bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Abstract P286: ARTERIAL STIFFNESS IN OLDER FRAGILE PATINETS WITH ORTHOSTATIC HYPOTENSION
Authors: Lusina Alexandra , Eruslanova Kseniia , Lelkova Alexandra , Runihina Nadejda , Kotovskaya Yulia , Tkacheva Olga
Published: August 2021

Aim:
To study the relationship between orthostatic hypotension (OH) and arterial stiffness in older fragile adults with arterial hypertension (AH).

Material and Methods:
The study included 160 patients (77.2 ± 8.1 years) with verified hypertension. The actual intake of previously prescribed drugs was assessed. The patients were divided into three groups: group 1 of patients with frailty, group 2 - with pre-frailty, group 3 of patients without frailty. Arterial stiffness was assessed by volumetric sphygmometry (VaSera-VS-1500 device, FUKUDA DENSHI, Japan) with the determination of the Augmentation index (Aix index). The orthostatic test was considered positive, with a decrease in SBP by 20 and DADA by 10 mm Hg. Art. and more when moving to a vertical position for 1-3 minutes.

Results:
Orthostatic hypotension was present in 53 patients (33%). Patients with OH did not differ in age from patients without OH (77.9 ± 7.5 years vs. 76.8 ± 8.4 years; p = 0.418). The Aix index is higher in patients with OH, but these differences reach statistical significance only in the group of patients with frailty (11.0 ± 1.2 vs. 10.0 ± 1.6 p = 0.003). When analyzing the antihypertensive drugs taken, there were no significant differences in the total number of drugs within each group and between patients with OH and without OH (p = 0.95). The analysis for individual groups of drugs revealed an inverse relationship between the use of ACE inhibitors and OH in the group as a whole (ϕ = -0.205, p = 0.010), and in the group of patients with frailty, marginal significance (ϕ = -0.266, p = 0.05).

Findings:
OH is observed in 33% of patients 60 years and older with hypertension. Arterial stiffness increases with increasing “fragility” and concomitant OH in the group of patients 60 years and older. The progression of arterial stiffness in older adults is heterogeneous and depends on concomitant frailty.
Abstract T4: Nox2-derived Reactive Oxygen Species Contribute To The Impaired Renal Function And Increased Maternal Mortality Observed In Dahl SS Rats Following Multiple Pregnancies
Authors: Dasinger John Henry H , Abais-Battad Justine , Cherian-Shaw Mary , Burns Emily , Walton Samuel , Mattson David L
Published: August 2021

We recently demonstrated that female Dahl Salt-Sensitive (SS) rats develop significant proteinuria, reduced renal function, and increased mortality (greater than 50% compared to virgin controls) following multiple pregnancies while fed a low salt diet. While the mechanisms are unclear, it is proposed that reactive oxygen species (ROS) production contributes to this renal disease phenotype. Previous experiments demonstrated that NADPH oxidase (NOX) 2-derived ROS production mediates the development of maternal syndrome (hypertension and proteinuria) in Dahl SS rat during a singular pregnancy, yet the role of NOX 2-derived ROS on long term renal health and survival following multiple pregnancies has not been explored. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that genetic deletion of the p67phox subunit of NOX2 (SS
p67phox-/-
) will result in the protection from reduced renal function and maternal death following multiple pregnancies. There were no maternal deaths observed in the SS
p67phox-/-
virgin or mated rats (n=3-5/group) following three pregnancies, suggesting that the production of NOX2-derived ROS contributes to the increased mortality seen in the SS rats. In terms of renal damage, protein excretion levels were comparable at baseline between virgin and mated SS
p67phox-/-
rats (26.3±2.8 vs 19.6±3.8 mg/day,
p
>0.05). Unlike the SS rats that develop significant proteinuria at the end of three pregnancies (217±53 mg/day, n=7), the SS
p67phox-/-
rats do not develop a pregnancy-specific increase in proteinuria as they remain comparable to the virgin controls following three pregnancies (31.8±10 vs 50.7±14 mg/day,
p
>0.05). Furthermore, the mated SS
p67phox-/-
do not exhibit changes in creatinine clearance (0.65±0.1 vs 0.62±0.1 ml/min/g,
p
>0.05) or blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels (16±2 vs 15.7±1.3 mg/dl,
p
>0.05) relative to virgin controls. In contrast, SS rats develop significant impairment in renal function (creatinine clearance: 0.39±0.06 ml/min/g and BUN: 26.9±2.9) following multiple pregnancies, suggesting that NOX2-derived ROS contribute to the significant renal damage phenotype observed in the SS rats. Further studies are necessary to identify the cell type responsible for producing the detrimental ROS contributing to this phenotype.
Authority in the Classical Ḥanafī School: the Emergence & Evolution of Ẓāhir al-Riwāya
Authors: Younas Salman
Published: August 2021

The madhhab in its classical form was an authoritative entity with substantive boundaries that established the outer limits of the school and its authoritative doctrine. The latter involved, among other things, confronting the plurality of opinions found within the school. In this essay, I will analyse the manner in which Ḥanafī jurists attempted to limit this plurality through an authorizing discourse that created a taxonomy of legal doctrine ranking different opinions present in the corpus juris of their school. Specifically, I will examine the most authoritative corpus in this taxonomy, namely ẓāhir al-riwāya, in five parts: the first part will investigate the concept of legal authority prior to ẓāhir al-riwāya; the second part will identify the earliest usage of the term ẓāhir al-riwāya; the third and fourth parts will analyse the popularization of this doctrine, its spread, and earliest theorization; the final part will briefly investigate what ẓāhir al-riwāya denoted.
Imagining a New Volk: German-American Nationalism in the Age of the Revolution
Authors: Kinney Brandon
Published: August 2021

German colonists who participated in the American Revolution did so in a number of ways that were comparable to their Anglo-American neighbors. Yet German Patriots also had a unique method of expressing American nationalism: their vocabulary. While using the German language in the New World was often a means of preserving identity and cultural institutions, it also provided an avenue through which they could assert a hybrid German-American identity: the word Volk. This paper focuses primarily on the changes in the writings of Henry Miller, the foremost German-American who cast his lot with the Patriot cause. It tracks a shift in his use of language during the American Revolution and demonstrates how he used the concept of Volk first to assert a distinct colonial identity and later to invent an America nation for German consumption.
Histoire des sciences, histoire concrète de l’abstraction (1998)
Authors: Perrot Jean-Claude
Published: August 2021

Comment une histoire matérielle de l’abstraction peut-elle servir l’histoire intellectuelle ou bien l’histoire des sciences, cela à l’encontre de l’histoire des idées et des généalogies rétrospectives ? L’objet est ici l’œuvre de connaissance telle qu’elle est ancrée dans son cadre historique. Cette histoire intellectuelle déborde les coupes disciplinaires. L’article en offre plusieurs exemples qui partent de la recherche de différenciations explicables entre des pratiques intellectuelles d’abstraction. Une séquence s’ouvre alors avec l’émergence d’une conception, puis la formation de théories et finalement la consolidation d’un corpus de choses tenues pour évidentes. Toutes les activités cognitives qui précédent le savoir constitué sont ici visées.
Cybaeus (Araneae: Cybaeidae) in the Nearctic: the devius and tardatus species groups of the Californian clade
Authors: BENNETT ROBB , COPLEY CLAUDIA , COPLEY DARREN
Published: August 2021

Species of North American Cybaeus L. Koch (Araneae: RTA clade: Cybaeidae) are moist-forest spiders classified in Holarctic and Californian clades. Here, in the fourth paper in a planned series reviewing the six Californian clade species groups, we review the species of the devius and tardatus groups. We recognize five species in the devius group (Cybaeus bilectus Bennett spec. nov., C. bryoncavus Bennett spec. nov., C. devius Chamberlin & Ivie, C. echo Bennett spec. nov., and C. wilsonia Bennett spec. nov.) and four in the tardatus group (C. orarius Bennett spec. nov., C. piazzai Bennett spec. nov., C. tardatus Chamberlin, and C. topanga Bennett spec. nov.). All of these species are rarely encountered and have restricted distributions either in the central and southern Sierra Nevada Mountains of eastern California, U.S.A (devius group) or the southern coast of western California (tardatus group). Some of these species are likely endangered or already extinct; most have not been seen in many decades and none have been collected more recently than 1995. Descriptions, illustrations, distribution maps, and identification keys are provided as well as a discussion of conservation issues of relevance to the group.
Nano-Gold PCR in Detection of TERT Methylation and Its Correlation with Hepatitis B-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Zhao Jie , Li Li , Guo Liying , Wang Rui , Zhao Yan , Li Wei , Liu Yupei , Ma Yanhong , Jia Jianwei
Published: August 2021

This study aimed to introduce nano-gold PCR for detection of TERT methylation, and explore the correlation between TERT methylation and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). From March 2016 to March 2018, 154 HBV carriers treated in our hospital were enrolled in
the study and divided into HCC (68 cases), cirrhosis (45 cases) and chronic hepatitis (CH) groups (41 cases) based on clinical disease. HCC patients were further divided into methylation (30 cases) and non-methylation (38 cases) subgroup based on methylation status of the TERT. TERT
methylation of HCC specimens were 44.12% and 35.24% by nano-PCR and conventional PCR, respectively. The TERT methylation and TERT expression in HCC specimens were higher than for cirrhosis and CH specimens. A significant positive correlation was observed between TERT methylation
and TERT expression. AFP, Edmondson classification, tumor size, hilar lymph node and intrahepatic metastasis, and TNM staging in the methylation group were higher than in non-methylation group. Further, overall survival and progression-free survival were significantly shorter. Nano-gold
PCR is more sensitive in detecting TERT methylation. As CHB progresses, TERT methylation increases. Greater methylation of the gene is associated with worse prognosis in HCC patients.
Intracellular Targeting of Poly Lactic-Co-Glycolic Acid Nanoparticles by Surface Functionalization with Peptides
Authors: de Oliveira Thaís Dolzany , Travassos Luiz R. , Arruda Denise Costa , Tada Dayane Batista
Published: August 2021

Nanoparticles (NPs) are a promising strategy for delivering drugs to specific sites because of their tunable size and surface chemistry variety. Among the availablematerials, NPs prepared with biopolymers are of particular interest because of their biocompatibility and controlled release
of encapsulated drugs. Poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) is one of the most widely used biopolymers in biomedical applications. In addition to material choice modulation of the interaction between NPs and biological systems is essential for the safety and effective use of NPs. Therefore,
this work focused on evaluating different surface functionalization strategies to promote cancer cell uptake and intracellular targeting of PLGA NPs. Herein, cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) were shown to successfully drive PLGA NPs to the mitochondria and nuclei. Furthermore, the functionalization
of PLGA NPs with peptide AC-1001 H3 (GQYGNLWFAY) was proven to be useful for targeting actin filaments. The PLGA NPs cell internalization mechanism by B16F10-Nex2 cells was identified as caveolae-mediated endocytosis, which could be inhibited by the presence of methyl-β-cyclodextrin.
Notably, when peptide C (CVNHPAFAC) was used to functionalize PLGA NPs, none of the tested inhibitors could avoid cell internalization of PLGA NPs. Therefore, we suggest this peptide as a promising surface modification agent for enhancing drug delivery to cancer cells. Finally, PLGA NPs showed
slow release kinetics and low cytotoxic profile, which, combined with the surface functionalization strategies addressed in this study, highlight the potential of PLGA NPs as a drug delivery platform for improving cancer therapy.
Nano-Hydroxyapatite Scaffold Based on Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 and Its Application in Bone Defect Repair
Authors: Zhu Shibai , Zhang Xiaotian , Chen Xi , Wang Yiou , Li Shanni , Qiu Guixing , Qian Wenwei
Published: August 2021

The best way in which to prepare scaffolds with good biological properties is an urgent problem in the field of tissue engineering. In this paper we discuss the preparation of nano-hydroxyapatite scaffold of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) and its application
in bone defect repair. rhBMP-2 reagent was dissolved in 1 mol/L sodium dihydrogen phosphate solution, and the rhBMP-2 solution was added to the nano-hydroxyapatite artificial bone with a 100 μL glass micro dropper at the rate of 10 drops/min to obtain Nano-HA/rhBMP-2 composite artificial
bone. In in vivo experiments, rabbits were fixed on an operating table, a 2 cm longitudinal incision was made in the middle part of the radial forearm, and the radius was cut with a wire saw and periosteum, 2.5 cm away from the distal radius. After washing the wound with normal saline,
Adv-hBMP-2/MC3T3-E1 nano-HA composite artificial bone, MC3T3-E1 nan-HA composite artificial bone, or Nano-HA artificial bone were implanted in different groups. The artificial bone scaffold prepared in this study has a stronger ability to repair bone defects than the alternatives, and is a
promising prospect for the clinical treatment of bone defects.
Autophagy Modulation and Synergistic Therapy to Combat Multidrug Resistance Breast Cancer Using Hybrid Cell Membrane Nanoparticles
Authors: Zhao Zhi-Qiang , Song Wei , Yan Xue-Qin , Tang Jin-Hai , Hou Jun-Chen , Wang Dan-Dan , Yang Su-Jin , Zhang Qian , Zhang Jian
Published: August 2021

The development of multidrug resistance (MDR) is a commonly observed phenomenon in many cancer types. It contributed significantly to the poor outcome of many currently available chemotherapies. Considering autophagy as one of the most important physiological process in cancer progression,
we thereby proposed an anti-autophagy siRNA and doxorubicin (Dox) co-delivery system (MC/D-siR) to combat MDR breast cancer using sequential construction. Our results demonstrated the potential of MC/D-siR to effectively transfect the loaded siRNA to result in significant downregulation of
intracellular autophagy level in MCF-7/Adr (Dox resistance MCF-7 cell line) cells, which in turn cut off the ATP supply and to reverse the MDR and potentiated accumulated drug retention in cells. As a result, MC/D-siR showed much elevated anticancer benefits than single loaded platforms (MC/Dox
or MC/siRNA), indicating the ability for effective MDR cancer treatment through the combination of autophagy regulation and chemotherapy.
A Review of Off–On Fluorescent Nanoprobes: Mechanisms, Properties, and Applications
Authors: Wang Xiao-Lin , Han Xiao , Tang Xiao-Ying , Chen Xiao-Jun , Li Han-Jun
Published: August 2021

With the development of nanomaterials, fluorescent nanoprobes have attracted enormous attention in the fields of chemical sensing, optical materials, and biological detection. In this paper, the advantages of “off–on” fluorescent nanoprobes in disease detection, such as high sensitivity and short response time, are attentively highlighted. The characteristics, sensing mechanisms, and classifications of disease-related target substances, along with applications of these nanoprobes in cancer diagnosis and therapy are summarized systematically. In addition, the prospects of “off–on” fluorescent nanoprobe in disease detection are predicted. In this review, we presented information from all the papers published in the last 5 years discussing “off–on” fluorescent nanoprobes. This review was written in the hopes of being useful to researchers who are interested in further developing fluorescent nanoprobes. The characteristics of these nanoprobes are explained systematically, and data references and supports for biological analysis, clinical drug improvement, and disease detection have been provided appropriately.
A Hyperactive End to the Atlantic Hurricane Season October–November 2020
Authors: Klotzbach Philip J. , Wood Kimberly M. , Bell Michael M. , Blake Eric S. , Bowen Steven G. , Caron Louis-Philippe , Collins Jennifer M. , Gibney Ethan J. , Schreck Carl J. , Truchelut Ryan E.
Published: August 2021

The active 2020 Atlantic hurricane season produced 30 named storms, 14 hurricanes, and 7 major hurricanes (category 3+ on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale). Though the season was active overall, the final two months (October–November) raised 2020 into the upper echelon of Atlantic hurricane activity for integrated metrics such as accumulated cyclone energy (ACE). This study focuses on October–November 2020, when 7 named storms, 6 hurricanes, and 5 major hurricanes formed and produced ACE of 74 × 104 kt2 (1 kt ≈ 0.51 m s−1). Since 1950, October–November 2020 ranks tied for third for named storms, first for hurricanes and major hurricanes, and second for ACE. Six named storms also underwent rapid intensification (≥30 kt intensification in ≤24 h) in October–November 2020—the most on record. This manuscript includes a climatological analysis of October–November tropical cyclones (TCs) and their primary formation regions. In 2020, anomalously low wind shear in the western Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, likely driven by a moderate-intensity La Niña event and anomalously high sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the Caribbean, provided dynamic and thermodynamic conditions that were much more conducive than normal for late-season TC formation and rapid intensification. This study also highlights October–November 2020 landfalls, including Hurricanes Delta and Zeta in Louisiana and in Mexico and Hurricanes Eta and Iota in Nicaragua. The active late season in the Caribbean would have been anticipated by a statistical model using the July–September-averaged ENSO longitude index and Atlantic warm pool SSTs as predictors.
Evaluation of IMERG satellite precipitation over the land-coast-ocean continuum – Part I: Detection
Authors: Derin Yagmur , Kirstetter Pierre-Emmanuel , Gourley Jonathan J.
Published: August 2021

As a fundamental water flux, quantitative understanding of precipitation is important to understand and manage water systems under a changing climate, especially in transition regions such as the coastal interface between land and ocean. This work aims to assess the uncertainty in precipitation detection over the land-coast-ocean continuum in the Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for Global Precipitation Measurement (IMERG) V06B. It is examined over three coastal regions of the U.S., i.e. the West Coast, the Gulf of Mexico, and the East Coast, each of which are characterized by different topographies and precipitation climatologies. Detection capabilities are contrasted over different surfaces (land, coast, ocean). A novel and integrated approach traces the IMERG detection performance back to its components (passive microwave, infrared, and morphing-based estimates). The analysis is performed by using high-resolution, high-quality Ground Validation Multi-Radar/Multi-Sensor (GV-MRMS) rainfall estimates as ground reference. The best detection performances are reported with PMW estimates (hit rates in the range of [25-39]%), followed by morphing ([20-34]%), morphing+IR ([17-27]%) and IR ([11-16]%) estimates. Precipitation formation mechanisms play an important role, especially in the West Coast where orographic processes challenge detection. Further, precipitation typology is shown to be a strong driver of IMERG detection. Over the ocean, IMERG detection is generally better but suffers from false alarms ([10-53]%). Overall, IMERG displays nonhomogeneous precipitation detection capabilities tracing back to its components. Results point toward a similar behavior across various land-coast-ocean continuum regions of the CONUS, which suggests that results can be potentially transferred to other coastal regions of the world.
When the past is strongly involved in the present: Examining the transference effects of past psychological contract violation on present deviance
Authors: Asante Eric Adom , Liang Yongyi , Chen Tingting , Mensah Henry Kofi , Wang Nan
Published: August 2021

Employees who experience psychological contract violation may quit the organization and join a new organization. However, how past psychological contract violation influences employees’ behavior in the new organization is less understood. Drawing on the social-cognitive model of transference, we hypothesize that past psychological contract violation is associated with lower psychological ownership and higher job insecurity in the new organization. These adverse transference effects can be buffered by institutionalized socialization tactics in the new organization. Furthermore, past psychological contract violation influences employees’ present deviant behaviors through psychological ownership and job insecurity in the new organization. These indirect effects are weaker when the new organization uses more (vs. less) institutionalized socialization tactics. The results across two field studies provide consistent and robust support for our hypothesized model. We discuss how our findings shed light on the transference effects of psychological contract violation and how to attenuate these harmful effects.
Where Do the Less Affluent Vote? The Effect of Neighbourhood Social Context on Individual Voting Intentions in England
Authors: Jöst Prisca
Published: August 2021

A widely accepted finding in the literature on political participation is that individuals living in poorer neighbourhoods are less likely to vote than those living in more affluent neighbourhoods. Yet, why some poor residents of the most deprived neighbourhoods are more likely to vote than others is still understudied. This article presents a new theoretical framework arguing that when they believe that most others vote in the neighbourhood, poor citizens are more likely to follow their example than wealthy citizens. To empirically test these claims, I develop a two-level multilevel model using survey data and the Index of Multiple Deprivation for England. My findings point to the higher importance of a social norm of voting for the political behaviour of poor individuals than wealthy individuals. Social norms define which behaviour is right and proper. They are enforced through social interactions with others.
Media coverage of COVID-19 state surveillance in Israel: the securitization and militarization of a civil-medical crisis
Authors: Marciano Avi , Yadlin Aya
Published: August 2021

Israel, traditionally known as a nation-in-arms, has been undergoing processes of securitization and militarization from its inception to the present day. While several countries have employed surveillance technologies to tackle the spread of coronavirus, Israel was the only country in the world to authorize its internal security agency to track citizens’ cellphones to deal with this civil-medical crisis. Employing a reflexive thematic analysis to news media outlets, this study examined coverage of Israel Security Agency (ISA) surveillance by four leading Israeli news sites, inquiring into the socio-cultural imageries, and motifs that informed their reports. While two of the sites were mostly supportive and the other two were critical, the coverage as a whole was informed by national security imageries reminiscent of Israel’s nation-in-arms tradition. Our discussion contextualizes these findings within a three-decade tension that has prevailed in Israeli society and culture between securitization/militarization and democratization/demilitarization.
Afrofuturism Revelation and Revolution; Voices of the Digital Generation
Authors: Peattie Peggy
Published: August 2021

The art movement known as Afrofuturism uses various forms of artistic expression to create speculative fictions linking African-Americans’ ancestral past with envisioned, utopian futures. In the process, Afrofuturists shift the narratives that influence African-Americans’ lives from narratives of oppression to narratives that re-imagine a world in which African diasporic culture is at the center of social life. In previous analyses of the significance of Afrofuturism, however, the voices of actual artists are glaringly absent. Current public uprisings and demands for social reforms provide new opportunities for elevating Afrofuturism’s traditional emancipatory themes across digital platforms with a global reach. Using a critical race theoretical lens, this multimodal anthropological study focuses on the voices of contemporary Afrofuturists at the intersection of Afrofuturism, social injustice, and digital technology.
Critical hate studies: A new perspective
Authors: James Zoë , McBride Katie
Published: August 2021

This paper sets out a critical perspective that cohesively explains why hate happens in late modernity and its impact on the lived experience of victims. The paper challenges existing theoretical accounts of hate by presenting a psycho-social approach to subjectivity that acknowledges the impact of neoliberal capitalism on the lived experience. By doing so, the paper is able to account for the extremities of hate in society and its apparent normalcy. In conclusion, the paper argues that an interrogation of the extent of the harms of hate should be framed within a positive discourse wherein the human need to flourish, rather than survive, is recognised.
How to think about people who don’t want to be studied: Further reflections on studying up
Authors: Souleles Daniel
Published: August 2021

It is now routine for anthropologists to study those who exercise power and control wealth and status in any number of societies. Implicit in anthropology’s long-standing commitment to apprehending societies in their totality, and explicit in the call to study up, paying attention to power is just one of the routine things that anthropologists do in the course of their fieldwork. That said, many theoretical and ethical norms in the discipline are calibrated to allow researchers to both know about and protect those with relatively little power who made up much of anthropology’s original topical area of interests. By contrast, studying people who exercise power entails special ethical and theoretical consideration. This article enumerates some of those considerations, and suggests that anthropologists need to have coherent theories of social action in addition to theories of social meaning. The article also suggests that some canonical disciplinary ethical norms are inappropriate for the study of the powerful for empirical and practical reasons.
An extensive study on strain dependence of glass fiber-reinforced polymer-based composites
Authors: Farazin Ashkan , Khan Afrasyab
Published: August 2021

Fiber-reinforced polymer-based composites may experience various strain rates under different dynamic loads. As the mechanical behavior of these composites varies with strain rate, their response will be dependent on the strain rate. This paper presents a comprehensive review on glass fibers and composites reinforced with these fibers, as the most practical polymer-based composite, under dynamic loading. First, the properties of long glass fibers under different strain rates will be reviewed in detail. In the following, experimental studies on the effects of strain rate on various types of glass fiber-reinforced polymer-based composites will be categorized and presented. The behavior of thermoset polymers will be also addressed under different strain rates. Finally, various analytical and numerical macromechanical and micromechanical models will be comprehensively described for this type of composites.
Interactive Web Application for Traffic Simulation Data Management and Visualization
Authors: Xu Haowen , Wang Chieh (Ross) , Berres Anne , LaClair Tim , Sanyal Jibonananda
Published: August 2021

As traffic simulation software becomes more effective for realistically simulating and analyzing traffic dynamics and vehicle interactions on the mesoscopic and microscopic level, the management, dissemination, and collaborative visualization of traffic simulation results produced by individual transportation planners presents a significant challenge. Existing online content management systems have a very limited capability in allowing users to query specific traffic simulation scenarios and geospatially visualize simulation results through shareable and interactive web interfaces. This paper presents a web-based application for promoting the archiving, sharing, and visualization of large-scale traffic simulation outputs. The application is developed to enhance cyber-physical controls, communications, and public education for collaborative transportation planning. Unique features of the web application include: (a) allowing users to upload their new traffic simulation scenarios (parameters and outputs), as well as search existing scenarios using easily accessible interfaces; (b) optimizing simulation output files with heterogeneous data formats and projected coordinate systems for web-based storage and management using a scalable and searchable data/metadata standard; (c) standardizing user-uploaded simulation outputs using web interfaces and data processing libraries with parallel computing capacity; and (d) providing shareable web visual interfaces for visualizing the traffic flow and signal information stored in simulation outputs (e.g., regional traffic patterns and individual vehicle interactions) and visually comparing multiple simulation outputs both spatially and temporally. The paper presents the conceptual design and implementation of this application, and demonstrates the application’s performance for sharing, comparing, and visualizing simulation outputs from VISSIM and SUMO, two commonly used traffic simulation software programs.
Understanding China’s New Dual Circulation Development Strategy: A Marxian Input-Output Analysis
Authors: Su Lijun , Liang Junshang
Published: August 2021

The Chinese government has proposed a new development model called Dual Circulation, which, we argue, is a response to the upsurge of trade protectionism in recent years, as well as an acceleration of China’s long-planned restructuring of its economy. Our input-output analysis reveals the inferior global distributional position of China and the dire consequences it faces from a counterfactual US-China trade decoupling. Specifically, China on average transferred out about 9 percent of its abstract labor during 2010–14, and it stands to lose 2.5 percentage points in its growth rate and over 10 million jobs if the United States and China completely transfer their bilateral trade to other partners.

JEL classification: B51, O24, D57
Racial/Ethnic Residential Segregation and the First Wave of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Rates: A Spatial Analysis of Four U.S. Cities
Authors: Anderson Kathryn Freeman , Lopez Angelica , Simburger Dylan
Published: August 2021

Previous research has linked racial/ethnic residential segregation to a number of poor health conditions, including infectious disease. Here, we examine how racial/ethnic residential segregation is related to the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. We examine infection rates by zip code level segregation in four major cities across the U.S.: New York City, Chicago, Houston, and San Diego. We also include a number of area-level Census variables in order to analyze how other factors may help account for the infection rate. We find that both Black and Latino residential clustering are significantly and positively related to a higher SARS-CoV-2 infection rate across all four cities, and that this effect is strong even when accounting for a number of other social conditions and factors that are salient to the transmission of infectious disease. As a result, we argue that neighborhood-level racial/ethnic patterning may serve as an important structural mechanism for disparities in SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Significant Publications on Infectious Diseases Pharmacotherapy in 2020
Authors: Eubank Taryn A. , Zaidan Noor , Alnezary Faris S. , Moc Courtney , Olson Kelsey , Zaki Ahmed , McDaneld Patrick M. , Gonzales-Luna Anne J. ,   on behalf of the Houston Infectious Diseases Network
Published: August 2021

Purpose. To summarize the most highly esteemed, peer-reviewed, infectious diseases (ID) pharmacotherapy articles published in 2020. Summary. Members of the Houston Infectious Diseases Network (HIDN) nominated articles that were deemed to have noteworthy contributions to ID pharmacotherapy in 2020, including those on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). To select the most significant articles of 2020, a survey was created and distributed to members of the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP) to vote on their top 10 articles of general ID and COVID-19 pharmacotherapy and one noteworthy HIV/AIDS publication. A total of 40 articles were nominated by HIDN: 35 articles pertaining to general ID/COVID-19 pharmacotherapy and 5 articles with HIV/AIDS involvement. Of the 247 SIDP members who responded to the survey, 205 and 42 members voted for general ID/COVID-19 pharmacotherapy articles and HIV/AIDS related articles, respectively. The top publications are summarized. Conclusion. In a taxing year of a global pandemic, the abundant and rapid distribution of ID literature has made it challenging for clinicians to stay informed of significant publications across the ID spectrum. This review summarizes significant ID-related publications in 2020 with the goal of aiding clinicians in staying up to date on the most relevant publications in ID pharmacotherapy.
From Flexible Labour to ‘Sticky Labour’: A Tracking Study of Workers in the Food-Delivery Platform Economy of China
Authors: Sun Ping , Yujie Chen Julie , Rani Uma
Published: August 2021

Despite considerable scholarly attention to the proliferation of gig work on digital platforms, research tracing the broad trends of labour relations is scant. Analysing interview and survey data on food-delivery workers in China between 2018 and 2019, this article demonstrates a trend of de-flexibilisation for workers, which contradicts the purported flexibility of platform-mediated work. It is argued that de-flexibilisation is achieved through intertwined labour management tactics, technological engineering, and the cultural normalisation of platform-dependent precarious jobs. Platform companies and third-party staffing agencies have jointly deployed algorithmic systems and communicative techniques to cultivate what we refer to as ‘sticky labour’. The study contributes to the current debate on working in platform capitalism by weighing the compound effects of labour management strategies, social impact of technological engineering of the work process, and the cultural normalisation of platform work.
Evaluating the morphology and distribution uniformity of AZ91D-SiC composite powder produced from magnesium chips by mechanical milling and alloying method
Authors: Pouyafar Vahid , Meshkabadi Ramin
Published: August 2021

The AZ91D-SiC composite powder was produced from machining chips using the mechanical milling and alloying processes as an effective recycling method. The mechanical milling and alloying were conducted in a high-energy planetary ball mill. The effects of milling time and ball-to-powder weight ratio (BPR) on the morphology, distribution uniformity, and powder yield were evaluated. In the mechanical milling process, the four stages of chip milling were investigated. The optimum conditions of the milling were equal to milling for 10 h and a BPR of 25:1. The powder yield was at its maximum value and did not change much by changing the milling conditions. In the mechanical alloying, a higher BPR had a more significant effect on the uniform distribution of the particles compared to a higher milling time. The uniformity of the particle distribution is higher for 5 h alloying and a BPR of 20:1. A new peak in the XRD pattern of the composite powder obtained did not appear during the mechanical alloying process. It was observed that the amount of reinforcement phase has little effect on the particle size of the composite powder, while the particle distribution was improved by reducing it up to 40%.
Adoption of smart and sustainable manufacturing practices: An exploratory study of Indian manufacturing companies
Authors: Aggarwal Ankur , Gupta Sumit , Jamwal Anbesh , Agrawal Rajeev , Sharma Monica , Dangayach Govind S
Published: August 2021

Technological advancements and volatile customer demand over the globe have forced manufacturing industries to adopt smart and sustainable manufacturing practices. Now the industries are moving towards the Industry 4.0 to satisfy the mass customization demands as well as to create sustainable value creation. Indian industries are considered as one of major manufacturing hub for the automobile components in world and plays an important role in development of Indian economy. However, the adoption level of Smart manufacturing practices in India is limited due to technological, economical and other challenges. Industries are still struggling with the adoption of smart and sustainable manufacturing practices in the developing economies like India. Therefore, this study aims to find the relationship between sustainable and smart manufacturing practices in the emerging economies. In the present study we have used the hypothesis modelling approach to link the manufacturing competitiveness and top management commitment with the sustainable and smart manufacturing practices. The data is collected with the help of questionnaire survey from the Indian manufacturing industries. Further, Structural equation modelling approach (SEM) is used. The results of this study highlights how manufacturing industries can adopt the smart and sustainable manufacturing practices in the developing economies like India.
Deep penetration of low velocity metal penetrators into ice
Authors: Orlov Maxim Yurievich , Orlova Yulia Nikolaevna
Published: August 2021

The paper summarizes the results of research of the destruction of an ice block with cylindrical and spherical penetrators at low velocity (≤325 m/s). The behaviour of ice at high strain rates is described by an elastic–plastic model of continuum mechanics. Numerical modelling of penetration is performed with IMPACT computer code. Algorithms of splitting nodes and destroying elements in a Lagrangian numerical method were modified to solve problems of penetration and perforation. The fracturing is described by a deterministic fracture model. Crack paths are examined; the damage is predicted and compared with existing experimental results. It was found that in the subsonic range of initial velocities the penetration time did not exceed 0.3 ms. Examination of the penetrators’ shapes showed that they were not plastic deformed.
Simulation and performance study of a two-bed adsorption cooling system operated with activated carbon-ethanol
Authors: Baiju V , Asif Sha A , Sajid NK Mohammed , Muhammedali Shafeeque K
Published: August 2021

This paper presents the transient model of a two-bed adsorption cooling system performed in the SIMULINK platform. The inlet chilled water temperature in the evaporator, temperature of cooling water and hot water temperature of the adsorbent bed and its effect on systems coefficient of performance, refrigeration effect and specific cooling power have been studied and presented. It is observed that the systems coefficient of performance is 0.57 when the inlet hot water temperature about 80 °C. In this study, the optimum cooling power and systems coefficient of performance are also determined in terms of the phase time, shifting duration and hot water inflow temperature. The results indicates that the cooling water and hot water inlet temperatures significantly affects the coefficient of performance, specific cooling power and cooling power of the system. The effect of mass flow rate on the cooler efficiency is also presented. A two bed adsorption system of capacity 13.5 kW having an evaporator and condenser temperatures of 6°C and 28°C, respectively, are considered for the present investigation. The adsorbent mass considered is 45 kg with a shifting duration of 20 sec. The result of this study gives the basis for performance optimization of a practical continuous operating vapour adsorption cooler.
An experimental study on the effect of concentration of green nanoadditives on the tribological properties of the biolubricants
Authors: Shafi Wani Khalid , Charoo MS
Published: August 2021

The paper aims to introduce a sustainable solution in the field of lubrication science. A green nano additive, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is mixed with two biofriendly natural oils (avocado oil and hazelnut oil) and the tribological properties of the nanolubricants are evaluated on a four-ball tribotester. The nanoparticles are less than 100 nm in diameter and are added in varying concentrations of 0-1 wt.%. The tribological properties are evaluated as per ASTM D4172 and the stability of the nanoparticles is measured for a period of 24 hours using a double beam spectrophotometer. The UV spectroscopy results indicate the nanoparticles are stable after the sonication process and sediment very less after 24 hours. The antiwear properties of both natural oil improve with the increase in the concentration of h-BN nanoparticles. The maximum improvement in the wear properties is observed at 1 wt.% and is equal to 19.5% and 36.55% for avocado oil and hazelnut oil respectively. The improvement in the antiwear properties are ascribed to the different nanolubrication mechanisms: tribofilm formation, non-direct contact phenomenon, and entrapment of nanoparticles between wear agglomerates.
The development of a representative multidimensional transient duty cycle for in-service switcher locomotives
Authors: Hegazi Mohamed A , Hoffrichter Andreas , Andrews Jeffrey L , Lovegrove Gordon
Published: August 2021

Switcher locomotives operate in railway yards where they shunt railcars and assemble trains. Shunting railcars requires frequent aggressive acceleration and deceleration events in order for the locomotive to push or pull railcars onto specific tracks. As a result, switcher locomotives rarely sustain tractive power for any significant period of time. Given that all switchers in North America rely on diesel-electric propulsion; the result is rapid and frequent transitions in engine power leading to a very low engine efficiency and high levels of emissions. Any attempt to quantify or remedy these issues will face a lack of a representative profile or test cycle. A locomotive duty cycle is a breakdown of time spent at each power level of the locomotive’s engine. A major drawback of current duty cycles is that they only account for steady power. Such cycles are not representative of real switcher locomotive operation. This paper presents a real-world transient duty cycle for switcher locomotives that accounts for the rapid power transitions and is argued to be more statistically representative of actual operations. The methodology adopted relies on real-time data collection, microtrip based trip segmentation, and a finite mixture model-based clustering algorithm. Measurements were collected on a EMD 16-645 GP9 locomotive. The duty cycle developed herein is representative of switching operations in Southern Railway of British Columbia’s New Westminster Yard as an example of the methodology which can be repeated in other cases as well.
The Importance of Possible Selves in Family Resilience Among Puerto Rican Survivors of Hurricane Maria Displaced to Orlando, Florida
Authors: Nelson Abbie , Horner Pilar , Vélez Ortiz Daniel , Sato Mikiko
Published: August 2021

Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017. The devastation displaced many families and led to negative mental health outcomes. We use the intersection of Oyserman’s possible selves’ theory and Walsh’s family resilience theory, to aid in elucidating the process of positive familial coping within resilience among Latinx families. Nine different family units participated in an art-based intervention and subsequent focus groups in Florida in November 2018. Grounded theory guided analysis, and themes emerged using intersecting aspects of the above-mentioned theories. Understanding the impact that positive familial selves have on resilience can lead to future development of family interventions and a better understanding of how to foster resilience.
Financial Burdens of Out-of-Pocket Spending Among Medicare Fee-for-Service Beneficiaries: Role of the “Big Four” Chronic Health Conditions
Authors: Basu Rashmita , Liu Haiyong
Published: August 2021

While Medicare is the universal source of health care coverage for Americans aged 65 years or older, the program requires significant cost sharing in terms of out-of-pocket (OOP) spending. We conducted a retrospective study using data from 2016 to 2018 Medicare Current Beneficiary Surveys of elderly community-dwelling beneficiaries ( n = 10,431) linked with administrative data to estimate OOP spending associated with the “big four” chronic diseases (cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and chronic lung disease). We estimated a generalized linear model adjusting for predisposing, enabling, and need factors to estimate annual OOP spending. We found that beneficiaries with any of the “big four” chronic conditions spent 15% ( p < .001) higher OOP costs and were 56% more likely to spend ≥20% of annual income on OOP expenditure (adjusted odds ratio = 1.56; p < .001) compared with those without any of those conditions. OOP spending appears to be heterogeneous across disease types and changing by conditions over time.
“If It’s Not Femicide, It’s Still Murder”: Contestations Over Femicide in Nicaragua
Authors: Neumann Pamela
Published: August 2021

Nicaragua has the dubious distinction of being one of the only countries in the world that has intentionally weakened its existing legislation penalizing the crime of femicide ( femicidio), the murder of women due to their gender. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork and content analysis of over 250 newspaper articles, this study examines how these legal changes occurred and their implications for women’s access to legal justice in Nicaragua. Through an analysis of the competing claims of state officials and feminist actors, I demonstrate how femicidio became a contested legal and political category in Nicaragua, to the detriment of women’s lives.