bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development and Testing of the Texas Christian University Criminal Thinking Scales 3.0
Authors: Sease Thomas B. , Knight Kevin
Published: December 2022

Criminal thinking patterns—attitudes, beliefs, or values supportive of criminal behavior—represent modifiable clinical targets that can be influenced during treatment as a way of decreasing clients’ risk for recidivism. This study developed a revised measure of criminal thinking based on the Texas Christian University Criminal Thinking Scales (TCU CTS). Using a sample of 797 people, results showed the revised instrument (TCU CTS 3.0) measured criminal thinking in five key areas: (1) Power Orientation, (2) Justification, (3) Insensitivity to Impact of Crime, (4) Grandiosity, and (5) Response Disinhibition. Confirmatory factor analysis showed the 5-factor solution reasonably fit the data and measurement invariance was achieved for assigned sex at birth and race. Implications and future directions are discussed.
Vigilance to Spatialized Auditory Displays: Initial Assessment of Performance and Workload
Authors: Greenlee Eric T. , Hess Lucas J. , Simpson Brian D. , Finomore Victor S.
Published: December 2022

Objective

The present study was designed to evaluate human performance and workload associated with an auditory vigilance task that required spatial discrimination of auditory stimuli.

Background

Spatial auditory displays have been increasingly developed and implemented into settings that require vigilance toward auditory spatial discrimination and localization (e.g., collision avoidance warnings). Research has yet to determine whether a vigilance decrement could impede performance in such applications.

Method

Participants completed a 40-minute auditory vigilance task in either a spatial discrimination condition or a temporal discrimination condition. In the spatial discrimination condition, participants differentiated sounds based on differences in spatial location. In the temporal discrimination condition, participants differentiated sounds based on differences in stimulus duration.

Results

Correct detections and false alarms declined during the vigilance task, and each did so at a similar rate in both conditions. The overall level of correct detections did not differ significantly between conditions, but false alarms occurred more frequently within the spatial discrimination condition than in the temporal discrimination condition. NASA-TLX ratings and pupil diameter measurements indicated no differences in workload.

Conclusion

Results indicated that tasks requiring auditory spatial discrimination can induce a vigilance decrement; and they may result in inferior vigilance performance, compared to tasks requiring discrimination of auditory duration.

Application

Vigilance decrements may impede performance and safety in settings that depend on sustained attention to spatial auditory displays. Display designers should also be aware that auditory displays that require users to discriminate differences in spatial location may result in poorer discrimination performance than non-spatial displays.
Trends in medical students’ health over 5 years: Does a wellbeing curriculum make a difference?
Authors: Moir Fiona , Patten Bradley , Yielder Jill , Sohn Christopher SE , Maser Brandon , Frank Erica
Published: December 2022

Background:

Trends in New Zealand (NZ) medical students’ health and the influence of a wellbeing curricula are unknown.

Methods:

The author’s collected self-report data from NZ medical students on ‘Graduation Day’ from 2014 to 2018, using a serial cross-sectional survey design with validated scales assessing psychological health, stigma, coping, and lifestyle. Comparisons were made with NZ general population same-age peers. Analyses examined trends, differences between ‘cohorts’ of students receiving different exposures to a wellbeing curriculum, and correlations between students’ own lifestyle practices and their frequency of talking with patients about those topics.

Results:

Of 1,062 students, 886 participated. The authors found statistically significant self-reported increases from 2014 to 2018 for negative psychological indices, including scores for distress and burnout, suicidal thoughts in the preceding year, and the likelihood of being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. There was a significant increase in numbers of students reporting having their own doctor as well as increased healthy coping strategies and a significant decrease in stigma scores. Academic cohorts of students who had completed a wellbeing curriculum were more likely to report high distress levels, having been diagnosed with a mood disorder, and being non-drinkers than students without wellbeing training. When compared to NZ peers, medical students smoked less, exercised more, and were less likely to have diagnosed mood and anxiety disorders, but reported more distress. The authors found a significant correlation between the amount of exercise students undertook and their likelihood to discuss exercise with patients.

Conclusions:

NZ medical students have better physical health than general population peers and are more likely to discuss exercise with patients if exercising themselves. However, cohorts of graduating students report increasing distress despite the implementation of a wellbeing curriculum. Research is needed into mechanisms between students’ self-awareness, willingness to report distress, stigma, mind-set, coping, and psychological outcomes, to inform curriculum developers.
Compulsory psychiatric admissions in the canton of Basel-Stadt between September 2013 and April 2022: Analysis of the cantonal database of the Health Department of Basel-Stadt
Authors: Schneider Michael , Back Moritz , Krückl Jana S , Moeller Julian , Lang Undine E , Huber Christian G
Published: December 2022

Background:

According to federal and cantonal law, persons with an acute mental illness can be admitted to a psychiatric hospital or another suitable institution against their will, when other therapeutic options are not available or have been exhausted. In the canton of Basel-Stadt, this is the responsibility of public health officers employed by the division of Social Medicine of the cantonal Health Department.

Aims:

This study aims to elucidate which factors influence the decision-making of public health officers regarding compulsory admissions over the period from September 2013 to April 2022 in the canton of Basel-Stadt.

Method:

Leveraging comprehensive clinical data from the health department of the canton Basel-Stadt ( N = 5,′550), we estimated a mixed effects logistic regression model to identify factors contributing to the decision of public-health officers to compulsorily admit patients, while controlling for potential clustering effects among public health officers.

Results:

The risk for compulsory admissions was most strongly predicted by the presence of potential self-harm. In comparison, while being a strong predictor, potential harm to others played a considerably lesser role. Furthermore, psychiatric syndrome, previous compulsory admissions, and the specific context of evaluation were significant predictors. Finally, we found no meaningful personal bias among public health officers.

Conclusion:

The results suggest that public health officers’ decision-making regarding compulsory admissions focuses on preventing self-harm and, to a lesser degree, harm to others. This indicates that such measures are only used as a measure of last resort, which is in line with current evidence regarding the detrimental effects of compulsory measures on treatment outcomes in psychiatry. Our findings suggest that all relevant stakeholders, including the police, share this perspective. Decision-making regarding compulsory admissions was mostly free of personal biases, suggesting adherence to shared professional standards by public health officers.
Effect of the pH value of tannin extracts on properties of classic tannin foams
Authors: Goes Lopes Pedro Jorge , Berger Camila , Dalla Costa Henrique Weber , Coldebella Rodrigo , Ibeiro de Oliveira Alencar , Lunkes Nayara , Gatto Darci Alberto , de Avila Delucis Rafael , Missio André Luiz
Published: December 2022

Natural tannin-based foams are three-dimensional porous materials. Many different formulations have been investigated in order to reach foams with improved performance and increased commercial attractiveness. In this sense, each different tannin pH may impart different physical and thermochemical properties to the foams, which has not yet been fully elucidated. In the present study, seven rigid tannin foams (formaldehyde/sulfur-free) were produced using tannin extracts with variable pH values ( c.a. from 2.3 to 12.2). The most acidic tannin extracts (below 4.8) yielded tannin foams with the most lightweight (apparent density below 0.077 g.cm−3), homogeneous, and hydrophobic (water solubility below 23.5%) cellular-network architectures. Also, in most cases, the smaller the tannin pH, the higher the thermal stability of the foam. Further studies may address other technological requirements needed for thermal insulation applications.
Effect of matrix and fibre cracks on static and fatigue strength of composite laminates
Authors: Socci Carlo Alberto , Kassapoglou Christos
Published: December 2022

The effect of matrix and fibre cracks on the static strength and stiffness of uni-directional plies and cross-ply laminates under tensile loads was examined with the goal of understanding the main damage mechanisms. The size of matrix cracks emanating from cracked fibres was determined and found to be in excellent agreement with test results. This was used to predict static tensile failure of uni-directional laminates and was shown to be in good to excellent agreement with test results for six different materials. The approach was extended to fatigue loading by determining the number of cycles for the plastic zone ahead of a matrix crack tip to fail. It was combined with an approach to quantify the effect of matrix cracks under any in-plane loading previously developed by the authors to predict changes in laminate stiffness as a function of cycles. Comparisons with test results showed good to excellent agreement between predicted and measured laminate stiffness as a function of fatigue cycles.
Service-Connected Disability and Happiness in Student Veterans: A Parallel Mediation Study of PERMA
Authors: Umucu Emre , Castruita Rios Yazmin , Lo Chuling , Wang Anni , Grenawalt Teresa , Yasuoka Mizuka , Brooks Jessica
Published: December 2022

The student veteran population has been growing in higher education, along with the attention to their happiness and well-being. Seligman developed the positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment (PERMA) model to help understand an individual’s happiness, including five pillars: Positive emotion, Engagement, Relationship, Meaning, and Accomplishment. In this study, we aim at evaluating the role of the PERMA model’s five pillars in explaining the relationship between service-connected disability and happiness. Data were collected from 205 student veterans. The result demonstrated that positive emotion and accomplishment mediated the relationship between service-connected disability and happiness. The findings of this study suggest utilizing positive psychology to help student veterans improve happiness, as well as engage in more activities that could potentially increase an individual’s positive emotion and accomplishment, and eventually increase the level of happiness.
Exorcising angry deities and spirits of the dead: Spiritual and earthly battles of married women in Uttarakhand (India)
Authors: Bindi Serena
Published: December 2022

Ethnographic analysis of the two main exorcistic practices in which married women are involved in Garhwal (India) shows that the theme of domestic conflict is central to both rituals. Addressing classical debates in anthropology about possession, this text raises two main questions: are these practices forms of feminine resistance to patriarchal social rules? And what is the notion of the person and her or his action in the world underlying these practices? Although these rituals may sometimes bring benefits to the women participating in them, women do not seem to perceive themselves nor to act as individuals who are resisting social structures, but more as part of collective networks of human and spiritual persons. As for the effects of these rituals, they are geared towards the preservation of family unity. This is achieved by the fact that, while evoking human conflict, these ritual devices subordinate it to the problem of divine conflict. Yet these practices do not only have an integrative function vis-à-vis conflicts that potentially endanger the family unit, but they also firmly establish the position of married women and their irreplaceability in the fabric of social life. Being close to the deities of their natal villages and easily affected by spirits of the dead, married women have an essential role in mediating with them and therefore in building and preserving the network of human and non-human beings on which the well-being of the family depends.
Equalization or Reproduction? “Some College” and the Social Function of Higher Education
Authors: Payne Sarah S.C.
Published: December 2022

What are the economic consequences of college noncompletion? Given escalating student debt, is “some college” still worth it? This article applies augmented inverse probability weighting to the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 to estimate the causal effect of college noncompletion on income and financial hardship. Although noncompletion yields higher income than never attending college, it also increases financial hardship among more-disadvantaged groups through the mechanism of student debt. However, noncompleters of most groups would have had greater income and experienced less financial hardship had they graduated. Such contradictions complicate equalization and reproduction theories of higher education because higher education appears to have both equalizing (in the case of completion) and reproductive (in the case of noncompletion) effects. I argue this ambiguity is substantively meaningful, suggesting future research should examine whether the production of ambiguity constitutes a key social function of higher education.
Compressive behaviors of thermo-oxidative aged three-dimensional angle-interlock woven composites under different strain rates
Authors: Xu Feng , Long Jing , Sun Baozhong , Gu Bohong
Published: December 2022

The mechanical behaviors of three-dimensional angle-interlock woven composites (3DAWCs) after thermo-oxidative aging under different strain rates are imperative to retain safety in high-temperature conditions. This work presents the thermo-oxidative aging effects on strain rate sensitivity and compression failure mechanism of 3DAWCs based on the digital image correlation technique and finite element analysis. The results revealed that the compressive modulus and maximum stress of the 3DAWCs are strain rate sensitive, while the thermo-oxidative aging would reduce the strain rate sensitivity. The strain rate coefficient of the resin and composite decreased by approximately 9% and 25% after thermo-oxidative aging, respectively. The compressive damage failure modes of the 3DAWCs mainly include resin cracks, interfacial debonding, and yarn fracture. The strain rate has effects on damage initiation and brittle-ductile fracture behavior. The aging effect changes the crack propagation path, but does not affect the inclined 45° shear mode. In addition, the strain rate effects on strain localization were found and will be enhanced after thermo-oxidative aging.
Mission saves us all: Great Russia and Global Britain dealing with ontological insecurity
Authors: Curanović Alicja , Szymański Piotr
Published: December 2022

In this paper we analyse a situation wherein the political establishments of Russia and the United Kingdom, in the face of ontological insecurity, use narratives with messianic overtones in their foreign policies. Although these narratives do not feature prominently in the official discourse, they are nevertheless noticeable and provide a valuable insight into dynamics of national identity. We call them ‘mission narratives’ and interpret their (re)appearance in foreign policy as a reaction to a ‘critical situation’ which undermines the stability of the autobiographical narrative of both countries. Although different in scope and nature, the fall of the USSR and the Brexit referendum both resulted in the status and identity of the two states being questioned. Both countries reacted by emphasising their special role in the world. Referring to mission in foreign policy strengthens a coherent autobiographic narrative which soothes ontological uncertainties.
How Contextual Features Shape Incivility Over Time: An Analysis of the Evolution and Determinants of Political Incivility in Televised Election Debates (1985–2019)
Authors: Goovaerts Ine , Turkenburg Emma
Published: December 2022

Concerns are frequently raised about politicians’ increasing use of incivility. Yet, there is little longitudinal empirical work testing whether politicians’ use of incivility is actually rising, and little is known about the determinants that affect the prevalence of incivility. This study analyzes incivility over time and proposes a multi-layered framework of theoretically-driven incivility-inducing determinants. A quantitative content analysis of 4,102 speech acts in 24 Belgian televised election debates over the course of 35 years (1985–2019) shows that politicians’ incivility did not increase but occurs in a volatile pattern with ups and downs over the years. Confirmed by our analysis of the studied determinants, incivility shows to be highly context-specific. Particularly, incivility levels are affected both by characteristics of politicians, such as populism, incumbency, and gender, and by debate determinants, such as the topic under discussion, the number of politicians simultaneously debating each other, and previous incivility occurrences in the debate.
Dual-weight local linear embedding algorithm based on adaptive neighborhood
Authors: Zhang Yansheng , Zhang Rui , Gao-zhiwei  , Yin Haishuang
Published: December 2022

Local linear embedding (LLE) algorithm mainly depends on local structures to extract significant features; however, the local structures are sensitive to the selection of neighborhood parameters. To solve this problem, the dual-weight local linear embedding algorithm based on adaptive neighborhood (AN-DWLLE) is proposed. First, the neighborhood parameter is adaptively estimated by computing the distances between the inquiry point and the centers of the inquiry point’s candidate neighborhoods. Then, the neighbor sequence and the local linear structures are integrated to construct the robust local structure that can be used to extract the significant features. A large number of experiments are performed on two bearing data sets. The experimental results illustrate that, compared with other related methods, the AN-DWLLE algorithm can extract more salient features and has greater dimensionality reduction effect.
A novel radar operating mode identification approach based on variational relevance vector machine with chaotic gravitational search optimization
Authors: Chen Xinjie , Wang Wenhai , Zou Ruping , Zhang Zeyin , Chen Shichao , Wang Jun , Liu Xinggao
Published: December 2022

Radar operating mode identification is one of the top priorities in the electronic countermeasure field for threat prediction. However, the inference speed and accuracy of existing identification methods are still not satisfactory for threat detection, and some of them need extra prior knowledge to extract features. This paper introduces an identification approach for radar operating mode to solve these problems. The variational relevance vector machine (VRVM) is presented as the feature extractor and the basic unit of identification. An improved chaotic gravity search algorithm (CGSA) is developed to increase the search breadth and optimize the hyperparameters of VRVM. Threshold-one-versus-one (TOVO) is further proposed to screen the identification results to form the final ensemble method called CGSA–VRVM–TOVO. Experimental results indicate the CGSA–VRVM–TOVO achieves 99.44% accuracy without prior knowledge. Compared with XGBoost, Random Forest, and LightGBM, our approach is 1.94%, 0.55%, and 1.11% higher in accuracy, respectively, and twice as fast as the fastest method of them all.
Event-triggered dynamic surface control for nonlinear system with constraints
Authors: Zhang Hongye , Li Meng , Chen Yong
Published: December 2022

This paper studies the tracking issue of a nonlinear system with actuator faults and constraints. A new adaptive fuzzy control strategy based on an event-triggered mechanism is designed. First, the fuzzy logic system (FLS) is applied as an estimator to deal with unknown nonlinear functions. Then, in order to guarantee that the system states are within the limits of the constraints, the integral barrier Lyapunov function (IBLF) is employed, which ensures the tracking error can converge to zero in backstepping analysis simultaneously. Besides, a sliding mode differentiator, which uses the dynamic surface control technique, is constructed for solving complex computational issues. Furthermore, in order to save communication consumption, a new event-triggered tracking strategy is presented. Finally, the simulation results confirm that the proposed method is viable.
Parapharyngeal Space Ganglioneuroma: Clinical Experience and Review of the Literature
Authors: Li Fei , Feng Huajun , Liao Jiangxue , Bao Yilin , Xu Shengen , Qin Gang
Published: December 2022

Ganglioneuroma is a rare benign tumor originating in the sympathetic ganglia, composed of differentiated ganglion cells, nerve sheath cells, and nerve fibers, which tend to occur in the posterior mediastinum, adrenal gland, retroperitoneal, and other locations, occurring in the head and neck is relatively rare, and parapharyngeal space involvement is extremely rare. In our report, we present 2 adult male patients whose preoperative imaging and fine needle cytology did not confirm the diagnosis of a parapharyngeal space mass and who completely resected the tumor through a combined cervical and oral approach. Finally, pathology confirmed ganglioneuroma; we also reviewed the English articles on parapharyngeal ganglioneuroma over the past 40 years, and summarized the diagnostic and treatment characteristics of parapharyngeal ganglioneuroma in combination with our cases to improve understanding of the disease.
The Recording Cure: A Media Genealogy of Recorded Voice in Psychotherapy
Authors: Levy-Landesberg Hadar , Pinchevski Amit
Published: December 2022

This article explores the relationship between psychotherapy and sound reproduction technologies from the early 20th century to the present. Subscribing to a media genealogy approach, it traces the changing status of the recorded voice in therapy as set against broader transformations in the field of mental health. Delving into the recorded voice’s diverse applications across psychotherapeutic approaches, it demonstrates how technology worked to unravel the temporal and spatial formations of the therapeutic setting, thereby unsettling established hierarchies, terminologies, and techniques while at the same time supporting the integrity of the therapeutic situation. The article points to sound media’s capacity to bifurcate the voice into somatic and expressive elements and reassemble them in various configurations, thereby producing the ‘psyche’ through alternative access points. The story of the recorded voice in therapy provides a glimpse into the way technological affordances inform therapeutic concepts and practices, which in turn implement technology in study, training, and treatment.
Actor–partner effects of wellbeing, hope and self-esteem on depression in stroke survivor–caregiver dyads: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Chow Esther OW , Fung Sai-fu , Singh Hardev
Published: December 2022

Background

Stroke is a disabling, long-term condition that challenges the mental and physical health of stroke-survivors concurrently with their primary family-caregivers (dyad). However, there has been a lack of emphasis on this dyadic need. Thus, this study aims to investigate the impacts of two interventions on hope, self-esteem and hedonic wellbeing on depression among the stroke-survivor–caregiver dyad.

Methods

This randomized-controlled-trial applied the actor–partner interdependence model to 100 randomly-selected dyads ( N = 200) of stroke-survivors, mean (SD) age was 73.63(7.22) and family-caregivers, mean (SD) age was 62.49(14.44) years, recruited from Hong Kong hospitals and rehabilitation centres. The intervention was eight-weekly two-hour narrative therapy group sessions ( n = 54 dyads), compared with the current model of psychoeducational group to each dyad as needed. Outcomes were collected via questionnaires and interviews, at four time-points: baseline (T1), during-intervention (T2) (1-month), immediately post-intervention (T3) (2-months) and follow-up (T4) (6-months).

Results

The results demonstrated that there are actor effects on stroke-survivors (β = −0.353, p < 0.05) and caregivers (β = −0.383, p < 0.05), where higher levels of hedonic wellbeing were associated with fewer depressive symptoms. Partner effects were observed as caregivers’ depressive symptoms were possessing a significant negative relationship with stroke survivors’ wellbeing (β = −0.387, p < 0.05). Those stroke survivors in the intervention group had a significantly higher level of self-esteem associated with lower levels of depression (β = −0.314, p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Improving hope, self-esteem and wellbeing through narrative therapy significantly mediates depressive symptoms, strengthening the dyadic support of stroke survivors and family caregivers.
Evaluation of the motivational characteristics of higher education students in music from the perspective of Self-Determination Theory
Authors: Blanco-Novoa Susana , Domínguez-Lloria Sara , Pino-Juste Margarita
Published: December 2022

Higher education students in music respond to a very vocational profile, so that, we start from the general hypothesis that their motivation toward these studies is very high. The aim of this study is to analyze the educational motivation of students of higher education in music from centers located in the Atlantic axis—Galicia and Northern Portugal—according to personal and social variables: sex, family ties with music, country, and center of studies. The results show that women present levels of intrinsic motivation to knowledge and achievement while men are generally more unmotivated. The comparison by country and type of center shows that Portuguese students are more motivated than students taking these studies in Spain. In relation to family ties related to music, it is observed that they do not have a significant influence on their motivation at this educational stage.
Musical interpretative practices as a way to improve the relationship between the flow theory and musical performance
Authors: Chen Kai
Published: December 2022

Musical interpretations can develop one’s tendency to experience flow during musical performances. This pretest/posttest study casts light on the effect of musical interpretation on music students’ disposition to experience flow during the musical performance. Flow experiences were measured using a short version of the 36-item Dispositional Flow Scale-2 (DFS-2). The study participants were 334 Chinese students enrolled in higher education institutions in the People’s Republic of China. Students first completed the DFS-2 questionnaire before the musical interpretation challenge and then the groups were post-tested. The mean total score of the DFS-2 in Group B suggests that the musical interpretation course had a positive impact on students’ disposition to experience flow during musical performances, with an average of 10% increase observed. The most notable surge was seen in action and awareness merging. The results of the study can be useful to integrate musical interpretation practices into the standard curriculum to guide music students into the flow experience.
Intraoperative Channeling in Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Lapner Peter , Bouliane Martin , Pollock J W. , Coupal Stephanie , Sabri Elham , Hodgdon Taryn , Old Jason , Mcilquham Katie , MacDonald Peter ,   CSES Investigators:, Stranges Greg , Berdusco Randa , Marsh Jonathan , Dubberley James , McRae Sheila
Published: December 2022

Background:

Despite recent advances in arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, the retear rate remains high. New methods to optimize healing rates must be sought. Bone channeling may create a quicker and more vigorous healing response by attracting autologous mesenchymal stem cells, cytokines, and growth factors to the repair site.

Hypothesis:

Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with bone channeling would result in a higher healing rate compared with arthroscopic rotator cuff repair without adjuvant channeling.

Study Design:

Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1.

Methods:

Our primary objective was to compare healing rates in patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair for degenerative tears, with and without bone channeling. Secondary objectives included comparisons of the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index (WORC) score, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, Constant score, Constant strength subscore, and visual analog scale (VAS) for pain score between groups. Patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair were recruited at 3 sites and were randomized to receive either bone channeling augmentation or standard repair. Healing was determined via ultrasound at 24 months postoperatively. WORC, ASES, and Constant scores were compared between groups at baseline and at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months postoperatively.

Results:

A total of 168 patients were enrolled between 2013 and 2018. Intention-to-treat analysis revealed no statistical differences in healing rates between the 2 interventions at 24 months postoperatively. Statistically significant improvements occurred in both groups from preoperatively to all time points for the WORC, the ASES score, the Constant score or Constant strength subscore, and the VAS for pain ( P < .0001). No differences were observed between the bone channeling and control groups in WORC, ASES, Constant, and VAS pain scores at any time point.

Conclusion:

This trial did not demonstrate the superiority of intraoperative bone channeling in rotator cuff repair over standard rotator cuff repair at 24 months postoperatively. Healing rates, patient-reported function, and quality-of-life outcomes were similar between groups.

Registration:

NCT01877772 ( ClinicalTrials.gov identifier).
Characteristics of renal oncocytomas and clinical novelties: Single center experience of 17 years
Authors: Yüksel Ömer , Gümrükçü Gülistan , Tokuç Emre , Bilen Osman , Verim Levent
Published: December 2022

Objective:

To assess the characteristics of renal oncocytomas and the clinical outcomes of patients in the last 17 years in our institution.

Methodology:

The medical records of the patients who underwent partial and radical nephrectomy from May 2004 to December 2021 were evaluated retrospectively. Radiology and pathology results were evaluated. Patients diagnosed with oncocytoma after surgery were included in the study.

Results:

Out of 791 patients who were operated for renal masses, 55 patients with the diagnosis of oncocytoma were included in the study, 17 of them were female. The mean age of the patients was 64.77 ± 10.58 years. Open and laparoscopic methods were applied to patients. Partial nephrectomy was performed in 25 patients (46.2%). It was observed that none of the patients with a mean follow-up of 76 months developed recurrence or death due to oncocytoma.

Conclusion:

Oncocytoma is a benign and rare tumor of the kidney which distinguishing it from malign tumors preoperatively with recent techniques is impossible. Especially in small sized tumors, considering the possibility of oncocytoma, nephron sparing surgery should be preferred in terms of patients’ benefit. Further research is needed for the novel imaging techniques and biomarkers proposed to be used in routine use to distinguish oncocytoma.
Pre-War Government and Party Networks in the Rebel Political Institutions: Individual Co-Optation in Eastern Ukraine
Authors: Laryš Martin
Published: December 2022

The extant literature on rebel governance takes the political institutions that rebels develop to rule a civilian population as an indivisible entity. As a result, it cannot answer the question, why do those at the top of the power hierarchy in the pre-war period leave the rebel-controlled territories while mid-level officials are individually co-opted into the rebel political institutions? The argument is that rebels may co-opt not entire pre-existing institutions but selected individuals from these institutions, presumably mid-level officials with the experience of running the administrative affairs, into the new patronage system built by rebels. That claim will be tested against the pre-existing political and government institutions in the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces dominated by the Party of Regions in the pre-war period.
Evaluation of crystallinity, thermal, mechanical and morphological features of high density polyethylene composites reinforced with crosslinked semifluorinated acrylate polymer microspheres
Authors: Soykan Ugur , Cetin Sedat
Published: December 2022

This study mainly aims both to prepare well-shaped crosslinked 3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,8 tridecafluorooctyl-4-(acrloyloxy) benzoate (ABCF13) polymer microspheres and to investigate the influences of the prepared microspheres addition on the crystallinity, thermal, mechanical and morphological features of high density polyethylene (HDPE). The suspension polymerization method was used for the production of well-defined microspheres and, the content of the microspheres varied from 1.0% to 10.0% in the composites. The characterization of crosslinked poly(ABCF13) microsphere-loaded HDPE composites were performed via powder X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimeter, universal mechanical (tensile and impact) testers and scanning electron microscope (SEM) techniques. According to the experimental findings, a and b unit cell parameters increased initially and reached maxima with the sample including 5.0% microsphere, which were followed by dramatic decreases, while c parameter remained relatively unchanged. Thermal analysis also showed that the melting temperature of HDPE reduced with the initial loading of the microspheres, then stayed at a plateau value of about 129°C due to the formation of lattice distortions, generation of microstructural disorders and the defects in the crystal structures. The mechanical test results revealed that there existed considerable improvements in tensile strength, modulus and impact strength. The maximum tensile strength 25.66 MPa, elastic modulus 499.30 MPa and maximum absorbed energy in the impact test 26.84 kJ/m2 (29%, 42% and 41% improvement, respectively) were achieved with the blend involving 5.0% microsphere. After the maxima, the mechanical characters depicted weakening trend as the microsphere content increased in the matrix. The SEM analyses revealed that although there existed fibrillar formations in all samples, the extensions decreased with the increase of the microsphere content. While ductile behavior was observed with the formation of long-bulky extensions at low contents, brittleness started to prevail at high contents with some short and thin fibrils.
The More Competent, the Better? The Effects of Perceived Competencies on Disclosure Towards Conversational Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Gieselmann Miriam , Sassenberg Kai
Published: December 2022

Conversational AI (e.g., Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa) is present in many people’s everyday life and, at the same time, becomes more and more capable of solving more complex tasks. However, it is unclear how the growing capabilities of conversational AI affect people’s disclosure towards the system as previous research has revealed mixed effects of technology competence. To address this research question, we propose a framework systematically disentangling conversational AI competencies along the lines of the dimensions of human competencies suggested by the action regulation theory. Across two correlational studies and three experiments ( Ntotal = 1453), we investigated how these competencies differentially affect users’ and non-users’ disclosure towards conversational AI. Results indicate that intellectual competencies (e.g., planning actions and anticipating problems) in a conversational AI heighten users’ willingness to disclose and reduce their privacy concerns. In contrast, meta-cognitive heuristics (e.g., deriving universal strategies based on previous interactions) raise privacy concerns for users and, even more so, for non-users but reduce willingness to disclose only for non-users. Thus, the present research suggests that not all competencies of a conversational AI are seen as merely positive, and the proposed differentiation of competencies is informative to explain effects on disclosure.
Investigation of the effects of fan control technique on energy consumption in industrial refrigerated display cabinet: An experimental study
Authors: Koşan Meltem , Dilber Yağız , Erten Süleyman , Bahar Elif Merve , Erdoğmuş Fatma Nur , Aktaş Mustafa , Öder Melis
Published: December 2022

With the increase in electricity consumption and price, energy efficiency in industrial refrigeration systems becomes an even more important issue. The performance of the industrial refrigeration system can be reported by creating energy labeling according to the energy efficiency index value. In this study, the industrial refrigeration system was evaluated in terms of energy performance with proposed a fan control technique and performed an environmentally friendly design using propane (R290) refrigerant. In addition, a new control process was developed for the management of evaporator and condenser fans, and the effect of this process on the cooled package temperatures and energy consumption was investigated. With this new technique, a 25.2% improvement was achieved in the total energy consumption of the industrial refrigeration system. It was observed that the cooled package temperatures were between −1 and +5°C throughout the experiment. The EEI value of the industrial refrigeration system has increased from class “E” to class “D” using a new control technique.
Attitude tracking control for quadrotor based on time-varying gain extended state observer
Authors: Chen Junyu , Long Yue , Li Tieshan , Huang Tianpeng
Published: December 2022

Considering the problems of unknown external disturbances and parametric uncertainties in attitude tracking of a quadrotor, a backstepping sliding mode control method based on the time-varying gain extended state observer is proposed in this article. First, the mathematical model of the attitude system of the quadrotor is introduced. Second, a time-varying gain extended state observer is proposed to observe the unmeasurable states, total disturbance, and reduce the “peaking value” phenomenon, which often occurs in traditional linear extended state observers. It is proved that the observation errors are bounded. Third, a novel controller synthesized by backstepping sliding mode control method and the time-varying gain extended state observer is proposed for the attitude system of the quadrotor. Moreover, the designed controller can ensure that all signals of the closed-loop system are bounded. Finally, the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed control method are verified by simulation.
Boundary control of vibration and dynamic tension fluctuation in a lifting system during the loading process
Authors: Wang Ke , Cao Guohua
Published: December 2022

This article focuses on the boundary control for a lifting system during the loading process. A lifting system during the loading process is essentially a non-conservative system. The system dynamics are modelled based on the extended Hamilton’s principle. We consider the unmeasurable impact force caused by the uncertain materials falling velocity as a boundary disturbance and design a disturbance observer to eliminate its effect. The control system needs to guarantee the output constraints that the boundary vibration and dynamic tension fluctuation are both suppressed in a constrained scope of the desired value. Two appropriate boundary backstepping control schemes are proposed by actuators acting on different boundaries to realize the output constraints and to ensure the stability of the closed-loop system in theory. Numerical simulations are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control laws in suppressing the cage vibration and rope dynamic tension fluctuation amplitude.
Caring for the community: An academically based community service course in LIS
Authors: Lee Kung Jin , Kim YooJung , Roldan Wendy , Lee Jin Ha , Yip Jason C.
Published: December 2022

The field of Library and Information Science (LIS) has historically struggled to connect theory and practice in its graduate education, specifically when it comes to building partnerships with diverse stakeholders in public library communities. One possible technique for bridging the gap of stakeholder experiences is academically based community service (ABCS) courses. ABCS courses attempt to directly focus on research-practitioner partnerships to solve real-world problems by involving the community to democratically co-design the curriculum. In this paper, we present a reflective case study of an ABCS course on integrating participatory design methods to co-design new digital learning activities for youth in an urban public library. By conducting 10 co-design sessions and 26 semi-structured interviews, we examined a partnership between a university and a library, and how this ABCS course impacted different stakeholder participation. Our findings highlight how ABCS courses require systematic structural endeavors from higher education and care between all stakeholders within a library setting. This work contributes to a growing body of work that calls for more courses in LIS education with greater civic and democratic engagement between graduate students, university partners, and library stakeholders.
A single-degree-of-freedom mathematical model for energy harvesting from cavity flow oscillations
Authors: Thangamani Varun
Published: December 2022

Flow-induced vibrations have proven to be a valuable power source for wireless sensors and MEMS devices. In this study, the energy harvesting aspects of an open cavity flow is explored and modelled as a single-degree-of-freedom system. Experiments with flow over a cavity of length-to-depth ratio of 3, with an incoming velocity of 30 m/s was taken as a case study to validate the model. It was observed in experiments that three distinct flow oscillation frequencies of significant amplitudes, corresponding to the different modes of oscillation were generated. To harvest this oscillatory power, a piezoelectric cantilever beam, mounted on the aft wall was subjected to unsteady pressure forces. To harvest efficiently, the natural frequency of the cantilever beam was tuned to lock in with the flow oscillation frequencies. The frequencies of cavity oscillations agreed well with Rossiter’s model in the experiments. A single-degree-of-freedom system assuming lumped parameters was used for modelling. The forcing term was described using a periodic function that uses empirical values for amplitude. The model was able to predict the overall trend and values of the average power and RMS voltage generated across a resistor load with reasonable accuracy. Using the model, the effects of cavity length, incoming velocity and resonant frequency were also studied.
Sequential Patterns in Social Interaction States for Regulation in Collaborative Learning
Authors: Vuorenmaa Eija , Järvelä Sanna , Dindar Muhterem , Järvenoja Hanna
Published: December 2022

This study explored sequential patterns in social interaction states for group-level regulation of learning during collaborative learning. The participants were secondary school students ( N = 92) performing collaborative physics tasks. The videotaped sessions were analyzed regarding participation, social interaction, and group-level regulation types of co- and socially shared regulation. The results show that group-level regulation emerged most frequently in social interaction state that included cognitive and socioemotional interaction and whole-group participation, which also led to and followed regulation most frequently. The findings highlight the role of joint participation in social interactions for regulation of learning in collaborative group settings.
Climate Change Educational Resources From National Parks in the United States
Authors: Beaver Breanna C. , Navy Shannon L.
Published: December 2022

Background: Educators report needing relevant and authentic climate change educational resources (CCER). National parks are informal education centers that can provide CCER for educators. However, little is known about the CCER that exist across the national parks in the United States. Purpose: To increase the knowledge in this area, this study uncovered which CCER are offered by national parks in the US, what content is covered in these resources, and their perceived affordances and constraints. Methodology/Approach: Park employees completed an online survey regarding the CCER available within their national park. The survey included closed-ended and open-ended questions. Closed-ended responses were analyzed for descriptive statistics regarding the types of CCER. Open-ended responses were analyzed for content in the CCER, perceived affordances and constraints, and future directions. Findings/Conclusions: Results show that the national parks in this study collectively offer a variety of CCER that cover a range of climate change topics. In addition to the material resources provided, national parks also provide social resources for educators. Collectively, these resources offer many educational affordances. Implications: This study suggests that science educators should consider leveraging the CCER available from national parks. In addition, national parks should consider collaborating in the development of CCER.