bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ensemble Investment Strategies Based on Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Li Fangyi , Wang Zhixing , Zhou Peng
Published: September 2022

Due to the rapid development of hardware devices, the analytical processing and algorithmic capabilities of computers are also being enhanced, which makes machine learning play an increasingly important role in the field of quantitative investment. For this reason, the possibility of replacing traditional human traders with automated investment algorithms that have been trained several times has become a hot topic in recent years. The majority of machine algorithms used in today’s stock trading market are supervised learning algorithms, which are still unable to objectively analyse the market and find the optimal solution for market trading on their own. To solve the two major challenges of environment awareness and automated decision-making, this study uses three core algorithms, PPO, A2C, and SAC, to build a set of ensemble automated trading strategies in a deep reinforcement learning-based framework. The ensemble trading strategy combines the advantages of each of the three algorithms to make the original reinforcement learning algorithm more adaptive, and to avoid consuming a large amount of memory when training the network, the study uses the PCA method to compress the dimension of the stock feature vector. We test our algorithm on 40 A-share stocks with sufficient liquidity and compare it with different trading strategies. The results show that the ensemble strategy proposed in this study outperforms three independent algorithms and two selected baselines, achieving an accumulated return of around 70%.
Optimization of Self-Media Film and Television Content Production and Dissemination Paths under the Background of Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Zhang Yunsheng , Meng Xiaoping
Published: September 2022

The development of Internet technology and cloud computing has promoted the rapid development of self-media technology. The self-media technology has better people-friendliness compared to the traditional media communication mode, so it has gained more popularity compared to the traditional media mode. For professional self-media teams, the popularity and clicks of self-media content are very critical. It needs to make corresponding predictions and judgments according to the content and transmission path of the self-media. However, self-media is transmitted in the form of video, which involves a huge amount of data. This team of self-media staff is a more difficult and tedious task. This study uses the atrous convolution and long short-term memory neural network to predict the video content, sound features, and propagation path of self-media technology. Atrous convolution is more suitable for research objects with more data. The research results show that the atrous convolution and LSTM methods have better feasibility and credibility in predicting three special characteristics of self-media. Compared with a single atrous convolution, the feature prediction errors of the three kinds of self-media are smaller by using the atrous convolution and LSTM hybrid method. The largest prediction error is 2.39%, and this part of the error is mainly due to the sound characteristics of self-media technology.
A Method for Evaluating the Green Economic Efficiency of Resource-Based Cities Based on Neural Network Improved DEA Model
Authors: Shen Zhifeng , Liu Ning , Li Xialing , Kang Zhengguang
Published: September 2022

In this study, we use BP neural network to improve the DEA model to conduct in-depth research and analysis on the method of green economic efficiency evaluation of resource-based cities. The traditional DEA cannot make ranking and analysis of effective units, which affects the accuracy of empirical analysis. Accordingly, the BP-DEA model is introduced to further conduct a comparative eco-efficiency analysis of relatively effective provinces. In this study, the optimal inputs and outputs are calculated by DEA, and further, the BP neural network is used to fit the functional relationship between the optimal inputs and outputs, and by adding variables, the trained neural network can be used for the prediction of the optimal outputs. In this study, the BP-DEA model is used to empirically investigate the temporal evolution trend, spatial differences, and efficiency differences in eco-efficiency. Meanwhile, breaking through the limitation that DEA can only calculate regional efficiency values, this study combines the Malmquist index to compare and decompose the eco-efficiency of different provinces to analyze the sources of total factor productivity changes. The results show that the method can clarify the gap between the actual operation of each indicator and the reference point; it can identify how much room for improvement still needs to be made for each indicator, and it can also determine whether each city should be rewarded or penalized and its specific amount. Finally, based on the evaluation of eco-efficiency and the main constraints, corresponding policy recommendations are proposed. Finally, based on the evaluation results of the BP-DEA method, this study analyzes the overall efficiency improvement of cities in the two study areas in three dimensions: urbanization construction, ecology, and economic development put forward seven types of urban efficiency improvement and propose targeted urban development suggestions according to regional characteristics.
Genomic Landscapes and Hallmarks of Mutant RAS in Human Cancers
Authors: Scharpf Robert B. , Balan Archana , Ricciuti Biagio , Fiksel Jacob , Cherry Christopher , Wang Chenguang , Lenoue-Newton Michele L. , Rizvi Hira A. , White James R. , Baras Alexander S. , Anaya Jordan , Landon Blair V. , Majcherska-Agrawal Marta , Ghanem Paola , Lee Jocelyn , Raskin Leon , Park Andrew S. , Tu Huakang , Hsu Hil , Arbour Kathryn C. , Awad Mark M. , Riely Gregory J. , Lovly Christine M. , Anagnostou Valsamo
Published: September 2022

The RAS family of small GTPases represents the most commonly activated oncogenes in human cancers. To better understand the prevalence of somatic RAS mutations and the compendium of genes that are coaltered in RAS-mutant tumors, we analyzed targeted next-generation sequencing data of 607,863 mutations from 66,372 tumors in 51 cancer types in the AACR Project GENIE Registry. Bayesian hierarchical models were implemented to estimate the cancer-specific prevalence of RAS and non-RAS somatic mutations, to evaluate co-occurrence and mutual exclusivity, and to model the effects of tumor mutation burden and mutational signatures on comutation patterns. These analyses revealed differential RAS prevalence and comutations with non-RAS genes in a cancer lineage-dependent and context-dependent manner, with differences across age, sex, and ethnic groups. Allele-specific RAS co-mutational patterns included an enrichment in NTRK3 and chromatin-regulating gene mutations in KRAS G12C-mutant non–small cell lung cancer. Integrated multiomic analyses of 10,217 tumors from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) revealed distinct genotype-driven gene expression programs pointing to differential recruitment of cancer hallmarks as well as phenotypic differences and immune surveillance states in the tumor microenvironment of RAS-mutant tumors. The distinct genomic tracks discovered in RAS-mutant tumors reflected differential clinical outcomes in TCGA cohort and in an independent cohort of patients with KRAS G12C-mutant non–small cell lung cancer that received immunotherapy-containing regimens. The RAS genetic architecture points to cancer lineage–specific therapeutic vulnerabilities that can be leveraged for rationally combining RAS-mutant allele-directed therapies with targeted therapies and immunotherapy.

Significance:

The complex genomic landscape of RAS-mutant tumors is reflective of selection processes in a cancer lineage–specific and context-dependent manner, highlighting differential therapeutic vulnerabilities that can be clinically translated.
ImmunoPET Imaging with 89Zr-Labeled Atezolizumab Enables In Vivo Evaluation of PD-L1 in Tumorgraft Models of Renal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Mulgaonkar Aditi , Elias Roy , Woolford Layton , Guan Bing , Nham Kien , Kapur Payal , Christie Alana , Tcheuyap Vanina T. , Singla Nirmish , Bowman I. Alex , Stevens Christina , Hao Guiyang , Brugarolas James , Sun Xiankai
Published: September 2022

Purpose:

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) targeting the programmed cell death protein 1 and its ligand (PD-1/PD-L1) have transformed the treatment paradigm for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). However, response rates to ICIs as single agents or in combination vary widely and predictive biomarkers are lacking. Possibly related to the heterogeneity and dynamic nature of PD-L1 expression, tissue-based methods have shown limited value. Immuno–positron emission tomography (immunoPET) may enable noninvasive, comprehensive, and real-time PD-L1 detection. Herein, we systematically examined the performance of immunoPET for PD-L1 detection relative to IHC in an RCC patient-derived tumorgraft (TG) platform.

Experimental Design:

Eight independent RCC TGs with a wide range of PD-L1 expression (0%–85%) were evaluated by immunoPET. Uptake of 89Zr-labeled atezolizumab ([89Zr]Zr-DFO-ATZ) was compared with PD-L1 expression in tumors by IHC through double-blind analyses. Clinical outcomes of ICI-treated patients whose TGs were examined were analyzed to evaluate the clinical role of immunoPET in RCC.

Results:

ImmunoPET with [89Zr]Zr-DFO-ATZ (day 6/7 postinjection) revealed a statistically significant association with PD-L1 IHC assays (P = 0.0014; correlation ρXY = 0.78). Furthermore, immunoPET can be used to assess the heterogeneous distribution of PD-L1 expression. Finally, studies in the corresponding patients (n = 4) suggest that PD-L1 signal may influence ICI responsiveness.

Conclusions:

ImmunoPET with [89Zr]Zr-DFO-ATZ may enable a thorough and dynamic assessment of PD-L1 across sites of disease. The power of immunoPET to predict ICI response in RCC is being explored in an ongoing clinical trial (NCT04006522).
Liquid Biopsy Detects Early Molecular Response and Predicts Benefit to First-Line Chemotherapy plus Cetuximab in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: PLATFORM-B Study
Authors: Vidal Joana , Fernández-Rodríguez Maria Concepción , Casadevall David , García-Alfonso Pilar , Páez David , Guix Marta , Alonso Vicente , Cano Maria Teresa , Santos Cristina , Durán Gema , Elez Elena , Manzano José Luís , Garcia-Carbonero Rocío , Ferreiro Reyes , Losa Ferran , Pineda Estela , Sastre Javier , Rivera Fernando , Bellosillo Beatriz , Tabernero Josep , Aranda Enrique , Salazar Ramon , Montagut Clara ,   on behalf of the Spanish Cooperative Group for the Treatment of Digestive Tumours (TTD)
Published: September 2022

Purpose:

Chemotherapy plus anti-EGFR is standard first-line therapy in RAS wild-type (wt) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), but biomarkers of early response are clinically needed. We aimed to define the utility of ctDNA to assess early response in patients with mCRC receiving first-line anti-EGFR therapy.

Experimental Design:

Prospective multicentric study of tissue patients with RAS wt mCRC treated with first-line chemotherapy plus cetuximab undergoing sequential liquid biopsies. Baseline and early (C3) ctDNA were analyzed by NGS. Trunk mutations were assessed as surrogate marker of total tumor burden. RAS/BRAF/MEK/EGFR-ECD were considered mutations of resistance. ctDNA results were correlated with clinical outcome.

Results:

One hundred patients were included. ctDNA was detected in 72% of patients at baseline and 34% at C3. Decrease in ctDNA trunk mutations correlated with progression-free survival (PFS; HR, 0.23; P = 0.001). RAS/BRAF were the only resistant mutations detected at C3. An increase in the relative fraction of RAS/BRAF at C3 was followed by an expansion of the RAS clone until PD, and was associated with shorter PFS (HR, 10.5; P < 0.001). The best predictor of response was the combined analysis of trunk and resistant mutations at C3. Accordingly, patients with “early molecular response” (decrease in trunk and decrease in resistant mutations) had better response (77.5% vs. 25%, P = 0.008) and longer PFS (HR, 0.18; P < 0.001) compared with patients with “early molecular progression” (increase in trunk and/or increase in resistant mutations).

Conclusions:

ctDNA detects early molecular response and predicts benefit to chemotherapy plus cetuximab. A comprehensive NGS-based approach is recommended to integrate information on total disease burden and resistant mutations.

See related commentary by Eluri et al., p. 302
TFAP4 Activates IGF2BP1 and Promotes Progression of Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer by Stabilizing TK1 Expression through m6A Modification
Authors: Shen Qiming , Xu Zhe , Sun Guanghao , Wang Haoyou , Zhang Lin
Published: September 2022

Non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a well-known global health concern. TFAP4 has been reported to function as an oncogene. This study sought to investigate the molecular mechanism of TFAP4 in NSCLC development. Significantly highly-expressed gene IGF2BP1 was screened on online databases and its downstream gene TK1 was predicted. IGF2BP1 promoter sequence was identified. The binding site of TFAP4 and IGF2BP1 was predicted. The expression correlations among TFAP4, IGF2BP1, and TK1 were confirmed. The correlations between TFAP4, IGF2BP1, TK1, and NSCLC prognosis were predicted. NSCLC and paracancerous tissues were collected. The expressions of TFAP4, IGF2BP1, and TK1 were detected. NSCLC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis were detected. The binding of TFAP4 to the IGF2BP1 promoter was verified. m6A modification of TK1 mRNA was detected. The correlation between IGF2BP1 and TK1 was confirmed. A subcutaneous tumor xenograft model was established to validate the effect of TFAP4 in vivo. IGF2BP1 was highly expressed in NSCLC tissues and cells. IGF2BP1 knockdown repressed NSCLC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and facilitated apoptosis. Mechanically, TFAP4 transcriptionally activated IGF2BP1. IGF2BP1 stabilized TK1 expression via m6A modification and promoted NSCLC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. In vivo experiments confirmed that TFAP4 knockdown suppressed tumor growth by downregulating IGF2BP1/TK1.

Implications:

Our findings revealed that TFAP4 activated IGF2BP1 and facilitated NSCLC progression by stabilizing TK1 expression via m6A modification, which offered new insights into the diagnosis and treatment of NSCLC.
Aspirin-Mediated Prevention of Colorectal Adenomas Recurrence is Affected by Blood Biochemistry and Nutritional Intake
Authors: Yoshida Naohisa , Ishikawa Hideki , Otani Takahiro , Goto Chiho , Matsuda Takahisa , Takeuchi Yoji , Sano Yasushi , Itoh Yoshito , Suzuki Sadao , Mutoh Michihiro ,   on behalf of the J-CAPP Study group
Published: September 2022

Aspirin has been shown to prevent the onset of colorectal adenoma and cancer. This study aimed to identify patient characteristics and blood chemistry factors related to the effect of aspirin. A total of 231 men and 59 women who participated in our previous randomized clinical study in 2007–2009 using aspirin or placebo (J-CAPP study) were analyzed. Interaction of aspirin with age at entry, body mass index (BMI), alcohol intake, blood biochemistry, and nutrients calculated from a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire were analyzed on the basis of the presence of adenomas 2 years later. Our study showed that suppression of adenoma by aspirin was not affected by age or BMI. Among men, significant suppression of adenoma by aspirin was seen with triglyceride (TG) <167 mg/dL (P = 0.02), total cholesterol (T-cho) ≥220 mg/dL (P = 0.01), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) ≥60 mg/dL (P < 0.01), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) ≥140 mg/dL (P = 0.01), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) <30 IU/L (P = 0.01), alanine aminotransferase <30 IU/L (P = 0.04), and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase <60 IU/L (P = 0.04). In addition, the interaction was significant with TG ≥/<167 mg/dL (P = 0.02), T-cho ≥/<220 mg/dL (P = 0.03), HDL ≥/<60 mg/dL (P = 0.02), LDL ≥/<140 mg/dL (P = 0.03), and AST ≥/<30 IU/L (P = 0.01). Daily nutrient intake associated with aspirin was <2,000 mg sodium (P = 0.06) and ≥850 μg retinol equivalent (P = 0.05) among men, indicating a marginal effect on adenoma suppression. No significant differences were detected among women due to the small sample size. In conclusion, lipid metabolism and liver function were correlated with the suppressive effect of aspirin on the recurrence of colorectal adenoma.

Prevention Relevance:

Aspirin has been shown to prevent the onset of colorectal adenoma and cancer, and its effect modifications have been analyzed. Lipid metabolism and liver function were correlated with the suppressive effect of aspirin on the recurrence of colorectal adenoma.
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease before Kidney Transplantation Correlates with New Onset Diabetes and Poor Metabolic Outcomes
Authors: Grupper Ayelet , Rabinowich Aviad , Ben Shabat Idan , Tzadok Roie , Schwartz Doron , Schwartz Idit F. , Goykhman Yaacov , Kliuk Ben-Bassat Orit , Baruch Roni , Shashar Moshe , Cohen-Hagai Keren , Katchman Helena
Published: September 2022

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality after kidney transplantation. Metabolic syndrome is common in renal transplant recipients and is associated with increased CVD risk in those patients. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered to be the hepatic manifestation of a multi-system disorder, including CVD and metabolic syndrome. The data about prevalence of NAFLD before kidney transplantation and its consequences following transplantation are scarce. Methods: A retrospective study of metabolic parameters and sonographic evidence of NAFLD, and an analysis of its metabolic outcomes, was performed in 341 consecutive kidney transplant recipients. Results: One-hundred twenty-four (36.4%) kidney recipients had NAFLD before transplantation. The risk of NAFLD before kidney transplantation was independently and significantly related to diabetes (OR = 1.8), male gender (OR = 1.4), older age (every year of age increased the risk by 4%), higher BMI (every increase of 1 kg/m2 increased the risk by 15%), and higher triglycerides level. Mean levels of liver enzymes were similar in patients with and without NAFLD. Recipients with NAFLD before transplantation had a higher prevalence of new onset diabetes, even after adjustment to covariables. In addition, they had a higher increase in liver enzymes, triglycerides, and FIB-4 score, as an indication of liver fibrosis, after transplantation. Furthermore, NAFLD pre-transplantation was independently associated with cardiovascular mortality (HR = 4.4) following kidney transplantation. Conclusions: Sonographic evidence of NAFLD before kidney transplantation is associated with significant metabolic outcomes including de novo diabetes and cardiovascular mortality following transplantation and should be included as part of the assessment of kidney transplant candidate.
Coronary Artery Restenosis in Women by History of Preeclampsia
Authors: Lin Annie , Pehrson Moa , Sarno Giovanna , Fraser Abigail , Rich‐Edwards Janet W. , Gonҫalves Isabel , Pihlsgård Mats , Timpka Simon
Published: September 2022

Background

A history of preeclampsia is associated with increased risk of coronary artery disease and experimental evidence suggests that a history of preeclampsia also increases the risk of restenosis. However, the extent to which a history of preeclampsia is associated with risk of restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention in women is unknown.

Methods and Results

We included 6065 parous women aged ≤65 years with first percutaneous coronary intervention on 9452 segments 2006 to 2017, linking nationwide data on percutaneous coronary intervention and delivery history in Sweden. Main outcomes were clinical restenosis and target lesion revascularization within 2 years. We accounted for segment‐, procedure‐, and patient‐related potential predictors of restenosis in proportional hazards regression models. Restenosis occurred in 345 segments (3.7%) and target lesion revascularization was performed on 383 patients (6.3%). A history of preeclampsia was neither significantly associated with risk of restenosis (predictor‐accounted hazard ratio [HR], 0.71 [95% CI, 0.41–1.23]) nor target lesion revascularization (0.74 [95% CI, 0.51–1.07]) compared with a normotensive pregnancy history. When term and preterm preeclampsia were investigated separately, segments in women with a history of term preeclampsia had a lower risk of restenosis (predictor‐accounted HR, 0.45 [95% CI, 0.21–0.94]). A history of preeclampsia was not significantly associated with death by any cause within 2 years of the index procedure (predictor‐accounted HR 1.06, [95% CI, 0.62–1.80]).

Conclusions

A history of preeclampsia was not associated with increased risk of restenosis but instead some evidence pointed to a decreased risk. To facilitate future studies and allow for replication, concomitant collection of data on pregnancy complication history and percutaneous coronary intervention outcomes in women is warranted.
Endovascular Therapy of Tandem Occlusions: Baseline Characteristics and Outcomes Compared With Intracranial Occlusion
Authors: Sørensen Mads M. , Leslie‐Mazwi Thabele M. , Jensen Jonas , Valentin Jan B. , Simonsen Claus Z.
Published: September 2022

Background

Endovascular therapy is highly effective in stroke caused by large vessel occlusion. Guidelines support treatment in case of occlusion of the intracranial internal carotid artery or the first segment of the middle cerebral artery. We aimed to examine baseline characteristics and outcome of patients who underwent endovascular therapy for tandem occlusions.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study of patients who underwent endovascular therapy of tandem occlusion or occlusion of intracranial internal carotid artery/first segment of the middle cerebral artery between May 2015 and December 2019. Univariate comparisons of baseline characteristics and outcome (favorable functional outcome 90‐days after treatment and mortality) were performed. We used inverse‐probability‐of‐treatment‐weights to adjust for confounders.

Results

We compared 167 patients with tandem occlusion and 414 with intracranial occlusions. Patients with tandem occlusion were younger (69 years [interquartile range: 59.25–76] versus 74 [interquartile range: 64–81];
P
= 0.0002), male (64.7% versus 51.4%;
P
= 0.004), more frequently active smokers (42.5% versus 25.6%;
P
= 0.0001), and less frequently subject to atrial fibrillation (18.6% versus 41.3%;
P
<0.0001). No significant differences were seen in the rate of 90‐day good outcome (49.1% versus 51.0%;
P
= 0.68) or mortality (16.8% versus 18.1%;
P
= 0.70). This was also true after adjustment (relative risk for poor outcome 0.86 [95% CI: 0.72–1.05]). More proximal occlusions resulted in worse outcome in both tandem and intracranial occlusions.

Conclusion

Patients with tandem occlusion were more frequently younger, male smokers without atrial fibrillation illustrating the different risk factors underlying these strokes. Benefit from treatment was similar between groups, supporting endovascular therapy in tandem occlusions.
Dimensional Modeling of Emotions in Text with Appraisal Theories: Corpus Creation, Annotation Reliability, and Prediction
Authors: Troiano Enrica , Oberländer Laura , Klinger Roman
Published: September 2022

The most prominent tasks in emotion analysis are to assign emotions to texts and to understand how emotions manifest in language. An important observation for natural language processing is that emotions can be communicated implicitly by referring to events alone, appealing to an empathetic, intersubjective understanding of events, even without explicitly mentioning an emotion name. In psychology, the class of emotion theories known as appraisal theories aims at explaining the link between events and emotions. Appraisals can be formalized as variables that measure a cognitive evaluation by people living through an event that they consider relevant. They include the assessment if an event is novel, if the person considers themselves to be responsible, if it is in line with their own goals, and so forth. Such appraisals explain which emotions are developed based on an event, for example, that a novel situation can induce surprise or one with uncertain consequences could evoke fear. We analyze the suitability of appraisal theories for emotion analysis in text with the goal of understanding if appraisal concepts can reliably be reconstructed by annotators, if they can be predicted by text classifiers, and if appraisal concepts help to identify emotion categories. To achieve that, we compile a corpus by asking people to textually describe events that triggered particular emotions and to disclose their appraisals. Then, we ask readers to reconstruct emotions and appraisals from the text. This set-up allows us to measure if emotions and appraisals can be recovered purely from text and provides a human baseline to judge a model’s performance measures. Our comparison of text classification methods to human annotators shows that both can reliably detect emotions and appraisals with similar performance. Therefore, appraisals constitute an alternative computational emotion analysis paradigm and further improve the categorization of emotions in text with joint models.
Adapting to the Long Tail: A Meta-Analysis of Transfer Learning Research for Language Understanding Tasks
Authors: Naik Aakanksha , Lehman Jill , Rosé Carolyn
Published: September 2022

Natural language understanding (NLU) has made massive progress driven by large benchmarks, but benchmarks often leave a long tail of infrequent phenomena underrepresented. We reflect on the question: Have transfer learning methods sufficiently addressed the poor performance of benchmark-trained models on the long tail? We conceptualize the long tail using macro-level dimensions (underrepresented genres, topics, etc.), and perform a qualitative meta-analysis of 100 representative papers on transfer learning research for NLU. Our analysis asks three questions: (i) Which long tail dimensions do transfer learning studies target? (ii) Which properties of adaptation methods help improve performance on the long tail? (iii) Which methodological gaps have greatest negative impact on long tail performance? Our answers highlight major avenues for future research in transfer learning for the long tail. Lastly, using our meta-analysis framework, we perform a case study comparing the performance of various adaptation methods on clinical narratives, which provides interesting insights that may enable us to make progress along these future avenues.
Default Grapheme and Language Transfer in the Spelling of /s/ in Spanish Heritage Language Learners
Authors: Llombart-Huesca Amàlia
Published: September 2022

This study investigates the spelling proficiency of Spanish heritage language learners (SHLLs) in the Spanish phoneme-grapheme correspondence that has been identified as the source of the greatest number of spelling errors: /s/ → s, c, z. Using a naturalistic corpus, this study aims to ascertain whether (1) s is SHLL’s default grapheme in the representation of /s/; (2) cognate status is a facilitative factor in spelling; and (3) previous Spanish language instruction affects individual performance in the spelling of /s/. The results show that the preference for s is mediated by difficulties with the c/z alternation and poor spelling in z words. In addition, cognate status was shown to have a facilitative effect in the three relevant graphemes. Finally, the results indicate that one or more years of previous language instruction in secondary school make a statistically significant difference, but that additional Spanish instruction beyond two years did not bring corresponding gains. The results of this study contribute to the scarce literature in Spanish spelling in this population and have pedagogical implications for orthographic patterns that merit particular instructional focus, as well as for strategies that take full advantage of cognates (including semi-cognates and false cognates) in spelling instruction.
Eusebeia: Syncretism or Conservative Contextualization?
Authors: Wainwright John J.
Published: September 2022

In the contemporary debate concerning the character of the Pastoral Epistles, eusebeia, commonly translated godliness, has typically supported the opinion that the PE present a new Christian ethic, christliche Bürgerlichkeit (Christian Citizenship), quite distinct from the earlier apostolic ethic. Because the second coming of Christ did not appear quite so imminent as was earlier projected, the author of the PE suggests an ethic that is more in keeping with Greco-Roman society, using such virtues as eusebeia, sōphrōn, and semnotēs. Regardless of the other arguments for a christliche Bürgerlichkeit in the PE, a careful examination of the occurrences of eusebeia in the PE, along with their literary context, demonstrates that eusebeia is not an example of christliche Bürgerlichkeit in the PE.
The Impact of Topography on the Environment and Life Cycle of Weakly and Strongly Forced MCSs during RELAMPAGO
Authors: Rocque Marquette N. , Rasmussen Kristen L.
Published: September 2022

Intense deep convection and large mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) are known to occur downstream of the Andes in subtropical South America. Deep convection is often focused along the Sierras de Córdoba (SDC) in the afternoon and then rapidly grows upscale and moves to the east overnight. However, how the Andes and SDC impact the life cycle of MCSs under varying synoptic conditions is not well understood. Two sets of terrain-modification experiments using WRF are used to investigate the impact of topography in different synoptic regimes. The first set is run on the 13–14 December 2018 MCS case from RELAMPAGO, which featured a deep synoptic trough, strong lee cyclogenesis near the SDC, an enhanced low-level jet, and rapid upscale growth of an MCS. When the Andes are reduced by 50%, the lee cyclone and low-level jet that develop are weaker than with the full Andes, and the resulting MCS is weak and moves faster to the east. When the SDC are removed, few differences between the environment and resulting MCS relative to the control run are seen. A second set of experiments are run on the 25–26 January 2019 case in which a large MCS developed over the SDC and remained tied there for an extended period under weak synoptic forcing. The experiment that produces the most similar MCS to the control is when the Andes are reduced by 50% while maintaining the height of the SDC, suggesting the SDC may play a more important role in the MCS life cycle under quiescent synoptic conditions.
Decompressive Laparotomy for Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Failure due to Intra-Abdominal Hypertension in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patient
Authors: Kahana Noam , Schwartz Alon D. , Einav Sharon
Published: September 2022

The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has increased over the course of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Intra-abdominal hypertension resulting in abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) during ECMO support is a rare but life-threatening complication, with previous case series describing mortality rates of 44%-100%. Bleeding complications, linked to both patient-related and device-related factors, also characterize prolonged ECMO support and have been reported in up to 60% of ECMO patients. We hereby describe a critically ill COVID-19 patient who underwent emergent bed-side decompressive laparotomy for acute ECMO failure related to the development of ACS. The discussion is focused on surgical considerations including the delicate balance between anticoagulation and thrombosis, as anticoagulation-free ECMO support may be required due to hemorrhagic complications.
Inertial alignment with improved EMD filter of inclinometer in coal drilling rig
Authors: Liu Ruojun , Zhang Youzhen , Zhang Ning , Fang Peng , Wang Xin
Published: September 2022

Inertial navigation system (INS) is widely used as inclinometer in coal drilling rig to realize navigation and attitude measurement. Vibration of coal drilling rig is one of the significant issues impacting the performance of alignment. Previous work has indicated that part of alignment error caused by vibration of gyroscope can be suppressed by inertial alignment frame. However, vibration error of accelerometer cannot be well suppressed. In this paper, an inertial alignment based on improved empirical mode decomposition (EMD) filter is proposed to address vibration issue in alignment. Moreover, a prediction strategy of extreme endpoints based on relativity of extreme points is proposed to reduce the endpoint error to suppress the accumulative error in EMD filter. The proposed alignment method is applied in laboratory condition. The result shows that the stability of accelerometer improves 42.43% at most, the alignment time reduce from 300 to 100 s and the alignment error of inclination angle is less than 5.4 arcmin. The experiment in coal mining rig shows the alignment time reduces from 300 to 50 s. The proposed alignment method improves the performance of inclinometer effectively and feasibly in alignment period and the improved EMD filter can be also applied in navigation period to suppress the vibration error of accelerometer.
COVID-19, Politico-Economic Crises and the Precarity of Actors in the Tourism Industry in Kariba Resort Town, C 2000–2021
Authors: Matanzima Joshua , Nhiwatiwa Tamuka
Published: September 2022

The tourism industry sustains the economies of many nations across the globe through contributing to the Gross Domestic Products (GDP); creation of employment and infrastructure development. However, its sustainability is vulnerable to various temporal and spatial environmental, socio-economic and political events. In the Zimbabwe case, the politico-economic crises of the 2000s and the COVID-19 pandemic have variedly impacted on the prevalence of tourism with the actors (such as employees, tourists and recreational facility owners) involved in this industry having been seriously impacted. Using the precarity conceptual framework, this article critically analyses the impact of the politico-economic crises induced by the Fast Track Land Reform Programme of the early 2000s and the COVID-19 pandemic on the actors involved in tourism. Information regarding the impact of the political crises and COVID-19 pandemic on tourism in Kariba town is missing in the literature, yet Kariba is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Zimbabwe and Southern Africa. The article discusses the precarity of these tourism actors in the context of the politico-economic crises as well as the COVID-19 pandemic. We define ‘precarity’ as a condition of vulnerability and uncertainty. Our results indicate that for employees, these factors have resulted in uncertainty in the tourism business with some shutting down and others scaling down their operations resulting in redundancy and vulnerability of the workers. For tourists, the successive lockdowns and surge in COVID-19 cases in Zimbabwe resulted in (re)booking and (re)cancellation of bookings; the politico-economic crises resulted in fear among the potential clients and a drop in the number of international tourists. The recreational and accommodation service operators have had the challenge of making food (and other resources) orders for trips that are eventually cancelled due to the surge in the COVID-19 cases. The article draws from data gathered in 2021 through face-to-face interviews with different stakeholders in the tourism industry including employees, hotel and boat owners, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority officials and local politicians in Kariba resort town.
Does Topic Consistency Matter? A Study of Critic and User Reviews in the Movie Industry
Authors: Kim Eunsoo , Ding MengQi (Annie) , Wang Xin (Shane) , Lu Shijie
Published: September 2022

Online review platforms often present reviews from both critics and general users. In this research, the authors propose a measure called “topic consistency” to capture the degree of overlap between critic and user review content. High topic consistency suggests greater information recall due to repeated presentation of the same topics, which may increase the memorability of movie attributes and therefore positively affect movie demand. The authors measure the topic consistency between critic and user reviews using topic models and further study the financial consequences of this measure using data for movies released in the United States. Topic consistency is positively associated with subsequent box office revenue, suggesting a positive relationship between topic consistency and movie demand. Furthermore, the effect of topic consistency on demand is the greatest for movies with mediocre review ratings and when the review ratings from critics are close to those from users. Using lab experiments, the authors provide evidence of the causal link between topic consistency and consumers’ willingness to watch a movie, and support for the potential mediation through the information recall of reviews. Movie producers and advertisers should consider highlighting or inducing a central theme for critics and users to discuss, as the more the review content of critics and users overlaps, the higher a movie's revenue.
F@#k Pain! The Effect of Taboo Language and Gesture on the Experience of Pain
Authors: Hostetter Autumn B. , Rascon-Powell Dominic Knight
Published: September 2022

Swearing has been shown to reduce the experience of pain in a cold pressor task, and the effect has been suggested to be due to state aggression. In the present experiment, we examined whether producing a taboo gesture (i.e., the American gesture of raising the middle finger) reduces the experience of pain similar to the effect that has been shown for producing a taboo word. 111 participants completed two cold pressor trials in a 2 (Language vs. Gesture) × 2 (Taboo vs. Neutral) mixed design. We found that producing a taboo act in either language or gesture increased pain tolerance on the cold pressor task and reduced the experience of perceived pain compared to producing a neutral act. We found no changes in state aggression or heart rate. These results suggest that the pain-reducing effect of swearing is shared by taboo gesture and that these effects are likely not due to changes in state aggression.
COVID-19–Related Stressors and Mental Health Disorders Among US Adults
Authors: Coley Rebekah Levine , Carey Naoka , Baum Christopher F. , Hawkins Summer Sherburne
Published: September 2022

Objectives:

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to severe mental health repercussions. We examined rates of anxiety and depression in the United States during the pandemic by demographic characteristics, individual stressors, and COVID-19 infection rates and policy contexts.

Methods:

We merged data from the April 2020–March 2021 US Household Pulse Survey with state-level data on COVID-19 rates and mitigation policies, including stay-at-home orders, face mask mandates, and restaurant closures. We estimated weighted logistic regression models to assess correlates of anxiety and depression.

Results:

Rates of anxiety and depression peaked in late 2020 at 39% and 32%, respectively. Food insecurity and disrupted medical care were associated with more than twice the odds of anxiety and depression (food insecurity: odds ratio [OR] = 2.58 for anxiety and 2.61 for depression; disrupted medical care: OR = 2.40 and 2.27). Being not employed (OR = 1.32 for anxiety and 1.45 for depression), uninsured (OR = 1.30 and 1.38), housing insecure (OR = 1.41 and 1.34), and experiencing disruptions in education (OR = 1.28 and 1.25) were linked to 25% to 45% increased odds of anxiety and depression. Increases in state COVID-19 infection rates were associated with significantly heightened odds of anxiety and depression (OR = 1.01 for anxiety and depression), but state mitigation policies were not.

Conclusions:

Levels of anxiety and depression rose during the pandemic, particularly among economically vulnerable individuals and those experiencing economic and service disruptions. Future research should assess the effectiveness of policies targeting COVID-19 economic and service disruptions.
COVID-19 Vaccination Concerns and Reasons for Acceptance Among US Health Care Personnel
Authors: Oberleitner Lindsay M.S. , Lucia Victoria C. , Navin Mark C. , Ozdych Melissa , M. Afonso Nelia , Kennedy Richard H. , Keil Hans , Wu Lawrence , Mathew Trini A.
Published: September 2022

Objectives:

Because health care personnel (HCP) are potentially at increased risk of contracting COVID-19, high vaccination rates in this population are essential. The objective of this study was to assess vaccination status, barriers to vaccination, reasons for vaccine acceptance, and concerns about COVID-19 vaccination among HCP.

Methods:

We conducted an anonymous online survey at a large US health care system from April 9 through May 4, 2021, to assess COVID-19 vaccination status and endorsement of reasons for acceptance and concerns related to vaccination (based on selections from a provided list).

Results:

A total of 4603 HCP (12.2% response rate) completed the survey, 3947 (85.7%) had received at least 1 dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at the time of the survey, and 550 (11.9%) reported no plans to receive the vaccine. Unvaccinated HCP were 30 times more likely than vaccinated HCP to endorse religious or personal beliefs as a vaccine concern (odds ratio = 30.95; 95% CI, 21.06-45.48) and 15 times more likely to believe that personal vaccination is not needed if enough others are vaccinated (odds ratio = 14.99; 95% CI, 10.84-20.72). The more reasons endorsed for vaccination (ß = 0.60; P < .001), the higher the likelihood of having received the vaccine. However, the number of concerns about COVID-19 vaccine was not related to vaccination status (ß = 1.01; P = .64).

Conclusions:

Our findings suggest that reasons for vaccination acceptance and concerns about vaccination need to be considered to better understand behavioral choices related to COVID-19 vaccination among HCP, because these beliefs may affect vaccination advocacy, responses to vaccine mandates, and promotion of COVID-19 vaccine boosters.
Rapid COVID-19 Testing and On-site Case Investigation and Contact Tracing in an Underresourced Area of Salt Lake City, Utah, December 2020–April 2021
Authors: Gillwald Karsten , Lee Seung Hee , Paegle Alina , Mead Paul , Acker Tessa , Roberts Nicole B. , Dunn Angela C.
Published: September 2022

This case study describes how we paired free SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen testing with on-site case investigation and contact tracing at a drive-through site in an underresourced area of Salt Lake City. Residents of this area had lower rates of employment and health insurance and higher rates of poverty than in the Utah general population. People were given an option to remain on-site and wait until their test results were ready. If a vehicle occupant received a positive test result, the case investigation occurred on-site; contact tracing with the other vehicle occupants was also initiated. People were provided resources to support isolation and quarantine. Bilingual staff who spoke Spanish were incorporated into the workflow. From December 2020 through April 2021, public health staff administered 39 587 rapid tests; 4094 people received a positive test result and 1133 stayed for on-site case investigation. More than half (60.5%) of people with a positive test result who agreed to stay for on-site case investigation were Hispanic or self-reported belonging to a non-Hispanic racial minority group (American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, or other racial identities). Pairing rapid antigen testing with on-site case investigation and contact tracing is feasible and improved the timeliness of case investigation by ≥1 day. On-site vaccination services were later integrated. Future emergency responses might consider assisting underresourced communities with on-site services that provide convenient and accessible public health interventions. By providing dependable and reliable services, we were able to achieve buy-in and become a consistent resource for those in the community.
Xiaoling and Nanjing: Mapping the Imperial Mausoleum in a Fourteenth-Century Capital in China
Authors: Jin Hui-Han
Published: September 2022

This paper is about the unique spatial arrangement of the capital (Nanjing) and imperial mausoleum (Xiaoling) in fourteenth-century China. According to Confucian principles and traditional practices, the location of tombs should be separated from the space of the living for philosophical and emotional reasons. However, this convention was challenged by the Hongwu emperor (1368–1398), founder of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), who built his own imperial mausoleum, Xiaoling, within the confines of the capital, an unprecedented act. According to primary sources—ritual texts, gazettes, tour books, and poetry—this innovative capital–mausoleum plan suggests an extension of the pattern by which the Hongwu emperor honored his ancestors through spatial arrangements and incorporated the imperial ancestors into dynasty-building.
On an enhanced back propagation neural network control of vehicle semi-active suspension with a magnetorheological damper
Authors: Wang Mingxiang , Pang Hui , Luo Jibo , Liu Minhao
Published: September 2022

To improve the ride quality of a vehicle, an enhanced vibration control method is presented for semi-active suspension (SAS) with magnetorheological (MR) damper by combining back propagation neural network (BPNN) and particle swarm optimization (PSO). Based on the test data of MR damper, a non-parametric model of MR damper using adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) is first established, and based on that, a dynamics model of the SAS system is derived. Next, a BPNN controller is designed to fulfill the effective control of the current in MR damper. Meanwhile, the improved PSO with adaptive weight and dynamic acceleration constant is introduced to optimize the weights and thresholds of the BPNN controller, which can avoid the designed BPNN falling into the local optimum and then improve the convergence rate of the designed controller. Besides, the stability of the developed controller is analyzed via Lyapunov stability theory. Different from the existing models and methods, the established model can well describe the dynamics behaviors of the actual MR damper, and the proposed control method has better adaptability, convergence speed and precision. Finally, a simulative investigation is performed to validate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed controller, compared to existing BP-PID control and the passive suspension, the vehicle acceleration of SAS with this proposed controller is respectively improved by 10% and 30%.