bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The difference of disrupted rhythms of life, work and entertainment between patients with FGIDs and healthy people and their associations with psychological disorders under COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Wang Jing , He Ping , Deng Tianwei , Xu Xiaoming , Zou Duowu , Wang Yanjun , Zeng Weiwei , Zhao Mei , Wang Wo , Lin Hui , Deng Mingming , Kuang Li , Chen Dongfeng , Yang Min
Published: February 2021

Aims:

To investigate the differences in disrupted rhythms between healthy people and patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) and their associations with mood disorders during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Methods:

The rhythm scales were composed of subscales 1 and 2 for the assessment of life-work and entertainment rhythms, respectively; Zung’s Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) were used to assess mood disorders.

Results:

A total of 671 patients with FGIDs and 4373 healthy people successfully participated. The scores of subscales 1 and 2 for patients with FGIDs were significantly higher than those for healthy people ( p < .005). The SAS and SDS scores, their prevalence rates were significantly higher than those for the healthy group (all p < .001). Health status, current occupation, life-work rhythm, SDS, and SAS were independent related factors of FGIDs. The score of life-work-entertainment rhythm was significantly positively correlated with SDS and SAS (both p < .001).

Conclusion:

Disrupted rhythms in patients with FGIDs under the COVID-19 pandemic were more frequently and significantly positively associated with mood disorders.
Taking What the Ice Gives You: Developing Executive Function Through Experience
Authors: Wigglesworth John C.
Published: February 2021

Strategies to improve executive function that rely on external structures to help students successfully plan and complete tasks at school will not achieve the same outcome as would develop if these structures were combined with authentic experiences that require careful planning by individuals for themselves and their community. If the goal of external strategies to improve executive function is to help students internalize them, experience is the bridge to internalization. Without experience, connection is hard to develop and one is less likely to be motivated to pursue and master the concepts embedded in the experience.
A Typology of English-Medium Instruction
Authors: Richards Jack C , Pun Jack
Published: February 2021

The use of English to teach content subjects has been a growing trend in many parts of the world. It is labelled in a variety of ways, such as content-based learning, content and language integrated learning, immersion education, theme-based language teaching, and bilingual education, but it is referred to in this paper as English-medium instruction (EMI). The expansion of EMI worldwide has resulted in many different forms of EMI, as well as some confusion as to how they differ. In addition, a number of different forms of EMI may occur in the same school or institution, area, or country. The different forms of EMI can be usefully classified in the form of a typology. A typology provides a basis for objective and quantifiable accounts of the characteristics of EMI in different situations. The present typology describes 51 features across 10 curriculum categories, which were identified when comparing different forms and realizations of EMI. It highlights the many different dimensions of EMI that are involved in describing, planning, or evaluating EMI.
The Living Codebook: Documenting the Process of Qualitative Data Analysis
Authors: Reyes Victoria , Bogumil Elizabeth , Welch Levin Elias
Published: February 2021

Transparency is once again a central issue of debate across types of qualitative research. Work on how to conduct qualitative data analysis, on the other hand, walks us through the step-by-step process on how to code and understand the data we’ve collected. Although there are a few exceptions, less focus is on transparency regarding decision-making processes in the course of research. In this article, we argue that scholars should create a living codebook, which is a set of tools that documents the data analysis process. It has four parts: (1) a processual database that keeps track of initial codes and a final database for completed codes, (2) a “definitions and key terms” list for conversations about codes, (3) memo-writing, and (4) a difference list explaining the rationale behind unmatched codes. It allows researchers to interrogate taken-for-granted assumptions about what data are focused on, why, and how to analyze it. To that end, the living codebook moves beyond discussions around intercoder reliability to how analytic codes are created, refined, and debated.
Evaluation of different mechanical recycling methods of EVA foam waste
Authors: Rosa Vanessa Biondo , Zattera Ademir José , Poletto Matheus
Published: February 2021

In the present work, a proposal for the recycling of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) foam waste from the footwear industry using twin-screw extruder was evaluated. Parameters such as antioxidant addition, number of reprocessing, temperature, rotation speed were evaluated. The recycled material was evaluated by means of gel content, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetry (TG) and parallel plate rheometry. From this, the 4 samples were chosen, from the 16 extruded, with a higher probability of forming homogeneous foams to be used in the manufacture of new EVA foams. The foams were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and physical tests of density, abrasion and permanent compression deformation (PCD). The results showed a decrease in the content of crosslinked gel by up to 13 percentage points for the recycled material with antioxidant. However, there was a possible residual crosslinking, as the crosslinking of all recycled foams was greater than reference (foam). The greatest recycled material homogeneity, observed in the SEM, occurred in the samples processed for five repetitions without antioxidant. Some foams manufactured with recycled waste presented very similar morphological aspects to the reference foam. Foam manufactures with G1 recycled waste (extruded once, at 180°C, 450 rpm, without antioxidant), presented the most uniform and spherical cells. This foam also presented the best responses for the physical tests of PCD and abrasion, even compared to foam without recycle. As well as the lower viscosities for these same samples compared to the previous processing. It was understood that the viscosity of the recycled waste directly interferes with the formation of new EVA foam. Rheometry made it possible to identify the recycling process that resulted in an ideal viscosity material for incorporation in the manufacture of new EVA foams.
Performance study on photovoltaic thermal building façade component in multi-energy generation during winter
Authors: Riaz Ahmad , Zhou Chao , Liang Ruobing , Zhang Jili
Published: February 2021

Photovoltaic thermal systems have gained tremendous popularity in the production of electric and thermal energy. In this paper, the photovoltaic thermal modules for the building façade assisted by heat pump system is proposed which combines the photovoltaic modules with an evaporator part of the heat pump system to produce hot water and electrical energy. Also, the photovoltaic thermal panels are used to preheat the cold ambient fresh air without heat pump operation. The proposed system was constructed at the Institute of Building Energy, Dalian University of Technology, China to study the ambient fresh air heating characteristic, electrical power generation, and hot water generation through performance evaluation indices under natural weather conditions. It was found that the average electrical, thermal, and overall efficiencies are 8.8%, 26%, and 50%, respectively during the pre-heating of fresh air. While the average air temperature is 15.2°C inside an air gap. The average COP for water heating is 3.91 during the water heating mode. This study could be used as a guide for photovoltaic thermal solar-assisted heat pump systems on building envelopes in a multi-energy generation under different weather conditions.

Practical application: The study considers the photovoltaic thermal modules for building façade not only to generate the electrical energy and pre-heated fresh air but also to generate the hot water when assisted with the heat pump system. This research could assist researchers and engineers in the field of photovoltaic thermal façade systems in multi-energy generation such as for the production of electricity, heated/cooled fresh air, and hot water generation.
Strategic Use of Volume of Financial Items in 10-K Reports
Authors: Cheng C. S. Agnes , Fu Jiajia , Huang Wenli , Jing Jiao
Published: February 2021

We investigate whether firms limit the volume of financial items in annual reports (including the financial statements and footnotes) to obfuscate poor future firm performance, and how investors react to this reduced volume. We estimate abnormal volume to capture managers’ discretion over reporting in the 10-K and find that abnormally low volume predicts poor future earnings. This relation is more pronounced in firms where the market has difficulty in detecting managerial intervention in the disclosure process. We also find that abnormally low volume predicts negative future returns, suggesting that managers benefit from disclosing fewer financial items by delaying the incorporation of bad news into stock prices. Further corroborating our results, we find that the volume is abnormally low when there exist strong managerial incentives to withhold bad news and manipulate investor perceptions upward. Overall, our evidence is consistent with the notion that managers attempt to obfuscate poor future performance and inflate current stock prices by disclosing fewer financial items in the 10-K.
Important citations identification by exploiting generative model into discriminative model
Authors: An Xin , Sun Xin , Xu Shuo , Hao Liyuan , Li Jinghong
Published: February 2021

Although the citations between scientific documents are deemed as a vehicle for dissemination, inheritance and development of scientific knowledge, not all citations are well-positioned to be equal. A plethora of taxonomies and machine-learning models have been implemented to tackle the task of citation function and importance classification from qualitative aspect. Inspired by the success of kernel functions from resulting general models to promote the performance of the support vector machine (SVM) model, this work exploits the potential of combining generative and discriminative models for the task of citation importance classification. In more detail, generative features are generated from a topic model, citation influence model (CIM) and then fed to two discriminative traditional machine-learning models, SVM and RF (random forest), and a deep learning model, convolutional neural network (CNN), with other 13 traditional features to identify important citations. The extensive experiments are performed on two data sets with different characteristics. These three models perform better on the data set from one discipline. It is very possible that the patterns for important citations may vary by the fields, which disable machine-learning models to learn effectively the discriminative patterns from publications from multiple domains. The RF classifier outperforms the SVM classifier, which accords with many prior studies. However, the CNN model does not achieve the desired performance due to small-scaled data set. Furthermore, our CIM model–based features improve further the performance for identifying important citations.
Proof of Concept for a Deep Learning Algorithm for Identification and Quantification of Key Microscopic Features in the Murine Model of DSS-Induced Colitis
Authors: Bédard Agathe , Westerling-Bui Thomas , Zuraw Aleksandra
Published: February 2021

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a complex disease which leads to life-threatening complications and decreased quality of life. The dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) colitis model in mice is known for rapid screening of candidate compounds. Efficacy assessment in this model relies partly on microscopic semiquantitative scoring, which is time-consuming and subjective. We hypothesized that deep learning artificial intelligence (AI) could be used to identify acute inflammation in H&E-stained sections in a consistent and quantitative manner. Training sets were established using ×20 whole slide images of the entire colon. Supervised training of a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) was performed using a commercial AI platform to detect the entire colon tissue, the muscle and mucosa layers, and 2 categories within the mucosa (normal and acute inflammation E1). The training sets included slides of naive, vehicle-DSS and cyclosporine A-DSS mice. The trained CNN was able to segment, with a high level of concordance, the different tissue compartments in the 3 groups of mice. The segmented areas were used to determine the ratio of E1-affected mucosa to total mucosa. This proof-of-concept work shows promise to increase efficiency and decrease variability of microscopic scoring of DSS colitis when screening candidate compounds for IBD.
Too much to choose from? The long-term effects of political fragmentation on electoral turnout
Authors: Zagórski Piotr
Published: February 2021

How does political socialization in a highly fragmented political scene affect propensity to vote? This article focusses on the long-term relationship between the number of political parties and the propensity to turn out in 96 parliamentary elections between 1996 and 2016 of nearly 100,000 individuals in 31 countries. Although intuitively more options might be expected to translate into a greater likelihood of participating in elections, existing research claims that high levels of party fragmentation instead lead to ‘choice overload’ and alienate citizens from voting. Building on the theory of voting as a habit, I show that early adulthood political socialization in a highly fragmented context leaves a footprint of non-voting in subsequent elections. This finding is especially relevant given the recent significant rise in fragmentation of most party systems in Europe, which in light of this research could mean a further decline in turnout rates in many countries in the future.
Counteracting Dysconscious Racism and Ableism Through Fieldwork: Applying DisCrit Classroom Ecology in Early Childhood Personnel Preparation
Authors: Hancock Christine L. , Morgan Chelsea W. , Holly James
Published: February 2021

Early childhood personnel preparation programs must prepare future early educators who can counteract racism and ableism to provide all children with an equitable and just education. We applied Dis/ability Critical Race Theory (DisCrit) Classroom Ecology to early childhood and specifically to preschool settings. We argue that early childhood personnel preparation programs can utilize this framework to prepare preservice early educators to facilitate more equitable experiences for Children of Color with disabilities and their families. We discuss the importance of preparing future early educators to counteract racism and ableism through their fieldwork experiences. We also provide a brief overview of DisCrit in relation to early childhood personnel preparation and present DisCrit Classroom Ecology to apply the framework components to preschool fieldwork.
Detection of Alzheimer’s disease-related neuroinflammation by a PET ligand selective for glial versus vascular translocator protein
Authors: Ji Bin , Ono Maiko , Yamasaki Tomoteru , Fujinaga Masayuki , Zhang Ming-Rong , Seki Chie , Aoki Ichio , Kito Seiji , Sawada Makoto , Suhara Tetsuya , Sahara Naruhiko , Higuchi Makoto
Published: February 2021

A substantial and constitutive expression of translocator protein (TSPO) in cerebral blood vessels hampers the sensitive detection of neuroinflammation characterized by greatly induced TSPO expression in activated glia. Here, we conducted in vivo positron emission tomography (PET) and in vitro autoradiographic imaging of normal and TSPO-deficient mouse brains to compare the binding properties of 18F-FEBMP, a relatively novel TSPO radioligand developed for human studies based on its insensitivity to a common polymorphism, with 11C-PK11195, as well as other commonly used TSPO radioligands including 11C-PBR28, 11C-Ac5216 and 18F-FEDAA1106. TSPO in cerebral vessels of normal mice was found to provide a major binding site for 11C-PK11195, 11C-PBR28 and 18F-FEDAA1106, in contrast to no overt specific binding of 18F-FEBMP and 11C-Ac5216 to this vascular component. In addition, 18F-FEBMP yielded PET images of microglial TSPO with a higher contrast than 11C-PK11195 in a tau transgenic mouse modeling Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and allied neurodegenerative tauopathies. Moreover, TSPO expression examined by immunoblotting was significantly increased in AD brains compared with healthy controls, and was well correlated with the autoradiographic binding of 18F-FEBMP but not 11C-PK11195. Our findings support the potential advantage of comparatively glial TSPO-selective radioligands such as 18F-FEBMP for PET imaging of inflammatory glial cells.
Cerebrovascular phenotypes in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Szu Jenny I , Obenaus André
Published: February 2021

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a devastating neurological degenerative disorder and is the most common cause of dementia in the elderly. Clinically, AD manifests with memory and cognitive decline associated with deposition of hallmark amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). Although the mechanisms underlying AD remains unclear, two hypotheses have been proposed. The established amyloid hypothesis states that Aβ accumulation is the basis of AD and leads to formation of NFTs. In contrast, the two-hit vascular hypothesis suggests that early vascular damage leads to increased accumulation of Aβ deposits in the brain. Multiple studies have reported significant morphological changes of the cerebrovasculature which can result in severe functional deficits. In this review, we delve into known structural and functional vascular alterations in various mouse models of AD and the cellular and molecular constituents that influence these changes to further disease progression. Many studies shed light on the direct impact of Aβ on the cerebrovasculature and how it is disrupted during the progression of AD. However, more research directed towards an improved understanding of how the cerebrovasculature is modified over the time course of AD is needed prior to developing future interventional strategies.
Effect of semaphorin 3C gene variants in multifactorial Hirschsprung disease
Authors: Gunadi  , Ryantono Fiko , Sethi Raman , Marcellus  , Kalim Alvin Santoso , Imelda Priscillia , Melati Devy , Simanjaya Susan , Widitjiarso William , Pitaka Ririd Tri , Arfian Nur , Iskandar Kristy , Makhmudi Akhmad , Lai Poh San
Published: February 2021

Objective

Cluster genes, specifically the class 3 semaphorins ( SEMA3) including SEMA3C, have been associated with the development of Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) in Caucasian populations. We aimed to screen for rare and common variants in SEMA3C in Indonesian patients with HSCR.

Methods

In this prospective clinical study, we analyzed SEMA3C gene variants in 55 patients with HSCR through DNA sequencing and bioinformatics analyses.

Results

Two variants in SEMA3C were found: p.Val337Met (rs1527482) and p.Val579 =  (rs2272351). The rare variant rs1527482 (A) was significantly overrepresented in our HSCR patients (9.1%) compared with South Asian controls in the 1000 Genomes (4.7%) and Exome Aggregation Consortium (ExAC; 3.5%) databases. Our analysis using bioinformatics tools predicted this variant to be evolutionarily conserved and damaging to SEMA3C protein function. Although the frequency of the other variant, rs2272351 (G), also differed significantly in Indonesian patients with HSCR (27.3%) from that in South Asian controls in 1000 Genomes (6.2%) and ExAC (4.6%), it is a synonymous variant and not likely to affect protein function.

Conclusions

This is the first comprehensive report of SEMA3C screening in patients of Asian ancestry with HSCR and identifies rs1527482 as a possible disease risk allele in this population.
A fast and easy-to-learn technique for liver resection in a porcine model
Authors: Majlesara Ali , Krause Jürgen , Khajeh Elias , Ghamarnejad Omid , Gharabaghi Negin , Tinoush Parham , Mohammadi Sara , Al-Saeedi Mohammed , Mehrabi Arianeb , Golriz Mohammad
Published: February 2021

Objective

Despite the recent advances in surgical techniques and perioperative care, liver resection (especially extended hepatectomy) is still a high-risk procedure with considerable morbidity and mortality. Experimental large animal models are the best option for studies in this regard. The present study was performed to present an easy-to-learn, fast, and multipurpose model of liver resection in a porcine model.

Method

Stepwise liver resections (resection of segments II/III, IVa/IVb, and VIII/IV) were performed in eight pigs with intraoperative monitoring of hemodynamic parameters. The technical aspects, tips, and tricks of this method are explained in detail.

Results

Based on the specific anatomical characteristics of the porcine liver, all resection types including segmental resection, hemihepatectomy, and extended hepatectomy could be performed in one animal in an easy-to-learn and fast technique. All animals were hemodynamically stable following stepwise liver resection.

Conclusion

Stepwise liver resection using stapler in a porcine model is a fast and easy-to-learn method with which junior staff and research fellows can perform liver resection up to extended hepatectomy under stable conditions.
Geographies of authority
Authors: Brigstocke Julian , Bresnihan Patrick , Dawney Leila , Millner Naomi
Published: February 2021

We propose a geography that pluralizes the sites, practices and politics of authority. We defend an approach that tracks less perceptible forms of authority emerging through everyday micropolitics and experimental practices. In contrast to dominant definitions of authority as institutionalized legitimate power, we define authority as a relation of guidance emerging from recognition of inequalities in access to truth, experience or objectivity. Analysing four intersecting areas of authority (algorithmic, experiential, expert and participatory authority), we propose analyses grounded in political aesthetics that trace authority’s affective force, and its role in disclosing and contesting the common.
E-books in the Czech Republic: Analysis of demand and readers’ behaviour
Authors: Prokop Viktor , Stejskal Jan
Published: February 2021

Currently, there is a more frequent replacement of books by e-books, which have become an increasingly viable format and make it easier for readers to read books in a variety of places. Public libraries therefore focus more often on the provision of e-books as one of the components of their digital services. However, these services do not always meet with an adequate demand from readers due to several factors, such as service charges or a lack of awareness. Therefore, in this article, the authors focus on the demand side, represented by e-book readers. Specifically, they focus on the Municipal Library of Prague’s e-book readers’ behaviour and propose a three-step research model. It consists of analyses focusing on: (1) the specifics of the Municipal Library of Prague’s e-book readers; (2) e-book readers’ interest in borrowing e-books; and (3) e-book readers’ interest in the Municipal Library of Prague’s e-service when they must pay a fee. As a data source, the authors use unique data from an online questionnaire survey among readers of the Municipal Library of Prague in 2019 by the Sociores agency. The results show that science fiction and fantasy readers represent the most significant group of e-book readers at the Municipal Library of Prague, and that Facebook is the most significant channel for communication with e-book readers. The authors also confirm the importance of e-book readers and smartphones as devices that significantly affect readers’ decision to read e-books. In the final part of the article, the authors propose some practical recommendations that could attract more e-book readers.
A Randomized Controlled Trial of Eccentric Versus Concentric Cycling for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Rehabilitation
Authors: Milandri Giovanni , Sivarasu Sudesh
Published: February 2021

Background:

Persistent strength and biomechanical deviations remain after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Eccentric training may reduce these and associated reinjury or osteoarthritis risks.

Hypothesis:

For male patients who have undergone ACLR, eccentric training is more effective than concentric training at improving knee flexion angle and other biomechanical deviations, as well as strength and patient-reported outcomes, using a matched perceived exertion dose.

Study Design:

Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1.

Methods:

A total of 26 men, 10-16 weeks after hamstring tendon graft ACLR, were randomized to an eccentric training group or a concentric control group. Both groups trained 3 times a week for 8 weeks using the same isokinetic cycle ergometer in a matched studio environment. Exercise dose was matched in training frequency, time, progression, and intensity using a target rating of perceived exertion. Baseline and follow-up testing included questionnaires, dynamometer strength testing, and walk/run gait analysis.

Results:

Eccentric training increased knee (+2.1°; P = .022) and hip (+2.1°; P = .010) flexion angles more than concentric training but not more than the minimal clinically important difference of 3°. Very large asymmetries in baseline knee abduction moment (walk, −0.10 N·m/kg/m; run, −0.54 N·m/kg/m) had not changed in either group by follow-up. Knee valgus angle effects were mixed. Tibial rotation angle increased in both groups, but concentric training was more effective at promoting symmetry ( P < .001). Both groups had similar increases in affected limb quadriceps strength and knee flexion moments during walk/run gait (by 20% to 33%). Hamstring strength increased in the eccentric group (+15.4%) but not the concentric group. Eccentric group limb forces were 33% to 70% higher than those of the concentric group, with a lower heart rate. Both groups had low pain scores throughout.

Conclusion:

For rehabilitation after ACLR, progressive eccentric cycle training was not more clinically effective than concentric training at a matched perceived intensity dose in male patients. This can guide exercise prescription for reducing gait and strength deviations of these patients.

Registration:

PACTR201602001449365 (Pan African Clinical Trials Registry), NHREC 4344 (South African).
Diagnostic bias during the COVID-19 era: COVID-19 or renal abscess?
Authors: Amato Marco , Eissa Ahmed , Rosiello Giuseppe , Farinha Rui , Piazza Pietro , Sighinolfi Maria Chiara , Rocco Bernardo , Bianchi Giampaolo , Micali Salvatore , Mottrie Alexandre , Puliatti Stefano
Published: February 2021

Introduction:

The Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has been declared as a pandemic in March 2020 by the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, this pandemic has dramatically affected the entire world, even radically influencing the way patients are framed at triage. Symptoms and tests in most cases lead to a correct diagnosis; however, error may be around the corner.

Case report:

A 60 years old patient was referred with weight loss, fatigue and mild fever for 3 weeks as he was working in a COVID-19 ward. After a positive swab and chest CT scan, he was admitted in the hospital and treated as mild COVID-19 patient. A CT scan performed after the patient was discharged revealed a renal lesion misidentified as a tumor then clarified to be an abscess which retrospectively appears to be the main cause of his symptoms.

Conclusion:

Clinicians should consider other life-threatening disease in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with similar symptoms to minimize mistakes and avoid further unnecessary investigations.
COVID-19 Prevention via the Science of Habit Formation
Authors: Harvey Allison G. , Armstrong Courtney C. , Callaway Catherine A. , Gumport Nicole B. , Gasperetti Caitlin E.
Published: February 2021

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to claim lives worldwide. We propose that the science of habit formation offers strategies to increase adherence to COVID-19 prevention behaviors and has the potential to be lifesaving, particularly for high-risk groups. Eight elements of habit formation are highlighted here: addressing incorrect beliefs, setting goals, devising an action plan, establishing contextual cues, adding reinforcement, engaging in repetition, aiming for automaticity, and recognizing that change is difficult. In addition, we offer a set of strategies for forming new habits and eliminating existing habits to contain the spread of COVID-19. These strategies are derived from habit-formation principles and behavior-change techniques and can inform future research on treatment development. With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging, there is currently an urgent need to jump-start the state of knowledge on habit-formation processes and interventions.
Mammary carcinoma arising in an adenoma in a ewe
Authors: Newman Shelley J. , Smith Stephen A. , Zimmerman Kurt
Published: February 2021

A large, firm, multi-cystic mammary gland mass grew slowly over 4 y in a 12-y-old, female Finn–Shetland cross sheep. A diagnosis of epithelial malignancy was suspected following fine-needle aspiration cytology at 30 mo after initial observation. The sheep was euthanized when the flock was downsized 18 mo later. A field postmortem examination revealed a large mammary mass, but an absence of metastases to internal organs. Imprint cytology of the mammary tissue supported a benign proliferative process. Histologically, mammary tissue was obliterated by cystic, tubular, and papillary adenomatous arrangements of mammary epithelium, with an anaplastic component, consistent with mammary carcinoma arising in an adenoma. IHC showed strong nuclear positivity to the antibody against progesterone receptor and minimal positivity to the antibody against estrogen receptor alpha expression. Intrinsic subtyping for basal or luminal epithelial origin was attempted through adaptation of companion animal IHC classification panels; high- and low-molecular-weight cytokeratins (CK5, CK8, CK18) failed to stain, but p63 expression for basal epithelium was positive.
Internship Experiences Among College Students Attending an HBC: A Longitudinal Grounded Theory Exploration
Authors: Thompson Mindi N. , Perez-Chavez Jessica , Fetter Anna
Published: February 2021

Internships are a form of experiential learning whereby students can apply and practice their skills in a professional setting while gaining career and life experience. This study explored internship experiences among students attending an Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in the Southeastern region of the U.S. Using Grounded Theory, 18 students participated in in-person small group interviews at Time 1 and 11 participated in follow-up individual phone interviews 1 year later at Time 2. The grounded theory that emerged from the data depicts the process by which students engaged with, and made meaning from, the internship process. Participants are unique individuals with individual and contextual factors that impact the values and beliefs they bring to the internship process. The internship application process is complex, and support from important others, limitations to internship opportunities, and financial considerations impact students’ experiences. These experiences shape perceptions regarding the value of internships, which informs students’ future projections. In combination, the internship process is a process that unfolds over time and in which students’ experiences mutually influence and inform one another. Implications for internship employers and higher education institutions, applications to career theory, and future directions for research are discussed.
Measurement Invariance of the Subjective Happiness Scale Across Countries, Gender, Age, and Time
Authors: Zager Kocjan Gaja , Jose Paul E. , Sočan Gregor , Avsec Andreja
Published: February 2021

The purpose of this study was to examine measurement invariance of the Subjective Happiness Scale across countries, gender, and age groups and across time by multigroup confirmatory factor analysis. Altogether, 4,977 participants from nine European, American, and Australian countries were included in the study. Our results revealed that both configural and metric invariance held across countries, but scalar invariance was only partially confirmed with one item yielding varying intercepts in different countries. Measurement invariance was also confirmed across gender and age groups. Longitudinal measurement invariance was examined on a subsample of 478 English-speaking participants and was fully confirmed across five consecutive assessment points. Factor means were compared between groups and across time, and good convergent validity of the Subjective Happiness Scale was found in relation to a measure of temporal satisfaction with life. Overall, our results demonstrate that self-reported happiness was measured similarly in nine different countries, gender and age groups and over time, and provide a solid foundation for meaningful cross-group and cross-time comparisons in subjective happiness.
Evaluative Criteria: An Integrated Model of Domains and Sources
Authors: Teasdale Rebecca M.
Published: February 2021

Evaluative criteria define a “high quality” or “successful” evaluand and provide the basis for judgment of merit and worth, yet they are often assumed and implicit in the evaluation process. This article presents an empirically supported model that describes and integrates two aspects of criteria: domain and source. Domain identifies the focus or substance of a criterion, while source describes the individual, group, or document from which it is drawn. Developed from a synthesis of evaluation literature and empirical analysis of evaluation reports, the model defines 11 criteria domains and 10 sources and reveals the relationships among them. In this integrated model, the two dimensions can be used together as a thinking tool to guide evaluators in specifying criteria, in empirical research on the valuing process, and as a conceptual framework and language for theorists prescribing criteria selection.
Development and Technical Adequacy of the District Capacity Assessment
Authors: Ward Caryn S. , Harms Anna L. , St. Martin Kim , Cusumano Dale , Russell Christine , Horner Robert H.
Published: February 2021

The purpose of this article is to describe the methods and results used to establish the district capacity assessment’s (DCA) content validity, response process validity, construct validity, internal consistency, and test–retest reliability. The DCA measures a district’s ability to support school-level implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs). Assessment results are then used to guide action planning. The DCA is grounded in the understanding that districts must develop knowledge and skills in the use of implementation science methods if they are to support successful use of an innovation. Specifically, three studies were conducted. The first study established the DCA’s content validity, that is, the extent to which the DCA represents constructs comprising district-level implementation capacity. The second study established the DCA’s internal structure, or the relationships among the items compared to the constructs being measured and how well the items measured the same construct. The third and final study assessed how the results of the DCA varied over time, thus establishing the instrument’s test–retest reliability. District Implementation Teams, researchers, or facilitators who use the DCA can be confident that the assessment is founded on research drawing from implementation science practices and methods.
Topographic, elevation, and keratoconus indices for diagnosis of keratoconus by a combined Placido and Scheimpflug topography system
Authors: Gharieb Hesham Mohamed , Othman Ihab Saad , Oreaba Ahmed Hamdy , Abdelatif Mona Kamal
Published: February 2021

Purpose:

To determine the accuracy of various corneal parameters in keratoconus diagnosis using Scheimpflug camera combined with Placido disk corneal topography (Sirius, CSO).

Methods:

One hundred and fifteen keratoconic eyes (group1) and a 111 normal eyes (group2) were assessed prospectively between March 2018 and July 2019 for: corneal keratometric indices (K1, K2, sim K, apex curvature) at different corneal rings of both corneal surfaces, central corneal thickness (CCT), thinnest corneal thickness (TL), corneal asphericity (Q), elevation at thinnest point, root mean square (RMS), and root mean square per area (RMS/A) in spherical, aspheric and aspherotoric reference for both corneal surfaces and keratoconus summary parameters; surface asymmetry index of front and back (SIf, SIb respectively), elevation at keratoconus vertex front and back (KVf, KVb respectively), Baiocchi Calossi Versaci front and back index (BCVf, BCVb) and its vector summation (BCV) and convergence radius and cutoff value for each was calculated

Results:

All studied indices were significantly different between the two groups. The highest predictive accuracy “Area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC)” of 0.999 was observed for BCVf, KVb, RMS and RMS/A at 6 mm aspherotoric reference posterior surface. Keratoconus summary indices had high AUROC (0.986, 0.984, 0.948, 0.999, 0.999, 0.998 respectively). Curvature indices had lower AUROC than elevation indices, except for curvature of corneal apex at anterior (0.98) and posterior surface (0.99). Higher AUROC was noted with elevation at thinnest point especially at aspherotoric reference surface.

Conclusion:

Sirius topography showed high predictive accuracy in detection of keratoconus. Elevation indices and keratoconus summary parameters have the highest diagnostic ability.
Chronic untreated retinal detachment in a patient with choroideremia provides insight into the disease process and potential therapy
Authors: Martin-Gutierrez Maria Pilar , Buckley Thomas MW , MacLaren Robert E
Published: February 2021

Aim:

We present the case of a 72-year-old male with advanced choroideremia and a left chronic rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, which to our knowledge is the first formal report of a retinal detachment in this disease.

Background:

Choroideremia is a rare X-linked inherited retinal dystrophy, caused by mutations in the CHM gene which encodes Rab escort protein 1 (REP1), and affected males typically experience a progressive centripetal loss of vision. The disease pathology is caused by a primary retinal pigment epithelium degeneration, which leads to secondary loss of photoreceptors and choriocapillaris. This in turn leads to fusion of the degenerate outer retinal layers resulting in a retinopexy that is known to make subretinal gene therapy particularly challenging in these patients.

Conclusion:

Although retinal gene therapy is commonly targeted to the macular area in choroideremia, the observation of a rhegmatogenous retinal detachment indicates that the peripheral retina may not fuse with the residual choroid as occurs in the equatorial and macular regions. If this hypothesis is correct, targeting gene therapy to the retinal periphery even in advanced cases may be feasible and could potentially be used to preserve navigational vision.
Junk news bubbles modelling the rise and fall of attention in online arenas
Authors: Castaldo Maria , Venturini Tommaso , Frasca Paolo , Gargiulo Floriana
Published: February 2021

In this article, we present a type of media disorder which we call ‘junk news bubbles’ and which derives from the effort invested by online platforms and their users to identify and circulate contents with rising popularity. Such emphasis on trending matters, we claim, can have two detrimental effects on public debates: first, it shortens the amount of time available to discuss each matter and second, it increases the ephemeral concentration of media attention. We provide a formal description of the dynamic of junk news bubbles, through a mathematical exploration of the famous ‘public arenas model’ developed by Hilgartner and Bosk in 1988. Our objective is to describe the dynamics of the junk news bubbles as precisely as possible to facilitate its further investigation with empirical data.
Young sustainability activists as public educators: An aesthetic approach
Authors: Wildemeersch Danny , Læssøe Jeppe , Håkansson Michael
Published: February 2021

In recent years we have seen increasing youth activism on climate and other sustainability issues. This paper presents a theoretical framework for further research on young sustainability activists as public educators. The point of departure is taken in Latour’s argumentation concerning the need to create new attachments to the Earth. In line with this, we highlight the importance of aesthetics and experiences conceived as integrated sense-perceptional, emotional and intellectual faculties. The second part of the paper moves into social movement theory, to explore what role the Youth for Sustainability movement may have in creating new attachments to the Earth. Drawing on Melucci, emphasis is put on the movement’s collective identity making. Furthermore, following Rancière, the ability to interrupt the distribution of the senses is stressed. Examples of youth activism for sustainability are presented and interpreted, which points to the potential of children and young people to act successfully. The last part of the paper moves into pedagogical theories to explore how this kind of youth activism fostering new attachments to the Earth can be conceived as public pedagogy. We thereby refer to Biesta’s distinction between pedagogy for the public, pedagogy of the public and pedagogy for publicness.
Main challenges in adoption of consultation services of hospital ethics committees: A systematic review of the literature
Authors: Mousavi Mir Sajjad Seyyed , Khodayari-Zarnaq Rahim , Hajizadeh Alireza
Published: February 2021

Background

There are numerous challenges in the consultation services of the Hospital Ethics Committees (HEC) that can impact the means of providing healthcare. This review aimed to identify the main challenges in the application of consultation services of the HEC and propose possible solutions.

Methods

This systematic review was conducted through searching electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, ProQuest, and Embase. Inclusion criteria included studies published in English language in a peer-reviewed journal, from 2000 to 2019 were identified, which clearly defined the design, method, and results of the study. Study selections, quality assessments, data extraction, and analysis were completed by two researchers, independently. The thematic analysis was used to analyze the data.

Results

The search yielded 1204 articles and 6 of these, included the analyses. Challenges were categorized into 9 themes: (a) personal views and believes in healthcare professionals, (b) sense of fear in the healthcare professionals, (c) medical culture, (d) environmental factors, (e) managerial and structural factors, (f) characteristics of the HEC members, (g) factors related to the HEC, (h) problematic process for HEC consultations, and (i) weakness of knowledge about HEC. Accordingly, proposed solutions were organized according to five themes: reforming the HEC executive processes, creating the appropriate communications, developing awareness about HEC, improving the competencies of HEC members, and (e) receiving support from HEC consultations.

Conclusions

This review highlights that proposed solutions serve as examples of strategies, which attempt to solve challenges related to the application of the consultation services of HEC by healthcare professionals.
The practice of obtaining informed consent for elective surgery and anesthesia from patients’ perspective: An institutional based cross-sectional study
Authors: Tamire Tadese , Tesfaw Aragaw
Published: February 2021

Introduction

Informed consent is a body of shared decision-making process and voluntary authorization of patients to receive medical or surgical intervention. There are limited studies conducted so far to examine the practice of informed consent in Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess the practice of informed consent process for surgery and Anesthesia.

Method

A cross-sectional study was conducted from March to May 2019. The data were collected using interviewer-administered structured questionnaire and analyzed in SPSS version 23.

Results

A total of 139 patients were interviewed in this study. Most 42(30.2%) of patients were in the age group of 29–38 years. Nearly half 68 (48.9%) of the patients were informed the benefits of the surgical procedure and 78(56.1%) of the patients were informed on the type of anesthesia to be administered while 65 (46.8%) were not informed on any complication related to the anesthesia. About 66 (47.5%) of patients were informed on alternatives to the surgery. Of these patients, 39(59%) were not informed of any benefits and possible risks associated with the alternative modes of treatment. About half (54%) of the patients were reported as they were understood the information provided during the pre-operative informed consent process.

Conclusion

This research revealed that patients were inadequately informed on the complications of proposed procedure, alternative forms of treatment, risks and benefits of the proposed procedure. Therefore, healthcare providers should provide adequate information regarding the proposed procedure and make sure whether patients understood the risks and benefits before the consent.
Advertising America: Official Propaganda and the U.S. Promotional Industries, 1946–1950
Authors: Stole Inger L.
Published: February 2021

In the mid-1930s, the notion that the U.S. government would collaborate with the country’s private industries to project official policies and shape public opinion abroad as well as at home would have been controversial and considered a violation of the nation’s democratic values. Yet, by the early 1950s, institutions and practices were in place to make this a regular activity. Much of this ideological work was done surreptitiously, in conjunction with commercial media, and there was little public or news media discussion demanding exposure and accountability for it. What had once been unthinkable had become unquestionable. This monograph chronicles the development of U.S. “information services” in the immediate postwar years. It chronicles the synergetic relationship between government interests, represented by the U.S. State Department, and major American corporations, represented by groups like the Committee for Economic Development and the Advertising Council in portraying the rapidly escalating Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union in a manner that would secure economic world dominance for American interests in the postwar era.