bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Household Innovation and R&D: Bigger than You Think
Authors: Sichel Daniel , von Hippel Eric
Published: October 2020

Despite recent interest in measuring household activities, investment in household R&D (or household innovation), has not been considered in any of the literatures on national‐accounts‐style measurement. Household R&D is the dedication of household resources to creating a product or process that will generate a service flow in the future; that is a household intangible asset. This paper takes a step toward valuing household innovation in the U.S. by developing time series of nominal and real investment and capital stocks for household R&D. We find that household investment in R&D was more than 11 percent of R&D funded by the private business sector in 2017 and about half of what businesses spent on R&D to develop new products for consumers. If household R&D were judged to be in scope for GDP, GDP would have been 0.2 percent higher in 2017. We conclude that household R&D is important and warrants closer attention.
The novel HLA‐A*02:941 allele was identified during high‐resolution HLA typing
Authors: Ananeva Anastasiia , Leksina Yana , Andryushkina Anna , Shagimardanova Elena
Published: October 2020

HLA‐A*02:941 has one synonymous nucleotide change from HLA‐A*02:07:01 at nucleotide 292.
Numerical Analysis for the Assessment of Factors Influencing the Breakdown of Swirl Flow in a Cylinder Driven by a Rotating End Wall
Authors: Sreejith M. , Lal S. Anil , Pai Abhijith S.
Published: October 2020

Finite element solution for the classical problem of swirl flow in a cylinder with a rotating lid has been used to study the characteristic features of the stream-tube and identify the factors contributing to axial vortex breakdown. An increase of rotational Reynolds number has been found to result in (i) a decrease of total flow rate; (ii) an increase of flow rate through the boundary layer over the stationary walls; (iii) an increase of the throat area of the stream-tube, with the upstream axial vortex flow in some cases having a deficit in momentum flux needed to overcome the pressure and viscous forces; and (iv) an increase of distance for the axial flow to sustain deceleration in the diverging passage. Based on the analysis, it is hypothesized that “flow with particles in axial vortex motion having a deficit of momentum flux for axial flow when subjecting to a fluctuating radial force undergoes axial vortex breakdown.” This explanation has been able to justify the disappearance of vortex breakdown at larger Re of laminar regime and the absence of vortex breakdown in small aspect ratio cylinders. We report novel results pertaining to total flow rate and its distribution within the vessel. The momentum flux of axial vortex, a main determinant of bubble breakdown, is found to be governed by the total flow rate, distribution of flow through the boundary layers, and the Reynolds number. The proposed hypothesis has been verified by analyzing two cases, one involving a passive and the other involving an active mechanism for regulating the axial momentum.
Numerical Analysis of Cavitation Inception and Desinence Behind Orifices
Authors: Amromin E. L.
Published: October 2020

Experimental results and trends for cavitation inception and desinence behind orifices in microchannels are quite different from the data obtained during previous experiments in much larger facilities. The objective of this paper is to explain these differences via a numerical analysis. The employed computational procedure is divided into two parts. The first part is computation of an axisymmetric separated flow around the orifice. The second part is determination of characteristics of cavities appearing within separation zones. The provided analysis of the experimental data of other researchers pointed out two sources of the above-mentioned differences. First, for larger orifices, the cavities appear in the cores of drifting vortices. For such a situation, cavitation inception and desinence number increases with the inflow speed due to an impact of turbulence, but there is no such an increase for microbubbles with laminar flows. Second, because of the difficulty to measure the cavity pressure in microbubbles, cavitation number is usually defined with employment of the vapor pressure, and this leads to misinterpretation of the measurements and their trends.
The Effect of Compression Garments on Performance in Elite Winter Biathletes
Authors: Toolis Tom , McGawley Kerry
Published: October 2020

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of wearing upper- and lower-body compression garments on cross-country skiing performance in elite winter biathletes. Methods: A total of 7 senior biathletes (4 men and 3 women) from the Swedish national team performed 2 exercise trials in a randomized and counterbalanced order, wearing either commercially available upper- and lower-body compression garments (COMP) or a standard winter-biathlon racing suit (CON). In each trial, the athletes roller-skied on a customized treadmill, completing a time trial simulating the skiing duration of a biathlon sprint race, followed by a time-to-exhaustion test designed to elicit exhaustion within ∼60 to 90 seconds. Heart rate, blood lactate concentration, rating of perceived exertion, thermal sensation, and thermal comfort were monitored throughout each trial, while muscle soreness was measured up to 48 hours after each trial. Results: Pressure exerted by the clothing was significantly higher at all anatomical sites for COMP compared with CON (P ≤ .002). Wearing COMP led to small positive effects on time-trial (d = 0.31) and time-to-exhaustion test (d = 0.31) performances compared with CON, but these differences were not statistically significant (P > .05). No significant differences were found for any physiological (heart rate or blood lactate concentration) or subjective (rating of perceived exertion, thermal sensation, thermal comfort, or muscle soreness) responses between COMP and CON (P > .05). Conclusion: Wearing COMP during maximal cross-country skiing may have small but worthwhile beneficial effects on performance for some individuals. Due to individual variation, athletes are advised to test COMP prior to competition.
Diagnostic accuracy of MRI for identifying posterior element bone stress injury in athletes with low back pain: a systematic review and narrative synthesis
Authors: Esh Roy , Grødahl Linn Helen J , Kerslake Robert , Strachan Kate , Spencer Simon , Fawcett Louise , Rushton Alison , Heneghan Nicola R
Published: October 2020

Objective

To investigate the diagnostic accuracy of MRI for identifying posterior element bone stress injury (PEBSI) in the athletic population with low back pain (LBP).

Study Design

A systematic review searched for published sources up until July 2020.Eligibility criteria:prospective cohort design, MRI diagnosis, adolescents/young adults, chief symptoms of LBP, PEBSI as the clinical diagnosis and SPECT-CT as reference standard. Risk of bias and overall quality were assessed using QUADAS-2 and GRADE, respectively. A narrative synthesis was conducted.

Results

Four studies were included, with three included in the quantitative synthesis. Compared with SPECT-CT, two studies involving MRI demonstrated sensitivity and specificity of 80% and 100%, and 88% and 97%, respectively. Compared with CT, one study involving MRI demonstrated sensitivity and specificity of 97% and 91%, respectively. Risk of bias was moderate to high although consistency across studies was noted.

Conclusion

Findings support further research to consider MRI as the modality of choice for diagnosing PEBSI. MRI was consistent with SPECT-CT for ruling-in PEBSI, but the clinical value of cases where MRI had false negatives remains uncertain due to possible over-sensitivity by SPECT-CT.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42015023979.
Associations between fitness, physical activity and mental health in a community sample of young British adolescents: baseline data from the Fit to Study trial
Authors: Wheatley Catherine , Wassenaar Thomas , Salvan Piergiorgio , Beale Nick , Nichols Thomas , Dawes Helen , Johansen-Berg Heidi
Published: October 2020

Objectives

To examine relationships between fitness, physical activity and psychosocial problems among English secondary school pupils and to explore how components of physically active lifestyles are associated with mental health and well-being.

Methods

A total of 7385 participants aged 11–13 took a fitness test and completed self-reported measures of physical activity, attitudes to activity, psychosocial problems and self-esteem during the Fit to Study trial. Multilevel regression, which modelled school-level cluster effects, estimated relationships between activity, fitness and psychosocial problems; canonical correlation analysis (CCA) explored modes of covariation between active lifestyle and mental health variables. Models were adjusted for covariates of sex, free school meal status, age, and time and location of assessments.

Results

Higher fitness was linked with fewer internalising problems (β=−0.23; 95% CI −0.26 to −0.21; p<0.001). More activity was also related to fewer internalising symptoms (β=−0.24; 95% CI −0.27 to −0.20; p<0.001); the relationship between activity and internalising problems was significantly stronger for boys than for girls. Fitness and activity were also favourably related to externalising symptoms, with smaller effect sizes. One significant CCA mode, with a canonical correlation of 0.52 (p=0.001), was characterised high cross-loadings for positive attitudes to activity (0.46) and habitual activity (0.42) among lifestyle variables; and for physical and global self-esteem (0.47 and 0.42) among mental health variables.

Conclusion

Model-based and data-driven analysis methods indicate fitness as well as physical activity are linked to adolescent mental health. If effect direction is established, fitness monitoring could complement physical activity measurement when tracking public health.
Relative age effect: beyond the youth phenomenon
Authors: Joyner Patrick Wakefield , Lewis John , Mallon William J , Kirkendall Don , Dawood Rehan , Fagerberg Austin , Mills Frederic Baker , Garrett William
Published: October 2020

This article has been retracted
Efficient Outlier Detection in Text Corpus Using Rare Frequency and Ranking
Authors: Mohotti Wathsala Anupama , Nayak Richi
Published: October 2020

Outlier detection in text data collections has become significant due to the need of finding anomalies in the myriad of text data sources. High feature dimensionality, together with the larger size of these document collections, presents a need for developing accurate outlier detection methods with high efficiency. Traditional outlier detection methods face several challenges including data sparseness, distance concentration, and the presence of a larger number of sub-groups when dealing with text data. In this article, we propose to address these issues by developing novel concepts such as presenting documents with the rare document frequency, finding ranking-based neighborhood for similarity computation, and identifying sub-dense local neighborhoods in high dimensions. To improve the proposed primary method based on rare document frequency, we present several novel ensemble approaches using the ranking concept to reduce the false identifications while finding the higher number of true outliers. Extensive empirical analysis shows that the proposed method and its ensemble variations improve the quality of outlier detection in document repositories as well as they are found scalable compared to the relevant benchmarking methods.
A Vector-Length Agnostic Compiler for the Connex-S Accelerator with Scratchpad Memory
Authors: Şuşu Alexandru E.
Published: October 2020

Compiling sequential C programs for Connex-S, a competitive, scalable and customizable, wide vector accelerator for intensive embedded applications with 32 to 4,096 16-bit integer lanes and a limited capacity local scratchpad memory, is challenging.

Our compiler toolchain uses the LLVM framework and targets OPINCAA, a JIT vector assembler and coordination C++ library for Connex-S accelerating computations for an arbitrary CPU. Therefore, we address in the compiler middle end aspects of efficient vectorization, communication, and synchronization. We perform quantitative static analysis of the program useful, among others, for the symbolic-size compiler memory allocator and the coordination mechanism of OPINCAA. We also discuss the LLVM back end for the Connex-S processor and the methodology to automatically generate instruction selection code for emulating efficiently arithmetic and logical operations for non-native types such as 32-bit integer and 16-bit floating-point.

By using JIT vector assembling and by encoding the vector length of Connex-S as a parameter in the generated OPINCAA program, we achieve vector-length agnosticism to support execution on distinct embedded devices, such as several digital cameras with different resolutions, each equipped with custom-width Connex-S accelerators meant to save energy for the image processing kernels.

Since Connex-S has a limited capacity local scratchpad memory of 256 KB normally, we present how we also use the PPCG C-to-C code generator to perform data tiling to minimize the total kernel execution time, subject to fitting larger program data in the local memory. We devise an accurate cost model for the Connex-S accelerator to choose optimal performance tile sizes at compile time.

We successfully compile several simple benchmarks frequently used, for example, in high-performance and computer vision embedded applications. We report speedup factors of up to 11.33 when running them on a Connex-S accelerator with 128 16-bit integer lanes w.r.t. the dual-core ARM Cortex A9 host clocked at a frequency 6.67 times higher, with a total of two 128-bit Neon SIMD units.
DNMT3B Expression Might Contribute to Abnormal Methylation of RASSF1A in Lager Colorectal Adenomatous Polyps
Authors: Meng Xianmei , Liu Na , Jia Yanbin , Gong Kerui , Zhang Jingjie , Zhang Wei , Shao Guo , Dang Tong
Published: October 2020

Background. It is pretty well known that DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) are actively involved in abnormal cell growth. The goal of the current study is to explore the correlation between DNMT expression and colorectal adenomatous polyps (CAPs). Method. Twenty pairs of CAP samples with a diameter≥10 mm and corresponding normal colorectal mucosa (NCM) tissues from patients were used in the present study. The expression levels and activity of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) were measured in the CAP tissues. The global methylation and the promoter methylation level of 3 kinds of tumour suppressor gene were detected. Results. mRNA and protein levels of DNMT3B were found to be elevated in the CAP tissues compared with the control tissue. Additionally, the methylation of long interspersed nuclear elements-1 (LINE-1/L1) was decreased in the CAP tissue. Furthermore, methylation of the promoter of a tumour suppressor gene Ras association domain family 1A (RASSF1A) was increased in the CAP tissues, while the mRNA levels of RASSF1A were decreased. Conclusions. These results suggest that the overexpression of DNMT3B may contribute to a role in the genesis of CAPs through the hypomethylation of chromosomes in the whole cell and promoter hypermethylation of RASSF1A.
Is Intragastric Botulinum Toxin A Injection Effective in Obesity Treatment?
Authors: Kaya Bulent , Esen Bulut Nuriye , Fersahoglu Mahir
Published: October 2020

Aims. The objective of this prospective study was to evaluate the efficacy of intragastric botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) injection for the treatment of obesity. Materials and Methods. The study was performed between January and August 2019. This is a prospective study. After 6–12 hours of fasting, the patients were submitted to upper GI endoscopy under sedation for the injection of BTX-A. A total of 250 U of BTA-X was diluted with 10 ml of 0.9% saline. Injections were administered into the gastric antrum, each containing 1 ml of prepared solution (25 U BX-A + 1 ml saline). Continuous data were compared using a two-sample t-test. Statistical significance was determined as P≤0.05. All statistical analysis was performed using SPSS for Windows 22.1 software (SPSS, Chicago, IL, USA). Results. A total of 56 patients were studied. Mean weight before gastric Botox was 85.25 ± 14.02, and mean weight after gastric Botox was 76.98 ± 12.68. Mean weight loss was approximately 9 kg in studied patients. BMI decreased about 3 units. The mean time for maximum weight loss was 60.39 ± 37.43 days. A total of 49 patients (87.5%) had reported decrease in appetite and early satiety. About 53.6% of patients were satisfied. No complications resulting from the endoscopic procedure were observed in this series. Conclusions. Intragastric BTX-A injection can be beneficial in weight loss. It is a minimally invasive, cost-effective procedure, without serious side effects.
Investigation of the Effects and Mechanisms of Dendrobium loddigesii Rolfe Extract on the Treatment of Gout
Authors: Zhang Kai-hui , Wang Mei-qi , Wei Lu-ling , Feng Cheng-jing , Zhang Yu-si , Teng Jian-bei
Published: October 2020

Objective. Gout is a chronic disease that causes inflammatory arthritis, which is closely related to urate accumulation induced by a disorder of uric acid metabolism and the consequent deposition of monosodium urate crystals. Dendrobium loddigesii Rolfe is an herbal medicine that has been used in some traditional Chinese medicine formulae in the treatment of gout. This study aimed to explore and verify the antigout activity of Dendrobium loddigesii extract (DLE) on alleviating the hyperuricaemia of mice and the acute gouty arthritis of rats. Methods. An animal model of hyperuricaemia was established using potassium oxonate (PO). We analysed the expression of uric acid transporter mRNA in the kidney in the hyperuricaemic mice after treatment with DLE. Simultaneously, a monosodium urate crystal‐induced acute gouty arthritis rat model was used to evaluate the effects of DLE, according to the level of ankle swelling, as well as the protein levels of inflammatory receptors and cytokines, as assayed by WB and ELISA. Results. DLE alleviated hyperuricaemia in mice and inhibited acute gouty arthritis in rats (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, DLE regulated the levels of uric acid transporters mRNA transcripts, including mouse organic anion transporter 1 (mOAT1), organic anion transporter 3 (mOAT3), urate transporter 1 (mURAT1), and glucose transporter 9 (mGLUT9) in the kidney (P < 0.05), suggesting that DLE promoted uric acid metabolism. Furthermore, DLE significantly suppressed the protein levels of TLRs, MyD88, and NF‐κB in the ankle joint’s synovium (P < 0.05), and the serum levels of IL‐1β, IL‐6, and TNF‐α were also reduced, which demonstrated the anti‐inflammatory effects of DLE. Conclusion. DLE alleviates hyperuricaemia by regulating the transcription level of uric acid transporters in the kidney. It also inhibits acute gouty arthritis by inhibiting the pathway of TLRs/MyD88/NF‐κB in the ankle joint’s synovium. The findings of the present study imply that DLE alleviates gout by promoting uric acid metabolism and inhibiting inflammation related to the TLRs/MyD88/NF‐κB pathway.
Strong Exponential Attractors for Weakly Damped Semilinear Wave Equations
Authors: Liu Cuncai , Meng Fengjuan , Zhang Chang
Published: October 2020

In this paper, we investigate the longtime dynamics for the damped wave equation in a bounded smooth domain of ℝ3. The exponential attractor is investigated in a strong energy space for the case of subquintic nonlinearity, which is based on the recent extension of the Strichartz estimate for the case of a bounded domain. The results obtained complete some previous works.
On the Construction of the Reflexive Vertex k-Labeling of Any Graph with Pendant Vertex
Authors: Agustin I. H. , Utoyo M. I. , Dafik  , Venkatachalam M. , Surahmat
Published: October 2020

A total k-labeling is a function fe from the edge set to first natural number ke and a function fv from the vertex set to non negative even number up to 2kv, where k=maxke,2kv. A vertex irregular reflexivek-labeling of a simple, undirected, and finite graph G is total k-labeling, if for every two different vertices x and x′ of G, wtx≠wtx′, where wtx=fvx+Σxy∈EGfexy. The minimum k for graph G which has a vertex irregular reflexive k-labeling is called the reflexive vertex strength of the graph G, denoted by rvsG. In this paper, we determined the exact value of the reflexive vertex strength of any graph with pendant vertex which is useful to analyse the reflexive vertex strength on sunlet graph, helm graph, subdivided star graph, and broom graph.
The Association between Childhood Myopia Prevalence and Environmental Factors in China: A Metaregression Analysis
Authors: Zou Yunchun , Ulaganathan Sekar , Read Scott A. , Davis Brett A. , Collins Michael J.
Published: October 2020

Background. Myopia prevalence varies across the country among schoolchildren in China. Recently, environmental factors have been shown to be important in myopia development and progression. Given China’s geographical diversity with variable environmental factors, we investigated whether environmental factors could explain the regional variations in myopia in mainland China. Methods. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Chinese Science Periodical Databases for studies with reports of myopia prevalence in schoolchildren in mainland China from the years 1979 to 2019. Data on environmental factors (annual sunshine hours, temperature, and population density) were obtained from past records. A random-effect univariate metaregression analysis was used to investigate the association between the environmental factors and myopia prevalence and to determine the proportion of variation in regional myopia prevalence that can be attributed to each factor. Results. Forty-nine eligible studies were identified that included 666,864 schoolchildren aged 6 to 20 years. The pooled estimate of myopia prevalence was 32.88% (95% confidence interval: 26.69–39.08%). Univariate metaregression analysis indicated that annual sunshine hours (27.97% of variance), annual temperature (24.66%), and population density (7.06%) significantly contributed to regional myopia prevalence variation (eachp<0.05), while seasonal variation in sunshine hours (1.54%,p=0.604) was not a significant predictor of myopia prevalence. However, only annual sunshine hours was significantly associated with myopia prevalence in the multivariate metaregression model. Conclusion. Myopia prevalence in children was higher in regions with low sunshine hours, and annual sunshine hours was significantly associated with regional variation in myopia prevalence in mainland China.
Cognitive-Enhancing, Ex Vivo Antilipid Peroxidation and Qualitative Phytochemical Evaluation of the Aqueous and Methanolic Stem Bark Extracts of Lonchocarpus eriocalyx (Harms.)
Authors: Moriasi Gervason , Ireri Anthony , Ngugi Mathew
Published: October 2020

Over 50 million persons are living with cognitive deficits worldwide, with over 80% of these individuals living in the developing world. The number of affected persons is projected to go over 152 million by the year 2050. Current drugs used for cognitive impairment are debatably ineffective, costly, inaccessible, and associated with undesirable events that call for the search for alternative and complementary approaches. Plants are arguably affordable, accessible, and efficacious. However, despite the reported healing claims, scientific data validating these claims are lacking. L. eriocalyx is traditionally used for the management of various conditions, including cognitive impairment but has not been scientifically explored. In this study, the Morris Water Maze (MWM) method was used to evaluate in vivo cognitive-enhancing effects of studied extracts of L. eriocalyx. Furthermore, following MWM experiments, brains were dissected and processed, and malondialdehyde profiles were determined. Qualitative phytochemical profiles of the studied plant extracts were also determined. The results showed that mice that were treated with the studied plant extracts took significantly shorter transfer latencies, navigation distances, and significantly longer latencies in the target quadrant (NW) (p<0.05) compared with the negative control mice, indicating cognitive-enhancing activities. Furthermore, cognitively impaired mice that received the studied plant extracts had significantly lower MDA profiles compared with the MDA profile of the negative control group mice (p<0.05). The cognitive-enhancing and MDA profile lowering effects were attributed to the presence of antioxidant phytoconstituents that ought to have modulated the redox state, thereby attenuating brain damage. These extracts can be, therefore, used for the management of cognitive deficits. Further studies leading to isolation and characterization of active molecules for cognitive impairment are recommended. Furthermore, the precise mechanism(s) through which these extracts exert their pharmacologic activity should be established.
Serological Investigations of Bluetongue Virus (BTV) among Sheep and Goats in Kassala State, Eastern Sudan
Authors: Elmahi Molhima M. , Karrar Abdel Rahim E. , Elhassan Amira M. , Hussien Mohammed O. , Enan Khalid A. , Mansour Mohammed A. , El Hussein Abdel Rahim M.
Published: October 2020

Bluetongue (BT) is an infectious, noncontagious, vector-borne viral disease of wild and domestic ruminants. BTV is a member of theOrbivirusgenus of the family Reoviridae.The present study aimed to investigate the seroprevalence of BTV in sheep and goats in Kassala State, Sudan. It also aimed to determine risk factors associated with BTV infection. The study was carried out by a structured questionnaire survey, and a total of 809 serum samples were collected from sheep (n = 459) and goats (n = 350) from 9 different localities in Kassala state. These samples were analyzed using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) for the detection of BTV antibodies. The overall seroprevalence of BTV was 91.2% (738/809). In goats, the prevalence of BTV antibodies was comparatively higher (100%) than in sheep (84.5%). The prevalence differed between localities and was the highest in the center section of Kassala and Western Kassala (100%). Animals aged 6–11 months were highly infected (93.9%) compared to 1-year-old (85.5%). Caprine species was more likely to be infected (100%) than ovine (84.5%), and females were highly infected (92.8%) than males (85.5%). BTV infections were higher in the winter season (91.4%). Risk factors that showed significant associations with cELISA positivity included locality and sex (p≤0.003) and species and age (p≤0.000). Factors significantly associated with cELISA positivity in multivariate analysis were localities, species, age, and sex. BTV infection is prevalent in sheep and goat populations in Kassala state.
Anatomic Suitability for Branched Thoracic Endovascular Repair in Patients with Aortic Arch Pathological Features
Authors: Smorenburg Stefan P.M. , Montesano Matthew , Hoogteijling Tijs J. , Truijers Maarten , Symersky Petr , Jansen Evert K. , Zandbergen Harmen R. , Wisselink Willem , van Schaik Theodorus G. , Yeung Kak Khee
Published: October 2020

Background

Endovascular repair has become a viable alternative for aortic pathological features, including those located within the aortic arch. We investigated the anatomic suitability for branched thoracic endovascular repair in patients previously treated with conventional open surgery for aortic arch pathological features.

Methods and Results

Patients who underwent open surgery for aortic arch pathological features at our institution between 2000 and 2018 were included. Anatomic suitability was determined by strict compliance with the anatomic criteria within manufacturers’ instructions for use for each of the following branched thoracic stent grafts: Relay Plus Double‐Branched (Terumo‐Aortic), TAG Thoracic Branch Endoprosthesis (W.L. Gore & Associates), Zenith Arch Branched Device (Cook‐Medical), and Nexus Stent Graft System (Endospan Ltd/Jotec GmbH). Computed tomography angiography images were analyzed with outer luminal line measurements. A total of 377 patients (mean age, 64±14 years; 64% men) were identified, 153 of whom had suitable computed tomography angiography images for measurements. In total, 59 patients (15.6% of the total cohort and 38.6% of the measured cohort) were eligible for endovascular repair using at least one of the devices. Device suitability was 30.9% for thoracic aneurysms, 4.6% for type A dissections, 62.5% for type B dissections, and 28.6% for other pathological features.

Conclusions

The anatomic suitability for endovascular repair of all aortic arch pathological features was modest. The highest suitability rates were observed for thoracic aneurysms and for type B dissections, of which repair included part of the aortic arch. We suggest endovascular repair of arch pathological features should be reserved for high‐volume centers with experience in endovascular arch repair.
Caregivers’ hopes, expectations and concerns surrounding the employment and future of young people with mental health conditions
Authors: Teh Wen Lin , Roystonn Kumarasan , Vaingankar Janhavi Ajit , Goh Chong Min Janrius , Zhang YunJue , Chong Siow Ann , Verma Swapna , Tay Benjamin , Subramaniam Mythily
Published: October 2020

Objective:

Informal caregivers are often placed in a better position to understand and advocate for the vocational needs of young persons with mental health conditions. However, their opinions are largely ignored in the planning of vocational outcomes. This qualitative study had two broad aims: to explore (1) the perceptions of caregivers of young adults with mental health conditions on issues of paid employment and (2) their views and expectations of employment support services.

Methods:

A total of 30 semi-structured interviews were conducted. Caregivers were 45 years old on average, the majority were women (73%) and were of Chinese ethnicity (53%). Most participants (60%) were parents of the young persons with psychotic disorders (57%), or affective and mood disorders, such as depression or anxiety disorders (43%).

Results:

Thematic analyses of data revealed three superordinate themes: (1) caregiving roles, (2) caregivers’ expectations and hopes, and (3) barriers to employmentof young persons with mental health conditions.

Conclusions and implications for practice:

Caregivers strongly believed that employment support services should prioritise and advocate for recovery while securing employment. Local mental health employment support services should incorporate the views and expectations of caregivers of young persons with mental health conditions to foster better coordination between stakeholders, and enhance support for successful employment, reintegration into the community, and ultimately recovery for these individuals.
Development and validation of the Lo’s Healthy and Happy Lifestyle Scale (LHHLS): The resilience in general population facing COVID-19 in Taiwan
Authors: Lo Angela , Hsieh Kuan-Ying , Lu Wan-Chun , Shieh Ierna , Chou Frank Huang-Chih , Shieh Vincent
Published: October 2020

Background:

This article explores the effectiveness of development of the Lo’s Healthy and Happy Lifestyle Scale (LHHLS), which is an evaluative tool that monitors the resilience of the Taiwan population in times of such COVID-19 epidemic. Also, to verify factors of resilience, namely the reliability and validity of self-efficacy and positive thinking, and establishment of a prospective norm analysis.

Method:

The study mainly applied Explorative Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to develop LHHLS and establish the reliability and validity of the tool’s structure, verify norm analysis and the reliability of data from each question using Cronbach’s alpha.

Results:

According to statistics, LHHLS has a good factorial effectiveness and relatively high reliability, with factor reliability analyses where Cronbach’s alpha lies between 0.83 to 0.94. The 14 questions in the LHHLS has a total variance of 67.04%. The tool includes two sub-assessments that are theoretically and statistically appropriate: mental health/self-efficacy and positive thinking.

Conclusion:

The tool LHHLS can be applied to populations affected by COVID-19. With participants’ self-awareness of mental health state and state of happy living, this tool is valid and reliable in assessing and evaluating the resilience of such participants against times of COVID-19. This study can become future use for epidemic prevention communities in monitoring residents’ healthy living and changes in their resilience. Also, can become a reference standard for interventions to reduce the impacts populations’ happy and healthy living, in times of biological disasters.
Market Dynamics and Systemic Violence: A Longitudinal Examination of Market Penetration, Entry Deterrence, and Excess Capacity in the Illicit Drug Market
Authors: Torres Christopher E. , D’Alessio Stewart J. , Stolzenberg Lisa
Published: October 2020

The nexus between lethal violence in the drug market and drug-selling behavior remains a topic of interest among social scientists. Although the current body of literature demonstrates strong empirical evidence of systemic violence, questions still endure as to the underlying causal mechanisms responsible for this violence. This study uses 10 years of prosecution data aggregated at the county level to investigate whether drug-related homicide is predictive of first-time drug-selling offending. Results from a pooled cross-sectional time-series analysis suggest that new entrants are using lethal violence to penetrate the illegal drug market. As drug-related homicides increase, the percent of first-time offenders being prosecuted for a drug-selling offense increases markedly. This relationship persists even after controlling for non–drug-related homicide. This finding suggests that lethal violence is being used primarily by new drug sellers, possibly to help them gain entry into a competitive drug market.
Phonetic Symbols in Contemporary Pronunciation Instruction
Authors: Mompean Jose A , Fouz-González Jonás
Published: October 2020

This article explores the potential of phonetic symbols in pronunciation teaching/learning, with a focus on English language teaching (ELT). After a brief contextualisation of current views of pronunciation instruction in the second-language (L2) teaching literature, the article reviews some of the potential advantages of, conditions for, and alternatives to the use of phonetic symbols together with research investigating their potential empirically. The exploration then focuses on the use of phonetic symbols for pronunciation instruction in contemporary linguistically superdiverse contexts, marked by shifting teaching goals, as well as accent varieties, ELT learner profiles, learning/teaching environments, and notions of L2 English. The discussion concludes with some suggestions as to how to use phonetic notation in contemporary ELT instruction.
A Case Study of EMI Teachers’ Professional Development: The Impact of Interdisciplinary Teacher Collaboration
Authors: Lu Yen-Hui
Published: October 2020

This study examines the impact of interdisciplinary teacher collaboration on English-medium instruction (EMI) teachers’ professional development in higher education. Five content teachers from a variety of academic backgrounds jointly designed, developed and implemented an interdisciplinary EMI course at a private university in Taiwan. Based on classroom observations, in-depth interviews and document analysis, the findings show that content teachers’ attitudes towards EMI teaching became more positive as a consequence of participating in teacher collaboration. The findings also stress the value of teacher collaboration in supporting content teachers’ language teaching strategies and instructional language use in EMI. Implications and directions for future research are also provided.
Fluctuating emotions and motivation: Five stages of the rehearsal and performance process
Authors: Sutherland Andrew Thomas , Southcott Jane
Published: October 2020

Participating in large-scale musical performances as part of a secondary school ensemble can be exhilarating. Although students experience such events differently, emotional state is not uniform throughout the process. Developing musicians may put themselves under pressure to perform well and once the event is over, the feelings of anxiety and anticipation are replaced by relief, euphoria or in some cases, melancholy. These emotional reactions can impact the desire to attend subsequent rehearsals and performance projects. Three student members of a school choir reflected on their emotional state from the early part of the rehearsal process to the post-event period. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, transcribed and thematically analysed. Findings address the five phases of the performance process: early rehearsals, later rehearsals, the performance, immediately after the event, and the aftermath. Recommendations for secondary school music ensemble conductors encourage lifelong learning of adolescent ensemble musicians through understanding fluctuating emotions connected with performance.
Accumulation by dispossession and hegemony in place: The Greek experience
Authors: Milonakis Dimitris , Drakaki Elina , Manioudis Manolis , Tzotzes Sergios
Published: October 2020

Seeking to make sense of the Greek crisis Odyssey and the attendant restructuring of the economy, this article focuses on the spatial dynamics of the crisis. To this end, it builds on Harvey’s concept of accumulation by dispossession and Gramscian hegemony to evaluate the crisis remedy administered to Greece. An attempt is made to demonstrate dispossession of land, public resources and natural assets as a hegemonic project, as it takes place, linked to specific ‘spatio-temporal fixes’ of capital during and after the crisis, to be either welcomed or opposed by different stakeholders in civil society and local communities. Assessing the new institutional setting that was enforced upon Greece by its creditors, the Greek case of land dispossession and grabbing is discussed, focusing on representative ‘optimum’ investment instances to question the rationale and the effectiveness of the emerging post-crisis neoliberal model of economic development.
Modifying Highway Capacity Manual Methodology for Inclusion of Flashing-Yellow-Arrow Delay and Suppression
Authors: Cook Daniel J.
Published: October 2020

Dallas phasing is an effective strategy for increasing the efficiency of protected-permissive left turns (PPLTs) at signalized intersections, without creating left-turn traps. The flashing yellow arrow (FYA) is the most widely used PPLT signal indication when Dallas phasing is utilized. The Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) signalized intersection methodology currently contains guidance on how to handle PPLTs with Dallas phasing. At intersections with the FYA indication, some agencies have been using a feature known as FYA delay, which delays the FYA indication, usually by 1 to 4 s. More recently, some agencies have also began using another feature, which suppresses the FYA when a conflicting pedestrian phase is active. The HCM does not contain guidance on how to handle FYA delay or suppression. This research proposed modifications to the HCM signalized intersection methodology to address these two FYA strategies. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to check the reasonableness of the proposed modifications. The sensitivity analysis showed that the proposed modifications are reasonable and produced the expected results.
Stacked Hybrid Discrete Choice Models for Airline Itinerary Choice
Authors: Newman Jeffrey , Garrow Laurie
Published: October 2020

This study develops a methodology to train and apply a hybrid stacked discrete choice model for airline itinerary choice. This stacked model framework includes a data-driven component (i.e., gradient boosting machines) as well as a theory-driven component (i.e., utility maximization using generalized extreme value models). The resulting ensemble model combines attractive features of each, including the ability to conform to complex nonlinear relationships among itinerary characteristics, as well as the ability to leverage an analyst’s understanding of travel behavior tendencies and the natural relationship among itineraries. Using a real industry dataset containing purchase information for approximately 10 million air travelers, it is demonstrated that the resulting model outperforms either the gradient boosting or utility maximization modeling paradigm alone in forecasting air traveler choice behavior. Implementation of this model can be achieved using efficient open source tools including XGBoost and Larch, and requires relatively modest additional effort by an analyst above and beyond the effort to use either tool alone.
Global study on slope instability modes based on 62 municipal solid waste landfills
Authors: Zhang Zhenying , Wang Yixuan , Fang Yuehua , Pan Xiufeng , Zhang Jiahe , Xu Hui
Published: October 2020

This study summarized global examples of landfill slope instability over the past 40 years, then selected 62 cases from 22 different counties to analyse the primary factors causing landfill instability. Three slope instability modes in landfill were categorized according to the position of the slip surface: (1) slip surfaces generated inside the waste pile; (2) slip surfaces that pass through the foundation soil; and (3) slip surfaces that occur along the interface between the bottom liner and the municipal solid waste (MSW) pile. These three types of slope instability modes account for 69.4%, 19.32% and 11.28% of all slope instability, respectively. Moreover, five primary causes of landfill instability were identified. A high landfill leachate level was the dominant cause, accounting for 40.32% of cases. This was followed by inadequate compaction of MSW, which accounted for 22.58% of cases, and insufficiently bearing capacity of the foundation, which accounted for 19.35% of cases. Moreover, low shear strength of the liner–MSW interface and rapid release or deflagration of landfill gas were critical factors affecting landfill stability. Factors of safety were calculated using GeoStudio software for selected landfills in China (Maoershan and Xiaping) and Sri Lanka (Meethotamulla). Results from this study are expected to contribute to the prevention and control of landfill failure.
Autonomous driving path planning algorithm based on improved A* algorithm in unstructured environment
Authors: Min Haitao , Xiong Xiaoyong , Wang Pengyu , Yu Yuanbin
Published: October 2020

There are two shortcomings in the application of traditional A* algorithm in the path planning of autonomous driving. One is that the vehicle environment description method suitable for the A* algorithm is not given; the other is that the vehicle contours and kinematic constraints are not considered. Therefore, according to the characteristics of unstructured environment, this paper presents an environment description method combining global navigation layer and local planning layer, and proposes a local motion planning algorithm based on the improved A* algorithm for autonomous driving vehicles in unstructured environment. In the improved algorithm, profile collision is avoided by setting redundant security space, and the cost of path curvature is considered in heuristic function design. Compared with the original algorithm, it can improve the smoothness of the path, so as to get a path more satisfied with vehicle motion constraints. Simulation results show that the improved algorithm can avoid vehicle contours collision and output a smoother path.
Structural design, optimization and detailing of the BUGA fibre pavilion
Authors: Gil Pérez Marta , Rongen Bas , Koslowski Valentin , Knippers Jan
Published: October 2020

The BUGA fibre pavilion built in April 2019 at the Bundesgartenschau in Heilbronn, Germany, is the most recent coreless fibre winding research pavilion developed from the collaboration between ICD/ITKE at the University of Stuttgart. The research goal is to create lightweight and high-performance lattice composite structures through robotic fabrication. The pavilion is composed of 60 carbon and glass fibre components, and is covered by a prestressed ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) membrane. Each of the components is hollow in section and bone-like in shape. They are joined through steel connectors at the intersecting nodes where the membrane is also supported through steel poles. The components are fabricated by coreless filament winding (CFW), a technique where fibre filaments impregnated with resin are wound freely between two rotating scaffolds by a robotic arm. This novel structural system constitutes a challenge for the designer when proving and documenting the load-carrying capacity of the design. This paper outlines and elaborates on the core methods and workflows followed for the structural design, optimization and detailing of the BUGA fibre pavilion.
“An Active, Productive Life”: Narratives of, and Through, Participation in Public and Patient Involvement in Health Research
Authors: Reynolds Joanna , Beresford Ruth
Published: October 2020

Public and patient involvement (PPI)—engaging the public in designing and delivering research—is increasingly expected in health research, reflecting recognition of the value of “lay” knowledge of illness and/or caring for informing research. Despite increased understanding of PPI experiences within the research process, little attention has been paid to the meaning of PPI in other areas of contributors’ lives, and its value as a broader social practice. We conducted repeated narrative interviews with five experienced PPI contributors from the United Kingdom to explore how meaning is constructed through narratives of PPI in relation to their broader “life-worlds.” Narratives were extremely varied, constructing identities and meanings around PPI in relation to family and social life, career and employment, financial status, and wider social agendas, as well as health. This emphasizes the importance of recognizing PPI as a social practice with diverse meaning and value beyond health research.
My Mental Health Struggle in Academia: What I Wish All Business School Faculty, Students, and Administration Knew
Authors: Quijada Maria Alejandra
Published: October 2020

This article deals with my experience of struggling with mental health while trying to succeed in a management department. I will explore the realities of working as an academic in a business school, my experience as a new faculty member with mental health issues, the stigma I encountered, and how mental illness has challenged my opportunity for advancement. Finally, I will discuss some ideas on how to create a better environment for all and especially for people who struggle with mental health issues as well as the benefits of that environment for both universities and students.