Supportive Statements Research Articles

Racial allyship: Novel measurement and new insights

Allies are members of an ingroup who work toward fairness for people in an outgroup. Ally behaviors include calling out discrimination and fighting for inclusion of outgroup members, and it includes public and private behaviors. As such, White allies can be an important means of reducing racism against people of color. There are few means of assessing and quantifying allyship in ingroup members, and as such, there is a need for methods for assessing allyship that can be used to better understand characteristics of allies and determine if interventions designed to reduce prejudice can improve allyship. To that end we describe an innovative scenario-based measurement technique to quantify interpersonal allyship, with White students as ingroup members (N = 987) and Black students as outgroup members (N = 61). Measurement of allyship is conducted based on participant responses to hypothetical racially-sensitive scenarios where microaggressions are occurring or likely to occur. Items were developed based focus group input, and rated by diversity experts for relevance. The factor structure of allyship items was examined by exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. The final 10-item Interpersonal Racial Allyship Scale (IRAS) was negatively correlated to 3 measures of racist attitudes and 1 measure of microaggressive behaviors, and it was positively correlated to 2 measures of outgroup liking. It also predicted making racially supportive statements in a laboratory task. We report on characteristics of allies, noting that allied behaviors are correlated with less prejudice, stronger positive feelings toward outgroup members, and a greater likelihood of having other marginalized identities. Implications of findings and applications of the scale are discussed.

Priorities for the COVID-19 pandemic at the start of 2021: statement of the Lancet COVID-19 Commission

Priorities for the COVID-19 pandemic at the start of 2021: statement of the Lancet COVID-19 Commission

The Strategies to Support the COVID-19 Vaccination with Evidence-Based Communication and Tackling Misinformation.

COVID-19 vaccinations are about to begin in various countries or are already ongoing. This is an unprecedented operation that is also met with a loud response from anti-vaccine communities—currently using all available channels to manipulate public opinion. At the same time, the strategy to educate on vaccinations, explain their mechanism of action, and build trust in science is subdued in different world parts. Such actions should go much beyond campaigns promoting the COVID-19 vaccines solely on the information provided by the health institutions and national authorities. In this paper, actions provided by independent expert groups needed to counteract the anti-vaccine propaganda and provide scientific-based information to the general public are offered. These actions encompass organizing groups continuously communicating science on COVID-19 vaccines to the general public; tracking and tackling emerging and circulating fake news; and equipping celebrities and politicians with scientific information to ensure the quality of messages they communicate, as well as public letters, and statements of support for vaccination by healthcare workers, recognized scientists, VIPs, and scientific societies; and no tolerance to false and manipulated claims on vaccination spread via traditional and social media as well as by health professionals, scientists, and academics. These activities should be promptly implemented worldwide, regardless of the current status and availability of the COVID-19 vaccine in a particular region. If we are about to control the pandemic for the sake of public benefit, it is high time to collectively speak out as academic and medical societies with support from decision-makers. Otherwise, the battle will be lost to those who stand against scientific evidence while offering no feasible solution to the problem.

Science and Evidence-Based Review and Approval of COVID-19 Vaccines: A Statement of Support for the US FDA.

Science and Evidence-Based Review and Approval of COVID-19 Vaccines: A Statement of Support for the US FDA.

Assessing the use of a portable time-geographic diary for detecting patterns of daily occupations

Background A time-geographic diary approach is of interest in occupational therapy due to the inclusion of the diarist’s subjective experiences. There are several methods for detecting doing in time, but details needed for analysis are still lacking. The smartphone application POrtable Diary Data collector (PODD), a 24-hr diary based on the time-geographic diary has recently been introduced. Aim To test the usability of PODD as a tool for diary data collection to detect and visualize sequences of daily activities. Material and methods An exploratory sequential design was used, where diary data was first collected and then followed by a questionnaire assessing usefulness. Thirty-one occupational therapy students participated. Usability testing was applied, exploring how participants experienced the use of the device. Data was analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. Results The PODD visually presents activity sequences and thus assists in detecting patterns of daily occupations (PDO). The students agreed on the supportive statements concerning learnability, efficiency and memorability. Regarding errors and satisfaction, participants agreed that the device was easy to use. Conclusions Using a mobile application to collect data about students’ daily activities was effective. However, the PODD needs to be further evaluated among other groups and contexts as well as for its usefulness for PDO analyses.

The TRIPS Intellectual Property Waiver Proposal: Creating the Right Incentives in Patent Law and Politics to end the COVID-19 Pandemic

The structure of global intellectual property law as incorporated in the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) is implicated in the current lack of COVID-19 vaccines, medical equipment, medicines and diagnostics (hereafter, ‘health-technologies’), which are needed to combat the pandemic. Although equitable access to vaccines is in the moral, political and economic interests of the global public and requires global solidarity, the phenomenon of COVID-19 ‘vaccine nationalism’ has brought into sharp relief the misalignment of current legal and financial incentives to produce and distribute vaccines equitably. The crisis further demonstrates the failure of high-income countries (HICs) to realise the promise they made at the time of the TRIPS negotiations in 1994, that by agreeing to the terms of TRIPS, lower and middle-income countries (LMICs) would benefit from technology transfer and the building of productive capacity. As such, the current crisis is revealing not only of inadequacies of how to deal with global emergencies, but also of deficiencies within the international ‘patent bargain’ itself. This paper elucidates the legal issues surrounding the ‘TRIPS waiver’ proposal initially put forward by India and South Africa in October 2020, which, as of May 2021, is supported by more than 60 states, and which has received statements of support from the World Health Organisation (WHO). We analyse the different intellectual property rights relevant to the proposal – focusing primarily on patent rights and trade secrets – which are most relevant to the present COVID-19 vaccine context. We explain why the existing TRIPS flexibilities around compulsory licensing are incapable of addressing the present pandemic context adequately, both in terms of procedure and legal substance.The extent of the current health crisis posed by COVID-19 is as undeniable as the current global response is untenable. Given the ongoing absence of sufficient engagement by the pharmaceutical industry with proposed global mechanisms to share intellectual property rights, data and know-how to address the pandemic, we argue that mandatory mechanisms are needed. The TRIPS waiver is an essential legal instrument in this context for enabling a radical increase in manufacturing capacity, and hence supply, of COVID-19 vaccines, creating a pathway to achieve global equitable access. We make two arguments to this effect: first, the TRIPS waiver is a necessary and proportionate legal measure for clearing intellectual property (IP) barriers in a direct, consistent and efficient fashion, enabling the freedom to operate for more companies to produce COVID-19 vaccines and other health technologies without the fear of infringing another party’s IP rights and the attendant threat of litigation; and second, the TRIPS waiver acts as an important political, moral and economic lever towards encouraging solutions aimed at global equitable access to vaccines, which is in the wider interest of the global public.

Algorithmic Detection of Boolean Logic Errors in Clinical Decision Support Statements.

Clinical decision support (CDS) can contribute to quality and safety. Prior work has shown that errors in CDS systems are common and can lead to unintended consequences. Many CDS systems use Boolean logic, which can be difficult for CDS analysts to specify accurately. We set out to determine the prevalence of certain types of Boolean logic errors in CDS statements. Nine health care organizations extracted Boolean logic statements from their Epic electronic health record (EHR). We developed an open-source software tool, which implemented the Espresso logic minimization algorithm, to identify three classes of logic errors. Participating organizations submitted 260,698 logic statements, of which 44,890 were minimized by Espresso. We found errors in 209 of them. Every participating organization had at least two errors, and all organizations reported that they would act on the feedback. An automated algorithm can readily detect specific categories of Boolean CDS logic errors. These errors represent a minority of CDS errors, but very likely require correction to avoid patient safety issues. This process found only a few errors at each site, but the problem appears to be widespread, affecting all participating organizations. Both CDS implementers and EHR vendors should consider implementing similar algorithms as part of the CDS authoring process to reduce the number of errors in their CDS interventions.

Correction to “A Profit Maximization Scheme in Cloud Computing With Deadline Constraints”

In the above article [1] , we, unfortunately, made a mistake when we typed in the project number of the National Key Research and Development Project shown in the financial support statement. The incorrect project number in the original article is 2018YFB142900, in which a “0” is missed. The correct project number is updated to 2018YFB1402900.

American Surgical Association Statement in Support of Science and on Keeping Politics Out of Science.

American Surgical Association Statement in Support of Science and on Keeping Politics Out of Science.

When Modern Monuments are an Act of Autoplagiarism.

This paper discusses the autoplagiarism of monuments as a system for the reworking structure of the public space in the interdisciplinary meta-analysis. The research rises the problem of blocking art and art activism in the region. The theoretical part focuses on Polish legislation (acts of 1994, 1997, 2003, and 2016), the opinions of historians on the division between the terms “places of memory” and “places of gratitude” (Ożóg 2011; Czarnecka 2015; Jach 2018), and an overview of the classification of monuments in artistic theories (Krauss 1993; Lacy 1995; Kwon 2004; Ranciere 2004; Walsh 2013; Taylor and Altenburg, 2006; Bellentani and Panico, 2016). Insights into psychological theories related to aesthetic judgment are also presented as supportive statements (Ishizu and Zeki 2013; G. E. Vaillant, M. Bond, and C.O. Vaillant, 1986; Reicher 2003; Le Bon 1929). The research covers six case studies of erected and removed monuments in the area of Smaller Poland during the period from the end of 2017 to the first part of 2018. All samples are related to the stakeholder's reactions to the past Soviet presence in the area and their current aims. The conclusions suggest strategies which could be helpful to strengthen the public space and classification for the autoplagiarized monument.

Time Management by Young People in Social Difficulties: Suggestions for Improving Their Life Trajectories.

This article covers the responses provided by professional practitioners in socio-educational intervention who are responsible for young people in social difficulties, in other words those facing personal and social issues that stop them from leading a normal life. It considers their suggestions for helping young people to better their lives by becoming autonomous, as well as to manage and use their time in their transition to adulthood. A qualitative study was conducted that used an open, ad-hoc questionnaire administered to thirty participants (Madrid, Spain), in which the data analysis involved MAXQDA Analytics Pro 2020 software. The results identify suggestions at macrosocial level targeting the system, legal status, therapy, safety nets, education and the range and provision of social services. On another level, suggestions for improvement were identified in an immediate setting in which the young people interact with agencies, practitioners and counsellors. An initial level featured mostly statements of support for autonomy from the system and social services. The second level contained mainly suggestions for agencies, centres and social services. The conclusion is that there are implications at different levels of social ecology according to Bronfenbrenner’s model (1994). The practical suggestions for young people’s self-sufficiency in the use and management of their time should therefore be flexible, linked and cater for their more therapeutic needs through to their leisure time.

Call for nominations for Charles H. Stone Award

The American Chemical Society Carolina-Piedmont Section seeks nominations for the 2020 Charles H. Stone Award, which recognizes an outstanding chemist in the southeastern US. The award includes a plaque and honorarium of $4,000. Nominations should be submitted as a single PDF and should include a letter of support by the sponsor and the local section chair as well as short support statements from no more than two cosponsors. Email nominations to Matthew Chan, chair of the Charles H. Stone Award, at chanmkalb@gmail.com. The deadline for nominations is Jan. 16, 2021.

Medical students' experiences and needs from written reflective journal feedback.

Reflective ability is an important skill for enhancing professionalism and developing communication skills. To improve reflective ability, medical educators encourage use of written reflective journals, for which feedback is important. It is difficult for educators to anticipate how their feedback will be perceived. Therefore, this study examined students' experiences with educators' written feedback on reflective journals. A qualitative, immersion/crystallization analysis of 60 written feedback texts to 15 medical students (30 identified by students as meaningful and 30 as less meaningful) and in-depth semi-structured interviews with these students. We did not define 'meaningful', to leave room for students' own interpretations. We analysed the feedback to identify what it includes (its components) and analysed the interviews to learn about students' experiences of receiving the feedback and the specific components. Students experienced five components as meaningful: supportive and encouraging statements; legitimisation of their emotions; educators sharing personal-professional experiences; asking questions to enhance reflection; and focusing on the students' main concern. These components enhanced students' willingness to read and learn from the feedback. Three components were experienced as less meaningful: detached, impersonal feedback; negative tone (criticism); and technical issues, for example brevity. These disappointing and hurtful components led students to pay less attention to the feedback or to invest less effort in future written assignments. The present study identified components in written reflective journal feedback texts and the experience and needs of students who received them. It showed the complexity of writing reflective feedback because of the need to support students through it, help them deal with emotions, identify and focus on personal content that matters to them, and provide opportunities to develop and enhance their reflective ability, while being mindful of their emotional state. To help educators in this challenging task, a self-assessment mnemonic ('FEEDBACK') for use before sending the initial feedback was developed.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Cancer Clinical Trials Conducted by NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Cancer Clinical Trials Conducted by NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers.

The curious story of the 2018 Romanian traditional family referendum: buck-passing and the failure to mobilise voters

In 2018, a referendum to revise the Constitution took place in Romania. Just one article was in contention for revision. The goal was to make gay marriage unconstitutional. In the end, the referendum failed due to a low turnout of just 21.1%, below the 30% threshold required for validation. This paper looks into the causes of the low turnout. First, there is an overview of knowns and unknowns, such as lack of exit poll data and issues with the voting population numbers. The bulk of the paper deals with two overlapping narratives about the causes of low turnout - first, a boycott campaign and second, a combination of factors, especially low mobilisation. Using precinct level results, supplemented by pre and post referendum polling data, an examination of evidence for both narratives is put forward. The results provide a case for failure of mobilisation by main political parties and religious organisations, especially the Orthodox Church, despite public statements of support for a “Yes” vote in the referendum. In turn, this was based on a buck-passing strategy by political parties and religious organisations.

Bovine Liver Supplement Labeling Practices and Compliance With U.S. Regulations

Bovine liver supplements are sought after by consumers due to their nutrient-dense profile and high protein content. However, there is a lack of information regarding bovine liver supplement labeling practices. The objective of this study was to assess labeling practices and compliance with U.S. regulatory standards among commercially sold bovine liver supplements. The product labels for 49 bovine liver supplements were examined for required information, including a statement of identity; net quantity of contents; “Supplement Facts” label; ingredient statement; and name and place of business of manufacturer, packer, or distributor with domestic address or telephone number. Any claims made on the supplement labels were also reviewed for compliance. Overall, 59% of the products had at least one instance of noncompliance with U.S. labeling regulations. The main categories of noncompliance were missing a domestic mailing address or phone number (39% of products), noncompliant nutrient content claim (31% of products), and missing/noncompliant disclaimer for a nutritional support statement (6% of products). The lack of a mailing address or phone number is problematic because it prevents consumers from being able to report serious adverse events to the manufacturer. The majority (85%) of the nutrient content observed on product labels was found to be noncompliant. Noncompliant nutrient content claims are a major concern for consumers who rely on these claims to assess the nutritional benefits of a product. Overall, the results of this study revealed a lack of labeling compliance in bovine liver supplements, indicating a need for increased awareness and monitoring.

(No) Flag on the Play: Framing Cam Newton’s Penalty Concerns as an Issue of Size, Sportsmanship, and Fairness

During a Week 8 post-game press conference in the 2016 season, NFL quarterback Cam Newton explicitly criticized the officiating crew of the game for not calling penalties on late hits that he felt put his safety at risk. This study analyzes the media responses that followed, identifying the evaluations made of Newton’s claim and the arguments media personalities presented in justifying those evaluations. We found the majority of statements provided support, both for Newton’s claims and his right to speak out. However, in both statements of support and dismissal, references to size dominated the discourse, reducing Newton to his physical abilities and perpetuating the brain versus brawn dichotomy, which is applied along racial lines to athletes. We argue reliance on this stereotype allows race to be an implicit factor in assessing athletes but never an explicit topic of discussion. At issue is not only that differences exist in how reporters talk about Black and White athletes, but also that these differences have evolved from racial biases obscured through the use of the stereotype, which we argue functions as a value hierarchy. Further, we argue that the continued use of such stereotypes can have significant impacts on player safety and agency.

The Pandemic and the Transformation of Liberal International Order.

In 2018, 43 leading International Relations scholars in the United States signed a public statement in support of an urgent call to preserve the current international order, triggering heated scholarly debates. The idealized form of the liberal international order was criticized by many scholars for its chronic problems, including the contradictions between proclaimed liberal values and illiberal behaviors, the inability to reform its institutional pillars to accommodate the diverse group of emerging powers, and the tensions between the defenders of this order and its challengers. These problems became fully exposed under the external shock caused by the coronavirus pandemic. As the coronavirus spreads globally and disrupts the world’s political, economic, and social fabric, several forces that have gained momentum and strength during the last decade are now converging as a formidable force that may reconfigure the post-pandemic international order. This paper addresses three significant challenges to the foundations of the current liberal order: (1) the entrenchment of authoritarianism, characterized by authoritarian resilience, autocratization, and the consolidation of competing authoritarian political-economic models; (2) the exacerbation of nationalism enabled by nationalist and populist politicians; and (3) the intensified competition among major powers. China has played mixed roles in the process of reconfiguring the current order. It challenges the mythologized liberal international order and exposes the contradictions in the dominant Western model, while promoting an alternative hybrid political-economic model. The shock brought by the pandemic has provided ample opportunities for China to extend its networks and expand international space for its model.

Recruiting health professionals as sustainability advocates

Recruiting health professionals as sustainability advocates

Why Do Corporations Engage in LGBT Rights Activism? LGBT Employee Groups as Internal Pressure Groups

AbstractMost scholarship on corporate political activity assumes that market forces wholly motivate firms’ political strategies. However, this conventional wisdom overlooks the role of employee groups in encouraging corporate activism. To evaluate whether employee groups are associated with firm social activism, we gathered all public statements in support of LGBT rights made by the five hundred largest publicly-traded US corporations from 2011 to 2017. In an exploratory observational analysis, we found robust evidence that in highly-educated workforces LGBT employee groups persuade management to take public stances in support of LGBT rights. Our findings suggest that internal pressure promotes activism on LGBT issues, and market, political, or social forces are insufficient to fully explain firm social activism. Although each does play an important role, since employee groups will use political, social, and especially market-based arguments to convince their managers to engage in activism.