bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
India–Vietnam Axis and China: The Allure of Hedging
Authors: Dar Arshid Iqbal
Published: May 2021

The rise of China and its impact on regional as well as global power structure has invited a plethora of rigorous scholarly analysis. Same has been the case for how global powers like the US in particular and its neighbours in general respond to its rise. However, if, on the one hand, the question of China’s rise has made realism and the balance of power dynamics as the cynosure of international relations (IR), the response of most of its neighbours has challenged its parsimonious ‘balancing–bandwagoning’ dichotomy. To come to the terms with new realities, scholars have come up with a new category that moves beyond this dichotomy. The new category is hedging and is hailed to be the best explanation of states behaviour when they neither balance nor bandwagon. While engaging with the extant debate on hedging in IR, this article provides a comprehensive analysis of two of China’s most affected neighbours: India and Vietnam. This article argues that not only does hedging provide the best explanation of how they respond to China, alone as well as in cooperation, but also is the most alluring option available to them. Furthermore, this article, apart from examining the driving factors of their hedging behaviour, also provides some important policy implications for policymakers of New Delhi and Hanoi in the concluding section.
Energy Geopolitics and the New Great Game in Central Asia
Authors: Pradhan Ramakrushna
Published: May 2021

Energy has become the symbol of 21st-century geopolitics. Asia in this geopolitical game is considered to be the ground zero. As of 2021, at least a quarter of the world’s liquid hydrocarbons are consumed by China, India, Japan and South Korea. Over the next 20 years, 85% of the growth in energy consumption will come from the Indo-Pacific region. According to the World Energy Outlook, China will account for 40% of the growing consumption until 2025, after which India will emerge as the biggest single source of increasing demand. The increase in demand for gas will overtake that for oil and coal combined. Part of the story here is that the Indo-Pacific region will become increasingly reliant on oil from the Middle East and Central Asia. By 2030, 80% of Chinese oil will be imported while 90% in the case of India. But Japan and South Korea will remain 100% dependent on oil imports. Where from these huge amounts of oil and gas will come? The scramble for oil and gas in Central Asia probably is the right answer to the question asked. To materialize the quest for oil and energy, many countries although lately but turned towards Central Asia for sure. With this premise, the present article attempts to contextualize the geopolitics of energy in Central Asia and tries to investigate the nature and contour of the great game while illustrating the unflinching importance of the region for global energy security in general and the Indian energy security in particular.
Education and Inequality in Rural Bangladesh: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Moniruzzaman Md. , Emran Sheikh Jafar
Published: May 2021

Education develops human skills, raises human productivity and, consequently, enables them with higher monetary incentives and better jobs. But the realisation of benefits may differ across income groups due to various limiting factors to achieve it. This article estimates the impacts of education on income and consumption of rural households in Bangladesh, using mean differential approach and unconditional quantile regression approach. It utilises Bangladesh Integrated Household Survey (BIHS) data for the years 2012 and 2015 to estimate the impact of education on the income and consumption of rural households. To address the potential endogeneity problem in impact estimation, ‘total distance from school’ is used as an instrumental variable (IV) in the case of the fixed-effect regression model applied here. Though education affects mean differentials of income and consumption positively, the fixed-effect regression coefficients are surprisingly insignificant. However, quantile regression results suggest that education contributes to income and consumption of lower quantile households more than that of uppermost quantile households. Consequently, these indicate a decline in inequality in rural areas of Bangladesh. Interestingly, education has diminishing positive returns for lower quantiles, implying a declined inequality with an increase in education, but at a diminishing rate, confirming that the impact is non-linear in nature.
External Enablers of Entrepreneurship: A Review and Agenda for Accumulation of Strategically Actionable Knowledge
Authors: Kimjeon Jiyoung , Davidsson Per
Published: May 2021

The enabling influence of environmental changes—be they technological, regulatory, demographic, sociocultural, or otherwise—on emerging ventures receives a growing interest from researchers and practitioners. To support knowledge accumulation in this important area, we systematically review and integrate research that is dispersed across disciplines, nominal types of change, and theoretical approaches. Under a unified terminology within a cross-level (environment to agent), process-aware framework, we examine what has been done and learnt. On this basis, we develop an agenda for further, future accumulation of knowledge about the strategic and serendipitous influence of environmental changes throughout and beyond the venture creation process.
The Influence of Health-Seeking Behaviors on the Health Literacy of Adolescents With Sickle Cell Disease
Authors: Caldwell Elizabeth P. , Rosonet Libby E.
Published: May 2021

Background: Health literacy may influence the transition from pediatric care to adult care in adolescents with sickle cell disease (SCD). It is postulated that one influencing factor of health literacy in adolescents with SCD is health-seeking behavior. The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to explore health-seeking behaviors of adolescents with SCD and (2) to determine if there are significant differences in health literacy levels of adolescents with SCD based upon health-seeking behaviors. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study evaluating health-seeking behaviors and health literacy in 110 Black and non-Hispanic adolescents with SCD. Convenience sampling was utilized for recruitment. The inclusion criteria were a diagnosis of one of the four primary genotypes of SCD and age of 10-19 years. Health literacy was evaluated using the Newest Vital Sign (NVS). Frequencies and percentages were calculated for all variables. Independent Samples t-tests were conducted to evaluate differences in health literacy scores based upon differing health-seeking behaviors. Results: The mean age of participants was 14.8 years ( SD = 2.2). The mean NVS score was 2.7 ( SD = 1.6). The two most common responses to “where do you go FIRST for health information?” were the Internet (29.6%; n = 40) and health care providers (27.4%; n = 37). There was no statistical difference in NVS scores between adolescents using the Internet versus health care providers as their first source of health information ( t[75] = − .12; p = .22). Discussion: Knowledge of health-seeking behaviors and health literacy in adolescents with SCD gives insight into the design and evaluation of future interventions to improve health and health literacy in this population.
Electromechanical modelling of piezoelectrically actuated MEMS tunable lenses with geometric nonlinearity
Authors: Farghaly Mahmoud A. , Kartashov Vladimir , Akram Muhammad Nadeem , Halvorsen Einar
Published: May 2021

This article presents a variational model for the geometrically nonlinear behaviour of the piezoelectrically actuated MEMS tunable lenses. Residual stresses during fabrication and larger actuation voltages cause large deflections such that a linear model would provide less accurate approximation. This presses the need for a nonlinear model that can explain the softening and hardening effects exhibited by the lens during its operation and affect its optical performance. Thus, in the view of von Kármán’s plate theory, the presented nonlinear model predicts the lens displacement after solving a cubic nonlinear system of equations. The chosen displacement ansatz fits the problem under study by satisfying the mechanical boundary conditions, and simplifying calculation of the variational integrals and optical representation of the lens’ sag. The model also shows good agreement with FEM simulations over various combinations of tensile and compressive residual stresses. Moreover, it succeeds in fitting measurements when used in a constrained optimization scheme in which the layers’ residual stresses and the e-form piezoelectric coupling coefficient are the fitting parameters.
Enhancing output power of rotational electret energy harvester by synchronized switch harvesting on inductor
Authors: Liu Yiran , Badel Adrien , Suzuki Yuji
Published: May 2021

A nonlinear interface circuit, known as synchronized switch harvesting on inductor (SSHI), for in-plane rotational electret kinetic energy harvesters (EHs) was developed. An explicit generator model is derived to verify the applicability of SSHI, which was originally proposed for the piezoelectric EH, on an in-plane electret EH. Experimentally, 505 μW was harvested with SSHI at a rectified voltage of 142 V for an in-plane rotational electret EH rotating at 1 rps, which is 2.47 times of that with a full-bridge rectifier, and which is in good agreement with the simulation result. The circuit efficiency and criteria for the inductor selection were clarified through circuit analysis based on spice simulation. It is found that the power dissipation of voltage-divider and rectification diodes becomes pronounced as the load voltage increases, constraining the efficiency. The inductor, which usually dominates the circuit volume, can be miniaturized for electret EHs, because the voltage inversion ratio, a benchmark of the SSHI performance, turns out to be insensitive to the series resistance of the inductor. The self-powering ability of the proposed circuit is also presented.
Women Garment Workers Face Huge Inequities in Global Supply Chain Factories Made Worse by COVID-19
Authors: Brown Garrett D.
Published: May 2021

Women make up the large majority of workers in global supply chains, especially factories in the apparel supply chain. These workers face significant inequalities in wages, workplace hazards, and a special burden of gender-based violence and harassment. These “normal” conditions have been compounded by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has exacerbated long-standing structural inequities. Decades of well-financed “corporate social responsibility” programs have failed because they do not address the underlying causes of illegal and abusive working conditions. New initiatives in the past half-decade offer promise in putting the needs and rights of workers front and center. Occupational health and safety professionals can assist in the global effort to improve working and social conditions, and respect for the rights and dignity of women workers, through advocacy and action on the job, in their professional associations, and in society at large.
Maintaining the Integrity of Qualitatively Driven Mixed Methods: Avoiding the “This Work Is Part of a Larger Study” Syndrome
Authors: Cheek Julianne
Published: May 2021

Severing a mixed method study into several publications is antithetical to the purpose and principles of mixed method designs. In this editorial, I explore the ramifications of such “splitting”.
Complicated Grief, Depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms Among Bereaved Parents following their Child’s Death in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit: A Follow-Up Study
Authors: Suttle Markita , Hall Mark W. , Pollack Murray M. , Berg Robert A. , McQuillen Patrick S. , Mourani Peter M. , Sapru Anil , Carcillo Joseph A. , Startup Emily , Holubkov Richard , Dean J. Michael , Notterman Daniel A. , Meert Kathleen L. ,   for the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network (CPCCRN)
Published: May 2021

Background:

Parents often suffer reduced mental health after their child’s death; however, the trajectory and risk factors are not well described.

Objective:

Describe the change in complicated grief, depression, and post-traumatic stress symptoms among parents between 6 and 13 months after their child’s death in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), and factors associated with 13-month symptoms.

Methods:

Parents whose children died in 1 of 8 PICUs affiliated with the Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network completed surveys 6 and 13 months after their child’s death. Surveys included the Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG), the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8) for depression, and the Short Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Rating Interview (SPRINT). Parents provided sociodemographics. Charts were reviewed for child characteristics.

Results:

One-hundred and fifty seven parents of 104 deceased children completed surveys at both time points. Mental health symptoms declined over time (mean (SD)): ICG (33.8 (15.4) vs. 30.5 (15.2), p < 0.001), PHQ-8 (9.0 (6.4) vs. 7.3 (5.8), p < 0.001), and SPRINT (14.1 (8.3) vs. 12.0 (8.2), p < 0.001). After controlling for 6-month scores, higher 13-month ICG was independently associated with sudden unexpected death; higher PHQ-8 with Black race, insecure attachment style, and sudden unexpected death; and higher SPRINT with having a high school level of education (compared to college degree or higher).

Conclusion:

Mental health symptoms improve among parents during the first 13 months after their child’s death; however, symptoms persist for many. Black parents and those whose children die suddenly may be high risk for poor adjustment during bereavement.
Olfactory Distraction for Management of Nausea in Palliative Care Patients
Authors: Corona Antonio Gabriel De Leon , Chin Jessica
Published: May 2021

Nausea is one of the most common and debilitating symptoms Palliative Care patients experience. This can be caused by the life-limiting illness itself, its complications, or its treatments. While there are many options for management, including anti-emetics and motility agents, patients may develop refractory nausea or even intolerance to these treatments. Drug interactions, sedation, extrapyramidal effects, serotonin syndrome, and prolonged QT intervals with risk factors for Torsades de Pointes may all preclude use of these medications. Olfactory distraction using alcohol swabs has supporting literature in the emergency care setting as a means of alleviating nausea in a safe and effective way. We present a case series of 3 patients admitted to a Northwell facility who were referred to the Palliative Care consult service for severe nausea. The patients had nausea of varying etiology and were successfully managed with inhalation of alcohol swabs. This is the first case series that looks into applying this intervention to the Palliative Care population as an easy-to-use, readily-available, and safe method to manage nausea.
A Retrospective Review of Communication Evaluation Practices of Young Latinx Children
Authors: Huerta Lidia , Cycyk Lauren M. , Sanford-Keller Hannah , Busch Amy , Dolata Jill , Moore Heather , De Anda Stephanie , Zuckerman Katharine
Published: May 2021

A retrospective review of initial early intervention and early childhood special education (EI/ECSE) evaluation reports was completed to identify practices specific to the evaluation of Latinx children’s communication development. A records abstraction approach employed entailed a random selection of 294 EI/ECSE evaluation reports completed in Oregon with Latinx children with communication concerns. The reports were coded for documentation of background information, evaluation procedures, and eligibility decisions. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were completed to identify common evaluation practices. Adequate evaluation practices documented included the use of a multidisciplinary evaluation team, administration of multiple evaluation measures, and provision of basic information on children’s language background. EI/ECSE providers did not consistently specify children’s language exposure/use, denote the language of the evaluation, prioritize appropriate assessment measures, and indicate attention to cultural and linguistic differences when determining eligibility. Recommendations for decreasing bias in the evaluation of Latinx children and culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) populations more broadly are offered.
Determinants of Face Mask Utilization to Prevent Covid-19 Pandemic among Quarantined Adults in Tigrai Region, Northern Ethiopia, 2020
Authors: Haftom Mekonnen , Petrucka Pammla M.
Published: May 2021

A face mask is a vital component of personal protective equipment to prevent potentially contagious respiratory infections. There was a lack of evidence showing the proportion and determinants of face mask use in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to identify face mask utilization determinants to prevent spread of the Covid-19 pandemic among quarantined adults in Tigrai region, northern Ethiopia. A total of 331 participants selected using a systematic random sampling method were included in the study. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was employed. After describing the variables using frequencies, means, and standard deviations, multivariable logistic regression determined factors associated with face mask utilization to prevent COVID-19 spread. The study participants were primarily males (70%) and mean age was 30.5 ( SD = 11) years. Nearly half of the participants reported they did not wear a face mask when leaving home. Face mask utilization was significantly associated with knowledge score, employment status, gender, age, and educational status of the study participants.
Does the Timing of 1-Stage Palatoplasty With Radical Muscle Dissection Effect Long-Term Midface Growth? A Single-Center Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Shetty Vikram , Patteta Nanda Kishore , Yadav Anirudh , Bahl Devyani , Sailer Hermann F.
Published: May 2021

Objective:

To evaluate the long-term effect of timing of 1-stage palatoplasty on midfacial growth in patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP).

Design:

Retrospective observational cohort study.

Study Setting:

Institutional hospital.

Patients:

One hundred twelve patients with CLP who underwent palatoplasty and were divided into 3 groups: group I: operated between 9 and 11 months; group II: operated between 18 and 20 months; and group III: operated between 21 and 24 months.

Interventions:

All patients underwent von Langenbeck palatoplasty technique, which was converted to a Bardach 2-flap technique in case of any technical difficulties. The patients were followed up between 8 and 9 years when they reported for secondary alveolar bone grafting. Postsurgical cephalometric and dental casts measurements were taken for midfacial growth analysis.

Main Outcome Measures:

The cephalometric measures were analyzed for midfacial growth and compared within the groups.

Results:

Statistically significant difference ( P < .01) was found on comparing the cephalometric parameters such as sella–nasion–A point angle (SNA), A point–nasion–B point angle (ANB), n toperpendicular to point A (N-perpA), condylon to point A (Co-A), anterior nasal spine to posterior nasal spine (ANS-PNS), nasion to Anterior nasal spine (N-ANS), nasion to menton (N Me), and witts appraisal (Witt (AO-BO)) in group I when compared to both group II and group III patients, implying deficient midfacial growth in group I. No statistical difference was found in the cephalometric values between group II and group III. Group II had better cephalometric measurements than group III, showing better growth in group II than group III. Overall, there was less incidence of midfacial hypoplasia in patients treated between 18 and 20 months (group II).

Conclusion:

We conclude that palatal closure carried out at 18 to 20 months and 21 to 24 months is associated with better midfacial growth when compared to closure at 9 to 11 months. The best time to operate would be between 18 and 20 months to avoid speech disturbances. Midfacial growth can be greatly influenced by the timing of 1-stage palatoplasty.
Readability of Online Patient Information Relating to Cleft Palate Surgery
Authors: Lavin Christopher V. , Fahy Evan J. , Abbas Darren B. , Griffin Michelle , Deleon Nestor M. Diaz , Lee Daniel K. , Khosla Rohit K. , Bruckman Karl , Lorenz Hermann Peter , Wan Derrick C.
Published: May 2021

Objective:

It is important for health care education materials to be easily understood by caretakers of children requiring craniofacial surgery. This study aimed to analyze the readability of Google search results as they pertain to “Cleft Palate Surgery” and “Palatoplasty.” Additionally, the study included a search from several locations globally to identify possible geographic differences.

Design:

Google searches of the terms “Cleft Palate Surgery” and “Palatoplasty” were performed. Additionally, searches of only “Cleft Palate Surgery” were run from several internet protocol addresses globally.

Main Outcome Measures:

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level and Readability Ease, Gunning Fog Index, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) index, and Coleman-Liau Index.

Results:

Search results for “Cleft Palate Surgery” were easier to read and comprehend compared to search results for “Palatoplasty.” Mean Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level scores were 7.0 and 10.11, respectively ( P = .0018). Mean Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease scores were 61.29 and 40.71, respectively ( P = .0003). Mean Gunning Fog Index scores were 8.370 and 10.34, respectively ( P = .0458). Mean SMOG Index scores were 6.84 and 8.47, respectively ( P = .0260). Mean Coleman-Liau Index scores were 12.95 and 15.33, respectively ( P = .0281). No significant differences were found in any of the readability measures based on global location.

Conclusions:

Although some improvement can be made, craniofacial surgeons can be confident in the online information pertaining to cleft palate repair, regardless of where the search is performed from. The average readability of the top search results for “Cleft Palate Surgery” is around the seventh-grade reading level (US educational system) and compares favorably to other health care readability analyses.
Child Protective Services Referral in a Cleft Lip and/or Palate Population: Assessment of Prevalence, Indications, and Outcomes
Authors: Kaye Alison , Shah Karina , Lybrand Sandra , Baysinger Sarah , Tracy Meghan
Published: May 2021

Objective:

To determine the prevalence of, reasons for, and outcomes related to Child Protective Services (CPS) referral in an isolated and syndromic cleft lip/palate population.

Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting:

Tertiary Children’s Hospital.

Patients:

Any patient <18 years of age attending the multidisciplinary cleft team for care at our institution with a history of referral to CPS by the cleft team during the study period 2009 to 2014.

Main Outcome Measures:

The number of children with CPS referrals, reasons for CPS referrals, outcomes of CPS referrals, associated psychosocial risk factors potentially predictive of CPS referral; demographics and cleft-related surgical history was also reviewed for each patient.

Results:

Of 1392 patients, 25 (1.8%) were identified with a history of referral to CPS. Average age at referral was 11 months; 76.0% of patients were <1 year of age. Most referrals (64.0%) were directly associated with issues related to cleft care. Identified psychosocial risk factors included financial strain, mental illness/cognitive disability, transportation issues, and inadequate social support. Nine families ultimately lost custody of their children temporarily (n = 5) or permanently (n = 4).

Conclusions:

Cleft team family referral to CPS involves long-term patient care challenges requiring maximal medical and social support. Families are most commonly referred for issues related to medical neglect, which can lead to failure to thrive, delays in care, and ultimate removal from the home. Identifying families with known psychosocial risk factors and providing increased support may potentially help avoid referrals to CPS.
Cleft Lip and/or Palate in Infants Prenatally Exposed to Opioids
Authors: Proctor-Williams Kerry , Louw Brenda
Published: May 2021

Objective:

To determine the prevalence and odds ratios for cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) among infants prenatally exposed to opioids with or without neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS).

Design:

This study represents an exploratory, retrospective cohort study design of newborn medical health records from 2011 to 2016.

Setting:

Records were drawn from a regional health system located in South Central Appalachia.

Population and Study Sample:

The original population yielded 3 cohorts of infants: (1) infants with opioid exposure (OE) but not requiring pharmacological intervention (OE; N = 168); (2) infants with NOWS requiring pharmacological intervention (N = 294); and (3) infants with no opioid exposure (NOE; N = 16 090), the primary comparison group.

Main Outcome:

Infants in the NOWS and OE groups showed significantly increased prevalence and odds ratios for CL/P when compared to those in the NOE group.

Results:

Prevalence rates per 1000 live births for infants with OE (35.71) and infants with NOWS (6.80) were significantly higher than those for infants with NOE (1.37). Comparison of infants with OE to the NOE group revealed significantly increased odds for CL/P, isolated cleft palate (CP), cleft lip (CL), and cleft lip and palate (CLP) (27.05, 41.81, 19.26, 19.37, respectively; all Ps < .008). The odds ratios for infants with NOWS compared to the NOE group were significantly higher for CL/P and CP (5.00 and 10.98, respectively; Ps < .03) but not for CL and CLP.

Conclusion:

The results provide additional evidence that prenatal OE should be considered among the critical environmental risk factors that can contribute to CL/P.
Relationship Between Achievement Performances of University Entrance Examination and International Baccalaureate Diploma Program: A Case From Turkey
Authors: Metli Akın , Özcan Oğuzhan
Published: May 2021

Prior research on the relationship between International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP) scores and the university entrance exam scores is limited and varied to a great extent due to the conflicting results in the literature. This study investigates whether there is any relationship between the students’ achievement performance in IBDP and university entrance exam performance. The study revealed that there is no statistically significant correlation between IBDP scores and university entrance exam rank orders. Furthermore, the study showed that the IBDP scores cannot be taken into account as a strong predictor for university entrance exam performance.
Assessment and Impact of Intravenous Medication Fluid Administration in Critically Ill Patients With Acute Respiratory Failure
Authors: Gonzales Jeffrey P. , Child Debbi , Harrington Thelma , Kratz Peter , Seiberlich Laura , Netzer Giora , Shanholtz Carl B.
Published: May 2021

Background:

Positive fluid balance early in critical illness is associated with poor outcomes. Reducing intravenous medication volume may mitigate volume overload. Objective: Assessment of fluid and medication administration and clinical outcomes in acute respiratory failure.

Methods:

Single-center, prospective observational study of hemodynamically stable adult patients in a medical intensive care unit (MICU) with acute respiratory failure.

Results:

Median cumulative total intake volume was 12 890 (interquartile range [IQR] = 8654-22 221) mL (n = 27), and median cumulative intravenous medication volume was 3563 (IQR = 2371-9412) mL over the first 7 days. Medication volume accounted for 27.6% of aggregate fluid volume. Median daily intravenous medication volume administered was 591 (IQR = 339-1082) mL. Cumulative fluid volume was associated with reduced ventilator-free days ( r2 = −0.393; P = 0.043), and cumulative fluid volumes during the first 3 and 7 days were associated with increased MICU length of stay (LOS ± standard error 0.73 ± 0.35 d/L, P = 0.047, and 0.38 ± 0.16 d/L, P = 0.021, respectively). Cumulative medication volume administered significantly reduced the likelihood of mechanical ventilator liberation (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.917; 95% CI: 0.854, 0.984; P = 0.016) and MICU discharge (HR = 0.911; 95% CI: 0.843, 0.985; P = 0.019). Small-volume infusion may decrease cumulative intravenous medication volume by 38%.

Conclusion and Relevance:

Intravenous medication diluent contributes substantially to total fluid intake in patients with acute respiratory failure and is associated with poor outcomes. Reduction of intravenous medication fluid volume to improve clinical outcomes should be further investigated.
Safe Workplace for Agricultural Tractor: Design Principle and Application
Authors: Khadatkar Abhijit , Shukla Prabhakar
Published: May 2021

This study focuses on developing a safe workplace for agricultural tractor drivers and recommending the optimum location for tractor control. Thirteen anthropometric body dimensions of 8,025 Indian male agricultural workers were considered for developing reach envelopes for hand- and foot-operated controls. The optimum reach for hand controls is in the range of 456 to 700 mm forward and 265 to 492 mm above the seat reference point. Similarly, for foot-operated control, the foot could reach within the range 429 to 897 mm forward and 367 mm below, and 30 mm above the seat reference point.
President Obama and the Emergence of Islamophobia in Mass Partisan Preferences
Authors: Tesler Michael
Published: May 2021

This article argues that the unusually large and persistent association between Islamophobia and opposition to President Obama helped make attitudes about Muslims a significant, independent predictor of Americans’ broader partisan preferences. After detailing the theoretical basis for this argument, the article marshals repeated cross-sectional data, two panel surveys, and a nationally representative survey experiment, to test its hypotheses. The results from those analyses show the following: (1) attitudes about Muslims were a significantly stronger independent predictor of voter preferences for congress in 2010–2014 elections than they were in 2004–2008; (2) attitudes about Muslims were a significantly stronger independent predictor of mass partisanship during Obama’s presidency than they were beforehand; and (3) experimentally connecting Obama to Democratic congressional candidates significantly increased the relationship between anti-Muslim sentiments and Americans’ preferences for Republican congressional candidates. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications of these results for American politics in the Trump era.
Psychometric Evaluation of a Big Five Personality State Scale for Intensive Longitudinal Studies
Authors: Ringwald Whitney R. , Manuck Stephen B. , Marsland Anna L. , Wright Aidan G. C.
Published: May 2021

Despite enthusiasm for using intensive longitudinal designs to measure day-to-day manifestations of personality underlying differences between people, the validity of personality state scales has yet to be established. In this study, we evaluated the psychometrics of 20-item and 10-item daily, Big Five personality state scales in three independent samples ( N = 1,041). We used multilevel models to separately examine the validity of the scales for assessing personality variation at the between- and within-person levels. Results showed that a five-factor structure at both levels fits the data well, the scales had good convergent and discriminative associations with external variables, and personality states captured similar nomological nets as established global, self-report personality inventories. Limitations of the scales were identified (e.g., low reliability, low correlations with external criterion) that point to a need for more, systematic psychometric work. Our findings provide initial support for the use of personality state scales in intensive longitudinal designs to study between-person traits, within-person processes, and their interrelationship.
Nitric Oxide–cGMP Pathway Modulation in an Experimental Model of Hypoxic Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Reinero Melanie , Beghetti Maurice , Tozzi Piergiorgio , Segesser Ludwig K. von , Samaja Michele , Milano Giuseppina
Published: May 2021

Manipulation of nitric oxide (NO) may enable control of progression and treatment of pulmonary hypertension (PH). Several approaches may modulate the NO-cGMP pathway in vivo. Here, we investigate the effectiveness of 3 modulatory sites: (i) the amount of l-arginine; (ii) the size of plasma NO stores that stimulate soluble guanylate cyclase; (iii) the conversion of cGMP into inactive 5′-GMP, with respect to hypoxia, to test the effectiveness of the treatments with respect to hypoxia-induced PH. Male rats (n = 80; 10/group) maintained in normoxic (21% O2) or hypoxic chambers (10% O2) for 14 days were subdivided in 4 sub-groups: placebo, l-arginine (20 mg/ml), the NO donor molsidomine (15 mg/kg in drinking water), and phoshodiesterase-5 inhibitor sildenafil (1.4 mg/kg in 0.3 ml saline, i.p.). Hypoxia depressed homeostasis and increased erythropoiesis, heart and right ventricle hypertrophy, myocardial fibrosis and apoptosis inducing pulmonary remodeling. Stimulating anyone of the 3 mechanisms that enhance the NO-cGMP pathway helped rescuing the functional and morphological changes in the cardiopulmonary system leading to improvement, sometimes normalization, of the pressures. None of the treatments affected the observed parameters in normoxia. Thus, the 3 modulatory sites are essentially similar in enhancing the NO-cGMP pathway, thereby attenuating the hypoxia-related effects that lead to pulmonary hypertension.
Optimum design for a novel inerter-based vibration absorber with an amplified inertance and grounded stiffness for enhanced vibration control
Authors: Baduidana Marcial , Kenfack-Jiotsa Aurelien
Published: May 2021

This article presents the results of the study of a novel inerter-based vibration absorber with an amplified inertance mechanism and grounded stiffness, to control excessive vibrational movements of an excited primary structure. The inerter vibration absorber used in this study acts as a passive tuned inerter damper. An undamped primary structure model with a single degree of freedom controlled by the proposed inerter vibration absorber is developed and used to derive the equations of motion of the coupled system. The optimum frequency ratio and the optimum damping ratio of inerter vibration absorber are found using the fixed point theory for harmonic force-excited primary structures. Then, the optimum grounded stiffness ratio is deduced. Based on the inclusion of an amplified inertance mechanism, it is found that for given inertance mass ratio, the change in the amplification ratio results in three cases for the optimum grounded stiffness ratio, that is, negative, zero, and positive. From these three cases of grounded stiffness, the inerter vibration absorber with positive grounded stiffness has demonstrated the best control performance. Under optimum parameters, the results indicate that the inerter vibration absorber in this article outperforms some existing inerter vibration absorbers under the harmonic excitation, in terms of decreases in the peak vibration response of the primary system and widens the suppression bandwidth. Finally, the further comparison among the inerter vibration absorber under random (white noise) excitation also shows that the model in this article is superior to other inerter vibration absorbers in terms of smallest mean square response and smallest variance of the time history of the primary system.
Experimental investigation on time-domain features in the diagnosis of rolling element bearings by acoustic emission
Authors: Aasi Aref , Tabatabaei Ramtin , Aasi Erfan , Jafari Seyed Mohammad
Published: May 2021

Inspired by previous achievements, different time-domain features for diagnosis of rolling element bearings are investigated in this study. An experimental test rig is prepared for condition monitoring of angular contact bearing by using an acoustic emission sensor for this purpose. The acoustic emission signals are acquired from defective bearing, and the sensor takes signals from defects on the inner or outer race of the bearing. By studying the literature works, different domains of features are classified, and the most common time-domain features are selected for condition monitoring. The considered features are calculated for obtained signals with different loadings, speeds, and sizes of defects on the inner and outer race of the bearing. Our results indicate that the clearance, sixth central moment, impulse, kurtosis, and crest factors are appropriate features for diagnosis purposes. Moreover, our results show that the clearance factor for small defects and sixth central moment for large defects are promising for defect diagnosis on rolling element bearings.
Labor Market Concentration and Worker Contributions to Health Insurance Premiums
Authors: Meiselbach Mark K. , Eisenberg Matthew D. , Bai Ge , Sen Aditi , Anderson Gerard F.
Published: May 2021

In concentrated labor markets, where workers have fewer employers to choose from, employers may exploit their monopsony power by contributing less to workers’ health benefits. This study examined if labor market concentration was associated with higher worker contributions to health plan premiums. We combined publicly available data from the Census to calculate labor market concentration and the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Insurance/Employer Component to determine premium contributions from 2010 to 2016 for metropolitan areas. After controlling for year fixed-effects and market characteristics, we found that higher labor market concentration was associated with higher worker contributions to health plan premiums, lower take-home income, and no change in employer contributions to premiums, consistent with the hypothesis that greater labor market concentration is associated with less generous health benefits. When evaluating the effects of mergers and acquisitions on labor markets, regulatory agencies should critically assess worker contributions to health insurance premiums.
This is Depressing: The Emotional Labor of Teaching During the Pandemic Spring 2020
Authors: Auger Giselle A. , Formentin Melanie J.
Published: May 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic affected teachers and students worldwide. In March 2020, more than 5,000 teachers reported feeling overwhelmed, sad, fearful, anxious, and worried. We evaluated those feelings through the lens of emotional labor using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. Results indicated that professors were experiencing signs of emotional exhaustion as the result of surface acting—the disconnect they felt between trying to reassure and support students when they themselves felt sad and anxious. Results supported findings from several student and teacher surveys regarding stress and COVID-19. It also supported prior research that found gender differences in extent of emotional labor.
Reflecting the Times? Reexamining the Effect of Alcohol Intoxication on Perceptions of Campus Sexual Assault
Authors: Henry Adrienne P. , Perillo Anthony D. , Reitz-Krueger Cristina L. , Perillo Jennifer T.
Published: May 2021

We examined the effects of victim and perpetrator alcohol intoxication on perceptions of campus sexual assault. Participants ( N = 276) read a campus assault vignette; both perpetrator and victim intoxication levels were manipulated. Participants reported attitudes toward both parties and perceptions of responsibility, blame, and criminal and civil liability. Contrary to some past research, participants blamed victims less—and more strongly considered the incident rape or sexual assault—when victims were highly intoxicated. Perceptions were most punitive toward sober perpetrators with highly intoxicated victims. Results suggest possible shifts in perceptions of consent, further discussed in the context of historical and population factors.
A numerical investigation on impulse-induced nonlinear longitudinal waves in pantographic beams
Authors: Turco Emilio , Barchiesi Emilio , dell’Isola Francesco
Published: May 2021

This contribution presents the results of a campaign of numerical simulations aimed at better understanding the propagation of longitudinal waves in pantographic beams within the large-deformation regime. Initially, we recall the key features of a Lagrangian discrete spring model, which was introduced in previous works and that was tested extensively as capable of accurately forecasting the mechanical response of structures based on the pantographic motif, both in statics and dynamics. Successively, a stepwise integration scheme used to solve equations of motions is briefly discussed. The key content of the present contribution concerns the thorough presentation of some selected numerical simulations, which focus in particular on the propagation of stretch profiles induced by impulsive loads. The study takes into account different tests, by varying the number of unit cells, i.e., the total length of the system, spring stiffnesses, the shape of the impulse, as well as its properties such as duration and peak amplitude, and boundary conditions. Some conjectures about the form of traveling waves are formulated, to be confirmed by both further numerical simulations and analytical investigations.
Uniform stresses inside both a non-parabolic inhomogeneity and a non-elliptical inhomogeneity located in the vicinity of a circular Eshelby inclusion
Authors: Yang Ping , Wang Xu , Schiavone Peter
Published: May 2021

We establish the uniformity of stresses inside both a non-parabolic open inhomogeneity and a non-elliptical closed inhomogeneity interacting with a nearby circular Eshelby inclusion undergoing uniform anti-plane eigenstrains when the surrounding matrix is subjected to uniform remote anti-plane stresses. Our procedure involves the introduction of a conformal mapping function for the doubly connected domain occupied by the matrix and the circular Eshelby inclusion. Two conditions are established in order to achieve the uniformity property inside each of the two inhomogeneities. Our results indicate that: (a) the internal uniform stresses are independent of the specific shapes of the two inhomogeneities and the existence of the nearby circular Eshelby inclusion; (b) the open and closed shapes of the respective inhomogeneities are significantly affected by the presence of the circular Eshelby inclusion. We also consider the two more complex cases involving: (a) an arbitrary number of circular Eshelby inclusions undergoing uniform eigenstrains; (b) a circular Eshelby inclusion undergoing linear eigenstrains. Detailed numerical results demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed theory.
Psychosocial Factors Mediating the Effect of the CHoBI7 Mobile Health Program on Handwashing With Soap and Household Stored Water Quality: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: George Christine Marie , Bhuyian Md. Sazzadul Islam , Thomas Elizabeth D. , Parvin Tahmina , Monira Shirajum , Zohura Fatema , Hasan M. Tasdik , Tahmina Sanya , Munmun Farzana , Sack David A. , Perin Jamie , Alam Munirul
Published: May 2021

Household members of diarrhea patients are at higher risk of developing diarrheal diseases (>100 times for cholera) than the general population during the 7 days after the diarrhea patient is admitted at a health facility. There is growing evidence demonstrating that theory-driven water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions are likely to yield greater behavior change than those based on health education alone. The Cholera Hospital-Based Intervention for 7-Days (CHoBI7) mobile health (mHealth) program is a theory-driven WASH intervention initially delivered to a diarrhea patient by a health promoter during a health facility visit and reinforced through weekly voice and text messages. In the recent randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the CHoBI7-mHealth program in Bangladesh, this intervention significantly reduced diarrheal disease and stunting, and increased handwashing with soap and stored drinking water quality over the 12-month program period. The aim of this study was to assess the underlying mechanism of change of this intervention. Handwashing with soap was measured by 5-hour structured observation. Stored drinking water quality was assessed by the presence of Escherichia coli during unannounced spot checks. Psychosocial factors were measured among 1,468 participants in the CHoBI7-mHealth RCT. Perceived susceptibility, response efficacy, self-efficacy, dirt reactivity, and diarrhea knowledge were mediators of the CHoBI7-mHealth program’s effect on stored drinking water quality at the 1-week follow-up. Self-efficacy, response efficacy, and diarrhea knowledge were mediators of the intervention’s effect on handwashing with soap habit maintenance and stored drinking water quality at the 12-month follow-up. This study demonstrates how theory-driven approaches for intervention design can facilitate WASH behavior change.
How Sincere is an Apology? Recovery Satisfaction in A Robot Service Failure Context
Authors: Hu Yaou , (Kelly) Min Hyounae , Su Na
Published: May 2021

This study examined the effects of service recovery entities (i.e., robot-generated text, robot-generated voice, and human service employee) on recovery satisfaction through the mediation of perceived sincerity. This study also tested the moderating role of the need for human interaction. The results of this study suggest that people perceive service recovery provided by a human to be more sincere than that provided by a service robot, thereby leading to higher levels of satisfaction. Moreover, this effect is stronger for those with a stronger need for human interaction. However, differences in perceived sincerity and recovery satisfaction were not identified between the use of service robots generating either text or a voice to express an apology. This study contributes to the theoretical discussion on ways to enhance customer experiences in robot service environments and provides insights that can guide service management in the hospitality and tourism industry.