bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
FIGURE 2 from Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Cells Regulate NLRP3 Activation to Generate a Tolerogenic Microenvironment
Authors: Amo-Aparicio Jesus , Dominguez Adrian , Atif Shaikh M. , Dinarello Alberto , Azam Tania , Alula Kibrom M. , Piper Miles , Lieu Christopher H. , Lentz Robert W. , Leal Alexis D. , Bagby Stacey M. , Messersmith Wells A. , Karam Sana D. , Dinarello Charles A. , Pitts Todd M. , Marchetti Carlo
Published: September 2023

PDAC paracrine activity mediates NLRP3 activation. A, IL1β and IL18 secretion from freshly isolated PBMCs from healthy donors (n = 6) following stimulation with PDAC-conditioned media obtained from AsPC-1, MiaPaCa-2, and Panc-1 cells. B, IL1β and IL18 secretion from parenteral (WT) and NLRP3 deficient (NLRP3−/−) THP-1 cells following stimulation with PDAC-conditioned media obtained from Panc-1 cells (n = 3). C, IL1β and IL18 secretion from THP-1 cells following stimulation with PDAC-conditioned media obtained from Panc-1 cells in presence of the NLRP3 inhibitors OLT1177 (OLT) and MCC950 (MCC; n = 3). Cytokine levels were measured by specific ELISA kits. Data expressed as mean ± SEM; ****, P < 0.0001; **, P < 0.01; *, P < 0.05.
Abnormal Atrial Potentials Recorded During Sinus Rhythm or Pacing Represent Substrates for Reentrant Atrial Tachycardia
Authors: Nakatani Yosuke , Ramirez F. Daniel , Takigawa Masateru , Nakashima Takashi , André Clémentine , Goujeau Cyril , Krisai Philipp , Takagi Takamitsu , Kamakura Tsukasa , Vlachos Konstantinos , Carapezzi Aline , Cheniti Ghassen , Tixier Romain , Welte Nicolas , Chauvel Remi , Duchateau Josselin , Pambrun Thomas , Derval Nicolas , Sacher Frédéric , Hocini Meleze , Haïssaguerre Michel , Jaïs Pierre
Published: September 2023

BACKGROUND:

Abnormal atrial potentials (AAPs) recorded during sinus rhythm/atrial pacing may indicate areas of slow conduction capable of supporting reentrant atrial tachycardia (AT). Therefore, we sought to examine the relationship between AAPs and AT circuits.

METHODS:

One hundred twenty-three reentrant ATs in 104 patients were analyzed. AAPs, consisting of fragmented potentials and split potentials, were assessed using the Rhythmia LUMIPOINT algorithm.

RESULTS:

There was 93±13% overlap between areas with AAPs during sinus rhythm/atrial pacing and areas of slow conduction along the reentry circuit during AT. The cumulative area of AAPs was smaller in patients with localized-reentrant ATs compared with anatomic macro-reentrant ATs (20.0 [14.6–30.5] versus 28.9 [21.8–35.6] cm
2
;
P
=0.021). Patients with perimitral ATs had larger areas of AAPs on the lateral wall whereas patients with roof-dependent ATs had larger areas of AAPs on the roof and posterior wall (
P
≤0.018 for all comparisons). The patchy scar that was associated with localized-reentrant AT exhibited a larger area of AAPs at its periphery than the scar that did not participate in localized-reentrant AT (3.1 [2.4–4.5] versus 1.0 [0.7–1.6] cm
2
;
P
<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS:

AAPs recorded during sinus rhythm/atrial pacing are associated with areas of slow conduction during reentrant AT. The burden and distribution of AAPs may provide actionable insights into AT circuit features, including in cases in which ATs are difficult to map.
Broodthaers's Debt
Authors: Stark Trevor
Published: September 2023

This essay investigates the status of “reification” in the work of Marcel Broodthaers, particularly in the 1971 “Section Financière” of his Musée d'Art Moderne, Départment des Aigles. It will pose finance and debt as social forms through which Broodthaers both experienced reification concretely and attempted to register its forming pressure upon the artwork's conditions of possibility. The article argues that it was Broodthaers's understanding of reification that allowed him, at a crux in the history of finance represented by the end of the Bretton Woods agreement in 1971, to posit art as a speculative investment at once uncoupled from the concrete limitations of production and ever-more-tightly ensnared by the economic power of debt.
Printing Islamic Modernism: Arabic Texts for Arab and South Asian Muslims in the Early Twentieth Century
Authors: Bar Sadeh Roy
Published: September 2023

This article examines the relationship between Islamic modernism and Arabic print between the Mashriq and Indian subcontinent in the early twentieth century. Seeking to understand how Islamic modernists modified their message as they targeted new audiences, even as they promoted a unilingual program, this article explores the two printed publications in Arabic that emerged from the 1912 journey of Muhammad Rashid Rida (1865–1935), the founder of the Cairo-based journal al-Manar (The Lighthouse, 1898–1935), to British India. The first publication is “ʿUjala min rihlat al-Hind” (A Brief Report from the Journey to India), which Rida serially published in Cairo in 1912. The second publication is the summary of Rida’s subcontinental travels by his Iraqi-born Urdu translator, Sayyid ʿAbd al-Haqq Haqqi al-Aʿzami al-Baghdadi al-Azhari (1873–1924), which he wrote in the United Provinces town of Aligarh during 1912. Examining these two texts together, this article argues that their publication reflected the two separate concerns of their authors. While Rida sought to convey to al-Manar’s readership his experiences in British India by depicting them as analogous to the realities of the Ottoman Arab provinces and Egypt, al-Azhari sought to integrate al-Manar’s Islamic modernist enterprise into North Indian spheres of Islamic thought, practice, and print aesthetics. In so doing, this article shows how different audiences and modes of circulation enabled Islamic modernist enterprises to operate on both regional and transregional scales, reflecting the malleability of, and interconnectedness between, the worlds of Arabic and Urdu print during the period in question.
Gymnomitrion vietnamicum (Gymnomitriaceae, Marchantiophyta) – a new species from North Indochina
Authors: BAKALIN VADIM , VILNET ANNA , KLIMOVA KSENIA , NGUYEN VAN SINH , CHOI SEUNG SE
Published: September 2023

Gymnomitrion vietnamicum sp. nov. is described from the Hoang Lien Son Range (North Vietnam), the southernmost outpost of the Sino-Himalayan flora and vegetation, wedged into the Indochinese floristic region of the Paleotropic Kingdom. The species is morphologically similar to G. blankae recently described from the territorially adjacent region—Yunnan Province of China—but differs in the structure of the stem, shape of apices of the leaf lobes and shoot coloration. At the same time, this morphological similarity contrasts with relatively high genetic differences, which show that each of the species is more closely related to other taxa that are much more morphologically different from them. Thus, the morphological similarity of the two compared taxa (G. vietnamicum and G. blankae) may imply convergence. The described new species again confirms the leading role of the Sino-Himalayas as the taxonomic diversity center of the morphologically well-defined “Apomarsupella” group, phylogenetically deeply nested within Gymnomitrion. Gymnomitrion vietnamicum is one of the most southern representatives of this group.
Hershkovitzia (Diptera: Nycteribiidae): revision, phylogeny, and cophylogeny
Authors: HRYCYNA GABRIELA , GRACIOLLI GUSTAVO
Published: September 2023

Hershkovitzia Guimarães & D’Andretta, 1956 belongs to Nycteribiidae (Diptera), a family of hematophagous and obligate ectoparasites of bats. Hershkovitzia parasitize bats in the Thyropteridae family, which includes only one genus, Thyroptera Spix, 1823. Hershkovitzia species mostly have a one-to-one association pattern with their hosts, except for H. cabala Peterson & Lacey, 1985 and Hershkovitzia autinoae sp. nov., which share the same host. A review is presented of the species known to date, i.e., H. primitiva Guimarães & D’Andretta, 1956, H. coeca Theodor, 1967, H. inaequalis Theodor, 1967, H. cabala, and H. mariae Hrycyna, Santos, Rêbelo & Graciolli, 2022, and a new species, H. autinoae sp. nov., is described herein. A parsimony analysis of Hershkovitzia was carried out based on a matrix of morphological characters. A cophylogenetic analysis of these parasites and their hosts was performed using a phylogeny of Thyroptera based on a modified version of a previously-published character matrix. As a result, both Hershkovitzia and Thyroptera are monophyletic. Hershkovitzia was divided and organized into two morphological groups based on its phylogeny. As the host of H. coeca is not known, five hypothetical coevolutionary scenarios were performed with each species of Thyroptera. For each coevolutionary scenario only one solution was generated, and all scenarios indicate that the hypothetical ancestor of Hershkovitzia emerged together with the hypothetical ancestor of Thyroptera. An identification key to Hershkovitzia species is presented together with schematic drawings of the abdomen, head, and legs of each species.
Survey of the Ethiopian linyphiid spider fauna. I. Subfamily Erigoninae (Arachnida, Araneae, Linyphiidae)
Authors: TANASEVITCH ANDREI V.
Published: September 2023

Eight identifiable species of the linyphiid spider subfamily Erigoninae have been reviled from the Oromia Region, Ethiopia, seven of which being described as new: Callitrichia asela n. sp. (♂, ♀), Callitrichia protegularis n. sp. (♂, ♀), Microcyba magna n. sp. (♂, ♀), Microcyba oromia n. sp. (♂, ♀), Pelecopsis arsi n. sp. (♂, ♀), Savignia ericola n. sp. (♂), and Walckenaeria (Tigellinus) trivialis n. sp. (♂, ♀). The cosmopolitan Ostearius melanopygius (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1880) is reported from Ethiopia for the first time.
Generalized Aerosol/Chemistry Interface (GIANT): A Community Effort to Advance Collaborative Science across Weather and Climate Models
Authors: Hodzic Alma , Mahowald Natalie , Dawson Matthew , Johnson Jeffrey , Bernardet Ligia , Bosler Peter A. , Fast Jerome D. , Fierce Laura , Liu Xiaohong , Ma Po-Lun , Murphy Benjamin , Riemer Nicole , Schulz Michael
Published: September 2023

Atmospheric aerosol and chemistry modules are key elements in Earth system models (ESMs), as they predict air pollutant concentrations and properties that can impact human health, weather, and climate. The current uncertainty in climate projections is partly due to the inaccurate representation of aerosol direct and indirect forcing. Aerosol/chemistry parameterizations used within ESMs and other atmospheric models span large structural and parameter uncertainties that are difficult to assess independently of their host models. Moreover, there is a strong need for a standardized interface between aerosol/chemistry modules and the host model to facilitate portability of aerosol/chemistry parameterizations from one model to another, allowing not only a comparison between different parameterizations within the same modeling framework, but also quantifying the impact of different model frameworks on aerosol/chemistry predictions. To address this need, we have initiated a new community effort to coordinate the construction of a Generalized Aerosol/Chemistry Interface (GIANT) for use across weather and climate models. We aim to organize a series of community workshops and hackathons to design and build GIANT, which will serve as the interface between a range of aerosol/chemistry modules and the physics and dynamics components of atmospheric host models. GIANT will leverage ongoing efforts at the U.S. modeling centers focused on building next-generation ESMs and the international AeroCom initiative to implement this common aerosol/chemistry interface. GIANT will create transformative opportunities for scientists and students to conduct innovative research to better characterize structural and parametric uncertainties in aerosol/chemistry modules, and to develop a common set of aerosol/chemistry parameterizations.
Lagrangian Simulations of Moisture Sources for Northeast China Precipitation during 1979–2018
Authors: Yao Shibo , Jiang Dabang
Published: September 2023

In this study, the Flexible Particle Dispersion Model (FLEXPART) is applied to analyze the moisture sources of Northeast China precipitation from March 1979 to February 2018. The results show that there is mainly one particle aggregation channel in winter, namely the eastern Europe–Siberia–Lake Baikal–Northeast Asia channel (the western channel). In comparison with winter, there are two extra channels in summer, namely the Indochina Peninsula–South China Sea–East China channel (the southern channel) and the Philippine Sea–Ryukyu Islands channel (the southeastern channel). From the long-term mean, the Siberia–Mongolia–Xinjiang region (SMX) is the most dominant moisture source of Northeast China precipitation in all seasons. As for the moisture contribution rate of each source region to Northeast China precipitation, there is a seesaw interannual relationship between SMX and other source regions. The moisture from Central and East China is critical to the interdecadal shift of Northeast China summer precipitation. This interdecadal shift is related to the moisture transport from low latitudes to Northeast China, which is modulated by the positive phase of the Pacific decadal oscillation and the negative phase of the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation.
Reflection and Scattering of Low-Mode Internal Tides on the Continental Slope of the South China Sea
Authors: Li Wei , Xie Xiaohui
Published: September 2023

It is well known that strong low-mode internal tides generated in Luzon Strait propagate westward to impinge continental slopes in the northeastern South China Sea (SCS). The reflection and scattering of these internal tides including diurnal and semidiurnal components on the slopes are quantitatively investigated using two sets of mooring data and a linear internal tide model with realistic topography and stratification. Flux reflections computed from mooring data collected on the continental slopes are consistent with the linear model. Based on the results of the observations and simulations, a map of low-mode internal tide reflection and scattering coefficients along the continental margin in the northeastern SCS is revealed. On average, diurnal internal tides lose 38% of their energy to high modes (≥mode 4) that are assumed to dissipate on the slopes, transmit 28% onto the continental shelf, and reflect 31% back to the deep ocean. On the contrary, most of the semidiurnal energy (89%) transmits onto the continental shelf, and only 11% is scattered to high modes (7%) and reflected back to the deep ocean (4%). For diurnal internal tides, a large fraction of energy that is scattered to high modes and reflected back to the deep sea can be attributed to the critical–supercritical slopes, while the weak reflection for the semidiurnal energy is due to the subcritical slopes. These quantitative descriptions for evolutions of low-mode internal tides incident to the slopes provide an energy budget map on the continental slopes in the northeastern SCS.
Gender Differences in Prognosis After Primary Resection for Retroperitoneal Liposarcoma
Authors: Ren Li , Qi Yuhan , Zhao Jichun , Weng Chengxin , Wang Jiarong , Yuan Ding , Wang Tiehao
Published: September 2023

Background

Current evidence regarding gender difference in retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RLPS) is scarce, so we sought to investigate whether gender may affect prognosis after primary resection of RLPS.

Methods

We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to identify RLPS patients from January 1973 to December 2015. Multivariate cox proportional hazard analysis was adopted to generate adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of survival outcomes.

Results

In total, 2108 RLPS patients, including 971 women and 1137 men, were identified, with a median follow-up of 45.0 (17.0-92.0) months. The 5-year and 10-year overall survival rates were 50.5% and 31.5% for men and 60.4% and 42.5% for women. The 5-year and 10-year disease-specific survival rates for men and women were 71.5%, 57.3% and 76.3%, 62.1%, respectively. We found men were associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality (AHR 1.3, 95% CI 1.0-1.6, P = .017) but not disease-specific mortality (AHR 1.2, 95% CI .9-1.6, P = .246). The subgroup analyses revealed that men were associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality in patients with low-grade tumors (AHR 1.8, 95% CI 1.3-2.5) or patients who received non-radical resection (AHR 1.6, 95% CI 1.2-2.1). In the subgroup of low-grade tumors, men were also associated with an increased risk of disease-specific mortality (AHR 2.0, 95% CI 1.2-3.3).

Conclusion

Men may have worse survival after primary resection of RLPS compared with women, especially in patients with low-grade tumors or patients who received non-radical resection. Gender-based disparities may deserve more attention in patients with RLPS.
Organizational Implementation of AI: Craft and Mechanical Work
Authors: Hopf Konstantin , Müller Oliver , Shollo Arisa , Thiess Tiemo
Published: September 2023

Recent years have brought major technological breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI), and firms are expected to invest nearly $98 B in 2023. However, many AI projects never leave the pilot phase, and many companies have difficulties extracting value from their AI initiatives. To explain this contradiction, this article reports on a study of 55 projects implementing AI in organizations. It shows that organizational challenges in implementing AI projects are a result of a paradoxical tension created by two different perspectives on data science work: craft and mechanical work. Executives, managers, and data scientists should actively manage this tension to enable and sustain value creation through AI.
‘The Child as the Face of God’ (Mark 9:36–37)
Authors: O’Collins Gerald
Published: September 2023

The high-quality commentary of Joel Marcus on Mark’s Gospel contains at least seven illuminating comments on what he calls ‘the parable of the child’ (Mark 9:36–37). His final comment pushes beyond a mere moral exhortation to welcome or show hospitality to little children. These parables, like others, make Jesus vividly present, and so reveal God, to whom Jesus is ‘strongly connected.’ Marcus should have recognized more clearly the call to recognize in vulnerable, little children the disclosed presence of God who sent his Son into the world. The face of even insignificant children brings us the face of God. The ‘mystery of the child’ reflects the ‘mystery of God.’
Recognizing the Death Motif in the Near-Death Experience
Authors: King Robert A.
Published: September 2023

The typical near-death experience (NDE) is generally understood as an altered state of consciousness in which the experient has the impression of existing as an extrapersonal self out of and/or away from their physical body during real or presumed life-threatening and/or near-death circumstances. This presumed extrapersonal self can sometimes have a perception of being located within the proximity of the physical body whereas at other times it is under the assumption of having ventured to a transcendental location such as an otherworldly realm. The ego, while in this presumed disembodied state, often has the impression of encountering NDE personages such as deceased people, otherworldly spirits, and/or divine beings, especially during transcendental NDEs. However, this paper suggests that all of these noted features are part of a broader recognizable death motif in NDE reports, and provides qualitative examples of different types of this death symbolism for examination and exploration. It then discusses how the death motif in NDE reports possibly indicates a purposeful psychological function to heighten awareness of a threat to life though death symbolism that is meant to boost the desire and resilience to live and survive.
Finite-time output feedback trans-media tracking control of a slender body trans-media vehicle via neural network extended state observer
Authors: Wu Shichong , Xie Lingli , Xian Jun
Published: September 2023

The emerging trans-media vehicle is significant due to its amphibious ability. A finite-time output feedback trans-media tracking control scheme is proposed for a slender body trans-media vehicle with unknown time-varying hydrodynamics and external disturbances. First, a novel neural network extended state observer is developed to observe the vehicle’s velocities and handle the time-varying hydrodynamics and total disturbances simultaneously. Then, combined with the proposed observer, the finite-time command filtered backstepping technique is carefully constructed to yield the finite-time output feedback tracking control. The strength of the proposed approach to the existing methods is that it ensures the trans-media tracking errors converge to the small region of origin within a finite time, even in the absence of velocity measurements. The simulations are given to illustrate the superiority of the proposed scheme.
The relationship between school and classroom climate, and academic achievement: A meta-analysis
Authors: Erdem Cahit , Kaya Metin
Published: September 2023

This study reports two independent meta-analyses on the relationship between (a) classroom climate and academic achievement; and (b) school climate and academic achievement. The analyses were based on extant correlational research studies at the K-12 level that were published between 2000 and 2020. The relationships were analyzed in terms of various moderator variables. The first dataset included 53 research studies focusing on classroom climate and academic achievement, and the second dataset included 37 research studies on school climate and academic achievement. The meta-analyses were carried out with a random effects model. Fisher's effect size was calculated for each study. Publication bias was tested with Egger's linear regression method and Duval and Tweedie's trim and fill method. We used the Q-test for moderation analyses and I2 test for heterogeneity analyses. The results revealed that the mean effect size for the relationship between classroom climate and academic achievement was small, while it was medium for the relationship between school climate and academic achievement. The effect sizes regarding classroom climate differed significantly only in terms of the academic area moderator variable, and the effect sizes regarding school climate differed in terms of school area, report type, and unit of analysis. This meta-analysis study confirmed that school climate and classroom climate are significant correlates of academic achievement, and the dataset in this study revealed a greater magnitude of relationship in favor of school climate (although a comparison is not meant in this study). This study suggests that policymakers and practitioners should invest their efforts in promoting sound school climates while maintaining an emphasis on classroom climate components, as the two types of climates are intertwined.
Automatic author name disambiguation by differentiable feature selection
Authors: Fang ZhiJian , Zhuo Yue , Xu Jinying , Tang Zhechong , Jia Zijie , Zhang HuaXiong
Published: September 2023

Author name disambiguation (AND) is the task of resolving the ambiguity problem in bibliographic databases, where distinct real-world authors may share the same name or same author may have distinct names. The aim of AND is to split the name-ambiguous entities (articles) into the corresponding authors. Existing AND algorithms mainly focus on designing different similarity metrics between two ambiguous articles. However, most previous methods empirically select and process the features of entities, then use features to predict the similarity by data-driven models. In this article, we are motivated by natural questions: Which features are most useful for splitting name-ambiguous entities? Can they be automatically determined by an optimisation approach rather than heuristic feature engineering? Therefore, we proposed a novel end-to-end differentiable feature selection algorithm, automatically searching the optimal features for AND task (AAND). AAND optimises the discrete feature selection by differentiable Gumbel-Softmax, leading to the joint learning of feature selection policy and similarity prediction model. The experiments are conducted on a benchmark data set, S2AND, which harmonises eight different AND data sets. The results show that the performance of our proposal is superior to the advanced AND methods and feature selection algorithms. Meanwhile, deep insights into AND features are also given.
Vitamin D and docosahexaenoic acid inhibit proliferation of the ovarian cancer cell line OVCAR4
Authors: Mueller Paul R , Kershner Alexandra J , Breitrick Brooke I , Keller Katharina N , Radtke Rebecca L , Patel Ruchita J , Gierach Kylie , Arvedson Jon , Moyle-Heyrman Georgette E , Pearson Debra A
Published: September 2023

Background

Ovarian cancer is one of the deadliest cancers in women. Improved preventative, diagnostic, and therapeutic strategies are needed. Certain dietary patterns and nutrients such as vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids are associated with reduced cancer risk, but their effects on ovarian cancer remain to be fully elucidated, and their combined effects have not been explored.

Aim

To determine the individual and combined effects of the active vitamin D metabolite, calcitriol, and the omega-3 fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid, on cell growth, and the abundance of the vitamin D receptor (VDR), proteins that modulate cell cycle progression, and apoptotic markers.

Methods

OVCAR4 cells, a model of ovarian cancer, were treated with calcitriol, and docosahexaenoic acid, either alone or in combination. Effects on cell growth were determined by the sulforhodamine B assay. Changes in VDR, the cell cycle promotor c-Myc, the cell cycle inhibitor p27 and cleaved PARP, were determined by Western blotting.

Results

While OVCAR4 cell growth was inhibited by individual treatment with either calcitriol or docosahexaenoic acid, the combined treatment revealed enhanced growth inhibition as compared to either treatment alone. Furthermore, long-term treatment (12 days) yielded stronger growth inhibition at lower concentrations as compared to short-term treatments (3 days). Accompanying this growth inhibition was a decrease in c-Myc, and an increase in p27.

Conclusions

The observed reduction in cell growth mediated by calcitriol and docosahexaenoic acid highlights the need for further research utilizing these nutrients, alone and especially in combination, to support ovarian cancer prevention and treatment.
Humans can sense small numbers of objects in a box by touch alone
Authors: Frissen Ilja , Kappassov Zhanat , Huang Kai-Yi , Ziat Mounia
Published: September 2023

Everyday experiences suggest that a container, such as a box of chocolate sprinkles, can convey pertinent information about the nature of its content. Despite the familiarity of the experience, we do not know whether people can perceive the number of objects in the container from touch alone and how accurately they can do so. In three experiments, participants handled containers holding between one and five objects and verbally estimated their number. Containers were small cardboard jewelry boxes, and objects were round beads of varying diameter and weight. Any useful visual and auditory cues were precluded. Experiment 1 demonstrated very accurate performance, provided the objects were of sufficient weight. Experiment 2 demonstrated that withholding information about the possible number of objects inside the container does not affect accuracy at a group level but does produce occasional overestimations at an individual level. Experiment 3 demonstrated that removing the weight cue leads to systematic underestimations but does not eliminate people's ability to distinguish between different numbers of objects in the container. This study contributes to a growing picture that container haptics is surprisingly capable.
Quadrant Roadway Intersections: Tradeoffs between Control Delay Savings and Extra Travel Time
Authors: Yang Guangchuan , Cunningham Christopher M. , Brown Michael R.
Published: September 2023

A quadrant roadway intersection (QRI) reduces congestion relative to a four-phase intersection. (Note: this study relates to traffic systems where vehicles drive on the right-hand side of the road.) It does this by removing left-turn traffic from the main intersection, resulting in a two-phase signal. Nevertheless, there is a lack of clear understanding of the tradeoffs between savings in control delay versus extra travel time experienced by the rerouted movements. This research compared the operational performance of five QRI designs with the counterpart conventional intersection (CI) under various traffic demand scenarios via TransModeler microsimulation modeling. Three measures-of-effectiveness (MOEs) were employed: time-in-system (TIS), control delay, and intersection capacity utilization. Simulation results show that all QRI designs outperform CI design for all three MOEs under all demand scenarios. QRIs with direct left-turn design have a smaller average TIS than those with loop left-turn design, indicating that savings in control delays did not offset the extra travel times. Under a relatively low demand condition, a single QRI design can generally balance the tradeoffs between control delay and extra travel time. Under a high demand scenario, a dual or full QRI with direct left-turns is preferred, since it reroutes or partially reroutes left- and right-turn traffic to secondary intersections, thus the main intersection has a lower capacity utilization and can accommodate more through-traffic demands than CI, single QRI, and dual or full QRIs with loop left-turns.
Trends and Determinants of Children’s Wasting and Women’s Thinness in Chad, 2015 to 2021
Authors: Adler Sarah , Zavala Eleonor , Wabyona Edgar , Ahimbisibwe Martin , Haisset Fanga , Doocy Shannon
Published: September 2023

Background:

Cross-sectional surveys using the Standardized Monitoring and Assessment of Relief and Transitions methodology have been conducted annually in Chad since 2015 to evaluate population-level nutritional status.

Objective:

This analysis characterizes national and subnational trends in child wasting and women’s thinness from 2015 to 2021 in Chad and identifies risk factors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods:

Annual survey data with 12,000 to 15,000 households were included. Wasting was estimated for children 6 to 59 months using the WHO child growth standards, and among women 15 to 49 years, thinness was defined as mid-upper arm circumference <23 cm. Trends were stratified by agroecological zone, and chi-square tests used to assess statistical significance. Simple and multivariate logistic regression models were conducted for 2020 and 2021 to identify risk factors of wasting and thinness.

Results:

About 11,958 to 17,897 children and 9883 to 15,535 women contributed values each year. National wasting and thinness rates did not significantly decrease over the 7-year period (wasting: 14.1% to 12.1%, P = .43; thinness: 15.2% to 13.4%, P = .51) and wasting rose from 2020 to 2021. The Saharan and Sahelian zones had consistently higher rates compared to the Sudanian zone. Younger age, male sex, inadequate infant and young child feeding practices, and poorer household socio-economic factors were associated with greater odds of child wasting. For women, younger age, lack of nutrition knowledge, and poorer household socio-economic factors increased the odds of thinness.

Conclusions:

Undernutrition in Chad has not improved since 2015, and the COVID-19 pandemic likely exacerbated the crisis among children nationally and among women subnationally. Multisectoral approaches and regional targeting of interventions are recommended.
Revisiting the “Steiner Tunnel” test method covered under ASTM E84: An overview and analysis of the test method
Authors: Morgan Alexander B
Published: September 2023

The “Steiner Tunnel” test, which is standardized under ASTM E84 and UL 723, is used to comparatively assess surface-burning characteristics, namely, flame spread and smoke release from a wide range of building materials and assemblies. While the method is well known to fire safety engineers, it is not as well understood by material scientists who develop new fire safe materials that will meet this test. Understanding how the test measures flammability and smoke is critical to designing materials that can meet requirements that reference E84 and UL 723. This article primarily discusses the ASTM E84 test, discusses the history of the method, how it measures flame spread and smoke release, and how mounting samples in the test method affects flame spread and smoke release. Finally, there is discussion on test methods that could be used for qualitative screening tools for materials developed for the E84 test.
Rapid Methadone Induction in a General Hospital Setting: A Retrospective, Observational Analysis
Authors: Casey Sarah , Regan Susan , Gale Evan , Adams Zoe M. , Lambert Eugene , Omede Faith O. , Wakeman Sarah E.
Published: September 2023

Background:

Outpatient methadone guidelines recommend starting at a low dose and titrating slowly. As fentanyl prevalence and opioid-related mortality increases, there is a need for individuals to rapidly achieve a therapeutic methadone dose. Hospitalization offers a monitored setting for methadone initiation, however dosing practices and safety are not well described.

Methods:

Retrospective, observational analysis of hospitalized patients with opioid use disorder seen by an inpatient addiction consult team in an academic medical center who were newly initiated on methadone between 2016 and 2022. We calculated initial daily dose, maximum daily dose, timing interval of dose escalation, whether patients were connected to an opioid treatment program (OTP) prior to discharge, whether adverse effects or safety events occurred during the hospitalization, and whether such events were definitely or probably related versus possibly related or unrelated to methadone.

Results:

One hundred twelve patients were included. The mean initial daily methadone dose administered was 32 mg (range: 10-90 mg). The mean maximum dose reached was 76.8 mg (range 30-165 mg). The mean number of days from initial to peak dose was 5.6 days (range 1-19 days). Overall, 30% of patients experienced a safety event, most commonly sedation. Only 4 safety events were deemed probably or definitely related to methadone. In regression analyses, there was no significant difference between starting doses among patients with or without sedation but there was a relationship between last dose and the likelihood of any possibly related event, with those ending at a dose of 100 mg or higher having a higher likelihood event, compared to those ending at lower doses (47.8% vs 12.4%, P < .001). Seventy-six percent were connected to OTP before discharge.

Conclusion:

Among hospitalized patients initiating methadone, rapid dose titration was infrequently associated with related safety events and most were connected to community-based methadone treatment before discharge.
Evaluating a Video-Based Addiction Curriculum at a Safety Net Academic Medical Center
Authors: Peterkin Alyssa F. , Baldwin Marielle , Demers Lindsay , Gergen Barnett Katherine
Published: September 2023

Background:

Since 2019, the United States (US) has witnessed an unprecedented increase in drug overdose and alcohol-related deaths. Despite this rise in morbidity and mortality, treatment rates for substance use disorder remain inadequate. Insufficient training in addiction along with a dearth of addiction providers are key barriers to addressing the current addiction epidemic. Addiction-related clinical experiences can improve trainee knowledge, yet they remain dependent on practice sites and residency training environments. Asynchronous learning, in the form of video-based modules, may serve as a complement to formal, scheduled lectures and clinical experiences.

Objectives

To evaluate the educational impact of a video-based addiction curriculum in 2 residency programs at a large safety net academic medical center with a high volume of patients with substance use disorders.

Methods

Family Medicine (FM) and Internal Medicine (IM) residency interns (PGY1s) (n = 60) had access to 28 minutes of video content related to opioid use disorder (OUD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) during the first 2 months of their residency training. Interns were asked to complete voluntary and anonymized pre- and post-surveys in Qualtrics that included knowledge and confidence-based questions about the management of OUD and AUD, in addition to questions about prior exposure to and future interests in addiction training and practice. Data were analyzed with non-parametric sign tests.

Results

Twenty-eight interns completed both OUD pre- and post-surveys, and 24 interns completed all AUD survey questions. There was a statistically significant increase in the number of interns who reported increased knowledge of and confidence around diagnosis, management, and ability to provide evidence-based treatment recommendations for both OUD and AUD.

Conclusions

Brief addiction focused video-modules can improve confidence and knowledge in managing OUD and AUD among medical trainees.
Analytical modeling of cutting force in machining of SiCp/Al composites by ultrasonic elliptical vibration-assisted turning
Authors: Zhou Jiakang , Lu Mingming , Lin Jieqiong , Su Xiaoxiao , Wei Wenqing
Published: September 2023

To predict the cutting force in machining of SiCp/Al composites by ultrasonic elliptical vibration-assisted turning (UEVT) technology, a semi-empirical geometric model considering the deformation and friction characteristics in different deformation areas is established in this paper. During UEVT, the resistance force acting on cutting edge is divided into three parts according to different deformation zones: shear force, interface friction, and plowing force. The vibration characteristic functions are also coupled to the semi-empirical geometric model of cutting force. A three factor and four level orthogonal tests is implemented to verify the validity of geometric model, and the single factor cutting experiments are also conducted to evaluate the influence law of relevant parameter on cutting force. Experimental results show that the deviation between the calculated value of cutting force and measured average value is less than 17%, and the average deviation is 8.16%, which proved that the semi-empirical geometric model can effectively predict the cutting force of SiCp/Al composites during UEVT. In addition, the influence of cutting parameters and volume fraction on cutting force is discussed, which provides a theoretical guidance for the outstanding machinability of SiCp/Al composites in UEVT.
Performance evaluation of once-through steam generator of a 626 MW supercritical oil-fired steam power plant under a variable operating load
Authors: Mohamed Karim Abd El-Hakam A , Hassan Ali Ahmed Mohamed , Maghrabie Hussein M
Published: September 2023

Unforeseeable growth in the global population needs growing technological advances in establishing power plants to overcome this critical issue by reducing greenhouse gases. In the present study, a thermodynamic analysis for a 626 MW supercritical oil-fired steam power plant under different operating loads of 50%, 75%, 100%, and 105% at a sliding-pressure operation is conducted. Based on the actual operation of the examined plant, the results show that the condenser has the highest energy loss. As well, at a 100% full load, 88.6% of the total exergy is destructed in the once-through steam generator, followed by the turbine, and then the condenser. Hence, a significant concern is introduced toward the steam generator since it has the largest exergy destruction percentage relative to other cycle components. The heat transfer sets inside a once-through steam generator are studied and analyzed. The exergy destruction in the combustion process represents 58.6% and 54% of the overall boiler exergy destruction at an operating load of 50% and 100%, respectively. In addition, the evaporator has higher exergy destruction in comparison with other heating surfaces in the furnace.
Finite-time H∞ control for a class of Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy singular systems
Authors: Jin Qiang , Sun Liying , Yang Renming
Published: September 2023

This article studies the finite-time stabilization and finite-time H∞ control problems for a class of Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy singular systems and proposes a finite-time H∞ fuzzy controller to enable the system to cope with external disturbances, and the closed-loop system state converges to the equilibrium point. Before designing the controller, impulse controllability of the Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy singular system is discussed. Then, a finite-time H∞ fuzzy controller is designed, and the finite-time stabilization conditions of the Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy singular system are expressed by linear matrix inequality. Finally, the simulation outcomes of a nonlinear singular system demonstrate that the designed controller has a good suppression effect on external disturbances, and the closed-loop system state converges to the equilibrium point in finite-time T and remains at the equilibrium point after T.
Public Fear and Risk Perception During Dengue Fever Outbreak in Taiwan
Authors: Shih Fuh-Yuan , Lyu Shu-Yu , Yang Chih-Chien , Chang Yao-Tsung , Lin Ching-Feng , Morisky Donald E.
Published: September 2023

This study aimed to understand the public reaction to the 2015 dengue outbreak in Taiwan by determining the key influencing factors. A total of 1104 respondents aged 18 years and over, were recruited by telephone between November 20 and 28, 2015, to investigate fear, risk perception, and psychological distress during the dengue outbreak. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that fear of dengue was more prevalent in the areas that were most affected, as well as those with infected friends or relatives. Fear was also more pronounced among females and the elderly group, especially in terms of perceived risk of infection, severity of the infection, the uncertain cured rate, the adverse effects on daily life, in which all lead to psychological distress. Fear of dengue fever, perceived risk of dengue infection, and psychological distress associated with the dengue fever pandemic were the main variables investigated in this study. Since media mass can serve as a unified platform for all public health communications, it is recommended that the government utilizes the power of media to deliver pandemic prevention measures. Specifically, health education interventions related to risk communication should focus on the most infected areas while taking gender and age into consideration.
Sexism in Greek Data: A Critical Language Proposal Based on a Multiliteracies Model
Authors: Tsami Vasia , Panagaki Nikoletta
Published: September 2023

Despite attempts at gender equality in Western countries, male dominance persists. Gender-based violence (such as sexual harassment, abuse, rapes, homophobic attacks, revenge pornography, and gender-motivated murders) is in the spotlight as part of the larger phenomenon of sexism. Sexism combines a total of stereotypes that contribute (explicitly or implicitly) to the reproduction of discrimination based on gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation and are reflected in language use, attitudes, and practices that can lead individuals or groups to social exclusion. To detect and question sexism, we believe that the role of critical education is crucial. Thus, the aim of our study is to develop indicative critical language proposals following the multiliteracies model. This material is intended to enable students’ critical literacy to become aware of the (subtle) normative assumptions around gender and sexuality and critically reflect on the essentialist opposition between masculinity and femininity.
Design and vibration control of aeroengine bracket with variable stiffness based on shape memory alloy
Authors: Zhang Yichi , Lu Kuan , Zhang Wentao , Yang Yang , Cheng Hui , Fu Chao
Published: September 2023

The aeroengine bracket is a vital connector, which plays a key role in supporting and transmitting loads. In this paper, a bracket with variable stiffness for vibration control of aeroengine accessory is designed. Firstly, the topology optimization for the initial model of the aeroengine bracket is carried out, and the quality of the bracket was reduced by 84.78% while meeting the strength requirements. After that, part of the material of the bracket was replaced by shape memory alloy (SMA) to design the bracket with variable stiffness. It is found that with the increase in temperature, the stiffness of the designed bracket with variable stiffness increases by about 36%, and maximum von Mises stress and deformation of the bracket have decreased. Finally, the integrated modeling of aeroengine casing-bracket-accessory is carried out. Under single and coupled fault frequencies, the amplitude of the accessory is reduced by 57.5% and 63.1%, respectively. The frequency sweep at different temperatures shows that as the temperature increases, the resonance frequency changed from 74.6 Hz to 89.1 Hz and the resonance peak amplitude decreased by 17.7%.
In AI We Trust: The Interplay of Media Use, Political Ideology, and Trust in Shaping Emerging AI Attitudes
Authors: Yang Shiyu , Krause Nicole M. , Bao Luye , Calice Mikhaila N. , Newman Todd P. , Scheufele Dietram A. , Xenos Michael A. , Brossard Dominique
Published: September 2023

Using data from a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults, this study explores how trust in key actors to responsibly manage artificial intelligence (AI) develops among members of the U.S. population and how trust, along with other key factors, shapes public attitudes toward AI. Greater trust is linked to stronger support for AI, both directly and indirectly (through risk and benefit perceptions). Furthermore, the strength or direction of the link between trust and support—as well as media diets and trust—differs significantly for liberals and conservatives, suggesting that Americans are indeed beginning to process AI-related information through a political lens.
Therapeutic adherence and assessment of satisfaction patients with multiple myeloma treated with immunomodulatory drugs in a “real-world” study: Experiences of the Polish Myeloma Group
Authors: Charliński Grzegorz , Grząśko Norbert , Bołkun Łukasz , Sawicki Waldemar , Paczkowska Edyta , Druzd-Sitek Agnieszka , Usnarska-Zubkiewicz Lidia , Butrym Aleksandra , Wiater Elżbieta , Boguradzki Piotr , Budziszewska Bożena , Wojciechowska Małgorzata , Mordak-Domagała Monika , Jurczyszyn Artur
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Therapeutic adherence (TA) is one of the most important factors influencing the effectiveness of treatment. Oral anti-cancer drugs are increasingly used to treat malignancy including multiple myeloma (MM). Our study aimed to determine TA of patients with MM treated with IMiDs, to identify TA risk factors, and to determine satisfaction with medical care during the treatment with IMiDs.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey-based study involving adult patients with MM treated with IMiDs.

Results

Between January 2021 and May 2021, 267 patients with MM were enrolled in the study. The dosing schedule was declared as easy by 71.8% of patients, as standard for 24.0%, and difficult for 4.2% of patients. During MM treatment, 85.0% of patients did not skip any IMiDs dose, and 87.6% did not skip the IMiDs dose in the last cycle of chemotherapy. Identified factors affecting TA included the treatment duration and education level. In addition, depending on the patient’s well-being, gender, and household companionship influenced TA. Satisfaction with medical care during the treatment with IMiDs was declared by 95.5% of patients with MM. In our cohort, 95.5% of patients were satisfied with the information they received from the hematologist during treatment with IMiDs.

Conclusions

Patients with MM treated with IMiDs are highly adherent to treatment. With time from the beginning of treatment, patients need more attention and motivation to adhere to the therapy rules.