bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Between Archaeography and Historiography: Unsettling the Medieval?
Authors: Trivedi Mudit
Published: December 2021

Do archaeology and history refer to the same real past? Their relationship has been understood primarily as epistemic, as one of the distinct techniques for knowing different aspects or epochs of the past. When archaeologies of more familiar, historical, medieval pasts are conducted, why do these accounts enthusiastically find and lose, provoke and distress, their specialist kin; or why do historiography and archaeography relate uneasily?

This article argues that it is useful to think of archaeography and historiography as two sensibilities, two activities, and following de Certeau, as two operations. Each operation is governed by distinct protocols of generalisation, different aspirations of synthesis, distinct poetics that govern their texts and the account they wish to give of their subjects. Appreciating these differences, this article focuses on the foreclosures shared by both operations with reference to the tangle of the medieval. It asks, what comes to count as evidence and how, which questions arise and why, and what aspects of pasts termed medieval appear familiar, alien, or interesting. From these questions it builds an account of what archaeology can disclose about shared modern historicist commitments to the medieval and those uneasily kept out of its scenes.

This article grounds these questions through an engagement with South Asian medieval historiography on the theme of settlement. First, through a genealogy of settlement it examines the reasons for the concept’s centrality to accounts of medieval life, (modern) politics and the state. Through examples drawn from research in Mewat, it examines what these commitments to thinking about settlement disable and enable, the questions its assumptions exclude. It demonstrates how archaeologies of settlement bring into view questions of anteriority, and how attention to spatial relations of remove and accrual reverse figure and ground in accounts of dwelling. In light of these disjoinders, it asks, must we continue to close our operations, to write our medieval, in the manner we do?
Book Review: Ankush Agrawal and Vikas Kumar, Numbers in India’s Periphery: The Political Economy of Government Statistics
Authors: Hazarika Sanjoy
Published: December 2021

Ankush Agrawal and Vikas Kumar, Numbers in India’s Periphery: The Political Economy of Government Statistics. Cambridge University Press, 2020, 416 pp., $120.00. ISBN: 9781108486729 (Hardback).
Environmental Movements in North-East India: Political Opportunity Structure and Movement Success
Authors: Rout Satyapriya , Yudik Annu
Published: December 2021

Since the last two decades, the North-East region of India witnessed many environmental movements with similar goals and forms of mobilisation that challenged government policies and actions. Many of them achieved their goals or objectives whereas others failed. This study is an attempt to understand the factors that determined the success and failure of those movements and protests by employing rich details of four case studies from the North-East to make a systematic comparison. This study uses political opportunity structure as a theoretical construct to understand relative success and failure of environmental movements in the North-East.
Book Review: Krishna Kumar, Smaller Citizens: Writings on the Making of Indian Citizens
Authors: Swaminathan Padmini
Published: December 2021

Krishna Kumar, Smaller Citizens: Writings on the Making of Indian Citizens. Orient BlackSwan, 2021, xviii + 150 pp., ₹395. ISBN: 9789354 420801(Paperback).
Life satisfaction and adolescent music making: A comparison of youth choirs and bands in Spain
Authors: Oriola-Requena Salvador , Calderón-Garrido Diego , Gustems Josep
Published: December 2021

Adolescents who are members of youth music groups learn music and develop other skills such as group work and conflict resolution. These skills and feelings may represent socioemotional factors underlying increased life satisfaction, leadership capacity, and academic motivation, together with the acquisition of emotional skills. The aim of the research was to determine the degree of life satisfaction reported by a sample of 660 Spanish adolescents who were members of a youth band or choir. It also aimed to examine correlations between life satisfaction, leadership capacity, academic motivation, and emotional development. Potential differences between these variables attributable to participants’ age, gender, type of youth music group, and musical instrument played were explored using a cross-sectional survey comprising four standardized questionnaires. The results show that the participants were highly satisfied with their lives. There were strong positive correlations between the variables studied but also some significant differences between the two groups (choirs and bands), and between players of different instrument families. These results are in line with those other studies, confirming the positive influence of group music making on adolescents’ social and emotional growth.
Development of piezoresistive PDMS/MWCNT foam nanocomposite sensor with ultrahigh flexibility and compressibility
Authors: Ghahramani Pardis , Behdinan Kamran , Naguib Hani E.
Published: December 2021

Polymer foam nanocomposites attract great interest in many wide ranges of biomedical and healthcare monitoring applications. In this study, we investigated the effect of porosity and multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) content on the piezoresistivity, sensitivity, and mechanical properties of Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)/MWCNT foam nanocomposite. The foam nanocomposites were fabricated by particulate leaching method and their electrical and mechanical characteristics were investigated using the different porosity levels (60% and 70%) and different conductive nanofiller contents (0.5 wt.% and 1 wt.%). The foam nanocomposites with 0.5 wt.% MWCNT content and 60% porosity possessed higher pressure sensitivity, higher gage factor, and lower electrical hysteresis along with higher mechanical properties. Moreover, fabricated PDMS/MWCNT foam nanocomposite demonstrated high flexibility, high compressibility, and high recoverability in addition to limited mechanical hysteresis (less than 3%) with a large dynamic sensing range. Contrary to the existing foam nanocomposite samples in the literature, PDMS/MWCNT foam nanocomposites withstood higher pressure ranges (3.5–5 MPa) at limited thickness (average 2.3 mm) without experiencing noticeable macroscopic damage.
Association Between MTHFD1 1958G > A Variant and non-Syndromic Cleft lip and Palate: An Updated Meta-Analysis
Authors: Purohit Manas R. , Saikrishna Lakkakula , Verma Henu , Bhaskar L.V.K.S. , Hussain Syed A.
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Non-syndromic cleft lip and palate (NSCLP) is one of the most common and challenging congenital deformities worldwide. Previous research has linked the methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase1 (MTHFD1) gene to orofacial cleft (OFC) susceptibility via a complex metabolism. Studies analyzing the MTHFD1 1958G > A variant and NSCLP are contradictory. This study aims to evaluate the association between the MTHFD1 1958G > A variant and NSCLP by meta-analysis.

Methods

PubMed, Web of Science, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar databases were searched to retrieve the eligible studies. A fixed- or random-effect model was used to calculate pooled odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). All analyses were calculated by Metagenyo software. To detect heterogeneity, the Cochrane Q and I2 statistics were used. The publication bias was estimated using funnel plots and Egger’s test.

Results

Our study suggested that the MTHFD1 1958G > A variant allele “A” does not appear to increase the risk of NSCLP (A vs G random effect model: Overall P  = .501, OR  =  1.07, CI  =  0.88–1.31; Asians P  = .245, OR  =  1.29, CI  =  0.84–1.97; Caucasians P  = .658, OR  =  0.95, CI  =  0.76–1.19). Similarly, mutant genotypes also did not exhibit increased risk for NSCLP in the overall populations as well in subgroup analysis by ethnicity (AA  +  AG vs GG: Overall P  = .684, OR  =  1.06, CI  =  0.80–1.39; Asians P  = .240, OR  =  1.47, CI  =  0.77–2.78; Caucasians P  = .923, OR  =  0.99, CI  =  0.85–1.16).

Conclusions

Our data suggest no association between the MTHFD1 1958G > A variant and NSCLP. Additional well-designed studies are needed to better understand the role of MTHFD1 polymorphisms in the etiopathogenesis of NSCLP.
A Prospective Study to Examine Responsiveness and Minimally Important Differences (MIDs) for the CLEFT-Q Scales Following Three Cleft-Specific Operations
Authors: Miroshnychenko A , Rae C , Wong Riff K , Forrest CR , Goodacre T , Swan MC , Slator R , Goldstein J , Thoma A , Harman K , Klassen A
Published: December 2021

The aim of this study was to examine internal responsiveness and estimate minimally important differences (MIDs) for CLEFT-Q scales.

In this prospective cohort study, participants completed the CLEFT-Q appearance and health-related quality of life (HRQL) scales before and six months after cleft-related surgery.

Seven cleft centres in Canada, USA and UK participated.

Patients were ages 8–29 years with CL/P.

Patients underwent rhinoplasty, orthognathic or cleft lip scar revision surgery.

Internal responsiveness was examined using Cohen's d effect sizes (ESs) based on the following interpretation: 0.20–0.49 small, 0.50–0.79 moderate and ≥ 0.80 large. MIDs were estimated using two distribution-based approaches.

Participants had a rhinoplasty (n = 31), orthognathic (n = 21) or cleft lip scar revision (n = 18) surgery. Most participants were males (56%) and aged 8–11 years (41%). Following rhinoplasty, ESs were larger for the nose (0.92, p = 0.001) and nostrils (0.94, p < 0.001) scales than for the face scale (0.51, p = 0.003). MIDs ranged between 6.2–10.4. For orthognathic surgery, larger ES was observed for the jaws scale (1.80, p < 0.001) compared with the teeth (1.16, p < 0.001), face (1.15, p = 0.001) and lips (0.94, p < 0.001) scales. MIDs ranged between 5.9–14.4. In the cleft lip scar revision sample, the largest ES was observed for the nose scale (0.76, p = 0.03), followed by lips (0.58, p = 0.009) and cleft lip scar (0.50, p = 0.043) scales. MIDs ranged between 6.4–12.3.

CLEFT-Q detected change in key outcomes for three cleft-specific surgeries, providing evidence of its responsiveness. Estimated MIDs will aid in interpreting this PROM.
Tactics of Sustainable Entrepreneurship: Ways of Operating in the Contested Terrain of Green Architecture
Authors: Johnsen Christian Garmann
Published: December 2021

This study explores the various tactics sustainable entrepreneurs use to meet the challenges associated with creating social and environmental solutions. Although often theorized as market imperfections, in this study, opportunities are considered as situations that allow things to be done differently within social settings. This approach opens up for research into the everyday practice of sustainable entrepreneurship and how sustainable entrepreneurs strive to find new solutions to counteract ecological degradation. To develop this view, I analyze the different entrepreneurial tactics actors employ to advance green architecture in the Danish construction industry. Rather than place an analytic emphasis on the end result of sustainable entrepreneurship, I suggest that the processes of developing solutions aimed at generating simultaneous economic, social and environmental value might warrant greater attention.
The holobiont mind: A bridge between 4E cognition and the microbiome
Authors: Palacios-García Ismael , Parada Francisco J
Published: December 2021

All life on earth is intrinsically linked. At the very foundation of every evolutionary interaction are microorganisms, integral components in the composition of both organisms and ecosystems. The available data and this perspective on the order of life challenge the traditional conception of monogenetic biological individuals, suggesting living beings are actually composite multi-species complexes: holobionts. In the present article, we introduce our perspective on the concept of the holobiont mind, a biogenic conception of cognition compatible with the 4E approach and the holobiont theory. We furthermore expand on the idea of the mind as the emerging product of multi-genomic morphology of a composite animal-agent, in ever-changing interaction with its ecological niche. We thus briefly review recent evidence on the brain–gut–microbiome axis and the Microbiome of the Built Environment in order to provide a bridge between the Holobiont Mind and the 4E approach to Cognition, two complementary lines of evidence that have not been linked before, opening novel venues for research with direct impact on health and disease.
Development of a fuzzy-state feedback regulator for stabilizing a flexible inverted pendulum system
Authors: Pourgholam Pouriya , Moeenfard Hamid
Published: December 2021

Accurate modeling and efficient control of inverted pendulums have always been a challenge for researchers. So, the current research aims to achieve the following objectives: (I) proposing a comprehensive dynamic model for the inverted pendulums which accounts for the flexibility of the pendulum bar and (II) suggesting an appropriate supervisory fuzzy-pole placement control strategy for stabilizing the pendulum system. Using a Lagrangian formulation, the equations of motion are derived and linearized. Then, a state feedback controller with a reduced-order observer is designed to stabilize the system. Closed-loop simulations reveal that at least six modes shall be considered in the dynamic equations. To improve the quality of the transient response, a novel fuzzy system is developed for real-time assignment of the controller poles. Simulation results demonstrate that the control quality is significantly improved by adding a supervisory fuzzy system to the control loop. The developed approach for dynamic modeling of the system, and the idea of multi-level fuzzy-pole placement control architecture developed in this paper, may be successfully applied to improve the response specifications in other dynamic systems.
Political Information Use and Its Relationship to Beliefs in Conspiracy Theories Among the German Public
Authors: Schemer Christian , Ziegele Marc , Schultz Tanjev , Quiring Oliver , Jackob Nikolaus , Jakobs Ilka
Published: December 2021

This study investigates how exposure to different news sources, propensity to vote (PTV) for a party and demographics are related to belief in conspiracy theories drawing on three repeated cross-sectional surveys in Germany 2017–2019. Results show that frequent exposure to alternative news sites and video-sharing platforms increased conspiratorial beliefs. Frequency of exposure to the quality press, public service TV news, and news aggregators diminished beliefs in conspiracy theories. Exposure to TV news, legacy media online, tabloids, social media, and user comments was unrelated to such beliefs. PTV for far left and right parties increased conspiratorial beliefs, moderate party preference reduced them.
Evaluation of the performance of two new generation pulse oximeters in cats at different probe positions and under the influence of vasoconstriction
Authors: Dörfelt René , Diels Julia , Hartmann Katrin
Published: December 2021

Objectives

The aim of this study was to compare the failure rate of two new generation pulse oximeters at different probe positions, and with and without vasoconstriction, in anaesthetised cats.

Methods

This prospective clinical study included 103 cats in which the new generation pulse oximeters, the Rad-5 (Masimo) and EDAN H100N (EDAN), were evaluated. Premedication consisted of the vasoconstrictive drug combination butorphanol (0.2 mg/kg IV) and dexmedetomidine (5 µg/kg IV), or butorphanol only (0.2 mg/kg IV). Pulse oximeter failure rate at the tongue was compared between both groups. Pulse oximeter failure rate was also analysed at the alternative probe positions of the lip, pinna, knee fold and toe in the butorphanol group. Student’s t-test, Wilcoxon matched pairs signed rank test, Mann−Whitney U-test, Friedman test and χ2 test were performed. A P value <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.

Results

Overall failure to achieve an adequate signal was 37.6% with the Masimo and 48.0% with the EDAN pulse oximeter ( P <0.0001). At the standard probe position on the tongue, the Masimo failed in 4.5%, while the EDAN failed in 35.3% ( P <0.0001). Vasoactive premedication increased the failure rate for the Masimo from 3.8% to 5.2% ( P = 0.3414) and for the EDAN from 22.4% to 49.0% ( P <0.0001). At the alternative probe positions of the lip and knee fold, failure rates for the Masimo were lower (39.7% and 81.4%) than with the EDAN (52.6% and 94.4%; P = 0.0231 and P = 0.0005, respectively), while the Masimo failed more often at the pinna (63.5%) than the EDAN (47.4%; P = 0.0044). At the alternative probe position of the toe, the failure rate for the Masimo (32.7%) was not different from the EDAN (38.5%; P = 0.7547).

Conclusions and relevance

The Masimo pulse oximeter had lower signal failure rates at the standard probe position on the tongue and at 2/4 alternative probe positions. The standard probe position on the tongue had the lowest failure rate for both devices. Dexmedetomidine-induced vasoconstriction increased the failure rate for the EDAN but not for the Masimo pulse oximeter.
It is possible to create a vascular access team in a middle resource country? Experience of Hevi Paediatric Teaching Hospital at DUHOK – IRAQ
Authors: Federica Buzzi , Nizar Yahya Bakir , Hevan Al-Atroushy Adel , Wahida Ibraheem Abdullah , Bayar Saleem Haji , Bijeen Fareq Jalal , Sholker Khalid Mohammad , Shaima Shimo Jaafar , Nora Suleeman Suleeman , Saad Zebari Mohmood , Stefano Maiandi
Published: December 2021

Background:

Vascular access devices are critically important for the treatment of neonates and paediatric patients. Vascular cannulation is a key clinical skill for healthcare professionals working in the neonatal and paediatric wards. The creation of specialised Teams dedicated to the positioning of Vascular Venous Accesses is increasingly used and of fundamental importance for good patients care. The aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a training intervention for the staff of the Intensive Care Units for the insertion of the short/long peripheral catheter and to create a NuVa Team (Nurse-led Vascular Access Team).

Methods:

At the Hevi Paediatric Teaching Hospital, a course and an on-the-job training programme were carried out for two doctors and six nurses on the insertion of the in long peripheral catheters newborns and paediatric patients admitted at the hospital. The data collected were analysed from April 2017 to December 2020. A pre and post-procedure study was designed to determine whether establishing the Nurses Vascular Accesses Team (NuVa) is associated with higher success rates and a reduced risk of catheter-related complications.

Results:

A total of 271 Leader-cath™ catheters were placed during the study period. The mean age at catheters insertion was 2.9 years, the mean residence time was 11.7 days. Most catheters were inserted by five nurses ( n = 216 (80%)); the remainder was entered by two paediatricians ( n = 55 (20%)), p = 0.001. General reasons for removal were home discharge ( n = 103 (38%)), deceases ( n = 81 (30%)), accidental causes ( n = 43 (16%)), leg/arm oedema ( n = 21 (8%)), mechanical problems ( n = 10 (3.5%)), physician’s indication ( n = 9 (3%)) and skin infection ( n = 4 (1.5%)), p = 0.001.

Conclusions:

The standardisation of the procedure for inserting the catheters placement and the creation of a NuVa Team has been of fundamental importance in gaining awareness of the procedure and allows healthcare professionals to insert the catheter without complications.
Computational Identification of Stearic Acid as a Potential PDK1 Inhibitor and In Vitro Validation of Stearic Acid as Colon Cancer Therapeutic in Combination with 5-Fluorouracil
Authors: Mitchel Jonathan , Bajaj Pratima , Patil Ketki , Gunnarson Austin , Pourchet Emilie , Kim Yoo Na , Skolnick Jeffrey , Pai S. Balakrishna
Published: December 2021

Background:

Colorectal cancer is the third largest cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Although current treatments with chemotherapeutics have allowed for management of colorectal cancer, additional novel treatments are essential. Intervening with the metabolic reprogramming observed in cancers called “Warburg Effect,” is one of the novel strategies considered to combat cancers. In the metabolic reprogramming pathway, pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK1) plays a pivotal role. Identification and characterization of a PDK1 inhibitor is of paramount importance. Further, for efficacious treatment of colorectal cancers, combinatorial regimens are essential. To this end, we opted to identify a PDK1 inhibitor using computational structure-based drug design FINDSITEcomb and perform combinatorial studies with 5-FU for efficacious treatment of colorectal cancers.

Methods:

Using computational structure-based drug design FINDSITEcomb, stearic acid (SA) was identified as a possible PDK1 inhibitor. Elucidation of the mechanism of action of SA was performed using flow cytometry, clonogenic assays.

Results:

When the growth inhibitory potential of SA was tested on colorectal adenocarcinoma (DLD-1) cells, a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 60 µM was recorded. Moreover, SA inhibited the proliferation potential of DLD-1 cells as shown by the clonogenic assay and there was a sustained response even after withdrawal of the compound. Elucidation of the mechanism of action revealed, that the inhibitory effect of SA was through the programmed cell death pathway. There was increase in the number of apoptotic and multicaspase positive cells. SA also impacted the levels of the cell survival protein Bcl-2. With the aim of achieving improved treatment for colorectal cancer, we opted to combine 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), the currently used drug in the clinic, with SA. Combining SA with 5-FU, revealed a synergistic effect in which the IC50 of 5-FU decreased from 25 to 6 µM upon combination with 60 µM SA. Further, SA did not inhibit non-tumorigenic NIH-3T3 proliferation.

Conclusions:

We envision that this significant decrease in the IC50 of 5-FU could translate into less side effects of 5-FU and increase the efficacy of the treatment due to the multifaceted action of SA. The data generated from the current studies on the inhibition of colorectal adenocarcinoma by SA discovered by the use of the computational program as well as synergistic action with 5-FU should open up novel therapeutic options for the management of colorectal adenocarcinomas.
Influence of GSTP1 Polymorphism on the Clinical Outcomes of Patients With Advanced NSCLC Receiving First-Line Bevacizumab-Based Regimen: A Real-World Retrospective Study
Authors: Han Fei , Tian Hanji , Jin Baoli , Chen Gang
Published: December 2021

Background:

This study was to investigate the influence of GSTP1 gene polymorphism on the clinical outcomes of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving first-line bevacizumab plus chemotherapy regimen.

Methods:

A total of 128 patients with advanced NSCLC who were administered with bevacizumab-based first-line regimens were recruited in this study. Available blood specimen and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of the patients were obtained for the analysis of polymorphism and GSTP1 gene mRNA expression, respectively. The association between genotype status and clinical outcomes and other variates was analyzed and presented.

Results:

The prevalence of rs1695 were in accordance with Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium ( P = .978). Patients with GG and AG genotypes were merged in a pattern of dominant inheritance to seek for the potentially clinical significance. Analysis of efficacy exhibited that the objective response rate (ORR) of patients with AA genotype and AG/GG genotypes were 62.1% (54/87) and 51.2% (21/41) ( P = 0.245). Prognosis demonstrated that the median progression-free survival (PFS) of patients with AA genotype and AG/GG genotypes were 9.5 and 5.6 months, respectively ( P = .007). Furthermore, the median overall survival (OS) of the two genotypes were 22.0 and 16.6 months, respectively ( P = .003). In addition, adjusted in multivariate Cox analysis for OS, AG/GG genotype was an independent factor for OS. Interestingly, mRNA analysis suggested that the mRNA expression of GSTP1 in PBMC of the patients with AG/GG genotypes of rs1695 polymorphism was significantly higher than those of patients with AA genotype ( P < .001).

Conclusion:

GSTP1 polymorphism rs1695 could be used for the prognostic evaluation of patients with advanced NSCLC receiving bevacizumab combined chemotherapy regimen.
Does writing words in notes contribute to vocabulary learning?
Authors: Jin Zhouhan , Webb Stuart
Published: December 2021

There has been little research investigating the effects of notetaking on foreign language (FL) learning, and no studies have examined how it affects vocabulary learning. The present study investigated the vocabulary written in notes of 86 students after they had listened to a teacher in an English as a foreign language (EFL) class. The results showed that 51.2% of participants took notes, and 32.6% wrote information about target words in notes. However, there were only 95 instances of information written about the 28 target words. The results revealed that the odds of vocabulary learning were 15 and 10 times higher in the immediate and delayed posttests for target words that were written in notes. The analysis also indicated that the use of first language (L1) translation in teacher speech increased the chances that target words were written in notes, and that writing words in notes was the most effective predictor of learning.
Gastrointestinal concerns in children with autism spectrum disorder: A qualitative study of family experiences
Authors: Holingue Calliope , Poku Ohemaa , Pfeiffer Danika , Murray Sarah , Fallin M. Daniele
Published: December 2021

Gastrointestinal distress is a prevalent issue in the autism spectrum disorder community, with implications for the person living with autism spectrum disorder and their families. However, the experiences of families caring for a child with co-occurring autism spectrum disorder and gastrointestinal symptoms have not been explored to date. We conducted one-on-one semi-structured interviews with 12 parents of children with co-occurring autism spectrum disorder and gastrointestinal symptoms. Using an inductive analysis approach, drawing on phenomenology, we identified four major themes across interviews. First, parents reported that their child had difficulty verbally communicating the presence of gastrointestinal symptoms, leading parents to rely on bodily signs and non-verbal behaviors to recognize when their child was experiencing gastrointestinal distress (Theme 1). Next, gastrointestinal issues impacted the child’s well-being and the ability to participate in and fully engage in activities (Theme 2), and the family’s well-being (Theme 3). Finally, parents often experienced challenges with seeking accessible and quality healthcare for their child’s gastrointestinal problems (Theme 4). These findings elucidate the incredible toll that gastrointestinal symptoms have on the overall wellness of children with autism spectrum disorder and their families.

Lay abstract

Gastrointestinal problems are common in the autism spectrum disorder community and may affect both the person with autism spectrum disorder and their families. However, little research is available on the experiences of families who have a child with both autism spectrum disorder and gastrointestinal symptoms. We held one-on-one interviews with 12 parents of children who had both autism spectrum disorder and gastrointestinal symptoms. We analyzed the raw text responses from these interviews and identified four main themes. First, parents shared that their children had trouble verbally communicating when they were experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms (Theme 1). This led parents to use bodily signs, such as changes in the stool, and non-verbal behaviors, such as irritability, to recognize when their child was having gastrointestinal symptoms. Next, gastrointestinal issues affected both the child’s well-being and their ability to attend class and extracurricular or social activities (Theme 2). The gastrointestinal issues also affected the family’s routines, overall well-being, and their ability to go out and do activities together as a family (Theme 3). Finally, parents often had challenges receiving accessible and quality healthcare for their child’s gastrointestinal problems (Theme 4). Together, these findings highlight the enormous burden that gastrointestinal symptoms have on the wellness of children with autism spectrum disorder and their families.
Validity of chronic disease diagnoses in Icelandic healthcare registries
Authors: Rögnvaldsson Sæmundur , Long Thorir Einarsson , Thorsteinsdottir Sigrun , Love Thorvardur Jon , Kristinsson Sigurður Yngvi
Published: December 2021

Aims:

To evaluate the validity of recorded chronic disease diagnoses in Icelandic healthcare registries.

Methods:

Eight different chronic diseases from multiple sub-specialties of medicine were validated with respect to accuracy, but not to timeliness. For each disease, 30 patients with a recorded diagnosis and 30 patients without the same diagnosis were randomly selected from >80,000 participants in the iStopMM trial, which includes 54% of the Icelandic population born before 1976. Each case was validated by chart review by physicians using predefined criteria.

Results:

The overall accuracy of the chronic disease diagnoses was 96% (95% CI 94–97%), ranging from 92 to 98% for individual diseases. After weighting for disease prevalence, the accuracy was estimated to be 98.5%. The overall positive predictive value (PPV) of chronic disease diagnosis was 93% (95% CI 89–96%) and the overall negative predictive value (NPV) was 99% (95% CI 96–100%). There were disease-specific differences in validity, most notably multiple sclerosis, where the PPV was 83%. Other disorders had PPVs between 93 and 97%. The NPV of most disorders was 100%, except for hypertension and heart failure, where it was 97 and 93%, respectively. Those who had the registered chronic disease had objective findings of disease in 96% of cases.

Conclusions:

When determining the presence of chronic disease, diagnosis data from the Icelandic healthcare registries has a high PPV, NPV and accuracy. Furthermore, most diagnoses can be confirmed by objective findings such as imaging or blood testing. These findings can inform the interpretation of studies using diagnostic data from the Icelandic healthcare registries.
Beyond verification: Flesh witnessing and the significance of embodiment in conflict news
Authors: Chouliaraki Lilie , Al-Ghazzi Omar
Published: December 2021

Platform journalism in the global North is caught within a fragile political economy of emotion and attention, defined, on the one hand, by the proliferation of user-generated, affective news and, on the other, by the risk of fake news and a technocratic commitment to verification. While the field of Journalism Studies has already engaged in rich debates on how to rethink the truth conditions of user-generated content (UGC) in platform journalism, we argue that it has missed out on the ethico-political function of UGC as testimonials of lives-at-risk. If we wish to recognize and act on UGC as techno-social practices of witnessing human pain and death, we propose, then we need to push further the conceptual and analytical boundaries of the field. In this paper, we do this by introducing a view of UGC as flesh witnessing, that is as embodied and mobile testimonies of vulnerable others that, enabled by smartphones, enter global news environments as appeals to attention and action. Drawing on examples from the Syrian conflict, we provide an analysis of the narrative strategies through which flesh witnessing acquires truth-telling authority and we reflect on what is gained and lost in the process. Western story-telling, we conclude, strategically co-opts the affective dimension of flesh witnessing – its focus on child innocence, heroic martyrdom or the data aesthetics of destruction – and selectively minimizes its urgency by downplaying or effacing the bodies of non-western witnesses. This preoccupation with verification should not be subject to geopolitical formulations and needs to be combined with an explicit acknowledgement of the embodied voices of conflict as testimonies of the flesh whose often mortal vulnerability is, in fact, the very condition of possibility upon which western broadcasting rests.
Analysis of propulsion performance of wave-propelled mechanism based on fluid-rigid body coupled model
Authors: Chang Zongyu , Feng Zhanxia , Deng Chao , Zhao Lin , Zhang Jiakun , Zheng Zhongqiang , Yu Zhenjiang
Published: December 2021

Wave-propelled mechanisms are applied to propel unmanned marine vehicles such as Wave Glider and wave-powered boats, which can convert wave energy directly into propulsion. In this paper, a fluid-rigid body coupled dynamic model is utilized to investigate the propulsion performance of the wave-propelled mechanism. Firstly, the coupled dynamic model of the wave-propelled mechanism is developed based on relative motion principle by combining rigid body dynamics model and CFD method. Then, the motion responses of wave-propelled mechanism are calculated. The relationship between the propulsion force, heave and pitch motion of hydrofoil are analyzed by using phase diagrams and the actual operation conditions of propulsion mechanism are obtained. Besides, the effects of restoring spring stiffness and wave heights on the propulsion performance are also investigated, and the vortex evolution is illustrated at different moments of movement and different restoring stiffness. These works can be helpful for the design and optimization of different kinds of wave-propelled vehicles.
“No Space for Humanizing Us:” Men of Color Identifying Institutional Needs at a Rural University
Authors: Huerta Adrian H. , Salazar Maritza E. , Dizon Jude Paul Matias
Published: December 2021

Men of color are not persisting or graduating from college at similar rates as their same-aged peers. This qualitative study seeks to understand how men of color understand and experience college at a rural comprehensive public four-year university on the west coast. This study draws on focus group and interview data from 23 Black, Latino, and Asian American men whose enrollment status at the rural university varied from first-year undergraduate to graduate students. Using the notion of sense of belonging as the theoretical lens, we find that students highlighted the importance of peer groups and the need for vulnerable spaces on campus to explore their gender identity. With the findings from this paper, we aim to help student affairs professionals better understand how to support men of color in rural universities.
Echinacoside Suppresses the Progression of Breast Cancer by Downregulating the Expression of miR-4306 and miR-4508
Authors: Bian Peng , Liu Chuan , Hu Wei , Ding Yu , Qiu Shusheng , Li Liang
Published: December 2021

The main treatment of breast cancer includes surgical resection, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, endocrine therapy, and molecular targeted therapy, but the outcomes remain unsatisfactory. Previous studies demonstrated that echinacoside, microRNA (miRNA/miR)-4306 and miR-4508 were associated with lymph node metastasis, chemoresistance and self-renewal capability in breast cancer, but in-depth studies on the underlying mechanism of their anticancer effects have not been performed to date. In order to identify the role of miR-4306 and miR-4508, and the mechanism of the antitumor effect of echinacoside in breast cancer, the present study first examined the expression of miR-4306 and miR-4508 in breast cancer tissues to examine their possible role in the development of breast cancer, then evaluated the effect of echinacoside on the expression of miR-4306 and miR-4508 on the viability, apoptosis, cell cycle, migration, and invasion abilities of breast cancer cells to explore the anti-cancer effect of echinacoside and the involvement of miR-4306 and miR-4508. Finally, the breast cancer cells and mice bearing breast cancer xenografts were treated with echinacoside and inhibitors of miR-4508 or miR-4306 to confirm their role on the anticancer effect of echinacoside. The results showed that miR-4306 and miR-4508 were decreased in breast cancer tissues and cells. Echinacoside inhibited cell proliferation, invasion and migration, and promoted the apoptosis of breast cancer cells by downregulating the expression of miR-4306 and miR-4508. In conclusion, this is the first study to show the association between echinacoside and miRNAs in cancer. The present study elucidates an underlying molecular mechanism of the antitumor effect of echinacoside on breast cancer, and thus may contribute to preventive and therapeutic strategies for breast cancer.
A Comparison of Women’s Motivations to Enter the Police Profession in the Caribbean
Authors: Wallace Wendell C. , Neptune-Figaro Malisa
Published: December 2021

Absent from the criminological literature on policing in the Caribbean are studies on female’s motivations to become police officers, studies using female police recruits and studies using a comparative approach. As a result of this gap, data were gathered from female police recruits in Jamaica ( N = 37) and Trinidad and Tobago ( N = 60) in July 2017 via a standardised, self-administered questionnaire in order to determine their motivations for entry into policing. The main motivation for female’s entry into policing in both jurisdictions was job security. Revenge and the desire for power and authority were the least cited motivations for entry into the police profession in both jurisdictions. The importance of females as police officers, study limitations and directions for future research are also discussed.
Linking school leaders’ core practices to organizational school climate and student achievements in Norwegian high-performing and low-performing rural schools
Authors: Forfang Hilde , Paulsen Jan M
Published: December 2021

Prior research has suggested that well-performing school leadership clusters around a set of general core practices, which appear to be effective across a range of national, social and cultural contexts, yet contingent of school leaders being responsive to context and responding appropriately to their different contextual demands when they employ these core practices. So far school leadership in rural regions has received only modest attention in leadership research. Therefore, this study was designed to explore the relationship between the core practices of school leaders, organizational school climate and student academic achievement in primary and lower secondary rural schools in a county in Norway. The research design involved a cross-sectional study based on ratings from 275 teachers situated in 20 rural schools, split into two sub-groups of 10 ‘high-performing’ and 10 ‘low-performing’ schools. The results from the multivariate analysis and comparisons between the sub-groups suggest that two distinct core practices of school leadership emerge as critical in Norwegian rural school settings. Further, the results indicate that in the higher performing rural schools, the teachers reported a more positive organizational school climate, with higher level of collaborative learning and self-confidence, than in the opposite sub-group.
The relationship between reciprocal school-to-school collaboration and student academic achievement
Authors: Wu Huang , Shen Jianping , Reeves Patricia , Zheng Yunzheng , Ryan Lisa , Anderson Dustin
Published: December 2021

Despite the appeal of promoting and forming collaborative relationships between schools, empirical evidence for an association between school-to-school collaboration and school outcomes is still somewhat lacking. This study utilized data from 76 schools nested within 56 districts in the United States to examine the association between a school's reciprocal relationships and school outcomes by employing social network analysis and hierarchical linear modeling (HLM). After controlling for school and district demographic characteristics, we found the indices of reciprocal collaboration are associated with the school's 2018 student proficiency level in both math and reading and the growth in proficiency level between 2017 and 2018. The implications and limitations were discussed.
Experiences of Participants Who Then Become Coaches in a Peer Coach Diabetes Self-Management Program: Lessons for Future Programs
Authors: Saint Kirin , Heisler Michele
Published: December 2021

Objectives

Peer support programs are effective in improving outcomes among low-resource populations. Prior studies suggest that shared experiences improve peer partnerships. We hypothesized that participants in a peer coaching program who then became coaches might bring insight into their coaching role. We explored the motivations of coaches in a diabetes self-management coaching program who became coaches after completing the program as participants.

Methods

Between June 2016 and April 2017 we conducted semi-structured interviews with eight participants-turned-coaches and four of their peer partners in a six-month peer coaching program for patients with poor glycemic control at the Detroit VA. The interviews were transcribed, reviewed and coded by two researchers in an iterative process until consensus was reached. Key themes were identified and analyzed.

Results

Participants-turned-coaches reported the importance of their own peer coach in their decision to become a coach. Participants-turned-coaches described commitment to their partners, providing realistic encouragement, and fostering a reciprocal partnership. Participants-turned-coaches shared their own difficulties to motivate their partners and create a sense of commonality.

Discussion

Encouraging participants who complete diabetes peer coach interventions to become coaches appears to be a useful strategy for developing peer coaches who bring sensitivity, commitment, and reciprocity to their role.
Designing an mHealth Roadmap for the Journey to Self-Management: A Qualitative Study with Adolescents and Young Adults Living with Chronic Illness
Authors: Sayegh Caitlin S. , Iverson Ellen , Newman Clarissa , Tanaka Diane , Olshansky Ellen F. , Wijaya Clarisa , Belzer Marvin
Published: December 2021

Objectives

Adolescents and young adults (AYA) with chronic illnesses often struggle with illness self-management. The objective of this study is to understand how AYA with various chronic illnesses develop self-management skills and which mobile health (mHealth) strategies they believe could be helpful.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients, between 16 to 20 years old, living with at least one chronic illness (N = 19), between 2018 and 2019 in Los Angeles, CA. Three coders completed thematic coding to understand how AYA develop and maintain self-management skills, to inform the development of mHealth interventions appropriate across a variety of chronic conditions.

Results

Results suggest that AYA develop self-management skills through several strategies, including (1) getting organized, (2) making it work for me and (3) keeping the right mentality. AYA described developing these strategies through: (1) receiving social support, (2) accessing helpful tools and technologies, and (3) going through a maturation process. They provided recommendations for mHealth intervention developers.

Discussion

The results suggest that an appealing mHealth intervention could support AYA patients in proactively acquiring self-management skills and prevent having to rely on trial and error or uneven access to guidance and support. Interventions should be responsive to individual technology preferences and practices.
Media coverage of climate change induced migration: Implications for meaningful media discourse
Authors: Sakellari Maria
Published: December 2021

This article focuses on how the construction of ‘migrant’ and ‘refugee’ as a social threat is involved in the specific ways in which climate change induced migration is communicated in Western media. It puts a spotlight on a major drawback of climate policies: the failure to make room for the issue of climate migration. The article explores how a climate justice frame would allow the evolution of conceptual perspectives that are more conducive to safeguarding vulnerable communities’ rights and interests.
Heparan sulfate 3-O-sulfotransferase 4 is genetically associated with herpes zoster and enhances varicella-zoster virus–mediated fusogenic activity
Authors: Ohka Seii , Yamada Souichi , Nishizawa Daisuke , Fukui Yoshiko , Arita Hideko , Hanaoka Kazuo , Iseki Masako , Kato Jitsu , Ogawa Setsuro , Hiranuma Ayako , Kasai Shinya , Hasegawa Junko , Hayashida Masakazu , Fukushi Shuetsu , Saijo Masayuki , Ikeda and Kazutaka
Published: December 2021

Acute pain that is associated with herpes zoster (HZ) can become long-lasting neuropathic pain, known as chronic post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), especially in the elderly. HZ is caused by the reactivation of latent varicella-zoster virus (VZV), whereas PHN is not attributed to ongoing viral replication. Although VZV infection reportedly induces neuronal cell fusion in humans, the pathogenesis of PHN is not fully understood. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) revealed significant associations between PHN and the rs12596324 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the heparan sulfate 3- O-sulfotransferase 4 ( HS3ST4) gene in a previous study. To further examine whether this SNP is associated with both PHN and VZV reactivation, associations between rs12596324 and a history of HZ were statistically analyzed using GWAS data. HZ was significantly associated with the rs12596324 SNP of HS3ST4, indicating that HS3ST4 is related to viral replication. We investigated the influence of HS3ST4 expression on VZV infection in cultured cells. Fusogenic activity after VZV infection was enhanced in cells with HS3ST4 expression by microscopy. To quantitatively evaluate the fusogenic activity, we applied cytotoxicity assay and revealed that HS3ST4 expression enhanced cytotoxicity after VZV infection. Expression of the VZV glycoproteins gB, gH, and gL significantly increased cytotoxicity in cells with HS3ST4 expression by cytotoxicity assay, consistent with the fusogenic activity as visualized by fluorescence microscopy. HS3ST4 had little influence on viral genome replication, revealed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. These results suggest that HS3ST4 enhances cytotoxicity including fusogenic activity in the presence of VZV glycoproteins without enhancing viral genome replication.