bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diet and Chemotherapy: The Effects of Fasting and Ketogenic Diet on Cancer Treatment
Authors: Plotti Francesco , Terranova Corrado , Luvero Daniela , Bartolone Martina , Messina Giuseppe , Feole Laura , Cianci Stefano , Scaletta Giuseppe , Marchetti Claudia , Di Donato Violante , Fagotti Anna , Scambia Giovanni , Benedetti Panici Pierluigi , Angioli Roberto
Published: November 2020

Introduction: Diet may influence various aspects of human health. In fact, it is well known that diet can favour or not the development of various human pathologies, like diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolaemia. Interestingly, diet has an influence in cancer development too (e.g., this relation has been studied for pancreatic, colonic, gastric, and breast cancers). Between the mechanisms that could explain this relation, there is epigenetic. In fact, thanks to epigenetic reprogramming, certain substances introduced with diet could affect gene expression, especially of those genes involved in cells’ proliferation and growth. In recent years, some studies have been published about the role that diet could have on chemotherapy outcome. Especially, various studies have analysed the effects of fasting and ketogenic diet (KD) during chemotherapy. The aim of this study is to summarize scientific evidences about diet and its effects on chemotherapy on humans and to better understand if these approaches deserve to be further investigated and might be suitable and beneficial during cancer treatment. Materials and Methods: We performed an electronic literature search of the PubMed database, using the combination of following terms: “fasting” or “ketogenic” with “chemotherapy,” “cancer treatment.” We included studies on humans about fasting and KD during chemotherapy, excluding reviews, case series including <10 patients, studies conducted on animals or limited to radiotherapy treatment, and studies that were mostly about molecular mechanisms. Results/Discussion In our analysis we included 4 studies (1 randomized controlled trial, 1 retrospective study, and 2 prospective pilot studies) about KD and 4 studies (1 prospective cohort study, 1 case series report, and 2 randomized trials) about fasting during oncological treatments. Authors suggested an improvement of quality of life (QoL) and fatigue in patients under chemotherapy, especially in the 8 days after chemotherapy treatment. We found that both fasting and KD demonstrated to be tolerable and feasible during oncological treatments. Conversely, data about survival outcomes are still controversial, but it should be underlined that it was not the outcome of these preliminary studies. Conclusions: All comparatives studies have demonstrated that even fasting then KD results in a reduction of collateral effects of adjuvant chemotherapy (due to reduction of drugs toxicity) and a better QoL than in patients that follow no diet. Unfortunately, despite the fact that various laboratory and animal studies confirm advantages from KD and fasting, few data are today disposable on humans: further studies are needed to confirm data exposed in this review.
Evaluation of an Automatic Speech Recognition Platform for Dysarthric Speech
Authors: Calvo Irene , Tropea Peppino , Viganò Mauro , Scialla Maria , Cavalcante Agnieszka B. , Grajzer Monika , Gilardone Marco , Corbo Massimo
Published: November 2020

Introduction: The use of commercially available automatic speech recognition (ASR) software is challenged when dysarthria accompanies a physical disability. To overcome this issue, a mobile and personal speech assistant (mPASS) platform was developed, using a speaker-dependent ASR software. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of the proposed platform and to compare mPASS recognition accuracy to a commercial speaker-independent ASR software. In addition, secondary aims were to investigate the relationship between severity of dysarthria and accuracy and to explore people with dysarthria perceptions on the proposed platform. Methods: Fifteen individuals with dysarthric speech and 20 individuals with nondysarthric speech recorded 24 words and 5 sentences in a clinical environment. Differences in recognition accuracy between the two systems were evaluated. In addition, mPASS usability was assessed with a technology acceptance model (TAM) questionnaire. Results: In both groups, mean accuracy rates were significantly higher with mPASS compared to the commercial ASR for words and for sentences. mPASS reached good levels of usefulness and ease of use according to the TAM questionnaire. Conclusions: Practical applicability of this technology is realistic: the mPASS platform is accurate, and it could be easily used by individuals with dysarthria.
Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis in Portugal: Patients’ Perception of the Challenges Faced during Treatment
Authors: Bhering Marcela , Sarubbi Junior Vicente  , Kritski Afrânio , Souza Fabiana Barbosa Assumpção , Duarte Raquel
Published: November 2020

Introduction: The increase in drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) threatens global progress in eliminating TB, and constitutes a major challenge for patients, health-care workers and health services. Treatment for multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) can last almost 2 years, and is more expensive, more toxic, and less effective than treating TB caused by drug-sensitive bacilli. This study aims to analyze patients’ narratives about the challenges they face during MDR-TB treatment and identify the support factors that help patients being treated in the most populous district of Portugal. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients being treated for MDR-TB. The interviews were coded using thematic analysis. They were audio-recorded, transcribed, and transported into NVivo v12 for data management and coding. Results: Depression, social discrimination, and the side effects of drugs are the main challenges faced by patients with MDR-TB. A good relationship of the patients with the health team, emotional support, and supervised treatment stand out as the factors that generate better adherence and treatment success. Conclusion: In addition to modern diagnostic techniques and new treatments, MDR-TB can be fought by focusing on the care and needs of patients. We suggest that the Lisbon Tuberculosis Program adopts the following measures: build the health-care team’s capacity to identify symptoms of depression early, increase public awareness of the disease, expand the multidisciplinary team, and expand the options for individualized social support for patients.
Socio-Environmental, Lifestyle, Behavioural, and Psychological Determinants of Biological Ageing: The Singapore Longitudinal Ageing Study
Authors: Ng Tze Pin , Zhong Xin , Gao Qi , Gwee Xinyi , Chua Denise Qian Ling , Larbi Anis
Published: November 2020

Introduction: The identification of modifiable health span-promoting factors is a public health priority. Objective: To explore the socio-environmental, lifestyle, behavioural, and psychological determinants of a clinical phenotypic measure of biological ageing in the Singapore Longitudinal Ageing Study (SLAS) cohort. Methods: Using cross-sectional data on 2,844 SLAS-2 adults with a chronological age (CA) ≥55 years, we estimated biological age (BA) using a validated panel of clinical, biochemical, physiological, and functional indicators (8 in men and 10 in women) and calculated the difference between BA and CA (BA – CA in years). Potential determinants included education, housing status, loss of a spouse, living alone, lifestyle and health activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, nutritional risks, consumption of milk, soy, fruit, vegetables, coffee and tea, sleep parameters, and life satisfaction. Results: The mean CA was 67.0 (standard deviation [SD] 7.9; range 55–94) years. The estimated BA varied more widely (SD 8.9 years; range 47.5–119.9 years), and BA – CA ranged from –11.3 to 30.0 years. In stepwise selection regression analyses, multiple significant independent determinants in a final model were larger for private housing, being single/divorced/widowed, productivity, cognitive and leisure time activity scores, 10 h/week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, unintended loss of weight, life satisfaction, and daily consumption of fruits 1–2 or ≥3 servings and Chinese tea 1–2 or ≥3 cups daily, together explaining 16% of BA – CA variance in men and 14% in women. Associated BA – CA estimates were highest in men with high-end housing status (–1.8 years, effect size 0.015) and unintended weight loss (1.5 years, effect size 0.017). Conclusion: We identified determinants of biological ageing which can promote health span.
Quality of Life in Elders with Suspected Alzheimer Disease: An Urban Health Centers-Based Study from Iran
Authors: Honarvar Behnam , Khaksar Elahe , Jafari Fatemeh , Zahedroozegar Mohammad Hassan , Amiri Sanaz
Published: November 2020

Background/Aims: Quality of life (QOL) and Alzheimer disease (AD) among older people have been recognized as public health challenges. Here, we investigated the association between QOL and AD in the elders. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, elderly people were selected from urban health centers (Shiraz, Iran) by multistage cluster random sampling and were interviewed using LEIPAD (for QOL) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (for AD) questionnaires. The data was analyzed using Mplus (version 6.12) and IBM SPSS (version 25) software. Results: The participants consisted of 182 elderly with a mean age of 67 ± 5.05 years, and 95 (52.2%) of them were females. There were 161 (88.5%) and 130 (71.4%) cases educated up to 12 years and married, respectively. Furthermore, 46 (25.3%) had low-to-moderate QOL, and 132 (72.5%) were suspected to have AD. QOL was inversely associated with AD, and men (β = –0.310) were more affected than women (β = –0.290). AD (β = –0.298), age (β = –0.288), hypertension (β = –0.267), education (β = 0.260), and body mass index (β = –0.198) were determinants of QOL. Also, physical activity was indirectly associated with QOL (β = 0.076). AD was correlated with the cognitive functioning component of QOL (r = –0.72). Conclusion: One elder out of 4, did not have desirable QOL and 3 elders out of 4 were suspected to have AD. AD can decrease QOL among the older people. Screening of the elders for AD is recommended to improve their QOL by health centers.
Renal Injury by SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Systematic Review
Authors: Wang Mo , Xiong Huaying , Chen Han , Li Qiu , Ruan Xiong Zhong
Published: November 2020

Background: SARS-CoV-2 infection can cause renal involvement, and severe renal dysfunction is more common among patients with chronic comorbid conditions, especially patients with chronic kidney disease. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) has been proven to be the major receptor of SARS-CoV-2 in kidneys, suggesting that ACE2-related changes may be involved in renal injury during the infection. In this review, we systematically reviewed the literature to summarize findings on the mechanism of renal injury caused by SARS-COV-2 infection, in order to provide a theoretical basis for renal protection therapy. Summary: For patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, renal injury mainly manifests as increased serum creatinine, variable degrees of proteinuria and hematuria, and radiographic abnormalities of the kidneys. In this review, we summarize the pathogenesis of renal injury deriving from SARS-CoV-2 infection by focusing on its etiology, pathology, and clinical manifestations. The virus causes kidney injury by either direct infection or systemic effects, including host immune clearance and immune tolerance disorders, endothelium-mediated vasculitis, thrombus formation, glucose and lipid metabolism disorder, and hypoxia. Key Messages: Renal injury by SARS-CoV-2 is the result of multiple factors. Via highly expressed ACE2 in renal tissue, SARS-CoV-2 infection fundamentally initiates a mechanism of renal injury. Systemic effects such as host immune clearance and immune tolerance disorders, endothelial cell injury, thrombus formation, glucose and lipid metabolism disorder, and hypoxia aggravate this renal injury.
Apelin-13: A Promising Biomarker for Age-Related Macular Degeneration?
Authors: Vural Esra , Hazar Leyla , Karakukçu Cigdem , Arslan M. Erkam , Sirem M. Raşit , Sirakaya Ender , Ozsaygılı Cemal , Çiçek Ayşe
Published: November 2020

Purpose: To investigate the value of serum apelin-13 levels in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods: Patients with dry-type AMD, patients with treatment-naïve neovascular-type AMD, and healthy controls were included in this study. Diagnoses were confirmed on detailed fundus examination, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA). Central foveal thickness and subfoveal choroidal thickness were evaluated. Both serum apelin-13 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels were measured by a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) principle. Results: A total of 84 subjects, i.e., 24 in the dry-type AMD group (group 1), 27 in the neovascular-type AMD group (group 2), and 33 in the control group (group 3) were included in the study. Mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 76 ± 4.5, 48.4 ± 16.3, and 83.4 ± 3.09 ETDRS letters in group 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The level of serum VEGF was 44.11 ± 26.14, 56.53 ± 53.77, and 61.47 ± 41.62 pg/mL in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (p = 0.553, p = 0.286, and p = 0.896, respectively). The level of serum apelin-13 was 586.47 ± 167.56, 622.18 ± 324.52, and 379.31 ± 171.96 pg/mL in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (p = 0.847, p = 0.04, and p ≤ 0.001, respectively). There was a negative correlation between the level of serum apelin and visual acuity (VA) and choroidal thickness. Conclusion: Serum apelin-13 levels were higher in both dry-type and neovascular-type AMD patients than in controls. Further studies demonstrating the relationship of the level of serum apelin-13 and AMD are needed.
Monoallelic Mutations in
CC2D1A
Suggest a Novel Role in Human Heterotaxy and Ciliary Dysfunction
Authors: Ma Alvin Chun Hang , Mak Christopher Chun Yu , Yeung Kit San , Pei Steven Lim Cho , Ying Dingge , Yu Mullin Ho Chung , Hasan Kazi Md Mahmudul , Chen Xiangke , Chow Pak Cheong , Cheung Yiu Fai , Chung Brian Hon Yin
Published: November 2020

Background:

Human heterotaxy is a group of congenital disorders characterized by misplacement of one or more organs according to the left-right axis. The genetic causes of human heterotaxy are highly heterogeneous.

Methods:

We performed exome sequencing in a cohort of 26 probands with heterotaxy followed by gene burden analysis for the enrichment of novel rare damaging mutations. Transcription activator-like effector nuclease was used to generate somatic loss-of-function mutants in a zebrafish model. Ciliary defects were examined by whole-mount immunostaining of acetylated α-tubulin.

Results:

We identified a significant enrichment of novel rare damaging mutations in the
CC2D1A
gene. Seven occurrences of
CC2D1A
mutations were found to affect 4 highly conserved amino acid residues of the protein. Functional analyses in the transcription activator-like effector nuclease–mediated zebrafish knockout models were performed, and heterotaxy phenotypes of the cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems in both somatic and germline mutants were observed. Defective cilia were demonstrated by whole-mount immunostaining of acetylated α-tubulin. These abnormalities were rescued by wild-type
cc2d1a
mRNA but not
cc2d1a
mutant mRNA, strongly suggesting a loss-of-function mechanism. On the other hand, overexpression of
cc2d1a
orthologous mutations
cc2d1a
P559L and
cc2d1a
G808V (orthologous to human
CC2D1A
P532L and
CC2D1A
G781V) did not affect embryonic development.

Conclusions:

Using a zebrafish model, we were able to establish a novel association of
CC2D1A
with heterotaxy and ciliary dysfunction in the F2 generation via a loss-of-function mechanism. Future mechanistic studies are needed for a better understanding of the role of
CC2D1A
in left-right patterning and ciliary dysfunction.
Introduction to Alioune Diop's “Art and Peace” (1966)
Authors: Taylor Lauren
Published: November 2020

In 1966, the multi-media celebration of African and diasporic art known as the Premier Festival Mondial des Arts Nègres attracted an international audience to the recently independent nation of Senegal. As performances and exhibitions took place throughout Dakar, politicians, artists, and intellectuals considered what roles art and culture could play in healing a world torn by colonialism, the World Wars, and increasing tensions between the Eastern and Western blocs. In “Art and Peace,” Alioune Diop, the president of the Festival's organizing committee, enlists the arts as vital tools in the ambitious project of world peace. For contemporary readers, his words foreshadow present-day debates concerning the effects of globalization on the arts and reveal understudied links uniting the mid-century cosmopolitanist visions of negritude, Catholicism, and UNESCO.
Jugaad
Authors: Dadi Iftikhar , Dadi Elizabeth
Published: November 2020

Jugaad continues Iftikhar and Elizabeth Dadi's extended artistic investigation of informality in the Global South, which arguably constitutes the majority experience of this vast region. Development became a central problematic for Africa and Asia in the wake of political decolonization of the mid twentieth century, encompassing the ambition for formal planning of large-scale infrastructure and state intervention in human development. But this project was always incomplete and resonated in complex ways with the tenacious growth of informal living and working arrangements whose legacies can be traced back to the colonial era. Informality is amplified in contemporary globalization that is often understood as a process in which transnational brands and lifestyles replace their local analogs. But this view overlooks globalization's shadows—the largely invisible processes of labor, production, and consumption that transpire in the vast informality of the Global South. This is a realm of exploitation, but also one of immense productive capacities, in which branding and intellectual property regimes are constantly challenged by those who seek to fashion and animate a world from affordable materials and inventive rubrics.
Penser l’ écart dans la copie du texte coranique à l’ époque ottomane
Authors: Garnier Sébastien
Published: November 2020

Sur le territoire français, les villes de province recèlent maints manuscrits en scripts orientaux encore assez peu exploités. Si ces documents n’ apportent guère de contenus nouveaux, ils peuvent nous renseigner sur les pratiques lettrées. La Bibliothèque municipale de Dijon conserve un exemplaire maghrébin du Coran d’ époque ottomane à plusieurs égards instructif. Notre communication fournit un certain nombre de traits codicologiques sur les irrégularités qui s’ y observent. Nous les classons selon les modalités suivantes : l’ organisation, l’ erreur et la personnalisation afin de penser le concept d’ écart.
Sufi Symbol as Gap, Metaphor as Clue
Authors: Binmayaba Mustafa Muhammad T.
Published: November 2020

This article introduces an approach to analyzing the way in which figurative language interfaces with cognitive, cultural, and spiritual experience in the symbols employed by the Sufis to express their love of God. It relies on the Cognitive Linguistic Approach to reveal the relationship between the Sufis’ thoughts about God, secular language of love, and the idea of divine love. Through a case study analysis of the symbols of love in Ibn ʿArabī’s poetry, the two chief undertakings here are: first, to argue that thoughts and feelings of human love inspired the Sufis to express their ideas about their experience of divine love through secular symbols that create gaps of indeterminacy in their poems, and second, to explain, using Conceptual Metaphor Theory, how these gaps can be closed through mappings of the Sufi symbols, as parts of the target domain of divine love, onto the source domain of secular love.
Deep-Learning-Based Gridded Downscaling of Surface Meteorological Variables in Complex Terrain. Part I: Daily Maximum and Minimum 2-m Temperature
Authors: Sha Yingkai , Gagne II David John , West Gregory , Stull Roland
Published: November 2020

Many statistical downscaling methods require observational inputs and expert knowledge and thus cannot be generalized well across different regions. Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are deep-learning models that have generalization abilities for various applications. In this research, we modify UNet, a semantic-segmentation CNN, and apply it to the downscaling of daily maximum/minimum 2-m temperature (TMAX/TMIN) over the western continental United States from 0.25° to 4-km grid spacings. We select high-resolution (HR) elevation, low-resolution (LR) elevation, and LR TMAX/TMIN as inputs; train UNet using Parameter–Elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model (PRISM) data over the south- and central-western United States from 2015 to 2018; and test it independently over both the training domains and the northwestern United States from 2018 to 2019. We found that the original UNet cannot generate enough fine-grained spatial details when transferred to the new northwestern U.S. domain. In response, we modified the original UNet by assigning an extra HR elevation output branch/loss function and training the modified UNet to reproduce both the supervised HR TMAX/TMIN and the unsupervised HR elevation. This improvement is named “UNet-Autoencoder (AE).” UNet-AE supports semisupervised model fine-tuning for unseen domains and showed better gridpoint-level performance with more than 10% mean absolute error (MAE) reduction relative to the original UNet. On the basis of its performance relative to the 4-km PRISM, UNet-AE is a good option to provide generalizable downscaling for regions that are underrepresented by observations.
Ascending Columns, WTG, and Convective Aggregation
Authors: Romps David M.
Published: November 2020

Analytic solutions are derived for a convecting atmosphere with mean ascent using a zero-buoyancy bulk-plume approximation for moist convection. It has been suggested that such solutions should serve as a model for the relationship between humidity, instability, and precipitation in the tropics, but it is shown here that this interpretation is incompatible with the observed weak temperature gradient (WTG). Instead, the solutions can be used to understand the atmospheric state averaged over all tropical convecting regions. Using the analytic solutions in this way, they predict the changes in humidity, instability, and precipitation as a function of the size of the moist patch in a convectively aggregated state.
A New Approach to Homogenize Global Subdaily Radiosonde Temperature Data from 1958 to 2018
Authors: Zhou Chunlüe , Wang Junhong , Dai Aiguo , Thorne Peter W.
Published: November 2020

This study develops an innovative approach to homogenize discontinuities in both mean and variance in global subdaily radiosonde temperature data from 1958 to 2018. First, temperature natural variations and changes are estimated using reanalyses and removed from the radiosonde data to construct monthly and daily difference series. A penalized maximal F test and an improved Kolmogorov–Smirnov test are then applied to the monthly and daily difference series to detect spurious shifts in the mean and variance, respectively. About 60% (40%) of the changepoints appear in the mean (variance), and ~56% of them are confirmed by available metadata. The changepoints display a country-dependent pattern likely due to changes in national radiosonde networks. Mean segment length is 7.2 (14.6) years for the mean (variance)-based detection. A mean (quantile)-matching method using up to 5 years of data from two adjacent mean (variance)-based segments is used to adjust the earlier segments relative to the latest segment. The homogenized series is obtained by adding the two homogenized difference series back to the subtracted reference series. The homogenized data exhibit more spatially coherent trends and temporally consistent variations than the raw data, and lack the spurious tropospheric cooling over North China and Mongolia seen in several reanalyses and raw datasets. The homogenized data clearly show a warming maximum around 300 hPa over 30°S–30°N, consistent with model simulations, in contrast to the raw data. The results suggest that spurious changes are numerous and significant in the radiosonde records and our method can greatly improve their homogeneity.
Looking laterally: The literary utopia and the task of critical social theory
Authors: Davidson Joe PL
Published: November 2020

This article is focused on exploring the value of literary utopias for social theory. The literary utopia, at first glance, appears irrelevant to sociology, its imaginative descriptions of social worlds both radically different and substantively better than our own seeming to skip over the central task of sociological enquiry: the diagnosis of society as it exists. In this article, the author aims to demonstrate that this is mistaken: the tradition of literary utopianising has much to contribute to sociology. Utopian authors, from Thomas More in the sixteenth century to Ursula K Le Guin in the twentieth, have developed a sophisticated and original mode of social critique. The utopian text, in bricolating and remixing aspects of actually existing society, creates something both new and astonishing. In looking laterally at the world from the perspective of utopia, consciousness of the contradictions and repressions of the dominant relations in contemporary society is sharpened. The literary utopia achieves this in two ways: first, it demonstrates how the not yet realised norms of the author’s society can be fulfilled and, second, it discloses the hidden possibilities for new ways of living that are present but denied in the social world.
Criminalising Cyberflashing: Options for Law Reform
Authors: McGlynn Clare , Johnson Kelly
Published: November 2020

In this article, we examine the phenomenon of cyberflashing, outlining its prevalence, harms, and victim-survivors’ experiences. We then consider the extent to which English criminal law currently applies to this form of sexual abuse. We argue that although cyberflashing can be prosecuted in England and Wales, this is only in very limited circumstances; the existing law is confusing, piecemeal, has significant omissions, and consequently prosecutions are extremely unlikely. As such, the current criminal law in England and Wales is failing victim-survivors of cyberflashing. Due to its prevalence, its harmful impacts and similarities with other criminalised forms of sexual violence, comprehensive law reform, which appropriately addresses cyberflashing as a sexual offence, is now critical. Accordingly, we examine legislation in other jurisdictions where criminal laws targeting cyberflashing have been adopted, and provide recommendations for law reform: specifically, we recommend the development of a new criminal offence that purposely targets cyberflashing in all its forms.
The Effects of Social Disorganization Mechanisms: Examining the Influence of Community-Level Factors on Recidivism Across Various Correctional Programs
Authors: D’Amato Christopher , Silver Ian A. , Newsome Jamie
Published: November 2020

Prior research on various correctional sanctions has sought to explain variation in recidivism. The goal of the current study was to examine whether social disorganization mechanisms, such as residential mobility and family disruption, significantly influenced the recidivism rates of justice-involved individuals supervised under prison diversion programs, traditional community supervision programs, as well as individuals released from prison. Multilevel modeling of justice-involved individuals nested within 25 counties was used to examine the recidivism rates of 2,855 prison diversion cases, 2,278 traditional community supervision cases, and 497 incarceration cases. The results indicated that social disorganization mechanisms, specifically family disruption and residential mobility, significantly influenced the recidivism rates of justice-involved individuals supervised on all three types of correctional sanctions. Therefore, the results indicate that social disorganization mechanisms may partly explain the variation in recidivism rates of justice-involved individuals supervised under various correctional sanctions.
Emotionally Stable, Extraverted, Conscientious, and Unambivalent: Iranian Women Successfully Navigating Divorce Adjustment
Authors: Davarinejad Omran , Ghasemi Azin , Hall Scott S. , Meyers Lawrence S. , Shirzadifar Mehdi , Shirzadi Maryam , Brand Serge , Shahi Hassan
Published: November 2020

The aim of the present study was to explore the extent to which the combination of the Big Five personality traits and adult attachment styles are associated with a broad array of divorce adjustment (DA) indicators. A total of 200 Iranian divorced women took part in the study. Participants completed a series of self-rating questionnaires covering socio-demographic, the Big Five, adult attachment styles, and indicators of DA. The results showed that higher levels of the Big Five (with neuroticism reverse-coded) were collectively associated with higher levels of feeling of self-worth (FSW), disentanglement of love relationships (DLR), social self-worth (SSW), rebuilding of social trust (RST), lower levels of symptoms of grief (SOG), and feelings of self-anger (FSA). Higher levels of secure attachment (and lower levels of ambivalent attachment) were associated with higher levels of FSW, DLR, RST, and lower levels of SOG, and FSA. The role of Iranian culture on post-DA is discussed.
How Families Give and Receive: A Cross-Class Qualitative Study of Familial Exchange
Authors: Napolitano Laura , Furstenberg Frank , Fingerman Karen L.
Published: November 2020

Support of family members has been a long-standing interest of social scientists. Contemporary American families must provide support to members in a historical context wherein family inequality continues to rise. Based on the life course perspective, and utilizing qualitative, in-depth interviews with 50 multi-generational participants from the Family Exchanges Study, this article explores the mechanisms through which families across the socioeconomic spectrum engage in and perceive family support. We discuss both direct and indirect requests by family members for help and identify differences by family socioeconomic status. We also discuss how issues of reciprocity, views toward request propriety, and perceptions of appreciation guide family member responses to need. We argue that this cross-class comparison is particularly essential to further scholarly understands of family functioning and support amidst growing inequality in the United States.
Indo-Bangladesh borderland issues in Meghalaya
Authors: Majaw Baniateilang
Published: November 2020

Based on direct observation and primary local perspectives, this article examines experiences of cross-border movements in the borderland between Meghalaya and Bangladesh. It shows that the Indo-Bangladesh border is indeed an international border, but remains extremely porous for local people, with wide-ranging implications that raise theoretical issues about notions of ‘border’, but also prompt serious questions about local development, safety, security and citizenship in these peripheral borderlands.
Are intense negative emotions a risk for complex divorces? An examination of the role of emotions in divorced parents and co-parenting concerns
Authors: Koppejan-Luitze Heleen S. , van der Wal Reine C. , Kluwer Esther S. , Visser Margreet M. , Finkenauer Catrin
Published: November 2020

In this study, we examined whether regular divorces can be distinguished from complex divorces by measuring the intensity of negative emotions that divorced parents report when thinking about their ex-partner. We recruited two groups of parents: n = 136 in a regular divorce, and n = 191 in a complex divorce. Based on the existing literature, we predicted that parents in complex divorces experience more intense negative emotions than parents in regular divorces; especially emotions that motivate emotional distancing (contempt, disgust, anger, hatred, and rage) and emotions that impair self-regulation (fear, shame, guilt, and sadness). We also predicted that these emotions would hamper co-parenting, particularly in complex divorces. The results provided support for our predictions, except for fear and sadness. We found that parents in a complex divorce reported more co-parenting concerns than parents in a regular divorce. In contrast to our expectations, the relation between negative emotions and coparenting concerns was stronger among parents in a regular divorce than in a complex divorce. These findings underline the importance of emotions in the divorce trajectory and suggest that especially the intensity of emotional distancing emotions may serve as a screening tool to identify parents at risk for a complex divorce.
Free Senior High School Lunch Contributes to Dietary Quality of Nonresidential Students in Ghana
Authors: Abizari Abdul-Razak , Ali Zakari , Abdulai Seidu Alhassan , Issah Fauzia , Frimpomaa Nana Adwoa
Published: November 2020

Background:

School feeding offers an excellent opportunity for targeted intervention to students not only as means for improving educational outcomes but also enhancing nutritional outcomes. The Government of Ghana introduced the free lunch feeding policy for nonresidential students in senior high schools (SHS) in 2018.

Objective:

We assessed unintended benefits of the free lunch program to dietary improvement.

Methods:

This was an analytical cross-sectional study among 403 (202 beneficiary and 201 non-beneficiary) students in SHS. The Food and Agriculture Organization’s standard procedure for measuring dietary diversity score (DDS) was followed. A 3-day dietary recall was used to assess school day DDS, while a 24-hour recall was used to assess weekend DDS of students. Differences in DDS and food group consumption were determined using student t test and χ2 test, respectively.

Results:

Nearly all (98.5%) beneficiary students consumed the free school lunch and 7 (70%) in 10 of them consumed it on all school days. While the students did not differ in their weekend meal DDS (6.3 ± 1.4 vs 6.5 ± 1.4, P = .39), beneficiaries of the school lunch had higher lunch DDS (7.5 ± 0.5 vs 6.5 ± 1.4, P < .001) and whole day DDS (11.5 ± 1 vs 9.3 ± 2.0, P < .001) compared to non-beneficiary students on school days. Even though the school lunch increased food group intake, vitamin-A rich vegetables and tubers, fruits, flesh and organ meats, and dairy products were hardly provided as components of school lunch.

Conclusion:

Provision of free school lunch meal to nonresidential students in SHSs in Ghana could contribute to improved diet quality.
Investigating the Promise of a Tier 2 Sixth-Grade Fractions Intervention
Authors: Clarke Ben , Nelson Nancy J. , Ketterlin Geller Leanne , Kosty Derek , Smolkowski Keith , Lesner Taylor , Furjanic David , Fien Hank
Published: November 2020

This pilot study examined the promise of a Tier 2 Grade 6 intervention program for students at risk for difficulties in mathematics. The study utilized a quasi-experimental design. The final sample included 112 students in treatment (Promoting Algebra Readiness) and 86 students in control (standard district practice) conditions. The Promoting Algebra Readiness program consisted of 93 lessons across four strands focused on key concepts and applications of fractions. Measures of mathematics achievement were collected at pretest and posttest. Feasibility and usability data indicated favorable impressions by users and strong levels of implementation fidelity. Gain scores of treatment students were significantly greater than those of control peers on two of four proximal measures of mathematics achievement. Positive nonsignificant effects were found on additional proximal and distal measures. Implications for educators delivering instruction for at-risk students in multitier service delivery models are discussed.
The effects of prenatal and postnatal exposure to electromagnetic field on rat ovarian tissue
Authors: Burcu Acikgoz , Nevin Ersoy , Ilkay Aksu , Amac Kiray , Alper Bagriyanik Husnu , Muge Kiray
Published: November 2020

Exposure to an electromagnetic field (EMF) can have adverse effects on many organs and tissues, including the reproductive system. This study aimed to investigate the effects of EMF exposure during prenatal and postnatal periods on ovarian development in rat offspring. In this study, rat pups born from eight pregnant rats were used. EMF exposure was initiated on the first day of pregnancy and continued until the 42nd postnatal day. The blood and ovarian tissue samples of female offspring in sham and EMF groups were collected when they reached the age of 42 days. Follicle-stimulating hormone levels were significantly higher in the EMF group than in the sham group. Estradiol levels were significantly lower in the EMF group than in the sham group. Tissue-inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) levels and expression were significantly greater in the EMF group than in the sham group. In the EMF group, congestion, bleeding areas, and degeneration of follicle structures were observed in ovarian tissue. The findings suggest that exposure to 50-Hz, 3-mT EMF used in this study during prenatal and postnatal periods may lead to impaired ovarian structure and function in female offspring. EMF may affect ovarian physiology by increasing iNOS levels and may lead to fertility disorders.
Dynamics of International Giving: How Heuristics Shape Individual Donor Preferences
Authors: Chaudhry Suparna , Heiss Andrew
Published: November 2020

State restrictions on nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have become increasingly pervasive across the globe. Although this crackdown has been shown to have a negative impact on public funding flows, we know little about how it affects private philanthropy. How does information about crackdown abroad, as well as organizational attributes of nonprofits, affect individual donors’ willingness to donate internationally? Using a survey experiment, we find that learning about repressive NGO environments increases generosity in that already-likely donors are willing to donate substantially more to legally besieged nonprofits. This generosity persists when mediated by two organizational-level heuristics: NGO issue areas and main funding sources. We discuss the implications of our results on how nonprofits can use different framing appeals to increase fundraising at a time when traditional public donor funding to such organizations is decreasing.
Adequate tetanus but poor diphtheria and pertussis response to a Tdap booster in adolescents with juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Peracchi Octávio AB , Nicácio Aline Alencar MF , Yamada Juliana , Len Claudio Arnaldo , Moraes-Pinto Maria Isabel de , Terreri Maria Teresa
Published: November 2020

Background

Reports on vaccine responses in immunocompromised patients, such as juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus (jSLE), have shown highly variable results.

Objective

To compare the immune response and safety after a Tdap booster in 26 jSLE patients and 26 matched healthy adolescents. Methodology: Adverse events and disease activity were evaluated. Lymphocyte immunophenotyping was performed by flow cytometry. Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis toxin antibodies were assessed by ELISA; whole blood was stimulated with whole cell pertussis and supernatants were assessed for cytokines by xMAP.

Results

Both groups showed a similar frequency of adverse events. There was no evidence of disease reactivation after Tdap booster in the jSLE cohort. Both groups showed a significant increase in antibody titers for all three antigens on D14 and D28 (p < 0.001). jSLE patients had a significantly lower increase in diphtheria titers than the control group (p = 0.007). jSLE patients had a distinct titer increase of tetanus and pertussis antibodies when compared to controls (p = 0.004 and p < 0.001, respectively). There was a lower frequency of pertussis seroconversion in the jSLE group on D14 (p = 0.009), D28 (p = 0.023), D12m (p = 0.015) and D24m (p = 0.004). Cellular immune response to Bordetella pertussis showed significantly lower levels of IFNγ (p < 0.001) and higher levels of IL10, IL12, IL21 and TNFα in jSLE patients than controls.

Conclusions

jSLE patients had good response to Tdap booster dose for the tetanus antigen, but not for diphtheria and pertussis. This vaccine was safe in relation to adverse events and absence of disease reactivation.
Celebrating a Unified Ethnic Identity: The Tahitian Heiva
Authors: Howard Karen
Published: November 2020

The purpose of this article is to introduce the reader to the island of Tahiti, the long-running music and sport festival known as Heiva, and a popular children's song. Also offered are ideas for including the sounds of Tahiti in general music classrooms.
Delineating Quality Indicators of Inpatient Psychiatric Hospitalization
Authors: Delaney Kathleen R. , Loucks Jeannine , Ray Richard , Blair Ellen W. , Nadler-Moodie Marlene , Batscha Catherine , Sharp David M. , Milliken Dani
Published: November 2020

Background:

Assuring quality care is critical to the well-being and recovery of individuals receiving inpatient psychiatric treatment, yet a comprehensive map of quality inpatient care does not exist.

Aims:

To isolate and describe quality elements of inpatient psychiatric treatment.

Methods:

A survey queried psychiatric inpatient nursing leaders on what they considered to be critical elements of quality. The survey was emailed to 40 American Psychiatric Nurses Association members, and 39 individuals responded. In the survey, participants were asked to comment on the importance of six dimensions of quality as well as quality indicators used on their units.

Results:

Data from this survey indicate how thought leaders conceptualized quality of inpatient care. A unifying philosophy of care was endorsed as a quality element as was structure that affords staff available time on the unit—engaging with patients. While staffing levels were viewed as important, the respondents commented on the nuances between staffing and quality. Participants endorsed the importance of involving individuals in their treatment planning as well as tapping into patients’ perspectives on the treatment experience.

Conclusions:

The participants’ responses compliment the quality literature and reinforce the need to develop a comprehensive map of quality elements. These elements interact in complex way, for instance, staffing, engagement, and teamwork is tied to the organizational structure and philosophy of care, which in turn facilitates consumer involvement in care. Thus, gauging the impact of quality on outcomes will demand consideration of the interaction of factors not just the linear relationship of one element to an outcome.
Effectiveness of laptop-based versus smartphone-based videoconferencing interaction on loneliness, depression and social support in nursing home residents: A secondary data analysis
Authors: Tsai Hsiu-Hsin , Cheng Ching-Yu , Shieh Wann-Yun
Published: November 2020

Introduction

The worldwide coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic re-emphasises the importance of videoconferencing in supporting interactions between nursing home residents and their family and friends. However, there is a scarcity of comparative studies on how modalities of conferencing programs impact health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to compare laptop-based with smartphone-based videoconferencing programs on nursing home residents’ perceptions of loneliness, depressive symptoms and social support.

Methods

This retrospective secondary analysis used data from two previous studies on the effectiveness of videoconferencing programs (laptop-based and smartphone-based) to improve outcomes of loneliness, depressive symptoms and social support (type and source) among nursing home residents. Generalised estimating equations compared differences from baseline measures with measures at 1 and 3 months between the two groups with and without adjusting for the effects of confounding variables.

Results

With the exception of age, there were no differences in demographics between participants in the laptop and smartphone groups. Neither changes from baseline in mean scores for loneliness nor depressive symptoms differed between groups. However, changes in mean scores from baseline between groups were significantly greater in the smartphone-based group compared with the laptop-based group for three types of social support: informational and appraisal at 1 and 3 months; and emotional at 3 months. Changes from baseline in mean scores for social support from friends (at 1 and 3 months) and other sources (at 3 months) were also significantly greater for the smartphone group compared with the laptop group.

Discussion

The two modalities of videoconferencing did not differ in effects on depressive symptoms or loneliness. However, smartphones had a greater effect on the type and source of social support compared with laptops. Whether the small screen of a smartphone reduces users’ anxiety and allows them to talk more on screen is worth studying.
Dynamic model based energy consumption optimal motion planning for high-voltage transmission line mobile robot manipulator
Authors: Jiang Wei , Ye Gao Cheng , Zou Dehua , Zhang An , Zuo Gan , Yan Yu , Li Hongjun
Published: November 2020

Power transmission line live working robots are important equipment and useful exploration to ensure the reliable operation of high-voltage lines and they are the development trend to realizing intelligent automation power system operation and maintenance management. At present, most robots adapt lithium battery power supply and can be hoisted on line. The robot online endurance operation time is closely related to the system energy consumption. When the robot electricity of battery is insufficient, it needs to be charged offline. In order to reduce the frequency of robot hoisted on and off line as much as possible and improve the robot battery life time after it has been online, this has become a key technology which needs to be solved urgently. It is of great theoretical significance and practical application value to promote the robot overall operation efficiency. Based on the above, this paper establishes double different types manipulator energy consumption models for high-voltage transmission line damper replacement operation and drainage plate maintenance operation, through analysis and synthesis, a general energy consumption model for different tasks have been abstracted and an objective function for optimizing the robot manipulator motion energy consumption have been constructed based on the robot dynamics, thereby, GA(genetic algorithm) has been adapted, through selecting appropriate algorithm parameters, the optimal manipulator energy consumption has been solved and then it can be substituted back to the manipulator energy consumption model so as to obtain the optimal joint energy consumption motion function, based on the optimal energy consumption results, the optimal robot energy consumption motion planning has been carried out, according to the MATLAB simulation results, the energy consumption of the optimized trajectory is significantly lower than before, which can effectively reduce the frequency the robot hoisted online and offline, so as to improve the robot operation overall efficiency, at the same time, the optimal energy consumption trajectory planning method has strong versatility for different operation tasks. Finally, based on the optimal energy consumption trajectory planning, the robot drainage board tightening and damper replacement operation experiments on 220 kV power lines which verified the effectiveness and engineering practicability of the proposed method.