service execution; (D) Client needs resolution; and (E) Focus on activity participation. In all factors, perspectives on the role of OTs in helping clients participate in their roles and activities at home were included. These factors included issues and directions addressed in prior literature on the development of occupational therapy. Conclusions: In home-based rehabilitation, OTs must play a professional role in ensuring clients live fully at home, and cooperate with team members for an effective rehabilitation approach.
An investigation into performances of novice field-hockey players’ fundamental game skills when performed on natural and artificial grass surfaces
Authors: Slade Dennis G , Cochrane Darryl J
Published: November 2022

The purpose of this study was to determine the relative levels of engagement novice field-hockey players had with the intent of the game's fundamental performance variables while playing on natural and artificial grass surfaces. Twenty novice male and female players (mean age 10.28 ± 0.62 years) were randomly assigned to two groups. A cross-over study design was adopted to ensure players received sessions on natural and artificial grass surfaces. Sessions were delivered over a two-week period. Data was gathered from recorded games in weeks one and two using a video drone 25 m vertically above the hockey pitches. A computer notebook with video analysis software was used for lapsed-time analysis. A specific coding template was developed to determine the frequency of fundamental game skills of ball carrying (<5 m and >5 m); hitting (ball travels <5 m and >5 m); pushing (ball travels <5 m and >5 m), and ball contact during the games. The fundamental game skills of ball carrying, hitting, and pushing the ball >5 m, and ball manipulation, revealed significant ( p < 0.01) differences in favour of player performances when playing on artificial grass. In contrast, there was a significant ( p < 0.01) percent of short distance (<5 m) hitting and pushing the ball, and greater ball contact on natural compared to artificial grass. The artificial grass contexts allowed the players in this study to better perform the fundamental game skills within the intent of the game of field hockey that was measured in this study.
The Africa Food Environment Research Network (FERN): from concept to practice
Authors: Tandoh Akua , Aryeetey Richmond , Agyemang Charles , Holdsworth Michelle , Asiki Gershim , Zotor Francis , Mensah Kobby , Laar Matilda E. , Laryea Dennis , Sellen Daniel , Vandevijvere Stefanie , Laar Amos
Published: November 2022

Background:

Africa is contending with unhealthy food environments that are, in part, driving increasing rates of overweight, obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases, alongside persistent undernutrition. This current paradigm requires expanded efforts – both in the volume and nature of empirical research, as well as the tools and capacity of those who conduct it. High quality and context-relevant research supports the development and implementation of policies that create healthy food environments.

Aim and approach:

This paper sets out the concept of the Africa Food Environment Research Network (FERN) initiative recently established by the Measurement, Evaluation, Accountability, and Leadership Support for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) (MEALS4NCDs) prevention project. Central to the Africa FERN initiative are: 1) building research capacity for innovative food environment research in Africa; 2) improving South–South, South–North partnerships to stimulate robust food environment research and monitoring in Africa and 3) sustaining dialogue and focusing priorities around current and future needs for enhanced food environment research and monitoring in Africa.

Conclusion:

The FERN initiative presents an opportune platform for researchers in Africa and the global North to weave the threads of experience and expertise for research capacity building, collaboration and advocacy, to advance food environment research.
Symbiotic microbes play a role more important than preen gland in avian pheromone production––A review
Authors: Praveenkumar Dharmaraj , Vinothkumar Arumugam , Saravanan Gnanasekaran , Selvakumar Muniraj , Vijayakumar Alagan Subbaiah , Kolanchinathan Pachan , Kamalakkannan Soundararajan , Achiraman Shanmugam
Published: November 2022

The uropygial gland or preen gland is a complex holocrine structure present only in birds, and plays an important role in avian communication and reproduction. This gland produces preen oil, which helps birds maintain intact plumage, plumage colorage, but also possesses antibacterial and anti-predator properties, and the evidence for these claims is still in infancy. Preen gland harbour a large number of microbiota among which as many as 110 are bacterial genera dominated by Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, etc., families, and the roles of these microbes are largely unknown. However, these microbes are believed to maintain symbiotic relationship with the host and exert positive effects in the host’s physiology and behaviour. Many studies have proven that these microbes produce chemical cues as metabolic by-products that modulate the host’s behavior. In birds, these symbiotic microbes are needed for normal growth, development and even reproduction. Earlier findings about preen gland microbiota of birds connect it to good feather condition, recent evidences connect it to antifungal and antimicrobial activities. Although preen gland plays a major role in bird’s development, symbiotic microbes of preen gland seem to play a crucial role in reproduction and pheromonal communication. Here, we review the role of microbes present in avian preen gland in production of chemical signals and document the relationship between the microbes and preen gland in chemical communication.
The Early 2020 COVID-19 Outbreak in China and Subsequent Flourishing: Medium-Term Effects and Intervening Mechanisms
Authors: Qian Yue , Fan Wen
Published: November 2022

In early 2020, a COVID-19 outbreak occurred in Hubei Province of China. Exploiting the geographic concentration of China’s COVID-19 cases in Hubei (the initial epicenter), we compare Hubei and non-Hubei residents to examine the medium-term effect of exposure to the COVID-19 outbreak on mental well-being. We examine flourishing—a comprehensive assessment of well-being that is not merely the absence of mental illness—and investigate a broad set of psychosocial and economic mediators that may link initial outbreak exposure to subsequent flourishing. We use ordinary least squares regression models to analyze national panel data collected in early 2020 and late 2021 ( N = 3,169). Results show that flourishing scores remain lower for Hubei than non-Hubei residents almost two years following the early 2020 COVID-19 outbreak. Mediation analysis reveals that Hubei residents’ lower incidences of job promotion and lower sense of control are the two most important mediators accounting for their lower flourishing relative to non-Hubei residents. Combined, this study provides the first evidence of the medium-term psychological vulnerability borne by individuals who lived in the initial epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings on the intervening mechanisms shed light on the policy initiatives needed for post-pandemic mental well-being recovery in China and other countries.
Experiential Learning Theory: Application for Understanding Learning Styles of Postgraduate Students
Authors: Sant Seema , Kashive Neerja
Published: November 2022

The article examines the learning style of MBA students and looks into how gender effects the learning styles. Data was collected from a management Institute in Mumbai, and survey questionnaires were adapted from the Kolb Learning Style Inventory to investigate the four learning styles—active experimentation (AE), concrete experience (CE), abstract conceptualisation (AC) and reflective observation (RO). The data were analysed for the frequencies and percentages, and Chi-square for comparison of gender and specialisation. Major learning styles were for both gender and specialisation. Major learning styles were AE and CE, followed by AC for both gender and specialisation. It was seen that for all the students, the two major learning modes were convergent and accommodative, which were also the two major dominant learning modes observed across the genders and all specialisations. ESTJ and ESFJ were the two dominant personality types that emerged. A Chi-square test that revealed learning styles and learning modes did not vary based on different gender and specialisation.
Time Flies When You are Having Fun: The Mediating Effects of Project Opportunity Management in the Relationship Between Project Leaders’ Self-Efficacy and Multidimensional Project Success
Authors: Zaman Umer , Naeni Leila M. , Huda Noor ul , Khwaja Muddasar Ghani
Published: November 2022

Numerous studies have linked various leadership styles with project success; however, the role of project leaders’ self-efficacy and project opportunity management has been rarely studied. The present study examines the effects of project leaders’ self-efficacy on multidimensional project success through project opportunity management. Drawing on data of 386 project professionals, the hypothesized relationships were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) via MPlus. Empirical findings support that project opportunity management helps to explain and predict the relationship between project leaders’ self-efficacy and project success. The study extends project management literature by presenting a new model of multidimensional project success.
Identification of circular RNA BTBD7_hsa_circ_0000563 as a novel biomarker for coronary artery disease and the functional discovery of BTBD7_hsa_circ_0000563 based on peripheral blood mononuclear cells: a case control study
Authors: Zhou Hanxiao , Gan Xiongkang , He Shu , Wang Yanjun , Zhang Sheng , Chen Jiaxin , Zhou Yaqing , Hou Can , Hua Lei , Zhang Qian , Jia Enzhi
Published: November 2022

Background

BTBD7_hsa_circ_0000563 is a novel circRNA and contains conserved binding sites with RNA-binding proteins. However, BTBD7_hsa_circ_0000563 has not been fully studied in coronary artery disease (CAD). We aimed to clarify the diagnostic value and the possible functional role of BTBD7_hsa_circ_0000563 in CAD.

Methods

A total of 276 human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples were employed. The circularization of BTBD7_hsa_circ_0000563 was verified via Sanger sequencing. The expression level of BTBD7_hsa_circ_0000563 in CAD samples and control individuals was analysed via qRT–PCR. The diagnostic potential of BTBD7_hsa_circ_0000563 was evaluated using Spearman’s analysis, univariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis, and receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. ChIRP-MS was performed to directly explore the proteins bound to BTBD7_hsa_circ_0000563. Bioinformatic analysis was conducted to investigate the possible functions and interactions of proteins bound to BTBD7_hsa_circ_0000563.

Results

In the present study, BTBD7_hsa_circ_0000563 was verified as a circular RNA in the PBMCs of CAD patients. The expression level of BTBD7_hsa_circ_0000563 in the CAD group was significantly lower than that in the control group. The area under the ROC curve was 0.690. ChIRP-MS found seven proteins that were directly bound to BTBD7_hsa_circ_0000563. Bioinformatic analysis of these seven proteins showed that the mitophagy and DNA repair pathways were enriched. These proteins interacted with each other to a certain extent.

Conclusion

BTBD7_hsa_circ_0000563 may be a novel biomarker for the diagnosis of CAD and may influence the initiation and progression of CAD. These studies may reveal new possibilities for the diagnosis and treatment of CAD.
Association between dietary inflammatory potential and the probable sarcopenia among community-dwelling older adults: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Esmaeily Zahra , Daei Shahrzad , Rezaei Mahshid , Eyvazkhani Atefeh , Tajary Zahra , Dara Marjan Mansouri , Motlagh Ahmad Reza Dorosty
Published: November 2022

Background

Unlike the numerous studies concerning the role of dietary inflammatory potential in chronic diseases, limited studies focused on the association of dietary inflammatory potential with handgrip strength (HGS) and probable sarcopenia (PS). This study tends to explore the association between dietary inflammatory potential and PS among older adults in Tehran.

Methods

The cross-sectional study was conducted between May and October 2019 on 201 randomly selected older adults in Tehran, Iran. A validated food frequency questionnaire was utilized for recording dietary intake. Dietary habits were evaluated through Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) and Empirical Dietary Inflammatory Index (EDII). PS assessment was done by HGS estimation. Statistical evaluation included descriptive analyses, logistic, and linear regression.

Results

Those probably suffering from sarcopenia were older than healthy ones (p < 0.0001) and had significantly higher DII scores (p = 0.05) but not EDII (p = 0.85). Besides, PS subjects had a lower intake of anti-inflammatory nutrients. The odds of PS were doubled in people on the top tertile of DII (OR = 2.49, 95% (CI) = 1.11–5.58) and second tertile of EDII (OR = 2.29, 95% (CI) = 1.03–5.07) relative to bottom tertiles after adjusting for confounders. The relationships between index scores and HGS were simply significant in the adjusted model of EDII and HGS (B = -0.49, p = 0.04).

Conclusion

Conclusively, participants adhering to a pro-inflammatory diet had more likelihood of PS. Findings are in line with current recommendations to reduce unhealthy foods with more inflammatory potential. These findings warrant confirmation in high-quality interventional studies.
A comparative study of the disease burden attributable to asbestos in Brazil, China, Kazakhstan, and Russia between 1990 and 2019
Authors: Chen Jieyuan , Wang Chunfei , Zhang Jinyu , Zhang Ting , Liang Hongsen , Mao Songsong , Li Haifeng , Wang Zhaojun
Published: November 2022

Background

Brazil, China, Kazakhstan, and Russia are the main asbestos-producing countries, and all forms of asbestos are carcinogenic to humans. The objective of this study was to estimate the disease burden attributable to asbestos between 1990 and 2019 in major producing countries, including Brazil, China, Kazakhstan, and Russia.

Methods

Age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR) and age-standardized disability-adjusted life year (DALY) rates (ASDR) of disease burden attributable to asbestos by country, age, and sex were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease 2019. Percentage change and estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) were used to assess the trends of ASDR and ASMR of disease burden attributable to asbestos between 1990 and 2019.

Results

Asbestos-related diseases were highly heterogeneous across Global, Brazil, China, Kazakhstan, and Russia. There was a downward trend in ASMR and ASDR of diseases burden related to asbestos globally. The age-specific mortality rate of disease attributable to asbestos increased in men and women, although it decreased in women aged 85–89, the highest age-specific mortality rate were observed in age 95 + group in men [162.14 (95% UI: 103.76–215.45)] and women [30.58 (95% UI: 14.83–44.33)] per 100 000 population, respectively. Tracheal, bronchus, and lung (TBL) cancer was the leading cause of death and DALYS attributable to asbestos between 1990 and 2019 globally and in Brazil, China, Kazakhstan, and Russia. China had the highest percentage change (73.31%) and EAPC [3.41 (95% CI: 2.75–4.08)] in ASMR related to exposure to asbestos in men, with the highest percentage change (73.31%) and EAPC [3.41 (95% CI: 2.75–4.08)] in ASDR in men.

Conclusions

The ASMR and ASDR of disease burden attributable to asbestos decreased between 1990 and 2019 globally. TBL cancer was the leading cause of death and DALYs attributable to asbestos between 1990 and 2019. There has been an increasing trend in mortality and DALYs globally, especially in older men. The burden of disease attributable to asbestos is increasing in China, especially in men.