bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lay Detection of Unusual Patterns in the Frequency of Hurricanes
Authors: Dryden Rachel , Morgan M. Granger , Broomell Stephen
Published: July 2020

An increase in the severity of extreme weather is arguably one of the most important consequences of climate change with immediate and potentially devastating impacts. Recent events, like Hurricane Harvey, stimulated public discourse surrounding the role of climate change in amplifying, or otherwise modifying, the patterns of such events. Within the scientific community, recent years have witnessed considerable progress on “climate attribution”—the use of statistical techniques to assess the probability that climate change is influencing the character of some extreme weather events. Using a novel application of signal detection theory, this article assesses when, and to what extent, laypeople attribute changes in hurricanes to climate change and whether and how certain characteristics predict this decision. The results show that people attribute hurricanes to climate change based on their preexisting climate beliefs and numeracy. Respondents who were more dubious about the existence of climate change (and more numerate) required a greater degree of evidence (i.e., a more extreme world) before they were willing to suggest that an unusual hurricane season might be influenced by climate change. However, those who have doubts were still willing to make these attributions when hurricane behavior becomes sufficiently extreme. In general, members of the public who hold different prior views about climate change are not in complete disagreement about the evidence they perceive, which leaves the possibility for future work to explore ways to bring such judgments back into alignment.
The Emergence of Transdisciplinary Research and Disaster Science
Authors: Aguirre Benigno E. , El-Tawil Sherif
Published: July 2020

This article intends to bring attention to the emerging specialty of disaster science (DS), as well as to introduce a newly created system of computer simulation to facilitate transdisciplinary integration that would allow for the interphase of computer simulation platforms developed by scientists in the different professions engaged in the study of disasters. The next section discusses the origins of DS and the characteristics of the scientists using the concept, then reviews of some of the DS interpretations, then presents systematicity, a new philosophy of science perspective that allows for the methodical comparison of the various disciplinary specialties interested in the study of disasters, and that can facilitate the creation of a transdisciplinary style of research. The article concludes with the description of the computer simulation program Simple Real-Time Infrastructure, which is designed to facilitate transdisciplinary collaboration.
Systematic Review of Negative Pressure Pulmonary Edema in Otolaryngology Procedures
Authors: Din-Lovinescu Corina , Trivedi Usha , Zhang Kathy , Barinsky Gregory L. , Grube Jordon G. , Eloy Jean Anderson , Hsueh Wayne D.
Published: July 2020

Objective(s):

Negative pressure pulmonary edema (NPPE) is a rare perioperative complication with a potentially fatal outcome. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review of NPPE in adult otolaryngology procedures with the goal of identifying risk factors, clinical presentation, diagnosis, management and outcomes.

Methods:

Systematic review performed using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases.

Results:

Sixty-nine studies including data from 87 individual patients were included in this review. Fifty-six (68%) patients were male and the average patient age was 37 years old. Type 1 NPPE occurred in 63 (72%) cases, while type 2 NPPE accounted for 20 (23%) cases. The most common procedures leading to NPPE were septoplasty, rhinoplasty or sinus surgery (n = 22, 25%), directly laryngoscopy or bronchoscopy (n = 13, 15%), and tracheostomy or cricothyroidotomy (n = 11, 13%). The most employed treatment options included diuretics (n = 55, 63%) and mechanical ventilation (n = 54, 62%). Seventy-eight (90%) patients made a full recovery with an average time to NPPE resolution of 33 hours and an average length of hospitalization of 5.6 days. Five (6%) patients had a long-term morbidity and four (5%) patients died, with age and ICU stay increasing risk for death and long-term morbidity (OR 1.044 and 7.42, respectively, P < .05).

Conclusion:

Septoplasty, rhinoplasty and sinus surgery account for the majority of NPPE cases in adult otolaryngology procedures. Young, healthy patients are the most commonly involved with a slight male predominance. The vast majority of patients recover fully, however there is a significant risk for morbidity and mortality.
Comparison of Open and Endoscopic Approaches in the Resection of Esthesioneuroblastoma
Authors: Barinsky Gregory L. , Azmy Monica C. , Kilic Suat , Grube Jordon G. , Baredes Soly , Hsueh Wayne D. , Eloy Jean Anderson
Published: July 2020

Background:

Olfactory neuroblastoma, or esthesioneuroblastoma (ENB), is an uncommon sinonasal malignancy arising from olfactory neuroepithelium that is optimally treated with surgical resection. The objective of this study is to determine preoperative predictors of undergoing open versus endoscopic approach for ENB and to investigate significant postoperative survival outcomes between the two surgical approaches.

Methods:

The National Cancer Database (NCDB) was queried for cases of ENB histology that were treated surgically from 2010 to 2015. Groups were stratified into open or endoscopic approach cohorts. Patient demographics, tumor characteristics, treatment modality, and 5-year overall survival were compared between the two groups using Chi-Square analysis and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Cases were classified as Kadish stage A, B, C, or D based on the “Collaborative Stage-Extension” codes in NCDB.

Results:

Of 533 patients meeting inclusion criteria, 276 (51.8%) patients underwent open, and 257 (48.2%) patients underwent endoscopic surgical approaches. Patients undergoing endoscopic surgery were more likely to be Kadish stages A and B and less likely to be stages C and D ( P = .020). Those undergoing endoscopic approach overall had a shorter mean hospital stay postoperatively (3.8 vs. 7.0 days, P < .001). Endoscopic cases had a greater 5-year overall survival (81.9% vs. 75.6%, P = .030); after multivariate regression, there was a trend toward survival benefit to endoscopic surgery that did not reach clinical significance (HR 0.644, [0.392-1.058], P = .083).

Conclusion:

Although not statistically significant, there is a trend toward increased overall survival with an endoscopic approach in patients undergoing surgery for ENB as compared to an open approach, regardless of Kadish stage. An endoscopic approach is an adequate alternative to an open approach for the surgical treatment of ENB.
Measuring Populism in Political Parties: Appraisal of a New Approach
Authors: Meijers Maurits J. , Zaslove Andrej
Published: July 2020

Populism has become a pervasive concept in political science research. However, a central and basic question remains unanswered: which European parties are more populist than others? Despite the increasing wealth of studies on populism in parties, we lack data that measures populism in political parties in a valid and precise manner, that recognizes that populism is constituted by multiple dimensions, and that ensures full coverage of all parties in Europe. In this article, we first appraise the weaknesses of existing approaches. Arguing that parties’ populism should be measured as a latent construct, we then advocate a new approach to operationalizing and measuring populism in political parties using expert surveys. Relying on the Populism and Political Parties Expert Survey spanning 250 political parties in 28 European countries, we show that populism is best measured in a multi-dimensional and continuous manner. We subsequently illustrate the advantages of our approach for empirical analysis in political science.
What Context Matters and at What Level? A Test of Racial/Ethnic Threat, Symbolic Threat, and Structural Inequality Perspectives in Juvenile Court Decision-Making
Authors: Leiber Michael J. , Donnelly Ellen A. , Lu Yunmei
Published: July 2020

Do traditional theories of conflict influence juvenile court decision-making and explain racial/ethnic disparities? Racial/ethnic threat, symbolic threat, and structural inequality perspectives purport social controls increase when groups differ in race, ethnicity, or class. Scholarship tends to test one perspective at a time and use county as a unit of analysis. Taking a comparative approach, this study evaluates whether contextual indicators of these three theories, measured at the county- and zip code-levels, contribute to Black-White and Latino-White disparities in court decisions. Multilevel models reveal weak and partial support for each perspective. More effects appear at the zip code-level, indicating conflict may occur within rather than across courts. Macro-level theories must then be reconsidered to describe modern-day juvenile court proceedings.
More than just an angry face: A critical review and theoretical expansion of research on leader anger expression
Authors: Shao Bo , Guo Yongxing
Published: July 2020

Stories about angry bosses in the workplace are relatively common. Have you ever wondered what causes their anger and how the expressed anger impacts the workplace? Our review of 58 studies on leader anger expression provides an overview of research findings on this phenomenon. The review demonstrates significant research progress in understanding leader anger expression, including its causes, consequences, mechanisms, and boundary conditions. However, the review also reveals that the current approaches to leader anger expression are quite static, which creates the need for a dynamic approach to examining leader anger expression. Integrating a range of theories, we suggest three ways of building dynamic models of leader anger expression, considering its temporal dimension, the dynamics between its mechanisms, and the complexity of emotional episodes in which anger is expressed. Our research contributes to the existing literature by being the first to take stock of leader anger expression research to date and propose a dynamic approach to understanding this phenomenon.
The Islamic perspective on physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia
Authors: Madadin Mohammed , Al Sahwan Houria S , Altarouti Khadijah K , Altarouti Sarraa A , Al Eswaikt Zahra S , Menezes Ritesh G
Published: July 2020

Physician-assisted suicide (PAS) and euthanasia can be debated from ethical and legal perspectives, and there are a variety of views regarding their acceptability and usefulness. Religion is considered an important factor in determining attitudes towards such practices. This narrative review aims to provide an overview of the Islamic perspective on PAS and euthanasia and explore the Islamic approach in addressing the related issues. The PubMed database was searched to retrieve relevant articles, then the references listed in the selected articles were checked for additional relevant publications. Additionally, religious books (Quran and hadith) and legal codes of selected countries were also consulted from appropriate websites. The Islamic code of law discusses many issues regarding life and death, as it considers any act of taking one’s life to be forbidden. Islam sanctifies life and depicts it as a gift from God ( Allah). It consistently emphasises the importance of preserving life and well-being. Therefore Muslims, the followers of Islam, have no right to end their life. All Islamic doctrines consider PAS and euthanasia to be forbidden. However, if the patient has an imminently fatal illness, withholding or withdrawing a futile medical treatment is considered permissible. From a legal perspective, Islamic countries have not legalised PAS and euthanasia. Such practices are therefore considered suicides when patients consent to the procedure, and homicides when physicians execute the procedure.
Games for health & mHealth apps for police & blue light personnel: A research review
Authors: Marston Hannah R. , Hadley Robin , Pike Graham , Hesketh Ian
Published: July 2020

Previous research has reported adverse health outcomes for emergency services personnel (ESP), outcomes that research more broadly has shown can be improved using a gamification and mobile health (mhealth) apps approach. We conducted a review of research on gamification and mhealth apps for ESP that had been published in the last 19 years using 6 major research databases. The results demonstrated that virtually no relevant research has been published, suggesting a significant gap in the evidence base of an approach that could potentially have significant benefits for the health of ESP.
Class, Power and the Structural Dependence Thesis: Distributive Conflict in the UK, 1892–2018
Authors: Fiorio Carlo V , Mohun Simon , Veneziani Roberto
Published: July 2020

Can political parties, social movements and governments influence market outcomes and shape the functioning of a capitalist economy? Is it possible for social democratic parties, and the labour movement in general, to promote a significant redistribution of income in favour of labour? According to proponents of the structural dependence thesis, the answer to both questions is negative, because the structural dependence of labour upon capital severely constrains feasible income distributions. This article provides a long-run analysis of the UK, which casts doubts on the structural dependence thesis. There is some evidence of a short-run profit-squeeze mechanism, but income shares are much more variable in the long-run than the structural dependence argument suggests, and the power resources available to social classes are among the key determinants of distributive outcomes.
‘Neoliberal feminism’: Legitimising the gendered moral project of austerity
Authors: Dabrowski Vicki
Published: July 2020

This article focuses on how middle-class women identify with ‘neoliberal feminism’ within the context of UK austerity by drawing on interviews with 17 women in Leeds, London and Brighton during 2014 and 2015. The article argues that the way in which these women identify with, understand and discuss whom feminism is important for, converges with a range of values present in the austerity discourse. In line with the principles of ‘late modernity’, feminism is spoken through an individualised lifestyle discourse, with an emphasis on the need to be resilient and have a positive mental attitude to deal with forms of inequality. Due to the particularity of the context, women create distance, and classed and racialised distinctions away from women who are suffering in the current context. This distancing is crucial to the maintenance of the austerity project, since, instead of helping to put an end to gender inequality, this form of feminism aids the legitimation of hierarchical relationships and gendered socio-economic inequalities. This is produced via a form of indifference towards those who are understood as ‘bad subjects’, perceived as being unable to manage and who are thus undeserving of help. Mapping out the contours of the entanglement of feminist narratives with an anti-emancipatory narrative is thus crucial for widening understandings of the politics of austerity and contemporary engagements with feminism.
Machine Learning in Internet Search Query Selection for Tourism Forecasting
Authors: Li Xin , Li Hengyun , Pan Bing , Law Rob
Published: July 2020

Prior studies have shown that Internet search query data have great potential to improve tourism forecasting. As such, selecting the most relevant information from large amounts of search query data is crucial to enhancing forecasting accuracy and reducing overfitting; however, such feature selection methods have not been considered in the tourism forecasting literature. This study employs four machine learning–based feature selection methods to extract useful search query data and construct relevant econometric models. We examined the proposed methods based on monthly forecasting of tourist arrivals in Beijing, China, along with weekly forecasting of hotel occupancy in the city of Charleston, South Carolina, USA. Our findings indicate that the forecasting model with the selected search keywords outperformed the benchmark ARMAX model without feature selection in forecasting tourism demand and hotel occupancy. Therefore, machine learning methods can identify the most useful search query data to significantly improve forecasting accuracy in tourism and hospitality.
Memory Strategy Training Can Enhance Psychoeducation Outcomes for Dementia Family Caregivers: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: McAuliffe Linda , Wright Bradley J , Kinsella Glynda
Published: July 2020

This study investigated caregiver outcomes when a psychoeducation program for older people with dementia and caregivers is modified to extend practice in memory strategies. Moderation effects of increased memory strategy use were also explored. Fifty-six care dyads participated in the multicenter, randomized controlled trial comparing psychoeducation (active control) with psychoeducation and memory strategy practice (intervention). Primary outcome was memory strategy use; secondary outcome was caregiver emotional reactivity (burden, depression, and anxiety). Results showed memory strategy use significantly increased following psychoeducation for both groups. However, psychoeducation combined with memory strategy practice resulted in a significant reduction in depression for caregivers reporting at least mild baseline symptoms. Greater use of memory strategies moderated the relationship between burden and depression following intervention. Psychoeducation programs that incorporate practical memory strategy training may offer more substantial outcomes.
The Wickedness of Rittel and Webber’s Dilemmas
Authors: Pesch Udo , Vermaas Pieter E.
Published: July 2020

Rittel and Webber connected their notion of “wicked problems” to three fundamental planning dilemmas. Many approaches within public administration theory have explicitly addressed wicked problems yet hardly paid attention to the dilemmas. We revisit the planning dilemmas to find out their potential relevance for current administration theory and practice. We argue that the dilemmas evolve out of the current institutional setup, meaning that wicked problems cannot be resolved by better administrative frameworks or methods. Rather societal matters are to be included in decision-making, for instance, by seeing societal opposition as opportunities to learn to deal with the planning dilemmas.
Out-group prosocial giving during childhood: The role of in-group preference and out-group attitudes in a divided society
Authors: Shamoa-Nir Lipaz , Razpurker-Apfeld Irene , Dautel Jocelyn B. , Taylor Laura K.
Published: July 2020

Amid protracted conflict, children are raised in divided contexts that shape the development of their intergroup attitudes and behaviors. Social identity development theory (SIDT) suggests that in-group preference may contribute to more negative out-group attitudes and behaviors in middle childhood. In such contexts, in-group favoritism may shape resource distribution, a key indicator of prosocial behavior. This study examined the predictors of resource distribution among 387 children (age: M = 9.59, SD = 2.34) of majority (Jewish) and minority (Arab-Muslim) groups in Israel. Rooted in SIDT, a multiple-group chain mediation found that the effect of age on out-group prosocial giving was serially mediated by the child’s in-group symbol preference and negative out-group attitudes. The mediation held across both majority and minority groups, highlighting the underlying developmental process of prosocial giving across group lines in a divided society.
Does the use of open, non-anonymous peer review in scholarly publishing introduce bias? Evidence from the F1000Research post-publication open peer review publishing model
Authors: Thelwall Mike , Allen Liz , Papas Eleanor-Rose , Nyakoojo Zena , Weigert Verena
Published: July 2020

As part of moves towards open knowledge practices, making peer review open is cited as a way to enable fuller scrutiny and transparency of assessments around research. There are now many flavours of open peer review in use across scholarly publishing, including where reviews are fully attributable and the reviewer is named. This study examines whether there is any evidence of bias in two areas of common critique of open, non-anonymous (named) peer review – and used in the post-publication, peer review system operated by the open-access scholarly publishing platform F1000Research. First, is there evidence of potential bias where a reviewer based in a specific country assesses the work of an author also based in the same country? Second, are reviewers influenced by being able to see the comments and know the origins of a previous reviewer? Based on over 4 years of open peer review data, we found some weak evidence that being based in the same country as an author may influence a reviewer’s decision, while there was insufficient evidence to conclude that being able to read an existing published review prior to submitting a review encourages conformity. Thus, while immediate publishing of peer review reports appears to be unproblematic, caution may be needed when selecting same-country reviewers in open systems if other studies confirm these results.
More efficient processes for creating automated essay scoring frameworks: A demonstration of two algorithms
Authors: Shin Jinnie , Gierl Mark J.
Published: July 2020

Automated essay scoring (AES) has emerged as a secondary or as a sole marker for many high-stakes educational assessments, in native and non-native testing, owing to remarkable advances in feature engineering using natural language processing, machine learning, and deep-neural algorithms. The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness and the performance of two AES frameworks, each based on machine learning with deep language features, or complex language features, and deep neural algorithms. More specifically, support vector machines (SVMs) in conjunction with Coh-Metrix features were used for a traditional AES model development, and the convolutional neural networks (CNNs) approach was used for more contemporary deep-neural model development. Then, the strengths and weaknesses of the traditional and contemporary models under different circumstances (e.g., types of the rubric, length of the essay, and the essay type) were tested. The results were evaluated using the quadratic weighted kappa (QWK) score and compared with the agreement between the human raters. The results indicated that the CNNs model performs better, meaning that it produced more comparable results to the human raters than the Coh-Metrix + SVMs model. Moreover, the CNNs model also achieved state-of-the-art performance in most of the essay sets with a high average QWK score.
Is there a “safe” suction pressure in the venous line of extracorporeal circulation system?
Authors: Ganushchak Yuri M , Körver Erik PJ , Maessen Jos G
Published: July 2020

Successes of extracorporeal life support increased the use of centrifugal pumps. However, reports of hemolysis call for caution in using these pumps, especially in neonatology and in pediatric intensive care. Cavitation can be a cause of blood damage. The aim of our study was to obtain information about the cavitation conditions and to provide the safest operating range of centrifugal pumps. A series of tests were undertaken to determine the points at which pump performance decreases 3% and gas bubbles start to appear downstream of the pump. Two pumps were tested; pump R with a closed impeller and pump S with a semiopen impeller. The performance tests demonstrated that pump S has an optimal region narrower than pump R and it is shifted to the higher flows. When the pump performance started to decrease, the inlet pressure varies but close to −150 mmHg in the test with low gas content and higher than −100 mmHg in the tests with increased gas content. The same trend was observed at the points of development of massive gas emboli. Importantly, small packages of bubbles downstream of the pump were registered at relatively high inlet pressures. The gaseous cavitation in centrifugal pumps is a phenomenon that appears with decreasing inlet pump pressures. There are a few ways to increase inlet pump pressures: (1) positioning the pump as low as possible in relation to the patient; (2) selecting appropriate sized venous cannulas and their careful positioning; and (3) controlling patient’s volume status.
Risk factors for agitation and hyperactive delirium in adult postcardiotomy patients with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support: an observational study
Authors: Wang Hong , Hou Dengbang , Tian Xiaqiu , Wang Liangshan , Li Chenglong , Jia Ming , Hou Xiaotong
Published: July 2020

Background:

Agitation and delirium in critically ill patients after cardiac surgery carry poor in-hospital prognosis. Identifying risk factors may promote its prevention and management. Accordingly, this study aimed to evaluate the incidence of agitation and hyperactive delirium in postcardiotomy patients during the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support and to identify the risk factors for its development.

Methods:

This single center, retrospective study was conducted at Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University. Data were extracted from the prospective institutional registry database of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation patients. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to predict risk factors.

Results:

A total of 170 consecutive adult patients underwent extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in our hospital from January 2016 to December 2017. Ninety-four patients were included in the final analysis. The incidence of agitation and hyperactive delirium was 35% in our population of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation–supported postcardiotomy patients. Agitation and delirium usually occurred within the first 3 days of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Multivariable analysis showed that history of previous stroke (without preoperative cognitive dysfunction; odds ratio, 4.425, 95% confidence interval: 1.171-16.716; p = 0.028) and mean arterial pressure reduction (before extracorporeal membrane oxygenation initiation) ⩾ 49 mmHg (odds ratio, 7.570, 95% confidence interval: 2.366-24.219, p = 0.001) were independent risk factors for agitation and hyperactive delirium during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the prediction of agitation and hyperactive delirium was 0.704 (95% confidence interval 0.589-0.820, p = 0.001). There was more severe arrhythmia in the agitation patients.

Conclusion:

Our results suggest that the prevalence of agitation and hyperactive delirium in postcardiotomy patients with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support is high. In addition, previous stroke and severe mean arterial pressure reduction before extracorporeal membrane oxygenation initiation is predictive of agitation and hyperactive delirium.
A Computationally Efficient Method for Probabilistic Parameter Threshold Analysis for Health Economic Evaluations
Authors: Pieters Zoë , Strong Mark , Pitzer Virginia E. , Beutels Philippe , Bilcke Joke
Published: July 2020

Background. Threshold analysis is used to determine the threshold value of an input parameter at which a health care strategy becomes cost-effective. Typically, it is performed in a deterministic manner, in which inputs are varied one at a time while the remaining inputs are each fixed at their mean value. This approach will result in incorrect threshold values if the cost-effectiveness model is nonlinear or if inputs are correlated. Objective. To propose a probabilistic method for performing threshold analysis, which accounts for the joint uncertainty in all input parameters and makes no assumption about the linearity of the cost-effectiveness model. Methods. Three methods are compared: 1) deterministic threshold analysis (DTA); 2) a 2-level Monte Carlo approach, which is considered the gold standard; and 3) a regression-based method using a generalized additive model (GAM), which identifies threshold values directly from a probabilistic sensitivity analysis sample. Results. We applied the 3 methods to estimate the minimum probability of hospitalization for typhoid fever at which 3 different vaccination strategies become cost-effective in Uganda. The threshold probability of hospitalization at which routine vaccination at 9 months with catchup campaign to 5 years becomes cost-effective is estimated to be 0.060 and 0.061 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.058–0.064), respectively, for 2-level and GAM. According to DTA, routine vaccination at 9 months with catchup campaign to 5 years would never become cost-effective. The threshold probability at which routine vaccination at 9 months with catchup campaign to 15 years becomes cost-effective is estimated to be 0.092 (DTA), 0.074 (2-level), and 0.072 (95% CI, 0.069–0.075) (GAM). GAM is 430 times faster than the 2-level approach. Conclusions. When the cost-effectiveness model is nonlinear, GAM provides similar threshold values to the 2-level Monte Carlo approach and is computationally more efficient. DTA provides incorrect results and should not be used.
The Scoraig wind trials – In situ power performance measurements of locally manufactured small wind turbines
Authors: Leary Jon , Piggott Hugh , Howell Robert
Published: July 2020

This article presents new insight into the real-world performance of a range of open source locally manufactured small wind turbines designed to enable sustainable rural electrification. The power performance of seven machines was measured in situ and compared to wind tunnel, test site and other in situ data to produce a set of generic power curves. This article shows that the shape and size of the curve (and therefore the energy that will be generated) varies considerably. However, over-performance was just as likely as under-performance, validating the designer’s predicted energy yields. Nonetheless, optimising the power curve by tuning the small wind turbine increased energy yields by up to 156%. Developing low-cost practical tools that can enable rapid power curve measurements in the field could help reduce uncertainty when planning rural electrification programmes and ensure that small wind turbines are able to deliver vital energy services in off-grid regions of developing countries.
Deep Reinforcement Learning Agent with Varying Actions Strategy for Solving the Eco-Approach and Departure Problem at Signalized Intersections
Authors: Mousa Saleh R. , Ishak Sherif , Mousa Ragab M. , Codjoe Julius , Elhenawy Mohammed
Published: July 2020

Eco-approach and departure is a complex control problem wherein a driver’s actions are guided over a period of time or distance so as to optimize fuel consumption. Reinforcement learning (RL) is a machine learning paradigm that mimics human learning behavior, in which an agent attempts to solve a given control problem by interacting with the environment and developing an optimal policy. Unlike the methods implemented in previous studies for solving the eco-driving problem, RL does not require prior knowledge of the environment to be learned and processed. This paper develops a deep reinforcement learning (DRL) agent for solving the eco-approach and departure problem in the vicinity of signalized intersections for minimization of fuel consumption. The DRL algorithm utilizes a deep neural network for the RL. Novel strategies such as varying actions, prioritized experience replay, target network, and double learning were implemented to overcome the expected instabilities during the training process. The results revealed the significance of the DRL algorithm in reducing fuel consumption. Interestingly, the DRL algorithm was able to successfully learn the environment and guide vehicles through the intersection without red light running violation. On average, the DRL provided fuel savings of about 13.02% with no red light running violations.
Tendon Regeneration After Partial-Thickness Peroneus Longus Tendon Harvesting: Magnetic Resonance Imaging Evaluation and In Vivo Animal Study
Authors: Lee Ho Won , Wang Chenyu , Bae Tae Soo , Yang Ik , Liu Yuxuan , Park Chang Won , Kim Hyong Nyun
Published: July 2020

Background:

In recent years, the use of the anterior half of the peroneus longus tendon (AHPLT) as an autograft source for ligament reconstruction has gained popularity. However, no reports are available regarding tendon regeneration after harvesting of the AHPLT.

Hypothesis:

When half of the tendon is preserved during tendon harvesting, the quality of the regenerated tendon is better than that of the regenerated tendon after full-thickness harvesting.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4; controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

A total of 21 patients who underwent AHPLT harvesting for lower extremity ligament reconstruction participated in the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study to evaluate tendon regeneration 1 year after the harvesting. An in vivo animal study was performed to compare the quality of the regenerated tendon after partial-thickness and full-thickness tendon harvesting. A total of 30 adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were allocated to 2 groups—15 rats underwent partial-thickness Achilles tendon harvesting (partial-thickness harvesting [PTH] group), and 15 rats underwent full-thickness Achilles tendon harvesting (full-thickness harvesting [FTH] group). The quality of the regenerated tendons was compared 180 days after tendon harvesting.

Results:

All 21 patients showed regeneration of the peroneus longus tendon (PLT) (homogeneously dark on both T1- and T2-weighted sequences). The cross-sectional area of the regenerated tendon divided by that of the preoperative tendon was 92.6% and 84.5% at 4 cm and 9 cm proximal to the tip of the distal fibula, respectively. In the animal study, the mean histologic score was better for the PTH group compared with the FTH group (9.17 ± 1.35 vs 14.72 ± 0.74; P < .001). The ultimate strength and the stiffness of the regenerated Achilles tendon were significantly higher for the PTH group compared with the FTH group (35.5 ± 8.3 vs 22.4 ± 8.3 N, P = .004; and 31.6 ± 7.7 vs 23.5 ± 4.8 N/mm, P = .016).

Conclusion:

The PLT was found to regenerate after partial-thickness harvesting on MRI. In the animal study, the quality of the regenerated tendon when half of the tendon was preserved during tendon harvesting was better than that after full-thickness tendon harvesting.
The Educational Consequences of Parental Immigration Detention
Authors: Gonzalez Gabriela , Patler Caitlin
Published: July 2020

Every year, Immigration and Customs Enforcement imprisons hundreds of thousands of noncitizens as they await adjudication on their deportation proceedings. Importantly, many detained individuals have lived in the interior of the country for many years and are parents of young, dependent, school-age children living in the United States. This analysis brings together and builds upon research on parental incarceration and international migration. We analyze 104 multigenerational interviews conducted in California with detained parents, their current or former nondetained spouses/partners, and the school-age children they share. Our findings suggest that children’s academic trajectories are seriously disrupted by the trauma, stigma, and strain of parental imprisonment. Moreover, these vulnerabilities are enhanced in unique ways by children’s positionality as members of mixed-immigration-status families facing the possibility of deportation. Our findings suggest that parental immigration detention can have intergenerational consequences for children’s mobility that disrupt traditional pathways of immigrant integration in mixed-immigration-status families.
An experimental analysis of minimum chip thickness in micro-milling of two different titanium alloys
Authors: Aslantas Kubilay , Alatrushi Luqman KH , Bedir Fevzi , Kaynak Yusuf , Yılmaz Nihat
Published: July 2020

Micro-milling is a micro-mechanical cutting method used to obtain complex and three-dimensional micro geometries. Micro-cutting tools are used in the manufacturing of micro-components and the type of workpiece is also important for good surface quality and minimum burr. In this study, micro machinability of Ti6Al4V alloy which is used most frequently in micro-component production is compared with Ti5553 alloy. Micro-milling of Ti5553 alloy and comparison of the minimum chip thickness with Ti6Al4V were performed for the first time in this study. Using different cutting parameters, the variation of surface roughness, burr width, and cutting forces were investigated. The cutting tests were carried out on a specially designed and high-precision micro-milling test system using a TiCN-coated two-flute end mill of 0.6 mm diameter. According to the results, minimum chip thickness is approximately 0.3 times the edge radius of the cutting tool and does not vary with the alloy type. At feed rates smaller than the minimum chip thickness, both the cutting forces increase and the surface quality decreases. For both alloys, reduced feed rate and increased depth of cut lead to increased burr width. The burr widths in Ti6Al4V alloy are higher. At the end of the study, the limits of the cutting parameters where plowing occurred for the both alloys are clearly determined. In addition, the limits of the cutting parameter causing plowing have been confirmed by cutting forces, surface roughness, and burr formation.
Dynamic modeling and stability prediction in milling process of thin-walled workpiece with multiple structural modes
Authors: Zhang Zhao , Luo Ming , Wu Baohai , Zhang Dinghua
Published: July 2020

Regenerative chatter can easily occur in the milling process of thin-walled workpiece due to the inherently low stiffness. This article aims to predict the stability of thin-walled workpiece in the milling process with a complete dynamic model. First, multiple structural modes of thin-walled workpiece are taken into consideration, and a complete dynamic model of thin-walled workpiece milling system is developed. Then, a numerical integration method is used to achieve the stability lobe diagrams of the milling system and identify the chatter frequency. Besides, the major structural mode, which is responsible for the occurrence of thin-walled workpiece chatter in the milling process, is predicted. A series of milling tests concerning a general cantilever plate are conducted, and the test results agree well with the predicted results, which shows the effectiveness of the proposed method. Finally, the effects of milling tool and structural modes on milling stability are discussed separately, which could provide theoretical basis for the dynamic modeling of thin-walled workpiece in milling process.
Effect of combination antiretroviral therapy on the clinical manifestations, radiological characteristics, and disease severity of HIV-associated Talaromyces marneffei infection
Authors: Shi Xiudong , Yan Qinqin , Zhan Yi , Shi Chunzi , Song Fengxiang , Wang Lin , Qi Tangkai , Lu Hongzhou , Shan Fei , Shi Yuxin
Published: July 2020

The objective of this study was to evaluate whether combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has an effect on the clinical manifestations, radiological characteristics, and disease severity of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated Talaromyces marneffei infection. The clinical manifestations, chest computed tomography (CT) images, and disease severity were compared between 14 patients with culture-confirmed T. marneffei infections who received cART and 38 patients who did not receive cART. Clinical manifestations included high fever (>38°C), cough, shortness of breath, chills, and skin rash. Chest CT scans were evaluated for the presence of ground-glass opacities, consolidation, miliary nodules, nodules, masses, cavitation, pericardial effusion, pleural effusion, mediastinal lymphadenitis, and the distribution of parenchymal abnormalities. Disease severity was estimated by clinical manifestations and chest CT findings. Fever (>38°C), cough, shortness of breath, and chills were significantly less frequent in patients who received cART than in those who did not receive cART (P < 0.05). The frequencies of miliary nodules, mediastinal lymphadenitis, and the proportion of diffuse lesions were significantly lower in patients who received cART than in those who did not receive cART (P < 0.05). The disease severity was significantly decreased in patients who received cART compared with patients who did not receive cART (P < 0.001). T. marneffei-infected patients who received cART had fewer clinical manifestations and decreased disease severity compared with those who did not receive this treatment. The use of cART is associated with modified chest CT characteristics in HIV-associated T. marneffei infections.
Falling HIV incidence in a community clinic cohort of men who have sex with men and transgender women in Barcelona, Spain
Authors: Meulbroek Michael , Dalmau-Bueno Albert , Saz Jorge , Marazzi Giovanni , Pérez Fèlix , Coll Josep , Taboada Héctor , Pujol Ferran
Published: July 2020

In Barcelona, Spain prior to 2006, HIV testing was mostly limited to formal healthcare facilities with no incidence data reported. A community-based organization (BCN Checkpoint) was established to increase HIV testing in a peer-led community location to generate incidence data in men who have sex with men and transgender women. Three community engagement interventions were conducted between 2009 and 2017 as follows: 2009–2011 (peer-led point-of-care testing for HIV), 2012–2014 (12-monthly HIV testing with an emphasis on testing in partnerships), 2015–2017 (three-monthly HIV testing with rapid referral for antiretroviral initiation). Between 2009 and 2017 a predominantly cisgender male (99.4%) and Spanish national (62.4%) population with mean age of 34.8 years had 49,630 visits. Mean visit number increased from 1.69 in the first to 2.07 in the last three-year period. HIV incidence fell from 4.17 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.53–4.93) per 100 person-years in 2009–2011 to 1.57 (95% CI: 1.30–1.89) per 100 person-years in 2015–2017. This represents a 62% reduction (incidence rate ratio: 0.38, 95% CI: 0.29–0.48) between the first and third study period (p < 0.001). These early interventions may have contributed to the reduction seen in HIV incidence in this cohort.
‘We are not terrorist, we are freedom fighters’: Discourse representation of the pro-Biafra protest in selected Nigerian newspapers
Authors: Osisanwo Ayo , Iyoha Osas
Published: July 2020

The recent pro-Biafra protest across Nigeria has become an important topic in the news media where it has been constructed in different ways. Existing studies on media construction of protest have examined framing, speech acts and rhetorical strategies. However, adequate attention has not been given to the discursive representation of the 2015 and 2016 pro-Biafra protest. This study therefore examined the discourse strategies and the ideological inclinations of news reports on the 2015 and 2016 Biafra protest. Van Leeuwen’s representation of social actors and Halliday’s systemic functional linguistics (SFL) serve as the theoretical underpinning of the study. Data were purposively drawn from four widely read and circulated Nigerian newspapers, The Punch, The Sun, The Vanguard and The Nation which allocate sufficient space to the coverage of the protests. The period covered was between 2015 and 2016, a period where the protest was most intense in the country. Three representational strategies which include ‘protesters as freedom fighters’, ‘protesters as economic saboteurs’ and ‘protesters as law-abiding citizens’ were discovered in the study. Ten strategies in van Leeuwen’s representation of social actors – passivisation, nomination, association, disassociation, exclusion, aggregation, functionalisation, differentiation, indetermination, collectivisation – were indexed in the representational strategies. These representations were also explicated by four processes which include material, verbal, relational and behavioural. The pro-Biafra protesters were equally represented as violent and unruly whereas the protesters construe themselves as law-abiding citizens and freedom fighters as against being treated as terrorists.
The Flyer Trials: Seeking Justice for Lynchjustiz Committed against American Airmen during the Second World War
Authors: Hall Kevin T
Published: July 2020

Widely forgotten and underestimated within the Nazi milieu is the lynching ( Lynchjustiz) committed against downed Allied airmen. This violence originated as a form of communal self-defence against, and retribution for, the devastating bombing and strafing raids. The Nazi regime then attempted to harness this violence to combat the enemy. By analysing the so-called ‘flyer trials’ it aids in better understanding the mistreatment of downed American airmen in Germany during the Second World War (e.g. what groups within German society were prone to committing violence against downed airmen as well as determining their motivation for committing these often brutal offences).
Family Businesses and Digital Entrepreneurship Adoption: A Conceptual Model
Authors: Basly Sami , Hammouda Amira
Published: July 2020

Despite the prevalence of family businesses around the world, research on their contribution to the digital economy is still needed. A primary appraisal of the characteristics of the family business and the features of digital entrepreneurship suggests that the two phenomena are conflicting. Indeed, the most common descriptions of family businesses convey the idea that they favour stability to change and slow evolutions to upheavals and disruptions. This article attempts to answer the question: How could family businesses embrace the values and overcome the hindrances to digital entrepreneurship? To this end, this article suggests a conceptual model of digital entrepreneurship adoption in family firms. Based on the socioemotional wealth logic, we first describe the main variables influencing digital entrepreneurship adoption and then analyse the moderating influence of family involvement in the firm on the relationships between these variables and digital entrepreneurship adoption. Theoretical contributions and practical insights are presented.
The Influence of Corporate Social Responsiblity on Actual Buying Behaviour: A Study of Indian Consumers
Authors: Chaudhary Asiya , Hurrah Shabir Ahmad , Maqbool Shafat
Published: July 2020

The purpose of this study is to empirically test the influence of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on the actual buying behaviour of Indian consumers. For this purpose, responses were collected from 378 Indian consumers. To examine the possible relationship, descriptive statistics and regression are used. The result shows that purchase intention, intended loyalty, and consumers’ trust of socially responsible firms have a positive impact on consumers’ actual buying behaviour. Furthermore, this study highlights that intended loyalty towards a socially responsible firm has a profound influence on the actual buying behaviour of Indian consumers. An immediate managerial implication of the findings suggests that to attract potential consumers, CSR should be integrated with consumers’ marketing mix, given that CSR pays off in the form of better consumer response.